#mlss 2k20

[sumomosketches]

I hope you had a good holiday season and a happy new year @sweetsweetsweetie! I’m your @mlsecretsanta~ ^-^  You asked for some love square, so I really hope you enjoy this marichat fluff! 

[cloudcowboy]

pink gf smooches <3

wishing a belated happy holidays to you @peachmyeonnie ! i was your backup gifter for @mlsecretsanta. i hope you like this fluffy lukanette my dude !

[chicoriii]

@mlsecretsanta gift for @strangerahne . You most probably don't know me, but I think that's great we could get to know each other that way. I hope you like this little digital painting. It should have been done earlier, but I needed to improve things over and over again, like always. I wanted to make it the best I could at this moment.

Marichat was first on the list of your favourite ships, but when I noticed that Adrienette and Cheesecake/Plikki ships are second together, I've came up with the idea of making an art with double date of humans and Kwamis. I hope you like this idea, too. This is pre-reveal scenario in which Adrien and Marinette are too focused on each other to realize that their Kwamis have their own romantic moments. You need to recognize an effort that Plagg made to get a lollipo for Tikki. ;)

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[beeapolitan]

A Different Rhythm

Happy holidays, @onetruethree​! I was your @mlsecretsanta​ for the year!

I’m sorry it took so long to finally finish, it ended up being a lot longer than I initially planned. But I hope you still enjoy this Marigami fic!

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Kagami felt the tense vibrations of her wooden sword slamming against marble travel down her wrists and up to her forearms. Another strike off target from the wool dummy facing her. The fourth miss in ten swings. The nagging numbness in her hands was all the proof she needed to confirm her recent observations.

It was obvious – she was off her rhythm. Not just in her swordsmanship, but in every other manner of her being. It wasn’t hard to pinpoint the cause of the shift. Life had turned upside down for her in the past few months. Instead of being isolated and given a mountain of work to do, she had found out what it was like to be social for a change. Getting to fence with the famous Adrien Agreste had opened a lot of doors for her. She gained a friend, an avenue of escape from everyday life, and a collection of experiences she’d never even considered possible for herself.

And on top of all that, there was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Her first real friend outside of Adrien. They hadn’t started off on a great note, but things had been steadily improving since then. She had come to consider Marinette someone very dear to her. Lately, Kagami had become fairly skilled at coming up with excuses to see her friend whenever her mother’s iron grip eased up a bit. Solitary fencing practices turned to café meetups, simple runs for food became quick shopping trips, and morning jogs often lead her past the Dupain-Cheng Bakery where she could at least catch of glimpse of Marinette, if nothing else. In her younger age, she would have been caught by her mother already, but the restrictions weren’t as tight as they once were. She clearly had a ways to go before her mother would let her off the leash completely, but there was still a clear improvement.

Despite the improvements, there were still plenty of reminders that Kagami was basically chained to her mother’s hip. The most recent of which sat on her bed just within eyeshot. A slim bright white kimono with black outlines of lilies lining the sides. It was specifically given to Kagami by her mother to be worn at a meeting with some important people. Kagami only partly listened to her mother’s instructions once she laid the kimono out for her. It was common for her to be dragged along to meetings and events with little warning or explanation beforehand. It was a bother, but a necessary one. The more she complied with that side of her mother’s requests, the easier it was to live life in her own way when she was alone.

In any other context, it would have been a beautiful piece of clothing to wear, but looking at it only reminded Kagami of how she felt lately. About how her mother toted her around like a pet instead of a daughter. If the progress she had made felt like climbing a steep staircase, the reminder of her status in the family was like those same stairs flipping around to put her back at the bottom. It was so frustrating. All this training, the studying, and for what? How much of it would it take to be seen as the person she’d become instead of the sole Tsurugi daughter?

Kagami raised her sword overhead and brought it down hard on the training dummy’s head. If she split this thing in two with raw strength, would that do the trick? Her mother had always preached strength as a part of her training. How much did she need to be free of her influence? She brought down the sword again even harder, rattling the dummy on its stand. She hit it again, her arms pushed forward by her anger. She hit again and again, her strikes growing in power yet lacking her usual accuracy as they flailed around. With a loud shout, she swung for the dummy again but missed, causing her sword to go flying out of her hands and straight into a set of ornamental blades on the wall. They rattled around for a minute before remaining in place.

Just before Kagami could breathe easy, the lower hanging blade of the two fell from its sheathe, landing right on the edge of her bed. Right where the kimono from her mother lay. If Kagami’s breath hadn’t been held, she might not have heard the sound of tearing fabric so vividly. She didn’t move from her spot after the sound finally stopped. Standing still in the middle of the room granted her a defense from the truth, albeit a weak one. In reality however, there was no escaping the fact that her burst of anger had gotten her into unbelievable trouble.

Slowly, she inched her way over to her bed to inspect the damage. When she finally got there, her eyes bulged at the sight. It was a big tear, a jagged line running diagonally across the back of the kimono. It was shaped like a crooked smile, mocking her as her blood ran cold. Kagami could practically hear her mother’s shrill yelling coming through it, holding her in place.

She couldn’t stay here. She had to move.

Kagami carefully folded the kimono and placed it inside her duffel bag after removing her fencing equipment. She slung the bag around her shoulders and bolted out of the house, the thumping of her quick footsteps down the stairs matching the sound and pace of her heartbeat. The bright midday sun hit her eyes hard once she made it out onto the busy Paris streets. It didn’t take long for her feet to propel her in a random direction.

There was nowhere in the city she knew of that could undo her mistake very easily, but leaving it be was not an option. If her mother found out about the tear, it would make their home hell on Earth for the next few days. Kagami would practically be put on lockdown, forced to study and train with no contact to the outside world. That couldn’t happen. She wouldn’t let it. And yet, she knew determination would only get her so far. She still needed actual help.

When it came to fashion and clothing design, the first person to come to mind was Gabriel Agreste, but she obviously couldn’t go to him. Whatever pact he shared with her mother would expose her the second she told him about her accident. No, she would have to try harder than that to find help. But where was she supposed to start? After leaving her home, she had simply been walking without a destination in mind, hoping that some luck might be thrown her way for once. That wasn’t looking all that likely, however.

Kagami finally stopped her train of thought long enough to look at where she was walking. She had autopiloted to a part of town that seemed familiar to her for some reason. That reason became strikingly apparent once the smell of baked goods drifted past her nose. Her head jerked to the left, where a large window with gold trim on the edges sat just a few feet away. She had seen those very windows plenty of times, as well as the pair of bluebell eyes fixed right on her. Behind the large glass window stood Marinette, pinches of flour dotting her face and the tan apron hanging from her neck. Marinette put on a wide smile that pushed her cheeks up and waved.

Despite having absolutely nothing to be happy about, Kagami couldn’t stop the thin smile forming on her face at the sight of the blue-eyed girl.

“Kagami, hey!” Marinette’s voice bounded with her steps out of the bakery door. “What are you doing here?”

“I, um, happened to be passing by.”

“Oh, in that case, do you want to come inside? I just finished making some sweet buns.”

Once the initial butterflies had died down, Kagami realized what she had stumbled upon. Maybe her luck had come through after all.

“Actually, Marinette…do you think you could do me a favor?”

“Hm?”

It wasn’t often Kagami was able to be in a house that wasn’t her own, especially not one that radiated so much pleasantness. Marinette’s home was the very definition of comfort, with smells of warm bread coming from the bakery below and an atmosphere that made you feel like you were being swaddled in a thick blanket. Walking into Marinette’s room in particular gave her the same feeling as being met with the midday sun coming out of her own house. It was so bright and lived in, with pictures lining the walls and odd little trinkets in every corner, the type of room you’d see in teenage movies. Kagami sat on Marinette’s bed, watching as she held the kimono aloft for inspection.

“Thank you again for this, Marinette. I’m truly in your debt.”

“It’s no problem at all, Kagami. I’m just surprised you trust me enough to help with this.”

It would have been easy for Kagami to say that Marinette was her only remaining option. That the visit was simply because she had nowhere else to go, no one left to turn to. But she couldn’t ignore the fact that her feet had led her to the bakery before any other options came to mind.

“Of course I trust you. We’re friends, are we not?”

Marinette let out a little giggle. “We sure are. Just give me a little bit and I’ll have this fixed up for you.”

There was a simplistic kind of joy in watching Marinette work on something fashion related, Kagami thought. She was used to seeing her friend tripping over herself and her words, unable to perform normally when in a crowd. Here, there weren’t any signs of that trademark clumsiness. Marinette pulled thread with one hand and measured with the other, rolling herself to different spots at her desk like an electrical impulse firing through a neuron. It was a bit mesmerizing to watch. After a few minutes of this, Marinette stopped moving and mumbled something to herself. Kagami craned her head to the side to see Marinette hunched over her desk, searching through a bunch of baskets.

“Is something the matter?”

“It’s not a big deal, I just need a bit more thread to finish out your dress. We’ll have to go to the store to get some more.”

“Oh, I see. I apologize for inconveniencing you like this.”

“Don’t be silly, it’s just a short walk into town. Come on, let’s go!”

There wasn’t any time to get another word out before Marinette grabbed Kagami by the wrist, leading her down the stairs and onto the city streets. True to Marinette’s word, they were in and out of the fabric store in no time. With that being done so fast, Marinette suggested spending a little longer having fun in the city. Kagami wasn’t sure at first. She probably shouldn’t push her luck anymore than necessary. Then again, there were still a few hours until she actually had to meet her mother at the Métro. A few hours which she could happily spend in the company of Marinette. After all, her mother had given her no instructions for how to spend her time before the event, and even if she had, she was too far away to do anything about it. Kagami accepted, her steps becoming a bit lighter beside Marinette’s as they headed deeper into the city.

The more time the two spent together, the more Kagami found herself enamored by Marinette’s presence. It was the way she rambled on about the process of making baked goods, diving into every little process with striking detail. The way her eyelashes fluttered looking at the sights in the city as if she were seeing them for the first time. The little squeak of effort she made when trying to lick a stray speck of ice cream off her face. It was all too much to handle.

The girls eventually found themselves in the park, walking down a shaded path amongst the other many Parisians enjoying the atmosphere.

“We were lucky it’s such a nice day out,” Marinette said. “I love coming to the park in this kind of weather.”

“I agree. This is exactly the kind of climate I prefer when I’m training. My mother won’t show it, but I suspect she’s a fan of days like this as well.”

“Yeah, I can’t say I see her showing any excitement over a sunny day either. Do the two of you come out here a lot?”

“Yes. So much so that it honestly feels a bit weird not having a sword in my hand right now.”

“Well if you miss it that much…” Marinette broke off from Kagami’s side and wandered into a row of trees. She crouched down and began picking through a bunch of sticks on the ground, holding each up before picking two that were a decent size. She walked back over to Kagami and offered her one of the selections.

Kagami took it and raised an eyebrow. “What exactly are we doing with these?”

“Putting that training of yours to the test.” Marinette bent her knees and spread her feet apart, pointing her stick straight out. She twirled it a bit with a cheesy grin. “En garde, Kagami!”

Kagami couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. “You honestly think you can best me in fencing? That’s cute.”

“You’re cute!”

Kagami’s grip on her makeshift sword weakened. Had she heard that right?

“I–I mean, your thinking is cute! You thinking that you’ll beat me, is what I’m saying.”

Ah, that made more sense. It wasn’t the most effective trash talk she had heard, but it had gotten her fired up, so it did the job. She leapt in, slashing at Marinette with the same ferocity she’d show in a real match. There was no need to hold back, not when she knew Marinette was more capable with a weapon than she seemed. Most people might try to prioritize fun over victory in such a situation, but for Kagami, the fun would come from showing off the full extent of her skills.

This was all second nature to her. Fencing came as easily as walking in a straight line. There were steps to it, strategies to follow; everything happened for a reason, so there was no point in being unsure of herself. If there was one part of her mother’s strictness she could have faith in, it was the skill she had gained from so much practice.

She could deal with Marinette’s style of fencing easily enough. For every unorthodox thrust, she had a counter. For every hasty burst of aggression, she could dodge and parry. When it came to exchanging swords, she could manage, so the idea that the same couldn’t be said about casually hanging out was painfully annoying. After all, combat training couldn’t stop Marinette’s eyes from being so piercing. What was she supposed to do when Marinette whiffed a strike and put on a cute pout? How was she supposed to defend herself against a voice that sounded sugary sweet and always left her wanting to hear more?

Even with Adrien things hadn’t been this complicated for her. Back then, she had a clear target and knew exactly how to go about getting to it. Picturing being with him was as simple as picturing her fencing saber piercing an opponent’s shoulder. At least it had been at first. Once she actually became friends with Marinette, she had noticed her drive wavering just a bit. That was only natural wasn’t it? She knew Marinette had feelings for Adrien, it was obvious. The stuttering when she talked to him, her avoidance of eye contact, the toothy smile that usually came with a weird hand motion that barely resembled a wave; the list of evidence went on. Kagami could see it so easily because that’s what she knew a crush to be. Part of her had always wondered if being upfront and composed in similar situations made her seem less passionate by comparison. Even if it didn’t, she couldn’t dispute the fact that her behavior had put her where she was now.

The way she had been feeling the past few hours was how she wanted to feel around Adrien. That’s what she had been telling herself for months. But anything involving Marinette had a tendency to get complicated very quickly, and Kagami’s own feelings were no different. Nothing made sense when it came to the baker’s daughter. As much as she tried to ignore it at the start, she had been drawn in by Marinette’s aura. It had the same presence that her house did, an energy of pleasantness you couldn’t help but get wrapped up in. She hadn’t spoken to Marinette’s other friends very much, but from the little she had, it was obvious that same energy affected them as well. Marinette had the ability to turn on a light in others no matter who they were, a fact Kagami was becoming increasingly aware of with each passing day.

For better or worse, Marinette had fanned the fire inside her. She wasn’t sure exactly what she felt, but it was strong. Much too strong to ignore.

Kagami shook her head midbattle to regain her focus. Even with it being a small contest between friends, she wasn’t about to lose in her area of expertise. Marinette was doing well to keep up with her for the most part, but that was about to change. Kagami switched up her footing just before going for a horizontal slash, causing Marinette to jump backwards. She had good reflexes, but her lack of technical experience took away too much of that benefit. As soon as she jumped back, Kagami was already making a beeline for her landing spot. Marinette’s eyes went wide at the sudden burst of speed. She raised her stick in defense, but by that point it was already too late. Kagami thrust forward her own stick, softly jabbing Marinette’s shoulder right when her feet touched the ground. Marinette let out a yelp as she fell backwards, landing in the grass next to a row of bushes.

Kagami tossed her stick aside and rushed over to help. “Marinette, are you okay?”

“Oh yeah, definitely.” Marinette stood with Kagami’s help and brushed the dirt off her clothes with a chuckle. “Looks like you win.”

The girls collapsed on a bench nearby, fits of laughter poking out between frantic attempts to catch their breath. For something that started as a simple game, they looked as though they had run a marathon. If Kagami’s mother could see her now, she would no doubt give out one of her signature scolding sessions. She’d chastise her for treating combat like a game, and immediately schedule additional training days for her to boot. But her mother wasn’t there. No one would rip this feeling away from her. This feeling of chills racing down her arms that were more of a thrill than a disturbance. That pesky fire was acting up again, filling her body so much that she could feel the heat in the tips of her fingers. She placed her hands together on top of her lap to try and cool down.

It was a few minutes before the breath returned to either of them. Kagami’s ever running train of thought got brought to a halt with the sound of Marinette’s voice breaking the silence.

“So…how are you and Adrien doing?”

The question smacked her atop the head like she was a training dummy, unable to predict or defend. Even after thinking about that very subject for the past few minutes, being asked that still caught her off guard. How should she answer?

There was a time she wished Adrien would get his head on straight and focus for once. Focus on her. But that nagging mentality was slipping more every day. There was contentment in her relationship with him. A sense that she had exactly what she needed from it. They enjoyed each other’s company, they confided in one another, and there was mutual understanding that they would be there for each other if needed. It had taken a while for things to become what they were, but ultimately, she was satisfied. That same feeling was nowhere to be found with Marinette. There was only a hunger for more time, more moments like these where she felt lighter than ever. Like she wasn’t tied to her home or responsibilities anymore. Their days together always seemed to end so soon, leaving her desperate for the moon and sun to exchange places again so she could start the whole process over. But Marinette hadn’t asked about all that; she wanted to know about Adrien.

Kagami brushed her hair aside with a thumb, hiding her expression from Marinette. “He’s a good friend. I’m grateful to have him around.”

“Just a friend? Did…something happen between you guys?”

“No, we’re fine. But you may have the wrong idea of what we are to each other.”

“Oh, um, I see. That’s good. I’m happy you two are friends then.”

Kagami could have similarly asked Marinette how she and Adrien were doing. She’d like her two closest friends to also have a good friendship with one another, after all. But what would such a question open up? Would she start to gush about him? Would she have the same sort of answer about them just being friends? As much as she liked to call her feelings mixed up at the moment, she couldn’t deny that the idea of Marinette still being head over heels for Adrien made her feel like a heavy weight was being dropped on her chest.

No, she wouldn’t ask about their relationship. Good or bad, she didn’t want to face whatever answer was given to her. Staying silent was the easier option.

“Well, guess we should head back now,” Marinette said, shooting to her feet. “I’ll finish your dress and get out of your hair.”

The walk back to the bakery was a silent one with both girls drowning in the awkwardness of the previous conversation. Kagami felt the frustration bubbling up inside her like magma. She had never been one to hesitate when it came to going after what she wanted, so why was this any different? It probably had something to do why she was having trouble looking Marinette in the eyes lately. While they had been sitting on the bench, all she could do was stare straight ahead at the sights in the park. The cluster of pigeons bouncing along the ground, the repetitive flowing of water out of the central fountain, things she saw every time she came there. It was maddening knowing that those things were all she could focus on even when the sight she wanted to gaze at the most sat just inches to her left.

That was one of the parts she liked best about sitting in Marinette’s room. Watching her work from behind removed all the unease of being face to face. It was an odd feeling, having regressed from where she started to being so flustered nowadays. But that was all a part of evolution, she supposed. Just as her skill got better over years of practice, these feelings she was starting to acknowledge were blooming faster with each interaction. She figured Marinette didn’t know it, but her presence was cultivating them like a flower bed.

“Are you sure I can’t help you?” As someone who was constantly training and always in motion, Kagami hated sitting on her hands and leaving everything to her friend.

Marinette spun around in her chair with a smile on her face. “Oh, don’t even worry about it. It’s just a simple little repair, that’s all. Hopefully I can handle this for you and make up for being such a poor friend.”

Kagami stiffened at those words. Where had that come from? How could Marinette even entertain the idea that she was a bad friend?

“What would you have to make up for?”

“I guess…I haven’t been able to shake this feeling that you don’t like me very much.”

“Why would you think that?”

“It just seems like all I do is mess things up for you when I’m around. I called your first match with Adrien incorrectly, I was a nuisance at the Ladybug movie premiere, and I still feel bad about how I acted on Friendship Day. I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t like my company.”

“Well you’re wrong!” Kagami found herself standing and shouting, her face flushed. “I like you very much, Marinette.” Kagami realized her sudden outburst and cleared her throat, her posture shrinking a bit. “I just mean that I consider us very close. So you don’t need to have any worry.”

Marinette rubbed the back of her neck with a nervous smile. “That, um, makes me feel a lot better actually. Thank you, Kagami.”

Kagami nodded as Marinette rotated back to her desk. She quickly sat back down on the bed, grateful that Marinette’s back was turned to her. It gave her a chance to fan her face despite the fact that the burning she was feeling was definitely internal. If her legs weren’t wrapped around themselves right now, she’d have started kicking herself for blurting out her feelings like that. All that careful planning just for her to throw a fit anyway. How annoying.

“And there we go! All done now.” Marinette rolled away from her desk with the finished product in hand.

Kagami let out a thin breath of relief holding the mended kimono. She ran her thumb down the formerly torn side, the new stitching giving her the comfort she needed. It looked as good as new, and not even her mother would be able to tell the difference. She had gotten exactly what she wanted.

And yet – looking at the door out of Marinette’s room made her heart sink.

Walking out meant ending another fun day just to sit in a stuffy room with people she barely knew. She’d bow, show a smile, then move onto the next person for who knows how many hours. She hated the idea of having to make such a good impression with these strangers. For all she knew, they would forget her name and face the second the meeting ended. But her mother had demanded her attendance, so her frustrations didn’t amount to much. She simply returned the smile her friend gave her.

“I can’t thank you enough for this, Marinette.”

“Oh! Well, it was nothing, really. Anyone could’ve done it, no big deal.”

“That’s not true. You’re very skilled, you know. And I…wouldn’t have left it up to just anyone either.”

There may very well have been other ways for Kagami to save herself today, but having Marinette come to her aid was certainly a preferred turn of events. Even so, she felt a familiar worry biting at her heels just thinking of all she’d done in the past hours. It wasn’t like she regretted her choices for the day, but that didn’t stop her from fearing the repercussions of not meeting her mother’s demands. How long would it take to make up for the impromptu adventure? Was there enough time to get home and do everything she still had to do? Or would she have to go unprepared to meet her mother? No, that would be just as bad as not showing up at all. If she showed even a hint of not taking her mother’s orders seriously, she would regret it for a long while. But if she kept thinking like this, all that worry would devour her.

It was Marinette’s soft voice in her ear that snapped her out of the spiral.

“Is something the matter, Kagami?”

“I don’t have much time before mother’s meeting starts. I’m not sure I can get home and make myself presentable before I have to meet her at the Métro.”

“Oh, is that all? You’ll just have to get ready here then! I’ll even help you.”

Before Kagami could protest, Marinette was already pushing her behind the large changing screen in her room. The dynamic between them was growing more confusing by the hour. Kagami hadn’t had a friend like this before, which made gauging the exact nature of their relationship that much harder. Was this just the normal amount of kindness you showed to a friend? Or was Marinette going above and beyond specifically for her? And if she was, what was making her do that?

There was nothing really suggesting that Marinette felt all that strongly about her, especially after the talk they just had. If she thought Kagami didn’t like her, then she surely wasn’t harboring any deep feelings within, right? But there was always the possibility that she was, and Kagami just didn’t know. Kagami hated not knowing for sure.

Luckily her overthinking had let her get ready without too much conscious effort. The very idea of having to prepare herself with Marinette so close was not something she wanted to entertain. Her opinion would be the only one tonight with any real effect on her, so it was best to avoid that altogether. Kagami did her best to shoo away the tinges of red dotting her cheeks before stepping out.

Marinette’s eyes seemed brighter than before as she stood up to take in all of her friend’s new look. “Wow, Kagami, you look beautiful in that kimono.”

And just like that, the red was back in full force. A soft “thank you” was all she could get out past pinched lips.

“Oh, it looks like your makeup smudged a little. Hold still, I’ll fix it.”

Marinette reached up and cupped the sides of Kagami’s face, moving in to touch up her eyeliner. Kagami could feel the warmth of slow breaths brushing across her nose with Marinette so close. She thought that if Marinette held her any longer, she would melt under all the heat.

Then again, even if that happened, Marinette’s arms would be waiting for her. Suddenly melting didn’t seem like such a bad idea. Unfortunately for her, Marinette’s quick handiwork extended to her makeup skills, her fingernails grazing Kagami’s cheeks as she pulled away.

“Perfect! You’re all set, Kagami.”

“T–Thank you. I apologize for being such a handful.”

“Not even. You turned a slow day into a great time! I’m only sad it couldn’t last a little longer. Come on, I’ll walk you to the station.”

Kagami’s eyes were restless as she walked to the Métro, seeking out an excuse to spend more time with Marinette as if one would magically appear in front of her. She walked with her bag pulled close, desperate to feel the buzzing of a call that would tell her of canceled plans. No such luck.

Why was Paris never chaotic when she needed it to be? She didn’t necessarily want an akuma attack to happen, that was too extreme. Although getting to see Ladybug was always a treat. No, she just needed the city’s usual brand of irregularity to pop in like it always did. But today there were no random traffic jams, no city-wide celebrations to slow things down. There was nothing to stop them from walking down the station stairs and coming face to face with the metal train doors she had been dreading. The doors opened with a hiss, adding on to the already growing discomfort inside of her.

Kagami started to speak but held her tongue. Nothing she said would change things anyway. She started towards the train, but a shout from behind stopped her mid-step.

“Kagami, wait!”

There they were. The two words Kagami had been mentally begging to hear the entire way to the station. She spun around on her heels, staring right at Marinette. She held her breath unsure of what would be said next.

“Yes?”

“Um, I just wanted you to know that I had fun today. And that you shouldn’t feel bad about having to leave because I’ll be here when you get back. So, hang in there, okay? I already can’t wait to see you again!”

It wasn’t exactly what she’d wanted to hear, but anything coming from a face that beamed so brightly was enough to make her happy. At least for a little while.

“I feel the same. See you soon, Marinette.”

Kagami put a hand up as she backed onto the train. Marinette returned the gesture with the motion of an actual wave. She soon disappeared in the swarm of people rushing their way onto the train. There was nothing Kagami wanted more than to push past everyone else and latch onto her friend again, but knowing the consequences of that decision kept her motionless. The harsh truth she had been fighting against for so long swallowed her whole as the train doors closed.

At the end of the day, it wasn’t about what she wanted.

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Marinette walked home with less of a spring in her step than usual. She’d had a good day all things considered, but her feet felt a bit heavier after saying goodbye to her friend and beginning the walk back. She looked down at her purse as she felt it open from the inside, revealing Tikki, her mouth in a pout.

“Kagami didn’t look very happy when she left, did she?” Tikki asked.

Marinette sighed and lightly tapped her kwami on the head with a finger. “No, she didn’t. I hope it wasn’t because I did a bad job fixing her dress.”

“I’m sure that wasn’t it. It looked really pretty when you were done.”

“Yeah, she did. Er, it did, I mean. The dress. A–Anyway, it might have something to do about being around her mom and all those strangers.”

“Will it really be that bad for her?”

“I can’t say for sure. I know things are tense between her and her mom, but even today she seemed a little off. I hope things aren’t actually getting worse between them.” Marinette suddenly stopped in her tracks with a gasp. “Oh no, Tikki…you don’t think she could be akumatized again, do you?”

“I don’t think so. From what I heard and saw today, she didn’t seem quite that upset. I’m sure she’ll be okay.”

“Still, I can’t help but worry. Even if she doesn’t lose her cool, what about her mom? If she notices my work on the dress, she could flip out on Kagami and then be the perfect target for an akuma! Oh, maybe I should transform and follow the train just in case.”

“Relax, Marinette. It sounded like Kagami and her mother are going somewhere pretty far away, so I doubt Hawkmoth would even notice their emotions all the way out there.”

“I…guess you’re right.”

Marinette let out a long breath and started walking once more. She was grateful to have someone like Tikki by her side to keep her in check. Still, her worry wouldn’t just disappear anytime soon. Hopefully the event went quickly so she could call and check on Kagami. Then she’d be able to sleep easy at least.

“You sure were in a hurry to be by Kagami’s side again,” Tikki said. “Maybe someone wants to take advantage of the fact that Ladybug doesn’t get all tongue tied around her.”

“Hey, I did just fine today as myself, didn’t I?”

Tikki giggled. “Sure, if you don’t count calling her cute to her face.”

“Oh, why did you have to remind me of that, Tikki?”

That had been the one part of the day where she felt strange around Kagami. Usually their time together resulted in bubbly, bouncy feelings that had her grinning from ear to ear. Today was no different, except for that one brief moment in the park. Stating that Kagami was cute wasn’t anything new to Marinette, but it was the reaction the comment caused that had thrown her off balance. Kagami’s normally pale face gained a stripe of red right through the middle, rising along her nose and ending on the curves of her cheeks. It hadn’t just been cute; it was adorable.

Marinette was used to verbally jumping ship on most things she said, especially when she was nervous. But today’s slip-up felt a little different. She had barely been able to clarify her comment over the sound of her heart thumping in her ears. It was the same kind of feeling she used to get when talking to Adrien.

Marinette smacked her cheeks lightly. What was happening to her? Things had gone from weird to manageable to good and now back to weird. Well, not as weird as when she and Kagami first met, but still odd enough to notice. In the past few weeks, she had focused on building a more platonic relationship with Adrien, and that was going surprisingly well. She had also tried the same strategy with Luka, which was proving to be just as effective considering his easygoing attitude towards most things. It was definitely a difficult switch to make mentally, considering how strongly she cared for them both, but something inside had made her stop short in her pursuit. That same instinct was clueless when it came to how she saw Kagami.

And on the topic of Kagami, if she wasn’t interested in Adrien anymore, what had changed? Was it the same thing that she felt changing in herself? It was beginning to feel like the more she pulled back from Adrien and Luka, the more she found herself drawn to Kagami. Not just in a way that craved quality girl time, but in a way that made the rest of the world fuzzy when they were together. She didn’t feel this way around Alya, her best friend, or even any of the other girls like Rose or Juleka or Alix or Mylène.

It was all that confusion which really begged the question; what exactly was it that she wanted?

“Marinette!”

Marinette whipped around at the sound of her name being shouted into the night. Standing under a streetlight several yards away was Kagami, wide-eyed and out of breath. Her white kimono caught the light from overhead, making it look like she was glowing.

Marinette closed Tikki back in her purse and ran over to where her friend stood. “Kagami? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at that gathering?”

“I couldn’t go.”

“What? Why not?”

Kagami hung her head low, inching towards Marinette with steps so small her feet might as well have been sliding across the pavement. “Because…I want to be here with you.”

“To be here with me? But why – ”

“I couldn’t leave because I don’t want anyone else but you.”

Marinette bit her lower lip, stopping herself from making some awkward noise in response to Kagami’s confession, but also to prove she wasn’t dreaming the scene in front of her. The words between the two of them were ones she had dreamt of hearing for a long time, but not from the person standing in front of her. She had expected these words to come gently and sweep her off her feet, but instead they threated to knock her over where she stood. Kagami wanted her. She didn’t want anyone else but her. Just the echo of the words in Marinette’s mind were enough to make her legs shake.

“Thinking of you…spending time with you…it makes me so crazy I can’t stand it!” Kagami’s fingers gripped her chest so tightly it looked like she might tear her own heart out with brute strength. “I’m tired of pushing all of that down, but…I don’t know where to go from here.”

Marinette’s hand seemed to move on its own, wrapping her fingers around Kagami’s trembling ones. The surge of warmth that followed helped prove this was real. Kagami finally looked up, meeting a gaze as watery as her own.

“Well…we can figure it out together.”

Marinette lowered Kagami’s hand and held her palm, sliding closer to touch shoulders with her. Her head didn’t feel so cluttered with Kagami beside her now. It was all starting to make sense. She almost had to stop herself from giggling just thinking about how earnestly Kagami had said all of those things to her. At the very least, she knew that she would get an earful about this from Tikki later on. But this new development was worth a little embarrassment.

“So, what are you going to tell your mom?” Marinette asked.

“Well, unfortunately there was an akuma attack just before I could leave the city,” Kagami said with a shrug. “I had no choice but to stay here where it was safe.”

“Oh, of course,” Marinette said, her hand covering her mouth dramatically. “And where would a safer place be than my family’s bakery? Staying with us was the only option really.”

The giggles came fast to both girls as they walked with linked arms down the street. There was a lot to figure out, and their joint decision tonight would surely lead to some consequences down the road, but for tonight they could forget about all that. The telltale fuzziness was coming back to Marinette with Kagami so close, blocking everything else out except for the stunning girl in front of her. Taking her in all dressed up was almost enough to knock her off her feet. Fortunately, Kagami was hanging onto her so tightly that she didn’t have to worry about that. Walking beside her now brought a very different rhythm than Marinette was used to, but it was one that she was wanted to embrace more than anything.

[momo-oh-nono]

Hey so sorry for the wait but @blackcatsandmacaroons I’m ur secret santa! This was for @mlsecretsanta which was a rly fun event!

I hope u enjoy it!! And I hope u have a great new year!

Can we pretend I didn’t get lazy w/ the bg I’m so sorry

[fromstysauce]

Happy Holidays

My @mlsecretsanta gift for @ilwinsgarden ! I ended up drawing the gang hanging out around town during a lb & cn festival.

I had a lot of fun participating and I hope you like your gift! ^^

[amarilly]

Merry Christmas to my giftee for the @mlsecretsanta exchange this year, @learnyourlessonswell . They said they liked seeing the kwami being affectionate with their partner so here’s Plagg and his boy bundled up together!

[hatter-tea]

Happy Holidays @anishilazy I hope you enjoy your gift! It was such a pleasure to participate in @mlsecretsanta this year

[inkwardspots]

For @raphillia for the @mlsecretsanta 

Dear @raphillia, I hope you enjoy this gift of mine! Happy Holidays!

Pairings: Marichat

Under City Starlight...

When Adrien first meets Marinette, she is fierce and angry; 

She is volatile and refuses to meet his gaze, and Adrien is disappointed -- has he managed to mess up making a friend already?

But then, the rain is pouring and the thunder is flashing and he extends his umbrella; he doesn’t want to lose what could be a new friend, doesn’t want to lose the possibility of her buoyancy and vibrancy and burning flame. 

She gazes at him -- and he feels he is bare underneath a microscope, feels that his soul is revealed underneath her burning gaze. And it is, in a way, and so, as he apologizes and explains and asks for a new beginning, the burning azure turns pure ocean blue -- able to see and heal and realise all that he is and will be and was. 

She reaches out as if in a trance, thunder flashing as they bump fingers -- hers are soft but subtle, pricked with hours spent with steel needle and pen callouses from hours spent scribbling away and sketching anything and everything her heart desire’s. 

The rain falls gently, like stars from above, and as she takes the black umbrella -- rain falling like stars and smattering the dark colour with the beauty of starlight -- the umbrella encloses around her. He takes one look and laughs, joyous and radiant, but it is nothing compared to hers -- she lifts the umbrella, and upon hearing his laughter -- his laughter of dappled sunlight and evergreen meadow and dancing willow -- she joins in. 

She grins and laughs; but her laughter -- hers is of the tinkle of bells and the whisper of brushing branches and the gentle sweep of waves and the vibrancy of a storm all at once. 

It is vivacious and vicious in it’s beauty and its joy. It is the rising of the sun and the shining of the stars and the poison red of wine. 

It is beauticious, he thinks, and passes the umbrella. 

He passes his hand and his umbrella and his friendship and the beginnings of his heart, unknowing in all this. 

“First day of school and we already have two lovebirds,” Plagg says, but Adrien is delighted in simply having a friend -- after all this time, a friend. 

Come too close, and you’ll fall far too hard, but I don’t think he minds -- 

____

When Chat Noir first meets Marinette, it is to protect her. 

She is, rightfully so, scared and unsure (how naive he is.) Still, even if she is scared, she is bright and unyielding and refuses to be cowed. The sun is setting and the stars are gently appearing when she walks up those stairs to meet the boy who so adores her -- Evillustartor that is, and certainly not Chat Noir. 

He doesn’t adore her, not like he adores Ladybug, but he admires her. Admires her courage and splendour and vibrancy. Admires her vivaciousness and her tactileness as she steals the pen from Evillustrator, admires her flashing eyes and raven hair under the moonlight -- admires the stars reflected in her eyes and the ocean blue turning to fiery, burning azure and -- “CHAT NOIR!” 

She is displeased, and seems to be fending Evillustator off  -- “It would be brilliant if you could help me anytime today!” she yells, hair shining as she nimbly sidesteps the supervillain’s lunging figure. She trips -- her everlasting clumsiness, he thinks fondly -- and the pen goes flying.  Chat, for all his prowess, is slow to answer Marinette’s call; he leaps and bound and flies to her rescue (and also the pens) -- and is immediately trapped in a box with her while the boat sinks.

Great.

Evillustrator bounds into the night, and for a desperate moment, Chat wonders if they will truly sink -- talk about failing his lady, he’ll be failing his friend and himself. But once again, Marinette surprises him -- when has she not surprised him? --  and goes above and beyond, rescuing him with that shining, innovative mind of hers.

"Cat Noir, your stick -- like this, and extend it." 

And she blows him away -- with her genius, her smarts. He keeps her close, her arms wrapped around him, a pleasant buzz spreading throughout him as he vaults them over and toward relative safety. 

He sets her down, drawing away as she stares back at him in what he imagines is absolute impressiveness. He bound to the railing, turning back to his...his -- Princess, for a last moment. She stares back, eyes twinkling as he motions towards himself, "I've got damsels in distress to save, ladies in waiting -- I'll cat-ch you later, Purrincess?" He can't help but throw in.

"Princess?" She wrinkles her nose, "Right. Well, Minou, I suppose you can go save your  damsels in distress.I wouldn't want to keep them waiting, but I'm sure this damsel -- who is not in distress and instead saved your butt and inflicted some damage -- can find her way home tonight. I'm sure Ladybug awaits you, though," 

Golden-haired and full of cheery grins, he lets out a bark of laughter and green eyes sparkle in the streetlight, taken by her wit. He nods though, giving her a salute as he bounds away, jumping and vaulting and trying to take his mind off of that certain cheek of Marinette's.

____

A broken heart, and she's there waiting. He wonders who caused her to revert to a dim-eyed remnant of the normally bright girl. 

He takes her with him on a whim, something to heal both their hearts -- just because Ladybug isn't there to enjoy it doesn't mean Marinette can't. 

She takes his hand, claws and all, and he sweeps her up in his arms. He jumps past her balcony, past her twinkling fairy lights and potted roses, past the neighbouring rooftops, leaping to and fro with her in his arms before setting her down gently on his candle-strewn rooftop.

He steps away from her, taking a minute to light the scattered candles. The light dances merrily, and as she opens her eyes, sees her bathed in the light and his breath is held in the beauty of it -- it makes up for the disappointment of Ladybug’s no-show.

It does, in the biggest of ways; the beauty she sees in his endeavour lets him know that this -- candle's alight and rose petals strewn -- can take someone's breath away.

Can take Marinette's -- kind, compassionate, fierce, heartbroken Marinette's -- breath away. It kindles a proud satisfaction, and even though he is morose, he can't help but feel that in the candlelight, Marinette looks as if she is an angel sent just for him.

Someone to draw him out of his funk and to take his hand and draw close and -- 

Huh.

She is beautiful, isn't she?

She is beautiful in every way, be it because of her kind nature or raven hair and flickering blue eyes or because of her courage and fiery disposition.

She is beautiful and vivacious in all ways, and he feels -- he wonders what this swooping feeling in his stomach is?

She glances at him and they smile at each other and all is well.

That is, until they get attacked by a certain ice cream akuma.

____

He visits as often as he can, and she stays up later. He sees a side to his friend he had never seen before -- sees past her flailing arms and stuttered words and half-formed responses that he often delights in when she gathers the courage to talk to him -- Adrien Agreste, that is.

Here, as Chat Noir, he can experience all the things that make-up who Marinette is that Adrien cannot. 

He can experience her wit and her banter, can experience her teasing grins and lit up eyes and her small nudges. He can bundle up close to her as she leans on him and she can lean against him and bop his nose and think nothing of it because they're friends.

The closest of night owls and the closest of friends, and he feels that under the mask he is privy to the side of Marinette that she feels the need to hide from Adrien. How wrong she is, because she lights up like stars and sun combined and he flourishes under her smiles and grows giddy when her hand brushes his and beams when she leans in and bops his nose and brazenly, without hesitation or thinking things through, he takes her hand and pulls -- 

Pulls and pushes and takes her spinning and twirling as if there is nothing under the night sky that can trouble them. She spins and he spins and some nameless song is what they're dancing to from her phone.

...and if I were so bold, fly away with me here

Yes, fly away with him, let this moonlight spirit of Marinette's dance among the stars and the rooftops and the city lights as if nothing can contain her -- as if nothing can stop her.

fly away, high away, and let me love you

And nothing can stop her. Not him or Chloe or anyone else, because that's what Marinette does. She soars and flies and even still tethered to the ground, trapped on Earth, she soars above the rest of them. Caring and healing and helping in anyway she can because she is that good.

She is that kind and wonderful and amazing, and nothing can stop her.

So like another, another person, but he can't remember who -- 

kiss you, cradle you, adore you

Because in this moment, there is only Marinette with stars in her eyes and music in her ears and magic in her hands and moonbeams under her feet. There is only her, and she is pain and beauty all at once and if this is drowning -- 

and all will be well.

Drowning in her inner beauty and outer beauty and her cookie and paper scent; drowning in her fire and ocean and compassion and skill and talent and kindness -- then he thinks he could get used to it but still feel exhilarated every time.

If this is drowning, then all will be well.

____

And then, the catalyst starts. 

Because he knows that his affection for Ladybug had not waned but his affection for Marinette had grown by leaps and bounds. 

They stare into the sunlight from the plane and he can only admire her silhouette against the beautiful tones. He takes the tissue caught in her hair -- and how did it get there? -- and he lingers a few seconds longer to revel in her velvet hair.

And then, they are off the plane and in the bus towards the hotel, and he stares out at the scenic sunrise against the American skyscrapers and buildings and yet --

Yet he can only focus on Marinette against the window, and his eyes soften and her feels heat rise to his cheeks and he thinks words like Beautiful and Amazing and Enchanting. 

He's sure that Nino doesn't notice but that quirk of the brow Alya sends him is all-knowing and he looks away furiously as his cheeks flush.

And then, he and Marinette are sent together for separate tasks, and spotting her, he wants -- he wants Adrien as well as Chat Noir to be able to get Marinette's barriers down, to let her know that she needn't hide, and he knows that he just needs to go that extra length. But then the building shakes, and the pillar is crumbling and Marinette is going to get hurt and he can't -- 

He can't allow it -- won't allow it.

Because it goes beyond being a friend -- it goes beyond being his night owl partner and being his closest friend. It turns into wanting her delirious with joy and protected at all costs  and starts with feeling a blush overtake his cheeks whenever she looks a second too long towards him.

It turns from being innocent to being interested, and this is a comfort as much as it is a conundrum. Because he leaps and catches her in his arms, dodging the fallen rubble as she breathes out a gasp of, "Chat Noir!?"

He doesn't know if it is the adrenaline or his heightened hormones, but he breathes out and answers in an  equally raspy voice. "Hello Princess," he says, before dropping a kiss on her forehead and bounding away to fight the akuma.

If he feels any amount of delight in her slack jaw, then that's really nobody's business except his own (and undoubtedly Plagg's, at some point or another.)

____

After New York, after her surprised gasps and her questions and her sentiment towards him -- Adrien -- he starts bringing flowers. 

There isn't a particular pattern, but he delights in the way her face lights up like a for work and the way the flower of the week takes pride in her windowsill vase. Sometimes it is lavender or marigolds or bougainvillia -- other times it can be daisies or orchids or roses.

It doesn't really matter, because each one lights up her face, and that is all the gift he needs.

Each time he drops by, he starts leaving flowers; each one holds a sentiment, a memory for him or for her, and as he watches her press the dried flowers in her scrapbook specially meant for his flowers, he can't help but feel inexplicably pleased.

____

Underneath the city starlight, and still Chat Noir can only focus on Marinette.

Marinette, with raven-hair and sky blue eyes that could change with the slightest change of emotion (he should know; penetrating azure blue from when they first met lightening to clear ocean blue, doe-eyed and trusting and -- was this all it took to gain a friend? His first new friend -- she was fierce, standing up to him, but kind, forgiving him -- and she was all sorts of amazing, wasn't she?)

She is shining and exudes brilliance -- and he can't help but bathe in it.

She is sunlight and starlight and moonlight; winter chill and summer breeze and spring wind and autumn gale, all in one. 

They sit side by side, backs propped up against the circular table -- not particularly comfortable but enough so that their legs brush each other and that they can take in the blinking starlight and the rush of the city night life.

They each hold a mug; hot chocolate from the pink flask and whipped cream from Marinette's fridge. Chat takes the whipped cream in his 'World's Best Dad!' mug, while Marinette takes to instead adding marshmallows in her brew of hot chocolate, contained within a pink mug with black spots. They are their own person, but dwarfed by the night sky and ever-expanding universe and the ambience of Parisian nightlife and it feels as if they are one soul that inhabits two bodies, connected by the hands they both hold.

His feelings for her have not turned into love quite yet; they are still emerging and developing like a newborn fawn. Learning to stand on their feet and take a steady stand; he knows a time will come when he must confront them, but right now, under the city starlight, he can't help but feel that all is well 

That nothing truly changes when he confronts these feelings of his, because they'll still be them.

Marinette and Adrien.

Marinette and Chat Noir, and all the other thousand possibilities. 

He'd like to think that under the city starlight, holding hands with his best friend and savouring her special Dupain-Cheng exclusive hot-chocolate, all will be well and he thinks he will.

They're both under the city starlight, and nothing can change that.

Nothing.

(Not even the akuma that disrupts their peaceful stargazing. Oh well.)

[artzychic27]

Happy Holidays @purplerose244 ! I’m your @mlsecretsanta !

Hope you like it!

(The sweaters say ‘Don We Now Our Gay Apparel’ and ‘Happy Holigays’)

[star3yed]

Happy Holidays @lanelin​! I am you gifter for the @mlsecretsanta! I apologize for such the late work but I really hope you enjoy and had a great holiday season!

Thanks to my editor Tia @tombombadilcankickyourass​ for editing my random ramblings into cohesive sentences!

NSFW between the asterisks! The story ends within the asterisk for those who want to read it, if not I added a small SFW ending.

I made a small playlist that include the songs in this story, check it out :https://open.spotify.com/playlist/40za0n7AHlybZlNWvKde9P?si=sOe7Q5M8QCWXKIN6t0Mw8A

Summary:  A band AU where Marinette and her band decide to come back from retirement to surprise Luka at a music festival!

Rating: Explicit

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug

Relationship: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

Marinette ran in the alleyway leading to the back entrance of the venue, holding her coat tightly around her, her heels clicking against the damp ground. “Girl Hurry!” She heard Alya yell at her from the backstage door. She held herself upright as she stumbled on an empty can of beer. She made it to the entrance, panting a bit as her best friend chuckled. “Well, it isn’t a concert if you aren’t late, is it?” She joked as Marinette looked up to mock-glare at her. “Forgetting something?” She felt Alya press something in her hand and she looked down, seeing a mask, a new mask she had never worn but had spent hours slaving over, a staple of their band. Smiling, she accepted it and put it over her face. “Now c’mon, they’re almost done setting up.”

“Is he in position?” Marinette asked as she held onto her coat tighter, warming up inside the venue. 

“Allegra told me she finally dragged his ass to the floor. He wanted to go back home to you.” Marinette blushed, not surprised her boyfriend wanted to go back to her, yet still flattered. “I guess I acted sick a little too well.” She handed her coat to one of the stagehands and reached the rest of the group. Her bandmates had already put on their masks, a reflection of their onstage personas. Juleka, Ivan, and Adrien huddled together with Rose as someone yelled that it was almost time for them to perform. Marinette had missed this, the backstage mess of people running around making sure things would run smoothly, other bands networking as they waited for their opportunity to perform, the heavy smell of musk, and the excitement of the crowd ahead. She spotted a familiar blue splattered black guitar, with an intricate snake design around the head. Smiling, she turned to her group. 

“First off, thank you guys so much for willing to do this for me, taking time out of your busy schedules and learning to play a different genre …” Rose grinned and held Marinette’s hand, as Juleka spoke up.

“We know you would have done this and so much more for us, so don’t mention it!” The rest of the group agreed unanimously and energetically, making the raven-haired girl flush. 

“Besides Marinette, we missed this too.” Ivan chirped in, Adrien and Juleka nodding alongside him. 

“I haven’t had time to play in forever, I almost forgot how much I loved playing.” Adrien said, smiling.  

“I am honored to share a stage with you guys again, and hopefully we can do this more often.” Marinette said earnestly, stretching her hand out; immediately the rest of the group followed hands on top of one another. “Who are we?” Juleka cheered, 

“Miraculous!”

“And what do we do?” Ivan boasted,

“Rock!” The group said hyping themselves up. She heard a stagehand call out to them. Nerves made her stomach drop, and hyper aware of everything surrounding her, the amount of people backstage making her feel a little overwhelmed. A stagehand offered her a microphones and an earpiece, realizing that her band was up. Feeling her heart race as Ivan and Adrien were the first to get on the dark stage, followed by Juleka after kissing her girlfriend, Rose. “Nerves of steel”; she reminded herself. She had performed for bigger crowds before, and she knew she had at least one fan out there. Alya put a familiar strap on her shoulders and she smiled. Even through his objects, Luka’s magical calming effect washed over her. She put her hand on the neck of the black guitar, breathing deeply. While technically she’d be playing rhythm guitar to Adrien, she wanted to show Luka that his lessons hadn’t been in vain. 

Inhaling deeply, she took a step onto the stage, gingerly holding the neck of the guitar. The audience milled beneath her and as she exhaled, she felt at home. Although it had been a few years since she stepped on a stage, it felt familiar. The dim lights, the buzzing excitement in the air. She felt her heart speed up in anticipation, nerves slipping away as she walked towards the mic stand, her domain. She heard the excitement grow as she approached; a bright white spotlight flickered to life on her. She turned her head towards her bandmates for reassurance, they nodded back at her, signaling they were ready.  Putting her mic on the stand, she leaned in close. 

“Good evening France!” She called out to the crowd. She heard a whoop and her eyes quickly scanned the crowd. “I see someone recognizes us!” She laughed as another few cheers fluttered back to her. She smiled as her eyes settled on a mop of black and blue hair. 

 “We have Stoneheart back on the drums!” She called out as Ivan started to play the beat of an old song of theirs, a white stage light passing from her to him. “And Reflecta on the bass!” She called as Juleka joined in with the bass, the spotlight changing to purple and shining on her. “Chat Noir on the Guitar!” She felt Adrien shred a tune and smirked when she saw Luka’s eyebrows raise into his hairline. “And yours truly Ladybug on vocals!” She pumped an arm as the lights on the stage shifted from green on Adrien to red on her. “We’re Miraculous and we are back for ONE. NIGHT. ONLY!!”. As her words reverberated through the hall, the excitement became palpable.  Her eyes flicked from her boyfriend to the crowd, as they became more vocal and cheered on. “I’m sure most of you know this song! So, feel free to join in and help me sing!”

Juleka and Adrien stopped playing as Ivan changed the tune he was playing, and she flipped the guitar on her back. As she gripped the mic a bit more firmly, Juleka started to play the melody for their song Sorry now. Her nerves having dissipated as she sang, her heart swelled in joy. In the background she heard Alya join her for faster paced lyrics and smiled. The words flowing through her mouth as if she had just made them up on the spot, the emotion building up in her as she remembered the person for who she wrote the song for. Her eyes flicked back to Luka as she got into the chorus, memories flooding back to her; Luka comforting her on his bed after a terrible day at Lycée with Lyla, helping her channel the anger into music. 

Reaching the second chorus she held the microphone out, stopping midway and let the audience sing along with her. Marinette beamed, pleased their song was still remembered. For Marinette, this song was very much her way to cope with the emotions from being bullied and humiliated by Lila. Upon reflection, she realized that the hurt and confidence this song portrayed had made it what it was, and that passion made it resonate so much with her fans. She waved her hand at the audience and put both hands on her microphone preparing to hit the high notes on the second half of the notes. Grinning as she hit them, she opened her eyes again to finish the song.

Relishing in the cheers afterwards Marinette locked eyes again with her boyfriend in the crowd as he cheered for her. He winked at her, before letting out another cheer. Although Marinette wanted to bask in the emotion, she knew that festivals were fast paced, and the band didn’t hesitate to transition between songs. Ivan changed their beat, shifting into their song ‘Care’. Marinette took advantage of Ivan’s small drum solo to shift the guitar from her back to her hands. She gave it a small strum before quietly signaling in her earpiece for the crew members to turn on her amp. Care had a bit more of a nostalgic feel and was Adrien’s favorite song to perform. It was his cathartic song about his father. It wasn’t as vocal intensive as their first song, which gave Marinette time to focus on the guitar and keep the singing more instinctive. It really was more of a song for Adrien to show off his guitar skills. 

Their third song was more guitar heavy and had Mariette step up her game. Luka’s face was priceless when he saw her actually play a second song on his guitar. ‘California Girls’ was a tribute from Juleka to Rose. Jules wrote the lyrics and Luka had helped with the melody. The beginning of the song allowed Marinette to move more freely on the stage as it had more instrumentals. More comfortable with Luka’s guitar she jumped and danced around as she played. She trusted Rose with her backup vocals and focused a bit more on having fun on stage. After the bridge Adrien and she added a small guitar duet to really showcase their guitar skills, a small tribute to their teacher. Marinette had been nervous during practice yet performing and the audience cheering made playing the guitar akin to breathing, effortless. Finishing the song Marinette let go of the guitar, letting the weight fall upon the strap on her shoulders. Running a hand through her hair she moved closer to her mic. 

“You guys have been awesome so far!” The crowd cheered as Marinette held the microphone once again in her hands. “This song is so special to me,”. She smiled and peeked at Luka, noticing him tilting his head to the side. For the past two songs she had sneaked glances at him yet was focused more on the energy that reverberated through the venue. “My boyfriend wrote this song before we started dating.” She held back a laugh as she saw Luka’s reaction. “I had the biggest crush on a model when I was a teenager and he thought I was going to reject him in favor of the model when I had the chance.” Marinette laughed. “I hope if he’s out there and hears this he doesn’t mind we made the melody a bit more pop than rock.” She smiled and nodded towards Adrien to stop playing. ‘Daft pretty boys’ was something Luka was never proud of writing, yet they both found it immensely funny after a few months of dating. She never realized how Luka felt about her and how jealous he was to write a song about his pent-up emotions. She found it somewhat endearing that he felt so strongly about her even back then. Marinette started to play the guitar, and kept her eyes locked with her boyfriend. The band agreed to let her sing and play the first verse alone, as an homage to his writing process, and then join in the pre chorus. It would be the first time he’d hear the song being sung as an actual song, and not a melody. Although she tried to keep her gaze on Luka, she eventually had to look around the crowd, yet she felt his gaze burn onto her. They had changed the original melody to fit a more upbeat tune. Nino had helped with the composition, turning it into a more danceable song. The band had fun learning this song, a small creation for their performance. 

As the song ended, Marinette took a small sip of water provided for the band as the rest of the band room also took a small break. Marinette beamed as she addressed the crowd. “This is our final song tonight! A small tribute to our favorite band, one that inspired us to come back from retirement.” The crowd buzzed with anticipation. “It’s this small band, you might have heard from them. The Quantic Kids?” Marinette paused to let the crowd cheer with anticipation. “I’m pretty sure they’re the headliners tonight. “Her eyes locked with Luka’s as he flushed.  She grinned at the crowd’s excitement as Ivan started the beat of the song. “This song is called When it Breaks.” The crowd continued to cheer as Marinette held the guitar, ready to play again. The song was exciting and different for the band, and it was a bit intense for Marinette as it required more focus on both singing and playing from her. It was worth it in her eyes, as she had spent countless nights practicing in Nino’s studio away from her boyfriend to give his band the respect they deserved. The beat of the song was much faster paced and left the ambience hyped for the next band. Ending the song left the singer slightly out of breath. 

Marinette looked back into the crowd, her eyes scanned quickly trying to find his piercing blue eyes, to no avail. Smiling, trying to press down the growing nerves inside she waved to the crowd. “Thank you, France! We are Miraculous!” trying to reason with herself why Luka wasn’t in the audience she reminded herself not to freak out. “Bug-out!” She yelled out before the lights onstage cut off and the band made their way offstage.

 Immediately the band was flocked by people, but Marinette held tightly onto Luka’s guitar as she searched for him amongst the crowd. Praises and congratulations abundant, Marinette grinned politely, her mind racing with thoughts of Luka and concern over where he was. As the band was brushed from person to person she suddenly felt for her mask. Sighing in relief that it was still in place she resumed her search for a certain blue haired musician. Finding her way to Alya, suddenly a voice struck out clear as day, “My guitar seems to have been stolen.” Marinette’s polite grin turned into a fully-fledged beam.

“So, what if it has?” She retorted as she felt a strong arm wrap around her shoulder. 

“I’d have to report you to the police.” Luka smiled back at her before hugging her. His proper congratulations could wait when she wasn’t Ladybug anymore. 

“Even after we paid homage to your band with our theme?” She retorted sticking out her tongue at him. 

“I’m glad you found inspiration in us to come out of retirement.” He said, eyes filled with laughter. 

“It was an executive decision. You were a big factor.”

“Well, I’m honored…”

“I’ve even taken inspiration from you for my outfit. You like?” She said cheekily. She felt his gaze take her over and his cheeks flush. She had designed a leather bustier top with a teal scaley design that shifted from black to teal chrome with light, mimicking snakeskin. The bustier ended a little above her waist, exposing her abdomen. She designed a short black leather asymmetrical skirt with three thick buckles in the front with a snakeskin texture, to match with the theme. Alongside some teal and black jewelry, she finished the outfit with black platform boots with buckles that matched her top. 

“I’m not sure my girlfriend would approve.” Luka replied, raising an eyebrow. 

“I have a feeling she wouldn’t mind one bit.” She smirked, as Alya came in tow with Nino. The crowd around the band had dissipated, and the bandmates were buzzed from their performance. Nino hugged Marinette as he saw her grinning from ear to ear. “LB! It’s been forever!” She smiled and hugged him back.

“It has been, thanks for squeezing us in for a little comeback.”

“No problem LB, you guys really helped launch the label, along with quantic kids.” He said high fiving Luka. “Are you sure I can’t convenience you guys to record a new comeback record?” Marinette laughed and shook her head. 

Alya chimed in, smirking at her friend “Fine Ladybug, well the least you can do is come to our party, model Adrien Agreste is going.” This time Luka burst out laughing alongside Marinette. 

“Is it true you sang a song about him?” Luka jested raising an eyebrow at the singer. 

“My songwriter would kill me if I told you.” She poked Luka’s side with her elbow before turning back to Nino. “I already have plans for tonight, but if they blow over, I could make an appearance.” Nino chuckled and tilted his hat towards her. “Hope to see you there.” The couple walked towards the rest of Miraculous band to mingle, leaving the musician and singer alone. She waved at him, continuing to mingle lightly with some people before ducking out when everyone was distracted. 

 She walked towards Ayla’s car, having agreed to meet up with the rest of the band after changing. Safely inside she found another set of clothes, almost identical to her current outfit but with the top and bottom colors inverted. She shook her hair out of her pigtails and took off her mask, quickly changing in the safety of dark tinted windows, becoming designer Marinette once again. Just in time, there was a soft knock on her window signaling the group was ready to leave for the party. 

Adrien and Luka joined her in the backseat, as Nino and Alya slipped in the front. Marinette handed Adrien another neat pile of clothing to change. Although his all black leather get-up was sure to be a knockout at the party, Adrien wanted to keep Chat Noir a secret for a little longer, just in case they did decide to get the band back together. Marinette held Luka's hand as the man squished next to the girl to give Adrien more space to change in the small sedan. “So, I heard Ladybug was flirting with you backstage.” She joked making the musician blush. “Should I be worried about competition?” She heard Alya chuckle in front of her, eavesdropping on the conversation, Luka joining in. 

“Why is my melody jealous?” Marinette wrinkled her nose and Luka kissed the tip of her nose. “Well Ladybug should know there is only one girl for me, although I do have to thank her for the comeback.” Marinette smiled at her boyfriend, before leaning against the car door. 

“Well, it’s a small thank you for teaching us how to play the guitar.” Adrien chimed in, signaling he had changed. 

“You guys improved so much! I felt like a proud father.” Luka responded. He squeezed Marinette’s hand twice, a small gesture they shared as reassurance. The group talked on their way to Nino’s afterparty, catching up on their lives. They talked about Adrien’s love life and modeling with Juleka in Fashion Week, Luka’s upcoming tour in Europe, Ayla’s success as a music columnist and her plans to open her own magazine, Nino’s record label and the upcoming artists in his roster, as well as Marinette’s designs that were selected to appear in an Italian Magazine. The car ride had been long yet with the friend group it had felt as though time hadn’t passed since lycée.

The party was more of an industry mixer, where artists, managers and famous people mingled about. The friends were accustomed to this type of party, as it was prevalent in their career choices, and although it was great to make connections it was also somewhat boring. Being a Nino party, it felt more like a club than a networking event, yet people were always on the job. Getting out of the car, paparazzi was abundant at the entrance, trying to snap pictures of model Adrien and rock star Luka, yet the group ignored them, walking straight inside. Immediately Nino and Alya were whisked away to talk to some editorial, and Adrien was being flirted with by an American socialite. Marinette and Luka headed to the makeshift dance floor and started to dance but were quickly interrupted by other artists star-struck by Luka. 

Being used to this Marinette headed to the bar, which is where the couple always agreed to meet when separated by others. She ordered a cocktail and saw a small and quiet lounge area to the left. Heading there she was stopped by two women, a couple she recognized as a musician in Nino’s label and her famous actress girlfriend. Making small talk, she soon found out they were interested in her designs, wanting custom gowns for a red-carpet event. They started to exchange contact information when she felt an arm wrap around her waist. She wanted to lean into the warmth yet before she could it was gone, Luka opting to stand next to her instead of behind her. Introducing themselves again to Luka; the musician and Luka started to talk about the label, the woman curious about the way things were managed as she was new. 

She felt his hand intertwine with hers and a tingle went through her spine. His thumb rubbing the back of her hand made her look up at him, chiseled jaw moving with his mouth, a small smirk present. Although he was mostly nonchalant, he had grown more confident in the year his band has been performing. Goosebumps suddenly traveled up her arm as she tried to focus on the conversation, but the tension building up between them made it hazy. Her eyes darted to the bathroom and smiled, “It was great catching up! I’m going to get another drink.” She said to the couple, letting go of Luka’s hand. 

******

She straightened her back and headed towards a coat room, closing the door behind her. A few moments later she heard a familiar knock before the door opened, revealing Luka. He quickly entered before closing the door behind him and locking it. It only took him to turn back to her for Marinette to be on him, lips crashing against each other, her hand tangling in his hair. Instantly his hands grabbed her waist and pulled her closer, a small moan escaping her throat. He pulled away and smirked down at her. “As much as I love to hear you my melody, we might have to keep this symphony a bit quieter. We don’t want to alert anyone.” He said, putting a hand on her cheek, features softening from lust to adoration. He felt his heart swell at the sight of the seamstress/retired pop star with flushed cheeks, swollen pink lips parted slightly with breathlessness and a baby blue eyes that held utter desire for him. “God you are beautiful.” He whispered, bringing his other hand to hers, and pulling it up to his mouth to kiss. “A goddess of beauty and a siren of song, you’ve lured me into your arms and I never want to leave.” 

Marinette flushed a darker shade of pink, yet the emotions stirring in her stomach beat any of the sentiment in her heart.  “As are you, but we’re wasting precious time. It won’t be long before someone starts searching for us.” She whispered, through half lidded eyes. “It’s been torture to not have you all to myself.”  She took another step towards him, his hands slipping from her waist to her hips to hoist her up and against the door. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips, her hands resuming their position in his hair. She suppressed a gasp as he continued to kiss her hungrily, opting to clutch his hair tighter pulling slightly. Luka let out a soft moan, and peppered kisses from her mouth to her ear. Marinette snaked a hand underneath his blouse, feeling the soft skin against hard muscles. He let out a sigh as she gently traced her fingers up and down his abdomen and chest. Deciding the shirt was too much of a hassle, Marinette unbuttoned two other buttons before throwing it over his head. They only separated for a moment before their lips were back together, grinding against each other as they hungrily wanted more. As Marinette’s hand started to gently move up and down his back, the soft touch sensual, Luka started nibbling on her earlobe lightly before kissing behind the ear. He bit down and sucked, “Luka!” Marinette gasped before he continued kissing down her neck leaving a small love bite. Marinette pressed against him harder, wanting him to be closer. Grinding a little faster she felt his hard bulge against her as he groaned into her ear. His face moved back to her lips as he moved closer to the wall opposite the door, his lips sucking on hers hungrily as she bit his lower lip, enticing another moan from him. As soon as her back hit the wall his hands pinned her arms above her head, kissing his way down her neck towards her collarbone. “You know I love your designs but seeing you up there earlier on stage with my colors and my guitar… I never knew I needed to see that before.” He kissed her collarbone again, before straightening out and tightened his grip on her wrists, making Marinette moan. 

“Seeing you up there, wearing this… it made me want to ravish you,” he whispered leaning his forehead against hers before gently lowering her. Marinette almost whined as her feet touched the floor, “it was downright sinful what I wanted to do to you in that moment.” One of his hands slipped from down her arm, neck, between the valley of her breasts to the hooks on her bustier top, leaving shocks of electricity with his touch, Marinette leaning into his touch with pleasure. “My thoughts were filthy. But now…” he trailed off, eyes dropping to unhook the front of her top. “I get to show you exactly how I felt at that moment.” He pulled her top apart to expose her breasts, nipples getting harder against the cold air. Luka smiled and resumed where he left off, kissing gently down her collar bone, Marinette let out a soft moan, her hands clasping together as he neared her nipple. She felt the anticipation of his warm breath on her, yet before he could take the delicate skin in his mouth he smiled. “I haven’t even started and you’re already flustered ladybug?” she groaned, about to retort but the words never came out as his tongue flickered against the soft sensitive skin of her nipple. 

“D-damn you.” She managed to mutter out, his tongue flicking the tip before circling around it. Her fingers tightened around themselves, rolls of pleasure crashing through her. Had Luka not been holding her against the door, she would’ve felt her legs weaken as he bit down gently before taking it in his mouth and swirling the flesh with his tongue. His other hand came down cupping the other breast, fondling it before pinching the other nipple making Marinette moan louder than she meant to. He smiled before shifting, replacing his hand with his mouth, making Marinette arch her back trying to get him closer to her.

Luka pulled away, hand leaving her arms before grabbing her waist and kneeling in front of her. Marinette was left panting biting her lip, as her hands found their way into his hair. He smiled before kissing down her sternum and between her ribcages. He pulled back before pulling the hemline of her skirt above her hips admiring the lingerie underneath. “I see you didn’t waste any of the bustier fabric.” He said, lips tilted upwards in amusement. 

“s-Shut up…” She managed to sputter out, face bright red. Luka gently kissed her thigh from the middle inwards, training his way upwards until they hit the cut of her panties. Marinette was red and flushed, biting her lip to keep sounds from coming out. Her stomach fluttered, as the burning passion inside her consumed her. His lips felt like a matchstick, his trail leaving a tingling sensation that she didn’t, particularly mind. Kissing her through her panties, he looked up at her for permission to continue, to which she nodded, releasing her bottom lip from between her teeth. Luka so gently pulled them down, before ever so delicately put a finger between the folds of her warm, wet, and sensitive pussy. He gently brushed against her clit enticing another moan from the small seamstress. He pulled his finger back and admired it as it glistened in the low light before popping it into his mouth. He wasted no time sucking her wetness from his finger before his face was back at her inner thighs, kissing from the middle towards her slick clit. It didn’t take long before he reached there, giving her clit some special attention with his tongue. Soon he had Marinette bracing herself against the wall for support and her hands gripping and pulling his hair, begging him in sweet soft moans for more. As wave after wave of pleasure overrode her, Luka enjoyed seeing his girlfriend try to keep quiet as orgasm overtook her. Seeing her head tilted back, mouth agape, gasping for air made him wish he had photographic memory. He sat back and admired his handiwork as he held Marinette steady. 

Licking his lips, he smiled and stood up. Marinette let out a small sigh and put her head against the wall. “Need a moment?” he chuckled as he kissed her forehead. She nodded breathless. “Well come here” He wrapped his arms around her waist letting his girlfriend lean against him. He quietly started to rearrange her clothing as she gathered her bearings. “What about...” Luka’s eyes pierced into hers and he winked. “We can continue this at home, but I think our absence might be noticed if we are gone any longer.” He kissed Marinette again before lifting her bustier top over her exposed chest. “Now, my melody, where exactly did you throw my shirt?”. 

*******

Marinette got to the bar and ordered two cocktails as Luka met up with her at the bar. He kissed her temple as the bartender handed her two drinks. She felt proud of her boyfriend, they spent the night mingling, eventually dancing with their friends and happy in each other’s arms. 

[sumomosketches]

hihi @aikothegoof~ I’m your @mlsecretsanta! i’m super happy with how this ladrien turned out and i hope you like it! ^-^

[miraculousfunnygirl]

Happy Holidays, Frostysaucey!

 @frostysaucey​, I’m your Secret Santa for the @mlsecretsanta​ gift exchange! 

I hope you appreciate this little ML Squad Holiday Fluff!  You can also find the speed edit of the drawing under my Instagram page and a better quality upload of this on my DeviantArt :) Instagram || DeviantArt

This was really fun to draw, I hope you appreciate your gift!

[theredeyeswolf]

This is for the @mlsecretsanta event and for the user @gem-minnie. I hope you like it. 

[mari-onberry]

Face the Music

My gift for @clockworkgalaxies for the @mlsecretsanta exchange!

read on ao3

Adrien didn't mind the feeling of being alone. There was nothing to complicate his life when he was by himself, and he much preferred listening to the voice in his head over the lectures from his dad. Still, his friends were adamant about including him, and spending time with them was what made the loneliness bearable.

So, when Marinette invited him to one of Luka's first gigs at a local café, he looked forward to a reason to get out of the house for a couple of hours. Adrien had heard Luka play before, but this time was much more serious-- he would be playing in front of a fairly large audience, even if they were there to drink coffee. They met beforehand, and although Luka seemed nervous (which was something Adrien rarely saw), Marinette calmed his nerves with a kiss.

Luka noticed Adrien looked nervous as well. “You okay, Adrien?” He asked. “You’re not the one playing, you know.”

It was a joke, and it was a solid attempt at lightening the mood, but it just made Adrien imagine himself on stage with Luka. “I’m okay.” He smiled, and his friends’ smiles back did help a bit. Luka left to get ready after that, and the other two went the other way to sit among the patrons.

“Thanks for inviting me, Marinette.”

She glanced behind her, looking to where Luka had just left to. “Actually, it was Luka’s idea. He said it would help if he had two people he knew cheering him on.”

Adrien was flattered, but he couldn’t help but ask himself ‘why me?’

He sat with Marinette at the front, and Luka couldn't keep his eyes off of her, even as he focused on his playing and singing. Adrien was too busy looking at the floor to see Luka’s stare drift, but he looked up when he felt eyes on him. Luka was seemingly staring right at Adrien, and he didn't look any less in love than when he was looking at his girlfriend. Adrien quickly let his eyes wander anywhere else, but his heartbeat picked up just in time for the music to do the same.

When Luka had a chance, he blew a kiss in their direction. It wasn’t clear if it was directed towards Adrien or Marinette, or both, but Marinette pretended to catch the imaginary kiss, and looked to Adrien as if expecting him to do the same. She laughed it off when he didn't, but shortly after, Adrien feigned illness and left halfway through the set, too confused to stay after and talk things through.

Luckily, Luka wasn't in their class, so he didn't see him the next day. Still, he saw Marinette every day, and she was a reminder that his confusion wasn’t going away. One day, when they were the only two left at study hall, he asked her a question. They were rarely alone these days, so it was his only opportunity. "What do you see in Luka?" He meant it genuinely, but it came off rather passive aggressive, like he was jealous. Really, he was simply comparing notes, but he wasn't good at articulating something so new to him.

Marinette’s initial reaction was to defend Luka, but she could tell Adrien was being well-meaning with the question. So, then she thought seriously about it. "He puts everyone before himself." She knew that was also a weakness of his, but it was truly what she loved about him. "And I love being able to tell what he's feeling when he sings. He's sort of an open book that way." She turned a page in her textbook, although she wasn't paying attention to her homework anymore. "Why? What do you see in him?" She teased, turning the question around on him.

Adrien misunderstood. "Well, like you said, I love his art." Adrien absentmindedly wrote down the next problem from his textbook. "And he treats me just like anybody else." Maybe to someone else, that would be a low standard. But for Adrien, even when it came to Marinette, people tended to treat him like he was perfect. He knew that much wasn't true.

Marinette was staring at him when he looked up, and he realized she had been joking.

"I mean, I think he's good for you, that's all." Adrien was awfully bad at lying, and that wasn’t even a complete lie.

Marinette shook her head, breaking her stare. "No, it's fine, I was just a bit surprised--"

"I'm done with homework, I think I'm going to go home," Adrien said, bailing on her again. He couldn't deal with the pressure, even though his heart hurt from treating her like that. "I'll be back tomorrow." He left her alone to sit with her thoughts, and the one at the front of her mind was the possibility that Adrien Agreste, who she had a crush on since middle school, had feelings for her boyfriend.

━━━━━━━━

He did come back to study hall the next day, but so did three other students. They didn't get time alone together for another week, when Marinette pulled him aside after class, blocking the door on his way out. "Can I talk to you?" She whispered, knowing there could very well be someone listening in while they were in the hallway. "Alone. Can you come over to my house after school? Maybe tell your dad that we have a project, or a test to study for?" In fact, they did have a few things that it wouldn't hurt to study for. She was far too distracted to think about school now, though.

He looked between her and the door. "I have to get to fencing practice."

She frowned. "Afterwards, then? I can wait. I like watching you fence, anyway."

He tried to think of a single reason to turn her down, but the only thing he had was his nerves. "Okay. But you only have a few minutes, my dad gets angry when I take too long getting home."

She nodded. "Of course."

━━━━━━━━

Marinette's heart fluttered when she watched him fence. It was always exciting to her, even when it was just low-stakes practice. She thought back to when she was younger, before she met Luka, when she would watch Adrien as many times a week as she could, hoping he would notice her enough to think of her as something other than a friend. She remembered how she used to feel worry every time he stuttered in his steps, and pride whenever he got a point. She remembered, because she was feeling the same now. Maybe she wasn't completely over him. She was so mesmerized watching him that when he looked over, she smiled wide, in a way he hadn’t seen for years. In that same instance, Adrien was thrown off balance, and the fencer opposite him knocked him down.

"I'm sorry," they said, but Marinette didn't know them. The only other fencer Marinette knew was Kagami, and that didn't seem like something Kagami would do. The fencer helped Adrien up.

"It's okay," he said, knowing it wasn't entirely their fault. "But I think I'll sit out for the rest of practice, is that okay?" They nodded, and Adrien went to sit by Marinette, not without first taking off his gear.

Marinette stared when he got close enough. "Adrien, you look more hurt than you're letting on."

He frowned, confused. "I don't feel hurt." He traced her line of sight to a spot on his forehead, and brought his hand back only to find blood. "Oh." He scrambled to get something to clean up the blood.

She walked with him. "Adrien, I'll help you clean you up. I have a first aid kit in my car."

He followed her out, but he kept a close watch on the clock. If his dad came to pick him up and found that he wasn't at practice, but instead in Marinette's car, it wouldn't end well.

Marinette got out her first aid kid, and took out the bandages, ointment, and cleaning supplies she needed. "Sorry, this might sting," she warned before pressing an alcohol pad to the wound. He winced, but the pain soon subsided. "You know, if you're worried about your dad, you could text him to say you got a ride home early because of your fall." When he didn't seem too keen on that idea, she added, "Even if he got mad about it, that alone wouldn't be bad enough for him to disown you, right?"

Adrien winced again as she put on antibiotic ointment. "You'd be surprised."

She paused her work on his wound to look him in the eye. "Maybe I could talk to him. Tell him we have to study?"

He bit his lip, just the discussion of disobeying making him nervous. "I'll try texting. If I word it right, he might not get too mad. Maybe just a few more hours of piano practice to appease him," he joked, but he really had tried that before. He typed out a message, but his finger hovered over the button.

"You ready for the band-aid?" She asked, slowly peeling the adhesive off the bandage.

He quickly pressed the 'send' button, and then looked back up so she could apply the bandage. Then, Marinette asked him, "Do you have feelings for Luka?" and Adrien was so shocked that he almost ignored it, thinking he was imagining it.

Once the band-aid was on and he could talk without messing with her first aid, he said, "Do I have to answer?"

"Is that a yes?" She leaned over to him, looking over the rest of his face to check for any more bruises or cuts. "I'm not mad if it is. Actually, the opposite. Love is a good thing."

Adrien thought that was a very charitable characterization of the situation. "Yeah, you're right. But it's... confusing. I don't know if it's love, but when I heard him play, it reminded me of two years ago when I was in love with--" as he remembered who he was talking to, he quickly amended his statement, "It reminded me of my feelings for someone else."

"Well, your love for two different people could feel... well, different." She rubbed a spot above his cheek that looked like it had gotten hurt by the floor as well. "Does it hurt here, too?"

He shook his head. "I'm not still bleeding, am I?"

"No." She turned to his hands, which had gotten a bit skinned from Adrien catching himself on the mat. She thought it would be best to clean that as well, but bandages wouldn’t work in this situation. "And if you have any sort of feelings for someone, even if it's not romantic love, you should tell them." She looked up at him again. "You really should." From her perspective, there was no way this could go wrong. Luka was a kind person, and he'd never judge Adrien, even if he didn't reciprocate. And reciprocation wasn't exactly a long shot, either-- Marinette did notice how Luka looked at Adrien during that concert, too.

Adrien swallowed a lump in his throat. "You sure?" Then, when he saw her head rock back and forth in a nod, even though her attention was on his hands, he added, "Could you be there when I do?"

She used another alcohol pad on his right palm first, hoping it wouldn't sting as much this time. "Of course, Adrien. And if you're comfortable with it, I can set up a time for you to meet." She moved on to the other hand.

"How about now?"

She looked up in surprise, searching his face to see if he was serious. "What did your dad say?"

Adrien hadn't checked his phone. He picked it up with the hand Marinette wasn't working on and read a new text. Adrien, we had piano practice planned for this evening. I will pick you up from practice like usual, or there will be consequences. "He said it was fine."

Marinette drove them to Luka's. She was fairly sure he would be there-- he didn't have anything in particular planned that day. Still, her heart skipped a beat when it took him a moment to answer the door. "Marinette, did you lose your key--" he started, then noticed Adrien by her side. "Oh. Come in." He looked like he wanted to ask a few questions, but he opened the door wider so they could enter. Once they were both in, he asked, "What brings you here?" He kept glancing at the bandage on his forehead.

Adrien panicked. Why had he suggested doing this today, without any preparation, or some sort of script, and why had he gone against his father's wishes--

"Adrien?"

Luka's voice made him melt. He looked to Marinette before answering, "I wanted to hear you play." Marinette's face seemed to convey a mix of disappointment and pity.

Luka seemed to know that there was something more important than that going on, but he agreed. "Alright. Follow me, then." They went into his bedroom, where his guitar was sitting in its stand, and as soon as Luka picked it up, he played with the strings. His fingers naturally knew their way around the instrument. Adrien gulped as Luka invited them both to sit with him on the bed. "Want to hear anything in particular?"

Adrien shook his head. "I just want to hear something."

Luka went along with it, improvising as best he could. Adrien loved feeling the vibrations up close, and when Luka started humming along, it was even more beautiful of a sound. Marinette picked her feet off the ground and put them onto the bed, leaning against Luka's right side. Adrien did the same, mirroring her movements on Luka's left. Luka's hums turned to words after a couple minutes, lyrics from either songs he knew by heart or words he wrote himself. But soon, it became obvious he was using his singing to talk to them. "Adrien seems far too nervous for this to be a normal visit." He looked over to Adrien, and sure enough, Adrien was sweating. "You okay, man?"

Adrien sat up, suddenly aware of every inch of his skin that was in contact with Luka. "You’re right, I did come here for something else. It's just taking a bit to work up the courage to say it."

Now in his speaking voice, even as he kept idly strumming the guitar, he said, "You're in love." It was a guess from Adrien's face alone. "In love with Marinette?"

Adrien shook his head. "No, it's not that, you don't have to worry," he said, but as the words came out of his mouth, they felt like lies. "Well, I care for Marinette, of course, but that's not what I'm here for." He hoped that cleared things up enough, but even he wasn't confident about the details of his feelings. "Luka, I really like you."

Luka's eye's widened; he hadn't been expecting that. His fingers froze on the guitar strings, and he stopped playing. "Oh, well, I--" He whipped his head around to look at Marinette, and they had a silent conversation. "You know I'm dating Marinette, right?" Then, his face revealed that he immediately regretted saying that. "I mean, of course you do. And you can't control your feelings like that, anyway," he practically said to himself, trying to talk himself into what he truly wanted to say. "I guess I'm just trying to ask: 'what are you trying to accomplish by telling me?'" He winced at that a bit too; it still came out a bit more aggressive than he wanted it to.

"No, I get what you mean." Adrien tried to make him feel a bit better about his words. He looked to Marinette, still, because she was the one who suggested he do this in the first place.

She got the hint and spoke up. "I... kinda told him to." She smiled innocently at both of them, trying to think of how to explain her thoughts to them. "I just think that he shouldn't have to hide what he's feeling. It doesn't matter what he's trying to accomplish, it's just best. For transparencies' sake."

Luka nodded. "Then, for transparencies' sake, what if I do reciprocate? What do you think of that?"

Marinette looked from Luka to Adrien and back, not realizing who the question was directed at. "Me?" She wasn't aware they wanted her input in this subject, but she supposed that made sense. "I'm fine with it," she started, then tried to get more information out of him. "Are you saying you do reciprocate?" She wondered how this became a conversation between the two of them when Adrien was the one confessing.

Luka hummed in thought, and set down his guitar, not without his fingers strumming the strings once again. "It's hard to say," he stood up and looked at both of them.

Then, there was that look again, that they both recognized from that concert all those days ago. What did it mean? They both wondered.

Luka took a step closer to Marinette, and took her hand. "Marinette, I love you. And you've known this for years." Marinette nodded at him, curious as to where this was going. "But," he said, and Marinette's heart skipped a beat, "This changes everything. If you say you're really okay with it, then..."

He took a step to the right, so he was now in front of Adrien. "I wasn't really sure about my feelings for you, but now that you've spoken up about this, I think I have a way to test it. If you're okay with it, too, Adrien." He leaned forward, their faces getting closer and closer.

Adrien blinked. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean."

"I want to kiss you," Luka clarified, and Adrien felt as if his heart was on fire. He had never kissed anyone, and now the opportunity was practically falling into his lap. Still, it was hard to say yes with how shaky he was getting.

"Okay," he managed to get out, his pitch getting higher from nerves.

So Luka did kiss him, putting his hand gently on Adrien's cheek before pressing their lips together. Adrien was too nervous to really enjoy it, though, since along with this being his first kiss, Luka was using this to test his feelings. His eyes were still closed when Luka stood up. He didn't want to know Luka's reaction. When he finally did open his eyes, though, Luka was smiling wide. He turned to his girlfriend. "Marinette," he said, which worried Adrien. "Are you really okay with this? Because that was definitely something." He flopped face-up on the bed, hiding his face with his arms.

Marinette leaned over him so she could watch his face as she talked to him. "I'm more than okay with it. I love you, and I love how full of love you are." She was smiling just as widely, and she sat back up to look at Adrien. They stared at each other for a second, now realizing what this changed about their own relationship.

It hadn't really sunk in for Adrien. He didn't really believe this was really happening. Luka had just kissed him, and they were both fine with it. If he had sat there and stayed with them for a few minutes more, he might've had enough time to be fine with this. But his phone buzzed, and his blood went cold, and he stood up abruptly. "I have to go home. I'm sorry." He bolted, walking briskly out of the room. Adrien stopped in the hall, using all his might to try and will himself back inside the room. His phone buzzed again, and he tried to figure out what his father was saying without having to look. He kept walking. He would have to walk home, but he was fine with that.

Adrien finally checked his phone. Five messages from Father. Adrien almost cried. He knew Gabriel was already angry enough for getting a ride from Marinette. If his father ever knew what happened next, he might be disowned. He ignored the texts he got from Marinette and Luka, and wished he could be home already. When he listened to his dad and followed the rules like he usually did, he didn't feel like his heart was in his throat. He convinced himself that was the better option.

Gabriel did yell at him for being late, and for disobeying. Adrien was grounded for a week, and he took this as an opportunity to avoid Marinette. He knew she kept stopping by to bring his work, and Nathalie would bring it into his room every day, but Adrien used every ounce of his willpower to not watch Marinette walk to and from his house. After day three, his father’s anger was only getting worse every day he stayed home sick, so Adrien went to school.

━━━━━━━━

The next time he talked to Marinette was a few days later. She approached him after class, and cornered him so he couldn't run. "Adrien, can we please talk?" He followed her into an empty classroom. "Look, we are so sorry about the other day. Everything happened so fast, and I completely forgot about your dad, I shouldn't have convinced you to--"

"It's okay, Marinette. I just need some time alone, I think. And I have to get to class."

She nodded, trying her best to keep her cool. "Okay. Okay. Just, you know you can talk to me, right? And, if you want to forget what happened, we can do that. We can go back to how things were before. I liked how things were before."

He could tell she had tears in her eyes, even though he did, too. "Yeah. I'll think about it." He left her alone in the classroom, and he didn't see her again all day.

━━━━━━━━

They did go back to being just friends after that, and things went back to the way they were, or as close as they could be. Adrien still remembered it, and longed for it, and wished he could go back to that day and stay. Almost a year later, the next of Luka's concerts he went to was a much bigger venue. In fact, there would be thousands of people there, and he was opening for a pretty well known band. And he asked Adrien to be there with him.

At first, Adrien wasn't planning on going. It would be a lot of familiar feelings being brought up that he wouldn't want to think about. Sure, he was used to hanging out with them again, but mainly with other friends around, so this would be closer to reliving that day than Adrien thought he could handle. Still, he had the day off, and he didn't want to be rude by turning the offer down. And maybe a part of him did want to go and see what would happen.

The night of the concert, he met with Marinette beforehand and she drove him to the venue. They barely talked, and when they did it was about other people. They both knew very well what the other was thinking. Adrien wished he could make himself speak up.

He remembered watching Luka practice before gigs before, but this time was different. He didn't think he had ever seen Luka this nervous before, but as he played a couple notes, his fingers shook. Adrien was a little worried that he wouldn't be able to play.

"Luka, are you okay?" Marinette asked, holding his fingers still between her own. "Do you need something? Aspirin, a drink of water, anything?" Usually, Marinette wouldn’t wait on him like this, but it calmed her nerves to feel somewhat in charge of the situation.

He shook his head. "I could use a kiss."

Adrien's face heated up until he realized Luka was talking about Marinette. Marinette kissed him, shortly and sweetly, and Adrien got the feeling that he couldn't imagine them ever breaking up. He also felt completely invisible, and wanted to keep it that way. Or maybe...

He thought back to that day in Luka's room, and imagined what would have happened if he had stayed. It wasn't the first time he thought about it, but it usually made him too upset to follow through completely. He usually used those thoughts as a way to further his regret, like he deserved it. But now, as he watched the couple love each other, he realized this was exactly where he would have ended up. He would have traveled with them, gone to concerts with them, and listened to Luka play. The only difference would be how he acted. If he had stayed, and they were still together, maybe he would be the one to calm Luka down with a kiss. So, he walked over, pretending that he lived in this imaginary timeline where he didn't make the biggest mistake of his life, and put his hands on Luka’s shoulders, ready to kiss him square on the lips.

This was short-lived, though, because the contact made Adrien realize he was not just imagining this, and was in fact, doing it. He immediately took a few steps back, and everything told him to run. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Luka stared at him. "Didn't mean to?" He tilted his head, confused. "So you're saying it was an accident?" Adrien saw that Luka's hands were no longer shaking.

Adrien had no good answer for him. "I thought I was somewhere else." He backed away, his body retreating without him.

"Maybe you can stay somewhere else for a little longer?" Marinette asked, approaching him. "And once Luka gets on stage, we can forget it ever happened."

Adrien knew she meant that. So, he asked her something in return. "Can I kiss you, then, Marinette?"

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that." She kissed him, and could feel his smile against her lips. "I still love you, Adrien. Always have," she whispered to him, resting her forehead against his. She hoped she would never have to miss this closeness.

Luka seemed a bit jealous, and got a bit closer to them, putting a hand on both of their arms. "I have to go on soon. Wish me luck?" They did wish him luck, both of them fairly sure they knew what he meant. They each kissed him on the cheek, and Adrien took this opportunity to quickly relive that moment a year ago, and kissed him again, melting into the kiss. Even though it lasted only a moment, Adrien tried to make it last a lifetime. A part of him knew this wasn't forever.

"Good luck, Luka," Adrien finally said, knowing they had limited time.

"Not that you need it," Marinette added, teasing, and they both watched him walk on stage. Adrien felt lucky just to be backstage watching him. "You ready, Adrien? I always think it's a lot better from the sidelines." She put her arm around him, and they leaned against each other, similar feelings of love in both of their hearts.

"I'm more than ready."

They watched him perform, and Marinette was right-- it was very fun to watch him from this perspective. Adrien had only ever been in the audience, and now he was one step closer to the stage. He wasn't sure if he would ever feel ready to take that next step, but judging by how much fun Luka seemed to be having, maybe he would have to try it out.

In between songs, Luka started to talk to the audience, introduce his band members and himself, and banter a bit. Marinette enjoyed this part usually, but she had to say a few things to Adrien first. She valued honesty above most things, and if she kept this a secret any longer, it was starting to feel like a lie. "Adrien. I have something to tell you, while we still have some time to ourselves."

Adrien perked his head up, listening attentively. "Okay."

She sighed. "Luka didn't want to tell you this. He wanted one day of things being normal between us. But, I have to tell you: Luka's going on tour. We can't stay in Paris any longer, especially for the next few months. And even after that, we're unsure if we'll ever come back and live here." She hung her head, ashamed that she had kept that from him.

Adrien wasn't hurt at first. He was mostly just stunned. After everything that had just happened, they were going to leave him? He knew that thought was irrational-- of course, they had planned it long before today, but he still felt a bit betrayed. "Really?" He asked, as if bargaining with her.

She closed her eyes to hide her oncoming tears. "I'm sorry, Adrien. Today was supposed to be a goodbye, and then..." She wasn't trying to blame him, but neither of them had suspected him to do anything like that. It was a nice surprise, but it was a bit late. "You could come with us?" She asked, all of a sudden realizing how perfect that would be. It could be a chance for him to get away from his dad, and he wouldn't have to spend any time away from them. "It's just a suggestion, though."

"I'm not sure." He frowned, and as Luka stopped talking, they knew he was preparing for the next song. Unless they were to leave his side, they wouldn't be able to hear each other over the music soon. "I'll think about it." The music started once again, and Adrien let the hum of Luka's guitar fill his ears as he imagined the next few months travelling with them. He couldn't get the thought of how much he regretted last time he turned them down, and he thought he had his answer. Then, he felt his phone buzz with a text.

His father.

Adrien, where are you? Gabriel was the one person Adrien could always tell if he was angry or not, even over text. It wasn't a surprise that he was-- he hadn't exactly explained where he was going that night, and they had to prepare for a show tomorrow. He hesitated answering, but he knew that would only make him more angry.

"I'm sorry, I have to take this," Adrien said over the music, and although Marinette couldn't hear, she understood. He dialed his father's number, and ran outside so he hopefully wouldn't hear the music. He tried not to make any sound himself, not even exhaling in anticipation of his father chewing him out.

"Adrien." Gabriel was stern and concise. "You have a show in the morning. If you don't come home now so we can get ready, you are going to humiliate both of us."

Adrien couldn't care less about humiliation. A sudden wave of confidence washed over him. "You know what, dad? What if I don't want to work under you anymore? I could make a living by myself."

Gabriel audibly laughed at his son. "I could ruin your reputation if you quit, Adrien. You do not want to do that."

Adrien couldn't care less about reputation, either. "I just got asked to tour the world with friends. I don't need you, I don't need this job, and I don't need a good reputation. I don't need to see you ever again, and I hope I don't."

Gabriel paused, regaining composure. "You sound like a petulant child."

Adrien ignored him. "You've never cared about my wellbeing. All you've cared about is the money you make off me. Well, I'm done." Adrien was already storming back towards the stage. "I bet you never even wanted me. You just took care of me to make Mom happy."

Gabriel was quiet for a moment. "Adrien, you know I have connections. You really think your friends will be able to go on that tour if you run away with them?”

His tears felt like they were burning him as they ran down his face. He stopped in his tracks, frozen in place. If he went back inside, he knew they would talk him into running away nonetheless, but he couldn’t do that to them. They needed this tour. Any other decision was just selfish, he told himself. “I’m heading home.”

"Good." Gabriel responded, sounding content. "I know you'll never disobey me like that again, right, Adrien?"

Adrien felt like throwing up, but he headed to his car without a goodbye to the people he loved much more than his dad. "Right."

Marinette and Luka left a few hours later, not having witnessed Adrien leave, but knowing exactly why he had. A part of Luka wanted to chase after him, find him at his house, throw rocks at his window, and sing him a love ballad. Marinette held out hope that things would turn out like a movie, and Adrien would come running after them at the last minute in the airport and buy a ticket for their flight. They both knew these were impossible dreams.

━━━━━━━━

Four years later, Adrien's modelling career had only grown. The same could be said for Luka and his band, but this also meant the two of them grew apart. Both stayed in touch with Marinette, but Adrien only did so through infrequent phone calls and texts.

So, he looked forward to their 5 year reunion. He hadn't seen his friends in years. He talked to them, sure, and Nino would play games with him every week, but it wasn't the same.

Chloe organized the reunion. 5 years ago, that probably would've turned out to be a disaster, and maybe ended in the cancellation of the entire gathering. Now, though, it was rather elegant-- Chloe had talent when it came to party planning.

When Adrien got the call, he stayed on the phone with her for half an hour. He missed the sound of her voice. Really, all they did was catch up, and Adrien stalled until Chloe said she had to grab lunch. The only pertinent information he got out of it was the time, location, and date of the event. That, and Luka would be playing there. The mention of Luka made Adrien's heart pound a bit faster; he hadn't seen him in years, and they hadn’t really left on the best of terms.

His dad gave him the best outfits to wear, making sure that he would represent the company well. Seeing his father's clothes on him all the time was also supposed to remind him to be on his best behavior. He rolled his eyes and headed in, watching all the classmates he recognized walk in after him.

The gym had been transformed into a wide open space for them to talk, though there was still food catered by Chloe on the side. Speaking of Chloe, Adrien found her first, wanting to catch up with someone, and feeling most comfortable talking to her.

"Adrien!" She exclaimed when she saw him, and brought him in for a hug. "How have you been? You're still living in the area, right?" She asked, her chipper attitude dissimilar from how he remembered her from high school.

"Yes, I am. And I've been good." He smiled, though his voice might've given away his lack of enthusiasm.

She didn't catch on, luckily. "You look good. Listen, I'm going to be busy tonight, and you should catch up with everyone. I'll talk to you later?" She asked, and although she phrased it politely, the sentiment was somewhat reminiscent of her younger persona. He pretended he didn't notice, though, and agreed he should socialize with someone else.

He needed to find Nino. He was having trouble, though, since the room had begun filling up even more with people, and it was hard to navigate through the sea of bodies. He made his way into the middle of the room without finding anyone to talk to, and considered giving up and going home. He had made an appearance, at least. That might be enough.

Then, he bumped into someone he definitely recognized, even though her hair was shorter than he remembered, and she had aged gracefully into her twenties.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said as she turned around to look him in the eye. It only took her a second to realize she hadn't just bumped into a stranger. "Adrien?" He had a hard time reading exactly what her tone of voice meant.

"Marinette." His voice didn't have any trouble giving away his feelings. He absolutely missed her, and didn't care about hiding that fact. They hugged, lingering in the feeling for a few beats too long, until they heard a single chord play on the makeshift stage across the room.

"Oh, Luka's starting," Marinette pointed out, even though it was obvious. She had a hard time quelling her nervousness, despite this being just a high school reunion. Luka had played at venues 100 times this large. There was just something a bit more nerve-wracking about playing in front of people you knew in high school, even for Marinette, who wasn't even the one playing.

Adrien's eyes shot up to the stage, where he saw Luka wielding his guitar as if it was a part of him. He couldn’t help but stare; Luka’s hair had grown to his shoulders (it was now longer than Marinette’s), and it was no longer dyed, now his natural jet black color. They had both changed a lot in four years. He hadn't gone to any of his gigs, or listened to any of his albums, even though he used to love his music. Even back then, it made him tear up to hear the way Luka poured his heart into his music. Now, Adrien wasn't sure how it would affect him, but he knew that watching Luka in his element like that was already making him short of breath. Luka was amazing, and Adrien couldn't imagine a single person in that room who didn't think the same thing.

As the band tuned, Adrien found himself actually getting nervous to hear Luka play; his palms started to sweat, and his legs started to shake. He looked at Marinette, looking for guidance, but simply saw how utterly in love she looked. Her admiration, her anticipation, and nervousness all culminated in a look of pure love as she watched him fiddle with his guitar strings. He was jealous, yes, but he also couldn't get mad at her for it; he felt entirely the same way.

So, Adrien wormed his way through the crowd to get into a hallway before the band could start.

The hallways of the school at night had a certain atmosphere that Adrien enjoyed-- this was only amplified by the sound of the band starting to play muffled by the walls. Adrien preferred that to the inevitably loud sound that he would've heard if he had stayed. He could tell the song was good from where he sat, still, but there was at least now a degree of separation. Plus, he wasn't close enough to Marinette to feel her every movement, which made everything a little less confusing. He closed his eyes and let the muffled music wash over him.

Then, he heard the gym doors open and close, and then footsteps approach. Opening one eye allowed him to see that it was Marinette. "Hey, what'd you leave for? You're missing the best part."

Adrien smiled and opened his eyes to greet her, even though she was the very person he was avoiding. "I like it out here better. There's too many people in there."

She nodded. "Yeah, I understand."

"So, you're not going to watch your boyfriend perform?" Adrien asked, sounded genuinely a bit concerned.

"I've heard it all many times. This isn't exactly his most important concert or anything." She chuckled, and absentmindedly offered her hand for him to hold. It was cold in the hallway, and she was used to seeing him as a friend. It never used to be this weird holding friends' hands. But then he took it, and she shivered. "So I can be here for you. I'm sure Luka would be more than okay with that. He'd do the same."

She had always been good at cheering him up. He smiled. "Thank you, then."

"I know this must be tough, seeing everyone again. It's pretty overwhelming for me, too." She stared at the lockers across from them, thinking about all the kids currently in school who put their books there every day. She wondered how different things were for them. "I haven't seen anyone but Alya and Nino in years." She paused, looking at their clasped hands in her lap before continuing. "I haven't seen you in years."

Even if Marinette hadn’t told him she was in love with him before, he would now just from the way she looked at him in that moment. He knew now, but at the beginning of high school, he was blind to it. He wished he had known-- things would be easier now. If he had known before she even met Luka, maybe... He stopped that thought from occurring. No. He couldn't dwell on the past like that. There was no way to change it now, and Luka didn't deserve that, anyway. "Yeah. I've missed you." He looked her in the eye, which made him suddenly realize how close they were. "I've missed all of you," he added.

Marinette let them sit in silence and listen to the echoing of Luka's music through the halls. "You sure you don't want to listen? Luka's improved a lot in four years."

Adrien had a hard time believing that. Four years ago, Luka's music was already good enough that Adrien counted him among the top musicians he had ever heard, but maybe he was just biased. "I like how it sounds from here."

She nodded. "Yeah, it does sound kind of nice. Maybe I should try listening this way more often." She was joking, but he did have a point. There was something about it that reminded her of the way she would listen to Luka's lone guitar during a talent show his senior year. That same night, he asked her to prom. "But you're okay, right? No one said anything rude tonight or something, did they?" She couldn't imagine who, unless Chloe had invited Lila for some reason.

"No. It's been nice to see everyone, of course, but it just reminds me that it won't ever be like that again."

"Be like what?" Marinette wasn't exactly the most nostalgic about high school. But seeing her friends everyday was pretty great. Now, she had Luka to see every day, so it wasn't lonely. "Oh," she said before he could answer, realizing what he had meant. "I'm sorry."

He breathed out a cynical laugh. "It's okay. This is what I've chosen, and it's really okay." He chose it, but it wasn’t like his other choice was viable. That didn't mean he didn't regret making that choice, though.

Marinette felt like crying. She had been living her life for years now trying not to think about how Adrien might feel. She assumed he'd be fine without her. Adrien was always fine without her in school. "Adrien, I didn't mean to abandon you. I hope you didn't feel like I did, just for moving away."

He shook his head. "Of course not, Marinette. You've never hurt me."

She knew that was a lie, but he probably believed it. "You could always quit your job, and move across the country to be closer to us." Her voice sounded hopeful, but she knew he wouldn't take it seriously.

He laughed. "That would be the dream."

She stood her ground. "No, really. I mean it. Quit your job and leave your dad behind. We can help you until you get another job, it shouldn't be that hard since you're pretty renowned, but even if it is, Luka has more than enough money to support all of us--"

"This is sounding more and more like you want me to move in with you."

She ripped her hand away from his to make the point that she was, in fact, NOT insinuating that. Actually, it didn't sound half bad, but she just meant that he could live near them, and they could help pay for his living expenses, and help him find a job, and-- Okay, maybe she was trying to get him to move in with them. "I'm just saying, you don't have to settle. Even if you have to sleep on our couch, it might be better than working for your dad the rest of your life. If you really are that miserable."

"So you'd let me sleep on your couch?" Adrien asked, his puppy-dog eyes in full effect. She wasn't sure if he was kidding, or pleading, but she would've said 'yes' either way.

The air felt silent, even though they could still hear Luka’s music. “Actually, there’s a reason I left that night. I didn't want to tell you, but I think it’s been long enough,’ Adrien started, not looking her in the eyes.

She sat, brows furrowed, listening attentively.

“My dad threatened to sabotage Luka’s career if I went with you on tour.”

Marinette felt as if her heart stopped. “Adrien, we had no idea.” She thought it over for a moment. That didn't seem that out of the ordinary for Gabriel, all things considered. “But you don’t have to be afraid of that anymore, Luka is famous enough now, not even your dad could hurt him.” She wasn’t at all sure of that, but she wanted to take that chance.

“You have a point.” Adrien didn't know what else to say, and he ran through all the possible outcomes he could think of. Not one of them seemed worth making the same mistake for the third time.

Then, they heard the band stop, and Luka talked indistinctly through the microphone.

"Maybe I should get back in there?" She stood up. Even though she was fairly sure Luka would be fine with her bailing, she still wanted to encourage him after the fact. "Come with me?" She reached her hand out to help him up.

He looked up at her, confused, and his finger twitched, his body deciding to grab her hand before his mind could. "I think I'll stay out here for a few more minutes."

She nodded and left him, but both of them wished there was a third option.

Marinette made her way through the crowd to the stairs that led up to the stage, ready to greet Luka as he finished. He told her he wasn’t quite done with their set, though, and asked where Adrien was. She was hesitant to tell him at first, but she led him into the hall where she had met Adrien before. If he was stepping off stage and making the audience wait like this, it must be for a good reason.

Unfortunately, Adrien was gone when they made it into the hall.

"Luka, have you talked to Adrien at all tonight?" He nodded 'no', and she had guessed as much.

"I was going to ask him to play with me,” he said, holding each of her arms, making her plant her feet firmly on the ground, and looking into her eyes. She really needed to stop pacing, or she would wear a line in the ground.

She nodded, her frown turning to a sideways grin. "That's a good idea. Just keep in mind, I may have suggested he live with us for a while." She escaped his grip and walked back towards the door.

He just laughed. Of course she would do something like that-- they were both dangerously altruistic. Actually, all three of them were. He followed her close behind as they walked to the other side of the hallway. They made their way outside, only to see none other than Adrien, sitting by himself once again. It seemed as if he had wanted to leave, but gave up halfway through. His eyes were a bit red, as if he had been crying and trying to hide that fact.

It was a cold, windy night, and it had only gotten colder as the sun got lower in the sky. Adrien could hear the soft, muffled sounds of Luka's music filling the gym a few rooms away, and he could faint footsteps in the hall. He wasn't sure if it was the music or the cold that made every inch of his skin fill with goosebumps. His body twitched, telling him to go inside, but even being this close to Luka's singing made Adrien miss him. He wished the wind was instead Luka's breath on his skin.

"Adrien," Luka said, as softly as he could. "Are you okay?"

Adrien's head shot up, startled, and he looked at Luka, then Marinette, and back. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Well, we're already worrying, so it's too late for that." It was Luka that held out his hand for Adrien this time. "Let me help you up, and then we can talk."

Adrien gave in and took Luka's hand. It didn't last long, but the contact sent shocks of electricity through his fingertips and he noticed how Luka's hands were rough and calloused from his guitar. "Thank you." He looked to Marinette. "Both of you. But you really don't have to do this. I think I'll just go home." He was now standing up.

Luka was more than a little hurt, but he understood. "It's okay if you want to leave. I just want you to be happy, Adrien. And I think you could be happier at a new home. Even if that means you have to live with us for a while." Luka hadn't felt this love in a while. It was like his heart felt complete for the first time in years. "We were the first to hurt you, so you have every right to decline."

Adrien turned away from both of them, and his tears made his laugh sound sadder than intended. "How am I going to explain this to my dad?" He still wasn't used to the fact that if he moved out, he wouldn't have to explain anything. He hung his head, but he was still smiling, and he reached behind him for either of them to take his hand. "Alright." He turned around as he said it, and quickly pulled his hand away. "This isn't a promise. It's temporary. Okay? I'll stay on the couch." He laughed a bit.

They nodded, and both reached to grab Adrien's hand, pulling him into a group hug. "Like Luka said, we just want you to be happy." Marinette said into his ear.

“I think I have a good idea for how to help with that,” Luka added. “Do you want to play a song with me?”

He looked a bit surprised. “I thought you were through playing for the night.”

Luka shrugged. “They’re actually still waiting. We can make them wait a bit longer, if you need, or--”

Adrien nodded into their shoulders, and they felt it, along with his tears. "There's no way you've blamed yourselves all this time. It was definitely my fault back then." It's always my fault, isn't it, he thought, thinking back to the worst days of his life.

Luka looked at him, taken aback. "Agree to disagree, then?" He pressed a kiss to Adrien's left cheek, and smiled as he watched Marinette do the same to his right.

Adrien knew, as their hands warmed up his from the cold, that they could be his home. They could even be a better one than he had ever had. He couldn't wait. “Let’s go back inside. I think I’m ready now.”

[3laxx]

Christmas Burrito

Hey, @dhdrawings​! I’m your @mlsecretsanta​ for this year’s exchange! It's just a small Oneshot and a drawing but I hope you enjoy it because I really liked writing the casual interaction between these two. Happy Holidays to everyone and have fun with whatever is being celebrated!

Adrien and Marinette spend an evening on the Christmas Market with their friends and invent the Christmas Burrito. This is a Secret Santa gift for @dhdrawings​!

Ao3 / FF.net

~~~

Marinette happily accepted the warm mug of mulled wine that Adrien brought for her, humming at the sweet scent that made her neck tingle in an instant.

“Mmmh, thank you, that’s just what I needed!”

The blonde chuckled at that, before sipping on his own mulled wine and promptly burning his lip on it, grinning at her awkwardly.

“You mean, just after your last mug?”

Marinette gave him a little, hazy smile before pulling her shoulders up, humming at the warmth in her hands that comfortably seeped through her gloves.

They had only decided to visit the Christmas fair earlier today, since Adrien had managed to get his Chinese lessons rescheduled for another day, so it had been a spontaneous decision. But Marinette was glad that all their friends had been free and willing to go with them, that only made it so much more enjoyable. And even if it hadn’t been their plan to drink today, it was a Friday and nobody had an early morning tomorrow. Except, of course, if an Akuma attack would strike.

But Marinette and Adrien didn’t count on it. Besides, even if so, they’d get through it, like all the past years.

She leaned against him, as they continued watching a few little kids performing a nativity play, having a lot of fun freestyling and letting an angel answer the door when Joseph tried for a stay, instead of a normal host.

They had chosen a very small Christmas fair to go to, barely enough for 5 or 6 little huts for food and drinks and a few craftsmen selling their goods, to avoid the big masses and the packed streets of the wintery Parisian nightlife. This way nobody would ask Adrien for an autograph, and they had a little peace and quiet to enjoy the Christmas spirit. The atmosphere was nice, almost domestic, and as Marinette looked past her boyfriend and watched Alya and Nino cuddling as well, she found herself being absolutely content. This was the place where she wanted to be.

The longer they watched the little kids performing and spiraling into a science fiction inspired adventure of the shepherds defending the crib against Anti-Christmas spirits, the darker it became around them and slowly, small snowflakes started falling from the thick clouds above.

Adrien softly nudged her and placed a little kiss on her hat, then he wrapped his arm around her back.

“Hey, my lady. Are you cold?”

She giggled lightly, warmed by the mulled wine she was drinking, then she looked up to him.

“No, I’m not. Are you, chaton?”

Adrien grumbled lightly, then he nudged her head and shook his, huffing.

“… No. I’m warm.”

Amusedly, she turned her head to him, watching him with a smirk.

“Are you sure?”

Still lightly grumbling, he looked ahead watching the kids play, then he rested his chin on her forehead.

“I wanted to try something, but if you’re not cold that’s not gonna work.”, he finally replied. In an instant, Marinette began shivering, grinning up at him while she let out a small whine.

“Oh noooo, I feel so cold all of a sudden! My, I need a strong superhero to warm me!”

Adrien laughed at that as he looked down at her, then he pulled her a little closer again. “You liar.”, he lovingly mumbled, still chuckling, “You’re not really cold.”

“But I wanna see what you wanted to do!”, she said smugly, still trying to fake shiver at him.

Finally, Adrien nodded, giving her his mug, then he started opening up his winter jacket.

“Hey, wait!”, Marinette tried, but he already moved to open her jacket as well, and since she was helpless due to the mugs in her hands all she could do was watch, “What’re you doing?”

“Remember when we bought these jackets a few weeks ago?”, he asked and she deadpanned at that, remembering exactly well how she had said she was cold and he had promptly pulled her into the next shop to buy her a thicker winter coat as well as another one for him as well.

“Yeah, when you bought them, for no reason.”

He just shrugged at that.

“Can’t blame me for wanting to share something with my girlfriend. But you know, actually, when I thought about it just now, it’s the same brand. So that means-…”, he removed his gloves to be able to take her zipper and attempt to zip it up with his, “That means we could zip up each side of our zippers together and create a warmth burrito.”

Marinette couldn’t help but laugh aloud at that, causing Alya and Nino to finally turn around and notice what Adrien’s been trying to do.

“Wait, seriously? Would that work?”

Adrien merely shrugged, already giggly because of the mulled wine, and at that moment their zippers pulled together when he closed it, zipping up nicely and perfectly. Now their side was connected, and Adrien let out a whoop.

“Yes! It does work!”

The second zipper was a little trickier because his far arm couldn’t reach the zipper as well, but when he was finished, Marinette felt herself being tugged against her boyfriend’s chest and sighed at the sudden warmth surrounding her.

The zippers on both their sides kept them close together and they were trapped in their warm hug with each other, Marinette leaning against his chest while Adrien rested his chin on her hat.

“That’s actually really nice…”, she sighed when her boyfriend oven started heating her more than just her jacket before, and she comfortably wrapped her arms around his back while he took back his mug of mulled wine before doing the same.

“We gotta do that more often… And we gotta call it something really funny.”

“Oh yeah?”, she amusedly inquired, “And what would that name be, pun-master?”

She almost thought he purred when he beamed down at her, grinning so broadly she feared his teeth would blind her should she look up to him.

“You’ve never called me that before!”

Marinette put a hand on his back as she felt him getting giddy, not liking being strapped to an energized kid jumping around.

“Chaton, no moving too much.”

He lovingly placed another kiss on her forehead, then he started watching Alya and Nino compare zippers and try if they could do the same.

“… Maybe something like… The Couple Jacket?”

Marinette pulled up her nose.

“You can do better than that, Chaton.”

Huffing, he begrudgingly agreed.

“Okay, fine… How about the Zip Oven?”, she furrowed her eyebrows and smiled incredulously as she looked up to him, then he giggled awkwardly as he hugged her closer, “Okay fine, not as much then.”

She laughed and snuggled back against him, shaking her head as she kissed his sweater, then she leaned back a little to take another sip from the mulled wine.

“Yeah, not that one.”, she agreed with him and he couldn’t help but smile at her adorable expression.

“So, what else could we call it?”

Marinette shrugged, before hugging close again.

“Maybe the Christmas Burrito?”, she proposed and he grinned at that terrible name, but he couldn’t tell her that. She was so adorably tipsy and lost in his warmth that he couldn’t do anything else but agree with her.

“Okay. We’ll call it the Christmas Burrito.”

She smiled contently, nodding a little before rubbing her cheek on his chest, snuggling close.

“… It’s a horrible name.”, she finally said and he laughed.

“It is. But it’ll do for now.”

Adrien found himself completely fine with where he was right now. Cuddling with his girlfriend, slightly swaying in the Christmas music that came from some audio system in one of the huts, surrounded by warmth and love. This was the nicest feeling he’d had ever since his mother vanished a few years ago. And he wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else.

Right here.

With his friends, his partner, and a nice feeling in his chest. A feeling of being loved.

This was perfect.

~~~

Pssst I’m very bad at backgrounds here’s another version without it