SHIP — ManonxLaraxY/N

written by — Fufu830.

The evening had started casually enough. Manon and Y/N were sprawled out on the couch, sipping from their glasses as the dim light of the living room flickered gently. The music from the speakers was soft—more of a background hum than anything meant to distract. The day had been long, and the night was settling in with a comfortable ease.

"Honestly," Manon said with a half-laugh, taking a sip from her wine glass, "I don't even remember the last time I just... hung out like this."

Y/N grinned, leaning back into the cushions. "Yeah, I know what you mean. You're always on the go. It's nice to just *be* for once."

Manon's eyes sparkled with mischief, her gaze flickering to Y/N. "You know, I think this is the first time we've actually had a chance to just hang out without anyone else around. No distractions. No Lara interrupting us."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin pulling at the corners of their lips. "You think Lara's the one who interrupts us?"

Manon chuckled, swirling her drink in her glass. "Well, she's always there with her 'wise advice' and 'serious talks.' It's exhausting sometimes, you know?"

Y/N laughed, feeling the alcohol begin to hit them. The buzz in their head made everything feel lighter, more carefree. "I get it. She's the serious one, and you're the one always getting into trouble."

"Hey, I don't get into trouble *that* often," Manon replied with a playful smirk, leaning her head back against the couch.

"Sure," Y/N teased. "But look at you right now, sitting here with a glass of wine, and you're already a little tipsy."

Manon winked, taking another sip. "Well, I never said I didn't enjoy a little chaos every now and then."

The alcohol had done its work, and the conversation began to flow more easily, less guarded. Y/N and Manon found themselves laughing more, getting closer in that way only two people who felt entirely comfortable with each other could. There was an intimacy to it, even in the jokes, even in the shared silences.

After a while, Y/N found themselves looking at Manon a little differently, their heart beating just a bit faster than it had been an hour ago. Manon's laugh, her smile, the way her eyes gleamed when she spoke—it all felt... right. More than just the friendship they'd shared. More than just a casual hangout. There was an undeniable chemistry, an attraction neither had really acknowledged out loud.

"You know," Y/N said, their voice a little quieter now, "I think you're really beautiful."

Manon's breath caught for a moment, her eyes flickering to Y/N's lips before meeting their gaze again. "You're not so bad yourself."

The air between them thickened, a shift in the mood that neither one of them could ignore. Y/N leaned in, heart pounding in their chest, and before they could second-guess themselves, their lips met Manon's in a soft, tentative kiss.

The world seemed to stop for a moment—just the two of them, leaning into each other, tasting the wine on each other's lips. The kiss was gentle, a slow discovery of something that had always been there, just beneath the surface. Manon's fingers grazed Y/N's cheek, pulling them a little closer, the heat between them growing.

But then, just as things were beginning to deepen, the sound of a door creaked open. Neither of them pulled away fast enough.

"Uh... guys?" Lara's voice echoed from the doorway, her tone a mixture of surprise and amusement.

Both Manon and Y/N broke apart, their faces flushing red. Y/N quickly sat up straighter, looking at Lara who stood frozen in the doorway, a raised eyebrow the only indication that she had just walked in on something more than they'd bargained for.

Lara's lips curved into a teasing smile. "I don't think I need to ask what's going on here," she said, crossing her arms with a slight chuckle.

Manon, now visibly blushing, let out a nervous laugh. "We, uh... didn't expect you back so soon?"

Y/N was still frozen, their heart hammering in their chest, unsure whether to laugh or just disappear. "I... yeah. We were just, um, hanging out... a little more than usual, I guess."

Lara raised her hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm not judging. It's just... kinda obvious, you know? But I'll leave you two alone," she added with a wink, already backing out of the room. "Just... maybe keep it down next time?"

As soon as the door clicked shut, both Y/N and Manon burst into laughter, the tension melting away. Manon reached up to ruffle Y/N's hair, her eyes twinkling. "Well... that was unexpected."

Y/N couldn't help but laugh, still a little embarrassed but not entirely regretting it. "Yeah, I'm sure Lara's going to have a field day with this."

Manon shrugged, her grin wide. "She'll get over it. We were just having a little fun. Besides, it was kind of nice, don't you think?"

Y/N nodded, their heart still racing, but now for a different reason. "Yeah... nice."

And as the night went on, with Lara's teasing just a distant memory, the two of them found themselves getting closer—both in laughter and in something a little deeper, something that neither of them had quite expected, but neither could deny.