Luke wakes to the creak of his door opening, to light spilling into his room from the hallway and a smile that makes his heart warm. Robbie’s head peaks through the door, his smile so bright and airy Luke’s sure he’s on the verge of laughter just from seeing him. He’s cradled to the side of you, one arm protectively holding him at your hip. Your smile is more timid than Robbie’s, a little less certain, a little apprehensive as you hesitate in the doorway. Luke smiles back and waves you in, cocks his head to the side as the door swings the rest of the way open and he’s met with the sight of breakfast on a tray in your other hand.
“What’s all this?” He asks as you move towards his bedside, offer him Robbie first, whom he gladly accepts with open arms and a small spattering of good morning kisses to his squishy cheeks.
“Birthday breakfast,” you answer softly and pass him the tray after he’s got Robbie settled on his lap.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Luke murmurs but hopes you catch the appreciation in his tone.
You shrug. “It’s from Robbie. And so is this,” you explain as you pull out a small envelope from your sweatshirt pocket and hand it over to him.
The warmth in Luke’s chest expands as he accepts the next token and slides a thumb under the seal. Robbie giggles in his lap, his small hands gripping the lip of the tray, interested gaze taking in the sight of food, pert nose wiggling at all of the smells.
Luke quickly opens the card and reads the sweet words from son to father about birthday wishes. Robbie’s name is signed under a tirade of xoxoxo. Luke smiles again, broader, warmer, touched to his very core you went out of your way.
“This is from Robbie, huh?” Luke asks and gives his son a little squeeze around the middle which brings on another giggle.
“Yes, he signed it and everything,” you say with an over dramatic nod.
“Don’t know when he learned cursive but that’s quite impressive,” Luke jests and looks down at Robbie. “Did he even make me breakfast?”
“All by himself,” you answer without missing a beat, face going flush and a sway in your stance taking over your body.
Luke nods again, makes another little comment about the genius of Robbie and how fast he’s growing up—he can already use the toaster!—then looks back at you. You stand awkwardly, hesitation sweeping over you as your eyes dart for the door and your arms cross over your stomach. You hold yourself there, waiting, for what Luke’s not exactly sure.
“Well, do you want to join us? It looks like Robbie made enough for everyone,” Luke comments and pats the free side of the bed.
“Are you inviting me into your bed, Luke?” You joke half heartedly.
“It’s not like you haven’t been in it before,” Luke responds quickly and revels in the sharp intake of breath that colors your surprise. He grins, wide and teasing and loving the air that surrounds you. “Come on. Lots of space, right here.”
“Oh no, you should just enjoy your morning with him,” you refuse with a slight shake of your head. “I don’t want to impose.”
Luke arches his eyebrow and pats the bed again, knocks his head to the side and just out his lip. “As the birthday boy, I insist.”
It takes you a moment to decide but soon enough the shake of your head turns to a nod and you slowly round the bed. You climb up and settle beside Luke, he notes the distance you keep between you, the rigidity that’s taken over your form. Your legs are stiff and your hold around your middle doesn’t drop. Even after all of the breakthroughs and coming to try and know each other there’s still a cavernous distance that lies between you.
Luke feels that emptiness in his chest from time to time. When he sees you with Robbie and feels he has to hesitate to approach. When you have to work late and ask Luke if he’ll watch Robbie, as if he’s just a babysitter and not his father. He knows you're not used to having him around, that you were on your own for so long, and those habits and instincts have yet to collapse.
“Here,” he offers and hands you a piece of toast to which you actually respond without hesitation this time. “How’d you guys know birthday breakfast is my favorite?”
“Lucky guess,” you say with a shrug and take a bite. “Robbie’s just so smart,” you continue, tone turning softer as you wrinkle your nose and smile at the baby.
Luke realizes that Robbie is your shield. The barrier that keeps you from each other. From admitting anything that might make those walls and hesitancies come down. Though the atmosphere is light and filled with treading Luke sobers and turns more serious.
“You really didn’t have to do this for me, you know,” he says again and hopes you’ll understand he’s not joking, he doesn’t want a volleying of Robbie between you.
Your demeanor shifts and suddenly you’re nearly sullen.
You let out a sigh, “I did. I don’t really know what we are to each other. Roommates. Co-parents. Friends? But I do know you’re Robbie’s father and this is what family does for each other.”
The emptiness in Luke’s chest begins to fill and flutter as he lets a grin claim his face. He looks from you to Robbie, presses a kiss to the top of his son’s head and then looks back up at you.
“Friends sounds good,” Luke says, though there’s a feeling of wanting more. He doesn’t voice that feeling, lets it on his tongue, simmer, knock around his chest and rattle his ribs.
“It does,” you agree with another little nod and nibble on the toast. “I’ll let you eat your breakfast in peace,” you say and shift off the bed without any way for him to protest. He senses that it’s enough for now, he doesn’t want to push. “Want me to take Robbie?”
“Absolutely not,” Luke says quickly and pulls Robbie up closer to him, settles him against his chest rather than his lap. “He’s the only birthday present I want.”
You laugh and assent to the plan of leaving Robbie with him. Before you break away for the door you hesitate and it piques Luke’s curiosity. You bite your lip and furrow your brows before heading towards him, leaning down and giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek.
“Happy birthday, Luke.”
In that moment, with your lips on his overheated skin, your son giggling in his ear and playing with his curls, Luke’s sure he’s never had a happier birthday.
* * *
If you’d like to be added to this series tag list just let me know!
It feels like SO long since I last did or posted any writing, but solo Luke has pulled me out of the woodwork! I’m so so proud of his new project and love Starting Line so much that it finally inspired me to write something. I feel like I’m a bit rusty with writing so thank you so much @calumrose and @calpops for helping me out with it! I hope you enjoy this & I would love to hear any thoughts on it!
Falling asleep next to Luke has become so normal, so part of your daily routine that when he’s not there, your body knows. The moments through the night where you’re briefly pulled from sleep for whatever reason no longer feel like disturbances when you’re met with the sight of Luke asleep next to you, instantly soothing you back to sleep. All you had to do was reach out, and he was never far away — a gentle kiss to assure you he was right there.
There’s no such sight tonight though.
The bedroom is dark, so for a moment you feel as though your eyes are tricking you, as Luke is always there. Although, there’s a small trickle of light through the room, streaming through the crack of the bedroom door, and it’s then you realise Luke must not have made it to bed yet. Petunia isn’t curled up in her bed at the far side of the room either, and you know she’s doing so in the studio down the hall.
It’s been several months since quarantine and lockdown began, and your lives have been turned upside down — forced to stay at home, tours cancelled and many, many virtual interviews taking over his life. At first Luke wrote over Zoom calls, and took his ideas into the studio when things opened up a little, but there was a constant nagging in the back of his mind that he needed something more. His mind was swirling with ideas that didn’t quite fit into what the band were doing. He’d had too much time at home, too much time to think, and he needed somewhere to put it so he could process it for himself. He’s too creative, he thinks too much — he needs an outlet.
Slipping out of bed, you grab one of Luke’s discarded hoodies, managing to put it on as you walk through the room still half asleep. It’s sometime in the early hours, but when Luke gets fixated on an idea, time is irrelevant. The light from the hall hurts your eyes, such a stark contrast from the dark bedroom. Your footsteps are quiet as you pad down the hall, not wanting to disturb him, but missing the familiar warmth of him sleeping next to you.
Standing in the doorway, he doesn’t acknowledge your presence — too focused on the keys in front of him, engrossed in what he’s playing. You faintly recognise the tune but now it has lyrics, he’s singing — and then you realise that why he’s not yet in bed. He’s hunched over the piano, his phone open next to him, assuming he’s recording little parts to play back later. There’s a lamp switched on in the corner, softening the room with a warm glow.
“I feel the walls are closing, I’m running out of time…” Luke’s tone is soft, almost like he’s mumbling, out of fear of waking you, or he’s just singing to himself. “I think I missed the gun at the starting line..”
You can just make out the words, and realise it’s purely his emotions - I feel, I think… and a part of you is relieved that he’s getting it down on paper, releasing his worries in the way he knows best. He gets too caught up in trying to understand himself sometimes, yet he avoids it too.
“Hey, rockstar,” You try to get his attention. When Luke lifts his head from the keyboard, there’s a concerned look on his face that he woke you up. There’s a smile too though, an amused one that always appears whenever you use that nickname. He gestures for you to come over, scooting along the bench of the piano so you could join him. You do — sitting as close as you could, resting your cheek on his shoulder as he wraps an arm around your back to keep you there. You wearing his clothes never gets old to him - it’s a reminder that whatever he has is also yours, that he wants to share everything with you; including whatever is on his mind. He hears you yawn and pulls you in closer, suddenly craving the feeling you came in search of, of being next to you.
“Sorry if I woke you,” Luke murmurs, his lips brushing your forehead in a silent hello. You shake your head, a free hand landing on his thigh in a reassuring gesture to say that it’s okay. “I didn’t realise what time it was.”
“You didn’t,” You reply, voice hoarse from the few hours of sleep that you did get. “I always wake up when you’re not next to me. You okay? That song sounds kinda sad.”
He laughs a little, looking at his phone to make sure he’s stopped the voice recording. “It’s not meant to be sad, more... reflective. It’s only acoustic so far, but I think I’ve got the lyrics down.”
He softly plays a few keys as you sit there, the gentle sound in combination with Luke humming under his breath next to you already sending you back to sleep. “You gonna send it to Ash to help out with the drums? Or are you leaving it acoustic?”
Luke hums thoughtfully, almost like he’s reluctant to tell you the answer — whether he’s sure he wants to say it out loud, because that makes it real. “I actually wasn’t going to involve them in this one.”
And there it is.
You had wondered if he’d ever go down this road himself, remembering how he had been inspired by Ashton’s solo works. Luke has been tied to the band since his early teens, he’s grown up in the band and barely had time to breathe until the last few months at home. You know he’s happy with the songs he’s written with the guys so far, but had the feeling he was wanting something a little more.
“How come?” You prompt, and even though you have an idea, you want to hear it from him.
“I just feel like I need to make sense of a lot of things,” He explains, almost as if he’s convincing himself too. “Having all this time at home has made me think about myself and who I am compared with who I used to be, and I need somewhere to work it out. I figured music is the best way to do that.”
He expects a bigger reaction from you, like it’s something so out of the norm that you’d question if he’s doing the right thing — but you don’t. You nod, and take one of his hands in yours, giving it a reassuring squeeze, to ease the nerves you sense he has.
“Well, you said it’s reflective, and what better time to reflect than when the world is at a standstill? I know you can create something amazing.” You assure him, the words whispered against his shoulder, and it’s all the convincing he needs. “Trust yourself, Luke. You’re way more talented than what you give yourself credit for.”
He’s quiet for a moment, his cheek resting on your head, just basking in the silence for a little while. As soon as he started to write this song there had been a nagging feeling at the back of his mind, that he wanted to keep it just for himself — he wanted to pour some of his anxieties into a song in the hopes of learning more about himself.
“You don’t think the guys will be offended, that I want to work on something for myself?” He asks you tentatively, and you know he already knows the answer to that.
You shake your head. “God, no, Luke. You were all very supportive of Ashton when he did Superbloom, why would it be any different for you? You know they’ll have your back no matter what. You’re best friends before anything else. You should talk to them about it, it’ll ease your mind.”
He hums in acknowledgement, a comforted smile on his lips at your words.
“Do you want to hear some more?” He asks, and you don’t even need to give him an answer. You murmur a reassurance of “of course” and he picks up again, feeling more certain of his craft now that he knows he has your support. He never doubted that you wouldn’t support him in whatever he wanted to do, but he thinks too much — he struggles to make sense of his thoughts, and it prompts him even more to want to create art from it.
You can already see how much it means to him, how he’s poured his heart into the lyrics he’s managed to put together. Throughout your relationship, you’ve gotten better at observing his feelings, and you know this is important to him. There’s pages full of scribbled lyrics in front of him, his hair is messy from running his fingers through it every time had gotten frustrated, and it’s clear he was determined to get something out of this song.
“Tell me, am I broken? I can never leave, biting on my tongue and checking if it bleeds,” He sings, the words clearer now he’s not in fear of waking you and of the words itself. “Is it lost on me? All the things I believe.”
It’s like he’s questioning himself with the lyrics as he sings, and as your eyes glance over the sheet in front of you, you notice a whole page of different thoughts and questions about everything — himself, his life and the band. All things that play on his mind constantly that he usually doesn’t have the time (or he occupies himself to avoid) to think about, all coming to the surface now the world is on pause.
“Take me alive, don’t look away until it’s gone, til it’s gone..”
Luke plays a few keys at the end before he turns to you, your face hidden against his shoulder. His fingertips brush your cheek before he lifts your face to look at him, and he’s not sure whether to smile or not when he’s met with unshed tears lining your eyes.
“Baby,” He murmurs, leaning in to nudge his nose against yours, his thumb softly brushing the first tear away as he slides down your cheek. “What’s with the tears?”
“That song is really beautiful,” You reply, sniffling to try and contain your emotions a little. He brushes his lips against yours in a sweet kiss, a sign of both his love and gratitude — and if just the first song has that affect on you, he knows he needs to pursue what’s in his heart. “It’s so pure, and so you. And I can’t wait to see what else you come up with.”
He feels like crying at your words and doesn’t know how to thank you enough for how supported you make him feel, no matter what he’s doing. “I love you, honey. Thanks for being on this journey with me.”
“Where else would I be?”
And when he finally makes it to bed, with you in his arms and a full heart, he’s content — he knows what he needs to pursue, and with you by his side, he knows he can do anything.
Don’t look away until it’s gone.
***
So there we are! I’d love to hear any feedback, I feel like I’m out of practice at writing lmao 🥺 Also I’m starting a new taglist, so if you’d like to be added to my new one, please fill out this Google form!
So here is the first fic in my new Song Series, to celebrate 11,000 followers! I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who reads any of my fics or blurbs and follows me on here, I appreciate it so much, and I’m so excited to share this series with you! I want everyone to be a part of this too, so if you have any songs you’d like me to write about, let me know!
Song: Fix It to Break It — Clinton Kane. Please listen to the song as you read! It really adds to the overall vibe of the fic, I think it’s such a beautiful song.
Word count: 2,539
“Remember that time I made you laugh?”
The air in the room feels thick and heavy as Luke lifts his head, his narrow eyes on you as you avoid his gaze. Your lounge, a place that was once filled with life and laughter, almost feels unrecognisable. His voice is gravelly, almost a whisper as he speaks, like the light inside of him no longer shines so bright. Your focus is on the ground, your mind silently counting the number of panels across the floor. Anything to distract from the current moment. You don’t want to face Luke.
Things have changed.
The house that you once called home feels like an empty shell of what once was there, and all that’s left is you and Luke to pick up the pieces of each other.
“I would give in to hear that sound again.” He continues. There’s no emotion in his voice, like he has nothing left. There’s so much to say, yet so little - he doesn’t know where to start. Luke can’t bear to think back over the good times through fear of breaking down. It feels like it’s about to come to a head, like he can no longer keep it inside. There’s things that need to be said.
You were once ‘that couple,’ the one that your friends always knew you’d become; a love so pure that others wanted to feel it. They’d ask you how you do it, but neither you or Luke ever had an answer. It was just easy. It worked. The love you felt for each other overcame everything else, and that’s all there was to it.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Luke.” You admit, still avoiding his eyes.
You can feel him looking at you. He’s anxiously bouncing his knee, the sight catches your eye, and it’s not an uncommon one. He over thinks a lot. You don’t need to look at him to know how he’s feeling; the cogs are whirring in his head far too quick for even him to understand.
Luke tries to contain his temper. There’s a lot that he wants you to say, a lot of explanations he feels he deserves. He doesn’t have it in him to get mad at you. It hurts too much. A promise he once made, that nothing is solved by shouting, not after you disclosed your painful childhood to him. As hurt as he is, he isn’t going to break that. There’s only one time he raised his voice at you, and he’ll never forget the pain in your eyes when you recoiled from him. It’s enough to haunt him into never speaking loudly to anyone again.
He clears his throat.
“Things have changed,” He says, blankly, so matter-of-factly. “We’ve changed. I want you to admit that you feel it too.”
The two of you have been living in denial for too long.
Luke has woken up alone too many times. You’d slip out of bed early, blaming a morning appointment, but wouldn’t return until late afternoon. He can’t remember the last time he held you without you pushing away. There’s always a reason to not be around, always an excuse. He’d spent the whole tour wanting to be back in your arms, to feel his lips against yours. He’s been back for a month, and he still doesn’t feel like he’s home.
“You were away for a long time, Luke,” You murmur, knowing that it’s going to hit a nerve with him. Tour was always a sensitive topic. You know he won’t get mad at you, though, he never does. It’s one of the things you love about him. “Six months. I got used to being alone. I can’t just go back to normal so quickly.
He pauses for a moment.
“Did you miss me?” He asks, like he’s nervous to hear the answer.
He doesn’t get a moment to prepare for your response before you reply, “of course I did, Luke. Why would you ask me that?”
Your mind flashes back to when he was away, the late night calls when he needed to hear your voice. He couldn’t sleep without saying good night, despite what time it was where you were. Sometimes you didn’t pick up. Although, what Luke didn’t know, was that you needed to hear him just as much. It just hurt too much sometimes, to know it would be so long before you heard him in person again.
“We’ve been through tours before,” He reminds you. “It’s never taken this long for us to adjust. You’re usually so excited for me to come home. It didn’t feel like that this time.”
When he’s been touring before, the thought of getting home to you was what kept him going. Whether you managed to make it to the airport or he met you at home, the smile on your lips accompanied with the relief of a “you’re home,” made his heart soar. He’d never felt so loved, so at home — nothing beat the feeling of waking up next to you the morning after getting home. The best sleep he ever had was the night he came home from being away for so long.
It’s a feeling he misses.
He’s been home for a month, and nothing feels the same. There’s been moments where he feels as though he’s been dreaming, whether he’s misremembering your relationship before he went on tour.
He doesn’t understand how things can change so quickly.
From falling asleep with you in his arms, to feeling like you’re miles apart in the bed. Even if you somehow untangled your legs from his own in your sleep, he would search for you, craving your skin to soothe his mind back to sleep. Now, he’s on edge, he lays in the dark staring at the wall until sleep manages to encompass him. He’s lucky if he sleeps through the night.
There’s times where you sleep in the spare room, claiming you finished work too late, and didn’t want to disturb him. When really, it’s too much to be in the same bed as him, knowing that he’s hurting. You know you’re pushing him away, yet don’t know how to stop it.
You just wanted to be able to breathe.
“I just...” You sigh, brushing a hand through your hair as you slump back into the sofa. “I don’t know what to tell you. What do you want me to do?”
Luke wants to scream. He wants to tell you that he loves you, that he wants you to love him too. He knows you used to. He’s not sure you do anymore. He can’t remember the last time you told him sincerely. He still remembers the first time he told you he loved you, how even though it took you a minute to say it back, he knew you meant it. He saw it in your eyes. Now he says “I love you” and you reply “you too” — it doesn’t feel the same. Just like everything else doesn’t.
It’s the little things he misses the most. He misses talking to you, feeling connected, and just doing nothing together. He likes the reassurance of having someone around. He’s never been one to enjoy his own company, especially not after a tour, even if all you do is sit on your phones in silence. You used to put out his coffee cup in the morning, and he remembers when you stopped. He misses you singing quietly in the shower, when you think he can’t hear you. He can. And it makes his mornings that little bit brighter. He misses the sound of your laugh when you watch a repeat of a sitcom you’ve seen a hundred times.
It’s the little things that make him feel loved.
“I want you to love me like you say you do,” Luke says, as firmly as he can without his voice breaking. “I don’t want to have to remind you to love me. I shouldn’t have to do that.”
He thinks it’s unfair for you to blame him.
Tears well in your eyes at his words, the pain in his voice like a dagger through your heart as you listen to him speak. “You know that I love you, Luke.”
“No I don’t.” He replies. He’s just being honest. “You used to. I don’t know if-”
“I do.” You cut him off, not wanting to hear the end of the sentence. It makes sense that he doesn’t feel it anymore, as much as you don’t want to admit it. You’ve pushed him away. “You know the moment I fell in love with you. I didn’t lie when I said I’ve never loved someone like I love you. That doesn’t just go away.”
He does know the moment you’re talking about. It was one of the first times he took you home to Australia, to meet his family, when you saw just how loving and gentle he is. The way he loves his family is like nothing you’ve ever seen. He has the biggest heart. He glowed different that weekend; his Mum saw it too, she told you.
Everything felt like it had fallen into place.
You were in his childhood bedroom, just having a moment to yourselves, when he had kissed you like nothing else mattered, in that moment. You felt immersed by him, like you were meant to be there with him. Where you had murmured the words “You’re a real sweetheart, you know that? I’ve never felt love like this before.” and he swore he’d never love anybody else either.
Those days feel like a distant memory now.
“I got too used to you not being here.” You continue to explain. Six months is a long time. You threw yourself into work, into anything but thinking about how much you missed him. Maybe too much, because now you’ve forgotten how things once were. “I’m not blaming this on you, Luke. I know that touring means the world to you. I just had to stop myself from sitting around and waiting for you to come home.”
It’s not the first relationship Luke’s damaged by being away. It’s a common theme in his life, actually, but he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. The band comes first. Yet he’s not sure he can do this again.
“I feel like I’ve lost you.” He admits, and now it’s his turn to tear up. There’s a lump in his throat, you can hear it in his voice. “I wanted to have this conversation for weeks now. I didn’t know if I was just making it up, that things felt so different, but they do. And I don’t know how to fix it.”
You dare to look in his direction. You find his eyes, the usual sparkling blue now dulled by the pain behind them, and it’s then you remember why you were looking away.
“I think we need to find each other again,” You admit, quietly. Easier said than done. You suddenly feel the desire to get up and sit next to him, to be close to him. It’s like he knows, like he can read your mind, and he shuffles up on the sofa to make space. You sigh heavily, your body feeling like dead weight as your feet carry you across the room. You’re almost nervous to sit next to him. “I don’t know how we do that. But we need to try.”
We. Something Luke feels like you haven’t been for a while.
“I need more.” Luke tells you. He needs more love, more affection, more conversation… more everything. He wants to feel like he’s in a relationship again. He wants to feel the love you say you have for him. He wants to feel like he’s enough for you. “I can’t go on like this. You’re worth the pain if you want to try and make this work. I just want to feel like we mean something to each other again.”
You feel like you’re lost in a crowd somewhere, or floating in the ocean, drifting further apart. Except maybe now is the time that you find each other again.
“Look at me, Luke.” You murmur, moving even closer, your hand resting on his shaking thigh to calm him down. You hear him inhale, exhale, and his eyes finally meet yours. Your voice is merely a whisper as you talk to him. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I love you so much that sometimes it hurts.”
Luke feels like he could break down on the spot when he finally looks you in the eye. It takes him back to every moment where he’s felt consumed by you, and for just a moment, he thinks that somehow, things might end up okay.
“I need to know that you’re in this for the long run.” He tells you, his eyes pleading with you more than his words are. “I’m always going to go on tour. I don’t want to go through this every time I come home. I can’t do this again.”
You nod, and your hand runs up and down his thigh in a soothing gesture.
“I’m right here,” You reassure him, your hand cupping his cheek as your thumb rubs over his cheekbones. For the first time in weeks, he feels like he can breathe, he feels safer than he thought he could in his house. “I know I haven’t been. And I know I have a lot of making up to do. But I’m going to be around to get us through this.”
Those are the words he’s longed to hear for weeks. You sit in silence for a few moments, just absorbing the conversation - just being in each other’s presence.
“That’s enough talking for now.” Luke whispers. He lays back against the cushions of the sofa, holding his arm out for you to lay against him. You oblige, sighing as you lay against his chest, the material of his jumper soft against your cheek. It’s like everything has stopped, like everything feels right once again. It feels like he hasn’t done this for months. Silently, he takes one hand to tilt your chin so your face is right in front of his. There’s pain in your eyes too, he can see it. His nose gently taps yours, and you move your face closer, before he’s brushing his lips against yours.
And then he’s kissing you.
It’s a real kiss, one that has meaning, feelings, more than anything he’s felt in weeks. The only affection he’d had for weeks was a passing kiss in the morning, sometimes before bed, but it didn’t feel like this. Your lips are soft yet slightly chapped; he tries to savour every detail. He just wants to feel close to you. His kisses taper off and he’s sighing contently, unsure where you’re going to go next, but feeling safer than he has for a while.
“Maybe we just had to break to be fixed.”
Things are far from perfect. Weeks of pain cannot be solved by one kiss. Yet you’re going to try, and that’s all Luke needs to know. You just need to find each other again.
***
Please please let me know what you think, and if you have any requests for songs you want me to write about! Thanks for reading 🥰
The idea for this came from this post, which I thought was so sweet and beautiful — so I just had to write about it! Features soft boyfriend and dad Luke, like pretty much all of my writing does lmao. As always thank you to @calumrose for talking about this with me all day and reading along the way! I’m really happy with how this turned out so please let me know what you think if you enjoyed it too.♥️
Word count: 2,480
Warnings: mentions of pregnancy.
“I think it’s time for a coffee.”
Luke thinks out loud, talking to Petunia as he opens the front door to your shared home, unclipping her lead so she could get a drink from her bowl. Since lockdown had begun, Luke had gone to the effort of going for a run most mornings — wanting to get out of the house (and his head) before a day of Zoom meetings and phone calls.
Running usually left him feeling energised, yet today is one of those days — he knows he needs at least one more coffee before he gets anything done. He left around an hour ago, leaving you in bed to wake up at your own pace. The house is quiet as he steps in, but he knows you’re up — he can hear the rumbling of the TV from the lounge, needing something to fill the silence of the house whilst he’s gone. He knows you have your own work to do today too.
“Good morning, babe.” He calls out into the lounge, looking into where you’re curled up on the couch — mug of tea in your hand, laptop on your lap. It’s still relatively early morning — he hasn’t checked the time, but he knows you have to be logged on by 9:00am.
“Hey, good run?” You ask, looking up at him and taking in his post run state — something he hates, yet you couldn’t get enough of it. There was something about it — long, bleached blonde curls tied back into a little bun, a tank top that perfectly shows off his arms. He leans down, lips brushing against your forehead in a silent hello. “You’re all sweaty.”
He ignores your comment, looking at your face — eyebrows furrowed a little as if he was confused about something.
“What’s up?” He asks, taking one of your hands and lacing his fingers with yours, squeezing gently. Now it’s your turn to look confused.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re irritated by something,” Luke tells you, almost like he knows your emotions better than you do. How does he know? You did get a frustrating email from a work colleague just before he came back from his run, but he doesn’t know about that. “Your left eye is twitching. You’re doing that cute eyebrow thing, too.”
You scoff, taken aback by his words, as you’d never noticed that you did that when you’re annoyed by something. Even more annoyingly, Luke is right.
“How did you... I don’t do that.” You argue, and Luke laughs, happy that he’s at least distracted you from whatever you’re annoyed about for a moment. “What cute eyebrow thing?!”
“You do, babe,” He replies, raising his eyebrows in a knowing expression. He loves how defensive you get. He’s seen you do it countless times. He’s never mentioned it to you before, he assumes you know — but it’s always a telltale sign that you’re not happy about something. He remembers the first time he noticed it — when you’d asked him to take the bins out and he’d completely forgotten. Lockdown had made it even more clear that it’s your body’s reaction to whatever was annoying you, since he’d seen it more than ever since working from home. “Well, let’s see if I’m right. Are you annoyed about something?”
“Well... yeah,” You roll your eyes when he smiles in triumph. “I got an email from my boss that pissed me off. I’ll be lucky to finish everything he sent by midnight at this rate.”
“Thought so,” He says, mainly to himself. He brushes his lips against yours in a soft peck, before pushing up from the sofa and heading to make himself the coffee he was thinking about. “It’s okay, babe, you have me here to entertain you all day whilst you work on it. Anything I can help with?”
You shake your head, knowing it would take even longer if you tried to explain it to Luke.
“Coffee would help.”
He smiles to himself in the kitchen, as he has already gotten a mug out to make you one too, knowing it would help you through the morning.
“Coming right up, honey.”
***
There’s no sound more soothing than that of crashing waves.
Especially in the late evening — the sun set creating a beautiful orange and purple haze. Everything felt quiet, peaceful, serene. You’re sat on the wall at the seafront. The sand felt warm beneath your toes, a contrast to the cool sea breeze causing goosebumps to break out over your bare arms. Luke notices.
“Here,” He takes off his denim jacket, leaving him in just a black t—shirt, before he drapes it over your shoulders, tucking the material around you. You cuddle into the jacket, stealing his warmth — the scent lingering on the material surrounding you with Luke. He knew from the moment you left the house, that he’d be giving you his jacket at some point in the day. He’d suggested you take one when you set off, but you waved him off — saying you’ll be fine in what you’re wearing. He made sure he wore one, so he could give it to you. “Better?”
“Much,” You nod, kissing his scruffy cheek and resting your head on his shoulder. His loving gestures made your heart melt. “The baby isn’t cold anymore. Thank you.”
The baby.
Luke still isn’t used to those words, yet the more he hears them, the more he hopes they sink in. You’re almost at 12 weeks — almost at the point where you can start to let others in on the secret you and Luke have so happily been keeping. He’s excited for his parents and brothers to find out, to see his mum’s reaction to becoming a grandma. He can’t wait to hear his bandmates, his brothers, argue over who is going to be the godparent. He can’t wait for it all.
He smiles, resting his cheek on the top of your head as you watch the sunset. He hears you sigh in contentment, knowing you truly feel at peace when you’re with him, especially when you’re at the beach. Two of your favourite things. He had planned an evening out for the two of you, wanting to go later in the day as it would be less crowded — as well as being able to watch the sunset.
“Can we walk down to the sea?” You ask, noticing how the tide was starting to come in, and if you didn’t go now, you wouldn’t be able to. “I won’t splash you, promise.”
“Of course,” He pushes up from the wall, lacing your fingers with his to help you get down, before you head down the sand. Most of the people who had been around had left, leaving just the two of you on that part of the beach, along with a few dog walkers. “It wouldn’t be a trip to the beach without it.”
You make it to the edge of the sea, the sand wet beneath your feet as they sink into the soft ground. You grip Luke’s hand a little tighter to keep upright, and he can’t take his eyes away from your face. He knows exactly how you feel in the moment. Your eyes are glistening with a happiness he doesn’t often see, one that’s reserved for what he thought were special moments between you both. Going to the beach isn’t anything special, but the feeling he knows you’re experiencing right now is. He’s unsure whether it’s him, or the peaceful evening at the sea, maybe a combination of the two. The pregnancy glow is real too, Luke is sure of it. He never understood what people meant when they said that you glow — yet looking at you right now, he knows they were right.
He’s so used to seeing you stressed and anxious, worrying about work or a family member, and everything in between. Especially since you found out you were expecting, too — always worried about something going wrong, as well as just general fears of parenthood. He savours moments like this, where he knows you truly feel as careless as you can. Your smile is different. He’s caught off guard by a larger wave and it makes you laugh — really laugh, one that isn’t forced, and he knows when your nose scrunches up as you smile at him. He can tell when you’re truly happy — and he knows in this moment, you are.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” You ask, a blush creeping onto your cheeks as you suddenly feel a little self conscious. Luke shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders.
“I’m not looking at you like anything,” He replies, acting innocent — like he isn’t thinking about you’re feeling, like that’s not all he can focus on. “I just love being here with you. And I love you.”
He wraps his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his body, your face pressed against his chest. Your arm wraps around his back, hand landing on his side, holding yourself close to him. His free hand slips beneath his jacket, over the ever growing bump beneath his palm — feeling the soft rolls and kicks. He basks in the feeling, hoping it would last forever — although forever didn’t feel like long enough when it came to you.
“I love you too.”
***
Luke is cautious as he sways around the room.
He delicately hums under his breath, not wanting to make too much noise, but wanting the sweet baby in his arms to know he was there. She seems to find his voice comforting — something he has learned over the past five days of her life. Probably from all the hours he spent talking and singing to her when she was still a bump.
“Is she down?” You ask quietly, slipping into the bedroom and carefully sitting down at the edge of your bed. The lamp in the corner of the room is dimmed, creating a soft ambience in the room, relaxing all three of you. You can’t get over how tiny your daughter looks in her dad’s arms, barely fitting along the length of his arm. His broadness doesn’t help, yet there’s something so sweet about the size difference between the two.
“Nearly,” Luke yawns quietly as he looks down at her face. Her eyes are pretty much closed — long, delicate eyelashes gracing her full cheeks, rosy from the warmth of being tucked in his arms. She’s not quite ready to fall fully asleep just yet though, wiggling in his grasp as he rocks her. “She’s fighting it a little bit. Ain’t so bad, though. I don’t want to put her down.”
You chuckle at his words, pushing back the thick duvet and tucking your legs beneath it, trying to get comfortable. Sleep is few and far between as a new parent, something you and Luke have grown to learn over the last week. You’ve never seen Luke so fixated on something — the way he’s gazing at the bundle of blankets in arms makes your heart flood with adoration.
“God, she’s just like you.” Luke murmurs, lifting his arms a little so she’s closer to his face. His lips brush her forehead, leaving the lightest of kisses against the soft skin. The weight of her in his arms was such a comfort to him, one that he’s never felt before.
“In what way?” You ask, curiously. Over the last few days, you’ve noticed a few features of Luke’s in her — obviously, she has his perfect slope of a nose. You’re curious to know what he has noticed of you in her.
“Well,” He gently sits down next to you, shuffling over so you can see your daughter, so you can look at her together. You can hear her snuffles and little noises as she falls asleep, a sound that has grown to be comforting ever since she was born, so you know she’s okay. Luke feels as though he learns something new about her every time he looks at her. “Do you see how she’s pouting? How her bottom lip is out, even though she’s asleep? You do the same thing when you’re asleep.”
“Really?” You ask, noticing that Luke was right. She’s pretty much fast asleep, yet her little bottom lip is out in almost a full pout. Luke smiles at you realise, taking his thumb and ever so softly running it beneath her full lips. She doesn’t react to his touch, staying asleep as he continues to rock her gently. “I didn’t know I did that.”
“You do, and I love that she does it too.” Luke admits, his pointer finger trailing down the middle of her eyebrows, down the slope of her nose, tapping it ever so gently. Her nose scrunches up at the action, a yawn following — Luke chuckles at the face she pulls as she does. “That too. Her nose may look like mine, yet the little scrunching is all you.”
Luke pays a lot of attention to her mannerisms — he observes them whenever he gets the chance. He looks for parts of you in her. He doesn’t have to look far. She even has a freckle behind her ear — one exactly where you do — he noticed that the first time he held her. He doesn’t think he’s ever felt anything compared to the love he feels towards her, when he sees parts of the love of his life in the tiny being he helped to create.
“I can’t wait to hear her voice,” You think out loud, not wanting the time to rush by — yet you can’t help but think about everything you’re yet to know about her. Luke smiles at your words. You get to raise her, to watch her grow into her own person together. She’s there as a constant reminder of you to him.’ She’s perfect. “Her laugh, too. I hope she laughs like you.”
“As long as she’s happy, I don’t care.” He means it. He can’t wait for all of the milestones too. He knows the journey is going to be difficult — he’s only been a dad for a week, yet it’s been one of the most nerve wracking weeks of his life. “I hope she’s as happy as we are.”
He feels like he already knows her, as he stands up to put her to bed. He rests his forehead against hers for a second, basking in the feeling of her asleep in his arms, before he slowly lowers her into the crib. She’s unsettled for a moment, wondering where his warm arms have gone — yet she’s soothed when his fingertips graze her baby grow covered back, and she falls asleep. You know, he knows, and...
To be known, is to be loved.
***
Feedback is always really appreciated! I really love how this turned out and would love to know what you thought. My ask box is here! <3
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Here’s another little Luke and Delilah blurb! Let’s ignore the fact that he’s drinking a beer in the photo above and just think about him in a pool on an inflatable😌♥️ As always, feedback and requests are appreciated!
“Who’s ready for a pool day?”
Luke’s question is met with a squeal, followed by an excited giggle as the ten month old on the bed looks up at him. She’s dressed in her swim suit — a baby pink colour, decorated with tiny flowers and butterflies — all ready for him to take her in the pool.
Now that the intensity of the LA summer was finally settling down, it was much more bearable for Delilah to spend time in — meaning you and Luke could be less worried about burning her delicate skin. She had started to take more interest in the pool, having to be held back from it whenever she crawled too close to the water — Luke’s heartrate spiking everytime she went near.
“Now, I know you’re not gonna like me for this, but if you want to go in the pool, it has to be done, okay?” Luke consults Delilah, grabbing her feet and gently pulling them down so she’s laid against the soft sheets. Almost as if she knows what he’s going to do, she tries to crawl away from him, but Luke is too quick. “No no, just stay still for 2 minutes, okay? Do you think you can do that?”
“Do you need backup?” You ask, laughing as you watch Luke try to get Delilah to not escape his grasp, so he can cover her in suncream before they go outside. “What do you want me to do? Hold her down or put the cream on?”
Luke laughs at your question, the phrase “hold her down” becoming one that’s being used more often in your household, with Delilah at the age of wanting to explore everything she can. She’s so close to walking, now being able to hold herself up against most things in reach — meaning she’s also able to see and touch many more things. Everything is an adventure in her eyes, no matter the situation.
“Hmm, can you just distract her?” He replies, hoping you’ll be able to catch her attention enough for him to lather some of the cream at least onto her legs and arms. Her face would be an added extra.
Deciding peek-a-boo is your best option, you get her attention — hiding your own face before jumping out at her and being met with giggles. She’s distracted by Luke when he begins to smooth suncream all over her legs, and she responds by kicking her legs at him, trying to push his hands away.
“Hey, you,” Luke chuckles, knowing he’s halfway there now her legs are done. “No kicking daddy, baby. I promise I’m almost done, okay? One more minute.”
She babbles as he manages to cover her arms and shoulders in suncream, before taking a small amount in his fingers and smoothing it over her cheeks quickly. He leans over her, so she’s looking right at him — hopefully stopping her tears in their tracks by planting kisses in the hollow of her neck, to make her giggle.
“See, all done!” He reassures her, picking her up from under her arms and sitting her on his hip. He brushes her unruly curls away from her face, making a mental note that she needs a haircut — although he can’t bear the thought of anyone going near her precious hair. “All ready to go.”
He carries her out to the garden and you follow behind, wanting to watch the first time she experiences the pool properly. Luke sits down at the edge of the water, so only his feet are submerged, Delilah sat in his lap. The cool water is refreshing on his skin, and he can only imagine it’ll feel the same for her. Noises of excitement and curiousity spill from her lips, already trying to reach out for the water so she can touch it with her hands.
“Okay, okay, are you ready, baby? We’ll just dip your toes in.” Luke tells her, holding her underneath her arms and carefully dipping her little feet into the water. At first she curls them up, not sure how to react, but only a moment later, she’s splashing in the water beneath her. “What’s that like, huh? Do you like it?”
“Oooo,” She exclaims, kicking at the water beneath her as she gets used to it.
“I think that’s a yes.” You smile at the two of them, holding your phone to take a few photos of the sweet moment, before joining them at the edge of the pool.
“Shall we go all the way in?” Luke asks her, assuming that she‘ll enjoy it based on her initial reaction. He holds her back on his hip, supporting her with one arm as he pushes away from the edge of the wall with another. Delilah clings to his shoulder as they’re submerged with water, the level at the middle of Luke’s chest. He brushes his lips over her cheek, soft and sticky with suncream, a sign of reassurance that he’s there. “I’ve got you, sweetheart, it’s okay.”
He slowly moves around the shallow end of the pool, letting her get used to the water and splash him as much as she likes, before he spots the float at the other end of the pool. He moves a little closer to you, asking a “can you take her for a minute, babe?” before he’s swimming to the other end to get the float.
Jumping up onto it, Delilah’s eyes widen as the bright white and pink’s of the float catch her attention from your spot in her lap. She’s instantly trying to reach out to him, her arms held out in a grabby motion to get him to take her.
“You want to come up here with me, baby?”
Luke manages to clumsily manoeuvre his way over to you and Delilah, using one hand to keep himself anchored to the side of the pool, the other reaching out to secure the baby in his lap as you set her down.
The happy sounds and the smile lighting up Delilah’s face melts your heart as you watch her, happily laying back against Luke as he pushes away from the side of the pool with a “here we go!”
Her laughter doesn’t falter as he keeps her entertained, splashing her legs with water, all whilst making sure she wasn’t about to throw herself into the pool. You have some time to yourself and read a book, happy to listen to their content noises whilst they play together and you can relax.
It’s not long before the two of them go quiet and you hear a “um... babe?” and you look up in confusion, wondering why you can no longer hear Delilah’s happy laughter.
You can‘t help but laugh as you spot the issue — Delilah, fast asleep, laid with her back against Luke’s chest as they float around the pool. He’s got his arms resting on her legs, holding her at the awkward angle she’s fallen asleep at, to make sure she doesn’t slip.
“Oh my god,” You chuckle, clapping your hand over your mouth at the sight, wondering how she’s managed to fall asleep so quickly when they were having fun just moments earlier. “How did that happen? Did you bore her?”
“No!” He replies, his voice a loud whisper in case he wakes her up. To Delilah, it’s like any other nap — it seems as though she’s unaware of the unusual surroundings as she wriggles against him, trying to get comfortable, Luke’s heart stopping in case she manages to fall off of his knee. “I need to move her,”
You try not to laugh even more as he shifts her against his chest, making sure he’s got her — an arm around her back to hold her snug against him, as she buries her face in his neck. It doesn’t faze her, though, she just stays asleep, cuddling into him as he pats her back.
“What do I do?” Luke asks, realising that he’s in the middle of the pool, he can’t reach the edge and you can’t get to him either.
“You’re just gonna have to wait it out, Luke.” You reply, knowing there’s nothing either of you can do until he ends up near the edge. Delilah hasn’t noticed the difference — tucked up in his arms, she’s content to sleep wherever, as long as Luke’s there. “She looks pretty comfy, I guess we’ll just have an early nap time today. Just make sure she doesn’t fall.”
You know Luke won’t let that happen, especially with how securely he’s got her in his arms, yet you can’t help but picture her plunging into the pool half asleep. Every time she so much as wiggles, he pulls her closer, tucking a curl behind her ear, listening to her steady breathing as she sleeps.
“Honey, can you help?” He asks, finally reaching close enough to the edge of the pool, so you can get her. You stand up from your spot, still laughing at the situation as you make your way over to where he’s ended up. Luke’s foot lands on the edge, able to hold himself there whilst he very carefully sits up, pulling Delilah away from his chest and passing her up to you.
“Shhh,” You whisper, trying to stop her whimpers before they turn into full cries, cradling her in your arms and rocking her for a minute whilst she settles. She clings to you, pressing her face against your neck in her half asleep state. “It’s okay, bub. I know, daddy is comfy isn’t he?”
Luke manages to get himself out of the pool as you carry her towards the outside sofa, sitting down so she can nap on you in the shade. Luke wraps a towel around his body, drying off quickly before sitting down next to you.
“My sleepy girl,” He murmurs, wrapping his arm around your shoulder and pulling you a little closer. He reaches his hand to brush over her cheeks, pushing the soft curls away from her face as she sleeps. “Well, I think the pool was a success.”
You scoff, narrowing your eyes at him with a laugh, followed by “yeah, until she fell asleep and almost fell in the pool.”
“I did not!” He replied, resting his head against yours — the one not occupied by Delilah sleeping. He watches her as she snoozes, listening to her steady breathing, soothed by the sound. “You know I wouldn’t let that happen.”
“Mhm,” You murmur, basking in the serene feeling of the moment, content just to sit together. “I know, baby. I was just kidding.”
You notice how the weight of Luke’s head against yours becomes heavier, his own eyes closing in favour of a post-pool nap. “Come on, sleepy head. I’m not sure I can take the weight of both of you sleeping on me.”
Luke groans, sitting up and brushing his lips against yours before you both stand up. Whilst carrying Delilah through the house, you make sure she stays asleep before setting her down in her crib so she can nap properly. You enter your bedroom, finding Luke already flat out on your side of the bed, his face buried in your pillow.
note; after Luke’s live stream made me extremely soft last night I had to write something about it🥺
summary; Luke and Calum’s live stream has another special guest - a sleepy baby girl who helps Luke play piano.
“What’s up, guys?”
Luke spoke into his phone, watching as the viewer count on the live stream increased as people started watching. He tried to keep his voice as low as he could, aware of the sleeping baby at the other side of the room. It had been a quiet evening in; Luke was on baby duty whilst you had some time to yourself.
“I gotta be a bit quiet guys, we have a sleeping baby over here.” He chuckled, flipping the camera momentarily as he glanced into the crib where Willow was fast asleep. “I wanted to play you some songs so, we’ll see how that goes.”
It wasn’t long before Calum had joined the live, occasionally chiming in with Luke’s jokes and answering questions from fans. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Petunia had moved from the sofa and was lingering around Willow’s crib, nudging the side with her nose.
“Hey, Piggy.” Luke quietly whistled for her, not wanting her to wake Willow up. Although, what he hadn’t noticed was that she was already awake, and stirring in her crib. “How do you always know she’s awake before I do?”
He set his phone down and stood up from the sofa, noticing how she was reaching out for him in her crib, whining for his attention. He stroked her cheek to soothe her before picking her up and holding her to his chest. She instantly cuddled into him, always one for snuggles as soon as she woke up.
“Hello, sleepy head.” He murmured, wrapping her blanket around her so she wouldn’t get cold. “Did you have a good nap? Do you want to talk to Uncle Cal?”
She rubbed her eyes and cuddled into his body, still waking up as she whined softly into his neck. He grabbed her pacifier from her crib and kissed her forehead before settling back on the sofa, Petunia following close behind.
“Well, look who it is!” Calum smiled as Willow came into view, yawning as Luke held the phone a little closer to her. “Hi, darling.”
“She’s so sleepy.” He chuckled, rubbing her back as she rested her head in his neck. It was times like this that he loved; where she was soft and content to be cuddled. He knew it wouldn’t last forever, so he appreciated every moment he got with her. “Shall we show Uncle Cal how you can play the piano?”
He sat down on the piano bench and settled her in his lap, letting her reach out and touch the keys with her little hands. Her sleepy face lit up as she smacked the keys softly, before looking up at Luke to see if he was watching.
“I think we may have found your replacement, Luke.” Calum teased, the smile on his face not faltering as he watched Luke and Willow together.
“That’s my girl.” Luke took her much smaller hands in his and she let him take the lead, starting to play Wherever You Are slowly, at a fan’s request.
She let him play a little longer before she started to get fussy, whining and trying to cuddle into him as he realised she needed feeding.
“I know, bubs, it’s dinner time.” He murmured to her, scooping her up in his arms and resting her on his hip. He took her hand in his once more, attempting to wave at the camera to say goodbye. “Okay guys, gonna have to end it here. Thanks for tuning in! See you later.”
***
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Okay maybe fir Luke something where he's set up on a blind date but they never show. So he's chilling at the bar of where we was gonna meet his date and starts conversation with a bartender. They talk for a bit. Luke eventually gets hungry and they tell him about this really good place to eat. Luke jokes about how they're taking the bar's customers and the bartender is like jokingly like 'not ny problem'. So Luke waits for their shift to end and they.They have a great time and yeah idk what else
Send me a first date scenario and a band member and I’ll write a blurb!
Luke tapped his knuckles against the top of the bar, laminate echoing around the near empty and silent establishment. He was thirty minutes into waiting for his blind date to show though he was near certain they wouldn’t be turning up any time soon, or at all. He didn’t mind, nursed a bottle of beer quietly on his perch in the corner and used the moments in waiting to decompress. He was a bit disappointed but the set up had been hasty and as he didn’t really know the person that was supposed to be meeting him he felt as if he wasn’t missing out on much.
“Want another?”
Luke’s attention swiftly glided to you behind the bar. You had a glint of pity in your eyes as you watched Luke go dateless the entire time.
“On the house,” you offered and Luke shrugged.
“Sure,” he agreed and let out a sigh. “Probably shouldn’t drink much more on an empty stomach though.”
You nodded in understanding and slid him another beer. Sidled up to his small corner and rested a hip against your side of the bar. It was an unusually slow evening and taking extra time for one of very few customers was okay.
“Y’know, there’s a really great diner up the street, they have the best sandwiches I’ve ever had.”
Luke smiled at your knowledge, already knowing the diner in question and loving it as well.
“Should you really be directing customers to competition?” He asked with a bite of humor in his tone.
You shrugged, nonchalant and uncaring. “It’s not my bar. I just work here part time. Wouldn’t want a nice guy to starve. Or eat the bar food,” you said and kept your voice to whisper at the last sentence, nose scrunching up to animate your mild distaste.
“I’ll go, if you’ll go with me,” Luke said with a hopeful glint in his blue eyes.
“You’ll have to wait for my shift to be done,” you responded.
“Been waiting a while anyway. I don’t mind.”
You smiled. Luke waited.
Once your shift was done the walk to the diner across the street was quick in the cool night air.
“Were you waiting for someone special?” You asked as he opened the door and let you pass through first.
“Not really. Just a blind date. I’ve never really been on for those though. Would much rather meet someone of my own accord, naturally.”
“Like... at a park or something?” You asked around a slight laugh.
“A park. The mall. A bar.”
You seated yourselves and Luke basked in the slight blush that crossed your cheeks and the shy way your eyelashes fluttered. Laminated menus weren’t even looked at as Luke said you should order for him, curious as to what you might think was good—he loved almost everything on the menu and knew he wouldn’t be disappointed any which way. To his surprise you picked his favorite dish on the menu and confessed it was yours as well. Idle chit chat filled your time at the diner, talk of love lives being in despair but looking hopeful—looking at each other—and work and life as a whole keeping you both at ease. It was natural to talk to you, Luke found no awkwardness lingering between you. When plates were cleaned and the prospect of leaving became much more real Luke shifted.
“Can I walk you home? It’s pretty late and dark.”
You nodded your consent and soon enough found yourself on the front steps to your apartment building. Hope bloomed in Luke’s chest at the turn of the night and the person he ended up walking home. Abandoned date forgotten Luke smirked and asked if another night like this might be in store sometime.
“If you have any more blind dates that don’t show, you know where to find me,” you said around a laugh and boldly moved in to kiss his cheek as a goodbye and a promise of another night.
Luke left your doorstep, he was warmed from the inside out and eternally grateful the night had shifted. He always preferred to meet someone on his own. He was elated that it ended up with meeting you.
I know it’s in your description lmao but first time meeting Luke’s friends would be so cute! Like baby would just want them to like you as much as he does and he would be so happy/proud when he sees you all getting along, ugh he’s such a baby I love him 🥺🥺
You sat on Luke’s lap, worrying at your lip as you waited for his friends to get to the house. It was the first time you’d officially meet them; you had seen them in passing and knew plenty about them, but had yet to have a true conversation or spend more than split seconds in their presence. Luke could sense your nervous energy, his hands coming to rest on top of yours, chin resting on your shoulder as he leaned down to comfort you. You could tell it was on his mind too; wondering how much his friends would take to you, hoping they’d like you as much as him and that you’d like them too. You’d asked him multiple times already if he thought they’d like you, worry evident in your tone, concern clouding your eyes.
You let out a breath and asked one more time. “Are you sure they’ll like me?”
Luke shuffled, readjusting to maneuver you to be facing him. He said a firm yes with a solid nod of his head. “Of course they will. Don’t worry about it.”
You hummed, thinking over his words for about the tenth time that hour. “It’s just-“ you began, voice slightly shaken as you spluttered, trying your best to get out the right words. “They’re all so…”
You spread your arms out, indicating something big and spectacular and then drew them back in, palms nearly touching each other, insinuating something small and ordinary.
“And I’m-“
Luke took your hands and cut off the words he knew you would say and didn’t want to hear. Words he didn’t believe and wouldn’t stand for.
“You’re perfect,” Luke finished for you, placing small kisses to your hands before dragging you forward so your arms wrapped around him and his hands settled at your waist. “And exactly where you’re supposed to be.”
You sighed, body easing into him and worries washing away.
***
Luke watched in wonder as you mingled with his friends. They took to you immediately. Greeted you with hugs and laughter. Told you tales of tours past and listened to your stories as well. Luke stayed by your side the whole night, offering a hand in comfort and you took it though he could tell you were relaxed and having a good time. He couldn’t bite back the smile that grew on his face throughout the night. He loved the way you blended so beautifully with his friends. If he hadn’t known any better he would have assumed you’d been friends with them all along.
Ashton regaled you with a few embarrassing stories that had Luke blushing and hiding his face behind your shoulder, but he didn’t mind, so long as he got to hear your giggle and see you and Ashton getting along so well. Calum always jumped in with his own remarks and Luke was in awe as your wit made Calum double over in laughter. Michael hung on your words and light heartedly prodded you for stories of your relationship; seeing if he might be able to add to the stock pile of funny stories involving Luke. It was a joy to see your anxieties be washed away and replaced with jokes and easy conversation. By the time his friends left Luke felt as if all was right and you turned to him, a confirmation of how well the night went sparkling in your eyes and painted across your face in an easy smile.
“I told you they’d like you,” Luke murmured against your shoulder, dragging you back into him with his arms wound around you. “How could they not?”
You relaxed into Luke’s hold and sighed.
“Like I said,” Luke began, a reminder on the top of his tongue as you twisted to look him in the eye; his hands reaching up to gently glide his fingertips across your cheek. “You’re perfect.”
***
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