Thanks to Sara for the review.
Boy Meets Lucas:
Several hours later, they emerged from the darkened game room quarter-less and laughing. Lucas blinked a few times at the unexpected brightness of the sun. More time had gone by than he'd thought. They strolled down the sidewalk toward the small grocery store at the end of the strip.
"I can't believe you beat me."
"So? You slaughtered me at pool," reminded Lucas.
"That's not the same."
Lucas shrugged. David had held his own better than Lucas had expected. He was turning out to be full of surprises.
"I can't help it if I'm better than you."
David stuck his tongue out at him.
"Just for that I'm making you cook the vegetables. What do you want to go with the steaks?"
"If I'm cooking it, it'd better be something simple. I have a hard time with macaroni and cheese."
"How?" asked David, bewildered. "Cooking's just like chemistry. You just follow the recipe."
"Trust me. Every time I've tried to cook it's been a complete disaster."
"How about grilled veggies then? That way all you have to do is chop them and I'll cook them with the steaks."
"Sounds good. I can handle chopping."
They collected the groceries and took them to David's house. Unlike the Pickering's summer cottage, this place looked like a real home. The furniture all matched and none of the artwork had a nautical theme. The entire back wall of the house was a window looking out over the ocean.
"What do you do about all of the glass when there's a hurricane?" he asked looking at the window. David took him out onto the porch.
"See that. It comes down like a garage door and seals it off."
"Ingenious."
David started prepping the grill while Lucas watched him. It was very nice being together like this. Once the fire was started, they went inside to prepare the vegetables and get the meats ready, chatting companionably the whole time. Soon they were sitting down to enjoy their meal.
"Do you want to watch a movie while we eat?"
"Sounds good to me."
"I just bought 28 Days yesterday. Have you seen it? It's a remake of an old horror movie."
"No, I haven't seen it so that sounds good. Horror movies are usually good for a few laughs."
They moved to the couch with their plates and settled down. When the movie ended, it only took a few minutes to clean up the remains from dinner. They went back out onto the porch to look at the moon. It was bright and full. The swish of the ocean was soft in the background.
"It's beautiful," said Lucas softly. It was amazing sometimes what nature could come up with.
"It sure is."
Lucas looked up to see David watching him. He realized that David had been talking about him and it filled him with a warm feeling. No. He didn't want David looking at him like that. That's not what was making him feel so pleased. He shifted uncomfortably and looked back out across the water. He didn't get to see things like this very often on SeaQuest. The mood was so peaceful.
"Let's go swimming," said David suddenly.
"What?"
"It's a perfect night for it and we don't have strong tides here."
"Are you sure?" Lucas looked down at the beach doubtfully.
"You brought your shorts, right? Go change." David pushed Lucas towards the bathroom. With a bemused smile, Lucas did as he was told.
The sand was cool between their toes as they tiptoed across the beach. Shadows obscured any crabs and there were no people in sight. Lucas hesitantly stuck his toe in the water and was relieved to find it pleasantly warm. He'd been worried that it was going to be cold.
"The water's not going to bite."
"It might. You never know."
"You mean I might." David pounced, grabbing Lucas and swinging him over his shoulder.
"Hey! What are you doing" Put me down!" Lucas laughed as he beat at David's shoulder.
"I plan to."
"No! Stop!" shrieked Lucas as David waded deeper into the water. When he was waist deep, he threw Lucas off into the water. Lucas pushed himself up shaking the water from his hair. "You!"
"Yes?" asked David innocently.
"I'm going to get you!"
Water went flying as the boys splashed around and wrestled each other into the water. Eventually they settled down, panting and laughing. With easy, gently strokes, they ventured further out to sea. Occasionally, they brushed against one another as they swam side by side.
"Are you having fun?" asked David as they treaded water.
"Yeah, I am. Tonight's been real-" romantic "fun."
"I'm glad." David reached out and brushed back the hair from Lucas's face. Lucas felt his face grow hot and he ducked under the water to hide it. He didn't understand why he kept reacting like this.
"I need to run in for a second," said David when Lucas resurfaced. "Will you be all right out here?"
Lucas nodded.
"Sure. Go ahead."
"I'll be right back."
Lucas watched as David swam to shore. The water glistened sliver as it rolled off his body. The wet shorts hugged closely to his lower body showing off its shape. He was beautiful. Lucas could feel his body responding to the sight.
He ducked under the water trying to get the image out of his head. This wasn't the way things were supposed to work. This wasn't like with Julian or Chloe. David was a guy! He couldn't look at David like that! This was wrong.
Why? Why was it wrong? He'd never had a problem with any of his gay friends. Why was it OK for them to admire men but now him?
Because they're gay! They're supposed to like guys.
Lucas wrapped his arms around himself as he sank lower in the water. He was so confused. Nothing made sense right now. David was making him feel all of these things and he didn't know what they meant. It was almost enough to make him wish he'd never met David. He didn't want to think about what this all might mean. He wasn't ready to deal with this yet. Frustrated, Lucas let out a stream of bubbles and began to push his way back up to the surface. His head broke through and he took a deep shuddering breath of fresh air.
"Lucas!" Suddenly, David was beside him. He had him by the shoulders, shaking him. "What did you think you were doing? I couldn't find you! I'd thought you'd drowned!" David's voice rose higher and higher as he shouted.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." David's arms wrapped around Lucas and they bobbed in the water. In dazed confusion, Lucas listened to David's rapid heartbeat as he allowed himself to be hugged. Finally, David pulled back.
"Don't ever do that to me again," he whispered staring into Lucas's eyes. Lucas was mesmerized by their color and the fear staring back at him.
"I won't," promised Lucas.
David leaned closer. Lucas's eyes drifted shut as David's warm, soft lips brushed against his. Lucas's tongue drifted across them tasting salt from the water. The kiss deepened drawing Lucas in. He sighed with pleasure. A hand drifted down to rest on David's firm, masculine chest.
"No!" shouted Lucas, pulling away from David as he abruptly remembered who and what he was kissing.
"Lucas?"
"Get away from me!" He shoved David away.
"Shit. I've screwed up again," said David running a hand through his hair. "Lucas-"
"I'm not gay!" yelled Lucas hating the fear and uncertainty in his voice. He turned and started swimming for shore.
"Double shit," sighed David, as he followed him. "Look, Lucas," he said as they waded out of the water together. "I'm sorry I did that. Can we go back in and change then talk this over?"
Lucas stared at David across the water. Oh God, I kissed him and I enjoyed it. Lucas shivered. What does he want from me?
"Please. We'll just talk." David looked at him pleadingly. Damn those eyes. They should be illegal.
"OK," said Lucas reluctantly. Keeping a careful distance between him and David, he followed him into the house. It wasn't really that he was angry with David. David hadn't done anything wrong. It was just…himself mainly.
"Here," said David as Lucas emerged from the bathroom re-clothed. He handed Lucas a cup of tea.
"Thanks." He took a sip.
"I'm really sorry about everything that's happened today. I keep making mistakes with you."
Lucas walked to the window and stared out at the black water. He thought about everything that had happened today and the conflicting emotions that David created. No, David wasn't the one to blame for all of this. Hell, he'd practically led him on. Lucas sighed and turned back to face him.
"I'm the one who should be apologizing."
"You've done nothing to apologize for," said David reassuringly.
"But neither did you!"
"Yes, I did," said David softly. "I like you a lot and I let that mislead me into making erroneous assumptions."
"I like you, too," whispered Lucas. "It's just-"
"Confusing? A lot to take in? Hard to accept? I know. I've been there. I should have recognized it." David shrugged. "I shouldn't have moved so fast."
"I'm not gay," said Lucas, unhappily. He couldn't be gay. There's no way. He wasn't attracted to guys. No, he wasn't attracted to David. It was just… It was just…something that wasn't attraction.
"It's OK."
"I like girls." That's right. There was Chloe and Julianna. See. He wasn't gay. He liked girls.
"You can like them both, you know."
"No." Lucas shook his head. "You're just confusing me."
"Am I? Am I really the only guy you've ever found attractive?"
"Yes!" Then Lucas remembered catching heady glimpses of Ford and Miguel working out in the gym and his weird dreams. His shoulders slumped. "No. I don't know."
He turned and sat at the table, resting his head on the wood.
"I don't know anything anymore."
"It's normal to be confused," said David laying a hand on Lucas's shoulder. Questioning yourself is never easy."
"I don't," began Lucas, hesitantly. "I don't have a lot of experience with this sort of thing. I'm kind of isolated from the whole dating scene."
"It must be hard being in college so young. I struggle enough just being a year ahead."
"I'm not really in college," he admitted. David sat down beside him and shrugged.
"I thought you were a bit too young."
"Not exactly." Lucas traced his finger along the designs in the table, bracing himself for the reaction. "I've already finished college. I work for the UEO now."
"So you're not just smart; you're brilliant. Even better." Lucas looked up shocked. David grinned at him. "What? You thought I'd run screaming? I told you I like brains and beauty."
"Most people are intimidated." Lucas shrugged and stared out the window again. "Between that and living surrounded by adults, I don't have much experience with dating or anything like that. I don't know what I'm feeling. It's all a mess. What if I'm just experimenting? What if this is just a phase?"
"Then you figure that out when the time comes. Sexuality doesn't always fit into neat little boxes, Lucas. There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to this."
"But what about you?"
"You're a damn cool person to hang out with. I'm much more interested in your friendship than your ridiculously hot body." He grinned at Lucas who couldn't help but reward him with a small smile.
"I'm still confused."
"You're going to be."
"I don't want to be gay."
"You can't ignore it if you are. It would destroy you."
"But I'm already different enough! Everyone will hate me!" He pushed his chair back angrily and turned back to the window. Didn't he have enough to deal with?
"Yes, some people will hate you but the ones that really love you will accept you as you are."
"I don't want this!" cried Lucas. "Why did this have to happen?"
"I'm sorry," whispered David, wrapping his arms around Lucas. "I'm so sorry that I'm part of what's hurting you."
"It's not fair! You should have been a girl then I'd never have to know!"
"Sh. It's OK." David rocked Lucas gently. Lucas drew in long ragged breaths. Eventually he was able to compose himself and he pulled away embarrassed. Gently, cautiously, David reached out and pulled him back. "Stay."
"I thought you weren't after my body," said Lucas in that peculiar tone that people use when they have to laugh to keep from crying. Please, don't let me cry.
"I lied." Lucas laughed harder than the small joke was worth. "Are you feeling a little better?"
"Yeah."
"Good." David paused. "Are you all right with this?"
Lucas glanced down at their intertwined limbs. A million doubts whispered for attention but Lucas was too emotionally exhausted to listen. The doubts, the weirdness, the wrongness, the rightness; it would all be there later. He could deal with it then. Right now he felt safe, peaceful, welcome. He didn't want David to move. He didn't want to lose this feeling.
"Yeah," he said, softly. "For now this is more than OK."
"Will it still be OK when I call you tomorrow morning begging for your company?"
"Not if you call too early," retorted Lucas.
"Touché." David smiled at him tenderly.
Lucas was silent for a moment considering the question. He still didn't know where he stood in all of this. Maybe in the daylight he'd look back and wonder what the hell he'd been thinking. Right now this felt right. David felt right. But tomorrow? He just didn't know.
"I don't know," he echoed out loud. "I won't know until tomorrow gets here."
"That's fine with me," said David pulling him closer. "I can work with wait and see. For you, I can work with almost anything."
"Why?" asked Lucas, turning to look into David's face. "Why would you go through all of this trouble? We just met."
David was silent a moment, staring out at the water. Just when Lucas began to get uncomfortable and was going to pull away, he began to speak.
"For a lot of reasons, really. Mainly just because I like you." He smiled wistfully at Lucas and ghosted the tips of his fingers through Lucas's hair so gently that Lucas barely felt it. "I don't like a lot of people. I told you, I'm picky."
David grinned wryly but there was something in the expression that made Lucas sad. He'd been mistaken about David's confidence. Maybe he was mistaken about David's popularity, too.
"We have a lot in common. Today was the most fun I've had in a long time. You seemed to enjoy my company," said David, sounding a bit uncertain at the end.
"I did."
David smiled at him again.
"I really do know what you're going through," he continued, "so I want to help you through that because you've become important to me already. It really doesn't seem like we've only known each other for a day. I know you're not going to want a hot and heavy Spring Fling and to be honest that's not what I want either. You deserve better and it's no way to build a friendship." He shrugged, the movement rippling against Lucas's back. "Truthfully, I should back off and settle for a purely platonic friendship but if I didn't make the effort to see what you were willing to try, I'd end up regretting it."
"Mmm," said Lucas as the last persistent, paranoid, little voice finally went silent. He relaxed and let his head fall back onto David's shoulder. "No more speeches."
David squeezed him gently, relieved that Lucas had accepted his answer. They stood together enjoying the view as the stars danced across the sky. It was very, very late before Lucas made it back to the Pickering's cottage.
Fin