Luka bursted into the shops entry, quickly grabbing the glass door before it swung too close to the side wall. "I'm sorry!" He yelled as he ripped his helmet off and quickly sat it on the counter by the register. He was running 40 minutes late to start his shift. Rose jumped back by the sudden burst as she shielded herself with her papers. "Luka. You can't do that. Scared the snickerdoodles out of me." She huffed with a puff of her cheeks. He recoiled back with a scratch of his neck. He began to apologize and started muttering his reasoning that he was late. Her blue eyes blinked as she stared along the bags under his. He looked tired. She wouldn't know the stress he was under now. His knees would buckle at how much weight was on his shoulders now. Rose looked to the papers and sat them on the counter. "I know it's your second day but how about I take the first few deliveries and you watch the shop."
His posture was shifted to a slight hunch back but hearing that made him stand up straight. "No, no. I got it. I just. I had a rough night." He didn't lie. His nightmares were a never ending battle but he spent the last couple hours before his shift trying to find a trace of Mariposa. Nothing. He reached for the keys on the counter. "Don't worry."
Rose smacked her hand on the keys. "You look like you didn't sleep last night. Why don't you take a nap on our couch upstairs. There is also one in the break room. But it's small." She spoke. "Jules is still shaken up. So she is taking the week off. Marinette said she will be late. So I can just open the shop a couple hours late. Should be fine." She smiled. Rose tried to not show her own struggles but she empathized with others. Her lover was struggling with her anxiety, trying to get orders back on track and along with inventory and her workers were falling behind. Each had their good reasonings. She wasn't angry toward them. It was all just sucky timing. He looked at her when she mentioned Marinette. Hadn't heard someone say her name out loud since she said it yesterday. Why did her name give him a ting of butterflies and hopeful thoughts?
"Why is Marinette late? It's only her second day."
"She said she had a family issue this morning." She spoke, Luka creased his eyebrows and continued to stare. Rose picked the papers back up and fiddled with the edges. "I guess her dad is very protective of her. And well with the new…" Rose pondered, tapping the papers edge against her lips. "Possible villain. Possible good person?"
Luka glared. Possible? Not her too. He could see right through this person's manipulation. And with The Terrible Three Monotonous Jewels back together again. The unthinkable can happen. Those three never saw eye to eye with the Monks but only with each other. They wanted to create chaos. They wanted to freely use their magic how they wanted to. Luka empathized that they wanted to be free. Lukas' eyes glanced at his bracelet. Sometimes he wonders if Sass would want to be free from his bracelet. His hand grasped tightly. But what those three wanted to do. Their magic is too dangerous with this day and age. Times change and if one does not roll with the changes, they will be left behind.
"Whoever this super powered girl is. Marinette's dad was a bit afraid to let her out this morning. Kind of on high alert. So she said she is going to be an hour late."
He was a bit relieved after hearing that. Thought something really serious happened. Family issues are something he worries about most and has a big soft spot for. Family is very important to him. He doesn't show much when emotions run through but when someone brings up their family drama. Luka can't help feeling human once again. Luka always wanted to fix something going on between other families; after all, his family was broken. Probably why he cherishes his sister so much. She is all he has left.
Luka yawned.
Rose giggled. "See you need a nap. Please I insist. My first order is just a cluster of small mason jar arrangements. Something these arms can totally handle. We do have a big order of gladiolus going to a customer later today. So you will need your energy." She spoke as she held the keys in her hands and jingled them. "I'll pick up a coffee for you on the way back. What do you drink?"
He sighed. He knew damn well Rose wouldn't let up about this. "Cold brew but with a splash of vanilla sweet cream."
She smiled and patted his shoulder. "Now get some rest. Set your phone to go off in 2 hours. I'll be back."
The chime jingled upon her exit and a click of the lock.
He didn't want to but the thought of the couch was drawing him toward it like a syren chanting sailors to the water he thought. It sung sweet nothings to his ears as he grew closer and closer. Feet felt heavy as he stumbled into the break room area. Just a few minutes he told himself as he looked down along the couch.
Leaves rustled overhead as a mist sprinkled along his face. The droplets that formed fell from his eye corners like faux tears as his eyes stared above at the cloudy sky. Light but dark clouds loomed over like a sheet of sorrow. The grass tickled his arms as his body was sprawled along the ground. His body felt heavy and he didn't dare to move. He was comfy where he laid. He should move though. Or else the rain water would make him sick. His body shook as a voice called from a distance.
A soft angelic voice sung to him as he turned his body around onto his stomach as he looked a head. The same patch of water sat in front of him like from before. It's ripples shifting as the voice sung but a thick mist hovered over the waters surface, obstructing everything from his sight. He pushed with all his might to his feet as he continued walking across the water. His feet felt like they were tied to chains as they felt heavy walking across the water. A slender figure stood in front of a door way and her arm extended out to him. He struggled with his footing as he reached out toward her fingers. A gasp escaped his lips as his feets sunk down and he was ripped down under the water. Darkness surrounded him as bubbles of air escaped his lips as he struggled.
The bubbles disappeared and the water around him turned to pure darkness and the scene changed from being under water to him standing amongst smoke that circled him. The smoke broke a part. He walked forward as a bright scene came into scene. He shielded his eyes with his arm as he was now outside as the smoke circled his feet. As his eyes adjusted he saw a green sphere in front of him. He knew this shield. It was Wayzz protection shield. Luka saw himself as Viperion standing across the way, along with Chat Noir and RubyBug as they fought off and along with Monarch.
Jade Turtle stood in the middle of his shield as Monarch stood before him with his giant Moth sentimonster. Luka knew this scene but instead of him watching through his own eyes as Viperion. He watched as Luka from a distance. His body could not move as he stood in horror and fear. He did not want to watch this happen again. His heart beat fast in his ears and it ached like someone crushed it in their grasp. He hoped fate would change. That he as Viperion would stop trying to fight off the swarm of singer moths and use second chance. But it would never come.
"You can't keep that shield up much longer you decrepit old man." Monarch roared with laughter as the moth stabbed its stinger at Jade Turtles shield. Like glass, it's magic protection began to crack. His body shook from no energy left in his body. "I already have the Miracle Box, just tell me their identity and I will let you go freely."
"Hang on Master!" Chat Noir yelled as he spun his baton alongside RubyBugs Yoyo and Viperion's chain, acting as shields. Each swung struck a tiny moth but another two would appear and surround them more and more. Panic overcame his chest as he couldn't do a thing to help. Use it! Use it! Luka couldn't speak or utter a single sound as tears filled his eyes.
"Never" Fu growled. "You will never get to use the box once I relinquish myself from being the holder. I, Wang Fu, hereby relinquish the Miracle Box," Jade Turtles body began to glow. "And name-"
Monarch and Luka both yelled in unison. "No don't!"
"Voyage!" Kaalki yelled along Monarch's side. A portal appeared before the moth's stinger. Lukas heart stopped as the stinger plunged into Jade Turtles stomach. Blood poured from his abdomen as his body shook. His voice howled in pain and agony as he coughed blood. Luka fell to his knees as the scream echoed his skull and shook his bones as he pulled at his hair. He wailed in pain as it rattled his brain and pulled a migraine to the surface. This scream he has had to relive every night. Kaalki using her powers without a welder suddenly caused another portal to appear below all their feet and everyone fell through the floor below.
Luka screamed reaching up toward the sky as bubbles escaped his lungs as the sensation of drowning overcame his body. Luka…Luka
His red Viperion eyes glowed in the distance and then like a jump scare rushed at his face.
Marinette stumbled into the back doorway, the door catching her foot causing her to fall against a stack of boxes. "Damn it." She glared, she stood and tussled her bags on her shoulder and her jingling keys vibrated the silent air. Her eyes looked around. "R-Rose?" She called. No answer. "Rose, I'm sorry, that was longer than I said it would be." She huffed as she sat her bags onto the office desk. "Why was the front door locked?" She asked. Still no answer. Marinette walked along the small back hallway and looked out the doorway that led to the sales floor, looking about the room, she saw nobody. She stared confused, she knew she had to work today, she got off the phone with Rose a few hours ago, the delivery van was gone, they had to be open for business right? Marinette sighed as her hands were shaking, she didn't like being late. She needed this job, she loved her parents but didn't much want to work in the bakery to save up money to move out on her own. Her dad was already smothering as it is, the idea of him hovering over her at their bakery was not going to be her cup of tea. She wanted more creative freedom which was why she applied to Rose and Julekas flower shop. She preferred fashion but her friend Ayla knew Rose and Juleka and helped her get this job as soon as got back in Paris.
She looked down the hall as she continued. Utility closet door was open but nobody was inside. Maybe the break room.
Her phone tinged as she looked to her phone. Ayla's ears must have been burning because she was texting her. She looked at the handmade bracelet on her wrist she made as Ayla asked her to send a picture because one of her co-workers was interested in one of her handmade jewelry pieces that she was selling. Rose was nice to let her sell some items in the shop. Marinette smiled as she pressed the camera in the corner of the message and aimed it toward her wrist. She thought it was nice of Ayla to tell her coworkers about her side business, Marinette could have been a waitress with Ayla at her mom's restaurant but Marinette, serving, with her clumsiness. Not a good idea. Then again, she already made a big mess when she ran into Julekas brother Luka.
She jumped back and fumbled her phone in her hands as she walked into the doorway to the break room. She found someone finally but not who she expected. She caught her phone and held it in front of her face and stared at the message screen in front of her. "no, no, no…" she whispered as she tapped her phone in a panic as her phone had taken a picture of sleeping Luka sprawled across the break room couch asleep. Her heart dropped as she misclicked and the image sent. She stared along the image at his tall body sprawled on the tiny couch. The couch seemed decent size to Marinette yesterday but seeing him on it, it made the couch look so small. Blue eyes full of wonder began to wander along the sleeping man's body. His face was covered by his loose long black locks and they slithered down his chest which was raising and falling concernedly fast. Her phone dinged as messages came through from Ayla as Marinette pulled her phone away from her face. She ignored the rapid dings as she looked at the man. Was he having a nightmare? She wondered as she noted his rapid eye twitching. Slowly she crept up toward his sleeping figure as she slowly reached toward him. He was breathing super fast and arm muscles twitching.
His face shimmered in a slick layer of sweat.
"L-Luka…" she whispered. Her fingers grasped his shoulder and shook very lightly "Luka."
Luka sat up quickly in a pool of sweat as everything vibrated and seemed holographic. What was real? Was he still dreaming? His eyes jolted quickly as he was ready to fight but his tensed body froze as he stared at her scared blue eyes. Marinette. His heart dropped and so did his fists. Luka panted as he quickly looked away as he tried coming back to earth, muttering curses to himself as he held his forehead into his hand. "I'm sorry." They both said in unison.
She whispered. "You were c-crying and breathing fast. It sounded like you were having a panic attack." She held her phone firmly in her grasp, almost acting as if it was a shield. He must of frightened her.
Luka took in long and deep breaths and shakily released his breath as he tried to hide his shaking fist. He couldn't find the words as his throat was closed. He felt he was losing his mind because of these nightmares. He was so frightened that he was ready to attack the next person. He almost punched the little mouse from the pure terror of his corrupted mind. He didn't even remember laying on the couch. His heart was pounding in his chest as he stared down at the shine of sweat on his arms. He felt sticky in his black T-shirt. Realizing he pretty much sweated through it. "Fucking damn it." The only words he was able to curse out as he rubbed his eye, feeling gross in his skin. Marinette fidgeted with her bracelet on her wrist as she felt guilty somehow for his nightmare. It wasn't her fault but she felt maybe she made it worse somehow in her own Marinette way. His hand fell from his face and he looked at her and saw her concerned expression.
He sighed. "I'm fine, just, nightmare." He glanced at her hovering figure and then back into his hand. "Thank you. For. Waking. Me." He struggled as he exhaled again but it was clearly shakey as he smacked his knee. His heart felt weak staring along her petite body that was filled with concern and worries. He glanced at her, was he getting bigger or her smaller? Maybe both. He sat so low in the couch but he was almost taller then her from him sitting up. "You need a water?" She asked.
His eye brows rose and then he chuckled as he glanced at her outfit and shook his head. She was wearing bright pink overalls with various pin buttons on the pockets with a long black turtleneck and red slip on shoes with a matching red beret. "Those. Are some. Bright ass pink overalls." He snickered as he rubbed his eyes again. Her face puckered, a tad annoyed. "H-hey I just rescued you from a nightmare, you can't pick on me for my overalls." She glared.
"Not picking on you. They're. Cute." He huffed as he shifted his body up right, planting his feet back to earth. Waking up to a pink cutie put a pep in his step versus his boats ceiling. He stood quickly. "Thank you my prin-cess." His words slurred. He stood up too quickly. His vision blurred and filled with stars as his knees buckled and he fell forward. Marinette held her hands up and pressed him up from his chest. He groaned as he felt weak and dizzy. "Y-you okay?" Marinette cried. "Maybe you should sit for a bit." Luka shook his head as he pressed his forward on her shoulder for support. His head spun and thoughts mushed together. He inhaled slowly to catch his breath. Her brown sugar perfume danced in his nose. She blushed at how close he was. She adjusted her palm a smidge. His shirt was soaked in sweat that the cloth stuck to every curve and dip in his chest. She could feel his abs on her palms. He stood up right very fast and held his spinning head. "I just need some air. This happens all the time." He began to turn away but Marinette reached out as she frowned.
"H-hey take things slow, you have nightmares a lot?" She asked. He prematurely nodded before he shook his head no. "Yes and no. They start off as nice dreams but then they shift to the same dream." He started as he looked at her and then scratched the back of his neck. "Well they've been nightmares for a while until the last two nights. They start off as dreams and then quickly turn into a nightmare. Someone I cared about. Died and." He stopped. He was starting to over share, he hated himself when he would do that.
Marinette's eyebrows creased as she frowned. Luka sighed as he read the floor. He hated talking about his issues to others. He normally kept things to himself but he was word vomiting to her. His eyes grew cold as brown hair and green eyes crossed his thoughts. She touched his shoulder softly. Why did he want to tell her everything on his mind? He glared as he shook his head and shook her touch away. Over sharing shows a weak point that one will misuse. "S-sorry. Don't need to hear the sob struggles on my chaotic brain." He forced a laugh. "I'm getting use to them at this point."
Use to them? They were a struggle every day.
"That's not a good thing. Lack of sleep can cause more issues with your everyday actions. Like thoughts process, emotions like sadness...anger. Have you tried meditation?" She asked as he ran over to the break room sink and grabbed a paper cup before filling it with water. He sighed. She sounded like Sass. "Yes." He said annoyed. She handed the water to him as she looked away. From his tone she could tell that wasn't the first time he has been told that. "My mom says mediation helps you reconnect with your mind and heart together. Sometimes your thoughts and feelings get lost and meditation helps reconnect them." She touched her black fingernail fingers to her chest as she closed her eyes. She knew a lot about losing the synchrony of her mind and heart. Her heart throbbed as blonde locks came to her thoughts. Her throat closed.
They stood like a mirror, both opposite but similar in many ways. A thin wall being the only thing keeping them apart.
"I've tried meditation. I just. My body starts to freak. So I had to stop." He took the water and took a sip. He cursed to himself as he pulled his shirt that was stuck to his back and neck. "Damn it."
Marinette noticed his uncomfortableness. She glanced over her shoulder. "I'm pretty sure there are shirts the previous delivery guy wore is in that box." She told as she walked over to it and bent down shuffled through the box. Lukas eyes glanced and looked away from her rear as she looked at the shirt sizes. He pondered a bit at it. Small but cute in those pants.
There were only mediums and small shirts. She looked the shirt over. "This might be too small for you but should be better then a wet shirt." She told as she handed him the shirt. He looked it over and sighed at the black and pink shirt but she was right. Dry shirt was better than a sweaty one. He reached back and gripped his shirt and pulled it off.
Marinette blinked as she squeaked, face turning every shade of pink like a chameleon. Lukas' eyes stared down at the ground not realizing that he did that. He shook at his sweat locks as the shirt pulled over his head. He pulled the new shirt over and then looked over at mouse as she quickly turned away and stood stiff as a board. He adjusted the heam to the new shirt and then looked at his sweaty shirt and then connected the dots. He chuckled. "Sorry, I should have warned ya. Got a free peak though." He chuckled as he walked around her and sent a wink her way before he walked over and put his old shirt in the sink. Marinette's face was pink like her overalls. "Y-yeah." She huffed. "You could of. What kind of guy strips in front of girl he barely knows."
Luka didn't dare answer that he would strip for her if she asked. He just rolled his eyes with a new found smile on his face as he walked backwards and turned through the doorway back to the sales floor. Her voice made his worries slip away and her pink blush made his heart flutter a bit.
"H-hey!" She yelled as she followed. "If you want. I can ask my mom for your advice for your nightmares. If you want? She does self healing activities like meditation, line dancing, she even does Chinese watercolor painting." She called out as she followed on his heels, changing the subject quickly. He chuckled as one could hear the stuttering in her voice as the heat on her face lingered.
"Nah, nah, don't worry." He asked as he was trying to get straight to work. He had the urge to run away from her but the want and need o stay by her side. There was something about her. Her aura was so caring and drawing. He thought it was cute she was concerned about someone she barely knew. "Thank you, you're sweet but I should get to work. Is Rose back?"
Marinette shook her head. "I just got here. I didn't know where she was so I came back to the break room and found you." She spoke. Her eyes kept glancing at his chest. The shirt was really small on him. So could slightly make out his built structure. Her sweet innocent self was kicking the pervy school girl for staring but she couldn't help but feel butterflies and a giddiness inside her lower stomach. Her phone dinged a few times in a row as she stared along his stomach as he was grabbing his phone from his pocket, the shirt lifting a tad. She hesitated but looked to her phone and quickly tucked her phone away, hoping he wouldn't dare take her phone from her and see what she saw. Luka turned away as he got on his phone.
Ayla was bombarding her with messages about who Luka was and about his attractive body and small comments about how she thought Marinette was a pervert for taking a picture of his sleeping body. Marinette blushed when Ayla sent a zoomed in screenshot of the picture Marinette took of Luka but it was zoomed into his stomach area.
Marinette didn't realize his shirt in the photo was raveled up on his stomach area and could make out a bit of his tufts of hair on his stomach down to his pelvic. She started to type back to defend herself as her ears burned like they were on fire but before she could finish, she jumped as her phone began to ring and her friend's face showed on screen. Marinette fumbled the phone. Luka glanced back as he rose a brow as Marinette began to mumble no over and over under her breath. Marinette forced a fake smile as she acted innocent as she crossed her arms, raising the phone to her ear as she took steps toward the door. "Heeeeeey, Ayla, can't talk, at work right now."
"Girl, you can't send me pictures of a mysterious hotty and not give me the deets!"
"I'm waiting for my manager Rose with the delivery guy Luka." She said snarky as she snarled toward the screen, hoping Ayla would get the hint. "That's Luka! The guy you crashed into? One from that flyer? Girl! He's fucking hot. I'd love to collide bodies into him. Haha, joking. I love my man Nino. But girllly. You can't go around taking pictures of sleeping punk dudes. Not cool you perv." She laughed.
"I didn't mean to! It was by accident!" She growled and blinked as she looked over as Luka was staring at her as he was talking to Rose on his line. What was she arguing about? He wondered. "Yeaa, I'll see you in a few minutes. K. Bye." He spoke as he lower his phone to his pocket as he continued to stare with curiosity, leaning against the display counter.
"I got to go Ayla." Marinette said through her teeth.
"Okay okay I get it, but now we are totally going to that show of his on Friday now." Ayla snickered. "Bye girl. Bye LUKA!"
Lukas corner lip rose a tad as he heard his name from her phone.
Marinette huffed as she pressed the end call button hard and then looked at the curious man. She stuttered as she went to defend herself. "Not going to ask." He smirked as he turned his head away. Marinette sighed as her cheeks were burning. She fiddled with her bracelet as she thought. She played with the polished agate stone. "So, your nightmares, you don't mind me asking, who…"
Lukas face expressions dropped as he didn't look at her. "I'm sorry but I do mind." He said sternly as he closed his eyes and stood walking across the room away from her. Marinette watched him move across the room and looked at the floor. She didn't know why but she wanted to know more about him. But she found the line that was drawn and she understood. She noticed him fiddling with a bracelet she made that was on display. "Do you like it?" She asked. He shrugged. "I made it from drift wood, it was hard to work around some of the roating parts but I think it came together beautifully."
His eyes softened. "You made this?"
"All of these actually."
Lukas corner of lips rose. "They look really cool. Makes sense why there is an M on the design. You got some serious talent." He told as he turned the wood piece around to the M. M for Marinette. He chuckled. M for Mouse. He dropped the piece and looked at her. Her face was full of insecurity and uncomfortableness. "Sorry. It's just. Kind of want to drop that subject. Please." He expressed. Marinette looked to him through her lashes. She was over stepping herself. "Sorry."
"You're fine. I can tell your heart is in the right place. Just." He didn't know how to word this correctly. Even though he wanted to tell her everything for some odd reason, he knew it was odd to tell a stranger everything about what was going on through his mind. Unless it was a therapist. He chuckled. "I don't like talking about my feelings." Luka looked to his nail and bit at the dirt under it. "Music is often simpler than words. Words get messy. And lose meaning." He quoted his favorite singer. She looked to him and smiled. "Prefer to talk through the strums of my fingers through my guitar." She finished alongside him. He looked to her and smiled. They both laughed. The lock to the door clicked and followed by the door chime. They both looked over to Rose as she walked in with a cup holder of coffee drinks. She smiled. "Hi you two. I'm back with battery juice." She giggled as she sat the drink holder down. "Two cold brews with vanilla cream." She told them as she handed them to Luka and Marinette. They both looked at their identical drinks and to each other and then both laughed once again. Rose rose a brow at them. She stared along them and she noted their aura they gave off. Pretty and pink as they laughed in unison. Now she understood. She giggled alongside them. "You two are adorable."
They looked at her confused. She smiled and shook her head. "Oh, nothing." She sipped her cappuccino. "Let's get those gladiolus ready, Mari." She called as she walked toward the back. "Luka. If you could get the documents from the van. I forgot the forms. Need to know how many they need. Pretty sure it's 10 bundles of 8 stem bouquets. Or maybe it was 9." She called as she walked through the bead door way. Marinette looked to Rose and then Luka. She smiled and pushed her hair behind her ear before she turned and followed Rose. Luka sipped his drink slowly as he watched her walk away. His heart throbbed as she looked back at him and then quickly they both looked away from one another. He cleared his throat as he choked on his drink. His cheeks turned red hoping she didn't notice him checking her out. Luka you idiot.