miracle (miracle) wrote in luke_noah, @ 2007-11-14 04:21:00 |
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Original poster: dedebee
Author: dedebee
Characters: Luke/Noah
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1125
Spoilers/Warnings: Nothing really spoilery, since it takes place in the future
Summary: After years of happiness, are Luke and Noah headed for a breakup?
Notes: Thanks so much for the comments and feedback for Part One (which can be found here)! This is the first thing I've written in a long time, so I'm glad people are enjoying it. Let me know what you think about part two!
"Ultimatum," Part Two
“L.A.??” Luke said in disbelief. “Like, Los Angeles? Like, Los Angeles, California??” Disbelief quickly transitioned into anger. “And when exactly were you going to let me in on this?”
“I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out,” Noah said, still with his back turned.
“And when was that?”
“About a week ago. There was this producer promoting his movie at Oakdale Now, and we started talking—“
“Let me guess, he said he could make you a star?”
“Ha-ha, very funny.” Noah turned around to face his boyfriend and express relief. “I’m glad you can joke about this.” If Luke could joke about it, he thought, he must not be that angry. He was wrong.
“I have to joke to keep from strangling you! How could you not tell me any of this?”
“I told you, I wanted to tell you so badly, Luke! I just didn’t know how to!”
Luke saw the expression on Noah’s face. He truly meant what he said. Luke took it down a notch for a moment, eager to hear the other side of the story.
“Okay,” Luke said, throwing up his white flag. “I believe you. So this job...what exactly is it?”
“It’s just some production work on a movie he’s doing. It’s nothing big, but—“
“Oh, it’s nothing big?” Noah’s inconsideration forced Luke to play his hand again. “Nothing big, but you couldn’t figure out how to tell me?”
“Alright, Snyder… I love you, but please. Stop interrupting me!”
Noah learned early on in their relationship that had to be stern with Luke when they argued, otherwise Luke would walk all over him. For the first time all night, Luke was left speechless, and Noah felt like he had finally won a battle. Instead of savoring his victory, he continued his explanation.
“It’s nothing big…but it’s a start. And he said it could lead to so many other things. Luke, I love you, you know that, and I love being here in Oakdale with you. But when I first came here, I had dreams. I wanted to go to Northwestern, I wanted to go to film school, I wanted to make movies…what I didn’t want was to direct a local TV talk show.”
“Oh.” Luke’s face was filled with disappointment. He knew Noah had made sacrifices to be with him, but he hoped that their love was enough to make up for it. “So what you’re saying, essentially, is that after all these years, I’m still holding you back.”
“No, I’m not saying that at all.” Noah bridged the distance between them once again and rubbed Luke’s shoulders in an attempt to reassure him. “What I’m saying is, there are things that I want in life…things that are more than us. I was hoping you would understand. I mean, I know you didn’t dream of working for the Oakdale paper when you were growing up.”
“Maybe I did.”
Luke bowed his head, not wanting Noah to see him so vulnerable. Noah cupped his face and pulled it up, forcing Luke’s tearful eyes to meet his gaze.
“Okay, so maybe you did. But I didn’t. I don’t want to sound like I’m unhappy here, with you. You know how happy you make me. But this is such a great opportunity…it could be the start of something new, something great—“
Luke pulled away yet again. “It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind.”
Noah’s silence gave Luke the answer to the question in his head.
“Oh god,” Luke said. “You have made up your mind…”
The two men looked at each other in silence, both trying to choose their next words carefully. Finally, Luke spoke.
“So this is it?” he said quietly. “Six years, and this is it?”
“No, it’s not,” Noah shot back. “I never said this was it. Why does it have to be like that?”
“Because that’s the way you made it, Noah!” Rage was the only thing keeping Luke from totally breaking down. “You’ve made this huge, life-altering decision to go to L.A. and follow your dreams and you didn’t even include me in it! And now you’re breaking up with me and—“
“Wait, I never said we should break up!"
“So what then? You go to L.A., and I stay here in Oakdale, and we call each other? E-mail each other? Say that we’ll visit and then make excuses as to why we can’t? And then we’ll drift apart, and before you know it, we’ll forget what we were to each other.”
“And you’re so sure that’s what’s going to happen?”
“Yes. I am. Because I’m old enough to know that long distance relationships rarely ever work. Why put ourselves through all of that?” Luke’s voice cracked. “Why…why delay what’s inevitable?”
“We don’t have to put ourselves through that,” Noah offered. “Not if you came with me.”
Luke looked up in surprise. “What?”
“Come with me, Luke,” Noah pleaded. “Come with me to L.A. I love you, and I need you with me.” Luke didn’t respond immediately to Noah’s request. The rollercoaster of emotions he had just gone through left him completely wasted and unsure of what to say. After much thought, the words came to him.
“Noah,” he whispered. “I can’t. My family is here, and I—“
“Family, huh?” Noah asked, looking wounded. “I thought I was part of your family.”
Luke realized how hurt Noah was by his statement. That wasn’t his intention. “You are. But…my mom and dad, and my brothers and sisters…they’re all here. I don’t know if I can leave them.”
It was now Noah’s turn to cry. “But what about me?” His voice trailed off as he wiped a tear from his eye. “You can leave me?”
Noah’s attempt to gain Luke’s sympathy set him off once again. “I’m not the one who’s leaving, Noah! You’re the one giving me the ultimatum here!”
“Is that what you think this is? You think I’m giving you an ultimatum??”
“Well, if I don’t go with you, then our relationship is over! What else would you call that?”
“How about…” Noah paused, “…a proposal?” Luke stood stunned, with no idea what to say.
“Luke, I love you so much,” Noah continued. “And I can’t imagine being without you. But this…is something I have to do. The thought of starting over someplace new scares the hell out of me, but I know if you’re with me, everything will be alright. I need you to do this with me. I can’t imagine the rest of my life without you.”
Then the moment led Noah to ask the question Luke never expected to hear, words Noah himself had never expected to say.
“Luke, will you marry me?”
END OF PART TWO