Autonomy: Chapter 7 (original) (raw)

Title: Autonomy (Chapter 7)
Rating: PG-13
Date written: 6 Dec., 23 Dec. 2008
Request/Suggestion: none, my own invention
Other information: Story remains cannon with the ATWT show until around July/August when I started writing. It’s set in the future, and it’s a series. Thanks to Stephanie for beta-ing this. You’re awesome. (o:
Previous Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

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“Free at last!” Luke beamed, strolling into Java and grinning like an idiot.

Casey’s head snapped up from the cash register, several expressions quickly flitting across his face. Surprise, relief, happiness. Luke was glad to see them.

“You deserted me, Snyder!” Casey accused.

“I told you I had some really tough exams. But they’re all finished now. I just turned in my last one and walked out of Oakdale U. for the final time this semester.” Luke was still grinning because he couldn’t seem to stop.

“I’m glad you’re back. I was starting to take it personally,” Casey said in relief.

“Oh, come on, Case.” Luke rolled his eyes.

He got his regular machiatto and took a seat at a stool at the coffee bar so he and Casey could chat. He talked about the various exams – whatever Luke hadn’t already told Casey over the phone – and Casey filled Luke in on the recent development with Daniel and his girlfriend splitting up. The drama was always on in Oakdale, Luke supposed.

“So, guess what’s coming up next week?” Luke asked knowingly.

“Ooh, ooh, I know!” Casey exclaimed, miming a school student jumping up and down with a hand in the air.

“It’s your b-i-i-i-rthday!” Luke sang happily.

“What do I get?”

“Who said anything about presents?” Luke teased.

Casey shrugged, using the damp rag in his hand to wipe down the nearby counter.

“So, what’re we doing for the big day? Are there any plans yet? A nice Hughes family dinner?” Luke asked, teasing with the last suggestion.

“Yeah, right. Dinner with them on the weekend maybe, but my actual birthday? Forget it!” Casey refused, changing gears. “Remember when we went to get those free coupons from the Funky Chicken?”

Luke nodded.

“Well, I heard about a new pub there.”

“A pub?” Luke laughed.

“They call it a pub. It’s called ‘The Irish,’ so it’s some kind of British thing.”

“A British thing in Oakdale?” Luke chortled.

“No, idiot. It’s not, like, British-owned, but the name is. I don’t know. Whatever. It’s supposed to be a great place, way better than Metro was. Anyway, it opened a few weeks ago, but they’re having their official Opening Party on the night of my birthday, and what better place to go, am I right?”

Luke grinned and laughed.

“Yeah, why not. We don’t have to, like, dress up as leprechauns or anything, do we?”

“Is that an offer?” Casey teased.

“For you, it might be.” Luke joked.

Casey grinned back, perhaps even stared a bit. Luke didn’t mind.

..:..

A few days later, Luke and Casey were sitting at the bar in The Irish, as a whole crowd of customers sang happy birthday to Casey. They hadn’t known a soul when they walked in, but that quickly changed. When they found out it was Casey’s birthday, there was a free round for all. Casey wasted no time with the drinks, either, ordering two of various shots, beers, and cocktails, always passing on the second to Luke.

On the first round, Luke had hesitated. He rarely drank, and his health was a good reason for that, but one drink every six months wasn’t so bad. He thought his kidney could handle that.

“Wait, are you sure you’re supposed to be drinking?” Casey asked as he passed the first of two glasses over to Luke.

“Well, one or two is okay.” Luke shrugged. “It’s your birthday, right?”

“But I thought it really wasn’t good for you,” Casey pressed on, taking his own glass in hand and looking uncertain.

“It’s just one,” Luke insisted persuasively. “Come on, let’s celebrate!”

Casey was convinced and they clinked their glasses together in a silent toast before taking generous sips.

There was just the small problem that after one drink, Luke usually forgot that he wasn’t supposed to be drinking, and eventually lost count of how many glasses or bottles he had emptied.

“This’s a grea’ bir’day,” Casey slurred into Luke’s ear as he threw an arm around his shoulder and tugged Luke against him. They sat side by side on the stools, their backs to the bar as Luke remained nestled in the crook of Casey’s shoulder, each clutching their drinks and taking swigs.

“Hap’y birth’ay, man,” Luke said, feeling warm and affectionate as he patted Casey’s thigh.

“I reall’ like this place.” Casey smiled at Luke, blinking slowly and leaning toward him. His forehead collided gently with the side of Luke’s, but it didn’t hurt. It was just strange to see Casey at such a close range. He looked thoroughly trashed, his eyes glassy, his mouth lethargic with its words, his lips wet from drink.

“Me, too,” Luke replied, probably just as lethargically and looking just as wasted. He pulled his free hand between them and curled it around Casey’s back, hanging onto him in an awkward half-hug that seemed completely normal with so much alcohol in them.

“To Th’ Irish!” Casey shouted suddenly, raising his glass. Half of the bar returned the sentiment with their own raised glasses and cheers. Luke giggled and Casey tugged him close again, leaning his head on Luke’s shoulder for a few moments.

The music changed in the background, a live DJ taking a small stage near the front. Some people were dancing but Luke thought they were far too gone for coordination to be possible. Casey had other ideas though, as he got to his feet and tugged on Luke’s arm, forcing him to follow, despite his protestations.

“I can’ ev’n stand!”

“We’re not stan’in, we’re dancin’,” Casey laughed, spinning Luke around to face him once they reached the crowd of dancers.

Luke laughed too and the alcohol seemed to smooth the way for the atrocious and cringe-worthy dancing that followed.

“When’re you gonna show m’ those moves?” Casey shouted over the music.

“Wha’ moves?”

“The ones from your table-top dancin’!” Casey laughed and Luke slowly started to catch on.

He had never been a good dancer, at least he didn’t think so. But in those moments where he couldn’t think a clear thought if his life depended on it, he somehow found a way to convince himself that he was the hottest thing on the dance floor. His chief joy, after such nights, came from barely being able to remember how terrible his displays were by the next day.

Being inebriated as he was at the moment, the dancing came easily.

“Step back for Luke Snyder!” Casey laughed loudly, as if cheering him on, but no one else was watching. Only Casey.

Luke rolled his hips, ran his hands through his hair, imitated all the hot dancers that Faith and Natalie watched on MTV. Casey kept a rhythm with his own ‘dance,’ which really wasn’t more than shifting feet and shoulders, as his attention seemed to be entirely on Luke.

Luke turned around, his back to Casey, hips still working to the beat, arms in the air, then spun again to face his friend, making eyes at him. He seemed thoroughly amused. Luke popped the collar of his polo shirt, danced close enough to Casey so their foreheads touched, then moved back and started unbuttoning the buttons at the top of his shirt.

Casey had the goofiest grin on his face that Luke had ever seen. It made it difficult for Luke to continue his very serious, very sexy charade when that goofiness was almost contagious. Still, he kept dancing, surprised when a guy and girl on their way through the dance floor stopped to dance with him.

The room was heating up then and Luke began feeling a little too warm. He started to take off his shirt right there in the middle of the dance floor before Casey grabbed his arms and forced him to keep it on.

“I don’ think clothing’s option’l!” Casey shouted over the music, then laughed and tugged Luke closer. It was just the perfect timing, too, because he was starting to get dizzy and had to grab onto Casey to keep himself from falling to the floor. He didn’t think it was natural for the walls to lean the way they were.

Casey slid both arms around Luke’s shoulders and let his forehead rest against Luke’s as they continued to ‘dance’ to the song, if it could be called that. His eyes, though tinged with red and struggling to keep focus, seemed to be very blue. Luke could see sweat collecting near Casey’s hairline, and he had a strange desire to reach up and touch his messy blond hair. Luke smiled and Casey returned it with one of his own. They only made it through a song and a half, though, before deciding that dancing was overrated.

“Le’s jus’ sit here a minu’e,” Casey said, dropping into a seat at someone else’s table. The women there looked amused but allowed their chair to be borrowed. There wasn’t another for Luke, but Casey giggled and patted his leg, so Luke sat down in his lap, forced to grip his shoulders tightly when the room began to sway again.

“You’re kinda hot,” Casey said, snickering.

Luke laughed before his stomach gave a jolt. He leaned over and rested the side of his head against Casey’s.

“I think I need t’ slow dow’,” he slurred into Casey’s ear.

“Slow dow’?” he asked in disbelief. “It’s m’ birth’ay!”

Soon he had dragged them both to the bar, where they took their stools again and Casey continued tapping the surface every so often to choose another drink. Luke thought it possible that he intended to sample the entire alcoholic menu that night. But he hadn’t been able to keep count, so he wasn’t sure about that.

“One more!” Casey cheered as he handed off a tequila shot to Luke.

“Why not?” Luke responded, grinning goofily as he took the saltshaker from Casey.

“I though’ you were slowin’ dow’,” Casey reminded him.

“Well, jus’ one more,” Luke replied and laughed. It was funny. Maybe. He couldn’t remember.

“On three,” Casey said as they sat ready with their shots, salt, and limes.

The rest of the night passed in similar fashion, and by the time the party was winding down, Luke and Casey were unable to walk or sit up straight without leaning on each other. Luke grew sleepy but Casey kept prodding him or yanking on his shirt to keep him awake.

“How’re we gettin' home?” Luke asked, snorting as he laughed. It was funny. They had driven there but hadn’t thought about driving home. He could call Aaron. Luke laughed at that.

“Good ques’ion,” Casey replied, yawning.

“Here, boys,” the bartender interrupted. They both turned to give him their attention, but had to grab on to each other to keep from falling off their barstools.

“It’s a card with taxi numbers for the area. I’ll call you boys a taxi. Where are you headed?”

They told the man they needed a ride to Oakdale and promised they would retrieve Casey’s car the next day. As they headed through the door ten minutes later, they had hands and arms all over each other, holding on for dear life as the ground swayed and all the walls tilted.

“This can’ be norm’l,” Luke insisted.

“S’like a fun house.” Casey laughed.

The taxi ride took half an hour, during which time they both fell asleep. Luke sat slumped in the seat against Casey, a hand clutching his shirt, his head on Casey’s shoulder and Casey’s head falling against his own. The taxi driver was shouting at them when Luke finally realized they had arrived at Casey’s apartment. They staggered out slowly, and Luke’s head was already pounding. He nearly fell to the ground but Casey caught him by the shoulders and helped him to his feet, waiting until he was steady before grabbing onto his arm and leading Luke toward the apartment building.

Luke was starting to feel sick and his head hurt very badly. The dizziness was terrible and the stairs up to the apartment almost killed him. Once inside the apartment, neither of them made it very far.

“Le’s jus’ lie down here. Jus’ for a min’t” Casey suggested, sitting down in the middle of the living room.

“Yeah, okay,” Luke agreed, sitting next to him and falling immediately backwards. Casey managed to reach for a blanket from the couch and then he was lying down next to Luke.

“Hap’y birth’ay,” Luke mumbled, curling an arm around Casey.

“Than’s. S’no’ne else I’d rath’r spend’t with.”

Luke smiled, turned to kiss Casey’s forehead, and remembered nothing else.

..:..

The next morning Luke woke up with the worst headache of his life. He felt gross. His mouth was dry and cottony, and his body felt weird. He didn’t even want to open his eyes and could hardly remember where he was.

Slowly his senses provided him with the information. He was lying on the floor in Casey’s apartment, which explained why his back hurt. There was a heavy weight on his chest which Luke quickly identified as Casey, laying face down next to him and half on top of him, his head burrowed in the crook where Luke’s shoulder and neck joined. Casey’s arm was slung over Luke and then Luke realized his hand was holding onto Casey’s forearm.

Luke swallowed and took a few breaths, not sure if he wanted to move, or if he could will himself to fall back asleep. He slowly shifted one of his legs, only to realize that Casey’s legs were tangled with his own. At last Luke let out a breath and let his head roll to the side, content to fall back asleep if the headache would let him.

After a few minutes, just as Luke felt himself start to drift off, he heard footsteps. Luke didn’t move, and didn’t really care to since he didn’t think he could move much anyway. He decided he would listen and feign sleep until he could really doze off again.

The footsteps sounded down the hallway from the bedroom, coming closer. They paused several feet away, perhaps where the hall met the living room.

“Oh, Luke,” Aaron whispered so quietly that Luke barely caught it.

He heard movement as though Aaron was scratching at his hair. He had probably just woken up, too. His bare feet padded quietly on the tile in the kitchen, and then he opened the fridge. Luke heard a glass on the counter and the pouring of liquid.

He thought Aaron would go back to his room, but instead Luke listened to him standing and breathing in the kitchen for several minutes.

The room was quiet, just Luke’s breathing, and Casey’s, and Aaron’s. Then Luke heard a swallow. He caught the ticking of a clock, and at last the footsteps started down the hall. Aaron’s bedroom door creaked and shut, sending a pounding straight to Luke’s headache.

“Mm’r’um’n.” Casey mumbled into Luke’s neck, his arm moving and Casey turning more onto his side as he curled up against Luke.

Luke lay there, breathing. Casey’s hand moved to his side, running up and down his ribs. Luke let his own hand fall from Casey’s forearm, where it thunked loudly against the floor. Luke grimaced.

“You’wake?” Casey muttered.

Luke grunted.

“Yeah.” Casey sighed.

They lay there for a few minutes before Casey very slowly pushed himself up. His eyes were slow in opening as he surveyed Luke still lying on the floor, the blanket barely covering his feet. Casey blinked and swallowed, moving a hand to scratch at his stomach. Luke wondered if he was harboring a similar headache, and thought his idea was confirmed when Casey grimaced. Luke watched him, catching the movement of Casey’s hand as it moved to the jeans he was still wearing. His hand flitted over his fly before Casey pulled his hand back to his shirt and shifted his sitting position.

“Erm. Bathroom,” Casey said.

Luke watched him get up, the movement slow and almost painful looking. He treaded sluggishly down the hall. Luke gathered himself up at the same slow pace and managed to hoist himself up and over, onto the couch, wrapping the blanket around him and cuddling up to the nearest armrest.

He mostly definitely did not feel like being awake.

“Have a good night last night?” Aaron asked in a voice that sounded much too loud to Luke’s ears. He didn’t bother to open his eyes but could hear his brother sitting in the armchair nearby.

“Casey’s birthday,” Luke grunted.

“That explains the heavy celebration,” Aaron agreed. “But, Luke-”

“Please don’t start. It’s too early for that,” Luke interrupted.

“Early? It’s four in the afternoon.”

“Maybe, but I just woke up. And my head’s killing me.”

“You’re an idiot, Luke.”

“Can this not wait until I don’t feel like the scum on the bottom of a pond, with a jackhammer drilling through my head?” Luke snapped.

“Maybe feeling that way will help remind you of the consequences of drinking, which for you are far more serious than just having a hangover.”

“Aaron,” Luke complained.

“However much you drank, it was too much.”

“I know that!” Luke shouted, his own voice jarring his head.

“What’s goin’ on?” Casey asked, his voice still sleepy but concerned. He stood at the entrance to the room, having come back down the hallway from the bathroom.

“Nothing,” Aaron replied moodily as he stood, turning away from both of them and into the kitchen to retrieve his drink on the counter.

“God, I feel like sh-”

“Me, too.” Luke spoke over Casey, echoing the sentiment as Casey moved around the sofa and let himself fall down into a lazy, slouching position next to Luke. His eyes automatically fell shut as his head lolled over against Luke’s arm.

“You guys need to drink some water, lots of it. Eat something, and don’t lay around all day,” Aaron said, his voice terse.

Neither Casey nor Luke replied, and Aaron soon left the apartment with threats that he had better not see them still lying on the couch when he got back.

“How much did we drink?” Luke asked miserably.

“The whole menu?” Casey moaned.

“Aaron’s angry.”

“He’ll get over it,” Casey said.

“Was it a happy birthday?” Luke asked, rubbing his forehead with his hand.

“The best.”

“Good, that’s all that matters.” Luke smiled, reaching over and patting Casey’s face gently. His fingertips felt faint stubble growing in as the small hairs scratched at his skin. Luke breathed in, realizing that the air now smelled more like Casey and less like…boy. Or more accurately, drunk boy. Luke thought Casey must have splashed some kind of cologne on while in the bathroom, something to make him feel not so gross as Luke still felt.

After much groaning and protestation, finally they pulled themselves off the couch and stumbled into the kitchen, Luke still holding the blanket wrapped around himself. Casey made them sandwiches while they both downed a bottle of water quickly, then made cups of coffee and poured glasses of juice as well. Luke rummaged through the medicine drawer until he found painkillers, which he and Casey both took in double doses.

“We need to go get your car today,” Luke said, remembering that they were stuck at the apartment.

They brainstormed their plan as they ate sandwiches, and finally decided they either needed to call a taxi, or somehow convince Aaron to take them to the pub. The first option seemed like the easier, safer one, even if it was the more expensive choice.

“Come on, let’s get out of here before Aaron gets back,” Luke decided, putting dishes in the sink and grabbing Casey’s arm.

“Can’t we get cleaned up first?” Casey asked.

“It’s just us. Who’re you trying to impress?” Luke teased. “Come on.”

He tugged on Casey’s arm and the two disappeared before they could receive another scolding from Aaron.

..:..

Luke and Casey were not fortunate enough to escape a good scolding forever, though. Aaron apparently took his roommate and older brother roles very seriously.

It was two days later when Luke walked into Aaron and Casey’s apartment and heard raised voices coming from down the hall.

“How could you be such an idiot?!” Luke heard Aaron shout.

“I wasn’t thinking!” came Casey’s reply.

Luke lingered in the hallway, listening, as he questioned whether it was best to be eavesdropping. He continued, anyway.

“That’s obvious!” Aaron snapped.

“He’s a grown man. He can make his own choices and you shouldn’t hold me responsible for them!” Casey argued angrily.

“Oh, excuse me! I just thought you were his friend and you cared about him!”

“I am and I do!” Casey yelled.

“Then why the hell did you let him drink so much?! Don’t you know it could literally kill him?!” Aaron’s voice carried fury.

“H-he… But…” Casey sounded as though he were struggling for words.

“What?” Aaron snapped.

“He knows his limit,” Casey argued lamely.

“He doesn’t, and that should be obvious to you now.”

“We were just having fun and celebrating!” Casey complained.

“Great, have all the fun and celebrating you want, and then you can bury him when the alcohol kills him and his kidney!”

Something crashed in the room and Luke stood fuming in the hallway. He didn’t appreciate people fighting about him, and besides Casey was right. It was Luke’s problem to deal with his kidney and drinking. It was his own responsibility.

“Don’t say stuff like that!” Casey shouted.

“Well, it’s true! And I don’t want you to kill my brother!”

“I’m sorry!” Casey cried, sounding distressed. “Just lay off. I get the message and it won’t happen again.”

Luke gathered himself up and strode the rest of the way down the hallway, straight into Casey’s room.

“Why don’t you guys talk to me, instead of about me?” Luke demanded.

“We were just-” Aaron began, but Luke cut him off.

“I know what you were saying.”

Casey paced off across the room, his hands going into his hair as he sighed.

“Well, I was going to talk to you too, as soon as you bothered to find time for me,” Aaron said bitterly.

“Yeah, well here I am. So drop it with Casey. This is my problem, not his.”

“He’s your friend,” Aaron said through gritted teeth.

“Point taken. Move on,” Luke breathed angrily.

The two brothers stared each other down, glaring across the room in silence as they both fought to see who would find the right words first.

“Look, I gotta get to Java,” Casey said, breaking the silence. He grabbed his keys and Java shirt, then made his way between Aaron and Luke, leaving the room.

“He’s my friend, but that doesn’t mean I’m his responsibility,” Luke said to Aaron.

He listened to the front door opening and closing, before Aaron continued with his rebuttal.

“No, but friends should take care of each other.”

“We do.”

“Don’t feed me that crap! I’ve never had any reason not to trust you guys together, but if he’s going to be a bad influence, I’m going to get involved. You can’t go out drinking, Luke!”

“You’re not my dad!” Luke shouted.

“Would you prefer that I told Dad about finding you guys drunk and passed out in the living room?!” Aaron threatened.

“We were asleep, not passed out! God, you sound just like Grandmother!”

“What?”

“Nothing. Look, it was a one-time thing. You know I don’t drink. I haven’t had a drink in a long time. We were just celebrating Casey’s birthday – which by the way, did you even bother to remember? I just had a drink and forgot about everything for awhile. It’s not going to happen again.”

“You’re right, it won’t,” Aaron snapped.

“That’s what I said. Now get off your high horse and stop talking to me like I’m a child. I know what we did. I know it was stupid. And I know I can’t do it again. I know it puts my life at risk. Don’t go blaming Casey for stupid things I do,” Luke said.

“I’m not blaming him. I just…I want him to at least look out for you,” Aaron replied, his voice softer.

“Yeah, well. I’m not his responsibility. Not like that, anyway,” Luke returned, sighing and running a hand over the back of his neck.

The fight ended and while it wasn’t exactly forgotten, each brother went his own way. It was easier for them to get everything out into the open and then move on. Shout, fight, argue, then life went on. They were family and that was just how it worked.

As Luke thought about it, he was glad that Aaron cared, he just wasn’t sure that he liked the interference; he wasn’t sure that it was really necessary.

Casey was Luke’s best friend, but it didn’t make Luke his responsibility. Casey didn’t need to take care of him when they went out. It wasn’t his job, wasn’t his role, wasn’t even something Casey wanted…. Or Luke wanted.

It just wasn’t like that.

Next: Chapter 8