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It was early morning on the sandy beach of a small, coastal tourist town. The sun has just risen, and it's not that hot. Dick, a college junior on his college’s gymnastics team, is out getting his morning jog, even during his summer break. The beach is pretty empty around this time of day, just like Dick likes it. His college friends, who affectionately call themselves the Titans, are all sleeping in until around 10 or 11, giving Dick plenty of time to get his exercise in.
While Dick could jog anywhere, he went in through a particular route to see a certain someone. Along the jogging route, there was a particular lifeguard that Dick had his eyes on - the man was much older than Dick, with a strong body and a grumpy demeanor. Dick wasn’t sure why, but something drew him to the man from the first time Dick laid eyes on him.
Lucky for Dick, he and his friends had 14 days in the sleepy beach town to hang out and for Dick to see the lifeguard. 5 days had passed, with Dick doing his best to make every excuse to jog early and spend time swimming and sunbathing on the beach near the man.
Around 8:30, Dick went to the local coffee shop to get his regular morning coffee. While the baristas got his usual order right, he asked for one more cup. Dick had noticed that the man didn’t have his usual morning coffee during his run. Dick didn’t know the man’s coffee order, but he did recognize that the lifeguard always had the same branded coffee cup from this coffee shop. Dick took it as an opportunity to shoot his shot.
Carefully, Dick took both coffee cups to the beach as a gentle breeze rolled in. As expected, the older lifeguard was in his usual spot, sunglasses, red jacket, and red swim trunks on as usual - he was sitting early on, because, as Dick noticed, when the beach became full, he would be on his feet until evening. Luckily, there were only a few patrons nearby and the waves were gentle, so Dick approached him.
The lifeguard noticed Dick before Dick got close. Dick quietly held out the coffee to the lifeguard with a smile, saying, “Noticed that you didn't have your daily coffee today.”
The lifeguard’s response was dry, but Dick melted internally at his voice, “You bought me this assuming I'd talk to you, kid?”
Dick grinned widely; he loved the man’s voice, but he'd never let him know that, “Nope. Just thought you'd like having some caffeine. No talking required.”
The lifeguard accepts it with a gruff noise of acknowledgement. After a few sips, he says, “Sweet. Sweeter than I get, but not bad.” Dick beamed inside - he took the lifeguard for a black coffee type, apparently not. They stayed with each other in comfortable silence for a bit until the lifeguard asked, “What's your name, kid?”
Dick answered almost too quickly, excited, “Richard! My friends call me Dick.”
The lifeguard chuckled, then he gave Dick his name, “Slade. Seen you a lot at the beach recently. Assuming you're not from here.”
Dick shakes his head, admitting, “No, I'm not. I'm here with friends to celebrate summer break. We're all athletes at my college, and we wanted to celebrate all making it to the state qualifiers in our respective sports. They always sleep through the morning, that's the best part of the day!”
Slade smiled ever so slightly, “Smart friends.”
The two continued their conversation before Dick’s watch buzzed. His friends were calling him. Dick waved goodbye to Slade for a bit and jogged back to the hotel, beaming with happiness the whole way there with the taste of coffee on his tongue.
~~~
Over the next week, Dick continues showing up early to chat with Slade after his jog and before his friends wake up. At first, they exchange quiet words, or sometimes sit together in silence as the sun gets higher in the sky. One day, Dick brings breakfast for them, and they start talking more. Another day, Dick helps Slade chase off a drunk tourist who’s harassing some of the other swimmers. Dick finds comfort in his routine with Slade - it’s like they were meant to meet. Slade grows to expect Dick, even cracking a smile sometimes.
While Dick is talkative, he waits almost a week to tell Slade about his struggles. They sit together on the lifeguard mound and Dick lets loose all the difficulties he’s been having.
“It’s hard to always be the responsible one. My dad loves adopting kids, so I have a lot of adopted siblings, and I always have to guide them and keep them in line, even now that I’m the first one in college. I had to get a dorm after freshman year - I’d never be able to get any work done otherwise. My youngest baby brother is a toddler, and he cries a lot when I leave home. The brother closest in age to me will be leaving for college soon too - he’s changed so much, I hardly recognize him anymore. It's hard to focus on school when you feel like your family is on your shoulders, even if you love them dearly, along with your sports career, and then your degree. I noticed that I’ve been leading my friends and keeping them on track academically - the problem is, my grades suffer when I put all my effort into them.”
Slade stays silent for most of Dick’s venting. Then he asks, “You ever stop pretending that everything is fine?” Dick shakes his head, and the two share a look. Slade sighs, and says, “You remind me of myself when I was in the army. Always doing my best to keep my squad above it all, but it physically drained me. You sound like you’re doing a ton of emotional labor, kid. Maybe it’s time you tell your daddy that you need a break.”
Dick looked at Slade, saying softly, “But…they need me.”
Slade reminded him, “And you need yourself too. You’re helping everyone else without giving a damn about yourself - that’s going to drain you. You know what too much care for my squad got me?” Dick gasped as Slade removed his sunglasses for the first time in front of him. On his right eye was a long, jagged scar that kept that eye closed. Slade’s other eye was an icy blue. Gosh, he was more handsome than Dick imagined. Slade put the sunglasses back on and continued, “It cost me my eye. It made me a jaded person. Take time for yourself, okay kid?”
~~~
Dick took Slade’s words to heart the following evening. After tonight, he’d only have a few more days in this small coastal town, and he wanted to see Slade as much as he could. While his friends decided to go to the nearby bar, Dick decided to go back to the beach.
At first, he wasn’t expecting to see Slade - it was quite dark and all the patrons of the beach seemed to have left. Dick continued to walk along the stretch of beach just to be sure. That’s when he noticed the beach’s firepit was lit - in all the days that Dick had been here, that firepit had remained unlit. Dick walked closer, noticing a familiar silhouette.
Dick hesitates for a moment, realizing that Slade might want to be alone. The man carried a heavy burden, Dick had learned, but…he might never get this chance again.
Dick walked up to the firepit and sat besides Slade, who didn’t look towards him - his gaze fixated on the flames. Dick quipped, “Didn’t take you for the bonfire type.”
Slade spoke, his voice slightly deeper than usual, “Didn’t think you’d come here, Birdie.” Dick blushed a little, realizing that this was a nickname that Slade made for him. THe two sat in silence for a bit, with Dick being nervous to say anything else. Finally, he asked, “Do you..ever wish things turned out differently?”
Slade answered without hesitation, “Every damn day.” He turns to Dick, and Dick realizes that he doesn’t have his sunglasses on. Slade’s tone is serious, “But I don’t regret this summer. Don’t regret meeting you, kid.”
A sudden ocean breeze ripples through the air, and combined with Slade’s gaze, Dick shivers with desire . He instinctively hugs himself due to the cold. To Dicks surprise, Slade automatically shrugs off his red lifeguard jacket. In the blink of an eye, he whips it around Dick’s shoulders.
Dick leans into the jacket, smelling Slade’s smokey scent on it. He smiles slightly as he speaks, “You really are the strong, silent type.”
Slade scoffs, saying, "And you really are the type who looks for meaning in every damn thing.” He pauses for a moment before he adds, “But I don’t mind when you look at me like that. You look at me like I’m someone you love.”
Dick blurts out before he can stop himself, “Because I do love you, Slade.”
Before Dick can blush and pull away Slade leans closer. His calloused hand comes up to cup Dick’s cheek. Their faces are inches apart as Slade asks him, “You sure, Birdie? Once we start, we can’t go back.”
Dick smiles softly at him, saying, “Yeah, I’ve been sure.” Slade brings them together for a kiss. It’s warm, full of unsaid feelings. Slade pulls back a bit and kisses him again, causing Dick to melt .
~~~
The next morning, Slade hummed as he noticed Dick walking towards him again, two coffee cups in hand. “It’s only 7. Miss your morning jog, Birdie?”
Dick smiles as he hands Slade one of the cups, “I can jog any day. I can hang out with my friends later. I can’t always see you - and I’m seeing you because I want to.”
Slade chuckles - it seemed that Dick was finally doing what he wanted for once. Slade took a sip, surprised. “This is my exact coffee order.”
Dick laughed, saying, “It wasn’t hard to figure out - I deduced what you like based on the coffees I bought you before.” Dick climbed the lifeguard mound with a coffee in one hand, sitting by Slade and resting his head on the older man’s shoulder. “I’m keeping your jacket as a memento. I’m going to miss you.”
Slade laughed softly, “Keep it. You look better in it anyway.” After a pause, Slade reminded him, “You never told me which college you go to, Birdie.”
Dick answered, “Gotham University."
Slade chuckled, “Well, what a coincidence. You know a kid named Joey Wilson?”
Dick looked over at him lazily, “Yeah, he’s in some of my classes. I think he’s mute, since he’s always using ASL. I worked with him on several projects, he’s a nice guy. Hangs out with my friends and I sometimes.”
Slade told him, “You’ll be seeing a lot more of me soon, Birdie. I go back and forth between Bludhaven and Gotham, but I stay in this town for the summers. Oh, and Joey is my kid.”
Dick spat out his coffee in surprise. Slade laughed.