#returning lucas

June 29th, 2019

Lucas sat on his black leather couch watching the latest episode of Love Island and thought, I wish I could have stayed a bit longer.

As he watched the islanders having fun, falling in love and engaging in all the drama, one person in particular stood out to him.

She was with Gary now and he could see that she was trying, but he could also see that she wasn't really into it. Her eyes looked dull, they had somehow lost the spark they had had in the first week of the month. They had still had that when Henrik and he had entered the villa on the fifth day.

He hadn't even had the chance to couple up with her, to do more than just hold her after Rocco had played her so badly. And what he would have given to kiss her, to hold her in his arms as they fell asleep side by side. Like a real couple.

But somehow the public hadn't been confident in him leaving the show with a girlfriend by his side, so they'd dumped him.

When Lucas thought back to that night, he was overcome by a sadness that could only be described as a strange homesickness. Homesick for a person. For her.

10 days earlier

"Lucas?" Her voice sounded hesitant as he turned back to face her.

"Hmm?"

"Can you...," her voice trailed off and she averted her eyes and stared down at her shoes. "I'm going to miss you," she finally whispered so quietly he thought he hadn't heard her properly.

Part of him wanted to go back and hug her again, hold her one last time, but the sensible part of him knew that would only make everything so much more difficult. So much more complicated.

As much as he'd wanted to be the one to couple up with her at the next recoupling, he wasn't going to get the chance now. And he wanted her to be happy, to forget him and move on with her life.

But the selfish part of his heart wanted her to suffer as much as he knew he would. He had thought this was going to be the summer of his life, but it turned out to be just another bittersweet summer. One of missed opportunities and chances. One of irrational feelings for a girl he would probably never see again.

Because there was no way he was going to that afterparty just to see her laughing happily alongside another one of those lads. No, he would do everything he could to spare himself that pain.

"I'll miss you too," he replied softly, giving her one last smile before turning and heading back to the villa to pack his suitcase and prepare to leave Mallorca.

June 29th, 2019

But now she would probably settle for Gary and end up with him. That bloke adored her, anyone could see that, and he would give her the world. But it was supposed to be him. He couldn't forget the way she used to look at him with her deep blue eyes that now seemed grey. So lifeless. Empty.

Henrik had coupled up with her before the girls had been taken to Casa Amor, and even there, with a whole new set of boys, the spark hadn't returned. She had seemed so out of place. Almost as if she missed him too.

And then Henrik had come back with Blake on his arm, and she had been left alone. All on her own. Henrik was his buddy, but at that moment he would have given anything to slap him. It was beyond him how no one but Gary could see that she deserved the whole damn world. As a result, Henrik and Blake had been dumped, which Lucas thought they deserved anyway.

His phone buzzed in the pocket of his jeans, interrupting his bitter thoughts and he took it out and sighed deeply, The producers? Huh, maybe they need me for another interview?

He picked up, "Yeah? Koh here."

But what he heard next made his heart stop beating for a little moment.

"Yes! I mean, of course. I'd love to. Thanks for the opportunity!"

5 days later

He was back in the beach hut and couldn’t believe his own eyes. He had been given the chance to return to the villa, and although the month was almost over, he was sure that it wouldn't take him more than a day to make his shot at love.

She was still there, and he couldn't wait to see her again.

"Why did you decide to come back when the producers called you a few days ago?"

Lucas grinned and raked his right hand through his gelled hair. "Well, I always thought my time at the villa was far too short. I didn't even get to couple up before I got booted out of the show three days after I moved in. And I feel like I deserved it."

"Who do you have your eye on coming back to the villa?"

He shrugged. "I think it's pretty obvious. She and I got along super well before I got dumped, and now that she's still part of the show, I just have to take my chances. Properly this time."

"What are you most looking forward to when you get back to the villa?"

"I'm looking forward to seeing her eyes light up again. I just know they will."

The guy asking the questions chuckled slightly, "Sounds pretty vague for now."

"What can I say?" Lucas grinned. "I said it when I first entered the villa and it's still true. Gotta maintain a bit of mystery, eh?"

The guy waved his hand dismissively and laughed, "Alright, Lucas, you're ready for your date. Please send me a message with her name and she'll be with you shortly after."

________________________

Lucas sat on a white chair next to a small table covered with a white cloth, a few snacks and bright yellow orange juice, the Spanish countryside stretching out before him. The morning sun warmed his back and he waited for her to arrive at the location. He was unusually nervous and even a little afraid that he had imagined it all. That she was actually happy with Gary and didn't want to be with someone she didn't even really know.

But now it was too late. All that was left now was to hope that she had missed him as much as he had missed her.

"No way!"

He heard a soft voice gasp behind him, and he recognised her voice immediately. Still so velvety and soft. Grinning, he turned and couldn't stop a smile from forming on his lips when he saw the expression on her face.

She was wearing a stunning deep blue dress that hugged her body just right and brought out the blue of her eyes amazingly well. Her brunette hair was straightened and framed her beautiful diamond-shaped face. Her eyes were wide and her lips slightly parted, but as soon as her eyes met his, she closed her mouth and swallowed, her cheeks taking on a delicate coral hue.

"Lucas!" she squealed, a happy smile settling on her face as she rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, catching him off guard. But he quickly returned the hug and squeezed her tenderly, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach that made crazy somersaults as soon as her body touched his.

God, how he had missed holding her like this.

Before he could get carried away, he quickly cleared his throat, pulled back slightly and looked down at her. When she looked up at him, giving him a toothy grin, and he looked into her eyes, he almost choked on his own saliva.

He hadn't imagined anything, he'd bloody known it wasn't just his brain playing tricks on him.

The spark had returned, the spark he had missed all the time he had been away from the villa.

"You look happy to see me," he said carefully.

The blush on her cheeks deepened and she glanced down and nodded shyly, "I didn't think I'd see you again so soon."

Lucas pulled out the chair for her and beckoned her to sit, then pushed the chair back in before taking his own seat. He picked up the jar of freshly squeezed orange juice and poured them each a glass, then looked back at her.

"Well, isn't there anything you want to ask me?" He smirked at the look on her face. She still didn't seem to know if this was real or just a dream.

"Pinch me?" she breathed, and he reached out and placed his hand gently on hers. That seemed to do the trick, because she took a deep breath and then quickly shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused. Why did you come back?"

Lucas pulled his hand away, reached for his glass and took a sip of the cool juice. "I felt like I didn't really have a chance the first time around."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," she giggled and rolled her eyes. "So what have you been up to the last two weeks?"

Lucas smiled at her, "A bit of this and a bit of that. Since I was on paid leave for the month anyway, I wasn't needed at the clinic, so I spent most of my time visiting family and friends, a bit of alone time to sort my head out, and then I was also approached by a magazine for a photo shoot."

"Sounds fun!" She returned the smile and took a sip of her own orange juice.

"You're with Gary now, huh?" asked Lucas, watching her closely for a reaction, but she just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah."

"So how's that going? Are you happy?" he inquired.

She shrugged again. "I think so. It's going well so far."

It didn't exactly sound enthusiastic. Or madly in love.

On the one hand it made him sad because he wanted her to be happy, on the other it gave him a nervous twinge in his abdomen because it just meant he still had a chance.

One more chance.

"Doesn't sound like that's all you’ve ever wanted," he added tentatively.

She snorted sarcastically, "Yeah, because it's not. But I guess you can't get everything you want, huh?" Suddenly she looked up, eyes wide with shock, and slapped her hands over her mouth, "Shit, forget what I said. I didn't mean it like that."

Lucas took a deep breath and propped his forearms on the table between them, leaning forward slightly and looking at her intently as he asked, "How did you mean it?"

She avoided eye contact and fiddled with the silver rings on her fingers. "It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have said that."

Before Lucas could stop himself, he had placed his index finger under her chin and lifted it slightly so she was looking at him again. Realisation flashed in her eyes, as she probably remembered how he'd always done that when he'd comforted her after Rocco had screwed her over.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, nervously wedging her lower lip between her teeth.

"You asked me why I came back, right?" began Lucas, and when she nodded slowly, he added, "Well, I didn't tell you the whole truth."

Her eyes widened again, but she remained silent, so he swallowed hard and continued, "I came back for you."

Then three things happened, and one was sweeter than the other, making Lucas' heart beat so fast he thought he would faint.

First her eyes widened, then they glazed over ever so slightly, and the smile that lit up her face afterwards was enough to make his knees go as weak as goddamn custard.

"Thank fuck I'm sitting down right now," he muttered softly, but she heard him and her cheeks flushed so hard she covered her face with her hands and backed away.

"You... you came back for me?" she finally breathed, peeking out from between her fingers, and it looked so adorable that Lucas had to bite his cheek to keep from bursting out laughing. Instead, he nodded reassuringly and said, "Yes, I did."

"B-but why?" She stumbled over her own words, and it was the cutest thing he had ever heard come out of her mouth.

"Because I can't get you out of my head," he answered in a firm voice, and her eyes glossed over again.

Finally, she cleared her throat, put her hands in her lap and said softly, "That's good to know … Because I couldn't get you out of my head either."

A grin spread across Lucas' face and he clicked his tongue, "I know."

She raised her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes, "You... know? How would you know?"

"I saw it in your eyes. You weren't happy. And your answer to my question about how things were going with Gary only confirmed it." He shrugged, but couldn't wipe the probably stupid grin off his face.

"I…," she interrupted herself, shaking her head slowly, "so you've known all along?"

Lucas nodded wordlessly.

A pained expression settled on her face and she asked, "Why didn't you come back sooner if you knew?"

"I couldn't. Believe me, if there had been a way, I wouldn't have left in the first place." He sighed, but his eyes never left her face.

She nodded sadly and mumbled, "For the record, I would have liked that."

"You know what I would like right now, though?"

When she said nothing and just stared at him questioningly, he added in a lowered voice, "I don't think I can stand not kissing you any longer."

She gasped softly and blushed again, but then smiled and, looking him straight in the eye, blurted out, "Then why don't you kiss me?"

And Lucas didn't need to be told twice. He pushed back his chair and stood up, pulling her to her feet by her arms, pressing her body against his and leaning in towards her. He felt her heart hammering in her chest and heard how shallow her breathing was, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, closing the tiny gap and finally capturing her lips in a soft, sweet kiss.

As she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, the butterflies in his stomach went completely amok, and the desire he'd felt for her since the first moment he'd met her finally flowed out of him and poured over her. He couldn't suppress a soft groan when she tightened her grip and deepened the kiss.

She tasted like a promise, like a second chance, and adrenaline coursed through his veins as he realised that this was it. This was the second chance he had needed. Nothing else mattered from now on out.

He’d taken the risk, had taken his shot, and he hadn't missed.

Maybe this could still be the summer of his life.

author’s note | To all my Lucas stans:

Please ignore the game for a second. I know Lucas canonically won't stay with you if you decide to cheat on your current partner with him, but that's irrelevant to this fic. In this fic it's all about the fluff and the romance and him finally getting the girl.