This took me longer than I wanted to get out because I'm using a new system to write stories on and I'm still working out the kinks. I also didn't expect this story to be as long as it ended up being but I wanted to make sure I fleshed it out enough to give it a realistic and funny plot.
I still CANNOT believe I'm a JavierXLuke fan now but I want to thank the writers who've written about them for convincing me to give them a chance. They actually have a lot of potential as a couple and it's too bad they're separated by the game-verse. Regardless, I really enjoyed writing about them and finding ways to include Glementine in their story as well. I have to admit, I played through The New Frontier without once thinking Javier was hot but now I can't get enough of him. I think writing him from Luke's perspective made me see him in a different way and Telltale needs to bring him back solely so I can see his beautiful face again. I may or may not be blushing as I type this, *fights Luke for Javier's affection*.
Note: I've never actually worked as a lifeguard so if I've made any errors in terms of how their shifts work, I apologize!
Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!
./././
Working as a lifeguard for a public swimming pool in Georgia wasn't the most exciting thing Luke Vance could have been doing over the summer. But since it was one of the easier ways to make money during the hotter months, he really couldn't complain.
He was lucky to have a good working relationship with his manager, Carley Rosewater, who'd allowed him to take on the position again. This would be his fourth year lifeguarding for the community pool, something he was grateful for considering the current job market.
He didn't mind the job, though. The locals were nice for the most part, many just wanting a reprieve from the Georgia heat. And he spent most of his shifts sitting at his post, hoping he didn't die of boredom as he kept an eye out for the rebellious souls and nervous swimmers.
This morning started off as one normally would. It was still early, so there were only a handful of people wading around the large pool. He'd recognized a couple of regulars from the senior's home across the street and waved at them when they entered the pool area. There was a mother swimming with her three children in the shallow end and a couple of teenagers he'd seen before taking selfies as they sat in a corner with their feet in the water. It was important for him to take note of any and all individuals enjoying the free amenity. That was part of his job, after all.
This summer had been pretty calm outside of a kid who'd thrown up on the floor and in the pool. Luke had felt bad about calling the janitor to clean the mess up but he wasn't getting paid enough to scoop puke off the rusty pool tiles.
There had also been a fight between two high school boys over a girl they both liked. Luke had missed most of the buildup to that one but had made it in time to see his co-worker, Clementine Marsh, knock one of the boys out for trying to push her into the pool after she broke up the fight. She wasn't one to mess with and the poor teen learned that the hard way that day. But Luke had to admit that she was tremendously mature for an eighteen year old and made his job a lot easier when they worked together.
He watched as the elderly couple practised yoga techniques and instructed each other on ways to fix their form.
"How's it going?" a voice from behind his post asked. He turned to see his manager, Carley, standing by him with a bright smile. She was wearing a red polo top with white shorts and a white visor to match. In her hand, she held a clipboard with a couple pieces of papers that he recognized as the shift schedules for the coming weeks.
"So far so good," he replied, turning back to watch the pool, "it'll probably be a quiet day."
Carley sighed.
"I hope so," she replied, "that would be a reprieve. I still have a headache from that family who came in yesterday. How many kids did they bring? Fifteen?"
Luke smirked, his eyes darting across the dancing waters in front of him.
"It was eighteen, actually."
"And they were all under ten, right? Ridiculous," Carley groaned.
"Hey, you weren't the one who had to watch all of them," Luke teased.
"True," she admitted, "but I did have to listen to them scream. My office has paper thin walls, you know."
"I tried to tune them out while watching them. That sort of helped," Luke replied.
Carley sighed again. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that. They weren't all in the pool at the same time, but that didn't stop some of them from being loud in the sitting area."
"All part of the job," Luke said with a mock salute. Carley chuckled before tapping the clipboard she was holding with a ballpoint pen.
"Speaking of which, I have this month's schedule," she said.
"I don't think Duck can come in for two of his shifts so I wanted to know if you would take them," she explained.
Luke raised an eyebrow. "Are they morning shifts?"
"One of them is," Carley replied, "the other is a closing one. He usually takes the odd shifts since he's on summer break from school."
"I can probably take the morning one," Luke said, "Clem doesn't mind closing so she might be able to take the other one."
Carley nodded. "Okay, thanks. I'll speak to Clementine when she gets in today."
"Oh right," Luke said, eyes widening with realization, "she's taking over for me to handle the afternoon crowd, right?"
"Yup," his boss replied, "hopefully she won't have an afternoon like you did yesterday."
"I hope not," Luke replied, turning to smile at her.
"Well, I'll leave you to it. Keep up the good work," Carley said, tapping her clipboard before she began to walk back to her office.
"Thanks, boss!" Luke yelled as she walked away.
./././
Things were relatively quiet for the majority of his shift outside of a woman who swore there was an aquafit class at the pool that morning. Luke had to explain to her multiple times that they didn't host classes of any kind and that she probably needed to head to the gym up the street. She'd been irritated when she'd left, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
When he had about an hour left on the clock, he decided to tell Carley he was planning to take his break. She would have to watch the pool in his stead and would therefore need to be notified ahead of time. He was about to call her on his walkie talkie when another family walked into the pool area. The group consisted of what looked to be a father and his kids, which usually wasn't something out of the ordinary at a community pool.
Something struck Luke as odd, though.
The father didn't seem that much older than the young adults he'd come in with. If anything, the kids looked to be around Clementine's age and the man a few years older than Luke.
As they entered the pool area and placed their bags on one of the chairs surrounding the perimeter of the pool, Luke was able to get a better look at the man in particular.
It took him all of thirty seconds to realize the man was hot.
He was tall, at least six foot and some inches, with straight hair parted to the side and a growing beard that looked well groomed. He also had a bright smile that further emphasized how sharp and modelesque his chin and jawline were. The nautically designed swimming shorts he was wearing emphasized how toned his legs and (Luke was blushing at this point) backside were. And when he took off his shirt, Luke almost fell off his post. The man was chiseled like a statue and Luke wanted nothing more than to rest his head on his pecs and six-pack.
Not realizing how obvious his staring was, Luke almost gasped when the man turned and met his gaze. The father smiled at him and he gave the smallest of smiles in return before turning away quickly.
Nice going, Luke. You probably looked like a creep staring like that.
He was sure his face was still red as he watched the mother try to teach one of her three children how to float on their back.
The man was gorgeous, but he liked to think he was over his shy and starstruck phaze. This wasn't the first time he'd seen someone attractive at his job and he doubted it would be his last. There was no reason for him to be acting like a high school student with a crush.
He shook his head as he fumbled with his walkie talkie, trying to ignore the fact that his hands were shaking.
Get it together, Luke.
"C-Carley, are you there?" he stammered out.
Am I really stuttering? Over a guy at my job?
A voice in his head said the man was more than just a 'guy' but the walkie talkie began to crackle and he didn't have time to entertain that thought.
"Carley here, what's up?" her voice, slightly muffled, said through the handheld device.
Luke sighed in relief.
"I want to take my break now. I only have an hour left before Clem takes over," he explained, watching everyone in the pool area outside of the handsome man and his family.
There was silence for a second before the walkie talkie crackled to life again.
"No can do, kiddo," Carley replied slowly. Luke raised an eyebrow.
"What? Why not?" he asked incredulously. He hoped the sound quality hid the panic in his voice.
He heard Carley sigh.
"I just got a call from upper management. They have a case they want me to look into regarding another pool in the area. If I could bring my laptop over and work on it, I would. The problem is, the case contains confidential information. It would count as a breach if someone saw it, even accidentally," she explained. Luke held back a groan.
"You've got to be kidding me," he said, more to himself than to his boss. Forgetting that he'd held down the button to respond while listening, he was surprised when Carley immediately replied.
"I'm trying to speed through this but they're pretty particular about these kinds of things. I'll try to finish in the next fifteen minutes or so, if you can hold out. I'll let you come in later on your next shift to make up for it."
Luke was quiet for a second before sighing in surrender. Knowing Carley for as long as he had, he knew she would have been there if she could have been.
"Sure, that's fine," he replied.
"Thanks for understanding, Luke!"
"You're welcome," Luke replied, shaking his head, "what if I had to pee?"
He could hear Carley snort.
"You could piss in the pool for all I care," she replied nonchalantly. Before he could laugh, the walkie talkie crackled again.
"I say that as your friend, not your boss," she continued, her tone suddenly very serious.
Knowing her type of humour, Luke let out a chuckle and shook his head.
"Gee, thanks boss."
"Get back to it, I'll be as fast I can," she said.
"Sounds good, talk soon," Luke replied, shoving the device in his pocket.
That hadn't gone the way he'd wanted it to, but a late start to his next shift was at least something to look forward to. Maybe he'd ask for it during the morning shift she'd wanted him to take for Duck.
"Is everything alright?" a voice asked, pulling him from his thoughts. He whipped his head around to see it was none other than the man he'd all but oogled before.
"W-what?" he stuttered, his cheeks beginning to heat up as he stared at the handsome, shirtless man. He was standing beside the young adults he'd walked in with and they were all looking more than ready to jump in the pool.
"Is everything alright with the pool?" the man reiterated, making a gesture with his hand that looked like a phone.
Realization dawned on Luke. The man had assumed his call with Carley had been in regards to the status of the pool.
"Oh, i-it's fine! You can go in. Please, enjoy!"
Enjoy? What am I, a waiter now?
Would he actually mind serving the man, though? He tried to block that thought out before it could wake up his imagination. Now was not the time for that.
The man smiled at him.
"Thanks, man," he said with a wink. Luke looked at him in disbelief.
Did he just..?
He didn't have time to respond as the man had turned away to speak with his children. Luke watched as they stepped into the pool and began to wade around.
He sighed in relief.
At least that's over.
He soon realized it was far from over.
Focusing on some of the other people in the pool, he didn't notice the man going underwater to swim around. A minute later, he emerged from the watery depths right at the edge of the pool in front of Luke's post. The splash caught Luke's attention and he looked down to see the man right in front of him, shaking his head to get his hair out of his face.
Oh my…
He couldn't help but stare at the droplets of water that clung to the man's chest and arms. They trailed down his torso, almost as if they were eager to return to the chlorine covered depths they'd emerged from seconds ago. He didn't mind watching them slip away though, as there were many more running down the man's body. It was almost like watching cars travel down a rugged, arching highway. When the man ran a hand through his hair, Luke couldn't help but notice the way his biceps bulged as they flexed. The bigger they grew, the bigger his eyes did.
Had he been paying attention to anyone else, he would have noticed the man's children shaking their heads and smirking at one another as they watched the scene unfold from the other side of the pool.
The man ran a hand across his face and blinked a couple of times. He eventually looked up and met Luke's gaze. The lifeguard's breath hitched but he didn't look away this time, secretly hoping he didn't look as nervous as he felt. The man stared back and Luke watched as an almost teasing grin spread across his face.
Oh fu…
Before he could finish that thought, a high pitched scream pierced the relatively quiet pool area. Luke turned to see the mother of three he'd noticed before swimming towards one of her children who was face down in the water.
Moments like this always felt like a blur because his body reacted before his mind could. Before he knew it, he was swimming through the water. He didn't have time to think about anyone or anything else as he sped towards the child. All he could do was pray he wasn't too late.
He picked up the toddler and immediately began patting his back. The child's eyes shot open as he choked and coughed in Luke's arms for a minute or so before he started breathing normally again. Luke breathed a sigh of relief as he handed the child to his grateful mother.
"Thank you so much," the woman said tearfully, holding the child to her chest tightly. Luke shook his head.
"Just doing my job, ma'am," he replied with a nod, "he might need a break after that one, though." He tickled the toddler's arm with his finger and smiled when the boy giggled in response.
"Of course, thank you again," the mother said as she waded away.
He took a step back and collided with something directly behind him. Turning around in the water, he looked up to see none other than the man from before standing in front of him.
Sweet Jesus...
If the pool swallowed him whole at that moment, he wouldn't have minded much. He was still filled with adrenaline from the drowning incident and didn't think his heart could handle another intense moment so soon after.
"Nice job there," the man said, his voice sounding warm and suave. Luke gulped and tried to maintain eye contact. Staring at the man from his post was one thing, but he'd probably pass out from doing so up close. And then who would save him?
The voice in his head mentioned that the man could always give him mouth-to-mouth if that happened, but he tried to ignore it as images began to enter his mind.
"I-it was nothing," he replied, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck.
"It didn't seem like nothing from where I was standing," the man replied, crossing his arms over his chest, "it was pretty impressive, actually."
Luke blushed and blinked rapidly.
"Uh, well, thanks! I was just doing my job, though," he replied with a strained smile. The man chuckled and Luke had to clear his throat to keep from letting out a groan.
He has a nice laugh too? Is the universe just messing with me today or what?
"Humble too, huh?" the man asked, "what's your name?"
"L-Luke."
Who stutters on their own name?!
He cleared his throat.
"It's Luke Vance, umm…"
The man's eyes widened and he smiled.
"I should have introduced myself first, my bad. I'm Javier, Javier Garcia," he replied, the name rolling off his tongue like honey to Luke.
He has a hot name too? This is too much...
He tried his best to keep his composure.
"Nice to meet you, man," Luke said, hoping he didn't sound as lame as he thought he did.
The man nodded and winked at him again.
"I'm here with my niece and nephew, Mariana and Gabriel," he explained, gesturing them over. Luke turned to smile at them.
So they aren't his kids after all…
"That was really cool," Gabriel said once they'd made it closer. Mariana nodded in agreement.
"It was! Uncle Javi was really into it, he couldn't keep his eyes off you," she said with a smile. Luke tried to ignore the way Javier cleared his throat and hoped he didn't look as uncomfortable as he felt.
"Uh, thanks? It's not that hard of a job, actually. Maybe you two could do it when I can't anymore," he explained with a smile, "my co-worker might be your age, actually…"
"Luke?" a voice from outside the pool called out. Luke turned around to see Clementine standing by his post with her arms crossed. She was wearing a uniform similar to Carley's, consisting of a bright red t-shirt, white shorts, and white sneakers. Her curly hair was pulled up in a high bun that fit through the white visor cap she'd donned as well.
"C-Clem, what are you doing here?" he spluttered, embarrassed that he was still in the water and not at his post where he should have been by now.
"Carley asked me to come earlier to make up for you missing your break," she explained with a smirk, "although, you're welcome to stay in there if you're having fun."
He might have flipped her off if they'd been alone, but there were kids around. He settled for an eye roll and a sigh.
"Real funny, Clem. I was helping one of the younger kids out."
Before she could reply, Gabriel piped up from behind him.
"H-hey, Clementine!" he yelled out.
"G-gabe?" Clementine replied in confusion. "What are you doing here?" Her eyes scanned the rest of the them before she raised an eyebrow.
"Javi and Mariana are with you too?"
"Yup, hiya Clementine!" Mariana said with a wave.
"Long time no see, kiddo," Javier said. He was standing right behind Luke, so the lifeguard tried his best to focus on his co-worker in front of him. He absentmindedly held one of his forearms as he stood waist deep in the pool. He was really starting to feel like a high schooler with a crush, now that he thought about it.
"You know each other?" he blurted out.
"We went to the same high school and they live in my area," Clementine explained with a shrug.
"You don't come over as much as you used to, though," Javier said.
"Y-yeah," Gabe echoed, "I- we miss seeing you."
Luke swore he heard Mariana snort but he didn't turn around to check.
"Right, we really miss you Clementine," she echoed.
"Shut up," he heard Gabe hiss.
To Luke's surprise, Clementine blushed and looked away as if she was embarrassed. He rarely, if ever, saw her visibly uncomfortable.
"W-well, I've been busy with work. Javi, you know how it is," she replied, staring at the ground below her.
"I do," Javier agreed, "but I'm here now."
Clementine rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"Fine, you win. I'll try to drop by soon."
"Sounds good," Javier replied.
Suddenly, a large hand came down on Luke's shoulder and he almost yelped in surprise.
"Bring your friend here when you do, okay?" Javier continued, leaning closer to Luke as he spoke. Clementine looked between the both of them for a second before smirking.
"Oh, of course," she started, ignoring the glare Luke was sending her way, "I'm sure Luke would love to come."
"I-I, I mean…" Luke tried, his face heating up and his mind going places it shouldn't have been.
"Yeah, Luke, you should come over!" Mariana encouraged, "I'm sure Uncle Javi has lots to show you."
Luke didn't know what was worse, what she was probably implying or the way Javi's grip on his shoulder seemed to tighten as she spoke.
"S-sure," he croaked, turning slightly to look back at Mariana. He could feel Javier's eyes on him but he turned back to Clementine without meeting his gaze. He'd probably crumble under his stare at this point and didn't think his dignity could handle that kind of blow in front of everyone present.
"Sounds good," Javier replied, "looking forward to having you."
Oh man…
Javier's hand fell off his shoulder and he took that as an opportunity to fully turn around.
"Well, duty calls," he started, speaking faster than he wanted to, "thanks for the invite, it was nice meeting you all." He gave them a smile before scurrying out of the pool.
He didn't look back as he hoisted himself out of the water, but he could feel Javier's eyes on him as he did. He tried not to care or blush as he walked back to his post.
"Well, back to it!" He said to Clementine as he approached her. She looked at him like he'd grown a second head.
"What are you doing? I said I was taking over for you," she replied.
"Yeah, but I still have half an hour left," he said with a shrug, pointing to the waterproof watch he was wearing.
"Yeah, but I don't mind working an extra fifteen minutes for you. You were enjoying yourself, weren't you?" Her tone was serious now and a frown was beginning to form on her face.
"Yeah, but you don't have to do that," he replied.
"But I-"
"I'm fine."
There was a little bit of force in the way he finished his sentence, but he walked past her before she could comment on it. He pulled a towel out of the gym bag he'd left behind the post and tried to quickly dry himself off. Once he was somewhat dry, he climbed back to his post and returned to watching the pool.
Clementine had gone to sit by Javier's family, so he didn't bother checking on them. The mother whose child he had saved had taken the rest of her children out of the pool and was packing up their stuff to leave. That left a middle aged couple who was deep in conversation near the shallow end. It wouldn't make for the most interesting half hour, but it would give him time to think.
Why had he been so desperate to get away from Javier? He was obviously interested, if his staring was any indication, and the man seemed to pick up on that immediately. Javier had not only expressed interest but had gone as far as to invite him to his place. Yet, in the moment, all Luke could think of doing was getting away from him.
Luke sighed.
He was scared.
He rarely found himself in situations like this. And while he wasn't one to hide who he was or who he was attracted to, interacting with potentially interested men had always been difficult for him. He never wanted to say the wrong thing and potentially create an awkward or uncomfortable situation. It seemed like he'd done that anyway this time around, but he tried not to think about that.
He risked a glance in the family's direction. They were speaking with Clementine, though Gabriel was the shyest of the bunch. Luke smiled at that. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one uncomfortable speaking to someone he found attractive.
Javier was saying something to Clementine, but he seemed to feel Luke's gaze and turned his head slightly. Luke averted his gaze quickly. He wasn't going to let that happen again.
And he stuck to that, somehow managing to remain stoic and focussed for the rest of his shift before Clementine came to take over for him.
"Hey," she started as he was packing up his gym bag, "do you have a second to talk?"
There was something in her tone that he wasn't sure he wanted to know the meaning behind so he brushed her off.
"I actually have to get going," he replied, giving her the fakest smile he could muster. She frowned and placed a hand on her hip.
"Luke…"
"I'll see you around," he said with a shrug as he passed her, "we'll talk later if you want, okay?"
He didn't wait for her response as he headed out.
It didn't take him long to get home that day but he didn't stick around. Dropping his bag and changing out of his lifeguard uniform, he donned a green sweatsuit and headed out for a jog. He needed to clear his mind after what had become a more tumultuous day than he had been anticipating.
./././
Had Luke been thinking straight, he would have remembered that determination was basically Clementine's middle name and there was no way she was going to let him off the hook that easily.
He'd returned from his jog to find his phone ringing off the hook and had considered ignoring it until her name popped up on the screen. He wasn't trying to get on her bad side, especially since Clementine could be scary when she wanted to do be.
"Hello?" he greeted, holding back a groan.
"Luke!" she replied, "this is like my third time calling you." Luckily, she sounded more relieved than annoyed.
"Sorry, Clem," he said earnestly, "I was out on a jog and left my phone at home."
"That's okay," she replied, "are you alright?"
Luke took a deep breathe. "Yeah, I'm fine,"
"You didn't seem fine when you left," she remarked.
"My mind was somewhere else," he admitted, feeling a blush creep across his cheeks.
"That's…that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about," Clementine said slowly. Luke's breath hitched.
"Uh, okay…" He replied. He could hear her sigh on the other end.
"I-I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable today," she said. Luke pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in disbelief.
That was the last thing he'd expected to hear from her.
Before he could reply, she continued.
"When I saw you speaking with Javi's family, it looked like you were having a good time. Javi's really nice, but he doesn't usually act like that around people he's just met. I could tell he liked you," she explained.
Luke was definitely blushing now. Regardless of how he felt about the situation as a whole, it was nice to get confirmation that Javier was interested in him as well.
"When he invited you over, I knew he wanted to get to know you so I encouraged it…" she continued. She trailed off for a second, but he waited for her to finish what she was saying.
"…but I didn't realize how uncomfortable he was making you until you got out of the pool. Your face was all red and you looked flustered. I'm sorry I didn't pick up on that sooner," she said.
"It's okay, Clem," he muttered.
"No, it's really not," she retorted, "and Javi didn't think so either. He felt horrible after you left."
That made Luke's heart drop.
"We've known each other for a while now and even though you've been open about who you're into, I shouldn't encourage you to spend time with any guy that comes along. You're worth more than that," she explained.
Luke smiled at that.
"Aw, thanks Clem. I appreciate that."
"I mean it," she replied. Luke mulled over what he wanted to say before deciding that honesty was the best policy. He'd known Clementine long enough to trust her and the fact that she knew the Garcia family well meant she could provide him with a better perspective on the situation.
"I-I didn't mind what he was doing, actually," he admitted, "I just didn't know how to respond and ended up making things awkward. If anything, I'm sorry for messing up the moment."
There was silence on the other end and Luke wondered if she'd hung up.
"Uh, hello?"
"Sorry, I was just taking in what you said," Clementine replied.
"Oh, that's okay. So, like I was saying-"
"You like Javi, too?" she interrupted.
Luke's eyes widened.
"W-Well, I…"
"Luke, are you serious?" She asked quickly. He couldn't remember the last time she'd sounded so excited.
"Kinda?" he replied.
"Wow. I wish I could have introduced the two of you sooner then," Clementine said, though it sounded like she was talking more to herself than to Luke.
"Wait, what? W-why?" he stammered.
"Well, I was going to say that Javi's a pretty good guy. I trust him and think the two of you would get along well."
"Y-you do?" Luke croaked.
"I do," Clementine echoed, "Mariana and Gabe think so, too."
"What's going on with you and Gabriel, by the way?" Luke asked with a smirk.
"T-there's nothing going on between us!" Clementine stammered.
"You sure about that?" he teased.
"There isn't."
"…"
"We've just known each other a long time."
"…"
"He's super annoying, anyway."
"…"
"Go to hell, Luke."
They both burst into laughter. Clementine wasn't good at lying and over time, it had become easier for Luke to pull apart the tall tales she occasionally tried to tell.
"Okay, seriously," Luke started when he stopped laughing, "even I can tell the guy likes you. If you feel the same, why not give him a chance?"
"I don't know," Clementine admitted, "I guess I always think he can do better. I'm probably not the most conventional or normal girl."
Luke scoffed. "Now who's talking crazy? He'd be lucky to have a girl like you. You're strong, loyal, and beautiful to boot,"
"T-thanks, Luke," Clementine replied bashfully.
"And about the normal thing," Luke continued, "none of us are really normal in this crazy world. I definitely don't think I meet all the requirements of what society thinks a 'man' should be like. That doesn't mean I shouldn't feel I'm worthy of a great boyfriend. If I have to recognize my worth, so do you."
There was silence on the phone before he heard Clementine sigh.
"Thank you, but weren't we supposed to be talking about you and Javi?" she asked in a teasing tone.
"We detoured, it happens," he teased. Clementine giggled.
"You detoured," she replied. He could practically hear her roll her eyes.
"What are you going to do, though? When it comes to Javi, I mean," she asked.
"Well," Luke said with a sigh, "I'll probably speak to him when I see him at the pool again. I don't want him to think he made me uncomfortable. I'll just see where it goes from there, I guess."
"I think that's a good idea," Clementine replied, "I think Javi would be receptive to that."
"I hope so, he makes me nervous enough as it is," Luke admitted.
"He really does, huh?"
"Not as nervous as Gabe makes you, but close enough."
"...I'm hanging up."
The two of them laughed again and Luke found himself glad that his friend had called to check up on him. A weight had been lifted off his chest and he was starting to look at the situation differently. He was even looking forward to seeing Javier again, though he knew he'd still be nervous.
"Well, I've gotta get some sleep before work tomorrow," He said when their laughter died down.
"Me too," Clementine admitted, still trying to catch her breath.
"Thanks for the pep talk, Clem. I appreciate it," Luke admitted.
"Of course, likewise," Clementine replied.
"I always knew you were a big ole' softy deep down."
"Tell anyone and you'll regret it."
As moonlight washed over him through a window nearby, Luke put his phone away and headed for bed. He definitely needed sleep after such an emotionally draining day. He slept well that night, dreaming about a handsome man with a gorgeous laugh and smile to match.
./././
Luke didn't see the Garcia family during his shift the next day and tried to hide his disappointment when Clementine came to takeover for him. They traded knowing glances, but she was nice enough not to say anything.
This continued for a week or so before he resigned himself to the fact that he probably wasn't going to see Javier or his family again. Not having the opportunity to make up for his blunder only made him feel worse and he tried desperately to focus on other things when he had to sit at his post by the pool.
Clementine had good news a few weeks later, however. She'd visited the Garcias and found out that Javier had been busy with a new job he'd found. Gabriel and Mariana had wanted to stop by the pool again, but Javier had been too busy to take them.
"I don't think that's the only reason though," she'd pondered during her explanation.
Luke grimaced. "It's me, isn't it?"
"Sort of…" Clementine replied, biting her lip.
"I think he's scared to make you uncomfortable again," she continued. "This new job of his serves as a good excuse, but I'm sure it isn't so busy that he can't just pop by."
"I..I don't know what to say to that," Luke admitted, staring down at the pool tiles underneath him. Clementine sighed.
"Well, Gabe and Mari want to stop by before the summer ends. I'm sure they'll find a way to convince him to bring them. Don't lose hope," she said with a small smile, punching his arm lightly.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Luke replied with a nod, "there are other fish in the sea or, I guess, in the pool."
"Yeah, but Javi is the fish you want," Clementine said with a smirk.
"You're not helping, you know that?"
Another few weeks passed and Luke, for the most part, was starting to think he'd never see Javier again. Summer was speeding by and he was starting to give up hope. He was busier than ever when August rolled around but his mind always found a way to drift to the gorgeous man who'd smiled and flirted with him almost a month ago.
It was a particularly hot day in early August when Luke was finally on the receiving end of some male attention again.
Unfortunately, it wasn't from Javier Garcia.
"So, what did you say your name was again?" a skinny young man named 'Nick' said to him as he stood beside his post. Luke's sunglasses hid the eye roll he couldn't stop himself from making as the man spoke.
"It's Luke," Luke replied, continuing to observe the pool.
He wouldn't deny that Nick was cute, especially with his bright blue eyes and toothy grin. But his jokes weren't funny and he was nowhere near as smooth as Javi was.
"Luke, huh? Like, Skywalker?" Nick asked with a smirk.
"Sure," Luke shrugged, resisting the urge to shake his head.
"I hate to bother you during your shift but I couldn't resist coming over and introducing myself," Nick said. "It's not everyday I see a fine guy like you in Georgia."
"R-really?" Luke stammered, turning momentarily to look at him before returning his attention to the pool.
"Yeah, haven't you noticed?" Nick asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Luke tried to ignore the way his arms flexed in the sunlight.
"No, not really," he muttered in reply, though he'd realized it long ago.
"Well, it's true. Maybe you haven't noticed because you've been busy with someone?"
"Busy?" Luke almost fell out of his post, "N-no, not me. I've been focussed on work."
"Oh, okay," Nick said with a chuckle, "You're one of those, huh?"
Luke blinked. "One of what?" he asked, turning back to him.
Nick didn't have a chance to reply though, as Luke noticed two familiar faces walking into the pool area. He almost jumped for joy when he realized who they were.
"Gabriel, Mariana!" he called out. He watched the two of them wave before walking over to him.
"Could you excuse me for a bit, Nick?" Luke asked politely as the Garcia siblings came closer.
"Uh, sure," Nick replied, looking disheartened as he stepped away from Luke's post. Luke was too occupied to care at that point.
"Long time no see," Luke said as the siblings reached his post, "how have you both been?"
"We've been good," Mariana replied, "we've missed coming by, though."
"Is Clementine here?" Gabriel asked, looking around. Luke laughed at that.
"She'll be here in a little bit to take over for me. Have you asked her out, yet?" he explained.
"W-why would I do that?" Gabriel asked, taking a step back in surprise.
"Even Luke knows," Mariana giggled, "you should just tell her!"
"There's nothing to tell!" Gabriel retorted.
"I'm just messing with ya," Luke reassured with a smile. Gabriel shook his head and crossed his arms.
"You haven't spoken to our uncle either, you know," the young man replied.
Luke's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
"I-I…"
"Geez, Gabe," Mariana scolded, "you don't have to go that hard on him. We were supposed to convince him nicely, remember?"
"Yeah, but Javi's been so different lately. He's sad and Luke needs to fix it," Gabriel replied.
"Javi's been what?" Luke asked incredulously.
"Well, he's not moping around or anything but…" Mariana said.
"He's distant with new people and he never wants to bring us here anymore," Gabriel explained.
"Yeah, but he's been busier with that new job as well," Mariana pointed out.
Even though he was taken aback by the Garcia siblings openly discussing his relationship with their uncle in front of him, something inside of Luke clicked and made him interrupt their conversation.
"How did you two get here then, if he didn't want to bring you?" he asked.
Mariana and Gabriel turned to each other before shaking their heads. They turned back to Luke with blank expressions that caused a feeling of dread to creep up his spine.
"Well…" Mariana started.
"He dropped us off," Gabriel finished, giving Luke an unimpressed stare. Luke blinked.
"Oh, I see…" he replied sadly, looking down at his feet. He felt like he should have expected that, to some extent. That didn't mean it didn't hurt because it really did.
Javier clearly didn't want to speak with him if he willing to drop his family off to avoid any interactions. He'd really messed up this time.
"Luke…" Mariana started.
"Well, I guess that's that," Luke replied solemnly.
"Clementine should be here in a bit," he continued, "you both should go enjoy the water before she arrives. It's been a while since you had the chance to."
To their credit, the Garcia siblings looked saddened as they walked back to the pool but Luke's thoughts were elsewhere as he looked towards the rippling waters in front of him.
He couldn't help but feel disappointed and a little bit ashamed. Even though the two of them might not have hit it off in the long run, that would have been a better pill to swallow then the one he was having to stomach now. He wanted to write off his feelings towards the situation, but there was no way he could do that so quickly.
He took a deep breath and shook his head. He needed to stay focussed, even if he felt crummy. He sent a small smile in the siblings' direction before returning to his job.
The pool was busier today, with a handful of families and couples occupying the public waters. He recognized one family in particular since they owned the convenient store around the corner. The parents that ran the store had arrived with their two sons in tow. A lot of the other pool occupants gravitated towards them since they recognized them as well. Luke didn't know them personally, but he'd spoken to the older son, Lee, a handful of times. Nick was still there, conversing with another couple Luke had seen once or twice in town before. He'd never spoken to them himself but he'd always heard nice things about them from people in the area. Watching their body language and clear admiration for one another made his heart flutter and he couldn't help but smile whenever he looked in their direction. He wondered if that would ever be him someday.
C'mon, Luke, don't think like that.
"Hey, what's up?" he turned his head to see none other than Clementine behind him with a life preserver hanging off her shoulder.
"You're early," Luke replied, ignoring her question. Clementine rolled her eyes.
"Mari messaged me so I thought I'd come by now,"
"Oh, I see," Luke said, giving her a knowing smile.
"Don't look at me like that,"
"Like what?"
Clementine groaned. "Anyway, where's Javi?"
Luke sighed.
"He dropped them off and left. I guess he really doesn't want to see me."
"Oh…" Clementine said with a grimace. Luke sighed and looked away.
"I'm sure it's not that," she continued, seeing how crestfallen he'd become, "we talked about this, remember? I think he just doesn't want to make things worse."
"This isn't making things any better though, is it?" he retorted. Clementine shrugged.
"Maybe not, but that's where you come in."
Luke turned away from the pool to stare at her.
"What does that mean?" he asked. Clementine tilted her head sideways.
"Well, eventually he has to come and pick them up. You can try speaking to him then," she explained.
"I-I don't know about that," he gulped.
"Hey, you wanted to fix this, right? This is as good a chance as any. It might even be the only chance you get," Clementine pointed out.
Luke groaned, knowing she was right. He took off his sunglasses and ran a hand down his face.
"Fine," he replied, "I'll try, okay?"
"Good" Clementine said with a smile that Luke returned, "you can do it."
"Thanks, Clem. I appreciate it."
Clementine smirked. "Good, you should."
"Whatever," Luke chuckled, "go have fun with your friends." Clementine nodded as she walked away, giving him a thumbs up as she did.
./././
The next half hour went by faster than Luke would have liked but he knew he'd have to face the music eventually.
Seeing Clementine hang out with the Garcia siblings (especially Gabriel) was nice, and he found himself sending occasional glances in their direction as he scanned the pool. It didn't do much to calm the butterflies in his stomach, however.
It only got worse, if anything, when the siblings exited the pool and began to dry off. A lump seemed to develop in his throat almost instantly and he all but choked trying to swallow it down. He watched Clementine turn away from them and jog over to his post.
"C'mon, you're up," she said as she reached him.
"Up for what?" He asked, feeling his face heat up.
"You know what," she replied with an eye roll, staring up at him, "he's waiting for them outside."
"But-"
"Blue toyota, you can't miss it!"
"I don't think I'm ready!" he exclaimed.
"It doesn't matter, just go!"
They were drawing attention at this point so he climbed down from the post as fast as he could with his legs shaking and hurried towards the pool's exit.
"Good luck!" Mariana called out as he ran passed her.
"Yeah, don't screw up this time!" Gabriel added.
"Thanks guys," he groaned as he left.
The pool didn't have it's own parking lot outside, but people were allowed to park in the Church lot that sat beside it. There were only a handful of cars littering the lot that day, so it wasn't hard to find the blue toyota Clementine had mentioned. It was a corolla that Luke was sure a relative of his had too, making it easier to identify amongst the other vehicles. It wasn't the latest model, but it looked freshly washed and the rims looked like they'd been upgraded recently. It was sitting on the farther end of the lot and he slowed down to a speed walk as he approached it.
He took a deep breath and shook his head. He tried to remember what he wanted to say and hoped it would make sense when it came out of his mouth.
As he reached the car, he could make out Javier typing on a cell phone. Luke was sure he was messaging the Garcia siblings and waited a second before knocking on the passenger side window.
Javier jumped before looking up from his phone. Luke gave him a strained smile and waved.
Hopefully, I don't look like a creep…again…
Javier returned the smile and waved back slowly. They stared at each other for what felt like five minutes to Luke (it was really ten seconds, if that) before Javier seemed to realize Luke wanted to speak with him.
"Oh, sorry!" Luke could hear him say as he fumbled with his car keys. A few awkward seconds later and the windows rolled down, letting out cool air that seemed to steady Luke as he leaned on the door.
"Sorry about that, I wasn't expecting to see you," Javier said with a chuckle that sounded hollow. It was nothing like the laugh that had flustered Luke the first time they'd spoken.
"It's cool!" Luke replied, his voice a pitch higher than his normal one. He cleared his throat and shook his head.
"I, uh, haven't seen you at the pool in a while," he tried. Javier looked back at his dashboard and cleared his throat.
"I got a new job," he explained, "not sure if Clementine mentioned it, but it keeps me pretty busy."
"Congrats," Luke replied.
"Thanks, I'm enjoying it so far," Javier said, turning back to look at him.
"That's, uh, good to hear."
"Yeah…"
Wow, this is awkward.
Deciding to get to the point before things could get any worse, Luke steeled himself for the conversation he'd really come to have.
"Look, there's something I wanted to talk to you about," he started, trying to maintain eye contact as he spoke.
Javi's eyes widened in what was probably realization. "Hey, I'm really sorry about-"
"Let me finish, please," Luke urged, interrupting him.
Javier seemed to take a deep breath before nodding and allowing him to continue. Luke gave him a tight-lipped smile in return.
"I'll be honest," Luke gulped, "I…I really enjoyed meeting you when you stopped by the first time."
"I couldn't keep my eyes off you," he admitted, staring at the car seat below him, "I didn't mean to stare, but I couldn't help myself."
He didn't have time for a deep breath so he just continued.
I won't fail this time.
"You're beautiful, but I was so nervous I just didn't know what to say. A-and I didn't want to say the wrong thing either," he explained, rubbing a hand across the back of his (now sweaty) neck.
He looked up to see Javier smiling at him and quickly ducked his head. He could feel the blush spreading across his face but he tried to ignore the warm sensation it left as he pressed on.
"I didn't mean to make things awkward or uncomfortable but I was out of my element. This doesn't happen to me often."
"I find that hard to believe," Javier replied. Luke looked up at him and smiled.
"Thanks, but it's true," he said.
"Anyway, I wanted to tell you how I felt but you never came back. And then I started to feel like I'd scared you off."
"I'm sorry about that," Javier said solemnly, "that's the last thing I wanted."
"I appreciate that," Luke replied with a nod.
"I just didn't want you to be uncomfortable at your job, that's not fun," Javier explained. Luke nodded.
"I get that, trust me." he replied.
"But I didn't feel uncomfortable in that way, if that makes sense," Luke admitted, looking out the windshield at the other cars in the lot.
"It does," Javier said with a nod.
And suddenly, the weight he'd been carrying around for a month was gone and he felt lighter. He couldn't help but let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in during their conversation.
"Well, I guess we're good," Luke said with a smile.
"We are," Javier replied, returning the grin.
"So, uh…" Luke started, rubbing the back of his neck again.
"Would you like to hang out sometime? I-it doesn't have to be here, though. Maybe at a coffee shop or something?" he asked. Javi raised an eyebrow before crossing his arms over his chest.
"I don't know…" he started. Luke's eyes widened and he spluttered in embarrassment.
"N-nevermind then-"
"I'm more of a dinner and movie type of guy," Javier finished with a wink.
Luke, kind of in shock, blinked for a couple of seconds before letting out a shaky laugh.
"D-don't scare me like that."
"Why not?" Javier laughed. "I like to see you flustered."
"I've noticed," Luke replied, shaking his head.
"What can I say, it's cute."
"C'mon, man…"
They exchanged numbers and Luke agreed to let Javier know of his availability later that week when he got his new shift schedule. He wouldn't admit it but Luke was happy to see the return of the flirtatious and conversational Javier he'd been introduced to, even though the man knew how to fluster him to no end.
As they walked back to the pool, Luke risked a glance at the beautiful man beside him. A myriad of feelings rushed through him as he stared. He was grateful to have another chance to get to know him, especially since he'd almost lost out once already. Javier turned to him and flashed a toothy grin that made his heart flutter.
"Looking forward to our date?" he asked. Luke smiled and nodded.
"I am," he replied.
And he really meant it.
./././
Hope you all enjoyed this story! Part of the reason I wrote this fic is because it's the middle of summer and I really want to go to a public pool, myself! My friends and I are still trying to work out a date so fingers crossed, I'll be swimming around soon!
Would you like to see more Javier/Luke stories? Let me know!