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Shu didn’t mean to.
He just – he was just having a bad day. He felt stressed and sick; his head throbbing from a migraine and it felt like his control on his jujutsu was slipping. It was in everyone’s interest that he rest immediately before he accidentally exploded the planet or something. And it just so happened that Luca’s scent comforted him the most.
“Is that Luca’s coat?” Shu peeks out from where he’s been cocooned in said coat to find Mysta at the doorway, a bewildered expression on his face.
“Yes?”
Mysta seems to take that as an invitation to enter, immediately coming close enough to delicately sniff at the edges of Shu’s nest on the bed. Normally he’d bristle at anyone if they did that but this was Mysta and Mysta was family. Also, the fact that Shu also had Mysta’s shirt lodged somewhere so his scent wasn’t exactly a new variable.
“You alright?” Mysta asks next, gingerly placing his fingertips against Shu’s forehead to check his temperature.
“Migraine.” Shu hums in answer, leaning into the cool touch regardless to show it’s welcome. But while Mysta’s scent is familiar and soothing in it’s own way, it’s not the one he wants right now so Shu eventually pulls away and drags Luca’s coat back over his nose.
Mysta hums back, relaxed now that he knew Shu wasn’t dying. But it lasts only a second before his tone turns mischievous.
“Luca was looking for his coat.”
Shu turns away to burrow back into the safety of said coat – to hide his wince and to get away from Mysta’s knowing gaze.
This isn’t the first time any of them had built a nest but there’s always been an unspoken rule about only taking certain items from others when building one. After all, it wouldn’t do to leave your family naked just because you wanted to nest.
Shirts were usually the way to go, because they have multiple of those. But things like Vox’s haori, Ike’s scarf or Mysta’s hat were off-limits.
Including Luca’s coat.
That Shu is currently buried beneath.
“Shu.”
“Shut up, Mysta,” Shu whines. He knows okay? He shouldn’t have. And he wouldn’t have but – but he was having a bad day okay. And he just really wanted Luca’s scent to cover him whole and his shirts weren’t cutting it.
He really didn’t mean to.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Mysta sing-songs as he turns to leave. “He’ll eventually look for you too y’know.”
Shu flicks a finger to send a paper doll whizzing past Mysta as a silent threat but Mysta merely laughs at it, his laughter fading the further he goes until it’s quiet once more.
Shu burrows back into Luca’s coat and sighs in happiness as his headache lessens. He should probably find Luca and apologize but he feels too comfortable. Besides, Mysta said that Luca would come find him. He’d apologize then.
It’s a problem for future Shu.
XXXXXXX
“Shu!”
Shu startles awake at the whispered shout, disoriented enough not to realize immediately who it was that called him.
“Shu, Shu, are you okay?”
That’s the only warning he gets before he practically gets assaulted by Luca’s scent. He shivers as the scent spreads and overwhelms the others, the bed dipping under Luca’s weight.
“Mysta told me you weren’t feeling well,” There’s a faintly distressed note to Luca’s tone that has Shu reaching for him instinctively.
“Luca,” Shu yawns, hand shooting out from under the coat and flailing in the air until he finally hits another body. A hand envelops his, fingers pressing a little tight against his pulse. “Luca, I’m okay.”
“Oh.”
Shu doesn’t realize what’s happening until the coat shifts aside and his eyes shoot open to see Luca hovering over him, Shu’s hand in one hand and his own coat in the other.
“It’s here?” There’s an unreadable look on Luca’s face, eyes flicking between Shu and his coat before settling on Shu. His head is tilted cutely, nostrils flaring and pupils dilating as he inhales but Shu doesn’t notice over the rapid pounding of his own heart. The adrenaline shock is enough that he doesn’t even feel the migraine anymore.
“I – I’m sorry, I wanted to borrow it. Just for a while! I was going to give it back – OOF“ Shu abruptly stops when Luca literally glomps onto him, getting the breath knocked out of him. They stay like that for a while, Luca’s scent basically the only one Shu can smell with him literally on top of him now.
He could feel Luca’s heart pounding alongside his.
He’s relieved. It doesn’t seem like Luca’s mad at least. He’s almost relaxed back into a sleepy daze from the adrenaline drop when he suddenly feels teeth grazing his neck.
“Luca?”
Luca freezes against him before he seemed to shake out of whatever that was and shifts, puling Shu with him so that they’re lying side by side facing each other. He pulls his coat over the both of them and Shu grimaces at it.
Luca laughs at his expression but instead of scolding him for stealing it, he only scoots closer.
“Mysta told me you weren’t feeling well,” Luca whispers, eyes bright as they stare at Shu. “Is that why you took my coat?”
Shu could feel his face heat up but he refused to break the stare. It was his fault. He’ll face it and admit his wrongs.
“Yeah. It’s soft and… comforting. And it had your scent the strongest.” Shu admits, plowing through his embarrassment. “I’m sorry I took it without asking you first. But you were busy and I didn’t want to disturb you. I thought I could borrow and return it before you’d want to use it.”
Luca seemed to brighten with every word, nodding in acknowledgement at Shu’s apology.
“Are you feeling better?”
Shu blinked at how easy that was but rolled with it. He’s glad that Luca didn’t get mad.
“Better. But there’s still like pressure? Like the migraine will come back if I don’t rest more.”
Luca nods again, sharp and curt like he’s decided on something. “And my scent helps, yeah?”
“Well, yeah. Is it okay if I keep it still? Just until tomorrow morning.”
“I have a better idea,” Luca laughs before he reaches over and pulls Shu into his arms. Tucks his chin over Shu’s head and goes so far as to tangle their legs together too.
“OH – “ Shu yelps but his nose is filled with Luca’s scent and it’s hard to think when it’s this strong. He doesn’t even realize that he started purring until he feels Luca chuckle, arms squeezing Shu tight.
“You can always disturb me, no matter the time or day. Okay, Shu? Anytime.”
Shu hums but doesn't think too hard about it. Surely it’s just a one-time thing. Just one day that happened to be particularly terrible. He probably wouldn’t need it again.
Right?
XXXXXXX
Shu hesitates outside the meeting room door.
Call the circus because Shu’s a clown and that’s where he truly belongs. Surely he wouldn’t need Luca’s coat ever again. Surely not.
HAH.
But it’s been an annoying day and his jujutsu was sparking erratically. His fingers itch with the need to grab Luca’s coat and just have it to himself for a while. A little piece of Luca.
Just a few minutes. Really.
And Luca said he could come find him anytime. He said. So it should be fine, right? Right. Just go in, get the coat and get out. Easy.
He pushes the door open before he can think too much on it. Immediately, his gaze is drawn to Luca at the head of the table, golden hair a beacon among the rest.
“Luca.”
A hush spreads through the room, everyone falling silent as Luca turns his attention to Shu. For a moment, all Shu sees is the feared mafia boss but then it melts away as Luca starts to smile, building up to that blinding beam Shu loves.
“Shu!” Luca extends a hand and Shu steps into the room, ignoring the stares that follow him. “Is everything alright?”
Shu nods, but doesn’t say anything yet. Not until he’s close enough to place his hand in Luca’s.
“Can I borrow your coat?” Shu leans in a little to keep it low so that only Luca can hear even in this creepy silence.
Luca’s smile freezes for a moment but he relaxes back so quick that Shu isn’t sure it actually happened. Luca’s thumb caressing the back of Shu’s hand is distracting.
“Sure, but I have a better idea,” Luca shrugs and then he abruptly tugs and Shu finds himself sprawling over Luca’s lap. He’s so stunned that he barely manages not to knee Luca in the groin and by the time he shifts back around, Luca’s arms had gone round and trapped him.
He blinks at an equally stunned audience and they blink back at him.
He can’t quite decide whether he should kill Luca, himself or everyone in this room.
He’s also trying not to just melt as Luca’s scent practically surrounds him, like the time he first found out about Shu stealing his coat and then decided to hug him for it.
“Isn’t this much better?” Luca says as a hand comes up to gently coax Shu’s head to rest on his shoulder, breaking the weird staring match Shu had found himself in.
It also means that Shu is practically snorting his scent straight from the source.
It’s laughably easy to forget any plans of murder when he’s melting from the overwhelming sense of warmth and safety despite the eyes on them. He shifts a little to get more comfortable and sighs happily when Luca’s arms tighten around him.
Shu absently raises his hand to pat at Luca’s chest in appreciation.
He feels Luca’s smile pressed against his temple, soft and cosy before Luca straightens.
“Continue.” Luca’s tone had gone deep and icy, but his chest vibrates pleasantly under Shu’s hand that he consciously has to resist the urge to purr.
There’s a heavy pause in the silence before they start to stir, soft murmurs gradually building back up that Shu doesn’t particularly try to pay attention to. The meeting is for Luca, not for him.
He could have never expected this outcome though when he first took that coat. He secretly knew Luca would forgive him – he’s not stupid, he knows Luca tends to be softer to him compared to the others – and maybe they could work out a loan system.
But he’d already left when Shu woke again and then they were both so busy that Shu just hadn’t had the time to ask him about it until now.
He never expected to be in Luca’s lap. That Luca would want him there.
But… well.
This is fine too.