in the crowd • luke hemmings

21. 'like'

strawberries.

the scent luke had grown to love.

he woke up to strawberries and lola's hair in his face and he couldn't have wished for anything more.

she was still wearing the t shirt he'd brought to wear after a shower, the white material draping over her body loosely.

luke let out a soft breath, removing his hands from where they'd been crumpling the cotton and slid them underneath, feeling the warm skin of her stomach and cuddling closer into her.

allowing his eyes to fall closed once again, luke thanked god he didn't have training that day - they could stay in bed together all day if that was what they wanted.

half asleep again, luke felt lola sigh and roll over, pressing a soft kiss against his collarbone and smiling tiredly.

"hello." she mumbled against his skin, her warm breath sending a shiver down his spine.

"hi baby."

"do you have training today?"

luke smiled widely, finally able to fully embrace the fact that today, he was allowed to stay in the soft atmosphere.

"not today sweetheart."

he felt her smile grow and pulled her closer.

"i like that one." lola propped herself up on her elbow, her hair falling to the side and her eyes still half closed with tiredness. luke just watched, happy to be beside her, and continued to let his hand rest over her waist.

"i don't have a class until later." she chewed her lip softly. "do you want to stay in with me for the morning?"

"you know i do." with the reassurance of his answer, lola lay down again, her face far away enough from luke's that she could see just how sweet he looked in the morning, with his hair still falling in his face and his eyes soft and spaced with remnants of a dream.

"when am i going to get to see you dance again?" he asked quietly, bringing his hand from her waist to the side of her face to play with a stray curl.

lola smiled shyly, her heart leaping at the fact luke was invested in something that was so important to her.

"we won't have another show until just after christmas. but maybe you could come to my practice sometime?" she offered.

"so i'll get my own private show?" luke teased, wiggling closer to lola and prompting a blush to cover her cheeks.

"something like that." her laugh was cut short when luke pressed his lips against hers, satisfying the sudden urge to kiss her.

she lifted her head slightly, never disconnecting their lips, and allowed her hands to rest on luke's chest, pushing him gently on his back.

his hands crept back down to her waist, their favourite resting place, and luke pulled her even closer to him, until their thumping heartbeats were indistinguishable.

"i really like you." luke said suddenly, his voice cutting through their kiss and taking him aback.

he hadn't planned on saying it but there wasn't a single inch of him that could disagree.

'like' was an understatement but luke wasn't ready to take another step when he was only just getting used to being in the sea.

lola pressed a soft kiss to the end of his nose, her heart growing three sizes at luke's confirmation that he felt exactly the same as she did.

"i really like you." she repeated, her smile loving and wide and luke kissed her again, unable to refrain.

he sat up, bringing lola with him so her hair fell in both of their faces, her small hands cupping his jaw gently. luke relished the feeling, wishing he could stay wrapped up with her forever; entangled in their fortress of bedsheets and cotton and curly hair.