Lulu shifted in his seat, scooting closer to Xavi, who instinctively wrapped an arm around his friend. Despite his size, Joe could be pretty scary, especially if someone he loved was in trouble.
“A few weeks,” Lulu whispered.
Joe nodded. “And you’re serious?”
“Sí, papi.” Lulu bobbed his head up and down while Noah growled something that sounded likePapi, my ass. “Sorry,hermano. Don’t mean nothin’ by it. Just a sayin’, you know?” Lulu smiled at Noah, who relaxed back into his seat, but it didn’t escape Xavi that Lulu’s smile, which would usually light up his entire face, hadn’t reached his eyes once since he’d stormed into the café.
“Okay,” Joe said. “I believe you.”
“So you see, I need a bodyguard… and a place to stay. At least until we leave for your wedding.” Lulu blinked.
“Okaaay, I don’t like where this is going,” Joe groaned. “We barely have enough room as it is with the new puppy and the renovation going on.” It was true. Joe and Noah’s new place was a fucking construction site. They’d put Noah’s old place in Riverside up for sale and landed a sweet deal. They’d needed a fresh start after everything that had gone down, so they’d bought a rundown bungalow in the Buffalo suburb of Williamsville. Noah had left Engine 26 just south of Riverside and had started working at the Williamsville Fire Department, while Joe was still at the D police district downtown, but was now training for the K-9 unit. “Lucia isn’t used to strangers yet.” Lucia was Joe’s German Shepherd puppy and future police dog. Joe was lying through his teeth, though, since Lucia always attacked Xavi, smothering him with sloppy puppy kisses, whenever he stopped by.
“Coño! No, not you, Joe! Your girl Lulu ain’t moving to no suburbs!” Lulu looked mortified at the idea. “Besides, you’re too busy with what’s his face.” He pointed a manicured finger in Noah’s direction.
“Noah?” Joe groaned.
“Yes,No-ah.Someone could sneak in and kill me in my sleep, and you’d just be riding his giantpepino—”
“Lulu!” Joe yelled while his hands flew to Noah’s head, covering his ears. “Jesus,hombre!”
“But you’re the one who said—”
“Lulu, I’m not fucking kidding. Shut. Up!” Joe looked close to exploding or imploding or whatever, while Noah just blushed, looking at his man with hearts in his eyes.
“Whatever,” Lulu huffed, before he turned toward Xavi. “No, I needyouas my bodyguard,oso.”
“Fuck no. I’m not gonna play your bodyguard.” Lulu had better be fucking kidding.
“Pleeeaaase.” Lulu batted his eyelashes once again. “You’re perfect. You’re big, intimidating, and you don’t have a life.”
“Wow, tell it like it is, wontcha? Idohave a full-time job, you know?” Xavi objected, although Lulu was right. He didn’t have much of a life outside of work. He hardly ever dated, and his social life pretty much consisted of shooting hoops with the guys at the park when he wasn’t playing Fortnite with Manulito, Lulu’s kid brother, who wasn’t really a kid anymore but an engineering student at the University of Buffalo.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Yourdaytimejob. Just… just let me stay with you until the dust settles. And you gotta come to my show.”
“I come to all of your shows,” Xavi murmured, squirming under the knowing look Joe sent his way.
“Yes, yes, I know. But this time just… you know, come to rehearsals too, as a quiet observer or something…”
“As opposed to…? What I usually come as?” Fuck, Lulu was at the theater every fucking night, and Xavi had papers to grade, and tests to prepare for, and the worst thing was he already knew he was going to agree to it. All of it. Even this whole ridiculous bodyguard thing. Because whenever Lulu saidjump, Xavi just askedhow high?Because he loved Lulu. He’d always loved him. Always would. And as much as it was lost on Lulu that Xavi would lay down his life for him, it didn’t matter. Because love, as unrequited and as pathetic as it was, was never sensible. There was nothing logical about the way Xavi felt about Lulu, but he felt it all the same.
“Whatever. Just be alert. Be on guard,” Lulu sighed.
“Like a secret service agent or something? You sure you don’t want Joe for this gig after all?” Xavi buried his face in his hands, groaning.
“Nope, Joe’s too tiny for this,” Lulu giggled, shaking his head. “He’s liketiny cop.You, Xavi, you’re intimidating as fuck,oso.” Lulu shivered dramatically, blushing.
“Tiny cop? Gee, thanks,hermano.” Joe scowled, pushing out his chest.
“You are! You’re practically living inside Noah’s pocket anyway.” To substantiate Lulu’s case, Noah leaned in and growled something in Joe’s ear, which made his best friend turn beet red. “Just… Pleeeaaase, Xavi. Ineedyou. I have a stalker, and it’s real. It’s freaking me out. Tuesday is opening night, with the last show on Friday. It’ll only be five nights out of your life. Look! Yesterday he left this creepy-as-fuck card in my changing room after rehearsals. Look!” Lulu started roaming around in his rainbow tote, eventually extracting a crumpled piece of lavender paper. Licking his lips, he started reading, the words instantly making Xavi’s skin crawl. “‘My Dearest Darling, all my thoughts are consumed by you and you alone. I can’t wait to call you mine.’”Lulu’s voice shook as he continued. “‘It won’t be long now, my love, my only one. I’m counting down the days. Opening night will be our night.’”
“Okay, that’s some scary shit, man,” Noah said.
“I know! I mean, who in their right mind would ever want me as their ‘only one?’”
Me, Xavi thought, a strange possessiveness growing inside him.I’d want you as my only one.Joe eyed him, a silent question lingering in his eyes, but Xavi just shrugged. What else could he do?
“This is weird, isn’t it? Like really weird. This won’t go well for me. I can feel it. So please, Xavi. Please, please, please, will you come?”
