Jeweled Hearts || Lucathy Oneshots ||

Bus Ride

Athy really regretted not walking to school that day.

Because somehow she found herself wedged between the bus seats and a smirking Lucas, who was casually holding onto the overhead rail. Sure, it was particularly crowded that day, a nod to the rainy and damp morning weather, but she thought Lucas was milking it a bit too much. Each lurch of the bus sent a ripple through the crowd, nudging them against each other.

"A-Are you sure there's no room?" that was code for 'you're in my space, scoot the fuck back.'

"Pretty sure, princess. Sorry it's a bit crowded here." his tone was light but with a hint of glee, and Athy was sure he knew exactly what he was doing.

"It's fine," she replied, a little breathless, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and something else—an awareness of Lucas that she usually tried to ignore.

She gripped onto the seat of the old lady who was sleeping in front of them. Lucas had offered his arm for her to hold onto, but she refused, determined not to let him have his way.

Athy tried to steady herself without waking the poor lady, but the next sharp turn had her stumbling slightly into Lucas. His free hand came to rest firmly at her waist, ostensibly to steady her. "Got you," he murmured, and she could feel the vibration of his voice so close to her ear.

The warmth from his palm seeped through the fabric of her shirt, and she found herself reluctant to step away, even as the bus steadied. Athy dared a glance up at him, meeting his eyes for a fraction of a second before looking away, her heart doing a nervous dance. She could feel his eyes burning into her and slightly cringed away, trying to somehow hide in his arm.

Lucas gave her waist a slight squeeze and she, casually brushing her hair to the side, caught a glimpse of him staring out the bus window with a satisfied smirk on his lips. He peeked down at her and gave her a small knowing smile before turning his gaze back outside.

Athy's mind and heart raced. What was that smile supposed to mean?

Athy turned to look out the window, trying to focus on the city passing by, but god, it was so hard when Lucas was just there, gripping her waist reassuringly. The rest of the ride was a mix of silence and stolen glances, the air charged with something new and unexplored.

When the bus finally reached their stop, Lucas let his hand brush against hers as they moved towards the exit. "After you," he said, and Athy stepped off the bus with her mind spinning like the wheels that carried them away. The touch, the looks, the electric current that had run through them—it all lingered, as palpable as the city's pulse around them. pulse around them.

A/N: This is a short snippet of one of my stories "On the Rooftop (with you)" so if you liked this, go check that out!