miracle (miracle) wrote in luke_noah, @ 2007-10-23 22:43:00 |
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Current mood: | accomplished |
Current music: | Now I can watch ATWT |
Entry tags: | -[luke/noah]-, fanfic, fanfic: [atwt], fanfic: rating: teen&under, » by: chelseafrew |
New Fic: Support System
Original poster: chelseafrew
This is my first Nuke fic. I started watching ATWT again (after not watching for over 20 years) when I heard about the Luke/Noah storyline just over a month ago. I have lost many hours on You Tube playing catch-up.
This ficlet was inspired by the photo I show in my icon, a photo some blessed individual posted to the community just about a week ago. I am aware that there was at least Luke on today, but I haven't watched yet. I wanted to finish this story before the show jossed me. So, since in the little glimpse I caught this morning Luke appears to be at home (which makes no sense, but, soap), assume this story takes place between the episode from last Monday (October 15) and today's episode (October 23).
With no further ado... Enjoy!
Title: Support System
Author: Chelsea Frew
Pairing: Luke/Noah (of course)
Rating: PG
Summary: Noah pays Luke another visit.
Warnings/Spoilers: No/Yes (for everything in the recent past)
Notes: My usual beta was unavailable, but I checked it over pretty thoroughly. If you spot any errors, please let me know so I can fix them.
Noah stopped in the doorway of the hospital’s physical therapy room. Luke’s back was to him, and he hadn’t been expecting Noah, so Noah took the opportunity to just watch.
Luke sat on a table. His physical therapist held one hand over Luke’s right knee and used his other hand to grip Luke’s ankle. In a gentle, but firm, motion, the therapist pushed down on Luke’s knee as he pulled up on his ankle. He did this several times, working Luke’s lower leg thoroughly before shifting to Luke's other leg.
When Noah moved from the left side of the doorway to the right, Noah could see Luke’s face.
In bed at night, Noah liked to close his eyes and picture Luke’s face. Luke almost always looked happy and confident--alive. It comforted Noah to know it was possible to feel that way.
There was neither happiness nor confidence on Luke’s face now, though. Instead, Noah saw pain and heartbreak in their place. Noah could relate to some of that--his heart broke for Luke, too.
The therapist was whispering what Noah imagined was encouragement to Luke, although he couldn't actually hear the words. But from the look on Luke's face, the encouragement wasn't quite working the way it was supposed to.
Noah decided it was time to stop watching and he slowly moved into the room, approaching Luke on the right.
"Hey," he greeted Luke, shuffling his feet awkwardly. He wasn't sure Luke would want him there while he was doing his therapy. Noah just hadn't been able to stay away.
Luke jumped at the sound of Noah's voice. The therapist looked up and smiled at Noah before looking back to Luke in anticipation of an introduction.
Luke cleared his throat and offered a raspy, "Hey." He cleared his throat again to go on, "Bert, this is Noah, my…."
Obviously, Noah hadn't been truly clear the other day. He held out his hand to Bert, and with as much confidence as he could muster, he said, "I'm Luke's boyfriend."
Bert smiled again and shook Noah's hand warmly. "Nice to meet you."
When Noah looked back in Luke's direction, Luke had a sweet, small smile on his face. It thrilled Noah to no end to think that he himself had put it there with all the crap Luke was going through.
"So, how's it going?" Noah asked casually.
Luke shrugged, and his smile disappeared.
"Luke is doing a great job," Bert told Noah. "I think he may be a little disappointed at how slow this process is."
"Slow is okay," Noah said. "Just as long as you keep moving."
"Well-platituded," Luke commented bitterly.
Bert patted Luke on the shoulder. "I think we're done for today. Let's get you back in the chair."
Noah took a few steps back and watched as Bert helped Luke down from the work table and into a hospital-issue wheelchair. Noah winced as Bert had to situate Luke's feet on the footrest. It was a harsh reminder of what Luke wasn't able to do for himself anymore. Because of him.
He squelched the thought as Bert spoke to Luke once again. "We'll do this again tomorrow."
"I can't wait." The sarcasm dripped heavily.
The therapist locked gazes with Noah then. "He doesn't have to go right back to his room if you want some time together with other scenery. He'll need help getting back into the bed later, though, so have a nurse call me when he's ready."
Noah nodded. "Okay."
And with that, they were alone.
"So," Noah opened. "Where should we go?"
Luke shrugged. Noah could not have felt more badly for him if he tried.
"Isn't there a common room around here somewhere?"
Luke nodded. "It's just down the hall from my room."
"That sound okay to you?"
"I guess," he agreed with another shrug.
Noah paused for a moment, then asked, "Do you want to push or should I?" He gestured vaguely to the chair Luke sat in.
"I got it," Luke told him, reaching for the wheels. In what was not quite a practiced move yet, he maneuvered the chair toward the door to the hallway. Noah walked slightly behind Luke, just in case he needed any help.
Slowly, but surely, they made their way down the hall to the elevator and back to Luke's floor and the common room at the end of the hall.
By some miracle, the room was devoid of other people. Noah settled himself into a moderately comfortable leather chair, while Luke propelled his own chair into the space next to the one Noah had chosen.
They sat in silence for a couple long minutes before Noah ventured to say, "So, looks like the therapy's off to a good start."
Luke snorted.
"Isn't it?" Noah backtracked.
At that, Luke shrugged. "I don't know. It just all seems kind of pointless."
"Pointless?"
"I sit there and they move my legs around. I still can't feel a thing. It's a waste of time."
"It's been a week, Luke." Noah tried reason. "You need to give it a chance. Didn't they say it could take a while for the nerves to come back?"
"They also said the nerves might never come back," Luke countered. "This might be the best it gets." Grandly, he gestured to his motionless legs.
Noah's stomach tightened in sympathy. "I guess that's true," he reluctantly agreed. "But I also think it's too early to give up."
"Why are you here?" Luke asked out of nowhere.
It was like getting whiplash. "What?" He had totally lost the thread of this conversation.
"Why. Are. You. Here?" Luke repeated with exaggerated slowness.
Noah shook his head. "I don't know what you're getting at, Luke. I'm here because I care about you."
Luke shook his head. "I don't get it. I might never walk again. Why would you want to deal with that? If it's out of guilt…."
"Didn't we have this conversation?" Noah was still a little confused. "Like, a week ago?"
"A week ago this didn't seem quite so real." Luke waved his hands over his legs again.
Noah paused to form his next words carefully. "It doesn't matter."
Luke eyed him skeptically.
Noah met his gaze. Two could play this game. "It. Doesn't. Matter."
Luke shook his head, and it was clear now that he was the one who was confused.
Noah reached over and grabbed Luke's hand, squeezing tight. "It really doesn't, Luke. I don't care if you can't walk. I didn't start liking you because you were ambulatory."
"Ambulatory?" Luke raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, I took the SATs, too."
Noah swiveled in his seat so he could reach over and take Luke's other hand in his. "I'm serious, Luke."
Luke said nothing, just met Noah's gaze, his eyes filled with hope.
After pausing for a moment, Noah went on. "This isn't about guilt. I am incredibly sorry that my father did this to you. I would do anything to take it back. But I would be here if this had happened because of a car accident or because you dove wrong in the lake. It wouldn't matter. I care about you. I care about what happens to you. And I want to be here for you."
"I wasn't kidding last week," Luke warned. "It could really suck to have a boyfriend in a wheelchair."
"Not as long as you're that boyfriend."
Luke couldn't seem to keep the small smile from appearing on his face.
"We'll work through this," Noah promised, leaning forward to rest his forehead gently on Luke's.
They stayed in that position for a long moment before Luke pulled back to say, "You're going to need to keep reminding me that we can get through this."
"I can do that."
"Thanks, Noah. Thanks for being here."
"No place else I'd rather be."
"I would," Luke assured him.
Noah leaned back a little and eyed Luke up and down.
"What?" Luke asked suspiciously.
"You keep talking about the parts that don't work right now. But I'm thinking there are still plenty of parts that do."
"Oh, there are," Luke confirmed, catching on.
"Then I'd like to test these." Noah let go of one of Luke's hands to touch an index finger to Luke's lips.
"Go for it."
Noah wasted no time in following orders.
End (23 October 2007)