In the Arms of Another

“So, I ran into Reg Addington today.”, Luke let the comment slip easily from his mouth not really knowing what he was expecting from Noah. Maybe, he wanted a rouse or even an acknowledgement that let him know it bothered Noah.

“From school? Was he with Tony?” Noah replied a little bit annoyed that Luke was bringing this guy up while they were packing. All he wanted to was to get out of this house and away to…. anywhere.

“No, uh, they, uh, they broke up.”, Luke turned to face Noah and let his hands play with the shirt he had been folding, “Actually it was kinda weird. He, uh, he asked me out.” He looked at Noah’s face expecting something. Noah let the thought play in his mind for a split second, “Reg did?”, His forehead wrinkled a bit from concern and worry. He did want to slow things down for a bit, but he still cared about Luke. “What‘d you say?”

A slight tone of I-told-you-so played into Luke’s voice, and he gave a nervous smile, “What’d you expect. I said I was unavailable.” Noah looked away at these words at the boxes around him. “I mean I’m not, am I?” Luke’s voice raised a bit to try and get Noah to look at him again. Noah tried to fiddle with a small bottle to place in yet another box. Luke gave a sigh and looked at the small bottle in Noah’s hands, “Look, what kind of break are we talking about?”

Noah raised suddenly with box in tow and placed it on the counter a couple of steps away from the couch, “It’s, I don’t know. What ever kind we need.”

“Well, for the record, Noah, I don’t need a break from you, so what are you saying?” Luke also stood, but stayed near the couch. Annoyance filled his voice as the conversation was going towards where he was hoping he could bring it back from.

“I-” Noah looked at the ceiling just beyond Luke’s head. He didn’t know what to say. He just needed time to think.

“What? You what? You can’t even give an explanation on where we stand?”, Luke’s voice rose some more as he tried to get an answer from his so-called boyfriend.

“I don’t know, Yes, it’s still the same with me. I still need a break. Is that what you want to hear?”, Noah’s voice was also rising. How do you tell some one that you care still love them, but can’t be around them?

“Yes! Yes, when I ask my boyfriend what he feels about me seeing other guys that’s exactly what I want to hear.” Luke’s voice dripped with venom and hurt.

Noah stuttered and a look of confusion crossed his features, “I don’t want to tell you what to do. I-I-If that‘s what you want.” Was he seriously telling Luke that he could just leave? Is that what he really wants?

“What if it’s what I want, but what about what you want!?”, Luke was beyond frustrated now. The hurt, the confusion, they were both laced in his voice. He gave a slight grunt as he threw the shirt he was holding at Noah. “You want to see Reg wearing that t-shirt!? You want to see us walking around campus arm in arm? Because that’s what you’re asking. And you know what , Noah, I know from experience that it sucks!! And, it hurts!!” Luke could feel the tears welling up in voice and his eyes, but he wouldn’t let them flow. At least not now.

“From experience. What?” Noah looked confusedly at the ground and at the shirt. A sudden moment of clarity dawned on him, “You mean Ameera? Are you mad about that!?” If this was about Ameera, then Noah couldn’t take this. Ever since he had married the girl, Luke had been nothing, but jealous and unreasonable. He had told Luke that if he was uncomfortable about the situation he wouldn’t go through with it.

“No, I’m not mad about Ameera!! I mad about what you’re, no, not about what you’re doing, scratch that.“ Luke raise both hands in the sign of a ‘x’ across his chest and motioned them outwards, “What you’re NOT doing!” Luke’s eyes filled with anger and resolve.

“What am I not doing!?” Noah was thoroughly confused with the way Luke was acting. If he wasn’t mad about Ameera, then what? He already explained why he needed a break, didn’t he?

“I have been sitting here next to you for fifteen minutes, and you haven’t even touched me. You haven‘t touched me since we got back from New York.” Luke’s voice changed once again to hurt. He wished it could just go back. Go back to when they were happy and together without the incident with Ameera and without this break that Noah keeps talking about.

New York. Noah couldn’t think of anything else once that name was uttered, “I don’t want to talk about New York.”

“Well, guess what the ICE, they aren’t here any more!” Luke stepped up to Noah and looked into his eyes. Searching, but all he saw were the calm orbs that had enticed him from the beginning.

“That’s not fair.” Noah couldn’t look at Luke. Knowing that if he did, he would break.

“And neither is what you’re doing to me. Stop pretending that I‘m not a part of this too, Noah.” Luke grasped Noah’s shoulder’s.

Noah took a gulp and steadied his stance, “Yeah, well you don’t have to be.” It hurt. Those words hurt. No matter how hard he tried to stop the words from cutting into his flesh as much as he was sure they cut into Luke’s, he had to say them. “Not any more.” He pulled from Luke and turned to face away from Luke. He couldn’t match Luke leave. Luke stood for a few seconds with a pained look plastered on his face, hoping that Noah would look at him.

Finally, Luke broke. He curled in his bottom lip and bit down. He opened the door to the small house and left.

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That conversation was only a week ago, and yet Luke still couldn’t stand thinking about it or the words that were exchanged that day. From the argument to the mopping around at Java afterwards, Luke just wanted to forget it. Who wouldn’t?

And now here he sits at the diner across from none other than Reg Addington.

“So, what do you feel like doing?”, Reg was picking lightly at the small salad in front of him. The obvious uneasiness was settled around Luke, and Reg could hardly stand it.

“Um, Whatever you think would be a good idea.”, Luke was honestly trying to seem happy as he gave a pained smile towards Reg. He too was also picking at a small dish in front of him. The light from the windows of the dinner played lightly in Luke’s golden hair, making it hard to believe that the boy wasn’t happy, but the deep shadows that etched into his face as he constantly looked down and tried to hide the true pain that reflected in his eyes.

“Look, if you don’t’ really feel comfortable doing this, I totally understand.” Reg leaned back slightly in the chair and rested hi hands on his legs.

“No, it’s fine I just need to clear my head.” Luke forced another smile and pushed himself away from the table. He gathered his hoodie and slipped it around himself.

“Well, if you need to clear your mind, then I know the perfect place to do that.”, Reg gave a dashing smile and stood also. He fished his wallet from his back pocket just as Luke was reaching for his. Reg quickly withdrew the money from the wallet and placed it on the table, giving a playful smile to his companion. “If you think I’m going to let my date pay for a meal, you are sadly mistaken.” Reg placed his wallet in his back pocket and gently laid a hand on Luke’s arm, that was retrieving his wallet.

Luke stiffened slightly at the contact and at choice of words that his friend had chosen. Was that what this was, a date? Sure he had agreed to let Reg take him out to a meal, but he never expected this. He tried to give a smile, but the action would not come to him no matter how hard he tried. Instead, a slightly pained and confused look crossed his face. The knowledge that this thing with Reg was in fact a date made his ‘break’ with Noah that much more real.

The light smile faded from Reg’s face as he noticed the look on Luke’s. He sighed and tugged gently on Luke’s sleeve, “Let’s get out of here.” He nodded towards the door.

Luke nodded and followed behind Reg towards the exit.

As they neared the door a familiar shape shadowed the entrance. The taller form of Noah Mayer filled the entrance just as Reg was reaching for the handle. A mild look of shock filled Reg’s face, but instantly formed into regret as Luke and Noah stared at one another. A look of pain and surprise filled one face. A look of searching and pain filled the other. Reg stood uncomfortably between the two of them as a silence seemed to drift over the dinner.

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A/N: Ok so this will be my first attempt at a series, so any tips from veterans are extremely welcomed. I will try and post at least a chapter per week, but we all know how life is. SO, in a nutshell R&R pls :D