Sunshine || l.h. {complete}

Thirty Six

okay so i have a lot to apologize for, and i'm gonna do it real quick here. i'm sorry for going awol for so long, you guys deserve better than that. honestly it is just school being crazy, i've had a lot going on emotionally and physically, and things are just weird. i know that's not an excuse, but i hope you'll excuse me. i miss and love this story, and i hope that i can continue this next semester with better updating habits. all i ask of you is that you continue to be patient and supportive. i love and appreciate you guys, you make this worth it :) 

so whose ready to die? bc i'm not. i miss my babies <3 bellke! (or whatever their ship name is...)

Here we go--

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure Luke."

"Well I just want you to know—"

"It's dangerous, I know. Don't talk to anybody, don't look at anybody, keep to myself and don't get hurt."

He sighs, rubbing his hands over her arms, "I'm just trying to keep you safe, Sunshine."

Belle nods and smiles up at him, pressing a kiss to his lips, "I know, Luke."

"Well," Luke takes a deep breath and smirks a little bit, a new wave of confidence flowing over him as he looks between her and the door. "Here goes nothing."

He pushes open the door and holds her tightly by the hand. Immediately she is washed over with noise, Belle can't even hear herself think. There are people yelling and drinking, pushing into one another. The place is packed out and Belle can't breathe, but she forces herself to press her fingernails into her palm and press on.

"How you doing?" Luke leans down in her ear as he directs her through the traffic of people.

She nods, "Fine."

He chuckles lightly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders but he makes a choking noise. Before Belle can look and ask what he's freaked out about, his hands press over her eyes.

"Luke!"

"I-I don't want you to see that," he mutters, but she pulls his hand down and standing in front of them is a woman walking by with a tray of beers on one hand and she's barely covered. Belle giggles, "I know what a girl looks like, Luke. I am one."

"I-I know that," Luke gulps as he lowers his hand to her waist. "Some stuff you'll see here won't be PG, princess. You have to understand that, it's one of the reasons I didn't want to expose you to this. I can take you home any time you want."

Belle presses her face into his chest and they squeeze through the crowd; suddenly she notices the awful smell – a mixture between musk, salt, and yeast. It's strange and it makes Belle's nose turn upwards.

"Why do they have money?" she asks loudly to overpower the noise surrounding them.

Luke presses his hand to her mouth and smiles sheepishly at the man who was flashing hundred dollar bills who gives them a death glare. He looks down at her as they pass, "Because this is a gambling thing too, Sunshine. They bet on who they think will win each fight."

"O-Oh," she nods, "I-Isn't that—"

"Illegal?" he adds, "Very."

They make their way through the crowded hole-in-the-wall towards a large dressing room marked with a bright red slash of paint over the wooden door. It's just a small office with a chair in the corner tucked underneath the countertop in front of a mirror. There's some extra first-air things in the corner as well as a couple towels stacked on the counter.