Lucas (Luka) Prose

Though I was born a boy, I finally became me. An actor, a writer, and a man. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My name is Lucas Prose, but I enjoy being called 'Luka' more, so feel free to call me that. I'm a 23 year old right out of college at the University of Maryland. I grew up here in Annapolis, MD, though my family came here from England before I was born. I majored in creative writing, and am a poet, as well as an actor, in the making. Perhaps, I'll even be a cafe owner..? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[Note this is just a roleplay, I am not the real Douglas Booth' Idek Douglas] - Skype:mblaqluver Email: [email protected] Region: EST/GTM-5

[swaggbright]

[lucas-prose]

silencewillsetherxfree:

this makes me smile. this isn’t just fucking in a shower or whatever. this is love. he cares for her. he is comforting her. that’s what makes this scene so beautiful.

[lucas-prose]

OOC: So....what do we do now?

[chxanvl-deactivated20240222]

[lucas-prose]

"The park is the best place in the world, aside from the cafe down the street. This time of year is the best time to visit it too, because the leaves are falling. You don't need bikes, for you have the slide of the playground. You don't need toys, for you have a pile of leaves at your disposal. It's a simply marvelous place, huh?" -Luka

[chxanvl-deactivated20240222]

[lucas-prose]

"My sisters are funny. Sophie...she was in the need of a model, yet she had only a few hours to find one. Luckily, the shoot was in Maryland, and luckily she knew someone that wouldn't be too busy. The things I do for my family...well, at least I can now say I've been called a 'dapper gentleman.'" - Luka

[chxanvl-deactivated20240222]

[lucas-prose]

"I decided to grow a beard...though it only makes me feel older- not wiser."- Luka

[flawedenoughbutperfect]

[lucas-prose]

"I just like to walk. It doesn't matter where it is that I go, as long as I get to walk. Because with walking, I'm forced to think. It's not like driving, where you have to pay attention to the road and those around you. With walking, you go where your feet take you, and you let your mind wander off all the same." -Luka

[lucas-prose]

[Luka&Makenna] Daily Routine

[makenna-c]

Makenna paused for a moment, and then laughed, as Luka threw her own words back at her. “Touche good sir, you’ve got me.” She sat back in her chair and gestured towards herself. “I have a tendency to be a “do as I say, not as I do, kind of girl.” Her laughter ebbed to light chuckles and she nodded at him. “You are punny, yes, but it’s refreshing because you’re not trying too hard, it just happens naturally.”

Most of the time, Makenna didn’t respond to other people’s embarrassment. But Luka’s emotions pulsed off of him with such a genuine sort of intensity that she couldn’t help but want to make him feel comfortable. “I space out in the kitchen all the time,” she confessed with a softness to her tone. “Sometimes I get lost in memories of my grandma, or a really good song on the radio, and next thing I know I’ve been kneading the same bit of dough for twenty minutes.” She grinned again, propping her chin upon her elbows and leaning against the table. “Well you could always add bakery scenes into my story,” she observed lightly.

The redhead tutted and put on a mock face of chastisement. “Because if you bring home a dozen you will eat too many at once and end up feeling sick. My baked goods are addictive like that. One is all you really need.” When Luka pulled out his wallet, she shook her head fervently. “Put that away, that won’t be necessary. These treats are on me.”

She paused at his question, thinking for a moment before answering. “Sometimes they can take a while, yes. Sometimes you get the base flavor right but you spend months tweaking tiny details meant to give it that extra punch. And then you mess around with texture and presentation.” Her red hair moved against her shoulders as she shrugged. “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

[lucas-prose]

"Yes I could add it in, you're right. Maybe that could be a side plot to the whole 'fighting off evil pigeons' plot." Luka smirked slightly, and sighed as she told him to put away his wallet. "It's fine, really." He assured her, and motioned to his wallet. "Makenna, you take so much time to make all of these treats, and you put love into each and every one of them. Who am I, but to eat half of your inventory, and then walk away with the rest?" Luka took out a few bills, and placed them under the plate of goodies. How about this," he began, glancing up at her as he set the plate down on the money. "Next time, you can buy me a cup of tea or something?" 

Hoping that she would give up on the fight for paying, Luka attempted to change the subject. She explained to him about her baking techniques, which made a warm smile appear on his face. Everything about Makenna was warm, and her words dripped from her mouth like honey. She seemed passionate about it all, the baking, that is. She talked of it with such care and love, as if it was the most beautiful art around. Luka liked that, and he showed it in his expression. "I'd like to learn," He whispered, before clearing his throat embarrassed, "I'd like to learn how to bake, I mean." he repeated, hoping she wouldn't notice that he-yet again- drifted off while listening to her. 

Luka slowly stood up, and smiled hopefully. "I would love it if you showed me." He stated, and lifted the plate of treats. "I want to make the brownies." Luka pointed to the last brownie on the plate, and then to the kitchen behind him, "I know you're off, but can we? It'll be fun." Luka added the last part, and took a step in the kitchen's direction. He remembered, of course, to leave the money on the table. No way, he thought, was he going to be getting that back.

[lindley-roman]

Come As You Are | Luka & Lindley

[lindley-roman]

Lindley smiled and laughed, which was indeed, a good sign. Luka was sweet, she couldn’t deny that and his compliments really drove her a bit into heaven. She wasn’t one to need compliments to make herself feel better, by any means, but when they came, all she could do is blush. And that’s what seemed to happen as he showered her with words like ‘beautiful’ and commented that she was ‘good at anything’. No matter if she believed those words or not, someone did. Someone really thought that about Lindley Roman, an ex-addict and complete screw-up in almost every sense of the word, besides Lucian. She tried to think of something clever or meaningful to say but without much to go on, Lindley simply replied as graciously as possible. “You’re way too kind. Seriously, you’re going to make my head swell,” she said before realizing how close the restaurant really was.

The gentleman ways of Luka did not go unnoticed either. The doors were all held for her and her chair was pushed in. In reality, it was kind of unneeded but on a date, it was the perfect touch. The warm air smelled of garlic and fresh bread, a smell that Lindley could certainly appreciate that. The smell almost made her mouth water but she knew that would just end badly so she tried to control herself. She was pretty hungry and really ready to speak to Luka, who seemed to be a nice guy all-around. Lindley smiled as she looked up at him. “Oh no, no. I would’ve been just as happy to go to McDonald’s. I’m pretty easy to please. But this is really nice. I can see why you like this place,” she admired. “Thank you for bringing me here, Luka,” she added. Her eyes rested on the wine glass his fingers seemed to be tracing before being interrupted by a waiter.

The man introduced himself and asked for their drink order quickly, almost stunning Lindley with his servitude. She pressed her lips together thoughtfully. She had to be careful with what she picked, so that she wasn’t sending off the wrong impression. Water? Tea? What the hell was etiquette? She tried to think back to the words that Addy had advised her with long ago. Nothing really came to mind but she still felt like she was over-thinking the whole date. “I’ll just have water, with lemon, please?” she said appreciatively. Her eyes flashed back to Luka, wondering what he was thinking through all of this, since he was seemingly the less nervous of the two. “Sorry, I’m boring,” she remarked. 

[lucas-prose]

"Well I sure hope I don't; I mean, I'd rather not have our first date at the hospital, you know?" He smiled at her, and decided to put his compliments to rest for the time being. When Luka liked something, it would take forever to make him stop rambling on about it. He was a passionate person, and said every word with the utmost honesty. 

When they sat at the table, Luka took in Lindley's reaction to everything. To his actions, and if they were too much or not; to the restaurant, and if he should have brought them to another place; and especially to her actions, for every smile or glance she gave off was new to him. A bit of a childish laugh escaped Luka at the mentioning of the fast food joint, and he had to lightly cover his mouth to hide his smile. With a shake of his head, Luka assured her, "I wouldn't have done that, even if I had known you'd be fine with it." He draped his napkin over his lap, and nodded toward the rest of the restaurant. "I do like it, yes. I mean I don't go out to eat much, so I wanted to go to somewhere more...special, for tonight." Luka looked back at her, and smiled warmly. "I'm glad you like it, Lindley." He added, before the waiter interrupted them.

When the waiter gave his obviously rehearsed introduction, Luka listened carefully for anything that might sound appropriate for the 'occasion.' When he finished, Luka looked from the man to Lindley, and motioned for her to go first. "What would you like, Lindley?" He waited for her to choose, and was slightly disappointed when she ordered only a water. However, he wasn't once to force his opinion over another's, so he let it be. With a small smile, he waved off her apology. "It's not boring, I mean you got a lemon with it, right?" He chuckled, and looked up at the man. "I think I'll just have some tea, thank you. IF you don't have peppermint, then I'll have green tea." Luka said, wondering if they'd have either of the teas. He wasn't a fan of green tea, really, but it was the easier of the two to find at a place like this. When the man left them, Luka shrugged lightly toward Lindley. 

"You could have gotten wine or something, but then again I guess I never asked you if you drank before." He furrowed his brow, trying to recall if he had or not. "I'm not a drinker, so I can appreciate the water." He smiled, hoping that she wasn't feeling awkward when it came to ordering. Luka wasn't rich, and he knew that she could tell, but he definitely could afford something like this. Something that was so special to him. "So, Linnie, what are you going to eat?" He asked, as his moved his attention to the menu.

[lucas-prose]

OOC:

Sorry I didnt reply to everything last night...my grandmom passed away.

[lucas-prose]

OOC:

[lucas-prose]

[Luka&Makenna] Daily Routine

[makenna-c]

Makenna raised her hands in acquiescence at Luka’s mock face of offense. “My apologies for the lackluster wording my good sir,” she said playfully. “I am sure that you bake a pun pie that would rival even my cinnamon apple pie.” Sitting back in her seat, she shook her red head and smiled. “You apologize too much. There are worse transgressions one could commit than a couple of cheesy but cute puns.”

Her blue eyes rested on him and watched as he spaced out. She didn’t find it irksome or offensive when she lost his full attention, if anything she found it endearing. Goodness knows she could get like that herself when baking inspiration struck. His soft smile and easy chuckle washed over her like a warm blanket and she bit down on a girlish giggle as he became aware that he’d misheard her. “Never apologize for being inspired,” she answered softly. “Creativity comes when it comes and you have to run with it.”

Makenna nibbled on her own piece of brownie, though her eyes stayed on Luka to assess whether he liked it. The combination of mint and chocolate had always been a favorite of hers. It had always come across to her taste buds as cool and refreshing. Her face lightened with happiness at his positive assessment of the brownie. “I don’t know if you want a whole dozen, but I can definitely box a few more up for you before you leave,” she answered brightly. She finished off the last bite of her brownie, tongue darting out to catch the remnant crumbs that lingered on her lips. “The brownies are actually the first recipe I perfected all by myself,” she commented with a nostalgic smile.

[lucas-prose]

Luka chuckled when she played along with his joke. It was nice to talk to someone with such ease. "My lady, you yourself just mentioned how we should only apologize for serious matters, remember? I assure that I'm not offended." Luka mimicked his father's accent, hoping to sound more formal that way. In the end, he could only laugh. "I like joking around, it's a nice break from the stress of life, huh?" He questioned, tilting his head with a peaceful smile. "Okay, though, that's good. I'm glad you think I'm punny."

Luka was completely and utterly embarrassed, when he was caught spacing out. He couldn't help it. Sure he was receiving creative vibes, but it was more the fact that he was enjoying himself so much. It felt like he was at home, talking with his sisters as his mother baked for them. The only thing different than that though, however, was that Luka didn't see Makenna as a sister. He liked Makenna, and saw her as one of his closest friends yet. Of course, he wouldn't voice that feeling, for he knew that it would only come off as 'creepy.' "I'll remember that, thanks. I guess it's just the fact that this place reminds me so much of the cafe. I can definitely imagine writing about a bakery in one of my stories." he said, as he nibbled on a cookie. He had finished off his brownie, and pouted slightly when Makenna attempted to assure him that he wouldn't want a dozen.

"Why not?" He questioned, glancing from the plate of goods to Makenna's face. She seemed happy with his love for the treat, which made him feel accomplished. He liked her smile, he thought. It was rather pretty. "I was planning on visiting my parents soon, so I can always bring some over." He added, and then shrugged, "If you're sure, though, I'll take your word for it. How much?" The young writer took out his wallet, and smiled with anticipation. "It's been so long since I've bought baked goods. I'm glad that they're your first creation, haha."

Luka set his wallet aside, and tilted his head in interest. "Does it take you a long time to perfect your recipes? Sorry, I guess I don't really know much about the baking world." He apologized for his lack of knowledge, and let out a shy chuckle. Nonetheless, he was still interested, and willing to learn. Especially, if it had to do with Makenna.

[lucas-prose]

Ooc:

[lucas-prose]

[Luka&Lucinda] The Never Ending Muse Search

[lucindaking]

She watched Luka duck his head in embarrassment, his face flushing as he tried to cover for his mistake. Lucinda giggled; his shy smile proved that he was not an impolite person—most likely never will be—and she found it funny how he so strongly insisted to erase his first impression. “It’s okay, really. It’s my fault for…for coming over unannounced. It’s not a big deal, so please…don’t worry. I’m Lucinda,” she said. She extended her arm and felt his warm hand wrap around hers. She gave it a gentle shake.

She peered at his open notebook from the corner of her eyes, realizing that it may be rude and that he may not be comfortable sharing his work, but her curiosity overcame her manners. “I’m sure it’s not boring. I-I’m interested. Really.” The young woman looked up and breathed in the warm air, a sense of satisfaction tingling throughout her skin. “This is a very nice place, although I’m sorry I intruded like so. It’s close by to my father’s house, and I was just visiting him when I thought this was a nice place to stop and think. It’s nice, as in there’s a sort of peacefulness in all the activity. It reminds me of my home, where—oh, am I rambling again? That is one of my more unfortunate characteristics. Feel free to interrupt me anytime.”

Lucinda turned an eye to Luka and asked, “What do you mean this is your in-inspirational spot? Oh, oh you’re a writer? I love books! What do you write about? That may have come off too rude…I mean, only if you’re okay with sharing.” She found stories fascinating; the way books could transport her to another world was much desired in her old town, where friends were hard to come by. Had Lucinda been more educated, perhaps in an alternate universe or another life, she would have definitely strived to become a writer, however because she struggled with simply making it through the day, she decided it was best if she focused all her energy on assimilating into the American culture. “I’ve been here for around three years, but I’m afraid I don’t get out much, at least I don’t go into town very often. Most of my time is spent between the horse ranch and home. I suppose you can say I like quieter places, like here for example. I’m originally from Pennsylvania. It’s not so far…What about you? Have you been in Annapolis for your whole life?”

[lucas-prose]

"Lucinda?" He repeated, the name foreign to him. He definitely never heard of it before, so it explained why he hadn't come across the young girl before. It also, he thought, was a very beautiful name. Luka scribbled it down in the top corner of his notebook. Whenever he heard of a new name he fancied, Luka would add it to a never-ending list of his. "Well it was still rather rude of me, I think. I'm not usually like that, but I'm glad you understand that. I'm Luka." He gave a small smile at his name, and then rubbed his neck as he explained further. "It's really Lucas, my name, but most people call me Luka these days."

When she peered over him to look at his notebook, Luka raised his brows. What was she doing? She actually was interested? Sure, he thought, others have askd a few questions about his work- yet that was only after he had already begun talking about it. To have someone from the get go showing even the slightest interest in his work? He hadn't seen that before... "Ah, well, I appreciate your intrigue in my work. " He thanked her, and smiled warmly down at his notebook. It was practically trash, since the bindings were falling apart and some of the pages had yellowed; however, Luka never could have the courage to get a new one. Just like his bag, that notebook was special to him. Just like the notebook, this place was special to him. "It really is nice, isn't it? I come here during the dunnier days of the week." He glanced over at Lucinda, and shrugged. "I guess it's just one of the few places I can really unwind."

She was rambling, he thought, but Luka sat quietly beside her as she did so. She lived by here? Then it really was strange that he hadn't see her before. Oh, wait, it was her father that lived nearby. Luka wondered if maybe he knew the man, since he had been here for twenty-three years. Yet for some reason, as she rambled on, Luka figured he hadn't met him. Luka, in all his time here, had never met someone talk the way Lucinda did. Was she also a writer? For the way she talked about Luka's park, after only being there once, was fascinating. Mostly, because the way she spoke of the place was exactly how Luka felt about it. "Yeah," He agreed, turning his attention from her, to the park. He saw a pair of children playing in a sandbox; there was a man tossing a frisbee to his dog, who gladly ran after it. "It truly is a simple, yet amazing place." Luka grew quiet then, and continued to watch the different lives that were scattered around the park. "And no, you're not rambling." Luka added politely."

With all the questions bombarding him, Luka dind't exactly know where to start. He kept that content gaze of his, as he mused over what she asked of him. "I'm a writer, yes, and this place is the second most inspirational spot to me. No matter what type of weather, or what time of day, I always find something here." Luka sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "It's not rude of you to ask that, don't worry. It's a hard question for me to answer, though." The young man leaned back into the bench, and placed the notebook on the free space beside him. "I write really about anything. Sure I have a main story, that I try to focus most on, however writers...just write. If you give me any genre, I'll write about it. If you give me any place, I'll write about it. Give me a scenario, a name, a color, anything-" Luka smiled softly, and nodded to affirm his answer. "I'll write about it." 

As he grew quiet once more, Luka hoped that he was able to answer her questions. "I just write, I guess is what I'm trying to say." He stated, and listened as she showed a bit more interest. That was refreshing, Luka thought. He also thought about how refreshing it was to see a new face, that apparently had already been living there for three years. "You must be a true introvert, for I honestly haven't seen you before." Luka furrowed his brow, and rubbed his chin slightly. He tried to figure her out. "Perhaps, " Luka proposed, "I just was always at school when you would emerge from your home, haha." He laughed lightly, and smiled at her. "Well I'm glad I can finally meet you now, Lucinda." Luka welcomed her, though it was a bit delayed. He then listened to her, and tilted his head at the mentioning of a ranch. "Horses? I haven't seen one of them in a long time, that's for sure." Luka tried to remember the last time he actually went to a farm. "Hm? Me? Well yes, I've lived here for my entire twenty-three years, haha. My family all moved here from England though, so I'm the only American-born." He shrugged it off, as if it was an every day occurrence. "Pennsylvania sounds nice, though. Did you live on a farm?"

[nicole--whitman]

Happenstance ✔ Lucas & Nicole

[nicole--whitman]

A blush crept up Nicole’s neck at the thought of reading to Luka. The fact that acting, as a visual art, was something the young man was interested in, made the idea of reading to him seem… harder, in a way. Like she’d have to constantly worry of his judgment, despite the fact that she almost suspected he’d convince her that there were no such thing. The notion probably wouldn’t go away because of that simple fact — while Nicole often placed herself in other people’s hands, or at least tried to, in order to show them that she trusted them… what went on inside of her mind was a bit of a different matter. In there, there was always room for… doubt. Not, perhaps, because of the other person — but because she was less deserving of anything other than doubt, herself. The thought was pushed to the back of her mind, however, as she looked at Luka. The worried frown was still in place over her forehead, and even as Luka assured her that everything was okay, Nicole had to battle rather hard to even just tone it down. When he offered her to share in on the muffin with him, she shook her head firmly. “No thank you,” she said with a smile. “I’ve eaten two full meals already today,” she said with a meaningful tilt of her head, and raised her eyebrows. “I’m all set. You’re not. Eat up.” The smile on her lips grew. Admittedly, so did the blush that crept up her neck, but, as ever, Nicole ignored it. When Luka once more pulled the thought of reading aloud to the front of her mind, Nicole’s smile was momentarily wiped away. It returned, however somewhat embarrassed, and she found herself shaking her head slightly. “Oh, I don’t— I don’t know, uh… I mean, I’m not a good reader, a… aloud. I mean — you wouldn’t enjoy it, really. I probably sound like a robot or something,” she tried to dismiss the idea with, and gestured weakly with her hand. Trying to make light of her slight embarrassment, Nicole added, “Although, I, uh, I gotta say… VIP is pretty impressive… especially in a library. It’s, you know, actually pretty cool - I mean, libraries happen to be one of my, uhm, favorite places. Makes— almost makes me want to consider it,” and couldn’t help the shy grin that grew on her lips. As Luka started to explain what he’d mentioned the tea cafe for, Nicole couldn’t help but sit up a little more straight. A curious expression flitted over her face, though quite absentmindedly so. Once or twice she twitched as if to interrupt him, though firmly bit her tongue and let him finish. Retiring as an actor? Talked with his family? These news put a small frown in the middle of her curiosity, though for all intents and purposes, Nicole rather looked like she was trying to drink every single one of his words in. For some reason, as Luka looked more to his cup than he did to her, Nicole found herself leaning forward a little. When he’d stopped talking — when he smiled up at her — and his words properly sunk in with her, two things happened. At least, at first. The first thing to happen was color raging up her neck and encasing her cheeks — these were big news, serious news. And he was… was he thanking her? Was that where this led to? It only increased the color on her cheeks, though nevertheless — she smiled. Nicole smiled at him, brightly, and thus made the second thing happen. “I… but—… these are—… these are great news? I mean… if— I didn’t know you’d— but if your family likes the idea and, and if they support you, I mean— Lucas— I mean— Luka— that’s great! I mean, that’s… that’s wonderful! So, it’s… it’s really happening? You’re really doing it?” She hadn’t noticed it, herself, but as she’d spoken, she’d risen more and more out of her seat — become more and more straight of back, to the point where she nearly rose out of her seat entirely, sitting on the mere edge of it. The cup between her hands served as nothing but a source of warmth — she hadn’t taken another sip since Luka had told her about the cafe. “This is really great,” she murmured excitedly, and nodded almost fervently at Luka.

[lucas-prose]

She always had an interesting way to put things, Luka thought. "A robot? I highly doubt it, haha." A chuckle escaped him, as he skeptically looked at her. "Though then again, I've never been read to by a robot- perhaps it'd be fun." He smiled, only to sigh a moment later. "I'm just joking, Nicole. You don't have to read to me at all. If anything, I'd probably feel weird reading to someone as well." Luka added the last part, hoping to end her awkwardness. He felt bad, for making her feel that way, and decided to stop attempting to fool around. He wan't good at it, so why bother. Luka figured he should just return to his boring old self. "I'll read the book by myself, or something, and then next time you're at the library maybe we'll chat about it." A small smile returned to his face, as he continued to nibble on his muffin.

"Are you sure you don't want some?" Luka questioned, holding the half eaten muffin up to her. After her refusing to eat yet again, Luka decided to give up on the matter. He would get her eventually, though, he thought. "Thanks, I guess." He smiled warmly at her, and finished off the muffin; he washed the last of it off with a few sips of the lukewarm tea. At the mention of the library, Luka raised a brow. "It's your favorite place? Well I definitely know why I took a liking to you at first, then. Haha, libraries are magical huh?" Luka tilted his head, with a beaming grin. He rested his chin in his palm, and glanced out the window into the evening city. "It opens so many doors to so many places. It truly is magical."

He had began speaking about the cafe, because in all honesty Luka thought that Nicole was the one person he could talk to about it. She did give him the idea after all, so he assumed that she was the one person obligated to hear about everything. When he had glanced up at her, his smile turned to one of amusement when he noticed how interested she was with his words. She rose up and out of her seat with every sentence, as if she was addicted to the idea of it all. In a way, Luka hoped she was. "I know that it must come to you as a shock, that I'm giving up so much for this, but I am. I thought about it for a while now, and weighed all the pros and cons against each other. I thought of every possibility, and have practically mapped out the next few years- of the business, that is. I've never found something that I thought was my calling, besides writing. This idea of ours just shows that I had my calling waiting for me all along; even though I'm crippled with a few problems in life, I'm really going to go ahead and make this dream happen." Luka took a breath, and smiled tiredly at Nicole. 

Her expression was priceless, and almost a bit adorable to the young man. She cared about him, even though they just met. She inspired him and admired his goals, even though they just met. Nicole was someone he knew he would want to keep around for a long time, be it as a friend or a co-worker. Luka knew that, simply from the way she acted as he thanked her. She looked surprised, yet content, and almost as if she wanted to continue to help him. "I'd want you to stick by me with this, if that's alright with you. I know you have your own life to worry about, but having you work alongside me would be undeniably amazing, Nicole." He said, taking one last sip of his tea, before it finally ran out. 

[lindley-roman]

Come As You Are | Luka & Lindley

[lindley-roman]

Lindley smiled gratefully, unable to really even think about all the things that Luka was saying. She was overwhelmed slight but then again, flattered by his innocence and breaking his streak of not dating just for her. She tried to keep herself collected as they moved, knowing that she was nervous as well. She had always been the worst at dating. If their was an award, she would certainly be the one to win. She could never find a middle ground when it came to timing. Lindley either found herself speeding through all the milestones of a relationship or taking a casual stroll and circling around each step for months. There never had seemed to be a middle ground. This was going to be different, Lindley had promised herself. She was going to get to know him and if there was more than that, they would take it one step at a time. 

At the same time that she was thinking all of this, she realized that she had been mostly nodding and giving dumb and general answers. It was like she was some sort of robot. Without much more thought, Lindley finally broke her silence and smiled thoughtfully. “I— Well, thank you, really. I wasn’t sure what to wear, I can always change but I know you’d probably like to get going. You look fine though. You look very nice and I happen to enjoy plaid,” she said with a shrug and following him to the car. She was thankful for him grabbing the car from his sister, considering otherwise they would have had to walk and although Lindley wore the heels, it didn’t mean that they didn’t hurt any less. 

Still, Lindley was in his car now, unsure of their plans but as he explained, she actually began to get a bit more excited for the night ahead. “No, no, I love Italian actually,” she nodded. “Dinner is perfect, Luka. Especially since I doubt that you will want to have to pick me off the ground when my feet fall off. Heels are only comfortable and useful for so long,” she joked lightly. “I really appreciate you coming out— I hadn’t really thought that it was going to happen but then again, it might be because I’m pretty terrible at these things. Rusty would be a nice excuse but unfortunately, I just know I’m horrible at all things dating,” she laughed. Lindley couldn’t help but laugh at her own misfortune, considering that none of her dates ever really turned into anything more than one date.

When Luka mentioned Lucian, her ears almost perked up like a dog. She loved that he was so enthusiastic about meeting Lucian but at the same time, she wasn’t quite sure that it was a good thing to end the night with, especially considering that Lucian was with her mother. That would never be a good idea. Lindley looked over at Luka biting her bottom lip nervously. “Believe me, I would but he’s at my mother’s for the night and I really, really don’t think that meeting him there would be a good idea. My mother’s not quite award-winning and she is certainly prone to judging. So maybe we’ll save that for another time, alright?” she said as politely and nonchalantly as possible. “Sorry— again.”

[lucas-prose]

The way she acted, Luka could feel the nervousness exuding from her. Lindley wasn't the best at this either, it seemed, and to Luka that was a blessing in disguise. It made the young writer feel more at ease, comfortable, and content. If he was comfortable already, then he knew that his time with Lindley would be enjoyable for him. At the mention of her changing her outfit, Luka furrowed his brow and glanced at her. "Hm?" He murmured, returning his gaze to the road. IT had been a while since he had driven; almost six months, in fact. "Why would I want you to change? You look beautiful, Lindley, I think it suits you." He shrugged slightly, hoping his words wouldn't come off in a unpleasing way.

She looked so much different since he saw her last, and although he wasn't a fan of changes, this one wasn't so drastic. In a way, he didn't mind the change at all. This change just proved to him, that she could become even prettier than when they first met. Women were interesting in that way, Luka thought, as he listened to her accepting his outfit for the night. "Ha, do you?" He smiled bashfully, nodded to hide his smile. "Well I rarely wear it for some reason, but perhaps I'll try wearing it more often now. If others think I look good in it, I mean." He lifted one hand from the wheel to run a hand through his hair, and shifted his attention to the road. They were close, and a sudden jolt of excitement was sent throughout Luka's body. He was going on a date.

"Well I'm glad you like it, because we're right down the street, haha." He looked over at her, and nodded absently as she explained herself. "Ah, so they really are a pain to wear? Gotcha." He put a thumbs up, and had a sly grin appear on his face. "I never understood them, I mean I guess it's because I'm a boy- though I'm also tall. I just think women should't have to boost them selves up an inch or two." He pulled over to a parking spot, and pursed his lips. "Or five, if you think about it." He scratched behind his ear, and laughed softly. "Well I'm glad we did this, because I really didn't take it as a joke. I was honored that you even wanted to, if I'm being frank with you." Luka stated, as he turned off the car. He motioned for her to wait a moment, and exited the car. Walking around to her side, he opened the door. As he looked down at her, Luka extended a hand for her to take. "I doubt you could be horrible at anything, Lindley." He spoke softly, and gave a reassuring smile. 

"We're both novices at this, so I'll be there with you every step of the way. No matter how awkward and embarrassing our dating techniques are." He laughed, hoping to amuse her. When they walked away from the car, and he locked it, Luka pointed to the entrance."I hope you like it, I really do." He opened the door, and followed after Lindley as they entered the restaurant. When she began to act differently, after the mention of her son, Luka felt as if he made a mistake somewhere along the way. He put up a hand, as if to assure her that it was okay. "I didn't mean to be so forward, sorry. I just can't wait to see the little guy. With the way you talked about him when we first met, I kept wondering what he was like. I even tried learning how to spell my name in sign language." Luka added the last part with a chuckle, and turned his attention to the hostess. "Reservation for two? It should be under Prose." 

They were led to a small table, one that could easily fit two, yet only two. It made it more intamate, however that wasn't the intention of the writer. He simply wanted to be alone with her, but only to get to know her. She was interesting to Luka, and he couldn't help but keep a warm smile plastered onto his face as they sat down. Of course, that was after he helped her with her seat. Luka was raised with mostly women in his family, so naturally he learned a few manners here and there. The table was lit by a candle, and the silverware was freshly polished. Seated alongside the front windows, The two could see the bright lights of the city streets. "I hope this is to your liking," He began, his finger lightly tracing the wineglass' rim. "I thought it'd come off as too much, but I wanted to make a good first impression." He explained, a light and airy laugh escaping him.

[lucas-prose]

[Luka&Makenna] Daily Routine

[makenna-c]

Blue eyes focused on the face of the man across from her, watching with anticipation as he took a bite of the cookie. Her lips upturned into a pleased smile when Luka proclaimed that he liked the treat, and she took a bite of her own half of the cookie, reveling in the way the tea was a present taste, but not overpowering. It had taken her quite a while to perfect the delicate balance of flavors, and she was quite happy with the final product.

His goofy smile was contagious. There was an innocence about him, and that trait normally made Makenna shy away from people. Not him though. Luka had an ease about him that was almost comforting. His joke had a her laughing lightly, shaking her head and sending strands of her hair dancing against her cheeks. “It’s alright, I’m horrible at puns so I bask in your skill.”

She watched him pick up the chocolate chip cookie next. There was something particularly comforting about the classic nature of the baked good. Makenna only ate them when she had a nice, cold mug of milk to dip them in, a small piece of her childhood, sentimentality that she didn’t normally allow herself. Leaning forward on the table, she peered at the plate thoughtfully. “Hmmm you might like these mocha almond. And this isn’t technically a cookie, but it’s a mint chocolate chip brownie. Sort of my specialty, and my personal favorite when it comes to dessert.”

It was strange for Makenna to linger in the booths without dashing back into the kitchen to check on things. She of course made herself sit down sometimes, but they were short breaks, and she was normally keeping her eye on the counter the whole time. For once, the redhead let herself relax, sitting back against her seat and giving Luka her full attention. “I’m glad you like it,” she answered honestly, a small smile on her face. “Perhaps you’ll get some writing inspiration in here once in a while, hmm?”

[lucas-prose]

An expression of mock surprise appeared on Luka's face, and he laughed in a fake disbelief. "Skill? My talent is far greater than a measly 'skill,' I assure you. I can bake a few delicious puns, you know." Luka wrinkled his nose at the statement he made, and sighed. "Okay yeah I'm going to stop now, haha. I'm not exactly the funny type, sorry." He shrugged, and reached for yet another mysterious cookie. After having the chocolate chip one, he felt safe enough to venture into the 'unknown world' of cookies.

Makenna watched him, and surprisingly enough Luka didn't stir or squirm. He enjoyed the attention, in a way, and felt at ease in the booth. Perhaps he really was changing these days, he thought, seeing as how he normally would be quite the awkward man in these situations. That thought made Luka chuckle aloud, and glance up with a soft smile at the baker across from him. His eyes widened, at the realization that he had misheard her. "Hm?" He had been off in his own little world, that he didn't know exactly what she meant. "I was zoning out, sorry." The young man apologized, and reached for the brownie she pointed too. "I guess it's that writing inspiration flowing in, haha. You're right I probably will get a lot of good ideas while I'm here." Luka added, and jokingly gave Makenna a smirk. He took the brownie, and nodded at her words as he examined it. 

"This one's your favorite?" He repeated, glancing between the baked good and the red head that accompanied him. "I can see why, I guess. It smells heavenly, Makenna." He smiled kindly, and took a small bite of the threat. The mint was a bit surprising, for he had never had a mint brownie before, but he quickly finished off the treat. "You know, I've never been a big fan of treats and sweets." He brushed his mouth with the back of his hand, ridding his face of all crumbs. "However, that was a delight. I think I might even have a new favorite, haha." He was about to reach for the next sample, but stopped himself to ask a question of the young baker. "Can I take a dozen? Or a box, of the brownies? I'm not really sure what to ask for, but I'd love to have more." His eyes turned into crescents as he grinned, anticipation for his new favorite treats exuding from him. It took him a while to try new things, though once he did....and liked it even a little bit....he was hooked. Luka would definitely become a regular at the bakery, though he wasn't sure if it would only be because of the treats.

[defto-forever]

[lucas-prose]

"Ever since high school, I would wake up to the sun in my eyes. For some reason, it likes to rise and sneak in through my window- successfully hitting me square in the eyes. It would be my personal alarm clock, though, so I guess I owe it some credit. It also would remind me to write down my dreams, for they are always trying to tell us something. They also make for a good story every once in a while." -Luka