#Nadine Laurent-Hassan - Laurel OC

[goldenlaurelleaveswrites]

I've Got These Friends...

You've met Marinette's friends, but have you met Luka's?

AO3

This wasn't supposed to happen (much like many of my stories). But @verfound was betaing ch17 of J vs and she loved Darrel. Enough that she commented on how much she loved him. And then the rest of the LBSC liked him. And suddenly I was staring at a character profile for a character that was supposed to be a throwaway one.

And then... well, Ver, @rierse, @quickspinner, and @mintaka14 know what they did. So now Darrel has joined my other OCs, and I'm finally getting around to sharing more about them 😂

I started this challenge using this prompt list, but I didn't use all of the prompts from it and I will likely end up making up some of my own as well. I've also taken some of the prompts out of order to suit my whims.

You'll also notice that some of Ver's OCs show up. Dingo and Bri are more canon than actual canon, and they decided to show up and make themselves comfortable 😂

I will also warn you all, because of school and trying to finish J vs, this likely won't be updated every day and will probably bleed over into other months.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

[goldenlaurelleaveswrites]

I've Got These Friends...

3. Childhood Memory

I've Got These Friends... (AO3)

Nadine - age 8

Luka - age 8

Juleka - age 6

______________________________________________________

“Alright, everyone. We’re going to move on to act three, scene five now,” the director called before turning to her. “Nadine, they still haven’t fixed the leak in the greenroom, so I’ll get you to watch from the audience for today. It’s good for you to see how we choreograph a fight anyways, never too early to start learning…” he said, trailing off as he look back towards the theatre doors. 

“Yes, M. Aubert,” she said. Clutching her script—her first real stage script—in hand, she made her way to the downstage steps that led down into the audience and made herself comfortable in one of the seats. She flipped open her script to the beginning of act one, and began rereading the lines her maman had helped her highlight. 

 “Alright everyone, while we’re waiting we can review our motivations for this scene.”

“Shouldn’t we work on another scene until she gets here?” Leslie, one of the actors playing a guard, asked. 

“She should be here any minute, she’s never late but she’s always close-” 

M. Aubert was interrupted by a door slamming open. She jumped in her seat, almost dropping her script as she turned to peek over the back of the seat she was sitting in. 

“We’re ‘ere,” a woman with a long, thick braid and bright red glasses called as she strode through the door, hefting a long bag with her. Her voice boomed and carried across the room in that magical way she still hadn’t gotten yet. “Just had a bit o’ a hiccup with the sitter,” the woman continued as she marched down the aisle with a muffled clanging sound. 

M. Aubert grinned, his moustache twitching. “You always know how to make an entrance, Anarka.”

“Good. Just got te get the lad an’ lass settled,” the woman said as she continued down the aisle. She ducked back into her seat as the woman came closer. Her maman and papa had told her it was rude to stare. But that didn’t stop her from peeking between the cracks in the seat. “’An we can get started.”

“The pipe in the greenroom hasn’t been fixed yet, but they can sit in the audience with Nadine.” She straightened up as soon as M. Aubert said her name, and turned to see him nodding his head in her direction. 

“Right, get stretching then, the lot o’ ye. I’ll be up in a titch,” the woman with the booming voice, so much louder now that she was closer, called. The clanging sound was getting louder too. And then it stopped. “Ye must be Nadine, then.” 

She turned to look up into the woman’s face. She had bright blue eyes, and jewelry as colourful as her glasses. “Yes, madame,” she said as politely and as professionally as she could. The way she spoke to all the adults on set. 

The woman burst out laughing. “None o’ that. Anarka, or Captain if ye must.” 

“Y-yes ma- Captain.” 

The corners of the Captains eyes crinkled sash smiled. “This is me b’y, Luka,” the Captain said, gesturing a little behind her to where a boy stood. He had the same blue eyes as the Captain, and messy black hair. “An’ me lass, Juleka” the Captain added, gesturing to the girl who was trailing after the boy, clutching one of his hands in hers.  “Now,” the Captain said, turning to look at Luka and Juleka, “mind yer manners. Don’t interrupt ‘less it’s an emergency, and stay offstage while the swords are out." Luka nodded solemnly, and the Captain laughed. “There’s a good lad, go one, make a friend,” she said as she ruffled his hair. 

“Ma,” Luka protested, but his maman just laughed before turning and heading towards the stage. Then Luka turned to look at her again. “Your name is Nadine?” She nodded. “Your parents couldn’t find a sitter either?” 

“No. I’m in the show,” she said, holding up her script. 

“Oh… so how come you’re not on stage?” 

“I’m not in any of the fight scenes.”

“Oh… that’s too bad. Ma always says swordplay is fun.” 

“I know,” she sighed. “But one day I’ll be old enough to be in one!” She paused. “Do you… want to sit down?” she asked, gesturing to the empty seats at the end of the row.

Luka nodded. “C’mon, Jules,” he said to his sister, tugging on their joined hands. She smiled at his sister as he helped her climb into one of the seats, but Juleka ducked her head and immediately opened the colouring book she had been holding in her other hand. 

“I like your bats,” she said, pointing to the open page where a bunch of bats had been coloured in with purple crayon. Juleka mumbled something she couldn’t hear. 

“She says thank you.” She looked up from the page to Luka. “Jules is shy.”

“Thanks ok,” she said, tightening her grip on her script. “I’m shy too, sometimes.” Luka smiled at that. “So do you act too?” 

Luka shook his head. “No, I like music though. I play guitar and the fiddle and violin.” 

“That’s a lot! I only play piano.” 

“I like music. I’ve been playing since I could hold an instrument. Do you like piano?” 

“Yeah, it’s fine. My acting coach said it’s a good thing to know.” 

“Acting coach?”

“She teaches me how to act and helps me get ready for roles.” 

“Do you act a lot?” 

She nodded. “I’ve been in ads on tv, and I was in a movie. But I didn’t have any lines. This is my first time doing stage acting though. It’s…” she hadn’t told anyone. Not even her parents. But Luka… he seemed nice. Like a friend. “It’s kinda scary.” 

Luka nodded. “It looks scary. But you like it.” He didn’t ask it. He just said it. “What else do you like doing?” 

Her script was still in her hands, but she hadn’t looked at it once since Luka had asked her to show it to him. They had been too busy talking. The more she talked to him, the more if felt like she had known him forever. His sister was nice too, even if she only mumbled her responses to her questions and Luka had to translate. But Juleka had smiled at her when she complimented the purple ribbon in her hair. And that had felt like winning a prize. 

She didn’t have many friends. The other kids at the parties her parents sometimes had to take her to weren’t very nice. And at school, her classmates weren’t mean. They were nice. But most weren’t interested in acting. Her teachers told her she was too serious. But she didn’t know how to change that. 

But Luka didn’t seem to care. 

“Luka?” she looked down at her script, and clutched it tightly in her hands. “Can we be friends?”

“You sound nice.”  

“What?” 

“Your song. It sounds nice. You sound like a friend.”

“So… are we friends?” 

Luka nodded. 

“You’re kinda funny,” she giggled.

“He’s weird.” The words took her by surprise. It took her a second to realize who had said them-

“Jules!” Luka protested, his ears going pink. “I am not!” 

Luka looked up at her as she continued to giggle. “I like funny. And I think I like weird, too.”

[goldenlaurelleaveswrites]

I've Got These Friends...

6. All Alone

I've Got These Friends... (AO3)

Nadine - age 17

Luka - age 17

___________________________________________

The school was eerily quiet this late in the day. As far as she knew, everyone save for a few of the teachers and the custodial staff had gone home for the day. Which just left her and the empty dance studio, and the occasional echo of cleaning carts going up and down the hall. It was only a matter of time before someone came to kick her out, but the custodians were usually pretty understanding and wouldn’t kick people out until they had to. 

So for the time being, she was essentially on her own. 

Just her and the music. 

And this stupid choreography. 

Except, that wasn’t really fair… The choreography wasn’t stupid… 

She huffed in frustration as she bailed out of the Italian fouetté. That was the third time she had messed it up today. She never had this much trouble with  choreography. And it wasn’t even hip hop! There was no reason she should be having any trouble with this, let alone this much trouble. 

Especially since she had done it, if not perfectly than at least almost perfectly, yesterday. 

Sighing, she crossed the floor to where her phone was plugged into the speaker and restarted the music. She made her way back to centre, and let the familiar swell of the music wash over her. By this point, she probably didn’t even need the music; she had been at it so long she practically had it memorized. 

She ignored the aches in her feet and the soreness creeping into her muscles as she went through the steps. Every move was perfect. 

Except…  

As the Italian fouetté section drew nearer, what felt like a million akumas began to swirl in her stomach. Every motion of the steps ricocheted off the inside of her head, swirling in a cloud of unwelcome and unwanted chaos as her feet slid into position to prepare for the fouettés. 

The first fouetté was sloppy, but at least she had made it through it this time.

The second one was shaky. 

The third one… 

She tried to place her arms perfectly. Extend her leg perfectly. Keep a serene and effortless smile on her face. Just like Mme. Clément had instructed her to. Except all she could focus on was how nothing was right and none of it was good enough. So she had squeezed her eyes shut, despite knowing better. 

Without her place on the wall to spot, she stumbled out of the turn. Angrily, she wiped tears of frustration from her eyes as the music continued on without her.

“Nadine?” 

She screamed at the unexpected voice. She whirled to find Luka standing in the door the the dance studio, his guitar case slung across his back and his hair looking more dishevelled than usual.

“Luka? What are you doing here? I thought I was alone!” 

He offered her an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I was…” the smile dropped from his face as he sighed and dragged a hand through his hair, messing it up even further. “The song I’m working on, well, I’m stuck right now. Been going in circles for a while now.” 

“The song for Marinette?” 

“You’ve been talking with Jules too much,” he said, rolling his eyes. And not answering her question. Which meant it was a yes. “What’re you doing here?” 

“Can’t you tell?” she asked with a wry laugh, gesturing to her leotard and tights and the speakers, from which the music was still playing. 

“You’ve been at it a while though, haven’t you? Your last class ends before mine.” 

“Yeah, well,” she said, turning to face the mirror. “I keep messing it up.” 

In the reflection of the mirror, she watched as Luka settled himself against the doorframe. “It looked good from where I was standing, until you got in your own head.” 

“Good isn’t enough,” she mumbled as she tried to find her place in the song to get back into the steps. 

“You can’t be perfect all the time,” he scoffed in that comforting way of his. 

“I’m not perfect,” she mumbled, crossing her arms as she looked away from the reflection of his gaze, giving up on the choreo entirely.  

“No one is. Now are you going to tell me what’s got you so stuck in your own head?” 

 “I didn’t get the commercial,” she admitted. 

“But this isn’t the first time,” he said, prompting her to continue on. 

He was right. That was just show business. She couldn’t expect to land every role. There were plenty of roles she hadn’t landed before, whether she hadn’t been the right look, or she had been too old or too young. But this time… “When they found out they could get Adrien Agreste, they decided I wasn’t good enough. They revamped the entire concept for the commercial so they could cast him.” 

In the mirrors, she saw Lukas brows furrow. She knew about Luka’s complicated relationship with Adrien, not that he would ever call it that. He was too nice for that. She on the other hand… 

“He can’t even act!” she blurted out, throwing her hands up in frustration. “And I… it just sucks, you know? Losing out to someone because of who they are or their connection. I know that makes me sound like a hypocrite but you know me.” 

“I do,” he sad quietly. His voice was comforting, but his expression was dark.  

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. Of course he knew what that was like, what with the music video incident that had gone down with Kitty Section and XY, back when Kitty Section had still been together. 

His expression lightened; it was still heavy, but the darkness had faded. “I think we’ve both spun ourselves in circles enough for tonight. And you and I both know the worst thing for us is to be alone at times like these. We’re doing take-out tonight, ma wouldn’t mind if you dropped by.”

A small smile crept across her face. “That would be nice. My parents are out tonight anyways, I’ll just text Isabelle that she shouldn’t expect me for dinner.”

Luka nodded. “You pack up, I’ll shut down the sound system.” 

“Thanks,” she said gratefully, before hobbling on her aching feet to where she had dumped her backpack and rehearsal bag. “You know,” she said as she kicked off her character shoes and pulled her joggers on over her leotard, “maybe you wouldn’t be spinning yourself in circles if you just asked Marinette out already.”

[goldenlaurelleaveswrites]

I've Got These Friends...

5. Winter's Coldness

I've Got These Friends... (AO3)

Aimée - age 17 Nadine - Age 17 Luka - age 17 Darrel - Age 17

_________________________________________

“Aimée,” Nadine complained, her voice tight despite holding the serene but haughty expression she had asked her to, “hurry up. I’m freezing.” 

She offered Nadine a sheepish grin. “Sorry, I just need to double-check the exposure and shutter speed and then we should be all ready. You doing ok, Luka?” she asked, glancing to the left, where Luka was standing just out of the shot, holding a thermos of hot water at the ready. 

“I-”

“Don’t. You. Dare. Complain, Luka,” Nadine hissed. 

“I’m fine,” Luka continued nodding solemnly as he also shot Nadine an apologetic look. Unlike Nadine, he was bundled up in a winter coat, a hat, and gloves to protect him from the cold, as was she. Nadine on the other hand, was in in her white romantic tutu and the silver organza and tulle Snow Queen cape Nadine had sweet-talked M. Gauthier into letting them borrow. 

“And I’m ready,” she chirped from where she had leaned back down over her tripod.  

“Finally.” 

“Ok, get into position… a touch to the left… ok there,” she said as Nadine shuffled into the first rays of the morning light. “And remember, haughty but serene. This is your kingdom. You’re the Queen. Now on the count of three, are you both ready?” 

“I am.”

“Same.” 

“Ok, one…” she squinted trough the viewfinder of her camera. “Two… three!” 

Nadine rose up onto point and into an arabesque as Luka threw the water from the thermos. The hot water turned to a cloud of snow-like vapour as soon as it hit the cold air. The shutter of her camera clicked. 

Standing up, she unhooked the camera from the tripod to take a look. “It’s perfect you guys!” she squealed as she looked at the shot. The sky behind Nadine was the soft pinks, blues, and golds of the winter sunrise, and the scene looked positively magical with the snow and cloud of vapour around Nadine catching hints of the golden light. 

“Does that mean I can put my coat on now?” 

“Of course. Until we get to the next place in the park I want to take some shots. Now come on! We won’t have this light for long!” she said as she released the lever on her tripod to collapse the legs and picked it up. 

Their little troupe marched through the park, from the pond over to the bridge, where she got another incredible shot, this time of Nadine on the bridge, her cape flowing out behind her courtesy of Luka holding it up by the ends and then running out of shot at the last possible second. From there, they continued throughout the park, stopping at all of the locations she had picked out weeks ago. Plus a few extra she had decided were just perfect along the way because how could she turn down the perfect shot? 

So far, her favourite was the one she had gotten of Nadine doing what was apparently called a tour jeté. Luka had been able to use the last thermos of boiling water to make another cloud behind Nadine in that picture, and it was just everything. 

And now… 

“This is the last one. I promise.” 

“You said that back at that big oak tree…” Nadine grumbled as she shedded her coat and the boots she had worn over her point shoes as they trekked around the park.

‘That was before I saw this view,” she said, gesturing to the completely deserted, tree-lined pathway. “Sometimes we have to suffer for our art.” 

“I don’t see you doing a whole lot of suffering for your art,” Nadine complained as she scurried across the snow to the point on the pathway she had directed her to.

“If she does turn to murder, how willing are you offer me sanctuary on the Liberty?” she asked as Luka stopped beside her and took her tripod bag from her. 

“You think that’s going to stop her?” he asked with a chuckle. 

“It won’t!” Nadine called from where she was waiting. 

“I love you, you’re the best! And I owe you a hot chocolate!” 

"Hot chocolates, plural," Nadine grumbled as she picked her way through the snow."

"Add them to my tab," she called back before looking down at her watch. “You heard from Darrel?” she asked as she began fiddling with her camera settings. “He said he would be here in time to drive us all back to Nadine’s place.” 

“He texted me a couple of minutes ago, he was just parking-” 

“Hey everyone,” she turned as she lowered her camera. Darrel was hurrying towards them, balancing a cardboard tray with four to go cups in his mittened hands. Patches was circled around his shoulders and neck, thoroughly tucked into his hood. And wearing one of the many coats Darrel had gotten for her because he was Darrel. “Sorry we’re late! But we brought hot chocolate- hey, aren’t you cold, Nadine?”

[goldenlaurelleaveswrites]

I've Got These Friends...

4. Sick Moves Bro

I've Got These Friends... (AO3)

Darrel - age 15

Cameo appearances Nadine - age 15 Ginger Capris, one of @verfound's OCs - age 15

I fell further behind on these than I had anticipated I would. My first paper for this semester was the opposite of fun to write, and then I came down with a bad head cold which just wiped me out the day after I submitted.

__________________________________________

He looked up from his class schedule and barely managed to duck out of the way of a couple of girls who looked like they were in a panicked rush. Saint-Saëns was a lot bigger than he had thought it would be. It was a lot bigger than he remembered it being from his audition… but then again he had only been in the big theatre for his audition. And there had been people there to direct him and his mom. But studio 128 was probably around here somewhere… 

And if he was a little late to class, it was the first day. His teacher—M. Beaumont it said on his schedule—probably wouldn’t mind too much if he was late. Looking at all the other people in the hall, it looked like a lot of them were thinking they would be late to their first classes too. So he probably would’t be the only one if he was late. 

Shrugging, he continued down the hall, scanning the numbers over the doors as he passed them. 

136… it was shut tight and it looked like all the lights were out. 

133… a bunch of students were hanging out in the open doorway, chatting lazily. 

130… from what he could see, it looked like a bunch of teachers were in there talking. It was probably best not to disturb them. Besides, according to the room numbers he was going in the right direction. 

He turned the corner, and the first door on his right was thrown open wide, with voices spilling out as figures flashed past the door on the inside of the room. And there above the door were the numbers he had been looking for. 

128.  

This was it. 

His first class at Saint-Saëns. 

His dance teacher had told him he would love it here. 

He stuck his head into the room, and was immediately greeted by what was a pretty familiar sight despite not knowing a single person in the room. Dance bags had been dropped and piled against the walls. There was a group of girls sitting a little off from one of the walls, giggling over something a redhead had said as they sat stretching on the floor, looking like they had stopped halfway through a stretch. Other students were gathered in pockets and groups, some standing, some halfheartedly stretching like the girls on the ground. Others were scattered around the room, actually stretching, like the girl in pink with dark hair pulled up in a bun, who was stretching at the barre. And some were watching…  

He grinned, the rest of his body following his head as he stepped into the room. 

A couple of guys were going across the centre, showing off their tricks. He watched as a guy did three side aerials in a row. 

Yeah, Mme. Lisbel had been right, he would like it here. 

He dumped his bag by the side of the room and ambled over to the guys. 

“Nice moves!” he called, grinning in greeting as the two turned to look at him. 

“Yeah, thanks!” the guy grinned before adding, “I’m Diego.” 

“Darrel.” 

“You should have seen Ben’s layout though!” Diego said, elbowing the blond guy beside him with a grin.” 

“Yeah? I love layouts!”

“So, you got some good tricks then?” Ben asked. 

“Yeah,” he said as he began to loosen his shoulders, “gimme a sec to loosen up and I’ll show you!” Once he was ready, he moved as close to one of the corners as he could get to give himself some space to cross the floor. “Sorry,” he said as he backed a little too close to the redheaded girl’s group; the girl scoffed but he took that as a sign that she had heard his apology. “So, whaddya want to see?” he asked, turning back to Diego and Ben. The other students that had been watching Ben and Diego were watching too, but to his surprise, some of the students that had been stretching were watching as well. The girl that had been stretching at the barre was still stretching, but she was also watching the centre of the room in the mirror. 

“Anything!”

“Yeah, show us what you’ve got,” Ben added with grin. 

He shrugged. Well, since so many people were watching…

And flipping out was one of his favourite things to do. 

He took a running start before launching into a front hand spring. A quick roundoff got him into position, and then it was that exhilarating feeling of gravity shutting off as he let his back handsprings carry him across the room. And just for fun, he ended with a butterfly flip. 

“Those are sick moves, bro!” Diego called, running over from where he and Ben had been standing to watch. 

“Thanks,” he said, grinning. But he couldn’t keep his eyes from wandering. Now that he had gotten started, the itch to do more was there… it was just like skating. One or two or five tricks wasn’t enough. 

His eyes landed on a brick pillar in the wall, beside the end of the bar. 

He had only tried it a few times. He hadn’t perfected it yet. But once he did, he just knew it was going to be one of his favourite tricks. 

“But I wanna see if I can…” he let his voice trail off as he lined himself up with the pillar. “I’ve only done it once or twice, maybe I’ll have some first day luck?” he asked, flashing a grin at Diego and Ben. 

“Do it!” 

He nodded, and then took a running start at the wall. 

“Good morning, everyone,” a voice—an older voice—said. “I’m sorry for not being here to greet you, myself and my colleagues got caught up discussing potential shows for the fall production-” 

Maybe he should have stopped. He probably should have. 

But, well, he was already running. 

“What are you doing-” 

His right foot made contact with the brick. And then his left. And then he was weightless as the world turned upside-down around him.  

The best part of dancing, of skating, of anything was when gravity just ignored him. Or was he ignoring gravity? It didn’t matter either way. All that did was the feeling of flying. 

He twisted in the air, and landed lightly on his feet. Just like Patches did whenever she jumped. 

He straightened up out of his landing, and opened his eyes as he turned around. 

A man with salt and pepper hair, in all black, with a binder tucked under his arm and a coffee in one hand was staring at him, his mouth hanging wide open. It suddenly occurred to him that the room was awfully quiet. 

And that everyone, including who he assumed was M. Beaumont, was staring at him. 

And that he had just used school property as a prop for a trick. 

Huh. 

Maybe he should have asked if he was allowed to flip off walls first… 

M. Beaumont’s eyes widened. “Singing in the Rain.”