#the only one posing a threat is nina lets be honest

[lokislittlelad]

Unpopular opinion: the gentleman bastards could take on the crows (all 6) and still win. Even if it's just Locke and Jean.

#the gentleman bastards are superior #the first book alone was enough to convince me #locke solos kaz #locke lamora >>>>> kaz brekker #the only one posing a threat is nina lets be honest #the lies of locke lamora #the republic of thieves #red seas under red skies #the gentleman bastards #locke lamora #jean tannen #capa barsavi #soc #crooked kingdom #six of crows #calo sanza #galdo sanza #calo and galdo #locke is a better thief #scott lynch #inej gafha #nina zenik #the grishaverse #wylan van sunshine #wylan van eck #jesper fahey #shadow and bone #matthias helvar #the dregs #kaz brekker

[smolfangirl]

Where hitting a wall takes you

First and foremost, a huge Thank you to @ac-ars for kickstarting my inspiration and the dialogue and to @sky-girls for more shameless teasing ideas and just for being my first reader!

This was a lot of fun to write and also got a bit long with 4.5k words but oh well, who cares anyway? I hope you enjoy this!

Prompt: “I’m your roommate’s friend and I have an extra key but clearly my friend did not tell you about that so now I’m pinned against a wall because you think I’m a murderer and holy shit, where do you take martial arts?” (seen during Simbarficweek planned by @sky-girls)

Matteo expected a lot of things to happen. For example, serving as Gastón’s delivery boy at some point, because his best friend was in love and therefore not as accountable as he used to be. In return, there were things Matteo never expected. Like ending up against a wall, consumed by complete darkness in a situation that couldn’t be further from any romantic context.

He had no idea who his attacker was.

Their arms blocked his shoulders. His back was jammed into the cold wallpaper, supported by the weight of a body. Adrenaline rushed through his blood. The pressure on his chest made it hard to breathe. He wanted to get out, get away. Desperately. But he didn’t know how to do it, not even how to think clearer.

“Who are you and what do you want?”, a female voice cut through the silence, sharp and confident.

“I’m Gastón’s best friend, he wanted me to pick up some text books for him”, Matteo panted, already losing breath.

“How did you get in?” Yeah, that girl, woman, whatever, didn’t sound as if she would let him go anytime soon. Who was she?

Matteo tried to remember anything that helped him figure out who she was. And what she was doing here in a presumed empty flat.

The roommate! It took him a moment to remember that both Gastón and Nina had brought up another girl who lived here.

Great, he thought, was this how he’d meet Nina’s best friend? First impressions were important and of all things, he apparently had messed this one up. “Spare key”, he coughed.

Finally, her grip loosened. Oxygen flooded his lungs and he let out a relived sigh. “Ugh, that’s so much better”, he murmured. The lights flickered on with no warning, freezing him for the blink of a moment. Next thing, he saw her.

By the stars, she’s cute.

Big green eyes. They drew him in, deep, deeper, until he shook his head and broke away. Soft brown curls fell over her shoulder, framing her cheeks that were tinted with a notion of pink. And her lips. Her lips sparked an idea where he casually picked her up and found out how she liked being up against the wall.

Matteo undeniably liked what he saw, without even knowing her name, knowing anything.

However, what he said was something entirely different. “Wow, that must be the most embarrassing moment in my life, you are so tiny.” The girl raised her eyebrows. “Isn’t that a bit presumptuous for you to say?”

“Presumptuous? Isn’t that a big word coming from someone as small as you?” He had no idea what he was saying, or how his mouth worked faster than his brain. 

“Already talking big again?”, the girl countered with both eyebrows raised, “Do you like being slammed against the wall or something?”

“Well, first of all, that really was kinda hot, and yeah, I do. Though under different circumstances if I’m being honest.” Okay, he should stop. Now. He didn’t need her to defy him a second time. Yet, something about her fried his thoughts and took away his self-control. Or was that just the left-over adrenaline?

She blushed. This time, he got to watch the color spreading out beneath her skin and all he wanted right then was to see it over and over again. Not long and he’d need a pinhole to look at… what was her name? How hadn’t he asked her yet but already teased her as if his life depended on it?

He searched for a memory of the few times Nina mentioned her. Nothing, not even a hint. By the time he decided to ask her straight away, she had recovered from her unease: “Do you always break into other people’s houses and then act like the biggest snob who ever walked on this earth without even introducing yourself? Or is that just for today?”

“I wasn’t breaking into your house, I had a key”, he protested. She grinned at his offended tone. “But if you are so keen on getting to know me, I’m Matteo. Matteo Balsano.”

“Okay, well, just to make this clear, Matteo” – he took in a deep breath when his name came across her lips. She gave it a new sound, one he never knew he was searching for. 

He coughed. 

How ridiculous. She shouldn’t have such an effect on him, especially when he met her, like what, not even five minutes ago. “I was not keen on getting to know you. I just don’t like rude people, and even less when they’re in my home.”

“Let me rephrase that: you tell me I’m rude for trying to do my best friend a favor but if I recall correctly, you’re the one who nearly strangled me and hasn’t apologized? Or told me her name yet? Again, I’m the rude one?”

Matteo leaned back against the wall, satisfied with himself. It was the perfect setup to ask for her name without seeming suspicious or worse, desperate. The growing intensity of her widened green eyes on him was a nice bonus. 

“I’m Luna”, she stammered. Her fingers messed with her hair, tugging and fidgeting. His attention jumped from the strand falling in her face to her eyes, only to get caught up on her mouth. Luna. How beautiful.

“And I didn’t mean to strangle you, you just scared me. A lot. I didn’t want to hurt you, like, on purpose!”

“It’s okay, Luna. I guess at least now I know who Nina is living with.”

“Wait!”, Luna interrupted and by the grin on her face he already expected nothing good, “So, you said Gastón is your best friend?”

He felt like he should run away as fast as possible because she didn’t look cute anymore, but outright mischievous. “Oh no”, Matteo whispered in his realization, more afraid than when she had pushed him against the wall. “Don’t tell him, please, he’ll never let me live that down!” The corners of her mouth only curled up further. “I… I’ll do anything you want, anything, I’m begging you, just please, please don’t tell him!”

She laughed. Or giggled, in any way he wondered how someone so adorable could pose this much of a threat. Twice even, in barely a few minutes. How did she do that?

Her hands supported her chin and with her gaze wandering through the room, she pretended to consider his offer: “Anything, wow, that’s really generous, give me a minute, I have to think about this…” Then she turned to him. “Well, I haven’t had dinner yet and Gastón did mention your self-made-pizza is great.”

“I guarantee you it’s not the only great thing about me.”

As soon as the words were out in the air, Matteo wondered if his mouth would ever have mercy on him or if Luna kicked him out first. Maybe he should punch himself and see if that helped. He shouldn’t lose control like that, and surely not around a girl he just met.

“Right now, I just want pizza”, she replied with a wink. Damn, this girl is something else.

“Smart”, he heard himself say, “Saving the rest for later.”

First, her expression shifted. Not smiling anymore, not somewhat relaxed but focused. Serious. Her body tensioned up. She came closer, captured his attention. And yet, it took Matteo painfully long to realize she threatened to repeat the first minutes of their encounter. He stepped back, hands lifted in surrender. What if he had gone too far?

To his surprise, Luna immediately relaxed to let out another laugh. “Aww, you’re afraid of me!”

“I’m not!”, he argued. It was a losing battle, of course. “Well, eh, I could start with the pizza now? If you show me the kitchen?”

Luna stood on her toes, arm stretched all the way to her fingertips as she reached for the baking tray hidden on the upper shelf. The view fascinated Matteo, to say the least. Her top shifted, which gave him the perfect perspective on the soft curve of her waist. An image formed in his mind, of his arms wrapped around her, of his hand exploring her skin and of finding out how to awaken this beautiful smile of hers.

She seemed oblivious to all of it, not that it bothered him.

“You know, you could just ask for my help.” Now jumping up and down, she sounded a bit out of breath: “I’m good, nearly got it!” An amused snort slipped through his lips. “Yeah, I can see that. Hey, it’s okay, really, just say the word, even if you’re kind…”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence. With a blaring rattle, the tray found its way down the shelf – to the ground. “See?”, Luna exclaimed. “I told you I don’t need your help. You were saying?”

“Well before you decided to give me a heart attack with that move, I was about to say you look cute when you jump up and down like a yo-yo.”

She didn’t disappoint him when she picked up the tray with her cheeks heating up. “It’s not my fault you’re easily startled.”

“Me, easily startled?”, he laughed, “You wish. I’m just saying you were the one who freaked out and slammed me against a wall.” He checked the ingredients Luna had gathered on the table, so when her eyes found her again, the phone in her hand surprised him. The spark in her eyes too. “Just so you know, I could call Gastón right now…”

Matteo gave up. “Okay, okay, I got it, I will shut up.” Unfortunately for him Luna saw how his lips moved as he started to prepare the dough. “What did you say?”, she demanded.

He lifted his head, discovering her directly next to him. It should make him uncomfortable, at least a bit, no? Instead he felt like he’d been making his pizza while teasing her to no end for all his life. Like this was where he was meant to be.

He cleared his throat. He obviously lost his mind. “Nothing.” However, one look at the determination in Luna’s eyes, her raised eyebrow and her unlocked phone changed his mind. “Fine, I said you’re like an angry puppy.” She nodded. “Good. Because I am. And remember: angry puppies bite.”

“Would be my pleasure.”

Silence.

“You know, I liked you better against the wall”, she rolled her eyes. “Trust me, I’m certain I’d like you more against the wall too.”

Matteo stole a quick glance at Luna. Her eyes twitched, but the corners of her mouth did too. If he had to guess he’d say that she realized no matter what she replied now, it would inevitably give him another opportunity to tease her. Have some mercy on her, Balsano.

“How come you know martial arts?”, he changed the topic, holding back the smirk that tried to get a hold on him. With a sigh of relief, Luna hopped on the counter, soon with her legs dangling back and forth.

“You said it yourself, I’m small. I need to know how to defend myself.” A little break in which she followed his every move. “And how come you know how to make pizza from the scratch?”

“I’m Italian, it was kinda inevitable. Do you want me to show you?”

Midway through he realized his mistake. It was a family recipe, not meant to be shared with anyone else. Not even with Gastón, who begged Matteo every single time, for years and years, never successfully. Yet here he stood, about to tell this girl every little detail. This girl, Luna. What happened with him?

Luna brought him back to reality when she clapped her hands: “Yes, please!” But within a few seconds her face fell, the smile disappeared and she got back on her feet. “Wait, no, actually I can’t.”

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“I forgot I have this assignment I still need to finish, so I’m gonna let you and your pizza alone. My pizza? Ours? Whatever, I’m in the living room.” Just like that, she stormed out, leaving a baffled Matteo behind.

He decided that he needed to calm down. Get back to normal, clear his mind from the weird effect Luna had on him. During the last half an hour he discovered a side of him he neither knew nor could control. And the routine of focusing on the pizza – taking care of the dough, handling the tomato sauce, cutting all the ingredients spread out in front of him – helped him.

Slowly, his heartbeat turned back to normal. Now, that’s better.

A groan ripped through the silence. Out of nowhere, followed by a second one, even more loaded with frustration. Matteo let the knife in his hands fall on the chopping board. “Luna, are you okay?”, he yelled, already washing his hands to go check on her. A half-heartedly “Yes” followed, which didn’t convince him.

He found her on the couch, multiple textbooks and notebooks in front of her. She had tied up her hair into a messy ponytail, while she chewed mercilessly on a pencil. Somehow, the pout on her face made her look even more adorable.

“What’s the matter, munchkin?” He cowered down, trying to figure out what she was reading.

“Why do you call me that?” Matteo shrugged. “Well, because I’m still not over how small you are.”

He smirked at her annoyed look, although he was wise enough to cover it up before she noticed.

“I was tall enough to fix you against the wall”, Luna clarified, “So if I were you, I’d watch that attitude.”

Before he could answer – That reminds me, one day you need to show me these moves – her stomach growled. Loud. And a second, longer time. “Okay, message received loud and clear”, he laughed, “You said you had to do an assignment? Give me five minutes to put the pizza in the oven and then I’ll help you, okay?”

When he walked back into the living room, her eyes stuck on him like glue.

“Did you set the timer?”, Luna wanted to know. He snorted in response, as if it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. “I don’t need a timer. I feel it. And I never burned a single pizza in my life. So, why don’t you tell me what you need help with?”

There was a first time for everything, right?

“Matteo…”, Luna softly tapped him. He leaned against the couch, focused on the notes she’d handed him, not fully aware of their knees slightly touching. “Hm?”

Her fingers on his arm again, wandering over his skin. Promptly, all his attention shifted to her. When he looked up, he found the green sea in front of him.

“Am I wrong or does something smell burned to you?”

One second, two, three. Matteo blinked, confused. Then it clicked. “Oh no, no no!” He jumped up and sprinted to the kitchen, nearly tripping over his own two feet.

It was too late. What he got out of the oven wasn’t a perfectly baked pizza but a pathetic, crusted shadow. A disgrace.

Footsteps followed him. Next, he felt Luna lurking over his shoulder while he stared at his failure. “An Italian burning pizza, can you believe it? This is definitely not my day.”

“Oh, Matteíto, if it makes you feel better, I won’t mock you for that. Or tell Gastón”, she comforted him, “However, there is a question I need to ask before your grief won’t let you think straight.” He turned his head, still somewhat in shock, only to find her face, her lips, unexpectedly close. She nearly hugged him, that’s how close she stood. Her perfume lingered in his nose, adding to the incoherent mess in his head.

He snapped back. He needed to concentrate on the matter at hand. “What question?”

“What about our deal? You promised me pizza?” Matteo sighed, taking one more look at the burned pizza. “Looks like delivery pizza has to be enough for today… but next time I’ll make you as much as you can eat, I promise.”

“How do you feel about pineapple on pizza?”

They were back on the couch, the menu of Luna’s preferred delivery service in front of them and Matteo wondered how this girl managed to continuously surprise him. Just not for good this time. “I don’t care what you eat when I’m not around, but under my watch no one abuses pizza like this. Fruit on pizza, tzz.”

“Tomato is a fruit too.” 

He shot her a glare. “I take that as a No”, Luna smiled, making it hard for Matteo to be seriously mad about her question. Instead, he fought the impulse to stick out his tongue at her. “What kind of pizza was yours supposed to be? So I can order that one.”

“They won’t have this one”, he explained, pride resonating in his tone, “It’s a special family recipe. Pizza Balsano, so to speak.” For some moments, Luna simply looked at him, this cute smile on her lips and Matteo wondered how he ended up being so fond of it so soon.

In a swift movement, Luna sat up, causing her ponytail to loosen until some strands fell back into her face. “Oh, they have a Pizza Mexico!”

“Isn’t that a bit too hot for you?”, Matteo snitched the menu out of her hands. “I’m Mexican, we love hot things. Also, I dealt with you too so far.” As soon as Luna realized what she had said, she clasped her hands over her mouth. The subtle pink reappeared on her cheeks.

Forgotten was the piece of paper in his hands. Matteo leaned closer, making sure she returned his look. Then he winked, “Fair point, munchkin”, and increased the space between them again when her cheeks turned into the color of ripe tomatoes. Satisfied, he studied the menu.

Lights. Flashing spots in front of his eyes that blinded him, pulling him out of his sleep. Then, just brightness, constant and harsh and impossible to ignore. With a groan, Matteo blinked. The view to which he opened his eyes confused him, didn’t make sense. Two pizza boxes on a table, a DVD cover next to them and when he turned his head to his left, there was a small body curled up against his shoulder.

Luna.

With her name, his memory came back. They had been watching a movie while they ate their pizzas. They had talked too, a lot, about everything. At some point after that, they must have fallen asleep. But why were the lights turned on now?

An “Aww” from the other side of the room interrupted his thoughts and this time, he recognized that voice. Nina. Or, as he found out, Gastón and Nina. Crap.

His best friend held a phone in his hand, a big grin on his lips as he took yet another photo. Nina simply stood next to him and sent a fond smile in their direction. “Look at them, it’s so cute”, she whispered.

“What are you doing here?”, Matteo asked, immediately softening his voice when he felt Luna moving.

“Oh, look, Sleeping Beauty is awake”, Gastón commented, “That’s why you didn’t answer your phone. Also, quick question for you” – his grin got even bigger and Matteo knew his best friend, he knew he was about to get dragged – “Where are my textbooks you wanted to get?”

The textbooks. Right, he had entered the apartment for a reason. Matteo felt his cheeks heating up, how did he forget about it completely? (The answer to this question laid next to him, of course.) “Eh, your textbooks…”

“Well, they weren’t on my desk at home roughly twenty minutes ago, so let me guess, they’re still in Nina’s room?”

“Gastón, be easy on him! And by the way, I believe you owe me 10 bucks now”, Nina interrupted to Matteo’s relief. But also… “Why does he owe you 10 bucks?”

“Uh, nothing”, they stuttered in sync, unable to look at Matteo anymore. He raised an eyebrow. “Okay, what is going on?”

No answer, only more fidgeting and awkward silence. “Nina, why does Gastón owe you money?”, he gave it another shot, hoping his instinct was right and she’d cave in. Indeed, said girl glanced at her boyfriend, sighed but in the end murmured: “Gastón said you two wouldn’t get along, or at least not right away, but apparently, you do, so well, yeah…”

Gastón cut her off, and his flushed cheeks didn’t go unnoticed by Matteo. “Yeah, Nina, I am super tired, I think we should go to bed now and leave these two alone. Have fun on the couch, good night!”, he babbled and before both Nina and Matteo got the chance to say a single word, he pulled his girlfriend out of the room.

After Gastón and Nina disappeared into her room, Matteo carefully shifted around, until he got a better look at the sleeping girl next to him. If it was for him, he’d let her lay like this forever. But sooner or later Luna would wake up and go to her room, even when she seemed comfortable for the moment.

Matteo exhaled. Maybe he should go home, allow them both to get some rest. Gently, he reached out to her arm and patted it. “Hey, Luna, wake up.”

“Ugh, just five more minutes”, she grumbled, crawling even closer to him.

Why did she make it harder than it already was? “If you go to bed now, you can sleep as much as you want, munchkin.”

“Wait, what?” Luna shrieked up, eyes wide open. “Oh my, did I…? I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to, well, eh…” She blushed often, he thought, before he decided to jump in: “Hey, it’s all good, but really, you should go to bed.”

She rubbed her eyes and when she yawned, that’s how he knew he had made the right decision. “So, uh, are you leaving?” She turned her head away from him, yet disappointment tinted her voice, causing him to smile. “Well, it’s already past midnight.”

“Why don’t you sleep on the couch?”, Luna offered, staring at the mess on the table, “I mean, it’s not your bed, but it’s so late and… wait, Gastón keeps stuff here, you could borrow something of that!” How could he possibly have the heart to say No to that?

The next time he woke up, darkness surrounded him. No sound reached his ears but the endless ticking of the clock and his breath.

No, he heard someone else breathing too. “Matteo? Are you awake?”

“Luna? What’s… why aren’t you in your bed?” Without the lights, he found it hard to tell where she stood, not that it stopped him from trying. “Did something happen?”

“No”, she replied, “I just got some water and then I heard you say something.” He felt the couch sinking where she sat down. “Don’t worry, I tend to talk a lot in my sleep, apparently.”

“Oh, okay, well then. Is it comfortable enough?” Matteo hesitated. Then he slightly nodded: “Yeah…”

“Doesn’t sound like it, actually. You know, we never had anyone over who slept on the couch, because Gastón always sleeps in Nina’s bed, so I have no idea if it’s comfy.”

Slowly, his eyes got used to the darkness, so he indeed spotted her silhouette next to him. “Well, it could be better, I can’t lay on my back, my shoulders are a bit sore.” “Why?”, she asked, to which he didn’t answer.

“Oh”, Luna stammered, probably blushing again, “I’m really sorry.” Matteo grinned. “It’s okay, we all want to make a lasting first impression, don’t we?” He expected her to laugh, to shoot back with a witty remark or at least shake her head. Anything really. Instead, Luna started shifting around and only stopped when the sofa creaked. “Okay, you know what, follow me.”

“What?”

“I said follow me, and now get up before I change my mind.” She laughed, but it sounded nervous and he didn’t need any lights to imagine her playing with her hair.

He met Luna a few hours ago. A few hours, which was nowhere near enough to build any meaningful relationship and still, the moment he walked into her room he thought how well it captured her. Warm and bright colors, pictures on every wall, and her skates she had mentioned next to her desk. And right in the middle, Luna, arms crossed, tapping her feet in a distressed rhythm.

Matteo turned to her. “You don’t have to do this just because you want to be nice, I’ll be fine, really.” Her hair whipped up and down when she shook her head, “No, you’re the guest and anyway, I owe you.”

“Are you sure you are okay with this?” It wasn’t like Matteo didn’t want to share this bed with her. In fact, right now, he couldn’t think of anything better to happen to him. After all, Luna was incredibly cute and funny and he liked how she stood up to him and he knew he had to get to know her better. But she still looked nervous and he hated to think he was the reason for this.

“Yes, sure, just lay down already, I’m tired.”

She crawled under the blanket after him. “Please don’t strangle me in my sleep”, Matteo commented before she turned off the lights and in return, finally again, received a laugh. Why was it such a pure sound that filled his chest with a tingling sensation?

“I won’t”, Luna giggled, “I promise. Good night, Matteo.”

“Good night, munchkin.”

When his eyes fluttered open the next morning, he faced her. 

A strand of her open hair tickled his nose until he carefully brushed it away. As he took in the view of Luna sleeping, he was unable to stop the smile on his lips.

Had he ever seen something more beautiful? Sunshine fell directly on her face, painting it in shades of gold. Her brown curls shimmered in the soft morning light and she was close enough for him to smell the last hints of her perfume.

All he wanted was to pull her closer, into his arms where he could feel her warmth. When he recalled the last evening, it felt like an explosion of color in a same old grey sky. How was he supposed to go back to the routine of his days after this? After grasping the concept of being drawn to someone, right at first sight? Not that he had been unhappy before, not at all, but Luna reached to his senses, woke them up to a new reality. No way could Matteo allow this to be a one-time experience. 

He would totally ask her out before he left this apartment.

“So, what do you think about Nina’s roommate?”, Gastón inquired the second the door to the apartment closed behind them. “Because to me it looks like you are over the moon for her. Also, you need to tell me what happened last night! I mean, you nearly gave me a heart attack when I didn’t find you at home. Where have you been? Landing on the moon?”

Matteo glanced over his shoulder to find his best friend with an impossibly big smirk on his face. “Very funny, Gastón, really.” He rolled his eyes, already aware his best friend would never let this go. Gastón loved puns way too much for that. But when Matteo thought of Luna, that she had said yes, that he’d see her again, the jokes were almost bearable.

#soy luna #lutteo #my sl fanfiction #writing lutteo banter was so much fun especially when it was missing on the show while i worked on this #and ofc gastón had to make a pun i mean he loves them and i'm still shocked the writers took that away from him #smh writers #now we need an au where matteo pins luna against a wall hehe #and girls (you know who you are) thanks for motivating me to post this in the first place and I hope it's what you expected and you like it #I believe this is still pg and the teasing gets less during the os so...