El & Em - Chapter 12

Story: El & Em
Rating: NC-17 (in a couple of later chapters only)
Word Count: This part: 3,200. Full story: About 103k.
Summary: Philadelphia, 1972. All Luke wants is to share his music with the world. When an imposing, slightly older trumpet player called Emmett joins his band, Luke is fascinated – and a lifelong friendship is born. Love and loyalty are forged in the slow burn of tours, shows and recording sessions. Over the years, Luke’s curiosity and Emmett’s indulgence slowly push the two of them into complicated new territory. Emmett tries to keep them safe – but Luke wants it all. In this monumental romance spanning more than twenty years, there are no heroes and no villains – just people doing their best in a messed up world.
Previous chapters: 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10 || 11


Chapter 12

The next day Emmett bumped into Luke at the club they were playing that night. This was their second night in the same location so no need for a sound-check; the guys drifted between the hotel and the venue all day. Emmett went over to drop off his newly-pressed suit for the night, then wandered into the empty greenroom, wondering if anything was left over from the lunch spread. He was snacking on grapes and crackers when Luke came in, apparently on the same mission.

“Oh hey Em,” Luke said, glancing around the room. “Any of that apple pie left?”

No doubt he was checking to see if they were alone, and would find an excuse to leave now he knew they were. Emmett didn't mean to let that happen today. 

( Against his usual policy, he'd taken a long time to follow up on this strange awkwardness with Luke. )