MY FAVOURITE AUTHOUR POSTED WAKE UP YALLđŁâźď¸
secrets i have held in my heart
part six â the killerverse masterlist
pairing: luke castellan x daughter of ares reader
summary: snapshots of you and luke throughout your lives, from elementary school to camp half-blood
content: childhood best friends in love. fluff. this is a 3 + 1 fic except you donât find out what it is until you read/get to the end of the fic LOL
notes: title from i wanna be yours by arctic monkeys. this is a pretty important chapter iâd say lol but i dont think you have to read the rest of the killerverse to understand
SIX
Your hand is sticky with Elmerâs glue, but itâs only âcause the craft in class is super duper boring.
Tomorrow is Valentineâs Day, so youâre all decorating your shoe boxes that youâre going to fill with your Valentines tomorrow.
Your teacher wanted you guys to make your boxes nice and pretty, but youâre really, really bored. You drew a catâs face on the top of your box and added googly eyes and pipe cleaner whiskers. There are a bunch of heart stickers all over it, too, the scratch and sniff ones that smell like strawberries. You and the girl next to you take turns picking up your box and smelling it.
But you kinda donât really want to look at your box anymore. You didnât like the way the crayon looked on the side so you went over it in marker, but it made it look even uglier. So you decide instead to put a bunch of glue on your hand and wait for it to dry so you can peel it all off. But you have to do it under the table, because your teacher got mad the last time you did.
You wait for Luke to look at you from across the room. When he finally looks back, you wave at him with your glue stained hand, smiling in a funny way.
He waves at you too. His box is bright red and has a nice drawing of a heart on the side. Luke is really good at drawing, and youâre only a little jealous.
Last night, your mom took you and Luke to the store to buy your Valentineâs exchange candy for tomorrow. And then you spent a few hours writing your classmatesâ names on each piece, eating entire packets when your mom wasnât looking. She ended up finding out because your teeth were stained green from the Fun-Dip, but she just smiled and said not to have anymore.
You miss Luke. Heâs talking to the boy who sits next to him on the other side of the room, and you wish you were over there too. You and Luke got separated because you would talk to him too much, so now you sit at the table in the very front of the room.
Ally must get bored of your fun strawberry stickers, because she turns around in her chair and giggles next to you a little loudly.
You turn to her. âWhatâs so funny?â
Her box has a butterfly on it, but itâs missing a wing. Sheâs busy looking at the table next to you guys.
âI have a crush on Nick. Do you think heâll be my Valentine?â
You almost gag.
You donât really like Nick. He pulled your hair during recess once, and you got in big trouble for throwing dirt at him in return.
You try to be nice, but itâs hard. He annoys you. A little hotly, you ask, âWhy do you like Nick?â
âHe has nice hair. And he ran even faster than you in the relay race, so that means heâs really fast.â
Youâre the fastest girl in the grade by a mile, even beating out almost all of the boys, which people were weirdly surprised at. But Nick is a super slow runner, and his team only beat yours because your sneakers came undone during it.
âI mean, I guess.â
Allyâs high ponytail nearly whacks you in the face when she turns to face you again.
âDo you like anyone?â she asks. She finally picks up her colored pencil to finish the wing of her butterfly.
You pause. You donât really know.
What even would make you like someone? Ally likes Nick because he can run fast. Maybe youâre supposed to like someone if theyâre super strong.
Joey helps your teacher put the chairs up at the end of the day. And he runs fast, too. Heâs the boy that Cate and Brielle have a crush on. And Tia. And Farah.
Basically everyone, actually.
He wears so much gel in his hair that it sticks up like a porcupine. But he runs fast, and is one of the only people who can tag you when you guys play Tag during recess.
âI like Joey,â you decide. You arenât really sure what that means.
âNo!â Sofia protests from across the table. Youâd forgotten she was sitting there. âI like Joey. You have to have a different crush.â
âOh, okay.â You look around the classroom. âWho should I like?â
âWhat about your boyfriend?â Taylor asks from next to Sofia.
âBoyfriend? Ew, what?â you nearly yell.
Someone shushes you from the table Nickâs sitting at. You donât want to get in trouble again, so you donât stick your tongue out at them.
âWho?â Ally asks, putting down her colored pencil. Her blue-purple butterfly is finally done, and sheâs looking pretty curious.
Taylor points a painted finger toward the back of the class. âLuke.â
You turn back to look at him.
Luke runs fast, too. Heâs the fastest boy in the grade. And he doesnât wear any stupid gel in his hair like Joey does. He has a lot of soft curly hair that you like to twist around your fingers. You decide he has much better hair than Joey and Nick.
Ally gets a big smile on her face. âYou and Luke, sitting in a tree.â
Sofia laughs, joining Ally and her teasing.
âK-i-s-s-i-n-g!â they spell, your face growing hotter with each letter.
âHeâs not my boyfriend,â you say, angry and embarrassed. You hope Luke canât hear them. âStop lying.â
The two of them donât listen, going on and on about how you and Luke must kiss all the time. You think your head is going to explode.
âStop!â you repeat, but the two of them go on and on and on.
On a piece of scrap paper, Ally draws a big heart. Inside, she starts to draw two stick figures, and you nearly shriek in embarrassment. You tug her colored pencil out of her hand, and she slips out of her chair.
The girls around the table look at you, wide eyed. Even Nickâs table hears the thump and turns around.
Ally bursts into tears immediately, massive waterfalls running down her face.
She still manages to scowl through the tears. âIâm telling!â
You stand awkwardly with the red colored pencil in your hand.
Great.
Ms. Annin ends up moving you again, even further from Luke. You get placed at a lonely table all by yourself right next to her desk.
You never speak to Ally again.
TWELVE
Itâs still weird getting used to having another person traveling with you.
Youâre really thankful for it, because your turns to keep watch at night have gotten a lot shorter. Now that Thaliaâs with you, youâre more well rested than youâve been in years. Plus, sheâs a great fighter. There really is strength in numbers, because the three of you rarely struggle against the monsters that you happen to come across.
Of all the demigods you couldâve found, youâre glad you found Thalia. Sheâs funny and can keep up with you and Luke even though sheâs slightly younger.
But even though you have absolutely no problems with her being here, itâs still a little weird.
It kind of feels like when youâd get a new kid in class in grade school. You have to consciously remind yourself that thereâs three of you now, not just two. Your duo has been upped to a party of three, something you havenât experienced ever. Itâs always been you and Luke against the world, and youâve never really experienced anything else.
But itâs not a bad weird. Thaliaâs had your life in her hands multiple times since last week, and youâve trusted her to do her part wholeheartedly. Sheâs strong, and can pull her weight and more.
You think the two of you are bound to be close friends eventually. Luke will always be your best friend, but youâve never had a close friend thatâs a girl before, and the thought of it makes you smile. Itâs new.
Now that thereâs three of you, youâve had to make a few changes as well. Youâd all known that three demigods were bound to attract more monsters than two, and decided that sleeping out in the open wouldnât cut it anymore.
So, youâd all started construction on a little shelter made of old plants and vines and whatever other things the woods would offer you. Itâs still a work in progress, and does absolutely nothing against the rain, but itâs pretty wind resistant, which has seemed to deter any monsters from finding your little group so far.
You offer to accompany Luke to go find sticks for tonightâs fire, but he gives you a very pointed look before turning around and leaving.
Safe to say, heâs still a little wary of you doing anything âtoo difficultâ since your brief stint in the hospital last month.
You scoff at the idea of him deeming the act of picking up literal sticks from the floor as âtoo difficult.â
It had taken weeks before Luke even let you carry your bag again, and youâre honestly just lucky heâs not hovering like he had before.
You grumble to yourself all the way back to the shelter, a little peeved but too tired to chase after him to argue about it.
When you push aside the shrub that works as a makeshift door, you see Thalia, poking a little at the fire you had started a bit ago.
âHi,â you greet, looking around for where youâd left your sleeping bag.
âHey.â
None of your stuff is in the pile by the door where youâd left it, and when you scan the room again, your eyes bulge out of your head.
Thaliaâs been kind enough to roll out your sleeping bags for you, which youâre about to thank her for, but your jaw falls open at the formation of them.
Thaliaâs sitting on her black sleeping bag, staring peacefully into the fire. But itâs smack dab in the middle between you and Luke.
You shut down the shocked oh that threatens to leave your mouth.
Itâs not a big deal. Itâs only a distance of eight feet or so, and itâs not like youâre never speaking to Luke ever again. You just canât remember the last time youâve slept so far away from him.
But itâs not even a big deal! It really isnât. Itâs just that before Thalia joined, not sleeping next to Luke wasnât even an option you had. Youâre just surprised at how new everything is now.
Thatâs all.
âŚ
Really. Thatâs all.
Thaliaâs turned away from the fire and is looking pointedly at you. âYou okay?â
âHmm?â
âYou zoned out for a second there.â
âOh, oops, sorry.â You scratch your head, trying your best to chill out. âJust thinking.â
You sit on your sleeping bag, wrapping your arms around your shins. Youâre a little humiliated at how badly this is irritating you.
Should you bring it up? Surely she wonât care.
No. Itâs one singular night. Youâll survive.
You give the younger girl a side glance. Sheâs already looking at you.
Her laugh crackles throughout the shelter, and she actually clutches her chest, amused out of her mind.
âSorry, I forgot youâre like, boyfriend-girlfriend or whatever.â
You choke. âUhââ
She yawns, getting up to stretch and drag her sleeping back closer to you so thereâs a significant gap between her and Luke. âKissing really grosses me out, so donât do it in front of me. But if you guys are dating, Iâd rather third wheel than cut between you two.â
âWeâre not dating.â
The look she gives you with her piercing blue eyes makes you feel scrutinized. âYou donât have to pretend. You make crazy eyes at him.â
âCrazy eyes?â It feels like your real eyes (that definitely donât look in any particular way towards Luke) are going to bulge out of your head.
âI think he likes you, too, though. So donât worry.â
âOh my gods,â you groan, placing your face into your hands. âNot you, too.â
She snickers again, her laughter filling the room. âDo you get that a lot?â
The fire makes the air feel too sticky and hot. You fight the urge to fan your face. âPeople tell us that all the time. Like, even one of our teachers at school did. Itâs so embarrassing âcause we donât even like each other like that.â
âOh, dang, really?â
âReally.â
She thinks about it for a moment, running a hand through her hair. Itâs wet from the sink water from the gas station bathroom.
âAre you sure, though?â
You wrinkle your nose. âItâs Luke. I think Iâd know if I liked him.â
âSo you donât want to switch spots?â
You go quiet, and Thalia laughs again.
âYes or no?â
âWell, yeah, butââ
She seems awfully smug, and you jump to defend yourself.
âItâs not because of that! Iâve just gotten used to itââ
âSure,â Thalia hums, giving you a wicked grin. âYou donât have to be embarrassed, though. Heâs good looking enough, I think. And heâs tall.â
You huff at her refusal to believe. But you canât help but ask, âYou think heâs good looking?â
It reminds you of when the girls in the year below you would always volunteer to partner with Luke whenever the classes did gym together. Itâs funny.
Thalia tilts her head. âDonât you?â
Of course you think so. Youâve never really had a crush on anyone, but you have enough sense to think Lukeâs face is nice.
âI guess,â you say, trying not to give her anything to use against you.
She cracks another smile. âOkay. Well, you should move over before he comes back. Iâm tired.â
You shift over in a daze, making sure to leave a normal amount of space between you and Lukeâs sleeping bags. If Thalia notices, she doesnât say anything.
He comes back a little bit later, a comically large pile of sticks in his hands. He carries them right over to the fire by your heads, dusting his hands off after he sets them down.
âThat should be enough,â he whispers, wary of Thaliaâs sleeping form.
You raise an eyebrow at him. âShould be? Iâll be surprised if you even left any trees alive out there.â
Luke snorts before turning around to look at you. Whatever snarky thing he wanted to say dies on his tongue, though.
âAre you good?â he asks.
You wonder if you could just zip yourself into your sleeping bag and never speak to anyone again.
âYeah. Why?â
He looks to Thalia and then back to you. âYouâre so close to Thalia youâll probably roll on top of her in your sleep.â
The extra foot of space between you and Luke goes unmentioned.
âThereâs like, a draft,â you decide to say. âItâs cold right there.â
Luke stands over the spot where your sleeping bag would usually lay, holding out his hands like heâs trying to feel for the wind. âAre you sure?â
âYep. Much warmer over here.â
He gives you a funny look. âOkay. I feel fine though, soâŚâ
Luke drags his red sleeping bag over to yours so the edges are nearly touching. You donât want to look in Thaliaâs direction on the chance sheâs still awake.
âGoodnight, killer,â he mumbles. âIâll take first watch.â
Your elbows brush his when he lays down, and he tugs your blanket over him as well, grumbling something about you being a blanket hog.
When you turn onto your side, youâre startled by the sight of Thaliaâs electric blue eyes. They shine with barely contained laughter.
You turn right back around.
SIXTEEN
Youâre happy and full from the good food you had while you walk towards the exit of the diner.
âI still canât believe weâre both old now.â
âIâve been sixteen for less than a day, Luke. Weâre not that old.â
âWell weâre old enough to drive. I think that makes us pretty old.â
You picture Luke behind the wheel â heâd be a great driver, you can tell.
âIf you got your license, Iâd make sure to stay off the roads,â you say anyway.
âGee, thanks. So much confidence in me.â
âIâd warn everyone, too. Iâd hold a sign out the window thatâd say: Keep a safe distance from this vehicle.â
âWoah, who said anything about me letting you in the car? I hope you have fun on public transport.â
âI was kidding! All jokes, I swearââ
You cut yourself off with a gasp, which he tenses at.
You seize his wrist before he can even ask what the issue is. âLuke, we need two dollars.â
His eyebrows furrow. âHuh?â
You point to the small box by the front door. âItâs a photobooth! Do you have two bucks?â
You slip ahead to inspect it while he checks his wallet. You canât even tell if the machine is still functional, but the light outside flickers, so you assume it does.
When you turn back to look at him, he shakes his head. âI got a five, but I doubt this thing gives change.â
âYa need a spot?â
You and Luke spin, immediately on the defensive. Your hand closes around the dagger tucked into the front of your jacket.
Thereâs an old man leaning against the wall a couple feet away, a well loved coat clutched against his front. You almost roll your eyes at the way Luke steps in front of you.
Heâs sweet, but kinda stupid.
Your hand loosens around your weapon when you see the man. He looks normal enough.
âDo you have change for a five?â you pipe up from behind Luke.
He says your name in a low tone, trying to remind you of the very real danger this sweet old man could bring. Monsters arenât afraid to take any form â even if it means they look like a kind man who feeds ducks at parks.
The man pats his pockets, and you sidestep Luke to walk up to him. Luke knows thereâs no stopping you, so he follows closeby.
âYes, maâam,â the man says, pulling out his wallet.
âThank you so much,â you say, urging Luke to hand over the five dollar bill you have.
He doesnât look very happy, but youâre too busy smiling at the man to care. He opens his wallet to pull out his cash and you catch a glimpse of a little black and white picture in the photo sleeve.
He smiles when he catches you looking. âYa like it? Thatâs me ân my girl.â
âSheâs gorgeous,â you say honestly. âYou two are so cute.â
He pulls out the photo to show you it close up. It unfolds into a photobooth strip, the edges worn and clearly aged with time.
Itâs definitely the man in front of you right now, but a few decades younger. He and his lover look to be in college, maybe in their late teens. You can see the love they have for each other even through the picture.
âItâs from our first date,â he explains, his eyes proud while he reminisces. âThat was fifty years ago last month, in this very diner, at that photo booth over there. We come back here every year for our anniversary.â
You clutch the space over your heart, gushing. âThatâs so cute!â
âShe sent me to pick up food today, but I know sheâd share the same sentiment as me if she was hereâyou two remind me a lot of us.â
Youâve grown to not be too embarrassed when someone mistakes you and Luke for a couple. Youâd get embarrassed and angry when you were younger, but itâs kinda whatever now.
âWeâre actuallyââ
âThank you,â Luke cuts in. He drops a hand on your shoulder while he urges you back in the direction of the booth. âFor the compliment and the change.â
âItâs no problem, son,â he assures, giving you both a toothy grin.
You say your goodbyes over Lukeâs shoulder while he ushers you under the curtain of the booth.
âIsnât that so cute, Luke?â you gush quietly. âThis is the same place they were fifty years ago! Theyâve been together longer than weâve even been alive.â
âYeah, yeah,â he mumbles, feeding the cash into the receiver. âBut we gotta go if we still wanna catch our tour.â
âOh, right,â you say. Luke had bought tickets to a sightseeing trip after. âWeâll be fast.â
The pictures come out so cute and a lot like the black and white strip the old man had. There was a lot less space inside the booth than youâd thought thereâd be, so youâd been forced to sit on Lukeâs left leg to fit in.
Itâs a strip of four pictures. Thereâs one of you and Lukeâs faces pressed together and one of you smiling while you threw an arm around him.
The bottom two are your favorites though. Thereâs one of you kissing his cheek, and then one of you laughing at him after his face went bright red.
âMaybe we can come back here in fifty years, too,â you suggest, still looking at the pictures even after youâre a few blocks away from the diner.
It sounds stupid. You arenât even sure if demigods survive that long, but youâd like to think you and Luke would be the exception.
He squeezes your shoulder as the pier comes into view. âYeah. Maybe we should.â
NINETEEN
Luke rarely sleeps in the Ares cabin with you, a fact youâve had plenty of arguments about.
(âYour siblings still hate me,â he had claimed. âI have to sleep on my stomach there âcause I swear Iâll wake up with a dick drawn on my forehead one of these days.â
Youâd just glared at him. âYou and your siblings literally have prank wars while Iâm over.â
Once, someone had tried to get back at one of Lukeâs stupid stunts by dressing up like that girl from The Ring and standing over his bed in the middle of the night.
Youâd woken up from all of their whispering, and acted on instinct. You decked the poor kid standing over you in the face.
Theyâd all learned their lesson, and Luke was granted immunity from pranks whenever youâre over.
âThat was one time,â he always defends. âAt least they like you. Lance rolled his eyes when he opened the door for me last week.â
âThatâs âcause you tripped him and made him faceplant during Capture the Flag.â
Heâd paused, trying his best to remember.
âHeâs still mad about that?â)
Nevertheless, Luke only comes over for super special occasions. But itâs times like these when you wish your siblings hated him a little bit less, cause you can see the hesitation on his face when you ask him to sleep over.
Youâre probably pouting. âPlease? I havenât slept over at yours in so long, and you havenât been here in forever. And itâs our day off tomorrow, so you really have no good excuse.â
He frowns. âTomorrowâs the eighth?â
You nod, grabbing onto his wrist like itâll keep him with you, but you already know you wonât like his answer when his frown deepens.
ââm sorry. I gotta help Alice with something early tomorrow morning. I canât tonight.â
You groan, a little disappointed. Luke links your hands together and squeezes it in apology before he drags your dead weight to the Ares cabin.
He cracks open the door for you and lets you go, but not without you throwing your arms around his shoulders and drawing him as close to you as you can.
âIâll see you early tomorrow morning. Iâll make it up to you after Iâm done with my sisterâs thing.â he promises, rocking you back so far it feels like youâre gonna fall. You clutch onto his shoulders a little tighter.
âEarly?â you groan. âItâs our day off, Luke. Have mercy.â
âWe got a long day of nothing tomorrow. Ever heard about seizing the day?â
âNo. Ever heard about sleeping in?â
âWhat kinda counselor would I be if I let you wake up at noon?â
âA sweet and kind and perfect one who cares about the campers?â
He releases you, smiling. âIâll see you at seven.â
âTen,â you argue.
He laughs. âIâll see you at eight.â
âNine thirty?â
âDonât push it. Nine, and thatâs the latest.â He pats your cheek soothingly when you pout.
âI shouldâve started my first offer at eleven,â you lament.
âGoodnight,â he practically sings, stepping off the porch.
You pretend to glare at him, but canât help but wave. âNight.â
He winks at you, and you turn back inside when he disappears from view.
You nearly topple over a child when you try to enter the cabin.
Youâre able to catch yourself at the last second, but it still startles you. You look down to see a little girl standing right in front of you, so short she comes up to around your ribcage. Sheâs new to the Ares cabin, just claimed last week, but not new to camp.
âHi, Faith,â you greet. âAre you okay?â
âWho was that?â she asks curiously.
You crouch down so she doesnât have to break her neck to talk to you. âThat was Luke, remember? Heâs the counselor of the Hermes cabin.â
âOh.â
âDid you forget about him?â you tease. âHe told me such sweet things about you.â
She clasps her hands together behind her back. âNo. I didnât forget, butâŚâ
She hesitates, so you nod at her to go on.
âHe looked nicer right now.â
You fight the urge to smile. âWas Luke scary back at the Hermes cabin?â
It would make sense. Lukeâs not actually scary, but the way he rough houses with his siblings when heâs with them would probably be intimidating to a little kid.
She shrugs. âYeah. A little.â
âWellâŚâ You smile. âLuke isnât scary at all, I promise. I know youâve already met, but I can reintroduce you to him tomorrow, if you want.â
âNo, thanks.â
You have to crack a smile at that. Sheâs not trying to be mean, but she clearly does not care about Luke at all.
The kids at camp are so funny sometimes that you have to physically stifle your laughter at the random stuff they say.
âAlright, then. You headed to bed?â
She nods and scampers off into her bunk by the back.
You canât wait to tell Luke about how heâs scaring off the little kids.
â
You get more hours of sleep that night than you have in months, but all good things come to an unfortunate end.
Someoneâs calling your name, and you groan as you sit up. You blink through the haze in your eyes that threaten to make them shut again.
Itâs Faith. Sheâs standing by the door, looking up at the visitor outside.
âYeah?â you groan, stretching out your limbs, unused from sleep.
âYour boyfriendâs here.â
Luke.
True to his word, heâs here bright and early. You wonder if youâll be able to convince him to lay down with you.
âCan you let him in, please?â you call, slumping back into your sheets. Itâs so much warmer under your blankets.
The wooden floors creak as he gets closer, and you hold your hands out for him.
âHeyââ
âPlease lie down.â
That gets a laugh from Luke, but it doesnât work. He pushes you over so he can sit in the empty space he makes on your bed.
âI let you sleep in. Itâs ten.â
âMhm. My hero.â
You think heâs smiling. âI have a surprise.â
âYeah?â
You wonder if the surprise is staying here with you until noon. You really hope it is.
Thereâs a box in your lap, and you move your hands over it like youâll be able to guess what it is through touch alone.
Luke rubs the sleep from your eyes. âYouâre gonna have to open your eyes for this one.â
You open your eyes very reluctantly.
Itâs a cake.
Itâs frosted white and has the cool swirls going around the top edge and bottom edge, and you donât have to ask to know what flavor it is.
Written on the top in slightly lopsided frosting, it says: Happy Half-Anniversary.
Luke only comes into the Ares cabin for special occasions, you remember.
Like today, your half friendship anniversary.
When Luke had first started proposing that you celebrate, youâd laughed. Right in his face.
Youâd asked him if he was making things up to mess with you. But heâd argued that camp was lame with nothing to look forward to, so he was making any chance to celebrate whenever he could.
Youâd both chosen a random day to celebrate, since there was no way of knowing when youâd actually become friends. Youâd suggested a couple months after your birthday, since your moms had probably taken you to meet each other the moment your little baby immune system was strong enough.
Luke had shot that down immediately, saying itâd be too close to his half birthday or something, and you two needed to spread out your celebrations as much as possible. So youâd found a calendar and chose the most strategic day that allowed for maximum celebrations.
âŚIn hindsight, it sounds ridiculous.
But you were fourteen and bored, and now you have about ten different excuses to have one of the Demeter kids bake you a cake.
âItâs the eighth,â you realize. Something like guilt presses heavy into your chest. You know he wonât think itâs a big deal â itâs a made up anniversary, after all â but you canât help but look up at him, frowning. âIâm so sorry, Luke, I canât believe I forgot.â
One of his hands moves to cover one of yours where it sits on the box. âItâs okay, killer. I know youâve had a long week.â
You have. You really have to thank fourteen-year-old Luke who insisted on all these celebrations. This anniversary couldnât have come at a better time, cause now you have some really good cake and a day off with your best friend.
Youâre admiring the details along the side of the cake when Luke speaks up, drawing your gaze back to his face. He leans back onto his hand thatâs right by your upper leg.
âSo. Your boyfriend, huh?â
The sound you make is caught between a choke and a gasp. âWhat?â
âFaith called me your boyfriend, and you just let me in,â he muses thoughtfully. He turns back to look at the cake, suddenly absorbed in the frosting details as well.
You get warm all over. You hadnât even realized. The idea had seemed so natural, you didnât even think about correcting her.
What the fuck, you realize. Thatâs not normal.
âYou got something you wanna tell me?â Luke teases, his voice trying for joking but landing somewhere between strained and awkward.
Your throat is dry, and you have to cough for sound to come out. âOh. I just got so used to it, I didnât evenâŚâ
Luke looks back up at you, something flickering in his eyes. âOh. So thereâs no secret boyfriend youâve been bringing here without telling me?â
Thatâs what he was worried about?
You canât help but laugh.
âIs there even anyone else?â
Lukeâs eyes dart over your face, and you can tell he wants to say something. His hands are warm where theyâre cupped around yours, and you begin to grow frighteningly hyperaware of every spot that youâre pressed together â at your knees, at the back of your hand, at the slightest part of your thigh.
Whatever tension that crackles over your skin and between the inches between the two of you is broken the second Luke grins, the sight sending your heart slamming against your ribcage.
âHuh. Guess not.â
He puts the box onto your bedside table and moves you over even more so he can lay back against the headboard.
âI knew youâd fold,â you joke, trying to keep your voice even and failing miserably.
Luke doesnât notice. He hooks his hands under your arms so he can drag you upright next to him, but your bed is so small that you have to lay half on top of him to fit.
Itâs not the first time youâve laid like this. Luke does this whenever heâs trying to keep you from falling asleep, so you have no idea why it feels so different right now.
Gods, you think you feel ill. You wonder if you need an AED to shock your heart back into a normal rhythm.
âIâll give you five minutes, okay?â Luke says. âThen we can start our long day of nothing.â
Five minutes turns into fifteen when he starts talking to you about what heâd helped his sister with earlier. Then twenty minutes bleeds into forty-five while you listen to him talk about the latest joke his brother pulled on him since you havenât been around to give him prank-immunity.
It feels like youâve been doused with cold water when you realize itâs not Lukeâs stories thatâs keeping you awake. Itâs not him forcing you to sit up with him thatâs doing it, either.
Youâre being kept wide awake by the butterflies taking flight inside your chest.
Holy fucking shit.
notes: alternatively, three times someone called luke your boyfriend and the one time you realized you actually really liked it
lol! 5.4k words whew whew whew please scream with me about them
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