Chapter 12 #4
Reno made a celebratory cheer when he found the dishes and immediately set to work portioning out food for them both.
Luka watched from the dining table, fascinated, as Reno busied himself around the kitchen like this was his own home.
It wasn’t until he placed food, water, and a glass of white wine in front of Luka that Reno realized he was being watched at all.
“Gomen7, I haven’t eaten since breakfast.” Reno finally remembered to take off the face mask, then he rushed back into the kitchen to put the remaining food in the fridge. “I’m so hungry, um. I hope you are too.”
Luka eyed the food set up in front of him with a raised brow and said, “Thankfully, yes.”
Reno slumped with relief and dropped into the chair opposite Luka, stretching his legs out, pressing them against Luka’s.
“I get like this after long days, I forget to eat and it’s usually on the bus home I realize and feel like I am starving.
My stomach eats itself. I should really pack myself food on studio days but I keep forgetting. ”
“I do the same thing when I’m drawing.”
“You shouldn’t do that,” Reno scolded, hypocritically, making Luka laugh.
Reno snapped his chopsticks apart and dug in, encouraging Luka to do the same, and Luka wondered if there was a list Reno kept somewhere of all of Luka’s favorite things.
He’d, without asking, brought Luka one of his comfort dishes, the kind of wine he liked, and when Reno was putting things away, Luka had spotted the exact flavor of Red Bull he liked.
It made something in him squirm pleasantly, to be noticed like that, to be considered like that.
He’d always put forth a lot of effort to remember those kinds of things with his past partners, but it was the first time someone had done that for him.
Reno took their empty dishes to the sink and washed them, then sank on the couch next to Luka and started digging through his pockets. He pulled out two small wrapped candies and handed one to Luka.
“Here, my favorite chocolate.” Reno took Luka’s drink and put it on the coffee table, then reached back into his pocket and pulled some more pieces of chocolate out to dump next to it.
“Do you just carry chocolate in your pockets?”
“Yes.” Reno tore one open and turned to Luka. “Open.”
Luka let Reno put one on his tongue and hummed, “So it’s true.”
“What is?”
“One, English chocolate is better than American.” Luka swallowed, the taste lingering over his tongue, richer and slightly less sweet than he was used to. “Two, you’re the most adorable person in the world. What do you mean you carry chocolate in your pockets?”
Reno blushed a little around the ears. “I’ve always been like this; my mom used to scold me so bad. Now Kandi does. The women in my life have it so hard.”
“Anyone who willingly decides to take care of you must have it hard; you seem ungovernable.”
“I am.” Reno beamed at him before eating another piece of chocolate. “Everyone should be happy I’m such a good boy who aims to please.”
“O-oh," Luka stammered, “At least there’s that.” He leaned forward and got his drink from the table to take a sip, enjoying how it complemented the chocolate.
Reno was quiet, watching him, and he started to feel a bit unsure.
“What is it?” he asked as he set his glass down, looking back at Reno and trying to read his expression.
“I am thinking,” Reno said with a small smile, “last time I saw you.”
“A few hours ago?” Luka smirked, leaning back against the armrest of the couch.
“No," Reno scoffed, “ridiculous man. I meant time before.”
“What about it?” Luka tilted his head as Reno pursed his full lips together in thought. “Did I do something?”
“You did so many things, all good.” Reno bent forward, grabbed another chocolate from the table, and unwrapped it. “Open.”
Luka obeyed and Reno placed the chocolate on his tongue.
“Hmm…" Reno’s finger lingered on Luka’s lip for a moment. “I was just wondering.”
“Out with it,” Luka said, mouth still full. He swallowed and licked his lips. “You’ll drive me crazy if you don’t just say what you want.”
“What will you give me, now?”
Luka froze for a moment before reaching out for his drink and Reno passed it to him when he couldn’t reach. He considered the question while Reno stared him down, eyes intent and curious.
“Time,” Luka said, then followed with, “patience.”
“Patience?” Reno looked pleased, his hand finding Luka’s thigh.
“Yeah, like, I won’t throw in the towel too fast just because things will take time for you to show me.” Luka held his glass in both hands, feeling a bit more vulnerable than he’d like. “You asked for me to wait, and watch, and I’m here. I don’t know what else to say.”
“Finish that.” Reno pointed at Luka’s drink.
“You’re bossy tonight,” Luka said, but drank regardless. Reno plucked it from him and set it aside, then he grabbed Luka by the knees and slid him down until he was lying on the couch with his legs wrapped around Reno’s waist. “Bossy.”
“You caught me. It’s hard when you’re right here not to want to own you.”
“Wait.” Luka blinked and Reno’s eyes squinted with mirth. “What does that mean?”
“You’re a little dense sometimes.” Reno gave him a toothy grin. “It’s very cute.”
“Okay, so will you explain things to me?”
“Luka." Reno crawled on top of him, knocking his legs further apart and surrounding his face with candy pink hair. “Luka, Luka. Do you think I brought you here just because?”
“I have trouble knowing anything that isn’t spelled out for me. Dense, remember? Also, kind of insecure, admittedly.”
Reno frowned. “How anyone as beautiful as you can be insecure is beyond me. I should learn photography so I can show you how I see you.”
“I look bad in photos.”
“Not if I took them,” Reno said with confidence, leaning down on an elbow so he could take Luka’s face with his other hand.
He caressed Luka’s cheek and pressed a thumb under his jaw, turning Luka to face him.
The look on Reno’s face shook Luka. “I feel different when I’m with you.
Easy. Like everything makes sense now and this is the last piece of the puzzle.
I see the years stretch out and you’re there, all I have to do is convince you to stay. ”
“You mean in London?”
“Not particularly," Reno replied. “Just in my world. Wherever that might be.”
Luka felt his hands trembling ever so slightly, his heart too big for his ribcage. He bit his lower lip, trying to think of what to say to all of that, but was spared when Reno spoke again.
“And, I don’t mean I want to own you like possession. I mean more like, equal. You keep me, and I keep you.”
“That’s.” Luka fought with himself to say, “That’s pretty serious.”
“I am serious.” Reno tilted his chin, lips curving up a bit. “I tease, smile, I joke a lot. But when it comes to important things, I am serious.”
“So, that includes me?”
Reno sighed. “You have no idea, do you?”
“No.” Luka might have a small idea, but he wanted to hear it anyway.
“Alright." Reno rolled to the side, pushing Luka’s leg out from under him and putting himself in the gap between the couch and Luka. He set his head on his hand, looking down at Luka, his other arm draped delicately over Luka’s middle. “Listen.”
“I am. Intently.”
“Good. I like you,” Reno said. “I want to be yours. You can have me if you’ll keep me.
I give you everything you want to take, I won’t hold back.
” Reno looked at the ceiling, taking in a long breath before continuing, “I don’t know if you believe me, because we are so new, but I do mean it.
I’d like for you to become my favorite person in the world.
I'd like to answer to you, I’d like to come home to you, I’d like to care for you when you feel bad, I’d like to make your dreams true. I—”
Reno paused and looked down at Luka and his eyes went wide.
“Luka, are you?” He reached out to run a finger over Luka’s cheek, and it came away wet.
Luka hurried to hide his face in his arm, wanting to crawl out of his skin as Reno started to fuss over him. Reno didn’t let him hide, pulling his arm away from his face and tugging him until his face was cradled against Reno’s chest. Luka could feel himself shaking.
It had to be the lack of sleep. It had to be the single glass of wine or the overwhelming smell of Reno all around him or the sounds of London just outside or the fact that all of this was just, so, so much.
“I’m sorry,” Luka said. “I cry easily.”
“That’s ok, I’m sorry for making you cry.”
Luka held onto him, trying to will his body to stop trembling.
“It’s. It’s not really a bad thing, I just.” Luka took in a breath, trying to steady himself and failing.
“How is this real? How do you feel this way about me? How come you know exactly what I’ve always wanted to hear and want so, so badly to believe? ”
“I don’t.” Reno squeezed him. “I don’t know what you want to hear, I’m just really lucky.”
“I’ll say.” Luka choked out a laugh. “I’ve never thought of myself as lucky, but I’m starting to wonder if like, all my luck was being saved for right now and it’s being used up.”
Reno hummed, and Luka could feel it vibrate against his cheek. “If it's all used up, then I will give you some of mine. I pass it to you—now you will have success in all your future endeavors.”
“Don’t think it works that way,” Luka said, “but I’ll buy some lotto scratchers tomorrow anyway.”
Reno laughed and helped Luka rearrange himself, wiping the last of his tears away from his face with his sleeve.
Reno patted Luka’s hair back into place and ran his hands over Luka’s face, then he asked, “Can I be?”
“Be what?”
“Yours. Will you let me give you me?”
Luka took in a shaky breath and asked, “What does that mean, Reno? What does that look like?”
“It means letting me give you all my devotion and intentions. I put my heart in your hands and trust you. What you do with that is up to you.”