Synpopsis: You celebrate Luke’s birthday together with him, basically very fluffy and cute.
Genres/Tropes: Romance, Slow Burn, Coming-of-Age, Comedy, Angst, Friends to Lovers, Possesive x Possesive
Pairings: Luke x reader (nonMc), Caleb x MC, Caleb x nonMc
Chapter 4: Happy Birthday Luke!
Three days before Luke’s birthday, you’re wrapping the last present for him in decorative paper, securing it with tape and putting a bow on top of it.
All the presents that you got him aligned with his interests; some riddle books, a small wooden storage box, and a key necklace that goes with the box to unlock it.
You thought about getting him a camera, but all of them were expensive and you didn’t have enough to get him one.
‘I’ll just save up and maybe get him one next year. If he doesn’t get one by then already.’ You thought.
That is…if he’s still around when next year comes.
You shake your head as you will yourself to stop thinking about that, redirecting your thoughts to how you’re going to give the presents to Luke.
Should you give it to him at school? Hmmm…no, you want him to take his time when he opens his presents. Maybe after school at his house?
At that thought, it’s like a light bulb goes off in your head as you get up off the floor and run downstairs; your heart racing as you dial his home phone number, hoping that his mother will pick up and not him.
The line clicks as a kind voice comes from the other side. “Hello?”
You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding as you sigh in relief. “Hello Mrs. Pearce.” You say.
“Oh! Hello!” Judging from her voice, she sounds pleasantly surprised. “How are you?”
“I’m good, how about you?” You say as you return her question.
“Oh I’m well, thank you. What can I do for you?” She inquires kindly.
“Well…if you don’t mind, do you think you can help me do something together?”
Three days later, it’s Luke’s birthday, and you and Rena have been putting together a plan to surprise him.
The plan was, on the day of his birthday after school, you have to keep him busy for the rest of the day until the evening while she prepares the house and decorates the cake for the surprise. Simple, right?
And the good thing is, you already decided where you were going to take him for the rest of the evening.
The bell rings as it signals the end of the school day, the mid afternoon sun shining through the windows and bathing everything in a bright yellow glow.
Closing your eyes for a second, you bask in the warmth of it as it shines on your face, letting out a content sigh as you pack your backpack and sling it over your shoulders, on your way to find Luke.
As you exit the classroom, you’re about to walk forward when you feel a hand on your shoulder. A part of you hopes it will be Luke when you turn around, but nope. It’s Emcee.
“Hey! Caleb and I were going to go to the new cafe that opened recently, want to join us?” She asks as she smiles at you, her eyes shining with hope.
For the first time in a while, you don’t even feel yourself hesitate when she asks you this; your mind made up days ago and your resolve strong.
You wanted to spend Luke’s birthday with him.
Out of the corner of your eye, you spot Luke making his way down the corridor away from you, the sun shining on his back as it illuminates his hair in a honey glow.
You feel something almost, but not quite like desperation as his figure becomes smaller and smaller as he continues walking away from you.
“Sorry, maybe next time,” you say apologetically, shaking her hand off your shoulder lightly as you jog your way down the corridor to catch up to him, “I have to keep the birthday boy busy today!”
You’re grinning now as you sprint down the hallway, leaving Emcee there by herself with all the other students preparing to leave and go home for the day.
Your heart is full and feels as warm as the sun when you catch up to him, lightly poking him on his back as you come to walk beside him. “Happy birthday Luke!” You exclaim happily.
His features light up in surprise when he sees you, but it quickly changes into a fond smile as he looks at you, letting out a light laugh. “Thanks, but, didn’t you tell me that this morning too?”
You hum happily, “There’s no harm in saying it again though! Anyway-” you change the subject as you walk in front of him, making him stop in his footsteps.
“Today, I’m taking you out!” You announce.
His lips quirk upward in amusement. “Like, on a date, or with a sniper gun?” He jokes.
You let out a laugh at the familiar meme as you continue walking forward. “I’ll surprise you.” You say with a hint of mystery as you smile to yourself.
Luke laughs, warm and brightly as he catches up to you, his voice taking on something curious. “Wait- seriously though. Where are you taking me?”
“The arcade?” He asks to not really anyone in particular, looking around the arcade and its bright neon lights as loud, playfully energetic music plays.
“Yep.” You say as you return with a bunch of tokens. “That is, unless you want to go somewhere else. It’s your birthday after all-” You’re about to offer another suggestion before he quickly cuts you off.
“No! It’s okay, I’ve been wanting to come here a while!” He exclaims as he reassures you. “Come on, I want to go to…that one!” He doesn’t give you the chance to respond before he takes off, leaving you to quickly follow him as you smile and laugh to yourself.
‘He looks so excited.’ You think as you look at his gleaming eyes and wide smile. ‘I want to protect his smile…’
Huh? What exactly are you thinking?
You catch yourself at the thought; why exactly were you thinking? You don’t know, and honestly? You don’t, or won’t, let yourself continue that thought.
“By the way,” he suddenly says, “you look like you’ve been lugging around your backpack all day. Is it heavy? Want me to carry it for you?” He offers.
Your eyes widen in panic as you adjust your backpack on shoulders, trying to make your voice sound as nonchalant as possible. “No, it’s okay. I can carry it.”
His brow draws down as he sees the way the straps are digging into your shoulders. “Are you sure? I can-”
You cut him off, “It’s okay! Really. It’s not that heavy, it’s just I have a few more books today than usual, that’s all.” If he holds your backpack, he might become suspicious since you’ve been carrying around his presents in your bag all day.
“Oh, okay then. If you’re sure.” He says hesitantly.
So the two of you spend the next couple hours or so playing games and winning prizes, you doing your best to distract him until you get a message from his mom to come home.
But it turns out that you didn’t need to try too hard, because right now, he was currently invested in his opponent that he’s been fighting for the past 30 minutes.
You’ve been holding the bowl of tokens while he plays, him taking one after another every time he failed in getting the puppy plushie he wanted. You’ve thought about offering to get it for him, but it was his birthday, and after all, you wanted him to do whatever he so pleased today.
You watch with an amused but tired smile on your face as he fails once again, the machine letting out the same cute but now annoying chime for the upteenth time. “Awww, maybe next time! Try again!”
Luke groans in frustration as he glances down at the bowl in your hands, sighing as he scratches the back of his neck.
You also let out a tired sigh as you attempt to comfort him, and maybe also try to redirect his attention somewhere else. “It’s okay Luke, why don’t we try somewhere else? We only have a few tokens left after all.” You suggest gently.
You flinch as his head that was down suddenly snaps up, his posture straightening as he looks at you.
Luke suddenly smiles at you sweetly as he gives you his best puppy eyes. “But…I really wanted to get that plushie. Do you think…you can get it for me? Please?” He asks as his lips form into a soft pout.
‘No! Please not the puppy eyes!’ You think in a panic, but find yourself unable to look anywhere else but his pleading gaze.
You internally groan as his eyes shine pleadingly, unable to refuse him. Not that you would anyway, you’ve been itching to give it a try after all.
You let out a resigned sigh, “I thought you’d never ask.” You say as you hand the bowl to him and roll up your sleeves in preparation.
Luke grins in anticipation as you take a coin out of the bowl put it into the machine. Since each coin gives you two tries, you technically have 5 more tries if you don’t get it this time.
The claw moves as you move the joystick into position above the plushie, and deeming that it’s in the right position, you press the button as the claw lowers slowly.
Your heart beats in anticipation as you and Luke gasp in excitement at the same time, the claw picking up the plushie and carrying it over to the slot.
Only for it to drop it halfway there.
“Oh come on!” You exclaim frustratedly. “It’s fine, I still have another try.” You mutter in determination as you move the joystick above the plushie again, pushing the button as it lowers once more.
You glare daggers at the claw as it picks it up again and carries it over to the slot, as if you can will it to make it to the finish line. Meanwhile, Luke lets out consecutive excited ‘oh’s!’ behind you as it drops down the slot.
“Yes!” You and Luke exclaim at the same time as you get the plushie from the opening below.
You hand it over to him with a proud smile on your face, but pause when you see the way he’s looking at you.
He has a big grin on his face as he looks at you with a combination of awe and adoration, his eyes shining like coral gems in the sunlight. “Wow,” he breathes, “you’re amazing! You were able to get it in only two tries!”
Your pride swells at his praise as your cheeks flush slightly from embarrassment. “Hehe, well, I’m something of a claw machine master myself.” You chuckle proudly.
Luke lets out a laugh as his eyes fill with mirth. “Yep, you’re the best.” He says softly as he takes the plushie from you, your fingers brushing against each other when he takes it.
Your heart jumps at the contact, a tingling feeling left in its wake as the both of you quickly retract your hands, your cheeks becoming even more red than before.
Luke clears his throat as his face turns bright red, looking anywhere but you as he mumbles, “S-sorry.”
“Uhhh, don’t worry! I-it’s fine.” You stutter as your phone vibrates, giving you an excuse to turn away from him as you hide your burning face.
Luke stretches as he lets out a sigh. “Are you ready to go home now? I’m getting hungry.” He says, trying to change the subject; his stomach growling as if to emphasize the fact.
You put your phone back in your pocket as you turn to him with a smile. “S-sure, let’s go.”
Perfect timing, because you just got a message from his mom telling you that everything was prepared and ready for when you brought him home.
The sun has set behind the horizon by the time you get home, the view akin to an artist that brushed burnt orange and petal pink against a clear, evening blue sky.
As you approach his front door, you stand a few feet behind him as he knocks on the door before turning around to face you. “Aren’t you going to go home too?” He asks curiously.
“Yeah, I just make sure that you get inside safely.” You lie, giving him a big smile.
You don’t know if it’s because of the cold, but his cheeks suddenly turn a bright shade of pink as his eyes widen in surprise.
He looks down as he mutters sheepishly, “Heh, if this is how you treat me on my birthday, then I wish it was my birthday everyday.”
Now it’s your turn to blush at his sudden confession, clearing your throat before you speak. “It doesn’t have to be your birthday for me to do this. If you want, I can walk you home everyday. But, isn’t that the same as walking home everyday together?” You suddenly ask.
“Uhhh, w-well,” he stutters, “yeah, it is. Umm, just forget what I said! Thank you for taking me out!” His words come out in a rush as he grabs to door handle.
‘Man, why is this so awkward?’ You groan to yourself, but you don’t have time to dwell on it before the door opens.
All you hear is a gasp of shock from Luke and a, ‘surprise!’ from Rena as he walks through the door, you following close behind him with a big grin on your face.
The entryway is decorated with a banner that has big letters on it that says, ‘Happy Birthday Luke!’ with confetti scattered on the floor. Walking further in when you go to the living room, the lights are turned off, and the current source of light is coming from the little golden fairy lights that decorate the pillow fort that Rena made; different fluffy pillows and blankets under the white sheet that makes the ‘roof.’ A Christmas tree sits in the corner of the living room, the decorative lights on it the same colour as the fairy lights, bathing everything in the living room in a warm glow.
The ceiling has decorative paper stars that hang from it, stars that you and Rena made together the other day when Luke was at his martial arts class. The presents that she wrapped for him are to the right of the opening of fort, covered in decorative paper as well.
Luke looks around in awe with a big smile on his face, his eyes filling with childlike glee as he look at you and his mother. “Wait- did the two of you plan this? Wow! This- this is amazing!”
Rena comes to put a gentle hand on his shoulder, her smile mirroring the happiness in her gaze. “Actually, it was her idea, and I just helped her execute it.” She says as she winks at you.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, you try to brush off all the credit that she gives you. “Pshhh nooo, you helped me too. It wasn’t just me, you were the one that came up with the idea of paper stars.”
Luke lets out a happy laugh. “Thank you both!”
“Now then,” Rena suddenly says, clapping her hands together, “let’s eat, shall we? Then we can have cake!”
You already asked your parents if you could have dinner by his house to celebrate his birthday with him, so they already now that you’re here.
After dinner, you carry the cake over to the coffee table in the living room, setting it down in front of Luke as his eyes light up.
Lemon cake is what he asked for, and no, not lemon pound cake, but an actual cake with lemon curd and frosting.
Your mouth waters at the sight of it, it looked so delectable and beautifully decorated, you couldn’t help but admire it yourself.
Rena comes back with a lighter, lighting the one and six on top of the cake, the orange flames illuminating the cake in a warm orange glow.
She begins clapping her hands with a fond smile as she sings happy birthday to him, you joining in hesitantly as you also begin clapping your hands to her rhythm.
“Now, make a wish.” You say as you smile at him.
Luke grins, his coral eyes shining like marbles as they reflect the flames, making them look even more like evening summer sunsets, leaving you temporarily hypnotized by them.
But you soon snap out of your trance when he closes his eyes, clasping his hands together as he makes a wish.
He reopens his eyes with a smile as he blows the candles out in one blow, you and Rena clapping as you cheer. “Yay! Happy birthday Luke!” You both say at the same time.
He lets out a laugh as warm as the candles he just blew out. “Thank you!”
His mom cuts the cake for the three of you, putting them on plates as you take a slice.
The first bite you take is like fireworks exploding in your mouth; the lemon cake delectably moist with the perfect crumb, the lemon curd has the perfect blend of tanginess and sweetness, and the buttercream frosting ties it all together in the perfect bite.
Your eyes are blown wide as you chew, letting out an almost strangled sound as you swallow. “Wow, Mrs. Pearce…this is amazing!”
She laughs at your reaction, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiles. “Please, you’re too kind.”
“Mom’s cakes are seriously the best! She’s amazing at baking!” Luke exclaims, demolishing the last bite of cake on his plate. “Thanks Mom!” He says with a big toothy grin.
Her eyes soften, her voice taking on something fond. “You’re welcome honey.” She says, grabbing a napkin to wipe the frosting that he got on the corner of his mouth.
“Now then,” she suddenly says, grabbing two plates before standing up, “I’ll take these to the sink, and then we can open presents.”
“Oh, I’ll help you.” You say, grabbing the third plate and following her. “We’ll be back!” You call back at Luke as he nods.
As she washes the dishes and you dry, she suddenly says something that you weren’t expecting.
“Thank you for coming here, it’s nice to have a third person to celebrate with. It hasn’t been like this since his father passed away.” She says, her voice carrying a hint of sorrow.
That makes you pause, unsure what to say. It wasn’t that you didn’t wonder where his father was, you just didn’t want to ask in case it made him uncomfortable. After all, you didn’t think you were that close yet to talk about family matters.
And even now, you didn’t really want to push and question how he passed away, just in case it was still a sensitive topic. “It’s no problem, I’m glad to be here.” You say, trying your best to sound sincere and not awkward at all.
Suddenly, she laughs. “Please, it’s okay. No need to be so stiff.” She reassures kindly.
You lower your head sheepishly, your cheeks turning slightly pink. “Sorry.” You mutter.
“Ah, none of that.” She says, wiping her hands on the cloth to dry them as she pats you on your back, “Come on, let’s not keep Luke waiting any longer.”
You nod as you make your way to the living room where Luke is, his head perking up from his phone as you enter.
“Presents time~!” She sing songs as she sits down on the sofa.
You go to your backpack that’s sitting on the sofa, taking out the three presents that you’ve been lugging around all day.
Luke smiles knowingly as you place them by the ones his mom wrapped by the fort, glancing at him as you place them down.
“No wonder you didn’t want me to carry your backpack for you, you knew I might be suspicious if I felt the weight of it.” He smirks, his voice filled with amusement.
“At least I succeeded in keeping it a secret from you.” You say, sitting on the floor by the fort.
He chuckles, looking at the presents in front of him, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “Now…whose should I open first? Hmm…” He hums as he picks up the ones his mother wrapped. “I’ll open Mom’s first, then yours. That way, I can build up anticipation.” He says as he smiles at you, making your pulse skip a beat.
What he got from his mom was socks, some mystery novels, and a fuzzy sweater.
“Thanks Mom!” He grins, getting up from the floor to give her a hug.
“You’re welcome.” She says, patting his back as he makes his way back to his spot on the floor.
“Alright! Your turn!” He exclaims excitedly as he opens the first present, letting out a gasp as his eyes light up. “Wow! Riddle books!”
He opens the next present, the small wooden storage box that you wrapped. “Oooo, this is nice. I can put all the antique stuff I find in here.”
And finally, the small box with the key necklace. He holds it up to the light as his face takes on something slightly confused, but before you can explain it to him, he quickly catches on with a gasp. “Wait- is this for the key hole in the box?” He asks, turning to you as if to confirm.
You nod. “Yeah, and you can wear it around your neck too.”
He lips slowly stretch into a grin as he suddenly wraps his arms around you, catching you off guard.
You’re enveloped by the warmth of his body and the solid hold he has on you; your nose tucked between the crook of his neck and shoulder as you inhale his scent, laundry detergent and something sweet like…lemon.
Your face goes up in flames as you hesitantly wrap your own arms around him, flinching when he suddenly whispers by your ear.
“Thank you.” He says softly, his voice like gentle ripples over water as he pulls away slightly, his own cheeks tinged a shade of pink as he avoids your gaze, suddenly shy.
“You’re…welcome.” You mumble, his shyness making you even more nervous for some reason.
Remembering that his mother is in the living room with you, the two of you quickly pull away from each other as if you got burnt by something hot. At least…that’s how you felt.
My, my indeed. You’re not catching feelings are you?
‘Shut up!’ You think, your mind already a flustered mess, and all from a simple hug.
“Don’t mind me at all, please continue.” His mother says teasingly as she watches you with her arm on her knee as her hand cups her face, chuckling at how the two of you are the same shade of scarlet.
“Mom!” Luke hisses, embarrassed.
She laughs out loud, clearly amused by the spectacle in front of her eyes.
Meanwhile, you sit there in embarrassed silence as you internally groan to yourself, wishing the ground will swallow you whole right now.
“Alright, alright. I’ll stop teasing. It’s movie time now!”
What movie were you watching you ask?
Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone.
You liked this movie series, and the first movie really vibed with the current season.
You were huddled under the pillow fort with snacks and fluffy blankets and pillows, the fairy lights draped over the sheet making it feel almost magical. It was a cozy experience, an experience that would be forever engrained into your memory
By the time the movie ended, it was after nine o’clock and time to go home.
You bid goodnight to Rena, and Luke offered to walk you home, saying that it was dark and not safe to walk home by yourself at night; even though your house wasn’t that far away.
No matter how many times you told him it was okay, he still insisted, and it would be rude if you kept rejecting him, no?
Now, you were walking side by side, albeit slowly, as if neither of you wanted this day to end just yet.
It was amazing really, how much fun you were able to have whenever Luke was by your side. You were convinced he had some good luck charm about him, because how was it that it seemed only good things happened when you were with him?
From everything that happened to arcade to now, it all made you feel very happy. Was it normal to feel this much happiness? Especially that hug. That hug was still fresh in your memory, making your heart race whenever you think about it.
The two of you mostly just bumped each other’s sides playfully, or would put a hand on each other’s shoulder. But that hug was the closest the two of you had ever been, and you were still a bit surprised from it really, making you question if that really even happened at all. The way his body felt so warm against yours was real though, too real, and the way his arms were wrapped around you made you feel so safe and secure…
“Thank you for today.” Luke suddenly says, making you snap out of your thoughts.
You mentally hit yourself for thinking stuff like that while he’s still next to you, grateful that he can’t see the flush creeping up your neck because of the dark. “Oh, you’re welcome.” You say.
Luke looks up at the starry, clear night sky as he continues walking forward. “And for the presents. I’ll really cherish it.” He says, suddenly stopping to look at you sincerely.
You hold eye contact with him for no more than three seconds before looking away, your heart beating erratically in your chest. He doesn’t know what he does to you whenever he looks at you like that, does he? “I’m glad you like it.” You mutter.
“Well, looks like we’re here.” He sighs almost disappointedly as you stop in front of your house. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?” He asks as he smiles at you warmly.
“Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.” You reply, giving him a small smile of your own.
You stare at each other, your hesitance clear in the way you don’t go in right away, and the way he seems hesitant to leave. But eventually, you slowly make your way up the steps of your house, turning around after knocking when he calls your name.
He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly before raising his hand to wave at you, his cheeks flushing as he gives you a shy smile. “Goodnight.”
Seeing how he’s all shy and blushy makes you feel giddy for some reason, giving him a grin before the door opens. “Goodnight.” You say, looking at him one last time before you go through your door, shutting it as it locks with a click.
However, Luke still doesn’t leave right away as he stands there, watching the golden light in your window turn on behind the shut blinds, illuminating the sidewalk in a slightly golden glow.
As the light from your window reflects in his coral eyes, the only way to describe the way he looks is yearning. As if there’s a piece of him that he’s been searching for and missing, and he’s finally found it.
Reluctantly, he turns around and he makes his way back home as his figure becomes smaller and smaller, the moonlight illuminating his back as he disappears into the dark night.
a/n: Thank you for reading! 🥰 Also, I just thought I would say this again just in case, but the next chapter will be the end of winter arc, not this one. It would have been too long to include everything I wanted to happen, so the next chapter will be it!(⁎⁍̴̛ᴗ⁍̴̛⁎)
taglist: @thirstblogforaparchedgirl @sickleddreamer @orbitraiden @chauchirem @wonderfulcookiepantry @karinasari @fantastucbaby @stoopywalnut
