Work Text:
“ And just who are you, Mister Arms? Shouldn’t employees wear an actual shirt?”
Luke didn’t dislike his job. The opposite. He loved being a music tutor, his guitar students were always enthusiastic, and it helped pay for the demos he recorded with his best friends and Bobby. Once Reggie realized his soulmate played music, he was quick to approach Luke about him joining the band. While Luke had been skeptical at first, it turned out Bobby was an excellent fit. But he digresses. What he didn’t like about his job was never knowing if he’d lose a student. Some of the kids he taught only took lessons because they were spoiled rich kids that threw a fit that they had to keep going when they lost interest in it after the third lesson.
But there were other kids, like the twelve year old he was currently sitting with as the boy played through the sheet music. When he’d met Carlos, the boy was like a beacon of potential, and after he’d talked Luke’s ear off about how his sister and mom made music together, Luke assumed the talent must run in the family. He’d been giving Carlos lesson since he was eleven, and he still heard earful say every day about the newest piece his sister wrote. Today as the lesson finished up, Luke heard someone playing keyboard in the front room. “Julie must be here to pick me up!” Carlos grinned, hopping up to run out of the room. Luke followed, curious to finally see this sister. As he rounded the hallway into the main room of the shop, he felt like the air left his body all at once. The most beautiful girl he’d ever seen stood at one of the keyboards, playing and belting out a song with a voice unlike any Luke had ever heard. “Julie!” Carlos called, running up to her, “Does this mean you gave some thought to joining the showcase here?”
Luke wouldn’t admit it, but he both hated and loved the showcase. Anyone could sign up, whether they were part of business at the store or not, and it was held in the high school auditorium. His band performed for it, too. “I don’t know, hermano. You know I don’t perform for people.”
“What!?” Luke called without thinking, “And waste that skill? You’ve gotta swing that wrecking ball of talent!”
She blinked, turning to look at him like she had no idea he was there. “And just who are you, Mister Arms? Shouldn’t employees wear an actual shirt?”
Luke let out a startled laugh. He had imagined those words a hundred different times, in a thousand different tones and accents, but nothing could have prepared him for how he’d feel to actual hear them come from this beautiful girl’s lips. He didn’t need to lift his shirt, the words left exposed on his ribs through the cut arm hole of his muscle shirt, but he still glanced down, watching in fascination as the colors changed to a shimmery gold. The color of gold that people strive their entire lives to obtain, and envy those who do. “Sign up for the showcase.” He insisted, “You would do amazing!”
“After what I know you just realized, you want to talk about performing instead?” Julie raised a challenging eyebrow, and Carlos snickered.
“Luke pretty much eats, sleeps, and breathes music.”
Luke pouted, choosing to ignore his favorite student for the time being, “Come on, Jules! You have a gift! You need to share it with people!”
“I really don’t.” Julie told him firmly, or at least tried to. Luke could see her wavering.
“Not even for your soulmate?” He pulled out the big puppy eyes that his friends always caved for.
“Ugh,” Julie groaned as Carlos went wide eyed and beamed, “Did you really have to say that in front of him?”
Her little brother let out an offended sound, “Excuse me! I’ll have you know I am a delight to be around.”
“Sure you are, hermano.”