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Casey walked down the long, yet unused corridor leading to the new wing, which was underconstruction. The floor was still concrete, and the walls were spackled drywall. Boxes of unlayed tile lined the hallway. Casey looked into each room, as he moved forward, looking for the room that had the new gurneys in it, as two were needed in the E.R. He was almost to the neuro wing when he heard laughter coming from one of the rooms up ahead. He heard voices also but couldn't make out what they were saying. He approached the room, looked inside, and immediately jumped back. Two men were inside the room, one in a white lab coat, and they had their arms wrapped around each other. Not wanting to disturb them, mostly because it would be completely awkward, Casey walked briskly past the opening and continued looking for the gurneys. Just past the doorway, he realized that he recognized one of the voices as Luke's. He backed up quietly and discreetly looked back inside.
Luke was up against the wall, and the man in the lab coat had his face nuzzled into Luke's neck. Luke was squirming, and both of them were laughing quietly. "Why are you so ticklish?" the other man remarked, as he moved his mouth from Luke's neck, up to his ear. The lab coat obscured things, but Casey's cheeks flushed as he realized that the two men were clearly rocking against each other. As the other man moved away from Luke's face, Casey caught a glimpse of his smiling profile. Holy shit; that's Dr. Oliver! Casey suppressed a gasp.
"This is hot. YOU'RE hot, but I've gotta get back," Dr. Oliver said, placing a kiss on Luke's lips.
"Yeah, me too," Luke sighed. "I have a phone conference with a client in thirty minutes. I need to hightail it back to the office."
"You're such a fucking distraction," Reid teased. "I have lives to save here, and then you show up looking the way you look, and..."
"And what?"
"And all I want to do is makeout with you."
"And this is bad, why?" Luke smiled.
Reid pulled at Luke's hand and backed up toward the doorway, as Casey skuttled down the hallway and into the next room. Only after their footsteps were clearly a good distance down the hall, did Casey peek out of the room. He watched the two men walking away from him, Luke's arm around Dr. Oliver's shoulder and Dr. Oliver's arm around Luke's waist. As they approached the end of the hallway, at the point where it joined the main part of the hospital, they separated and turned the corner, out of Casey's sight.
Damn thought Casey.
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Allison was enjoying a cup of soup on her break when Casey sat down across from her.
"Is Dr. Oliver gay?" he asked in a low voice.
"Hi to you too," Allison answered.
"Yeah, hi. So, really...is he gay?"
"How should I know? I can barely get the guy to acknowledge me when I pass him in the hall, let alone have a personal conversation. I don't know him at all. Why are you asking?"
"Because I just saw him and Luke dry humping each other over by the new wing."
"Gross, Casey. Cut it out. I'm trying to eat here."
"I'm serious, Allie. I saw them in an empty room, and they were kissing and laughing."
"Well, then I'm sure you were mistaken. Dr. Oliver doesn't laugh. I don't think I've ever even seen him smile because, ya know, that would make him human. Plus, Luke has way better taste than that."
"It was him, Allison."
"Well, if it was, then clearly he IS gay. But, ick. I'm a little disappointed in Luke. Poor Noah. I wonder if he knows."
"Weird. He doesn't ping," Casey pondered, not really hearing the last part of what Allison said.
"Ping?"
"Yeah, on my gaydar."
"You know, a guy with two very close friends who are gay shouldn't be so quick to stereotype people."
"Maybe, but for instance, Noah doesn't ping. Luke does."
"You're ridiculous, Casey."
"You know what I'm talking about."
"Yeah, I guess I do, but I still don't like sterotypes. You know...like me being blonde (sometimes). I like to think I don't fit the blonde stereotype."
Casey playfully cocked an eyebrow at her and smiled.
"Shut up. So, are you going to ask Luke about it?" Allison asked.
"I'm not sure. It was so weird, and I really would just like to erase it from my memory." Casey mock shivered.
"Yes, and THANK YOU for putting the image into my head too. Dr. Oliver...I just don't see the attraction."
"What? Casey asked, "Dr. Oliver's sorta hot, don't you think?"
"You make me wonder sometimes, Casey...but yeah, physically...yes, he's attractive. But it's completely cancelled out by the fact that he's an asshole."
"But he was laughing and being flirty with Luke. They seemed totally into each other, like really, really into each other, if you know what I mean. He even told Luke he was hot."
"Flirty? Dr. Oliver. I seriously cannot even imagine that. Okay, enough. I need to keep my lunch down. Let's change the subject..."
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Three days later, Casey entered Al's Diner to pick up some take out and spied Dr. Oliver sitting at a booth. He was dressed in scrubs, reading a magazine as he ate his lunch. Casey paid for his food at the counter and turned to leave but at the last minute he decided to approach Dr. Oliver's table.
"Hey, Dr. Oliver."
"Mr. Hughes," Reid said, never taking his eyes off his magazine.
"You can call me Casey. Mr. Hughes is my dad," Casey laughed nervously.
Reid looked up and narrowed his gaze on Casey. "What can I do for you, Mr. Hughes?"
Casey sighed. What a dick. "Mind if I sit down?"
Reid pointed at the chair opposite him with his fork.
Casey sat down and put his takeout bag on the table. "What did you have?" he asked, gesturing at Reid's mostly empty plate.
"Meatloaf."
"The gravy's good," Casey commented awkwardly, knowing that Dr. Oliver wasn't one for small talk.
"It's fucking heaven. What do you want, Mr. Hughes?"
Casey cleared his throat. "I know you're seeing Luke."
Reid stopped chewing and stared at Casey, expressionless.
"Dr. Oliver?"
"It's no secret."
"Really? Because he's one of my best friends, and he hasn't told me that he's sleeping with you."
"Not that it's any of your business, but we're not sleeping together. Believe me, I wish I could say otherwise..."
"Gross, dude..."
"Don't call me dude. You're the one who brought it up. Why are you having this conversation with me, rather than Luke? Please don't tell me you're trying to bond with me."
"Listen, Reid...can I call you Reid?"
"No...."
"Reid, you might be seeing Luke, but I've known him for a really long time...our whole lives actually..."
"Isn't that special?" Reid said sarcastically.
"...and you've gotta know something about Luke. He's a NICE guy. I mean, really nice. And kind, and completely loyal. And he's trusting, and he doesn't do anything half way."
Reid sipped his Coke, staring at Casey.
"...And, well, he's been through a lot in his short life, and I don't want to see him get hurt."
"You think I'm going to hurt him?"
"No. Well, I don't know. Shit, you are just the exact opposite of Luke. And you're ambitious and driven...and a lot older than us..."
"Not A LOT, thank you."
"...and if you're just after Luke because you're looking for a piece of young ass---and Luke does have a nice ass..."
"Agreed," Reid said, "It's a little weird that you said that, but...agreed."
"And," Casey sighed, "I just wanted you to know that Luke could easily be hurt, and I want you to seriously consider that before you try some kind of love-em-and-leave-em bullshit."
This kid has some fucking nerve, Reid thought. But he also kind of liked him for clearly caring about Luke and having his back. How could he fault anyone for being protective of Luke?
"I love him," Reid said, looking straight into Casey's eyes, unsmiling.
"Oh..." Casey looked away.
"Head over fucking heels and all that shit," Reid said, reaching over to grab his wallet out of his lab coat pocket, which was lying on the bench next to him.
Casey didn't know what to say. Reid threw some bills on the table and started gathering his things.
"And if I was just looking for a young piece of ass, I would have been gone months ago. Patience is not my best event, if you know what I mean."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"Don't worry about it. I can sort of get where you are coming from, and as surprising as it is to you I'm sure, I can appreciate your concern for Luke. Just know that I don't want to see him hurt either."
Casey nodded and picked up his take out bag.
"And for what it's worth," Reid continued, "I know that Luke is loyal and kind and trusting...and I know that he's all or nothing...I know all of that, and quite frankly, it's what attracted me to him in the first place. That and those damn lips of his. Jesus. And if you get back to work and start spreading it around that I said any of this, I'll have to fucking kill you. I have a reputation to protect. I'm very skilled with sharp instruments. Remember that."
"Got it, doc," Casey laughed, mostly knowing that Reid was joking. Mostly.
"How did you get here?" Reid asked.
"I walked."
"Want a ride back?" Reid offered.
Casey smiled, "Yeah. Thanks, bro."
"Don't call me bro."