Olego's RPS

Rate: PG
Disclaimer: Just borrowing.
Summary: Luke is introduced to Matthew's friend. 

Word count: 1605

 

Luke stirs his coffee with care. Matthew watches him intently, seeing his long eyelashes against his skin. Luke looks up at him, his eyes glistening blue in the sunshine. He smiles and picks up his spoon, licking off the foam before placing it on the plate under his mug.

 

“So, back on track?” Luke breaks the silence.

“Yes, quite so.” Matthew smiles. He leans back in his chair. “Are you too?” Luke nods, swallowing his coffee before replying.

“Yes, it’s great to be back in some kind of routine again.”

“Isn’t it?” Matthew agrees.

 

“So have you met Marcus again?” He blurts out, speaking quickly as if not to change his mind half-way. Luke smiles.

“Yes, we had coffee yesterday.” He replies. “He’s very nice.”

“Yes, yes he is.” Matthew looks at Luke. He’s smiling across the table.

 

“How are you, Math?” Luke asks. Matthew knows he has to be truthful. There are no options when someone so sweet and caring as Luke asks, with the head tilted and a face ready to listen. Matthew smiles nervously, taking his napkin, starting to randomly play with it.

 

“I’m fine. It just feels weird that you hang out, but it’s nothing. I’ll get over it.”

Luke moves his head a bit forward, urging Matthew to elaborate.

“It’s like,” Matthew continues. “two worlds of mine meet. My crazy youth when I knew Marcus and then now with work where I know you.”

 

“Is that it?” Luke’s voice is soft.

“Yes.” Matthew says. He knows it’s not believable, but he needs to convince someone. “What else could it be?”

“You knew he was gay, didn’t you?” Luke slowly asks.

“Yes, I’ve always known.” Matthew says. He puts the wrinkly napkin back on the table.

 

“So it’s me dating him?” Luke’s question hits just where it’s aimed. Matthew feels his heart skip a beat and his whole body tenses. Luke confirms his suspicion and all Matthew wants to do is leave the table and think this through alone. “Math, I understand if this is strange to you, so I think it’s good if we talk it through.”

 

“Yeah, no, it’s fine.” Matthew says. Luke doesn’t look like he believes it. “Yes, it’s strange, but I just need some time. I promise. He’s a great guy, and so are you. I wish you all luck.” He takes the napkin again, starting to rip it into small pieces, collecting them in a pile on his plate.

 

“Okay.” Luke says, still hesitant. “Well, if you want to talk, you know where to find me.” He adds and takes a sip of his coffee. He licks off the foam from his upper lip, smiling goofily and asking for the latest gossip.

 

*****

 

“Hey, man.” Marcus playfully punches Matthew’s side when he’s let into the house. “This is a great place.”

“You haven’t been here before?” Matthew asks as he closes the front door behind his friend.

 

“No. I missed all your things when I was away.” Marcus explains. “China.” He reminds.

“Oh right. You have to tell me all about it one day.” Marcus proceeds into the living room and Matthew catches his own words. ‘One day’. How much more obvious can he make it that he didn’t invite over Marcus to talk about China?

 

“You still have this.” Marcus smiles and points at a big painting in Matthew’s living room. “She, painted it, what was her name?”

“Angelica.” Matthew reminds.

“Angelic Angelica. You really had a thing for her.” Marcus says and sits down on the couch.

 

“Coffee? Beer?” Matthew asks, taking a few steps towards the kitchen.

“Yes, beer.” Marcus waits quietly in the living room, hearing the fridge open and close. Matthew returns, handing him the beer and sitting down in the other end of the couch.

 

“So, you’re not too comfortable are you?” Marcus starts. Matthew meets his gaze and sees the pain. Matthew spent all his time obsessing on how this affected his relationship with Luke and with Marcus, he never once thought about what it did between the two of them.

 

“I’m trying.” Matthew sincerely says. “I really am.”

“But?”

“There’s really nothing I can say. I’m sure you’ll enjoy each other’s company. You’re a lot alike and it’s not up to me. I don’t have a emotional bond to either of you. You’re not my exes or anything.” Matthew says. He watches Marcus take a sip of his beer, and he does the same too.

 

“But you do. Of course we have an emotional bond. We go way back, and he’s the guy you kiss on TV. That’s special. But Math, can I be frank?” Marcus puts down the bottle on the small table.

Matthew raises his eyebrows.

“It seems like you are jealous.” Marcus says quietly. “I know you said nothing happened between you, and I know you claim to be straight but maybe it’s something you need to think about.”

 

“I’m not jealous. I’m only overprotective, I guess. Of both of you, probably. That’s why the whole situation is hard for me to process.” Matthew says. He almost wants to crack a smile for saying something that makes so much sense, but he doesn’t.

“Do you want to tell me about China?” Matthew asks after a few seconds of silence.

 

*****

 

Luke softly drums his fingers on the table, trying to channel his nervousness. This is the first semi official date with Marcus, and he knows Matthew has spoken to both of them since last. It’s not particular clear why Matthew became the center of this, but maybe that’s just his way.

 

He looks at his watch. Still ten minutes left before their appointment, and Luke knows he will not be able to calm down before then. Why is he even nervous? He’s met this guy before and they’ve had the best time, so why just not look forward to that?

 

He picks up his cell phone, no new messages. He stares at the display and nearly shrikes when the phone starts ringing in his hand. It’s Matthew. Of course it is.

 

“Hello.” He answers.

“Hi, it’s me.” Matthew says. He sounds nervous too. “I’m not actually sure why I’m calling. I just wanted to say good luck or something.”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.” Luke says. Somehow it’s very amusing that Matthew is trying to mark his territory.

 

“I’m sorry for making this about me, I didn’t mean to. When I said I wished you all of luck, I meant it. I couldn’t be happier.” Matthew says, sounding like he is reading it off a note. Luke can’t help but laugh.

“Math, it’s a first date, save the big words.” At the other end of the line he can hear Matthew exhale, giggling a bit.

 

“Well, who knows, maybe I’ll need the big words one day.” Matthew says.

“I won’t even try to take that in. I’m not seeing you write your vows to, whatever Lady Blue’s name was.” Luke teases. He can totally imagine Matthew blush at the other end, when he stuttering starts to explain.

 

“We only talked, nothing happened.”

“I know.” Luke says. “I also know what I’ve usually done when I say that.” He adds, and continues. “I have to go now, but I’ll see you later.”

 

Matthew stares at the phone, the line disconnected. He hesitates before writing a text. ‘His earlobes are ticklish, just so you know.’ He sends it to Luke and puts the phone away, not sure he wants to see if there is a reply or not.

 

 

*****

 

Matthew quickly takes care of the dishes from his evening tea. He knows that he is very stuck in his Welsh food when it comes to what to eat before bed, but that’s usually the time of the day when he has a minute over to think about his land over there, waiting for him.

 

He puts the small plastic bag with pice bach back in the cupboard with the more traditional American breads and pours out the last drops of his tea in the sink. He cup goes in the dish washer, ready to be turned on in the morning.

 

He picks up his cell phone on his way out of the kitchen. One new message. From Luke. He takes a deep breath and opens it. ‘Thanks for the tip.’ Sent only an hour ago.

 

That’s it. Thanks for the tip? So it came in handy then? Matthew steers his steps to the bathroom, turning on the shower and taking off his clothes, all the while hearing the phrase ‘Thanks for the tip’ ringing in his head. He gets in the shower and feels the warm water run down his shoulders.

 

The shower takes longer than what it usually does. When he’s finally done it’s almost midnight. He wraps a white towel around his waist and hears his mothers words in his head, just like he does every time he uses that particular towel. ‘Don’t use white towels, they get discolored right away’ and himself arguing back: ‘What do you think I do with my towels?’.

 

He sits down on the couch and turns on the TV. He flips through the channels for a while, until there is suddenly a knock on the door. Not very loud, just enough for him to hear it over the noise from the TV. He stands up, looks down at himself and hopes to god it’s someone he knows well.

 

He slowly opens the door with big hesitation, peeking out to see who the late night visitor is. His face breaks up in a big smile.

“Oh, it’s you. Come on in.” 

 

And yes, there is a third part. ;) Check back for it soon.