~perfect for pictures~ (luka couffaine x reader)

☆ chapter fifteen ☆

(LUKA'S POV)

"Have a nice day!" I waved as two customers stepped out of the store. My shift was slow, and I had just finished re-stringing the last of the violins. Cary–my manager– was in the back of the store, probably high off his ass, and the store was empty. I only had 23 minutes left of my shift when a familiar face walked in.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng

She strolled up to the counter with a cheery smile on her face.

"Luka! Hi!" She waved and cocked her head to the side.

"Hey Marinette! What brings you here? Looking to buy a bassoon?" I leaned forward on the counter. Marinette laughed.

"No no, I– I wanted to– um..." She stuttered out. She had always been an incredibly nervous person. As long as I've known her, she tripped on words and stumbled around in a charmingly clumsy way.

"Take your time." I smiled for reassurance. She took a deep breath.

"Would you maybe want to get some coffee with me tomorrow?" She spoke in an even tone. I have to admit, I was caught off-guard. I mean, I was pretty sure Marinette liked me but I never expected her to ask me out. At least I think that's what she was asking.

"Like a...date?" I looked for clarification.

"Yeah! Is that okay?" Marinette stepped back, all the nervousness seeming to rush back to her. I opened my mouth to try and find the words to respond, but I was genuinely lost. A million thoughts raced through my head at once. On the one hand, I was definitely in love with Y/N. On the other hand, I knew I needed to move on. Marinette is a good girl– and a wonderful friend. I'm sure she could grow to be more than that.

"Yeah. That's perfectly okay. I'll pick you up at 10." I shot her a semi-forced smile, telling myself it would soon be natural. Marinette squealed and her face turned beet red.

"Sounds perfect! I'll see you then!" She waved and backed out of the store, knocking over a few things along the way. I chuckled to myself at her clumsiness.

"That's new." I heard my manager speak up from behind me. I whirled around to see his suspiciously relaxed face raising an eyebrow at me.

"What?"

"I see you finally got over the photographer girl." He plopped down in the rocking chair behind the counter.

"What? Yes. No. I'm trying to at least."

"That's a dangerous game, kid." Cary eyed me cautiously. I knew he was right, but I needed to get over Y/N. Now.

"I know." I looked at the floor and kicked some dirt around. "I know." I repeated. Cary sighed.

"Alright kid, clock out and get on home before I decide to make you stay another hour." He took off his baseball cap and threw it on the counter.

"Don't need to tell me twice!" I punched out and took off for home.

(Y/N'S POV)

The beginning chords to Kill of the Night rang through on my phone, the little machine buzzing in my pocket. Alya's profile lit up the screen, and I pressed the green pick up button.

"Hey Alya, what's up?"

"Hey girl..." She drifted off, speaking as if I were a recently orphaned child.

"What's with the depressing tone?"

"Listen, I have some news for you and I figured it would be better if you hear it from me first so you don't have to hear it from him." Alya spoke slowly.

"Him?" I was beginning to get frustrated with the pace at which Alya was breaking this news to me– whatever it is.

"So basically–" Alya moved on from my question. "I just got off the phone with Marinette. She was squealing and screeching for a while but she eventually got to the point." She was taking ages.

"Sorry– is there a point? You're scaring me." I didn't even interrupt her because of how long her pauses were in between sentences.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm getting to the point." Alya sighed. "She asked Luka out on a date. And he said yes."

Silence.

"Oh." The hum of background noise rang in my ears. "Oh." I didn't have the words.

"I'm sorry, girl. You know– Marinette would never– she didn't know."

"No– she has every right. I don't have a hold on him." I sighed.

"Yeah, I know."

"Fuck." The pit in my stomach felt heavy, and it only angered me to know it was there. Why should I care? I shouldn't care.

"It just doesn't make sense to me. I mean, Marinette is a great girl and anyone would be bonkers crazy to not fall head over heels for her but any fool with lungs can see Luka's only got eyes for you." Alya said casually. Ever since I told her I liked Luka, she's been trying to convince me he feels the same. According to her, it's glaringly obvious.

I have my doubts.

"No– clearly he does not." I sat down on my bed. "This is good. Maybe now I can finally move on. Or at least focus on other things. I mean, Isaac is in town and here I am worrying about a stupid crush!" I flopped to lay down on the bed in an extra dramatic fashion.

"Hmmm." She hummed through the phone.

"Hmm what?"

"What do you think about Isaac?" Alya prodded.

"What do you mean what do I think?" I scrunched up my nose, staring at the ceiling above my bed.

"I mean– he likes you. I know you two have been friends forever but that didn't stop you with Luka."

"He likes me?"

"Jesus girl, you're blind as a bat." Alya deadpanned. "He's down way bad. And if I didn't know about your Luka thing, I would have assumed the same was true of you right back at him." She mused.

"What?!"

"Totally. You two have serious chemistry. You know what I think?"

"What do you think?" I sat back up, curiosity sparking.

"I think you should try with Isaac." Alya's words echoed in my head, the idea bouncing around in my cranium as I considered the option.

"I don't want to ruin things with him. He's too important." I was only half definitive in this answer. Something at the back of my head was telling me Alya was right. Isaac makes sense. We make sense. Right?

"Then just talk to him about it. There's no risk in having a discussion about it. Like about staying friends first or not making it weird and stuff like that." Alya made an excellent point.

"You're right. No harm in trying, right?"

"Right."

"Thanks." I sighed. "Alright, I better go– I'll talk to you later."

"No problem– bye!"

I stood up from the bed and took a few deep breaths before dialing Isaac's number.

The phone rang.

And rang.

And rang.

And rang.

"Hey." Isaac's voice revealed the smile always playing on his lips. I took another deep breath.

"Hey."

(A/N: Shakin things uppppppp-- chapter sixteen will be out soon! Let me know your thoughts!)