“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?”
