Luca trudged sleepily towards someone, her eyes was still droopy and she was slightly slouched back, too tired to look her best right now.

Slowly, she hugged the waist of that someone and immediately felt him slightly flinch before looking over his shoulder to look at her.

Luca just snuggled, enjoying his warmth.

"Buongiorno..." She mumbled.

Matteo chuckled softly before he intertwined his hands with hers. "Good morning to you too, sleepy head."

Luca hummed sleepily. "Why're you here so early?"

"Well, you're dad called me here. Told me it's important."

Luca hummed in confusion. "Pierre said the same thing when he woke me up... "

Matteo turned around and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. Luca leaned into his chest, enjoying his warmth and his comfort.

"You don't want me here?" Matteo mused.

Luca looks at him and smiled. Her smile was making his heart make a leap at how beautiful it was.

"I love you being here." Luca exclaimed.

"Well, I love you." Matteo smiled and kissed her nose, making her scrunch it up adorably.

They've been saying those three words ever since they were kids. Friendly I love you's at first. Luca was the first one to start it. She was blunt and would always say what she wants to say and ever since she was six, she'd always tell him those three words.

Now, he says it without any friendly meaning.

He loves her.

And no matter how cheesy it was and no matter how sappy he was getting, if he gets to be sappy and cheesy for Luca to know how much he loves her then so be it.

Luca laughed. Her laughter was music to his ears. It was soft, never taunting. It was beautiful and calming that he found himself relaxing a little, forgetting the reason why he was there in the first place.

Luca makes his world turn grey at how colorful she gets whenever she's by his side.

"Well, what a coincidence, Mr. Colombo. I do too." She said, giving him those wonderful eyes that makes him instantly melt in her embrace.

Who knew that she's got this much power over him?

They've been together for years now, making Luca seventeen and him, twenty one.

Matteo snorted. "Who wouldn't love me? I'm irresistible. Women screams for my attention."

Matteo's been quite famous for quite some time now due to being an actor but apart from that, he's also going to be the heir of his father's company.

That still didn't stop him from being so cocky.

"Well, there are so many things to get your attention." Luca quipped.

"Or maybe you're not a woman at all?" Matteo suggested with a smirk.

"Excuse me?" Luca glared adorably at him. "Maybe I'm not like those women at all."

Matteo chuckled. "Really now?"

Luca rolled her eyes and escaped his hold before making her way to the kitchen. "Now, now. I don't know how your ego isn't blowing up your head right at this moment but I don't need to scream your name to get your attention now, do I, mio caro?"

(My dear.)

Oh, now she's being unfair.

Luca reached out for her cereal box and turned to look at him with smirk that was making him go weak.

Confident Luca was just simply too much for him.

Holy crap, she's simply breathtaking.

Matteo had to calm down his loud beating heart before it was his turn to roll his eyes. "Are you sure it's not my head you should be worried about?"

Luca chuckled lovingly. "I'm sure. I mean, have you ever heard me telling you that—"

"I get your point." Matteo grumbled, feeling a little jealous at those people who worships the floor she walks on.

He knows that she's great and he knows that she's well-known and most people recognizes her but that doesn't excuse the fact that so many people are being a creep when it comes to her.

Luca smiled at his expression. He was like an open book and she's seeing what's going on in his head.

Luca shakes her head dismissively. "Matty, nobody would do that. That's just silly. My brothers won't even allow me to go out without Pierre."

"Good." Matteo continued his grumbling. "But that still doesn't stop them from looking at you when you go outside, Luca."

"They're looking at me like what a normal person would do, dummy." She exclaimed.

"Says who?" He demanded, walking towards her.

"Says me. I can take care of myself. I'm fine, they're not even going to hurt me, that's that. Period." She said with finality. She really dislikes being considered weak. She gave him a friendly pat on the shoulders. "Now shush, and would please grab a few things in the fridge, Matteo?"

How she could control him, make her point stand and order him around, he doesn't know how but he doesn't care.

Matteo sighed defeatedly before going to the fridge, already knowing what to grab. He took the milk, her yogurt and her strawberry juice before giving it to her.

Luca smiled knowingly. "Thank you."

Matteo smiled and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face before kissing her forehead lovingly.

"Eat your breakfast, vozlyublennaya."

(Sweetheart.)

"I know that you're worried but I really can handle myself, Matt. I'm not five anymore."

He nodded sadly. "I know, Luca. I just don't want you getting hurt."

"And I won't. Trust me, okay?" She smiled sadly.

"I trust you but I don't trust those strangers."

Luca nodded, accepting his answer. "You know that I love you, right?"

Matteo's heart fluttered happily at her words. She was just the definition of perfection and he will never seek for somebody better because for him, Luca was already that somebody.

His worries suddenly faded and his focus was only on her.

"I know." He gave her a peck on the cheek. "I love you more, Ms. Cattaneo."

"We're pathetic." Luca suddenly pointed out with a grin. "We're so cheesy and sappy. Everything that comes out of our mouths are just words that seems like it came out of a book or a movie."

Matteo snorted. "If we're going to be famous for being cheesy and sappy then let's make the most of it. And besides, the words that I say doesn't comes from a script or a line from a book. It comes from my heart. It comes from what I feel. From what I feel for you, love. I don't care what other people say, all I care is you. So, now let's change the subject before I turn into an overly friendly mush like you."

Luca snorted. "I like it. It suits you, darling."

"It suits me?" Matteo repeated like he couldn't believe what she said. "No. I don't enjoy it. It's too much."

Luca shrugged. "Your loss."

~•••~

When Luca's family finally graced them with their presence, they were a bit surprised when they saw Matteo arguing with Luca while he brushed her hair.

"What kind of monsters would put cereal first before the milk?"

Luca glared at him over her shoulders. "You're calling me a monster?"

"I'm calling you crazy, lyublyu." He deadpanned, making Luca grumble. "We don't put cereal first and then milk."

(Love.)

"Why the heck would you put milk before the cereal?"

"Because I'm not crazy!" He argued while he began braiding her hair. "Because it doesn't make the cereal soggy!"

Luca just shook her head in disappointment. "Mine wasn't soggy and yours made the cereal crunchy and I hate it."

"It should be crunchy, dummy!"

Luca looks at him with amusement. "You monster."

"You're the monster!" He said.

"I'm the crazy one, you're the monster!" Luca blew a raspberry.

"As funny as this all is, I think that we have important matters to discuss, hmm?"

Both of them looks at Achilles and they saw him smiling at them.

Matteo sighed, nodding.

Luca stood up and walked towards her father, giving him a hug. "Good morning, papa!"

Achilles kissed the crown of her head. " Good morning, darling."

Luca looks at her brothers and Enzo was the first one to hug her. Luca was confused at his sudden action but she didn't argue, instead she hugged him back.

"Good morning, Enzy." Luca greeted softly.

"Good morning... " He greeted back with less enthusiasm.

"What's wrong, Enzy?" Luca whispered in concern while she rubbed his back in comfort.

"Enzo, you're scaring her." Gabriele scolded, making the eldest release his hold on her.

"Sorry." Enzo mumbled.

"Well, I think I'm scaring you more." Luca said slowly, observing them like a hawk. "You looked spooked."

"Well, Sherlock, good job on solving the obvious." Gabriele sarcastically replied.

Sydney sighed before elbowing Gabriele, making him slightly crouch down, hoping to relive the pain that the second youngest inflicted.

Achilles sighed at his sons' silliness.

Pierre smiled comfortingly and walked towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I think that you should sit down for this one, bubba."

Luca melted slightly at the endearment. "Now, you're starting to scare me out as well,  Pierre."

Pierre chuckled. "Well, you'll just have to trust me."

"After you betrayed me and threw loads of snowballs at my my face in hopes for saving your lover from getting buried alive then no, I shall not put my trust on thee." Luca sweetly said while Pierre rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't helping him." He argued.

Luca gave him a look. "Mhmm, okay."

"You don't believe me." Pierre stated with a sigh.

Luca grinned. "I do, I do, but we have something to discuss. So, let's get this started." Her expression turned serious. There was no traces on joy in it.  It was blank and passive, without any traces of a positive emotion it. It still shocks them to see the immediate change of expressions. It was like she was born to deceive people with it. "What's wrong?"

Matteo gulped at the coldness in her voice.

"Well, it's about you and Matteo." Her father told her slowly, as to not scare her.

Luca tilted her head to the side and waits for Achilles to continue.

"Eleven years ago, after you attended the party where you were acknowledged as a part of the organization, Matteo visited you due to his worry."

Everyone winced at the memory.

It wasn't the greatest memory and it will definitely not be the last.

Matteo nodded, remembering that day as if it was only yesterday.

He would never forget that day Luca entered their world, a world where everyday was a struggle, where everyday was cold, bleak and positively blank. That world was only black and white for Matteo, never really seeing the beauty that it has to offer him.

Luca's expression that day was filled with fear and nervousness. She didn't stand the loneliness and so she made him promise that he would never leave her. She made her family promise her that as well.

Not that he'd be able to leave her side now.

Not they they'd be able to leave her side.

It was simply impossible to leave her side because you get this urge whenever you're with her. It was like you have you protect the innocence she held. Luca held a lot of things that made them a bit protective of her.

"What happened?" Matteo asked cautiously. He feels like whatever they're about to say, it will going to be his fault and it will definitely affect Luca.

Now, he's worried for Luca.

"He's got eyes and ears everywhere." Enzo continued, constantly looking at the two of them. "I hope you know that."

Matteo clenched his fist. He does not like where this is going and whatever it was, if it could make them nervous and worried then he's about to do the same.

"What happened?" He repeated, growing more and more anxious.

"He's forcing you two to get married." Sydney said, holding Pierre's hand for support.

Silence enveloped the room, the atmosphere turned heavy and cold.

And Luca and Matteo was processing the information.

After a little while, Luca took a deep breath before sighing it out. "I don't like the fact that we'll be playing the role of this man's decisions. He gets what he wants and he expects me to play the role of being the pitiful bride? Of being the future trophy wife?"

"We'll try to get you two out of this." Enzo promised but that only made Luca even more furious.

She looked at her brother with anger but also concern. She doesn't want them trying to get her to safety. She wants them safe. "I'm not letting you guys die from trying. I'm not letting you. I'll never let one of you die for my sake. You said so yourself, if we don't play his game, we die and if you decide to try and get me out of this, we also die."

"You don't know that." Gabriele grumbled. "We haven't even tried yet!"

"I am not losing any of you!" Luca stubbornly refused. "I won't stand for this."

"Luca—" Pierre tried but he got cut off by Luca glaring at him.

"It wasn't your fault." She huffed. "It never was and it never will be."

"But it was." Pierre exclaimed with desperation. Why wasn't she blaming him? She should just curse him and scream at him for dropping this burden on her. "I-It was, Luca... "

Luca's expression softened a bit. "I will never blame you for something that you didn't have control of, Pierre."

"Well, you should." He huffed. "It was my fault for putting you all into this mess."

"No, it was ours." Achilles said, looking at Pierre with sadness and guilt. "It was mine. I should've protected everyone more dutifully but I failed. I failed you and everyone else as a father. I will never forgive myself for this mistake. If anyone's to blame, it's me."

Luca shook her head.

She would never blame her family.

Her family protected her, they tried their best to keep her out of this, they were willing to save her from that imbecile's decisions.

But she was also not willing to risk their lives, she would not lose them.

Luca grabbed her father's hand and kissed the back of it. "Papa, you were never a failure in my eyes. None of you were. And you never will be. For me, you'd always be my heroes, my lovely overprotective superheroes. I don't blame you so don't blame yourselves. I don't care if I have to marry Matteo because for me, I know that you'd kick his ass before he gets to turn me into stew."

"Luca... " Matteo scowled.

"Don't say that." Sydney puffed.

"Don't say ass... " Enzo frowned distastefully.

"You learned from the best." Gabriele proudly declared.

"Gabriele!" Everyone said in unison, causing him to look at them with a glare.

Luca chuckled softly. "The point is, all of you have done your best to protect me. You're willing to risk everything for me. Can't I do the same? Can't I protect my family?"

"You'd be stripped out of your freedom." Achilles grabbed both of her hands and held it tightly. "Would you want that? Do you want to play by that man's game?"

Luca frowned slightly.

Of course she doesn't want that. She'll never wish for her freedom to be stripped out of her. Freedom isn't supposed to be taken away.

"I'm not playing anyone's game. I'm not letting him see me looking pathetic, I'm not letting him see me become some trophy wife for Matty and I'm definitely not letting him see us squirm our way out of his choice to get us into an arranged marriage."

"But your freedom—" Gabriele was cut off by Luca.

"I will always be free, okay?" She said softly. "Nobody has the rights to strip me out of my freedom."

She could still see their worried looks and she knew that they were just trying to give her their help but she doesn't need it. She can take care of herself.

Luca wants to take care of them though.

"I don't want any of you to die because of this and if this is the price for having that wish be fulfilled then I'd be happy to do it. It's Matteo. I trust him. I love him, so in a way, that man didn't get the pitiful bride from me." Luca said. " You promised me to stay by my side and I'm asking you to keep that. I'm asking you to stay. Don't leave me and don't worry about me. I love you all so much but I think that it's time for me to decide whether I'd be the damsel in distress or the hero and please, let me be your hero for once. Let me do this. All of you have done so much for me so let me return the favor. I appreciate the concerns but it's okay. I'll be okay. "

Everyone just melted when they saw the look on Luca's face.

Luca looked at Matteo and his heart immediately jumped out of his chest when he saw the looks that Luca was giving him.

Her eyes were practically glowing with so much trust and innocence, it was soft without any traces of pain or anger in it. Her smile was as bright as the sun and the moon itself, it was filled with honesty and nothing but pureness. Luca was just glowing with confidence and love and beauty that Matteo's breath hitched.

He held his breath.

Because she was simply breathtaking.

"I'll be okay with Matty."

______

Okay....

I hope you aren't confused by the sudden time jump. XD

I just really wanted it

And I really wanted a Matty and Luca time so sorry if people  who doesn't like this couple, have to read this chapter. ^^

How was it?

I feel like Luca has grown so much. She's become braver, independent and much more confident and I just love her so much!