Morrigan stepped backwards, tilting dangerously. Her eyes widened when she saw who she'd bumped into, and she immediately withdrew. "I'm so sorry– are you okay??" A part of her was……… scared. Frightened that he would lash out at her. She took another step back, swallowing.
Lucian noticed the almost.. scared look in Morrigan’s expression. Why would she be scared about something so simple as bumping into somoene. “It’s alright, I’m okay. Nothing to worry about,” he said in a calm tone.
Morrigan realized how idiotic she must have looked to Lucian, but she couldn't stop the instinctual panic that rose up in her. "Sorry- sorry. I–" Please don't hurt me.
She immediately wanted to slap herself in the face. Snap out of it, you idiot. He's not Aaron. Yo look ridiculous. Hold a conversation like a regular adult. "How are you?"
“It’s okay, Morrigan, really. It was an accident,” Lucian had said slowly, doing his best to calm her down. He didn’t know why this freaked her out so much, be he wouldn’t pry on it. “I’m alright, how are you?”
See? He thinks you're stupid.
Morrigan plastered a convincing smile on her face, as if she was laughing at how silly she had been. "I'm great," she lied, pulling her hair over one shoulder. "Headed to another class? Or are you on a lunch break?"
Lucian gave a slight smile when he saw Morrigan’s. “I was putting my gym clothes away in my car before I was going to head to lunch,” he said, licking his lips for a short moment. “And yourself?”
Morrigan's eyes caught the movement of his tongue flicking out over his lip, and all of a sudden her mouth was dry and her heart was pounding and her throat was closing up– she couldn't breathe, couldn't move— then she remembered where she was. You're not at home. You're safe. Relax, goddammit.
"I was about to grab something to eat," she replied, hoping her brief panic had not been written across her face.
Lucian had noticed something in Morrigan. She seemed.. nervous. Was she scared of him or something along those lines? He considered himself to be one of the least intimidating people out there, but he supposed others had opinions. “Nice. On or off campus?”
(Sorry, I thought I’d replied!)
“On campus,” she replied, finally getting the upper hand over her emotions and faking a smile. She relaxed her posture, running a hand through her hair for extra measure.
(It’s all good. Those service errors were a nightmare yesterday so i understand)
Lucian nodded his head, an inviting smile on his lips. “Me too. Since we are going to the same place, we could walk together,” he said before adding. “Only if you want to, of course.”
(Yeah oof
How are you?)
Shit. Shit. Shitshitshit. Oh god what do I say???
Morrigan’s eyes widened a tiny fraction. Raking both hands through her hair to hide their subtle shaking, she gave a convincingly casual shrug. “Sure, why not?” Inside, she was panicking, a complete wreck. There was no way she could have said no, however much she’d wanted to— he could do anything to her f she made him mad, and she didn’t want to risk that.
(I’m pretty great, what about you?)
Lucian nodded his head a bit as he gave a friendly smile. “Great,” he said, hands stuffing into his pocket. “We should get going, then,” he said, beginning to walk towards the path at a slow pace.
(I'm so-so)
Morrigan followed, making sure she stayed in line with him. She racked her brain for a way to make conversation, each second seeming to take forever. "How are you?" she finally asked, hoping that this was a satisfactory question.
(Oh well darn)
Lucian glanced over at Morrigan for a brief moment. “I’m doing alright. How about you?” He asked, arching a brow in question.
(oof it's fine)
"I'm good, thanks," she lied smoothly, smiling slightly as a sparrow landed on the sidewalk a little ways off from them. "What are you thinking of, for lunch?"
(ahh alrighty then)
Lucian hummed in response to the first part. “I think that I might just get something small, like a salad,” he said slowly. “And you?” He was never allowed to eat junk foods or much things like that, so he was used to eating this sort of thing.
Morrigan hadn't really been planning to eat until he came along, and she found herself scrambling for an answer. "I don't know yet, something simple, maybe a soup."
A light one. Which means no dinner tonight.
“Ah, sounds good,” Lucian hummed with a slow nod of his head. Eventually they reached the building, and he opened the door for Morrigan with a friendly smile.
“Thanks,” she told him, relaxing slightly as they entered the building— only to realize just how busy it was today. Bodies left and right, people chatting, shouting, laughing; the clamour built up in her head until it was almost unbearable.
Lucian gave a hum in response to her thanks. He stepped aside, moving to put his bag down in an empty seat before taking out his wallet. He stepped back over towards Morrigan to get in line.
They filed in with the rest of the throng, Morrigan's heart rate accelerating the closer she got to other people. Bodies pressed close, making her breath hitch and her palms begin to sweat. She jumped whenever somebody accidentally bumped into her.
Lucian had noticed Morrigan flinch and could hear her breath hitch. “Are you okay?” He asked, but could assume what was wrong. He was going to be a doctor, he had a feeling that it was some form of anxiety. “How about you go sit down? I can grab your food for you,” he offered.
Morrigan felt like slapping herself across the face. She must have repulsed him with her weird behaviour— he wanted to get away from her. But the temptation of a moment of solace, away from this chaos, was too sweet to resist. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. Go sit down, try to breathe,” Lucian responded with a nod of his head. He didn’t mind getting Morrigan’s food and paying for it. It was just soup, not expensive at all.
Morrigan hesitated, before nodding and slipping away, between the bodies, between the laughing and shouting and squirming bodies, back to the safety of their table. Finally able to breathe, she sat down, harshly reprimanding herself for her stupidity.