The path of least resistance [Serena]

[Lucas Blacke]

W-what? Luke didn't quite know how to respond. And in all reality, why should he respond? She had told him before they wouldn't have a wedding, she had warned him about how she was and Lucas had been preparing himself for the moment he would break down because of it. But it seemed she was the one to go even despite saying she could handle the whole friends with benefits thing. ''Hey..'' He started as he held her face when she leaned her forehead against his.

He shouldn't be feeling as he felt, but part of him was happy he wasn't the first to break down. Though he was sure than now that she had he would not be that far behind. She seemed to be really opening up to him with what she said, and despite never having been friends with benefits with anyone before he was sure this wasn't supposed to happen.. did friends with benefits really cry over the fact they couldn't love their friend? That was the whole point, wasn't it?

''Don't- don't cry.'' It would sound cold and lifeless to most, but with what she was doing and saying she pretty much drove in the nail that made him realize they'd never be a thing; the exact same reason he had let Karalie go. While he would still talk to her he had given up on wanting more. Maybe that was what made him do what he did, the idea of having more, knowing she could crack under enough pressure, the hunt.

But she had taken that from him, taken the hunt from the Texan. This made him dwell and wonder about what the hell he was doing if she was never going to be more for him. At that point Lucas got mad, but at himself. He let this happen, he did nothing to stop it and even invited it. He was still the same weak teenager he had always been and it bugged the shit out of him.

Holding her tight, and if she would have it he would hug her against him, placing his chin softly on top of her head to make sure he wouldn't have to see her cry. And what more, that she didn't see him cry.

''I know..''

[Serena Varsair]

Serena just let him move her whenever he did so, unwilling to struggle with him, or do much of anything. Sight blurred from the lack of glasses and built-up tears that hadn't yet run their course, she just closed them, letting small rivers run from the closed eyelids in the process.

Unwilling to open her eyes, when he told her not to cry, she managed to stop mostly, though a tear would still drop when she blinked. Lips trembling, she whispered, "I want you to be happy..." Serena was so regretful now. Not for the the experience, but the emotional pain he might go through because of it. "I don't want to hurt you..."

Quietly sighing to try and return her breath to its normal rate she kept her eyes closed, and actually felt weary. Her emotional energy was so drained, and her physical energy was just low enough where she actually felt tired and sleepy. Weakly, she pulled her arms to a resting position against him and felt herself drifting slightly. His 'I know' pulled her just enough awake to say, "Just like Han Solo..." It was whispered and vacant, he would likely know she was nearing sleep.

[Lucas Blacke]

He wasn't happy, but he was happy. What Serena had told him he knew already; she wouldn't be his. Deep down he had known this all along, but being able to try made it all okay for him, and right now even despite her saying she couldn't be what he wanted he felt a mix of thoughts hit his brain.

What did he want? How did she know what he wanted? Yes he said he wanted a girlfriend and be steady and not have eyes for anyone else, but he would always end up having eyes for someone else. Maybe all he wanted was a new conquest. She hadn't been hurting him with what she was doing, but as soon as her thoughts formed words she did. If she really wanted him to be happy she would have not said anything, she would be the one living a lie but Lucas couldn't really tell the difference between a good friend and a girlfriend.

But why was she so hung up about it anyway? Didn't she get what she wanted. ''Nothin' like Han.'' He replied softly, he knew she was falling asleep and truth was that Luke, while the control over his own muscles kept him looking awake, was pretty tired himself. She had really tired him out and that was a good thing, he hadn't had some pre-sleep sex in quite a while so it should have been a very good rest.

Except for the part he now knew that the hot girl on his chest would never be what he wanted her to be, if he even knew what that was. If you'd ask Luke he would have said that what had happened tonight was exactly what he wanted, not so much with that subject of the talk but all he wanted was someone to be close with. Deep down he slowly began to realize he wanted more than just that, and he would with some reluctance have come to the conclusion she would indeed never be that for him.

He placed his hand on her head then and slowly rubbed her temple. ''Han stopped.''

[Serena Varsair]

Sleep was on the brink of taking her away from this conversation with Lucas as her whole body relaxed and her mind slowed from its more rapid, focused pace to a lazier, unfocused form. Serena's body fell off his slightly, until it was back to being more on his side with parts of her chest and her head on his chest. Not enough movement to wake her up from her near-sleep state, but enough to be noticed by herself and likely by Lucas.

Love will never happen, not with Lucas, but this she still wanted for this to stay...she rambled to him, "I want...this to...continue...I do...I want you in my life..." Half of her words were just barely clear enough to be understood and if they were much further away from each other, it was doubtful that they could be understood. Her eyes definitely weren't opening and even when he rubbed her temple, she didn't really stir and gave a loud, meaningless sigh in reponse to his words that her ears heard but her mind didn't understand.

Pure perfection...the moment of complete restfulness...Serena found it so rarely.

[Lucas Blacke]

Watching her head bob up and down slowly with his breathing as she put her head on his chest Lucas could quickly feel his eyes wanting to close and his mind getting blurry. It seemed like he had gotten her to a sleepy state where she was about to drift off, this only meant that Luke could stop pretending to be awake though, even as he had already allowed his eyes to close, yet still hearing everything around him. She likely wouldn't see his eyes anyway so there would be no danger (as Lucas futilely thought) as being seen as weak and letting sleep take him before it did the woman.

So what if love didn't happen? He wondered. So what if things just remained as they were? His eyes were shut and he was on the brink of sleep, but his mind wouldn't let him drift off just yet. ''Ain't goin' anywhere.'' He finally promised her as he took a second to figure out her words.

''G'night..'' He finally said without waiting for any further comment, his mind shutting down and finding rest finally.