AP Rival Shorts: Luke/Selena, Gill/Luna, Chase/Maya, Toby/Renee, Julius/Candace, Owen/Kathy, Calvin/Phoebe, Jin/Anissa
A/N: thank you HairyFace, for being my muse—here we go!
Luke/Selena
Her hips were as rhythmic as a snake. And her venom was just as lethal. That was it; from the first time he saw her dance he fell to her poison. Afterward he was just another of the many regular faces that would visit the bar with damp palms and rounded eyes full of fervour. He wanted to stand apart and he hoped that she remembered his name, but amongst the other patrons he couldn't help but feel part of the furniture.
Now and again her gaze would fall upon him and his insides would leap, tenuously leaving him on the verge of believing that the look was secret and only meant for him. But this in certainty was the same as some of the other regulars deliberated; her dark rolling hips accented by sheaves of filmy material and tempestuously heavy lashes that hid the eyes of an enchantress.
In this way he did not understand; if he wasn't happy to be one of her many devotees then what did he want?
If he had the courage to meet her outside of the Inn perhaps he'd discover the answer, but since their introduction on the pier he couldn't find the occasion. He worked and he sweat and she often interrupted his thoughts when the stars began to peek through the cloud cover high above the trees, but he never tried to find her outside of that darkened smoky room.
Finally the moment found him.
"Luke." She blinked, all emerald sash and perfection in the falling autumn leaves. "You're here." The effect was like a bolt of lightning. Thankfully, as he'd proven at the young age of three, he had always been the vocal type.
"Selena, wow, you look nice— I mean awesome." There was only a small pause as he reacquired his grip on the heavy box he was carrying. "Dad's got me running the stall this year, so I'm here all day."
"Hmm," She considered, her gaze lingering on him as it travelled from his booted toes to the bandage he was always reapplying. People were filtering in around their obstruction, some in a bustle and some at a slow and steady pace, but he hardly took any notice. He felt more conscious of his appearance than ever before.
"Buy me a flower?" her velvet tones interrupted the fierce onset of reticence just in time. Although it was certainly more of a demand than a request he heaved a sigh of relief.
"Sure, okay."
She didn't follow after him as he continued to arrange the stall. She didn't even look back as he did. Only when he had left the gazebo arranged, his cash box out of view, and a green bell-shaped flower richer in hand did she turn her ever-keen eyes back on him. He passed the bloom to her, mindful of the odd quickening in his pulse and the feebleness in his knees, and awaited her response.
"It's a bit plain isn't it?" The shadow of boredom crossed her features before hiding illusively in the corner of her mouth.
"I thought it matched." He bleated, pleased that he had an encouraging answer for her; she was after all clothed entirely in green.
"But I like lilies." Her mouth turned down and her hands found her hips- still hypnotizing even in their stillness- in a show of disapproval.
"Oh, you didn't say." He shook himself, turning back towards the flower vendor before perfectly manicured nails grazed against his bicep, pulling his attention back.
"It's okay." Her bottom lip fell victim to her teeth as it was pulled taut for one vivid second. He'd never seen her impressed as intensely while she stood still. "I like this one."
For the festival she danced to the sound of the crowded stands, silver and copper dropping into a hat nearby, and a plain green flower in her hair. He enjoyed it much more from his busy stall under the brisk autumn daylight than at the bar in that poorly lit room full of eyes.
The island was lazy at the end of it and the merriment and crowds drifted out like a slow tide. The sunset coloured the discards of the day prettily, so that even the litter seemed warm in its place. He like the others didn't rush to pick himself up, but once he'd loaded the last of the goods away he saw the remarkably distinct tapestry of her resting no more than a yard or two away; her hair hung loosely in a scarlet wave as she counted her coins.
"Wow, you did pretty well." His heavy steps spoke loudly of his approach but as she still didn't turn he broke the ice naturally. It was a rare charm his mother had assured him again and again that people would always be grateful of. "What will you do with all of it?" He asked.
"I'll get a boat away from here," She replied darkly and without hesitation.
"Oh yeah?" He sat next to her, feeling his heart slow a bit now that the conversation had been set, "I've never been anywhere else before." She whipped her head towards him in a way that sent her hair swirling and Luke stiff.
"You're kidding."
"What's wrong with here?" He said casually. His clear honest eyes always betrayed the fact that he was truly curious.
"It's not that it's wrong it's just so...remote." She dropped the money into a purse and gazed towards the ocean. "I want more."
"What's it like where you're from?"
"Even worse," She growled liquidly and the sound of the ocean remained their only company.
"It sounds nice." He announced.
"Did you hear what I just said?" She returned incredulously, her eyes on him were like fire.
"Oh right," he laughed easily, causing his cheeks to pinch slightly with his mirth, "but I like it here so a quiet tropical island sounds pretty good to me." Another more private thought was that any place that could produce people like Selena couldn't be that bad. After what seemed like minutes dripping painfully slow into an empty hourglass her passionate scrutiny ceased and she sniffed.
"Well it's obvious that you've never been there. You imagine what you see on postcards."
"Isn't it?" Remembering the very same thing sent from his uncle two years ago, he puzzled. Her cheeks had become a delightful rosy colour.
"Of course not!" She narrowed her eyes; an action that might have made others shrink away but Luke only found charming. It accentuated the fullness of her face with its high cheekbones and clear bronze skin.
"Okay," he agreed mildly. The sound of waves filled the air as they studied each other.
"Strange," she conceded, and he grinned and bore it.
When the time came to part he knew he'd visit the inn again. Her poison was far too addictive to be ignored. The next time he saw her he might say something else stupid, but that was just how he was. And in her presence the veil of acceptable social behaviour seemed practically invisible if not far less important. He would simply want to approach her and everything else would become blurred.
But as the cards were played it was to Owen that he owed his voice.
"Are you okay?" Came his tone as clear and as deep as a gong shattering its way through the spell. The stopper on Luke's words had already become far removed and he struggled not to tumble over them. Apparently, amid Owen's obvious yet well-meaning interruption and his own uncharacteristic jitters they had made quite a scene. They haze of bar music and smoky atmosphere seemed paused and even Selena held her attention on him like a spotlight.
"Luke? Is that true?"
In truth he could hardly remember what it was he had said, but in a rare moment of insight he understood that the light behind Selena's eyes was something like hope, irreverent to the ambience that held them both. For Selena too, the rest of the room had become unimportant.
"It's so true," he stood with legs that were suddenly at full strength and not jittery at all. "Selena, I think I love you."
Her face lit up like a sunrise and the uproar in the bar ebbed upon the edges of their consciousness in waves. She breathed quite calmly, and seemed to consider the outside of their bubble carefully before slamming the rest of the world shut for good.
"Me too," She answered like a bell in his heart, "me too."
The wolf-whistles and complaints from the bar's other nightly companions only reached his ears after he'd gathered her in his arms and stammered promises of the wedding, big and extravagant and all for her— she couldn't cook and he didn't care.
Outside the sea was crashing and as the wet tears of her joy soaked his collar he swore he'd cut down an entire forest to build her the palace she so deserved. And she, in turn, promised to stay in it.
A/N: Here's a fun little project. I'm going to do all the rival couples (semi-) according to events first and then perhaps I will elaborate on the romantic development; like a missing scene later. If anyone has suggestions I will keep an open ear. This is meant to keep me writing in between taking on a highly strenuous Ouran Host Club project.
