Sweet and fluffy romance set to "Sunday Morning." Two friends in college exploring a new element to their close relationship after one shows up at the other's apartment, rain-soaked and in need of some cheering up. As always, hang out and enjoy if it's your thing, go enjoy something else if it's not. LukaXMarinette, obviously.
The first sound that echoes down the hazy corridors of his waking mind is the distinct pattern of heavy rainfall. His eyes open slowly, and the young man blinks a few times to clear the film of sleep from his field of vision and get a good look at the environment around him. The room is still bathed in the darkness of early morning and yet his now functioning brain has collected the necessary info to conclude that he is in his own bedroom, cuddled up with his pillow on his own bed. The conclusion drawn is satisfying enough for his sleepy brain as he flips onto his other side and nestles into his pillow. Naturally not much of a morning person, he closes his eyes again and relaxes into the bedspread just as his body registers another sensory disturbance.
Reaching down to his left side, he scratches a small itchy spot only to find some sort of paper like object plastered to his side. Irritably, his eyes open once more as he peels the offending object from his skin and brings it before his eyes to get a good look at the item that so rudely halted his quest for more sleep. Eyes already adjusted to the darkness of the room, he can see that it's a playing card. But what is such an item doing in his bed with him?
Confused yet still too tired to question it further, he tosses the card away, settling back into the comfort of his pillow. It isn't until he hears a soft hum coming from the space next to him that he realizes he's got company. The bed creaks as his mystery companion shifts comfortably in their own separate dreamland and he is instantly wide wake, sitting bolt-upright in bed.
He knows right away who she is, but his mind is still trying to piece together the puzzle of what she's doing here. Her soft dark blue hair is loose from the usual confines of the hair ties she uses to hold it up and is splayed out in every direction around her soft face as she dreams peacefully beside the startled young man. She still wears the clothes he had lent her last night when she had showed up on at his front door, rain-soaked and shivering, asking for an umbrella so she could get home.
This is the point where his brain kicks into gear and the events of the night before start to reassemble themselves in his head.
He was sitting in his living room, sheet music and scribbled lyrics on scratch paper littering the coffee table in front of him as he strummed a few chords on his guitar. He'd been at this all day and quite frankly, his creative spirit was beginning to wane. The day had begun with such enthusiasm to create, which he had been doing, but now, after more than 30 hours at this, his motivation was decidedly no longer present. Just as he began to contemplate taking a break for food and a maybe some TV to take his mind off the wall he'd clearly hit, a knock sounded from his front door.
Startled, he stared at the door, not having been expecting any company. It was very likely to be a door-to-door salesperson and he knew better than to open the door and try to talk down one of those people again. Just as he had settled back into his music, the knock came again, louder and more rapid this time.
Finally curious, he sighed and set his guitar aside to go peer through the peep hole. He leaned in and peeked at the uninvited guest, shocked at the sight he had found on the other side of the door. A girl, soaked and shivering, waited on the other side of his front door, arms wrapped across her chest to fend off the biting cold of the late October evening. A rush of guilt swept over the boy and he hurriedly unlocked the front door, pulling it open. Her head popped up in time with the opening of his door, the surprise on her face a perfect mirror of his own feelings.
"Mari…nette?" The young man inquired, leaning onto his open front door. "What are you doing here?"
For a moment she had remained completely silent, staring up at him in surprise as if she hadn't really expected he'd answer the door for her. He could see the water dripping down into a puddle at her feet as she tried to wring out her shirt. Just how long had she been wondering around in the rain? It took some time for her to realize the stunned silence was inappropriate before she dropped her eyes to the ground, her face flushed. He watched as her fingers fumbled while she desperately searched for the words she wanted. In an instant, her demeanor had morphed from puzzled to embarrassed.
"H- Hey! Ummm…ca-can I borrow an u-umbrella?" Skipping right over any explanation for her appearance or the impromptu visit, she stumbled over her words and he tried to hold back the smile, the experience bringing back memories of the first time he had met her. Perhaps the cutest thing about her was that she never tried to be cute. It was always a complete, happy accident.
"Come again?" He grinned, crossing his arms over his chest.
"O-oh uh, right….haha," She laughed, a small nervous laugh and ran a shaking hand through her sopping wet hair. "Maybe…I shouldn't have started with that. Let me try again…" After a small clearing of her throat, the girl finally continued, "Hi Luka!" An awkward wave. "I'm sorry to show up like this…I was headed home when it started raining and I'm really cold. Would you mind if I come in?"
He had quickly stepped aside, ushering her in to the bathroom, offering her a change of clothes and a towel he'd quickly tossed into the drier to heat up for her. After she'd dried off and changed, he brewed her a hot coffee which she gratefully accepted. He'd taken a seat next to her on the couch, trying to ignore the feelings seeing her wrapped up in his clothes were creating, and listened to her as she told the story from the beginning -basically, she was ditched by her date at a party she'd been asked to attend with him. He never felt such a sharp flash of anger before. Not only had the mystery guy ditched her, he'd made her walk back from a house party after a couple drinks all alone in the rain! In the rain after dark, no less! What if something terrible had happened to her? Of all the careless, inconsiderate, unsafe…basically, his temper hit maximum temperature, and then completely boiled over.
"You should have called me!" He barked suddenly, then realized based off the hurt and mild concern in her expression that his outburst was rightly not well-received. It was wrong to have let the anger come out in his tone. He knew well enough she'd assume he was angry with her and that's not what he had wanted. After clearing his throat, he tried again. "Sorry. I'm not mad at you. What I meant was, you should have called Alya or me. One of us would have come to get you. We wouldn't have complained."
The look on her face eased into a soft smile and she reached out, laying a hand on his forearm. Luka froze under the touch of her cold fingertips, heart racing in his chest. "Thanks Luka." Voice as soft as silk, her smile warmed him. "I would have...but my phone died." Her fingers lightly brushed along his arm before her hand fell back into her lap. Before he could even try to compose himself, the heat had traveled up the back of his neck and settled in his cheeks.
Given the late hour and the worsening of the storm outside, Luka offered his home as a refuge for the girl, refusing to send her back out into the cold with only an umbrella. Her phone connected to a charger in his kitchen, Marinette opted to use his phone to call her parents landline and let them know she was safe and staying with a friend. They'd spent the rest of the evening playing board games in his bedroom, forgetting their troubles and getting lost in the utter silliness of Candyland, Mousetrap and ending their night with rousing rounds of Uno.
And that is how the young musician finds himself in his current position, laying in bed on a rainy morning with his best friend since high school and the girl he's loved for so long now sleeping peacefully at his side. He tries not to stare, really he does, but no matter how many times he attempts to focus on something else, his eyes drift back to the soft smile playing on the girl's features, the quiet mumblings passing over her lips in her sleep, the soft rise and fall of her chest as she dreams. Loosely wrapped up in his Metallica tee-shirt and a pair of borrowed athletic shorts, she couldn't look any cuter. He remembers with the heat slowly washing over his cheeks, how distracting that very thing had been yesterday evening. He can't stop his eyes from running down along the curve of her hip and then bites his lip and sighs, embarrassed at himself for so shamelessly checking her out in such a vulnerable position.
Leaning into his hand, the college student lets out a huff of disapproval at his own actions before he attempts to regain some level of composure and propriety. She trusts him so wholly and it feels like such a violation of her trust to keep indulging his compulsive behavior. It's best just to wake her up now rather than let his mind continue to wonder to unnecessary places. However, just as he reaches out to place one hand on her shoulder and give the girl a gentle shake as a wake-up call, she stirs all on her own, yawning and stretching as her consciousness slowly returns to her. After blinking to get a sense of the space around her, and her sense of self-awareness comes back into play, the young woman offers him a small, groggy smile. Swallowing, he does his best to act natural and grins back at her.
"Morning," He offers quietly, "How are you feeling?"
Without responding, Marinette shuffles closer, snuggling into his chest. Frozen in place, Luka can now only hope against hope that she can't tell how fast his heart is beating. Her arms are folded in between their bodies as she presses her cheek against his collarbone and gently nuzzles into the collar of his shirt. Her body trembles just a bit and he can feel that her exposed skin is slightly cold on contact, but has trouble focusing on that when shivers are moving in waves up and down his spine. She's so close. It may just kill him. Overwhelmed, he places a hand gently on her shoulder, ready to push her back when the girl finally speaks up.
"Slee…py…" Her tone indicates that she still isn't totally ready to stay awake. Once more, her body trembles as she tries to bury herself within the space next to him. Carefully, he reaches out and pulls the Deadpool-themed throw blanket over her, satisfied when she finally stops shivering. A small smile plays on her features once more just before she speaks again. "You're so warm…"
'This girl…If I didn't know better, I'd swear she's actively trying to end my life,' Grinning at his own internal monologue, he uses the hand that had just been on her shoulder to gently pinch her cheek in retribution for inflicting this internal torment on him.
Just as he begins to move back, there is a sudden and sharp tug on the fabric of his shirt. Glancing down at the girl for answers, he takes note of the way she bites her lip and the redness adoring her cheeks is visible even in the dull early morning light. Her eyes, at first averted out of sheer embarrassment, slowly rise to meet his. Those blue bell eyes of hers gaze up at him imploringly, so many unasked questions and unspoken words hanging on her lips. Studying her face, he can see that she desperately wants to speak the words that are rattling around in her brain aloud, but she's hesitating for reasons that are her own. As far as he's concerned, she need not say anything if she doesn't want to or isn't ready. With the steady rain beating down on the roof of the apartment building as the only sound filling the silence of the room, Luka already intuitively understands what is in her heart. He now knows for sure he's not leaving her side any time soon.
"I…" She begins, lower lip trembling ever so slightly before she loses all confidence and hides her face by burying herself into his chest. "I d-d-don't think I w-would have the nerve to do this…if I weren't so tired still…" He can feel her body beginning to tremble again and this time, there is no such excuse as the cold to blame it on.
Moving back into her, he drapes one arm over her waist while the hand he had been using as a prop to hold himself up is running through the silky strands of her hair. If he interprets her actions correctly, he has no reason to hide from her any more. To a point, there's no longer a need to hold himself back. On impulse, he leans in toward her and places a tender kiss on her forehead. Those inquisitive blue orbs finally reconnect with his own eyes as she moves away from her hiding place. Its when she reaches out and brushes his cheek with her soft fingers that his will completely crumbles, and he just has to ask.
"Since when?" Voice cutting through the steady sound of rain, his inquiry startles the young woman pressed against his chest. He tries not to grin as he sees her face light up with a near-impossible shade of red. After a moment of consideration, Marinette shrugs, shaking her head.
"I…I…" Her obvious reluctance to comment gives him pause. Has he pressed too hard?
"You don't have to answer." The arm resting over her waist tightens into something of an embrace. If she isn't ready to answer or simply prefers not to, he respects that boundary. As much as he may want to hear everything, he only wants to take what she's ready to offer.
"Marinette…" He trails off, eyes dropping to the bedspread. With so much on his mind all at once, the musician has trouble sorting through it all to find a way he wants to begin. Those soft fingers run through the hair at the nape of his neck and he feels the goosebumps raise up along his spine and down his arms. When his eyes meet hers once more and he sees the gentle, patient smile playing on her lips, the momentary hesitation finally passes. With a small grin, he moves in and places his lips over hers, delighted to feel the girl reciprocate the affection. Her hand presses into the back of his neck, pulling him impossibly closer into this shared moment. Pulling away, his azure eyes gleam with emotions he can no longer –and no longer wishes to- keep to himself. "You may not want to say it yet…and that's fine…but I have felt this way about you for a long time now. I wanted you to know."
The only natural response to a flushed and clearly embarrassed Marinette is a playful grin as the fingers that had been running through her hair now ghost over the curve of her cheek. Keeping his amusement to himself, he simply takes in the sight of her nervous fidgeting. Her eyes, which had been anxiously darting to various points in his room only seconds ago, now meet his again.
"C-can you…" The girl begins, blue bell eyes dropping to the bedspread as quickly as they had made contact with Luka's piercing gaze. nervously, she presses her forefingers together. His heart leaps into his throat. It's a simple matter to deduce what the rest of her question might be but before he can even think about acting upon her wishes, what he needs most of all is to hear the words out loud.
"Can I…what?" Though it had been a serious inquiry, it comes out sounding like a tease and he's okay with that until those blue bell eyes snap back up to meet his and he can see a worrisome emotion flickering from just beneath the surface. It's something akin to frustration and it stings him a little as he lets it sink in for a moment. Perhaps he ought to back off a little. It just may be possible that he's letting himself get a little too high on the pleasant sensation of this experience. Who wouldn't want to get drunk on such a feeling? All this time, he thought he was the only one with such thoughts and feelings for his friend. To hear that even a small fraction of his feelings are returned is a fairly overwhelming experience. "Sorry…I shouldn't force…"
"Can you…k-kiss me again?" His eyes are on her before a single second can pass. The words hit him like a tidal wave. His heart pounds so loud, not only is it audible in his own ears, he would hazard a guess that she might even be able to hear it too. He studies her face carefully, as if he's uncertain her request is genuine.
He has no way to know when it began, but at some point the arm resting over her back has begun to slide over her hip and along her waist. The young man can feel his face heat up considerably when she leans her weight into his touch, a pleased hum passing over her lips. His forehead falls onto hers almost of its own accord, the end of his nose lightly brushing against hers.
"Tell me…" He begins breathlessly, "…if I do anything you don't want…" As he closes the space between them, he swears he can feel her body tremble again. Was it a reaction to his words alone? Perhaps that's a question he'll investigate further…but not right now. Right now, all he can focus on is the way her small body seems to fit perfectly against his as the kiss grows slowly more heated. All that matters is the way her hands have wrapped around to completely encircle his body, her fingers tracing slow patterns into his back. Her leg has somehow overlapped his, her foot hooked just below his ankle. The throw blanket he had pulled over her has been shoved to the side in the midst of the pair's slow explorations of this new territory. The experience is so dizzying that it's almost hard to concentrate on putting effort into the kiss. Almost.
Scooting back momentarily to catch his breath, he hears the girl beside him let out a long huff of air followed by several short, shaky breaths. It occurs to him that he may have gone a little too far and he cautiously brings his gaze up to examine her condition and issue an apology, but the sight of the girl stills him. Appearance far from that of someone who feels violated, she instead looks rather pleased and even -dare he think it- content. Her eyes sparkle with adoration as she bashfully meets his gaze and releases her hold on his body to lace her fingers together with his.
Pulling his arm toward her, she gently kisses his fingers before hugging his wrist against her collarbone. Delighted as he is, this does put him in the precarious position of trying to maintain some semblance of propriety while she clutches his arm tightly, holding it against her chest. He…just kissed his best friend. He'd held her close, kissed her and she'd returned the affection as he allowed himself to finally act on feelings that had been building up all this time. And it was everything. He's never felt a wave of heat wash over him with such force as it does in this moment. His cheeks and ears burn as he drops his gaze back to the blanket and covers his face with his other hand, hoping she doesn't notice. A hope that is immediately trampled.
"What's the matter? Mr. Calm and collected musician has never touched a girl before?" Marinette teases, snuggling up against his arm and tossing out an impossibly devilish-looking grin in spite of her red cheeks. Defiance floods his senses. Well, she's obviously comfortable. So much so that she's even worked up the confidence to taunt him like that. His pride won't allow him to be the only one in this equation whose nerves are getting the better of them.
Dropping his fingers away from his face, he pulls out of her grasp and wraps his newly freed arm around her slender waist, pulling her flush. The fingers of his other hand come to rest just under her chin, tilting her head just enough so that she must meet and hold his gaze. The small squeak of surprise and the new color filling her cheeks are not lost on him as he offers the same devilish grin back at the poor flustered girl in his arms.
"Marinette," The tone of voice is purposeful, and he basks in the guilty pleasure that overtakes him when he feels her shiver in response to his voice for the third time this morning. Another squeak of surprise comes tumbling out as he places a soft kiss on the side of her neck. Moving back to see the look on her face, he knows he's already accomplished what he's set out to do, still he just can't help but to add in a little something extra, just for fun. "This is the first time the girl has been you."
Not only does her flustered expression freeze in place, her body seems to stiffen in his grasp as well. Her blue bell eyes are full of such surprise and boy would he love to know more about what's going on behind them. He's close enough to feel how fast her heart is beating. His ears pick up her shaky breaths. He watches her for a moment, unsure how to fix this fine mess he's created or if it even needs fixing. Did he just accidentally break her? His hand falls away from her chin. Just as he's considering speaking up, she finally seems to regain some of her senses. Her eyes drop down to the blanket they're curled up together on top of.
"L-Luka…" She covers her face with her hands, her feet kicking back and forth for a couple seconds before she allows them to rest again. "Stupid…handsome, charming Luka…"
Sweet, wonderful relief. For a few seconds there, he was genuinely worried he may have been being a bit too forceful. He smiles gently down at her before letting out a deep sigh. As wonderful as all of this has been, he knows it also means its time for a talk.
"Marinette," He scrambles into a sitting position, "Why don't I make us something to eat?" He pauses for another moment or so, eyeing her carefully before speaking the words that are really on his mind. "And maybe…we can talk about…this." His fingers rake through his hair when he sees the nervous tension taking over her posture. She refuses to meet his eyes anymore after this, only offering a stiff nod in response. The rain beats against the glass pane, the light from the window now beginning to brighten the room as he studies her body language. She doesn't appear uncomfortable per-se, but the fact that she's no longer at ease is enough to let Luka know he should tread lightly.
They prepare and cook the food in uneasy silence, Luka occasionally glancing her way, only to see her quickly turn her gaze from his and pretend to be engrossed in her tasks. He knows she must have her reasons to behave this way, but he's beginning to wonder if it's not simply because she's regretting her actions. It makes sense that she's uneasy because she doesn't want to hurt him and can't come up with a nice way to ask if they can pretend this never happened. The pit in his stomach grows ever deeper as he sets the last of the food on the table. Sliding into his seat, he peers across the table at his companion who has begun to eat without saying a single word. She continues to pointedly avoid meeting his eyes. Sighing and unsure he even wants the answer, the young man waits for her to set down her fork and then reaches out and places his hand over hers. He bites down on his lower lip, not feeling encouraged by the way she jumps back in her seat at his touch.
"Do you regret it?" He has no time to dwell on the pain these words cause him.
"What?" Snapping to attention, she quickly barks out a reply. "No! I don't! I…have been thinking about this so long…it took so much courage!"
"Then…what's going on?" It's a relief to hear she isn't reconsidering her earlier sentiments, but it also leaves him more confused than he already had been.
"I…" Sighing, she pulls her hand back just enough to be able to thread her fingers through his and give his hand a gentle squeeze. "I just don't want our friendship to…" When she trails off, it's clear she won't be elaborating further. Her eyes drop to the table as she picks at her food with her free hand. But Luka knows what she's trying to get at. Softly squeezing her hand in return, he quietly begins.
"Marinette…" When she doesn't look up Luka lets out a little huff, "Please…look at me." Timidly, she raises her eyes. "I will always be your best friend. I was your friend first and I'll be that regardless." Satisfied with the sight of her body relaxing back into her chair and the way the tension leaves her expression, He steadies his nerves with a deep breath before pressing on. In, out. Come on Luka, you can do this. "But…that's not all we are anymore…right?" He feels himself leaning in, interest eating away at him as he watches her consider her answer. A small smile stretches across her face as she fidgets, playing with strands of her loose hair.
"I'd…l-like to think that's true…" The soft mumbling tumbles out quietly.
"Me too…" He takes a bite of his oatmeal as she glances between their hands and some invisible object to her left. There's more to come in this conversation and he knows it. "But?"
"But…we've been friends so long and I'm…" She chooses the next set of words very carefully. "Not…sure I'm ready for it to all change right away. If that makes sense." When he can't find the words he wants and doesn't respond, Luka can practically feel Marinette exuding higher and higher levels of anxiety. "T-that…um…what I mean is…I still want to be with you…I-I'm still r-romantically interested...it's just complicated…a-and…"
"Whoa, slow down…" A gentle squeeze around her fingers seems to get her attention and break her out of the nervous stuttering. "Everything is fine. I get it. Whatever is easiest for you, that's what I'll do."
While they finish their food in a relatively comfortable silence, Luka is still wrestling with an idea in his head. He cleans the dishes up by himself while she sips on a hot tea and watches the morning news in the adjoining room. Deep down, Luka knows there's still one item he can't let her leave without addressing. It's the only thing he is sure he needs to give voice to up front. The only stipulation he has for her.
After redressing herself in the clothes she had been wearing last night and Luka gets cleaned up and dressed as well, the pair head outside and make a quick dash through the rain to Luka's old Toyota. Putting the key in the ignition and starting the car, he allows the vehicle to idle while the defogger does its job. Tossing a quick glance and a smile her way, there's no better time to say this than right now.
"I'm glad that we are…whatever we are now." Awkward start, but he deserves some credit for making the effort, right?
"So am I." She flashes him a happy smile but must notice the uneasy expression on his face, because he hears the small gasp as he stares down at the steering wheel. After all the progress he's made today, what would happen if this is the wrong thing to ask? What if it makes her distance herself? Given the fact that he's already this anxious simply at the thought, he has no idea how he'll handle things if that's how it all plays out.
"Luka? Are you okay?" He nods silently in response to the inquiry before turning to look at her.
"Just…whatever…this is," A quick motion between the two of them, "Can I…" the last thing that he wants is to frighten or offend her, but if he's venturing into this uncharted space with her, he won't feel secure moving forward until this question is asked and he has her answer. "…expect that its exclusive while we figure it out? I won't rush you, I just need to know this."
Her face reddens considerably. Reaching out, she lays her hand on the side of his face, offering that bashful smile of hers. The heaviness he felt before beginning to lift, he grins automatically in response, watching her expectantly in the short silence. The sound of the rain pelting against the roof of the car fills the quiet of the moment.
"Of course." Her eyes dart quickly in the direction of the dashboard before flickering back in his direction. This time, he can see a distinct change in her demeanor. "I…wouldn't see someone else even if you hadn't asked, though." The indignant tone coupled with the pouty expression she sports is a dead giveaway that he has struck a bit of a nerve.
"Sorry Marinette. I wasn't trying to imply that I thought you would. What we are…what we become or don't…it matters a lot to me. I guess I'm just…a little insecure right now." Embarrassed at the rawness of the emotions he'd just confessed, Luka stares obstinately at the steering wheel, his grip around the object slowly increasing.
Hearing the small groan the of the leather armrest as she leans across it, Luka carefully peeks at her out of the corner of his eyes just as her soft lips meet his cheekbone. Just as quickly as it began, she scrambles back into her seat and fastens her seat belt, a soft smile dominating her features as she stares into her lap. Though he turns to look at her, Marinette is now the one refusing to look up from her lap. Sighing, he fastens his own seat belt before shifting the car into reverse and switching on the wiper blades. Before he takes his foot off the brake, the young design student mumbles out a few simple words that make the boy smile to himself.
"That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard you say…and I'll k-keep it in mind." Knowing the girl well enough by now, he understands that the nervous fiddling of her fingers and the avoidance of eye contact only mean he's said all that needs to be said to smooth the rough edges away and close out the conversation.
"Well, I better get you home." He watches for any cars passing through the parking lot before backing out of his spot and heading toward the street. Once on the road that will take her home, Luka turns on the radio and as she sings along to whatever pop song is playing, he settles back into his seat for the short drive.