![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedesSummary: Luke had too many ‘and’s on his to-do list, and he finds himself reaching the dreadful conclusion he had to cancel his and Crow’s date at the last minute.
First Chapter | Masterpost (for more information) | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
When Luke was stressed, he enjoyed making checklists of things he needed to do. Not only was it similar to how Hershel did things, but seeing everything he had to do, in one place, helped him relax. It made him realize it wasn’t so much, and he was typically able to get out of whatever overwhelmed funk he got into.
But, sometimes, checklists it made it worse. This happened to be one of those times.
Luke found himself staring at disbelief down at his checklist, which he had written at his desk. He stared where it lied out in front of him, his breathing quickening just slightly. He had this many things to do? It was possible he thought it was less before he had it all on a list! He had tests to study for, and apprenticeship work to handle, and a family reunion to attend, and homework, and a date with Crow he had long ago planned. It was relatively early in the morning, but Luke still doubted he could get everything done. He felt something twist in his gut, a horrible sense of anxiety washing over him. If he wanted to get everything else done, he would have to cancel something.
He couldn’t cancel his homework, of course, and the tests were worth a lot of his grade. The professor was up to his ears in work, as well, and Luke would feel just awful canceling. (On top of that, Luke had never canceled on Hershel, and he didn’t plan to stop now.) He would like to cancel going to the family reunion, but no way would Clark allow him. He was always going on about how much time he was spending with Hershel, rather than him (especially after he had accidentally called Hershel ‘Dad’ in front of him). That left...
Luke felt his shoulders slump, and he looked pointedly away from the checkpoint of his date with Crow on the paper. He felt awful about it immediately. Crow was rarely able to come over to his home, and he had seemed so excited to see Luke the last time they had chatted over the phone. He didn’t even want to think about how much he’d be disappointing his boyfriend, not to even mention if Crow got angry with him for canceling last-minute. Luke felt his heart clench, like someone was squeezing it, when the awful possibility of Crow being sad jolted into his mind. What if he felt he was Luke’s lowest priority?
Nonetheless, he knew that there was no better way to handle this. It was best to call Crow before he began his bus trip to Luke’s town.
Trying to get it over with, Luke picked up the home phone in the living room, and then returned to his bedroom, closing the door behind him. (He liked to feel alone with Crow when he called.) He dialed Crow’s number (well, Crow’s mom’s number, technically) almost entirely by muscle memory, before sitting on his bed and holding it up to his ear, listening to the rings.
When Crow picked up, the first thing Luke heard was a muffled, “Thanks, Ma!”, before there was a shifting sound on the other end. Then, like Crow was talking into the phone, he was greeted with the usual, “Heya, Bluebird!”
Luke forced a smile, until he remembered Crow couldn’t see him. “Hi, Crow.”
“I was just about to take off! Better make this quick, or I’ll be late to catch the bus. What’s up?”
Luke felt another feeling of guilt twist in his stomach, and his head dipped forward. “Uhm... I’m sorry, but... Could we cancel?”
There was a short silence on the other end, followed by a, “Why?”
Luke had been hoping Crow wouldn’t ask that. “It’s just... Just that I have so much stuff to do!” He began to list them off, from the top of his head. “I have homework, and apprentice stuff, and a family reunion, and tests to study for...”
“Woah, woah!” Luke could imagine Crow holding up his hands in a ‘slow down!’ motion. “That’s way too many ‘and’s! I’m heading over there now for our date.”
“B-but Crow-“
“Oh, hush! I’m not expectin’ actual date stuff from you when you’ve got lotsa stuff like that. I’ll just help ya! Study, homework, apprentice junk. That can all be helped with, right? Then I can walk ya to your family reunion! No need for anything fancy.”
Luke felt a small weight lift off his shoulders and, as such, he stopped slumping forward; his back straightening. “R-really? But... It’s supposed to be a date, and...”
“Oh, quit with that. A date doesn’t have to be lovey-dovey, milkshake-sharing romantic garbage. Any time with you and I alone together could be considered a date!”
“But... Dates have to be romantic-“
“In that case, my definition would still be a date, then.”
Luke blinked, and a small smile graced his lips. Crow went silent on the other line, and Luke could guess it was because he was embarrassed. They both knew what he meant by saying that.
‘Any time with you and I alone together is romantic.’
Luke giggled. “Okay. Get on the bus, then. You’re getting lots and lots of kisses when you get over here!!”
“Shut up...”
Luke could practically hear Crow blushing over the phone, and that earned another sappy smile from him. “I’ll shut up if you hurry up! Mwah!”
“Mwah.”
Luke listened to the tone meaning Crow had hung up, and he sighed softly to himself, keeping the phone to his ear. It felt like one ‘and’ had been lifted from his shoulders.
Will I ever stop writing about one of them being stressed out about life, and the other comforting them in some way? No! Because I have anxiety and it makes me feel better.
First Chapter | Masterpost (for more information) | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
When Luke was stressed, he enjoyed making checklists of things he needed to do. Not only was it similar to how Hershel did things, but seeing everything he had to do, in one place, helped him relax. It made him realize it wasn’t so much, and he was typically able to get out of whatever overwhelmed funk he got into.
But, sometimes, checklists it made it worse. This happened to be one of those times.
Luke found himself staring at disbelief down at his checklist, which he had written at his desk. He stared where it lied out in front of him, his breathing quickening just slightly. He had this many things to do? It was possible he thought it was less before he had it all on a list! He had tests to study for, and apprenticeship work to handle, and a family reunion to attend, and homework, and a date with Crow he had long ago planned. It was relatively early in the morning, but Luke still doubted he could get everything done. He felt something twist in his gut, a horrible sense of anxiety washing over him. If he wanted to get everything else done, he would have to cancel something.
He couldn’t cancel his homework, of course, and the tests were worth a lot of his grade. The professor was up to his ears in work, as well, and Luke would feel just awful canceling. (On top of that, Luke had never canceled on Hershel, and he didn’t plan to stop now.) He would like to cancel going to the family reunion, but no way would Clark allow him. He was always going on about how much time he was spending with Hershel, rather than him (especially after he had accidentally called Hershel ‘Dad’ in front of him). That left...
Luke felt his shoulders slump, and he looked pointedly away from the checkpoint of his date with Crow on the paper. He felt awful about it immediately. Crow was rarely able to come over to his home, and he had seemed so excited to see Luke the last time they had chatted over the phone. He didn’t even want to think about how much he’d be disappointing his boyfriend, not to even mention if Crow got angry with him for canceling last-minute. Luke felt his heart clench, like someone was squeezing it, when the awful possibility of Crow being sad jolted into his mind. What if he felt he was Luke’s lowest priority?
Nonetheless, he knew that there was no better way to handle this. It was best to call Crow before he began his bus trip to Luke’s town.
Trying to get it over with, Luke picked up the home phone in the living room, and then returned to his bedroom, closing the door behind him. (He liked to feel alone with Crow when he called.) He dialed Crow’s number (well, Crow’s mom’s number, technically) almost entirely by muscle memory, before sitting on his bed and holding it up to his ear, listening to the rings.
When Crow picked up, the first thing Luke heard was a muffled, “Thanks, Ma!”, before there was a shifting sound on the other end. Then, like Crow was talking into the phone, he was greeted with the usual, “Heya, Bluebird!”
Luke forced a smile, until he remembered Crow couldn’t see him. “Hi, Crow.”
“I was just about to take off! Better make this quick, or I’ll be late to catch the bus. What’s up?”
Luke felt another feeling of guilt twist in his stomach, and his head dipped forward. “Uhm... I’m sorry, but... Could we cancel?”
There was a short silence on the other end, followed by a, “Why?”
Luke had been hoping Crow wouldn’t ask that. “It’s just... Just that I have so much stuff to do!” He began to list them off, from the top of his head. “I have homework, and apprentice stuff, and a family reunion, and tests to study for...”
“Woah, woah!” Luke could imagine Crow holding up his hands in a ‘slow down!’ motion. “That’s way too many ‘and’s! I’m heading over there now for our date.”
“B-but Crow-“
“Oh, hush! I’m not expectin’ actual date stuff from you when you’ve got lotsa stuff like that. I’ll just help ya! Study, homework, apprentice junk. That can all be helped with, right? Then I can walk ya to your family reunion! No need for anything fancy.”
Luke felt a small weight lift off his shoulders and, as such, he stopped slumping forward; his back straightening. “R-really? But... It’s supposed to be a date, and...”
“Oh, quit with that. A date doesn’t have to be lovey-dovey, milkshake-sharing romantic garbage. Any time with you and I alone together could be considered a date!”
“But... Dates have to be romantic-“
“In that case, my definition would still be a date, then.”
Luke blinked, and a small smile graced his lips. Crow went silent on the other line, and Luke could guess it was because he was embarrassed. They both knew what he meant by saying that.
‘Any time with you and I alone together is romantic.’
Luke giggled. “Okay. Get on the bus, then. You’re getting lots and lots of kisses when you get over here!!”
“Shut up...”
Luke could practically hear Crow blushing over the phone, and that earned another sappy smile from him. “I’ll shut up if you hurry up! Mwah!”
“Mwah.”
Luke listened to the tone meaning Crow had hung up, and he sighed softly to himself, keeping the phone to his ear. It felt like one ‘and’ had been lifted from his shoulders.
Will I ever stop writing about one of them being stressed out about life, and the other comforting them in some way? No! Because I have anxiety and it makes me feel better.
