FIC: "Shut Up. I Love You."
(MLB; Lukanette; LBSC Lukanette Month 2024)
@lovebugs-and-snakecharmers is doing a Lukanette Month for September 2024, and we all just kinda tossed some prompts in the disco to compile a list? We ended up with 71 prompts, so I decided I’d roll some dice to pick a prompt, do a twenty minute (ish, bc we all know sometimes they run away from me) sprint, and try to get some short fics out this month?
Prompt 10: A: says something stupid; B: laughing “Shut up. I love you.”
Friday nights on the Liberty were becoming something of a habit for Marinette. It was too easy to follow Juleka, Rose, and Luka home from school for band practice. Even if there was still some time before Ivan was expected to be there, Marinette didn’t mind. They usually spent the time either above or below deck, depending on the weather, working on homework or hanging out. She’d lost count of the afternoons she’d spent on a crate beside Luka, sketching her latest creation as he noodled on his guitar.
It wasn’t uncommon that she lingered after practice anymore, either. Sometimes Luka would have to work, but she was still welcome – she was always welcome, he loved to remind her – and the creative space there was just…freeing. Usually Juleka and Rose were still there to keep her company, but sometimes they would wander off on a date. Usually they were all left hanging around, and those usually led to movie or game nights.
The Liberty was, more than ever, starting to feel like a second home.
So there was nothing really unusual about that particular night, with all four of them sprawled out on the couches below deck watching some movie or documentary on…something. Marinette wasn’t quite sure, honestly. She was curled up against Luka’s side, her head on his shoulder and a blanket stretched over them. She had been sketching, when the movie – the first movie? – had started, but Luka had taken her book from her when she’d first started nodding off before it could hit the floor. Now she was…floating. Drifting in and out of consciousness, half awake and barely aware of anything beyond the warm arm holding her against an even warmer chest.
…it felt like what all those failed dates should have felt like. Back when.
She was dimly aware of quiet chatter on the other end of the couch. She wasn’t at all aware of the knowing smirks and giggles Rose and Juleka kept shooting their way. She was kind of aware of the documentary, where some comment had caused Luka to snort, the sound startling her just enough to become aware of the derisive chuckle that followed. She shifted slightly, and his arm tightened around her.
The chuckle was a warm rumble beneath her ear, and she found herself sighing as she sank into it. Into him.
“Because that’s what everyone wants,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm and making her brow furrow in confusion. “Xavier-Yves Roth for Mayor – Paris is doomed.”
She snorted, choking a little on a laugh. She turned her head into his chest, smiling.
“Shut up,” she mumbled, still laughing. He was so dumb. “I love you.”
Now, Marinette was…not all there. Half asleep at best. More than half asleep, really. Which is probably why she didn’t notice the way Luka just…froze beneath her. And she probably wouldn’t have noticed it, if Rose hadn’t let out an ear-piercing squeal that could rival a tea kettle the next moment. She jerked away from Luka, flailing and sending their blanket to the floor (and probably smacking him in the face – oops) – and then sending herself to the floor as she slid off the couch in the commotion. She smacked her knees into the edge of the crate they used as a coffee table, and then Juleka was sliding off the couch as she laughed and laughed and laughed, clutching her stomach. Marinette looked up, blinking wide, confused eyes at Luka, but Luka was…just sitting there.
“What…what?” she asked, blinking owlishly at him. But then he shook his head, and he was smiling, and oh that was…that was an awesome smile…
“Are you ok?” he asked, reaching out to help her up. She nodded mutely, and she bent to retrieve their blanket before returning to her place against him. “You sure?”
“I think I dozed off,” she said, rubbing at her eyes. She smiled sheepishly at him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…did I miss anything good?”
“Oh, nothing too important,” Juleka cackled, and for the strangest reason the look she was giving Marinette made heat crawl up her neck. Luka shot her a look, but then his arms were wrapping around Marinette again and tugging her back against him. He tucked his face against the crook of her neck, and she sucked in a breath when he pressed a little kiss there.
“Ignore her. She’s a monster,” he said. His breath was burning against her skin, but not as much as his lips when he kissed her again. “I love you, too.”
