#LBSC sprint fic challenge

[verfound]

FIC: Tom is Totally Subtle, He Swears (Not) (MLB; Lukanette; LBSC Sprint Fic)

Rating: General Audiences

Characters/Pairings: Tom Dupain, Luka Couffaine, Marinette Dupain-Cheng; Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Summary: It’s Marinette’s first Valentine’s Day in lycée, and Luka doesn’t seem excited to do anything about it.  Well, Tom Dupain’s not about to stand for that!

Author’s Notes/Warnings: I didn’t join in the Valentine’s exchange this year because I wanted to work on the still unfinished exchange fic from last year, but it felt weird not doing something for Valentine’s.  😂  And then when Quick asked for Valentine’s-themed sprint prompts and Laurel dropped a Tom prompt…I mean, how could I resist?  Happy Valentine’s Day, everybody!  🖤

The prompt used was: Tom decides to drop some hints to Luka that Marinette is single and Valentine’s Day is coming up.  And everyone knows that the best way to a man’s brain is through pastries decorated with not-so-subtle hints.

Just a reminder: @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers Sprint Challenge Guidelines: Three 15-minute sprints to write the fic.  24 hours to edit/post.

“Tom is Totally Subtle, He Swears (Not)”

Tom Dupain had a problem.

Actually, Marinette Dupain(-Cheng) had a problem.

Her problem was that Wednesday was Valentine’s Day.

Her first Valentine’s as a lycéen.

And she was single.

[lovebugs-and-snakecharmers]

LBSC Sprint Challenge January 2025

The LBSC Sprint Challenge is now open for writers and artists! The prompts are:

1. "You're going to be really successful, I need to marry you while I still have a shot." 2. In an attempt to get her to relax already, Luka gives Marinette a "Honey Don't" List. 3. Friends with benefits consequences 4. Who betrays you once, will betray you a thousand times. There is no need to drink the whole sea to realize it is salty. 5. A gives a not really encouraging, kind of insulting, completely unrehearsed pep talk. B: "That's your pep talk?" A: "...yeah, it's a little rough." B: "A little...as a friend, you are dead to me." (Leverage) 6. Wildcard - pick any previous challenge prompt, or play LBSC Smooch Roulette to generate a prompt!

You have until Wednesday, January 29 to complete your 3 15-minute sprints/45 minute art sprint and post the results. Once you’ve completed the sprints, you have 24 hours to edit (which can include some new writing to smooth transitions and make it feel complete, and whatever work you feel appropriate to get your art to a state you consider ‘finished’).

Please note you may sprint in the language of your choice, and you can either translate the final fic before posting, post it in the original language, or both as you choose. You can join us on the LBSC discord or sprint on your own! Just be sure to tag @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers in your final post so we will see it and reblog it. The rest of the rules can be found here under the cut.

Rules!

We’ll post a beginning and end date to the challenge, and a prompt.

Writers, If you choose to participate in the event, write for that prompt in up to three 15 minute sprints. No writing outside the sprints until you have completed all three! After the 3 sprints are complete, you have 24 hours to edit (which can include some new writing to smooth transitions, etc). You can also choose to break that 45 minutes up differently if you find a different split works better for you.  After those 24 hours, post what you’ve got. Tag your posts with @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers so we can reblog it to the LBSC blog. If you post your work on AO3 or somewhere other than Tumblr, you can leave a link in our ask box or in the appropriate discord channel so we can be sure to promote it. After the designated challenge end date, we’ll compile a listing of the submissions and post it to the LBSC blog.

Feel free to sprint in whatever language is most comfortable to you! You can post it in your own language or translate it before posting, or both!

Artists, you have 45 minutes to sketch and 24 hours to do any cleanup or coloring you’d like to complete. You can split your 45 minutes up however you like, or not at all. There’s no requirements on your finished piece, just aim for whatever goal seems challenging but achievable to you.  Tag your posts with @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers so we can reblog it to the LBSC blog. If you post your work on Instagram or somewhere other than Tumblr, you can leave a link in our ask box or in the appropriate discord channel so we can be sure to promote it. After the designated challenge end date, we’ll compile a listing of the submissions and post it to the LBSC blog.

If you’re wavering as to whether or not you think you can accomplish anything in 45 minutes, we really encourage you to give the challenge a try. You may be surprised what you can do! Feel free to join us in the discord linked above so we can encourage and cheer you on.

Obviously, this has to run a bit on the honor system and we won’t be tracking your times, but please do your best to honor the spirit of the challenge! If your sprint fic becomes an Entire Thing (these things happen sometimes) and you want to continue it, feel free! However, please still post whatever you’ve got after your 3 sprints with the tag. No fair busting out a fully polished fic or art without showing us what it looked like at the challenge stage!

We want to keep this a positive space and event! This does NOT mean that you can’t write or draw anything critical of a character or episode, but it isn’t the space for character bashing or hate either. Please keep the characters in character and save the more speculative work for another time. NSFW sprint works are permitted but must be tagged appropriately (please use “NSFW LBSC sprint challenge” for easy filtering on the blog) and with appropriate warnings.  (More FAQ about the process here)

This is a Lukanette blog and a Lukanette event, so while Lukanette does not need to be the main ship, it needs to at least be included or referenced and considered endgame (in other words, they don’t have to be together by the end of your work, but the intent is that they’re headed in that direction). The decision about what qualifies for reblog rests solely with the LBSC moderators. If a piece hasn’t been reblogged within a couple of days, either the mods felt the piece didn’t meet the criteria or it was simply missed; you are welcome to reach out in the asks to inquire which. There are plenty of other spaces out there for other ships and OT3s, and people are welcome to use the challenge rules and prompts to write for their own ships! They just won’t be reblogged to the LBSC blog, and we ask that you please not use the event tag (a modified form is fine - “InsertAlternateShipName sprint challenge” instead of “LBSC sprint challenge,” for example).

Happy sprinting!

[nerdypanda3126]

Hot and Cold – Chapter 4

Marinette plucks up the courage to tell Luka her real name and Luka tries not to die of cuteness. 

First Chapter | Previous Chapter

Read on Ao3

Marinette wrung her hands as she paced back and forth along the Seine, taking a few steps towards the Liberty, then chickening out and doubling back before forcing herself to turn back around. 

She’d been doing this since she left the bakery. The whole time she was trying to talk herself into and then back out of what she was doing. Plagg had already resigned himself to sleeping in her pocket, but every once in a while she heard a very obvious, very annoyed snore emanate from where he was stashed.

But this was crazy. It wasn’t like Viperion liked Marinette, he liked Lady Noire. And she just happened to be behind the mask and she wasn’t nearly as brave as her hero alter ego and what if she got there and he wrinkled his nose and turned her away? 

She stopped and spun back for the bakery, dejected, before his words from last night rang in her head. He said she was welcome any time. And he said that after he knew—or at least saw—who she was. So that meant he wanted her there, right? 

Her feet spun her back around and she set her jaw against that awful voice in the back of her mind. He said she was welcome. He wanted to see her. At the very least, she could tell him her name and then that could be it. If he didn’t want to take her out after all, if he decided he didn’t like her after all— 

She froze in her tracks and her eyes widened in horror as she turned back around hurriedly. 

“Nope, nope, nope,” she muttered to herself. 

Plagg yawned loudly and came out of her pocket to nestle into her hair. She would’ve admonished him for being out so obviously if she wasn’t preoccupied being… a total chicken. 

She stopped again. What if he did want to see her? What if he did still want to take her on that date and what if he did still like her? Wasn’t that a possibility too? She bit her lip and changed direction again. 

“You know, I’m not really an expert or anything,” Plagg drawled lazily, “but you seem to be struggling with something.” 

“He’s Luka Couffaine, Plagg,” she said, like that explained everything.

“And?" 

"And…" She twisted her fingers together harder. "And I'm maybe a little afraid of him?" Plagg snorted at her and she couldn’t help but pout up at him. “What?” 

“Nothing, nothing,” he said quickly, and she stopped in her tracks to wait for the inevitable ‘but’ she knew was coming. “But you didn’t seem all that afraid of him when you were mooning over his poster,” Plagg muttered into her hair. 

She had to hide her burning face in her hands. Of course he would bring that up right now. The mortified groan she let out was muffled by her fingers and Plagg cackled. 

“I have a poster of him in my bedroom!” She whisper-shouted back at him, exasperated. She started pacing back and forth instead and waving her arms around to emphasize her points.  “What if he thinks I’m some crazy stalker? Then he’ll never want to speak to me again and then I’ll have to give up my Miraculous out of shame and then I’ll never see you or him ever again and I’ll have to move to a deserted island and live out the rest of my days alone!” 

She threw herself down on a nearby bench, pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes, and forced herself to take a few calming breaths like Vi taught her to. Catastrophizing, he’d called it. Always thinking the worst would happen. She could almost hear his chuckle when he caught her doing it and feel his hand on her elbow to keep her grounded there with him. She didn’t know if that made it better or worse, because now her heart was pounding, too. 

“Hey, kid,” Plagg said then, which made her peek out to look at him. “He might be some cool rockstar wannabe—” he rolled his eyes at that and waited until she stuck her tongue out at him and he’d stuck his back out at her to continue seriously. “...But he’s also your partner.” 

For the first time since she’d left the bakery, her shoulders relaxed. 

Plagg was… right, wasn’t he? Luka Couffaine was Viperion, and Viperion was Luka Couffaine. So every moment she’d spent with him was just that. Time spent with him. Every time they’d fought together. Every time they’d helped each other. Every late night conversation and every pastry she’d brought him and every time he’d hummed a bit of a song he was working on and every time his smile lit up all of Paris for her.

She knew him. 

And he knew her.

She took one more deep breath and smiled at Plagg, thanking him, before she started walking purposefully toward the Liberty.

---

Luka was humming tunelessly to himself as he fought with the hopelessly tangled rigging. It wasn’t really that it needed doing, but it gave his mind and his fingers something to do other than worrying. It wasn’t helping though, because it was only making him frustrated on top of worried. 

Juleka sighed in his general direction for what felt like the thousandth time that day and he tossed her a glare. 

“Stop,” he said, a bit harshly, admittedly, but she’d been sighing at him ever since he told her what happened. “I’m fine. It’s not a big deal.” 

“Yeah, you’re fine,” she snarked back, setting aside the magazine she’d been pretending to read. “You just had a sudden craving for rope splinters.” She walked over and tugged the rope out of his hands and put it aside pointedly. When he started picking at his chipped nail polish instead, she smirked. 

“Okay, you got me,” he said irritably, forcing his hands to still before he sighed deeply. “I think I screwed everything up.” 

“Probably.” 

He glared at her again, but she met his gaze evenly and he relented. 

“You should’ve seen the way she looked at me.” His eyes fell back to his hands. He had torn them up pretty good with the ropes, but it was nothing a bit of rubbing alcohol and time wouldn’t fix. 

Time. He scoffed at himself as his eye caught on the silver bangle that had a permanent spot on his left wrist. Ironic that he wished he could redo something. But if nothing else, the reveal was still a good thing. They’d never had a way to contact each other outside of the masks and now… 

Now she probably wouldn’t ever talk to him again, anyways. 

“Yeah, no kidding,” Juleka said, and when he looked up she was smirking again, but not at him, and there was a devilish gleam in her eyes that he didn’t like. “Kind of a cross between star-struck and about to throw up.” 

He squinted at her suspiciously. “...Yeah, actually. How did you know?” 

Her impish grin widened and she gestured with her head to something behind him. “I think that’s for you.” 

“What’s…?” He turned to look and—

Holy shit it was her. Lady Noire. Or, well, civilian Lady Noire since he hadn’t gotten her name. She was standing at the edge of the gangplank and twisting her fingers behind her back as she tipped up on her toes and settled back on her heels, making her skirt swish around her knees with the movement. He’d recognize that adorable nervous energy anywhere, but to top it off he just barely caught a black flash as Plagg phased into her purse.

He was standing—when did he stand?—and he waved woodenly. Juleka smacked the back of his head fondly before she disappeared into the interior of the boat. He let the momentum carry him forward until he was at the other end of the gangplank and helping her across it. 

Her hand was so small in his. How had he never noticed? And when she started to totter, he wrapped a steadying arm around her waist and his heart nearly choked him. He’d steadied her so many other times, and in a skintight catsuit, no less, but this… this was something else entirely. 

When they were safely on deck, he let her go and took a good step back to try to make her more comfortable. But the way he was staring definitely wasn’t helping. She was so incredibly cute and soft in her fluffy coat and pink skirt, but there was also a nod to her alter ego with the black tights and knee high boots. She was so inherently Lady Noire and so inherently… herself. 

She was biting her lips and twisting her hands together still and waiting for him to say something, but he was too caught in her eyes—her real eyes, blue, not green, and so clear and beautiful—to even form a word.  

“What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?” she asked nervously, then her eyes widened in horror. “Ohmigod, I’m so sorry, that was so awful.” Her face disappeared behind her hands, but the glimpse he got of it was bright red. It broke him out of his stupor and he chuckled as he rested his hands on her elbows, holding her lightly to ground her. Like he always did when Lady Noire got flustered.

“Actually it was kinda cute,” he admitted. She peeked out at him and he smiled back. “Hi.” 

Little by little, her shoulders came down and finally she sighed. “How do you do that?” 

He hadn’t even noticed that he’d unintentionally pulled her closer while he was trying to calm her down and now she was close enough that she had to look up at him. He squeezed her arm gently before he forced himself to pull away. 

“Practice,” he said, and flashed a teasing grin at her. 

She rolled her eyes back at him and crossed her arms haughtily, turning away from him. He had to remind himself that she wasn’t suited up. That was classic Lady Noire and if he’d doubted at all that she was his partner, that would’ve confirmed it. It was a relief she was treating him like they were just on patrol, like it was just another night. Even if it meant she was putting the mask back on mentally. 

He tugged on one of her pigtails playfully and it startled her into turning back to him. He was grinning now, but he couldn’t seem to help it. She clamped her hands down over her hair, protecting it, pouting, and he laughed. 

“Lukaaa,” she whined. 

It was his turn to blush. She’d taken that tone before when he was Viperion, but it was so much different hearing her say his actual name like that—like they were friends in real life as well as hero life. Maybe she’d gotten over being star-struck? Maybe this could actually work. They could work. 

She must’ve caught on that something had affected him, because she was blushing again, too, and her eyes darted away as she started biting her lip again. 

“Is it… okay?” she asked quietly. “That I call you that, I mean.” 

“It’s my name,” he said, a bit stupidly, he had to admit. “Of course it’s okay. I just wish I knew yours, too.” 

She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before she met his eyes again and held his gaze. For all of two seconds, at least. Then they were back on the toes of her boots and Plagg muttered something from her bag—or at least he assumed the kwami said something because Lady Noire huffed out another breath and grouched, “I am not stalling.” 

“You are,” Luka agreed, teasing, and she flashed a glare at him. He grinned innocently back. “I mean, you don’t have to tell me,” he continued after a moment. “I can call you something else if you want.” 

“Like what?” 

“... Kitty?” he suggested. “That’s like a girl’s nickname, right?” 

The way her face flushed was either a resounding ‘no’ or it meant that she liked it more than she’d like to admit. 

“Okay, no,” he said, chuckling despite himself. "Maybe I can guess?" 

She shook her head hard enough that her pigtails smacked her cheeks. "Plagg's right," she sighed, "I mean, he usually is, but this time he's really right." She took a deep breath—one he recognized because he'd taught her how to do them—and squeezed her eyes shut, hard, like if she looked at him she'd lose her nerve.

“Ma-Ma-Marinette,” she finally stuttered out. “I’m Marinette.”

Thankfully there was a crate behind him to fall on because for some reason hearing her real name knocked his knees out from under him. 

“Marinette,” he repeated breathlessly. 

“Yeah, uh, Dupain-Cheng. My parents own the bakery across from the Place des Vosges, you know, the one with the fountains? I think we’ve been there before together, probably one time I brought you pastries, there’s always extras at the bakery and it’s a shame for them to go to waste, especially when we have a late patrol and you said you liked the macarons so much and…” 

She was rambling, apparently oblivious to his internal meltdown. He heard most of it, but it was washing over him without absorbing. 

“...Are you okay?” 

While he hadn’t been able to function, she’d knelt beside him and laid a hand on his knee, trying to catch his eyes. He laid his hand over hers absent-mindedly and nodded. 

“Better than. I just…” He met those gorgeous blue eyes and lost his train of thought. He must’ve been making some stupid face because she hid a giggle behind her hand. 

“Guess it’s not just the cold that makes you freeze.” 

“No,” he choked out, “apparently not.” 

Her head tilted at his tone, exactly like it would’ve if she was in the mask, and it helped things click together for him. It wasn't like she was different this way, she was still the same Lady Noire, and still his partner. It was just that knowing her name, and seeing her in person, and hearing that she had parents that he could meet—should meet, he reminded himself—it made it all so real. She wasn’t some unreachable, unknowable ideal. She was here. 

He reached out to cup her cheek in his hand and she blushed, but she didn’t pull away from him. 

“Marinette,” he repeated again, stroking his thumb along her cheekbone, much like he had the other night before they’d had their reveal. Her cheek was just as soft now as it always was. 

She giggled nervously, but held his gaze. “Yes, Luka?”

His mouth had gone dry and he swallowed, hoping his words came out in the right order. “Can I kiss you?” 

She let out a small “eep” as her face turned crimson again. 

“...Or take you to the movies, or walk you home, or just… sit here and stare at you?” He gave her what he hoped was a roguish grin but was probably another lovesick smile. “Whatever you want to do, I just want to spend time with you.”

She was twisting her fingers together again and he took one of her hands in his to help. She stared at their joined hands before she took another deep breath. 

“I kinda… did tell my mom…” Her eyes flicked nervously up to his. “I was going on a date?” 

His hand tightened around hers reflexively. Date. A date. With Marinette Dupain-Cheng. He was nodding before he even realized it. 

“Yes,” he managed to croak out. “Absolutely.” 

He stood and helped her up with him, although that was more to keep himself from falling down again than anything else. She seemed to sense how unsteady he was because she looped her arm through his and stayed close. 

“So… Movie?” she asked, but he heard her nerves come back in full force. When she looked up at him, he got lost in those eyes again and could only smile back at her. Her cheeks pinked as she ducked to hide her face in his shoulder. “You have to talk, Vi, or I’m just going to like self-combust over here.” 

“Sorry,” he said, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders instead. “I was wishing the cat had my tongue.” He laughed and rubbed her shoulder as she squeaked again. 

She nuzzled further into him and a rush of warmth and excitement hit him like a wave when he barely heard her reply, “Later.”

[fan-written]

They're So Tiny!

For @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers sprint challenge this week

---

6/17/2021 Prompt, “I need a favor.” “I’ll do whatever you need.” “I need you to marry me.”

---

“Hello-”

“Luka? Luka, are you there?”

Her voice was panicked, but Luka smiled as he tried to interrupt her rambling words. Finally she took a breath and he could speak. “Yes Marinette, I’m here. What’s wrong?”

“I need a favor. Like a huge one. So big and I just know you’re going to say no, but I honestly can’t think of any other way I’ll be able to do it.” She took another gasping breath and Luka once again used the chance to talk.

“You know I’ll do anything for you, Melody.” Luka settled against the wall behind his bed, phone to his ear and guitar forgotten across his lap. Old habits die hard when you lived your life on a houseboat. “Now take a breath and tell me what’s going on.”

Marinette listened, taking more than one slow breath to calm down. Luka could hear her rustling, or maybe tearing, paper through the phone. “Okay, so it’s a little crazy, but I need you to marry me.”

He choked. Luka knew he was choking but he couldn’t even reassure Marinette that he was okay when all he heard was the blood rushing through his ears.

“-crazy. But there were two of them and they were so sad. And it was obvious that they weren’t being fed right. Like I can feel their ribs, Luka! Who lets such small beings go hungry?”

Luka tried to figure out what she was talking about, but she must have told him in between his brain short circuiting and the forceful reboot his lungs initiated, reminding him he needed to breathe. And she, the love of his life, his very best friend, and his very much NOT girlfriend, was still talking.

“So I brought them home. I’ve filled out all the paperwork for them, and they are going to be living with me now. But Luka! I can barely get myself to work on time, let alone take care of two more! So I knew I needed help. And I thought maybe I could share custody with Adrien. But he’s spent soooooo much time around Plagg that I’m not sure I can trust him to not get too playful with them. Plus I see him often enough as it is. Alya is home even less than I am. Also I’d never want to co-parent with her. I love her, but she only knows how to care for zoo animals. My babies are not zoo animals!”

Luka couldn’t help but chuckle. He was starting to get a little worried that Marinette had adopted two childr- No, she wasn’t that reckless.

“So anyway, I have so many friends, but the only one I want in my life that much is you, Luka. But, like you don’t live with me so how would you help me raise my babies? And probably take care of me, because I’ve only had them for a few hours and I’m already a mess. But my apartment doesn’t allow coed roommates, which means you’d have to marry me. They’re so little but I can’t do it on my own. So yeah. Luka Couffaine, will you marry me?”

It was silent. Luka knew he should answer, but that was a lot to unpack. Marinette seemingly adopted two kids. That was a mess he should probably figure out first. Except his mind kept getting stuck on how HE was the one she wanted to help raise them.

“L-Luka?” She was so hesitant, something he hadn’t heard in her voice since she applied to ESMOD. “Luka, you can say no. I’m, I shouldn’t have even brought it up. I’m sorry. I-I’ll just, I’ll talk to you later.”

He could hear her start to hang up, but he knew if he didn’t stop her now their relationship would never be the same. Not that it would stay the same now anyway. Not if he could help it.

“Marinette! Wait.” He scrambled off his bed, guitar falling to the side. He needed to get to her, now. “I’m sorry. It’s just a surprise. I mean, I can’t believe you adopted two kids-”

Her laugh cut him off, startling him into falling from where he was hopping on one foot, trying to pull his shoe on. “Kids? Luka, weren’t you listening? I adopted two hamsters!” She burst into giggles and a layer of tension he didn’t realize he was carrying melted off his shoulders. He would have handled kids, it would have been fine. But he had hoped to date her before bringing kids into the mix. Hamsters were a much easier problem to deal with.

He laughed, slowing his mad dash for the door and actually matching his shoes this time. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that Mari. I wasn’t sure I was ready for kids yet, but I can definitely help you raise a pair of hamsters. We might want to wait until we go on a few dates first before we talk about marriage though.” He smirked at her squeak in his ear, not unlike the pair of rodents she now cared for.

“I panicked, okay.” She groaned again with his sarcastic 'Oh really? I didn’t notice.'

“Yes, really. I just. I needed help and I needed someone who could be that steady presence next to me, telling me I could do this. That I hadn’t made a stupid decision. Who would be ready to help me, if I needed it. And I thought about it more and I realized that what I really needed was you, Luka. You’ve always been there for me and the only way I could really explain it in the middle of my panic was by asking you to marry me.”

Hearing her ask him to marry her brought her song to the front of his mind clearer than ever. He didn’t think he would ever tire of hearing that. Especially with the hope that it could someday become true.

“I’m going to have to hear you say that every day for the rest of our lives, Melody.” He grasped his keys and locked his door behind him. “But first, I’m on my way over. I’ll help you get your new pets settled, then maybe you’ll let me take you on a proper date. Does, does that sound okay?” He was only a little worried that he’d read the situation wrong, but the smile in her voice soothed those fears.

“Yeah, Luka. That sounds great.”

[mamanabeille]

I Don't Want to Be Reasonable

This week's @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers sprint fic. I chose the "If we both want to fit, we will have to cuddle" prompt.

“I’m going to kill her,” Luka all but growls under his breath as they stare at the single bed in the center of the room that seemed to be taunting him. He should have known. He shouldn't have expected anything less from his conniving little sister and her soon to be wife.

Juleka and Rose were getting married the next day in the little inn that Rose had fallen in love with when Juleka booked it for their first vacation away together years before. It was tiny, but somehow seemed to perfectly mesh together the two of their personalities and neither could imagine being wed anywhere else. So when they had asked Luka if he minded sharing a room with Marinette, due to a lack of enough rooms for the wedding party to each have their own, he had willingly agreed without so much of a second thought. He would do anything for the two women. He loved them both larger than life, even if in this exact moment he was fighting the urge to tear the mickey out of them… and himself for not catching on sooner. When she asked, he assumed she meant sharing an actual room… not the bed.

“So,” Marinette breaks the silence hesitantly as she looks around the tiny room, her cheeks flushed a light pink. “I’ll go back to the front desk and make sure they gave us the right room or if there’s another.” She knows it’s pointless, but she feels like she should at least offer to try.

“There isn’t,” Luka sighs, setting his bag down and taking Marinette’s off her shoulder to do the same. “They’ve booked up the whole inn.”

“I know,” Marinette nods, her voice seeming to catch in her throat. She was the one that unintentionally offered to bunk with Luka when Rose had called in tears because there just weren’t enough rooms for anyone and no other local hotels. Marinette had suggested some of the wedding party sharing rooms, not thinking in the moment that she and Luka were the only members of the party that were still single and not sharing a room with their spouses and families.

“I’ll take the floor,” Luka offers. “Or I’ll crash with Ding and Bri.”

“You will not,” she protests, glaring up at him as if he’d personally offended her. “This is the first time they’ve gotten a night away from the baby. I’m also not letting you sleep on the floor the night before your sister’s wedding. That’s absurd, for one. Besides, you get grumpy when you don’t sleep well and you will not be a grouch on their day. We are grown adults, Luka. We are more than capable of sharing a bed for a few nights.” She makes her way over to the full size bed, and plops down, patting the spot next to her as if to prove a point, even though her voice catches a little on the last few words.

Luka feels his face and neck burn hot, pushing out the thought of sharing a bed with her in a very adult way. He knows that wasn’t what she meant. That’s not what they are. They are friends. Good friends. Best friends. Best friends that both have feelings for each other, but just friends. Period. They had to be. Still, something in her phrasing, and the fact that he’d been in love with her for as long as he could remember, sends images of leaning her back against the pillows and kissing her senseless until neither of them could breath. He shakes the images away and takes a deep breath before walking over to the foot of the bed, but not laying down next to her. “Marinette. I could barely fit in the bed on my own,” he chuckles weakly, trying to keep his tone light. The woman frowns and glances between him and the bed, taking in his over six foot stature. “Well,” she offers up slowly with a growing little grin. “If we both want to fit, we will just have to cuddle.” She holds her breath as she locks eyes with him. Usually it takes a few glasses of alcohol to get her to flirt openly with the man, but something is different tonight. She knows she shouldn’t be playing this game with him. It always ends with one of them hurt and wanting more, usually both of them if she’s being honest with herself. She can’t seem to stop herself though. “Come cuddle, Lu? Please...” Waiting for his response seems to last an eternity. She watches Adam's apple bob as he nearly choked on his words, and her sudden burst of confidence falters. “You're killing me,” he groans, sinking down on the bed, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees and bury his face in his hands, his fingers tangling into his hair. “You’re supposed to be the reasonable one here, Nette.” Marinette smirks, and slinks down the bed to wrap her arms around his middle, resting her chin on his shoulder as she curls around him. “I don’t want to be tonight. I’m always the rational one.” “Because they are your reasons. Our schedules are still crazy. We are rarely even in the same hemisphere We are too important to each other to fuck this up.” He says the words as much to himself as her, but she can feel his posture softening under her. “Fuck, Nette. We can't do this,” he huffs out, straightening up slowly to not knock her off the edge, and gestures between the two of them. “And just expect for everything to stay the same.” “I know,” she nods softly, turning her eyes downward to where her hands were now slowly twiddling in her lap. The two of them sit in a strained silence for a few minutes, backs barely brushing against one another. Luka lets out a few audible deep breaths, trying to recompose himself, while Marinette bit her bottom lip trying to fight of the tears stinging her eyes. “I’m sorry,” Luka sighs, just as Marinette whispers out a barely there “I don’t want things to stay the same.” Luka’s head shoots up at her words, and he turns to face her so quickly she nearly does topple off the bed this time. His hand instinctively reaches out to steady her and he leaves it there grasping her arm as if she’s his only life line. “What?” he questions, his eyes begging her to repeat the words, praying to whatever gods would listen that he heard her correctly. Marinette looks up at him, just as vulnerable and swallows down the nerves that are stuck in her throat. “I don’t want things to stay the same anymore. I know they’re my reasons. I know I’ve always been the one that’s pushed back against us for so long. I know that it’s probably not fair for me to be saying any of this, especially not right now, but I’m tired of fighting it, Lu. I want you. I want us, and I know it’s going to be hard with how crazy our lives are, but I lov-” Luka cuts her off, capturing her lips with his own, pouring every ounce of love, longing, and joy he can into the kiss. It’s like opening the floodgates after years, and built up tension and desperation deeps the kiss. When neither can resist the need to breathe any longer, and they slowly pull away from one another, he stays hovering over her, so close he

can feel her rapid breaths against his kiss bruised lips. Her expression falls and she catches her bottom lip in her teeth again. “I’m scared, Luka,” she whimpers. “What if we hurt each other?” “I’m not,” he whispers, afraid to ruin the moment he’s waited so long for. “I’m willing to do whatever is needed to make sure we work, Marinette.” He pulls back just enough so that he can look her directly in the eyes a little easier. “I think if we’re being honest with ourselves, we’ve been hurting each other but not giving us a chance.” Marinette lets out a shaking breath and nods. Luka presses a soft kiss to her lips before rolling over next to her. She doesn’t hesitate to curl into his side, resting her face against his chest. His arm wraps around her, and he places a soft kiss to her head. Her fingers lightly trace up and down his arm, down his chest, over his torso then back. They stay there in each other's embrace, stealing little kisses, a few giggles and declarations of love until there’s a knock at the door reminding them the rehearsal dinner had started ten minutes ago.

Luka decides to ignore the blatant smirk of a compliment on his sister’s face once the two of them do make it to dinner, hand in hand with matching lovestruck grins.

[airi-p4]

Love in the sky

I wrote this for the @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers LBSC Sprint challenge - Meet cute week event and, once again, I got carried away and broke all the rules. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Prompt: Sitting next to each other on the plane.

Summary: Marinette is going to NY on an international flight for the first time. What she doesn’t know is that the one seated next to her is the popular new band Kitty Section’s guitarist: Luka Couffaine.

Thank you @livrever for checking it for me 💙

AO3

______________________________________

Marinette rushed through the aisle of the plane. She couldn’t believe she almost missed it! her first international trip to the US! Stupid alarm! Of course she was tired. She was so nervous she couldn’t sleep all night… until 5AM… and the plane departed at 10AM… and obviously she had to oversleep. *sigh*

Running, tripping and spinning on her feet, she finally searched for her seat. 38B - aisle seat. Her pink polka dotted suitcase was heavy, but thanks to the cabin attendant she could finally put it inside the overhead bin, while her backpack rested under the seat in front of her. All set, she let her weight fall on the seat at last and let out a deep breath as she fastened her seatbelt.

The doors of the plane closed, and the PA message started: Welcome on board… Security instructions… Marinette wasn’t listening. Her legs were uncontrollably shaking, and her fingers were fidgeting with the laces of her hoodie.

Those nerves and stress couldn’t be healthy.

She examined her surroundings, and, next to her, someone was sleeping. Someone, who appeared to be a young man, with a sleeping eye mask and a face mask on, messy blue hair showing under a knit hat and a blanket covering his body. Overall, it didn't give much more information about her plane's seat neighbor. Not wanting to wake him up, she focused on the rest of the passengers instead. Why were all of them so quiet when she felt her heart could burst out of her chest anytime?

The plane started its runaway and Marinette closed her eyes tightly when it raised from the lane. Once in the air, she started breathing again, but her heart was still beating fast.

"First time on a plane?" a masculine voice beside her asked.

She turned to her side, and looked at the person seated next to her. His eye mask was over his head now, and she could see his blue eyes clearly, while his blue bangs partly covered his eyebrows.

“Y- yes!” she squeaked.

“You’re making me nervous too. Calm down, it’s going to be ok” he assured.

“I- I know!" She said, but her body wasn’t obeying. “I’m sorry...”

The young man sighed. “Look, I’ve been on a plane many times. It’s safe. Why don’t you try to sleep? It’s going to be a long flight.”

“I- I can’t! I’m too nervous! I’ve never traveled alone before, plus my career depends on this trip! I can’t stay calm!”

“Why don’t you try listening to some music, then? It always helps me relax” the young man offered her a sympathetic look.

“Music…?” she blinked. ‘It could work’.

She plugged the earphones and put them in her ears. Then, she scrolled through the music programs on the touch screen in front of her. Classical music? For some reason, it only made it worse. Country music? Not her style. XY? Hell, no. Her eyes stopped at the name of a fairly new band: “Kitty Section”. She played the video called: “Kitty Section's Paris Live Concert”.

“Good choice” the man next to her said when the title started showing on the screen.

Marinette had heard about the band called Kitty Section. They had featured in most of her favorite magazines after they won Eurovision several months ago, but she wasn't familiar with their music. In less than a minute, she was hooked and forgot completely about her surroundings or her nerves.

“Wow!” she mumbled, mesmerized, and the man next to her let out a snicker.

The music was amazing- the rock vibes, their stage presence, the vocalists’ cuteness and high ranged voice, the accurate and insane drums, the gorgeous purple haired bassist… all of them sounded incredible. But the guitarist… the blue haired guitarist was extraordinary- unbelievably good. Not only talented, but also powerful, charismatic and incredibly handsome.

“They’re good, huh?” The man beside her commented and she nodded. She could tell he was smiling under his face mask. She nodded in agreement.

“I had never heard them properly before but damn- they are incredible” Marinette answered, and he laughed. Her fingers tapped rhythmically, following the beat of the song.  “But…" she continued, observing. "I think they could do better. There’s a margin of improvement,” she said with judging eyes.

“Oh, really? How?” The blue-eyed man asked, curious, resting his elbow on the arm rest to get a closer look.

“The costumes,” Marinette pointed out. Then, she reached her backpack under her feet and took out a sketchbook and a pen and started drawing. “The outfits could be improved if they added this, and this” she signaled. “And this-” She kept scribbling while the blue-haired man observed and listened to her suggestions. “And ta-da! Wouldn’t they look even better if they were like this?” She proudly showed him her designs, only to realize she was being embarrassing towards a stranger. “Ah, sorry- I got carried away…” She apologized. But the man took the sketchbook in his hands.

“Let me see,” he said, and she saw how his eyes examined every detail of her drawings. She gulped nervously. It felt like her skills were being tested. But the man took his face mask off and smiled. “Wow, that’s impressive. Fresh, charismatic, unique- and perfectly according to the band's style. I love them" he returned her the sketchbook. "You’re very talented. Are you famous? Do you take commissions?” He asked, and she looked at him speechless.

“I- I’m still a no-one… Is it really impressive?” She looked at him and blushed at the compliment.

“Yes, I think so. What would you do with this outfit?” He asked, showing him a photo of the same band on his smartphone. Her inspiration overflowed as she kept drawing and explaining her ideas. They kept discussing costumes and visual aspects of the band and chatted comfortably for a long time.

"I think Rose should go with something more… daring, bolder. She looks innocent but she's fierce inside. Of course, cuteness is her main trait, so I think she should combine both" she explained, coloring her design with colored pencils. "I think something like this would be perfect for her" she showed him her sketchbook and he was impressed. “As for Juleka-” She continued, turning to a blank page. “She’s so beautiful. I wish she didn’t cover her face so much, even if the mystery look is really attractive too…" She stopped drawing for a moment to admire the bassist on the screen. "Gosh- She's so gorgeous! I wish I was that beautiful” she commented.

“I think you’re even more beautiful than her, you know?” The blue-haired man casually said, and she shyly blushed with a 'no way' frantic arms movements. “What about the guitarist?” he asked, raising an eyebrow with a smug smile.

“Luka Couffaine? OH LORD SHOW MERCY- Have you seen him? And his eyeliner? It should be ILLEGAL to be this HOT” She said, convinced.

“Hmmm… So you like him, huh?” He teased, his smile widening.

“Who doesn’t, really?” She shrugged. “He’s literally the SEXIEST man alive. His eye contact with the camera could kill! Oh, and whenever he gets shirtless on stage or photoshoots? GOD- I almost get a nosebleed EVERY FREAKING TIME! He's TOO DAMN HOT" She fanned herself at the image. "Don’t you agree?" She asked and he blinked twice. "You like him too, right? You have so many photos of them in your phone! I bet he’s making you question your sexuality too, like he does with all my friends! How could anyone resist those blue eyes and his manly features, his soft looking blue hair and- his tattoos..." She looked away from her seat neighbor's blue piercing eyes, and focused at the smartphone screen again, to a close-up photo of Kitty Section’s guitarist. "How did you get these close-up casual photos...?” she asked, and then she noticed the tattoo on his neck. She looked back and forth at the man seated next to her and the one in the picture. ‘It couldn't be, right…?’ And at that moment, when he had a knowing smile on his face- one she knew too well-, she realized who he was seated next to on the plane. Her eyes opened as big as plates and she overheated. He was smirking amusingly at her reaction. “You- You- You are-? Lu-Lu-Luk- It can’t be…”

He nodded to confirm her suspicions and her jaw fell to the floor. “Hi. I think I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Luka. But I think you already know that. It’s nice to meet you.” He chuckled, straightening his hand for a handshake.

“Oh God, kill me now...” She mumbled, sinking on the table. Luka snickered.

“What’s your name?”

“Ma-Ma-Marinette… I mean- Marinette!” She felt his eyes on her and panicked. “Excuse me- I- I need a moment... This- This is too much- Oh My God...” She stood up and rushed to the end of the plane, not without tripping twice on her way there.

________________________

While Marinette was gone, the two ladies in front of Luka and Marinette’s seats turned to Luka. “Having fun?” They smirked, knowingly. He was chuckling, having real trouble to keep his laugh from escaping.

“Oh, God, Yes. This is so much fun." He wiped the tears that were forming on his eyes. "I think I’ve found our potential new costume designer” he continued laughing under his nose.

“Only that? I think there’s more...” Juleka smirked, and Rose giggled in agreement by her side. He couldn't deny it: his sister was totally right.

Behind Luka's seat, Kitty Section's drummer, Ivan and his girlfriend Mylene had been enjoying the show the blue-eyed pair had been giving. It was definitely more entertaining than any movie. It would have been perfect if they had popcorn to accompany their fortunate first row seats to the hilarious show. They also approved Marinette's designs.

Luka took the chance Marinette wasn't there to freely stand up, go talk to their managers and stretch his legs for a bit.

_________________________

Back at the end of the plane, Marinette drank some juice and moved to the bathroom. She was panicking in front of the mirror, talking to herself.

“OH. MY. GOD. I’m seated next to Luka Couffaine! For at least… 5 hours more!? And I just called him hot! And- And- he said I’m beautiful and talented! And- Oh my God, he asked me for commissions, right? This can’t be real- I-" her feet wiggled uncontrollably and she let out a long squeak. "Ahh… Calm down, Marinette! He’s human- A sexy human, but still human! He’s famous but very friendly, kind and nice. And fun! It’s going to be alright. Just- Avoid his eyes. That’s it. It’s dangerous. Don’t fall in love. You’re not a teenager anymore, you’re over that stage, right? Only a few hours more. You can do it. I CAN DO IT!” She convinced herself with a confident nod and returned to her seat, only to find Luka was gone.

She looked for him from her seat, at her surroundings, but he was nowhere to be found. She sighed in both relief and sadness as she seated.

For some reason, she was missing him. Which was stupid, considering they had just met! But his company was certainly enjoyable... And, moreover, it was FUN. More than she ever remembered having. And not only because she was passionate about fashion or music. It had to do with his aura, his personality, his gentle manners- just... Luka.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be back in a moment” A voice said from in front of her. “My brother is stupid, but he’s a decent person. Treat him well” The purple haired lady winked, beside a petit blond lady.

“Jul-!” She covered her mouth with her hands to stop herself from yelling her name. “And Rose-!?” 'Oh, no! They might have heard what I said too!' She panicked again and the ladies giggled amused.

“Ignore my sister and her girlfriend” Luka returned, and her face flustered when she noticed how tall and well built he was (not that she didn't know that, but it hit differently in first person). “Can I get back to my seat?” He politely asked, pointing at the window seat.

“Ah-! Yes! Of course!” She stood up so suddenly she tripped and fell on Luka’s chest. She immediately moved away in embarrassment, falling back instead, and Luka had to hold her again to avoid her imminent fall. “I’m sorry!”

“Are you ok?” He asked in concern, and she shyly nodded. Luka reluctantly let go of her and returned to his seat and Marinette settled back to hers.

Wait- Was that a blush on his face?

“Here” Luka offered her an envelope. “I don’t know what your plans in NY are but, here’s a VIP pass to our concert next Sunday. There’s also our contact card inside. I want you to consider the idea of working for us. Your costumes are impressive. We discussed it, and we want you in our team” Marinette had no words- totally speechless. Could she be this lucky? “What do you say?” Luka asked with a hopeful tender smile that made her weak.

“I- I’ll think about it. And- Oh God- I’ll totally be there for your concert” She blushed and Luka smiled kindly at her. Suddenly, she started searching inside her backpack, and took out a business card she offered him. “This is my contact. I- I have a fashion event next Monday. I would love you to come, if you can make it. Send me an email and I’ll get you some passes”

“Wow! That's impressive. I'll try to make it. Thank you, Marinette”

Marinette could hear her heart beating faster. No looking in his eyes, dammit. They kept talking for a while, enjoying their time together until they fell asleep out of exhaustion, Marinette’s head resting on Luka’s shoulder. He woke up earlier than her, but didn’t have the heart to wake her up until lunchtime. She looked like she really needed that rest.

When he left half of his lunch untouched, Marinette scolded him. “You have to eat! You’re too thin! Those abs and arms need consistency! Proteins!” She pointed at a photo of him shirtless and flustered again in embarrassment in realization. “Ah-”

Gosh- it really was fun, Luka thought, chucking. It was hard not to laugh out loud. Everything flowed so naturally it was unbelievable.

Damn. He didn’t want the plane to ever land.

“Marinette” he called, during their coffee time, and she looked back at him, redness still on her cheeks. “The plane will land soon but- Even if you don’t accept our offer… Is it possible for us to meet again? Out of business? Like this?”

Marinette flustered at his implications. “Do- Do you mean-?”

“A date. Would you go on a date with me, Marinette? Or just as friends, if you prefer. I like you, and I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun with anyone else” He took Marinette’s pen and one of his ‘Kitty Section’ contact cards and wrote something behind it. “These are my personal telephone number and email. We'll be in NY until Friday next week. It would make me very happy if you contact me, whenever you prefer, anytime” He said, securing the card in her hands.

Marinette blushed, looked at the card with glowing eyes, and then at his honest loving stare. Was it even possible that the man everyone was gushing about was asking her out? But this had nothing to do with his stage persona. Luka was someone she more than enjoyed spending time with. Naturally, quietly, assuring… She had no doubts about her answer.  

“I want to meet you again, too” she stated, and wrote her personal number under his wristband. “I’m free on Wednesday” she shyly smiled, and his smile widened.

“Wednesday is it, then. I'll manage to find the time. Just for you." He smiled happily and only then she realized how deep she had fallen.

Ah- she hadn't wanted to fall in love. What a way to fail her own determination… But she couldn't complain, not at all.

And he felt the same way.

Luka and Marinette's hands locked together, and they lost themselves in each other’s eyes, smiling at each other.

“Why don’t you kiss her already, dumbass?” Juleka called, and Marinette blushed. “He won’t kiss you if you don’t give him proper permission, you know? He’s very considerate despite his looks. Tell him already”

“Jules… Why don’t you mind your business and make out with Rose instead?” He shushed his sister and Rose giggled, embracing Juleka. Luka returned his attention to Marinette. “Sorry about that”

“It’s ok… I-” She started, looking at his thin lips. “Will you kiss me if I want to? Because I think I do...”

“You do?” he asked, and she shyly nodded and he smiled softly, making her heart flutter.

She closed her eyes and he leaned closer to give her a sweet kiss on her cheek. She pouted a little, in disappointment, but he told her that, if she really wanted to kiss him, that would be the perfect excuse to meet him again and make it more special, like a beautiful lady like her deserved. Marinette understood his reasoning and agreed with it, despite the slight disappointment she felt she would have to wait a few days to get the chance to kiss him. Nevertheless, both of them happily smiled while their fingers remained interlaced, chatting and enjoying their time together the rest of the flight, until the plane landed and they had to unavoidably say their farewells.

“Thank you for everything, Luka. I forgot how scared I was of planes thanks to you and- I’ll see you soon?”

“I really hope so. I still owe you something, right?" He winked and she blushed happily. Luka gave her a final discreet and quick kiss on her knuckles. "Gosh- I miss you already...” He added, and Marinette felt the urge to cry. She dropped her bag to hold him in a needed embrace. He gladly reciprocated her gesture. Despite neither wanting to separate, they forced themselves to. "I hope I see you soon, Marinette"

"Me too, Luka…" she wiped her tears and waved, as the band started walking away.

When the arrivals doors opened and all the camera flashes blinded her, she understood why Kitty Section members always wore sunglasses in airports. They were more popular than she could have expected. She understood why he had refused to kiss her outside of the plane, but he still saluted her before disappearing in the multitude of fans and paparazzis.

On the other side, Sabrina, Audrey Bourgeois’ assistant, waited for her. She had almost forgotten about her own business. But now, she found the motivation she had lacked. If she was willing to be with Luka, she had to become the best. She wanted to make a name of herself, more than ever. And her meeting with Luka certainly boosted her confidence.

Unexpectedly, her trip to NY had already become one of her most memorable experiences yet. And it had just started! She couldn't wait to spend the rest of the week in the city.

[anon-rebel-writes]

Meddling at the Liberty

This is for @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers Sprint Challenge! This time was definitely more challenging than the first (Because I decided to set a goal for myself of how many words I should write, probably will try to keep the goal low for next time XD)

I hope you all enjoy this! The prompt I choose (but kind of messed up, but it’s okay I think lol) was “If we both want to fit, we’ll have to cuddle.”

The story begins under the cut. Thank you all for reading! Ao3 Link

All Luka wanted was a lazy day on the boat. After having a crazy week of work, he didn’t think it was wrong to want a moment of peace. But he should’ve known that nothing “peaceful” can last on the Liberty.

Especially when his sister found a new hobby of meddling with his love life. Luka tried not to get her involved after she found out of his crush on a certain raven-haired girl, but Juleka was a hopeless romantic, which meant his love life became their love life.

Juleka and him sat across from each other in their shared room. Luka strummed some songs on his guitar, keeping his eyes closed to try and relax. “...So the gang is coming over today,” Juleka mumbled. “Why do I feel like this is gonna be a bad thing?” She let out a reserved chuckle and began playing with the ends of her hair. “It’s just gonna be Rose, Ivan, Mylene… Marinette.” His eyes widened. Luka didn’t really mind that his sister was involved in his romantic life, but he was pretty sure that if her plans continued, Marinette might not be comfortable around him anymore.

He let out a strained sigh and gently put his guitar down. “Jules-” The sound of shouting pulled them out of the conversation. Juleka shot up and began moving out their room, “Right on time, I’ll let them in.” She ran out before he could argue.

Luka wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. On one hand, he really liked seeing Marinette, but on the other hand, she was still confused about her feelings. The last thing he wanted was to cause her any more stress. He was debating if he should just sneak out his porthole before they came in, but a flash of pink entered his vision and tackled him back onto his bed.

“Luka! Your favorite Rose is here!”

He let out a labored chuckle and tried to pry her off of him. “As much as your ‘my favorite Rose’, I can’t breathe.” She jumped off of him to stare intensely at him. “I think today’s gonna be the day!” Before he could warn against her prying, she yanked him out of the room. “Come on! Everyone’s waiting for you!”

Luka took a deep breath as he looked at the living room. He saw Ivan and Juleka rearranging some instruments while Mylene and Marinette talked. He tried to look away from Marinette, but he found himself unable to look anywhere else.

She hardly looked different than the last time he saw her, a little more relaxed, but still Marinette. Perhaps he was the one who was freaking out over nothing, she didn’t seem to mind being here. She always seemed comfortable at the Liberty.

Then their eyes met and it felt like the world stopped spinning. Her eyes were full of life and excitement, something in his gut told him that something had changed. She gave him a loving smile and walked towards him. “Hi Luka,” she said. His stomach was filled with butterflies that he only ever got when she said his name.

“Hey, Melody.”

“So, I came because I wanted to tell you something. Well not something- I came because Juleka invited me. But I also had something to tell you, not having to do with Juleka. Even though she invited me- Oh gosh, I’m messing this up.”

Luka reached out and held her shoulder. “It’s all good Mari, you don’t have to be afraid to tell me anything.” She stared up at him and her face slowly turned a bright pink.

After a few moments of looking at each other, soft laughs pulled them out of their exchange. They both turned and saw everyone staring at them. Marinette backed away with her face slightly red and Luka found himself feeling a little more warm as well.

“Come on, we’re going to the deck,” Juleka shuffled towards the stairs. Marinette let out a squeak and quickly followed her. As soon as everyone made their way to the deck, they were hit with a cold breeze. “Wow, it’s freezing,” Luka pulled down the sleeves of his hoodie to try and find some warmth. He looked over at everyone else and saw they put on different warm layers of clothes.

His eyes met Juleka’s as she gave him a sly smirk. “Oh, did I forget to tell you it was cold today?” He rolled his eyes at her and returned her smirk. “Yeah, you did.”

Rose ran over to him and gave him a fluffy blanket. “Maybe you should use this!” Rose gave him a devilish smile. Luka scanned Rose seeing as her innocent demeanor quickly came back and she scurried back over to Juleka’s side. He wrapped himself in the blanket and looked over to Mylene and Ivan. They both discreetly gestured to Marinette, who was rubbing her arms trying to keep herself warm.

At least the plan this time was innocent enough. Luka smiled and without thinking, he made his way over to her and lifted one side of his blanket. “Do you wanna share?” She stared at the blanket for a second, then moved her gaze to him. Luka realized that he was probably making her uncomfortable, so he looked past her to try and give her some space. “Sorry, I just wanted-”

He stopped his words when a soft, warm body melted into his own. He looked down and saw the top of her head snuggled into him. Luka was definitely red. He was also sure that his mouth couldn’t have been wider if he tried.

Marinette managed to look up at him, he saw her cheeks and nose were red. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the weather or situation.“The blanket was a little small, if we both wanted to fit, we had to cuddle.”

Luka softly laughed at her reasoning and wrapped her into a hug, engulfing her with the blanket. “Yeah, that’s smart.” His eyes wandered back over to his sister and her nefarious girlfriend. They were both hugging each other tightly as they watched Marinette snuggle herself into Luka more. Ivan and Mylene also stared at them, Ivan gently bounced as Mylene tried to hold him together.

“Luka, about what I was trying to say earlier…”

He looked down at her, waiting for her to continue. “I think, well I mean- if you still want to. I started thinking about what I wanted. I think that I may want...you?”

While this might not have been the day he thought he’d have, he couldn’t have been happier with the way things turned out. Even if this revelation meant more meddling from his sister, he found himself overwhelmingly warm at Marinette’s confession.

“I think that sounds perfect.”

[mari-onberry]

Luka has had a hard time dealing with the knowledge that Ladybug is Marinette, and the revelation has done nothing to lessen his love for her, especially now that Ladybug seems to be acting different around him.

For @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers LBSC Sprint Challenge prompt: Hand holding

Words: 2050, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug

Rating: G

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters:  Luka Couffaine, Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, Holding Hands, Post-Episode: s04 Exauceur | Wishmaker, Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug/Luka Couffaine as Viperion

[quickspinner]

I’ve Got You

Hi @ladycat1! Your original secret santa had some life happen, so here’s a gift from me to tide you over until they can post your fic! I chose the soulmate prompt and I uh, got a little carried away. I hope you enjoy it!

This was supposed to be a sprint fic, 3 15 minute sprints and 45 minutes to edit, but it took me 4 sprints to finish even the main idea and then there wasn’t enough Luka so I went back and added more, and now it’s kind of a beast compared to what it was supposed to be. So, I failed the challenge, but hey, more fic, so still a win!

She’d dreamed for so long about what her soulmate would be like. Some of her friends had silly words scribed over their hearts, things that made no sense and probably wouldn’t until they met their person. Some of them had commonplace phrases like “Hey, watch it!” or “Hi, how can I help you today?” Some of them were borderline insulting. Alix’s words were “Hey, out of my way!” Marinette wasn’t sure she would have been able to feel good about something like that, but Alix didn’t seem bothered by it. “At least our meeting won’t be boring,” she pointed out.

Still. Marinette liked her own words better, far better, than any others that had been shared with her. Easy, easy, I’ve got you.

They sounded...comforting. Supportive. Warm. She couldn’t think, even with all her natural paranoia, of any way those words could be bad. Maybe she was making too much of it, maybe it was only a little thing. Still, she liked the thought that the first time she met her soulmate, they would be helping her, even if only in a small way. 

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be breathless, but not from hitting the pavement at blinding speed. She was supposed to be disoriented, but not because she had been tossed across half the city by an akuma. She wasn’t supposed to be cold and wet and frightened, and most of all, she wasn’t supposed to be Ladybug.

But she was, and he’d grabbed her, and when she struck out at him in fear and confusion, he’d caught her hand, and his lips moved, and her chest burned, and the words hidden beneath her suit suddenly felt etched on her skin in fire. 

The arms that cradled her were strong, the hand that wiped the mud off her face was gentle, and the blue eyes staring down at her were as concerned as she could ever have wished for, but—it was all wrong. 

“Are you hurt?” he asked, his hand moving to her chin and tilting her face so that he could look into her eyes. 

She was supposed to answer him. Whatever she said to him in this moment was supposed to be etched over his heart, and she would say it, and he would feel that same—not fire, because it didn’t hurt, not exactly, but that flaring that would tell him that this was no random chance, that she was his soulmate. 

But she couldn’t. She stared dumbly up at him, her throat seizing up in panic even as she clamped her lips tight. It couldn’t happen like this. It couldn’t be like this. She couldn’t say his words, whatever they were, while she was Ladybug. It would ruin everything. It would make things impossible between them. If anyone found out he was Ladybug’s soulmate , then—he’d be in so much danger. They couldn’t see each other, they couldn’t be together, they couldn’t become whatever they were meant to be because...because she was Ladybug, and Ladybug couldn’t afford that kind of weakness. 

“Ladybug?” He frowned, and his hand moved again, brushing her hair back.

She shook her head violently and pushed at his shoulders. He let go of her, and she scrambled back, getting to her feet shakily. Her eyes darted around, taking in details—the bike discarded on the ground behind him, the color—colors, of his hair, the studs in his ears, his clothes, she had to remember all of this—   

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked worriedly. 

Ladybug nodded furiously, and staggered a few more steps away, whipping out her yoyo. The words on her chest burned hotter as she swung away, and then subsided into a tingling kind of numbness. Ladybug blinked back tears and shook her head. She had an akuma to defeat, and then she could worry about what she’d done. 

She barely stayed long enough for their usual fistbump once the battle was over. She found the first secluded place she could think of, transformed, and ran. 

Marinette knew it was useless even as she pelted down the wet streets, her light flats getting soaked as she sloshed through puddle after puddle. It would take a miracle for him to still be there by the time she could get there, but wasn’t meeting your soulmate a miracle in itself? It could happen! She had luck on her side, right? 

Tikki hadn’t said anything about Marinette’s mad flight, just huddled down in Marinette’s purse with her cookie. Marinette mentally apologized for bouncing her around so badly, especially after such a tough fight, but...she had to try. 

But when she skidded to a stop on the corner, there was no one there. The sun was going down and the streetlight shone only on wet, empty pavement. Her soulmate was gone, and so was his bike...and she’d have to find him all over again.

If she could. Her throat tightened, making it even harder to catch her breath, as it occurred to her that she had no idea what happened when soulmates met and didn’t complete the bond. Would it be as if she had rejected him? Would the cosmic pull that was destined to someday bring them together just...cease? When she met him again, would the words she said still resonate with him, or would it all be ruined because she had held back? Were the words on his heart the ones that she should have said, but didn’t? 

Marinette didn’t know. She’d never heard of anything like this happening before. Sometimes people rejected their soulmates, or chose to live apart from them, but...but the exchange still happened. The bond was still there. They were still complete. 

And Marinette...was not. The hole her soulmate was meant to fill was still there, and she felt all the more conscious of it now. 

Remember , she told herself as she walked home in the dark and the cold. Remember his face. Remember his eyes, and his hands, so large against her face. Remember his clothes, his hair. Remember. 

She had to remember. Because she was going to find him again. 

And then...then she’d just have to see what happened from there. She’d have to make a plan. Marinette was good at plans. Marinette was good at doing the impossible. She was going to find her soulmate again, and she was going to fix this, and the universe was just going to have to suck it up. 

One hand drifted up to grip her upper arm, over where his hand had rested as he’d lifted her from the street. She smiled to herself, just a little bit. She’d been right, after all. He was helping her. Supporting her. Even though she was a stranger to him. Even though she was Ladybug, and she was supposed to do things on her own, and even though it was dangerous for him to get involved while she was in the middle of an akuma fight. If Chat hadn’t been able to keep the akuma busy...

He was brave, she realized. Brave, and kind, and strong, and gentle.

Marinette had to stop herself before she got too far down that train of thought. It wouldn’t do to build him into something superhuman. That wouldn’t be fair. She wanted to know the real him, and not be blinded by a dream of who she thought he might be. She’d learned that lesson once before, after all. 

Once she was dry and warm and Tikki properly ensconced in a cozy nest of blankets, Marinette sat down at her table and began to draw. She couldn’t afford to forget anything. She was going to find him again, whether the universe decided to help her out or not. 

***

Luka Couffaine didn’t have a soulmate. 

At least, that’s what the rumors said. There was no soulmark over his heart, and that seemed to be the only conclusion people could come to. 

Luka had never been bothered by it, in all truth. He himself was well aware that there were many ways to communicate that didn’t involve words, though it never seemed to occur to anyone else. Privately he thought it entirely likely that his soulmate was a fellow musician, and that their first exchange might involve something far more expressive than mere words. Or maybe not; maybe it would be in the touch of their hands, or the meeting of their eyes. Maybe they would just know, and stand looking at each other in wonder. Maybe his soulmate had a physical issue that would prevent them from speaking. From time to time he watched video tutorials to learn signs that might be useful if it were so. 

Mostly, though, he just went on with life, and didn’t worry about it too hard. He was young, and there was plenty of living to be done even without a soulmate. The rumors irritated him far more than the idea that he might have been born a whole soul in a single body. 

He’d lived for seventeen years that way, and neither expected nor especially wished for a change, until he picked up an extra shift on a delivery route he didn’t usually ride, and the city’s beloved superhero crashed through a planter and faceplanted on the street in front of him.

Luka wasn’t even thinking when he shoved off his helmet and ran to her, dropping his bike on the sidewalk. After a slide like that, she should have been shredded, but when he helped her roll over and sit up, her skin was whole, though smeared with muddy water. She flailed at him blindly and he almost dropped her, startled by her strength when her hand hit his chest.  

“Easy, easy,” Luka told her, catching that hand, “I’ve got you.” She stilled—froze, almost, and her expression was still dazed. No wonder, after a hit like that. Luka wiped away a smear of mud under her eye, but she didn’t move, just pressed her lips tight and stared at him. She was so pale. 

“Are you hurt?” Luka put his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up so that he could see her eyes. They were even and seemed to be dilating normally. Where was Chat, he wondered with a sudden, irrational irritation. Sounds of battle in the distance answered him. At least Chat was keeping the thing busy, then, while Ladybug...recovered?

She was still just staring up at him, and he frowned, brushing her hair back to check for a bump or a bruise. “Ladybug?” 

She shook her head and pushed at his shoulders, and he let her go, watching as she stumbled to her feet, his hands still hovering uncertainly in the air as he watched her. He...didn’t want her to go, and that didn’t make any sense because of course she had to go. It’s not right, he realized suddenly.  t’s not right that she has to do all of this—why should it be her? She can barely stand and she’s about to run back into the fight.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, fighting the urge to take hold of her again. 

She nodded, and before he could say anything else she was swinging back to the battle. He actually ran a few steps after her before his brain caught up with his body. What was he doing? 

Luka turned and went slowly back to his bike. His chest felt funny where she’d hit him before he caught her hands. She didn’t say a word, he thought, turning and looking back towards where she’d gone. 

His sigh of relief was more fervent than usual when the magical ladybugs swept through the city, and over Luka. She would be okay now, he was sure. Luka was most of the way home, having walked his bike as he found himself lost in a swirl of thoughts that didn’t want to condense into any kind of sense. Luka looked down on himself in amusement, his hand smoothing over the place on his chest that had been smeared with mud from her hand. His shirt was clean, now. He glanced up. “You didn’t have to bother,” he murmured. “But...thanks.” 

It wasn’t until he was getting ready for bed that night that he saw it. It was just a chance glance as he was walking out of the bathroom, halfway through pulling on a fresh shirt. He saw something in the mirror and turned to look at it instinctively. His jaw dropped, and he leaned towards the mirror, wiping away the fog with his hand to get a clearer look. 

There were words on his chest, right over his heart, in the distinctive silver-grey of a soulmate marking. 

***

Determination, Marinette thought tiredly, could really only get you so far. She’d done her best but, she just had so little to go on. She knew what he looked like, but it wasn’t like she could mentally beam his image into the internet and find his address. 

Well. Maybe she could have if she asked Max and Markov for help, but...how would she explain that? How could she explain that she’d met her soulmate, she’d known it was him, but somehow she’d managed not to find out who he was. How ridiculous did that sound? No, she couldn’t tell anybody or ask anybody for help. She tried to console herself with reminders of how unlikely it was that any of her friends knew him anyway...but it really didn’t make the problem any less frustrating. 

She found herself circling back to that same cross street where she’d met him. It was the only lead Marinette had, but there wasn’t much there. It was a residential street, so maybe he lived here, but she couldn’t exactly go knocking on doors telling people that she was looking for her soulmate. If he did live here, surely she’d see him, right? 

Feeling a bit like a stalker, she parked herself on a bench the following Saturday with her sketchbook in her lap, watching the people that passed her on the street and any figures visible in the windows of the houses. All she got was a sunburn and some odd looks from a couple of people who passed her both in the morning and the evening as they went out to walk their dogs. She went home and lay on her bed moaning in frustration and embarrassment as Tikki sympathetically applied aloe to her face with little pats. 

“It’ll be okay, Marinette,” the little god told her, but Tikki had already admitted that her powers were entirely separate from the mystery of soulbonds, and she couldn’t really help Marinette beyond lending a little ordinary luck. 

Nobody knew better than Marinette that the surest way to sabotage luck was to count on it, though, so she carried on as she otherwise would. Marinette pulled out her sketch, and stared at the face again. Okay, so maybe he didn’t live at that intersection. Maybe he lived further down, or something like that, and this place was on his route home. 

It took a little ingenuity and closer to an outright lie than she was really comfortable with, but Marinette managed to get out of school early and go back to the intersection. He couldn’t be that much older than she was; possibly he passed this place on his way home from school or a part time job. 

That didn’t work out any better than the last attempt, and Marinette was sure at least one person had recognized her from her last visit. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to be having a very awkward conversation with Officer Roger, she was sure. At least she remembered to wear sunscreen this time. 

Still determined, Marinette drew up an elaborate schedule, gridding out the most likely dates and times to catch him coming through. She plotted bike routes along the area from several local schools and the types of businesses that hired student-age part-timers. She changed up her style and her dress so that she wasn’t so recognizable. 

Nearly a month later, she still had nothing. Her friends had long ago begun questioning her bizarre behavior, and more than one had been dragged along on Marinette’s expeditions with increasingly weak excuses, and now her parents were starting to ask questions. Marinette wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep this up, and...she wasn’t sure how much good it would do anyway. She’d covered almost every possibility—certainly every likely possibility, and most of the less likely options, too. Marinette didn’t want to admit it, but she was running out of ideas. 

***

Luka kept his new mark hidden from everyone, even his family. He wasn’t sure what had happened to put it there, and he had no idea how to explain it. He kept thinking that it had to have something to do with that encounter with Ladybug, but…

Luka knew very little about whatever mystical force was behind the soul bonds, but he knew even less about Ladybug and her powers. And if it was her, did it happen when she touched him? Her hand had been splayed across his chest right there. He remembered it feeling weird, but he thought that had been because she hit him. She was strong, after all and might have—probably had?—magic that enhanced her fighting somehow, so it wasn’t surprising that a hit to the chest from her might sting a little bit. Though it hadn’t hurt, exactly, but then he hadn’t really been paying attention. 

Or was it the magic of the ladybugs? Was there something wrong with him after all, that they had repaired when they cleaned his shirt? Or did it have nothing to do with her powers at all, and it really was just coincidence? He hadn’t been looking at himself all day. He was pretty sure it hadn’t been there at gym class—surely one of his nosy classmates would have noticed, since they frequently snuck glances at his unmarked chest the same way they would if he had a third nipple or some other anatomical anomaly, but it could easily have appeared any time after that. Luka couldn’t imagine what could have triggered such a thing, though. 

Unless he had maybe...not met his soulmate, surely that would be unmistakable from everything he’d heard, but...gotten near her somehow? Passed her or touched her or looked at her without knowing. Luka was usually an observant guy, but when he got in his head, he didn’t always register exactly what was going on around him. Maybe he had had an encounter like that, that he didn’t notice or remember, and the universe was frustrated with him and decided to give him a hand.

That didn’t really make sense either, though. 

Luka knew he couldn’t keep this a secret forever, no matter how much he wanted to, but he was going to do his best. Some discretion and a little tattoo coverup should do it. It just...felt private, those words, and he found he was self-conscious about it in a way that he hadn’t been about his unmarked chest. Luka wondered how people could go around letting something like that show all the time. 

More than that, he wondered what he should do about it. 

Although, he considered, as he stared into his bathroom mirror again...looking at his words, maybe he wouldn’t need to do anything. 

***

Marinette stood there on that same corner, again, fighting back tears of frustration, staring at the spot where his bike had fallen when he met her. Was it even his bike? She’d thought it had been, but maybe it wasn’t. Her memories of that night were worn with frequent handling and she was starting to question everything she thought she’d seen that night. Marinette knew it had happened—the words on her chest that had once been grey and dull were a vibrant blue, so she couldn’t have imagined the whole thing...but she was starting to feel doubtful on the details. 

This isn’t fair, she thought furiously at the universe. This wasn’t supposed to happen this way. Maybe I messed up, but I had good reasons! You’d think I’d earned a second chance, with all I’ve been through! Marinette blinked back frustrated tears and turned abruptly away, knuckles white on the straps of her pink backpack, eyes squeezed shut against the tears, so that she didn’t see the bike parked on the street in front of the steps of the townhome she was about to pass. 

***

Luka hated this route and avoided it whenever he could, but today he didn’t have a choice if he wanted to work. It was hilly and the cobblestones were uneven, taking most of the pleasure out of the ride itself, and to top it off, the people who usually ordered from here were rude. The irritation on top of his confusion about his soulmate...situation, which had lasted for a month now with no signs of resolution, made him impatient to be done and shorter than usual with the customers, though he managed not to be completely rude. 

He was clattering his way down the steps when he collided with something—shit, with someone. Luka grabbed at her as she pitched sideways from the force of the impact, trying to at least keep the petite woman from hitting the pavement due to his stupidity. 

Marinette was caught completely off guard. A wordless screech escaped her and she pushed away on reflex as hands grabbed at her, but she was off balance and her feet were tangled and she was going to fall— 

“Easy, easy, I’ve got you,” said a voice that sounded like an echo out of her memory, except it was real and loud in her ear and so startling that she stopped struggling. The stranger who had, apparently, both collided with her and stopped her fall had an arm looped around her waist, and he gently pulled her upright. She found her feet as she looked up at him and his hands moved to her upper arms in a familiar grip. Marinette’s heart was pounding in her ears. 

He was wearing a bright yellow bike helmet, but she could see the dark, blue-tipped hair sticking out from under it, and the expression of concern, the gentleness in the blue eyes, were all exactly the same. “I’m so sorry, I was thinking about something else and I didn’t see you. Are you all right?”

Marinette looked up at him, still speechless. He frowned. “You’re crying,” he said, his voice full of compassion. “Is everything all right? Do you need help?” 

Marinette shook her head slightly, her mouth moving silently. Say something! she screamed inside her mind, but she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know the right answer, and this wasn’t a test she could afford to fail. Some distant part of her mind noted that she hadn’t gotten the details wrong at all. His sharp chin, the line of his jaw, the—

Say something!

“I’ve been looking for you,” she blurted, and then covered her mouth with her hand. Whatever she was supposed to say, surely it wasn’t— 

But his eyes had gone wide, and his hand left her arm to clutch his shirt over his heart, and he was breathing faster. Marinette couldn’t help the smile that burst across her face. “I found you,” she said softly. 

It was...such a strange feeling, some detached part of Luka’s brain observed. Like he’d lived his whole life in that brief moment of expectant silence right before the curtain rose and the music burst forth, only he’d never known it until now. He felt dizzy with the sudden rush, the burning on his chest barely registering. 

He kind of wanted to smack himself for ever thinking he’d been whole before.

Without thinking, he pulled her close and held her tight against him. “I wasn’t even sure you existed,” Luka mumbled wonderingly into her hair. Slowly, Marinette put her shaking arms around him. Once she had, she couldn’t make herself let go; her hands fisted tight on the back of his shirt and she pressed her face close. “I didn’t have any words,” he whispered, so low he would have been inaudible. “Until...something happened, a few weeks ago. I didn’t have any words, and then one day I did, and...you know what I mean, don’t you? What happened to me? You have to know. It was you, wasn’t it?” 

Marinette froze. “I—” She couldn’t go on, mind whirling with all the reasons she shouldn’t tell him, shouldn’t admit it, and with all the reasons she should, until she was paralyzed. 

Luka realized he was being an idiot. He had no right to that knowledge. Soulmate or not, they had just met, she didn’t know anything about him, and he’d just put her on the spot for what must have been a closely held secret. How many times had he seen her on the news, pleading with the public not to put her family and friends in danger by trying to discover her identity. 

“Never mind,” he said quickly. “It’s not important. I have words now, and you said them, and…what’s your name? I don’t even know your name.” He laughed a little shakily. “This whole thing is so crazy.” 

“Marinette,” she gasped, pulling away enough to look at him. “My name is Marinette.” 

“Marinette,” he said, and smiled. It sounded like music when he said it, somehow. “Nice to meet you, Marinette. I’m Luka. I’m…” What was the right thing to say in this situation? “I’m really looking forward to knowing you.” 

Marinette was blinking back tears again. “Me too. But can we just...can we stay like this a little bit longer?” 

“Yeah,” Luka said, pulling her back in. “Yeah. But…” He grinned, nuzzling his face into her hair. “Only a minute,” he chuckled, “and then I really need to get your number, because I’m working right now and I’ll be late to my next delivery.”

“Delivery,” Marinette repeated giddily. “You make deliveries.” There was a hysterical edge to her laughter.

“I was doing my last delivery of the night when—the night the words showed up,” Luka told her. “This is the first time I’ve been back on this route since...I can’t believe I met you here.” 

Marinette dissolved into definitely hysterical laughter, that had Luka holding her tightly, murmuring words of concern she didn’t quite catch. When she had herself under control again, she pushed him back lightly, and rose up on her toes to kiss his cheek. That simple little touch brought heat to his cheeks. “Give me your phone,” she told him as she came back down, her own smile growing at the grin he was clearly fighting to contain. “I’m not losing you again.” 

They traded phones quickly, and entered their information, both grinning like idiots. She was really cute, Luka thought, stealing glances at her as he typed. He caught her sneaking a look at him too and they both grinned sheepishly at each other, giggling as they went back to what they were supposed to be doing. Their eyes met again as they passed their phones back and impulsively, Luka caught Marinette’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “I have to go,” he said with a sigh, though he was still smiling—couldn’t seem to stop, in fact. “I’ll text you tonight?” 

Marinette nodded. “Be careful,” she told him, and immediately felt stupid, because of course he’d been doing this for far longer than she’d known him and he presumably knew what he was doing. “I mean...well, I know you know what you’re doing, but still. Be safe. I just found you.” 

Luka smiled as he stepped past her, letting her hand slide reluctantly out of his. “Don’t worry, I’ll get home in one piece,” he promised. He kicked up the stand of the bike before slinging his leg over it. “I’ve got you now, and I’m not letting you go.” He gave her a wink, and then pushed off, though he nearly made his promise a lie as he looked back at her and almost collided with a streetlight. It was almost worth the embarrassment to hear Marinette’s giggle floating after him, though. He grinned to himself, putting one hand over his heart.

I’ve been looking for you.  

He was so glad she hadn’t given up on him. 

Marinette covered another giggle with her hand, and started on her own way home, giddy with relief and tense with anticipation. She put her hand over her heart, over the words there that felt like they were faintly pulsing, though she wasn’t sure if that was true or if it was just the way her heart was pounding. She looked down at her purse to see Tikki peeking up at her, clapping her little flipper paws excitedly.

Maybe Marinette couldn’t tell him just yet, but...maybe the universe knew what it was doing after all. Maybe it was good that they ml  this way. She didn’t have to tell him, and they could pretend he didn’t know, but…

I’ve got you. 

It felt good to know that someone did.

[feminaexlux]

Dragon, Viper, Tiger

Tossing my hat back in the ring for @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers AU sprint challenge!. I went with the Thief/Heist AU since I’d been kicking this idea around for a while.

I gave myself an arbitrary editing deadline of 6pm so I hope it both makes sense and reads alright, but shrugs

Hope you enjoy! Find on AO3 here :)

⁂

Viper was sometimes glad he had a longer running gait than the woman on his tail only a few meters behind. He put his long legs to use and leapt up onto a couple of filing cabinets, scrambled up to the bare industrial support beams of the so called modern office building he’d broken into, and jumped over the dividing wall via the exposed ceiling.

Post-Modern styled offices just lent themselves so well to the good old B&E.

The wiring crisscrossing through the exposed ceiling allowed him to occasionally cut the telecommunication lines in his hasty exit, which was great in trying to prevent any of the security cameras from tracking him. If he also took out the internet lines that was just an added bonus, since that’d probably slow down anyone trying to access the proprietary blueprint he pilfered. He just needed to buy some time.

He probably could have gotten out a few minutes ago since he already had the memcube in his pocket, but this was really the only opportunity he had to see Officer MDC in action. Oh, nice, there she was, waiting for him in her combat stance at his specified exit point. Even at 5 foot nothing she’d landed him on his ass waaaay too many times, but honestly he loved the challenge of facing her. She always had new tricks up her sleeve.

But so did he, with some of the info that Tiger kept leaving him. Like, for instance, even if MDC had gotten the EMP disruption lace installed in her gloves, it could easily be counteracted and redirected by the additional aluminum alloy mesh Dragon had added as the inner lining to his wetware, so the memcube wouldn’t be completely fried if MDC did manage to land a hit (and she usually did). The only problem was trying to find where to ground the pulse… But the priority order was, as ever, keeping his identity safe, then getting the payload, then trying to escape unscathed. Paris PD’s Special Circumstances wasn’t ever going to figure out his identity (unless he died), nor would they get to know that the same general producer for their own tech was his boss (unless he died).

Viper didn’t relish the idea of dying, so he’d been doing his best at avoiding that particular outcome. He’d done well so far, even if he did come out of MDC encounters with more bruises and scars than when he went in. He had landed in front of Marinette and smiled. She rolled her eyes at him. And before he knew it, she had launched herself at him with her classic opener: a roundhouse kick to his solar plexus.

⁂

Viper slid underneath the food truck and unlatched a hidden panel, hauling himself through the opening feet first as quietly as he could. He toed the hatch closed behind him but caught it with his fingers before it made impact. He couldn’t give up the game now by being loud, that’d be so, so lame. He heard the gravel get scraped below his temporary entombment and he knew it was Marinette. She felt at the truck’s undercarriage and probed for any particular weaknesses or different materials and he heard her muffled voice as she worked with her TIKKI AI to scan any infrared signals and find any potential structural modifications done to the vehicle.

Here’s to hoping that Markov did its job correctly, he thought. Otherwise they’d be out of a job… and a food truck.

A few minutes later he heard her curse and slam an open palm against the undercarriage in frustration. “I know you’re in here, Viper!” she yelled.

“Ma'am?” He heard another voice chime in. “Why are you under our truck?”

⁂

A very cramped 3 hours later after a thorough inspection and nearly complete teardown of the food truck, Viper finally popped the floor panel and took in some fresh air. Well, relatively fresh, it smelled like greasy food all around him. The truck was already on the highway, having been released from the PD’s temporary impounding for being present at the scene and potentially housing a wanted criminal. The scans came up with nothing, the truck’s workers came up clean through the ID system, the truck’s visit and movements were tracked and scheduled and above board.

The actual food truck owners were unaware of his presence, which was just the way he liked it. He stretched his legs out a bit after being folded up into such a tiny space for so long. It was the sole disadvantage of having long legs, but he was the best in class at his job for all the contortion required. Plus he wasn’t claustrophobic like Tiger was. Speaking of… he checked his watch.

ur late, asshole

cg again? u simp

special 4u 0xdeadbeef

Oooof course. He could always count on his sister for ribbing on his infatuation with Cafe Girl, their codename for Marinette. He took one last relatively fresh breath of air and went back into hiding, sealing the latch shut. He listened for the engine knock signature: 4, 5, 1, 4, 2, 5, 5, 6, opened the bottom panel, dropped onto the street with his camouflage on, and kicked the panel closed before the truck took off. A bus drove over him and he hitched a ride, holding on underneath for 4 blocks, then rolled into the gutter drain.

⁂

It was a pretty quiet evening at Cafe Orriko, a cozy little cafe that had some steadfast regulars. One of Luka’s favorite hangouts due to the owners letting him lounge around and play his acoustic without complaint. There’d been another reason Luka loved this particular cafe, though.

Nathaniel heard the door chime and looked up, smiling at the newcomer. “Hey welcome to–oh hey Mar–oh shit MARC WE HAVE A CODE PINK!” There was a hastily tossed pillow from Marc that Nathaniel covered with a tea towel and passed to Marinette. She pulled up the pillow to her face and screamed into it for a good 20 seconds. Nath grimaced. “Bad day?”

She lowered the pillow. “Stupid fucking Viper I swear I will rip him in half and tear him to fucking shreds once I finally get my hands on him!”

Luka chuckled, having stopped playing his guitar when he noticed that Marinette had come in. “Careful, sounds like he might like that,” he winked.

“Uuuuugh,” Marinette groaned. “Thank you, Nath. Just… just gimme my usual, please.” She looked pretty dejected this time, handing back the pillow and tea towel, walking to Luka’s couch, and plopping down next to him. “Please, Luka, could you play me something soothing?”

“Anything for you,” he said, starting up an easy tune. “I know you can’t talk a lot about your work, but… what went wrong today?”

“Nnng, just… just I knew where he was and we still didn’t get him. He’s like a fucking ghost, he just… disappears! Poof!” She usually discussed what was already covered on the nightly news broadcasts, just to be safe.

“Then he’s pretty good,” Luka said neutrally enough, but hid a smirk behind a cough when Marinette gave him the stink eye.

“He only needs to fail once,” Marinette huffed. “He can’t always have luck on his side.” Marc came by with her salted caramel hot chocolate. “Thanks, Marc,” she sighed, relaxing a little bit as she took a sip of the steaming hot drink.

Luka set a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You’ll get him one day, I know it.”

“I’d still have my work cut out for me. I have to find the Dragon after him,” Marinette groaned again. “And Adrien’s still obsessed with that stupid Fencer lady so he’s no help.” Marinette shut her eyes tight and shook her head. “But enough about that. How are you, Luka? I’m glad I was able to run into you today.”

Luka wasn’t going to mention that she’d already run into him earlier as the one and only Viper. “It was going alright, but it’s better now that you’re here,” he smiled. Marinette blushed a little and smiled back, nudging his shoulder with hers. “Sorry about your rough day though,” he added quickly.

Marinette shrugged. “It’s work. It’s… it’s so weird what the Syndicate goes for, it’s not even like… anything really valuable? I swear they’re doing it just to mess with us and wreak havoc.”

“You haven’t figured out a pattern?” Luka asked. Marinette made a zipping motion across her mouth. “Oh, right. Sorry.”

She shrugged again. “No more talk about work, please. I’d just… like to hear you play, if that’s alright?”

“Yeah, no problem,” he chuckled.

She closed her eyes as he started playing the guitar again, something soft and pleasant that reminded him of her. She leaned her head against his shoulder while he played and he felt his heart beating faster.

One day, when the jig was up, he’d love to take her out for dinner. Assuming, of course, that he hadn’t been torn to pieces by her hands.

[verfound]

FIC: "How Do I Look?" (MLB; Lukanette; Sprint Fic)

Rating: Teen & Up

Characters/Pairings: Luka Couffaine, Marinette Dupain-Cheng; Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Summary: Alya’s making Marinette go out, and Marinette really doesn’t want to.  Luka’s not sure he wants her to, either.

Author’s Notes/Warnings: The week before Thanksgiving is always a little nutty at work, and I did some sprinting to unwind.  From November 2023’s Sprint Challenge Prompts over at @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers, using the social media prompt that said: “The single most important thing a man can do to be an ally is give his woman friends permission to give dudes at the bar his number so when they call he can angrily say that’s not funny because she died 15 years ago that very night.”

Just a reminder: LBSC Sprint Challenge Guidelines: Three 15-minute sprints to write the fic.  24 hours to edit/post.

“How Do I Look?”

“I really don’t want to go out tonight.”

Luka looked up from his Cheerios at Marinette’s voice, his spoon still in his mouth.  His eyes widened when he saw the red dress she was wearing, and he almost swallowed the spoon when she sat on the edge of the table and gave him a pouting look.  Between the smoky eye she had painted on and the deep red lipstick that drew his focus to those kissable lips…yep.  He was swallowing his spoon.  And tongue.  And…

“You…you’re going out tonight?” he asked after a moment, when he finally felt like he had regained some sense of composure.  Barely.

“Unfortunately,” she sighed, bending to slip on a strappy pair of heels that just…weren’t fair.  She glanced back at him, a smirk on her lips like she knew exactly what she was doing to him.  “I’d much rather stay home in my comfy jammies, with my favorite emotional support musician and a tub of ice cream.  Binge watching bad movies.”

He…liked the sound of that, actually.

[lovebugs-and-snakecharmers]

LBSC Sprint Challenge February 2025

The LBSC Sprint Challenge is now open for writers and artists! The prompts are:

1. Choosing the perfect "first kiss" for the wedding... Gotta try all the options! 2. "Better date than sorry. " "Don't you mean safe?" "...I said what I said." 3. If you kiss my neck, I'm not responsible for what happens next. 4. "Since it's impossible to determine which part of my life is the middle, I've decided to have an ongoing crisis." 5. I dream of never being called resilient again in my life. I’m exhausted by strength. I want support. I want softness. I want ease. I want to be amongst kin. Not patted on the back for how well I take a hit. Or for how many. zandashé l’orelia brown 6. Wildcard - pick any previous challenge prompt, or play LBSC Smooch Roulette to generate a prompt!

You have until Wednesday, February 26 to complete your 3 15-minute sprints/45 minute art sprint and post the results. Once you’ve completed the sprints, you have 24 hours to edit (which can include some new writing to smooth transitions and make it feel complete, and whatever work you feel appropriate to get your art to a state you consider ‘finished’).

Please note you may sprint in the language of your choice, and you can either translate the final fic before posting, post it in the original language, or both as you choose. You can join us on the LBSC discord or sprint on your own! Just be sure to tag @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers in your final post so we will see it and reblog it. The rest of the rules can be found here under the cut.

Rules!

We’ll post a beginning and end date to the challenge, and a prompt.

Writers, If you choose to participate in the event, write for that prompt in up to three 15 minute sprints. No writing outside the sprints until you have completed all three! After the 3 sprints are complete, you have 24 hours to edit (which can include some new writing to smooth transitions, etc). You can also choose to break that 45 minutes up differently if you find a different split works better for you.  After those 24 hours, post what you’ve got. Tag your posts with @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers so we can reblog it to the LBSC blog. If you post your work on AO3 or somewhere other than Tumblr, you can leave a link in our ask box or in the appropriate discord channel so we can be sure to promote it. After the designated challenge end date, we’ll compile a listing of the submissions and post it to the LBSC blog.

Feel free to sprint in whatever language is most comfortable to you! You can post it in your own language or translate it before posting, or both!

Artists, you have 45 minutes to sketch and 24 hours to do any cleanup or coloring you’d like to complete. You can split your 45 minutes up however you like, or not at all. There’s no requirements on your finished piece, just aim for whatever goal seems challenging but achievable to you.  Tag your posts with @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers so we can reblog it to the LBSC blog. If you post your work on Instagram or somewhere other than Tumblr, you can leave a link in our ask box or in the appropriate discord channel so we can be sure to promote it. After the designated challenge end date, we’ll compile a listing of the submissions and post it to the LBSC blog.

If you’re wavering as to whether or not you think you can accomplish anything in 45 minutes, we really encourage you to give the challenge a try. You may be surprised what you can do! Feel free to join us in the discord linked above so we can encourage and cheer you on.

Obviously, this has to run a bit on the honor system and we won’t be tracking your times, but please do your best to honor the spirit of the challenge! If your sprint fic becomes an Entire Thing (these things happen sometimes) and you want to continue it, feel free! However, please still post whatever you’ve got after your 3 sprints with the tag. No fair busting out a fully polished fic or art without showing us what it looked like at the challenge stage!

We want to keep this a positive space and event! This does NOT mean that you can’t write or draw anything critical of a character or episode, but it isn’t the space for character bashing or hate either. Please keep the characters in character and save the more speculative work for another time. NSFW sprint works are permitted but must be tagged appropriately (please use “NSFW LBSC sprint challenge” for easy filtering on the blog) and with appropriate warnings.  (More FAQ about the process here)

This is a Lukanette blog and a Lukanette event, so while Lukanette does not need to be the main ship, it needs to at least be included or referenced and considered endgame (in other words, they don’t have to be together by the end of your work, but the intent is that they’re headed in that direction). The decision about what qualifies for reblog rests solely with the LBSC moderators. If a piece hasn’t been reblogged within a couple of days, either the mods felt the piece didn’t meet the criteria or it was simply missed; you are welcome to reach out in the asks to inquire which. There are plenty of other spaces out there for other ships and OT3s, and people are welcome to use the challenge rules and prompts to write for their own ships! They just won’t be reblogged to the LBSC blog, and we ask that you please not use the event tag (a modified form is fine - “InsertAlternateShipName sprint challenge” instead of “LBSC sprint challenge,” for example).

Happy sprinting!

[nerdypanda3126]

Hot and Cold

Merry Christmas @bloody-no-kissu! I'm your secret Santa for the @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers sprint fic exchange!

I used your prompt: Viperion is hugging multimouse or ladynoire to get a bit of heat in a cold patrol

Aaaaand because my sprints took a fun turn have a bit of fake dating thrown in 😆 hope you like it!!

First Chapter | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Read on Ao3

Lady Noire was purring to herself, playing absent-mindedly with her braid when Viperion finally arrived for patrol. His family’s Christmas festivities had run late as Jagged insisted on singing carols and it had turned into an argument with Anarka. Juleka had just given Luka a look and he’d popped in A Christmas Carol and they’d both settled on the couch to wait for the fireworks to die down. He’d only been able to sneak away and transform when everyone had fallen asleep. 

Which meant the evening chill he was used to in the winter months had deepened into a bitter, biting cold that nipped at every bit of exposed skin and made his blood run cold. Literally. It was one of the side effects of the snake Miraculous that Sass had explained to him, but it wasn’t usually an issue. 

He barely managed to hide a shiver as Lady Noire turned her fanged grin on him. Her purring deepened and he tried not to think that it was maybe because she was happy to see him. 

“Joyeux Noël, Vi,” she said. “You’re late.” 

He grinned back. She couldn’t even pretend to chide him. “Or you’re early,” he answered back, offering her a hand up. She rolled her eyes, but accepted his help. He hoped he wasn’t imagining the way her hand lingered in his before she pulled away.

“Fine. You’re right.” She sighed. "I was pretty anxious to get away tonight.”

“Can’t imagine anything you’d run away from.” Another shiver ran through him, but he grit his teeth and crossed his arms against it. Lady Noire’s eyes flicked over him and she frowned as her cat ears flattened against her head.

“You okay?” 

“I’m fine,” he insisted, shrugging to hide his next shiver. Her frown deepened.

“Vi…”

“It’s really nothing.”

“Are you sick?”

“No, I’m not—” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. There was no getting anything past her. “Snakes are cold-blooded,” he said by way of explanation, "and we're not exactly having a heat wave." 

Her head tilted as she considered him. “You’re cold?” 

“I told you, I’m fine.” He tried to smile to prove it, but another cold spell took him and everything felt kind of… heavy. All he wanted to do was find somewhere warm to curl up and sleep. It crossed his mind briefly that cats were usually pretty warm…

He shook himself to clear his head and try to unlock his limbs. “So, let’s make it a quick one?” he asked, or tried to ask, because it came out slurred.  

She blinked at him slowly, then took a step forward until she was close enough that he could feel the heat radiating off her. Another shiver raced down his spine, but he didn’t think it was because of the cold. She bit her lip as she hesitated, then closed the distance between them to wrap her arms around his waist. His breath caught, but after a stunned moment he returned the gesture. 

When she nuzzled into him, he cleared his throat awkwardly. “So, uh, what were you anxious to get away from tonight?” he asked, more to distract himself than because he thought she’d answer. To his surprise, she sighed again. 

“My family. They mean well, but sometimes they jump to conclusions and assume…” 

He managed to hum in response, encouraging her to continue. Her warmth was seeping into him slowly, but rather than giving him the energy for patrol, it made him disinclined to move away from her. Her face seemed hotter than any other part of her. After another moment, she bit her lip again and rested her cheek on his chest to look up at him. He wished he could see her real eyes instead of the glowing green cat eyes Plagg's magic gave her.

“They think I’m seeing someone. In secret.” 

“Seeing as in…?” 

“Dating. Yeah.” She was definitely blushing. “And I didn’t know what to say because they know I’m hiding something, but I can’t tell them, and they already had this story in their heads about why I was disappearing and they took my stuttering as a confirmation and then started grilling me for details and I… might’ve…. maybe…” Her eyes flicked up to his before darting away and her arms tightened around him. Her borrowed heat was creeping up the back of his neck and crawling towards his cheeks. 

“You said it was me.” 

She only nodded and he blew out a breath as he squeezed her shoulders to him, hoping it would reassure her. A beat of silence passed between them as he carefully considered his next words.

"I don't mind, you know," he finally said, softly. "If it makes things easier to use me as a cover."

Her cat ears stiffened and something vulnerable flickered across her expression before she hid her face in his shoulder and headbutted him. "Right. A cover. Because that's all it would be, wouldn't it?" She pushed off him, took two swift steps back, and forced a smile on her face. "Feeling better?" 

No. Not while her heart was so obviously twinging with pain that he caused when he was trying to help. But as far as the cold spells went, holding her had helped. He wiggled his fingers experimentally. If he just kept moving now, kept his blood flowing, he could get through patrol tonight. Maybe ask her later what it meant.

He nodded, not trusting himself to find the right words to comfort her. Something in her shifted to crisp professionalism and she nodded back before unlatching her baton and spinning it through her fingers. Her forced smile slid into a jaunty smirk. 

"Well then. Shall we?" 

He let her vault away, then shook himself one more time against the cold and the confusion before he followed after her into the night.

[fan-written]

Back hugs

LBSC sprint challenge 2/10/21 @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers

Villain AU with Vipermouse kisses. I did cross post it to my ao3 account here, just to help keep track of them.

---

"Well, well! Isn't thisss a ssssurprissse?"

The words ghosted over her ear with a whispered breath and she shivered. Warm, strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind and Multimouse felt his chin settle lightly against her shoulder.

Her pulse raced in fear and excitement. He was here, arms around her, trapping her in place. She shoved an elbow back into his stomach and he grunted in surprise. His arms tightened but she had given herself enough room to maneuver out of his grip and begin attacking. She couldn't land a solid hit that would allow her to escape, but she kept him from fully encasing her again.

Dark teal clad arms met her pink and grey ones with swift hits and jabs. She followed him through to the back of the alleyway, but failed to take notice of the wall closing in behind her. He backed her up with the aura of a predator. One his Miraculous gave him she was sure.

They paused, frozen, predator and pray, watching the other for any sign of movement. A car passed the entrance of the ally behind him and her eyes flickered to it for only a second, but that was enough.

He struck, like the snake he was. Quick. Precise. Fanged teethed bared with a hiss like growl. Her head struck hard against the brick behind her, dazing her long enough for him to capture her again. A warm hand wrapped around her neck, claws pressing into the sensitive skin.

"It looksss like I've caught my dinner." He said with a dark chuckle. His tall, lithe body crowded hers, his warmth contrasting the cold wall.

Multimouse tried not to squeak, but the sudden hand on her hip startled her. "What are you doing, Viperion?" She asked, breathless from their fight. Or maybe it was from the control he had over her. "Just let me go. This stone is mine. I already have a buyer and nothing you say will make me give it up."

"Aww. My little moussse doessn't want to share." His ocean eyes trailed her trapped body beneath him. "Who'sss to sssay I don't have the ssame?"

"Because you would have already stolen it, or waited until I stole it and tried to take it from me." She huffed a breath of annoyance, one that stuttered with his tightening grip on her neck. Her heart matched it by faultering when his face drew closer. Tiny pricks of pain told her that his claws had broken skin, but she could hardly pay attention to it with his face so near.

"True, but if i didn't come I would have misssssed out on sssuch a deliciousss morsel." He nipped her ear forcing a gasp out of her throat.

They had played this game more than she liked to admit. Two thieves, rivals really in their choice of stolen artifacts, but undeniably attracted to each other. The masks and secret identities did nothing to soothe the growing tension between them. Instead boldness favored them behind the anonymity.

The hand on her hip slowly slithered to her lower back and his leg fit between hers with practiced ease. "What if we sssteal it together, my little mousssse?" He whispered the oft asked question and Multimouse could have sworn she felt his tongue flicker against her cheek.

Instead of speaking she answered how she always did, by capturing his lips in a kiss. Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging as if to pull a groan from him. It was passionate, like always. A battle almost. She fought back every time with a matching ferocity until his hunger would overpower her. She was sure he would devour her if he could. The hand around her neck finally released, allowing her to breath as well as she could with his tongue in her mouth. Instead, it now pulled her closer to him around her waist in a mockery of their earlier hug.

"You," a kiss on her lips. "Tassste," One to her jaw. "Sssso," another to her neck, right where his claws had pricked the skin. "Divine," below her ear. A sensitive spot while in this form. One he knew left her begging for him. Always for him. "Won't you give me more?"

She gasped and Viperion chuckled. His smile against her left the sharp points of his fangs pressing lightly into her neck. She knew if she asked he would bite her, something she always wanted but never dared to ask. It would be impossible to hide once the transformations wore off and she didn't want any clues to her identity. It was getting harder to deny him with each meeting though and she knew he'd noticed. "Please,  please. "

He pulled away to take in how he'd made her undone. He grinned, satisfied, and just proud enough to annoy her. "Jusst ssay the word and I will be yourssss."

She smirked and his smile grew a touch melancholy. They both knew how this game ended. But someday. Someday maybe she'll give him the answer he wants.

"Multiply"

[writtenbyrain]

I’m Proud of You

Read it on AO3 Summary: For months now Marinette and Luka have danced around each other, their feelings only growing stronger and more apparent. So when Ladybug calls upon Viperion to return to the field against an unusually powerful akuma, how will Luka react when a battle gone awry exposes Ladybug’s identity and threatens her life? Notes: Written for the @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers Sprint Fic Challenge! Wildcard Prompt (courtesy of @mlweeklyprompts): “You see, this is the part where you tell me you’re proud of me.” Thank you so much @nerdypanda3126 and @quickspinner for being wonderful betas!

“I’m so proud of you, Marinette!” Luka turned to beam at the girl who stood over his desk. Keeping his eyes on her, he began to gently fold the newest Kitty Section jackets she had come over to present him with. “You’ve done such a wonderful job on the whole band’s new costumes. I know they’re going to love your designs.”

Marinette continued to smile fervently in spite of her blush — another small detail Luka was learning to cherish during his fleeting but meaningful afternoons with her.

“You’re always telling me you’re proud of me,” she chuckled. “At this point, I could bake you the world’s worst batch of macarons and you’d still find something to be proud of.”

“Well that’s because you’re deserving of every bit of praise,” he countered, enjoying the way her blush deepened as he edged closer. “You’re a wonderful girl, Marinette. The kind whose heartsong always closes on the most hopeful of cadences.”

Marinette giggled, running her hand distractedly over the strings of his nearby guitar. She often did that when she was nervous, and Luka was learning to love the vibration of open chords a little more with each shy stroke of her fingers.

“Do you really think that, Luka?”

“Of course. You know I do.”

For months now they had danced around each other — Marinette finding exceedingly obscure design flaws and edits to merit her next visitation, and Luka taking every possible opportunity to remind her that he was proud of all she had to offer.

That he was proud of all of her.

Now, his fingers itched to brush her bangs away so he had an excuse to feel the warmth of her skin. Her eyes were bashfully turned down toward the planks of his room on the Liberty, leaving her hair to hang in front of her brow in just the perfect angle for the occasion.

But before Luka could move, Marinette’s hand came up to pick at the hem of her blouse, her teeth momentarily pressing into her lower lip as her eyes flicked up. She turned to face him fully, setting her shoulders back and tipping her face up to meet his gaze head-on.

She was close — closer than he had initially realized. But when Marinette looked up, she didn’t look bothered or uncomfortable by their proximity. She only held her breath, leaning into the small space compressed between their two bodies.

It felt like an invitation of sorts, if not a challenge.

Luka bent his head down as Marinette’s lips parted in anticipation, the moment as fragile as glass.

Perhaps she was waiting only for—

The dissident ringing of Marinette’s phone broke the moment, causing her to pull back suddenly. A startled silence rested between the two of them, their gazes still wide and locked until Marinette looked back down.

“I should… probably get that,” she mumbled self-consciously before crossing over to where her purse sat.

“Right.” Luka was disappointed but knew it was best not to show as much. After all, he wanted to move at Marinette’s pace; to keep her comfortable and with the opportunity to say “no” if she so chose.

And so, without knowing where, exactly, her boundaries were right now, he decided it would be more respectful to distract his hands with the strings of his guitar.

Meanwhile, the phone notification appeared to have elicited an immediate frown from Marinette. Luka didn’t miss the way her brows furrowed in familiar concern and hesitation.

“Anyway, didn’t you tell me you had a new client to meet this evening about a commission?” Luka leaned back against the wall in an effort to belie his nervousness. His hands flew deftly over strings and frets as he fought the urge to ask her to stay, knowing she was likely about to offer some manner of strange excuse for her departure. “I wouldn’t want to make you late for your meeting.”

“Oh, r-right!” Marinette turned back stiffly with a forced smile. “My, uh, meeting! Of course. I better get going. Thank you so much for keeping an eye on the clock!”

She began to hastily assemble the rest of the Kitty Section garments into their respective travel bags, her eyes straying back to the screen of her phone before resting on Luka in silent apology.

He merely pressed his lips into a subtle smile, inclining his head forward to let his hair fall into his face.

“I’m always happy to help in any way I can, Marinette. You know how proud of you I am.”

________

Following Marinette’s hasty exit, Luka stretched himself out across the foot of his bed, leaning against the wall with one knee bent for support. Guitar still in hand, he began to distractedly pick out the melody of the heartsong he had begun writing for her nearly a year ago.

Meno mosso , he thought. She moves at her own tempo. And I’d be happy to match her rhythm.

In a conscious effort to slow his own heart rate following their final exchange, Luka’s fingers began to pick slower, the pace of the notes gradually loosening and broadening with his breath.

We have all the time we need.

________

“There’s no time,” Ladybug huffed as she swung through the porthole and into Luka’s room not twenty minutes later. “I can’t reach Chat Noir, and I can’t stop this akuma alone. I need help.”

She recalled her yo-yo, stepping into the center of the room with an urgency that jolted Luka from his reverie, causing him to jerk his head back up hard enough that it hit the wall with a heavy thump .

“Wait, what’s going on?” Luka scrambled up from his current seated position on his bed, attempting to rest his instrument as gingerly as possible on its nearby stand. One hand was still rubbing at the back of his head. “What are we up against?”

Ladybug was breathing hard — whatever happened must be especially terrible for her to not only seek out a partner that wasn’t Chat, but to rush all the way to the Liberty for help in lieu of saving the citizens that were in the most direct line of fire.

She had fabric wrapped around her shoulder in an effort to staunch the bleeding of what appeared to be a deep slice.

Since when did either Ladybug or Chat Noir actually bleed through their suits?

“Like I said, there’s no time to explain.” She grabbed Luka’s hand, turning it over and pressing a box firmly into his palm. “Luka Couffaine, as you know, this is the Miraculous of the Snake. Can I trust you to once again wield Sass and the power of time for the greater good?”

________

Viperion staggered onto the next rooftop, narrowly missing the shards of glass being shot rapid-fire by Hawkmoth’s latest akuma victim. Not only had this one managed to keep him in on the defensive for the last fifteen minutes’ worth of battle (which was exhausting in and of itself), but the worst part was that this one was designed to penetrate the otherwise indestructible suits donned by miraculous wielders.

“Viperion, to your left!”

He flinched out of the way more than he dodged, but at least he managed to avoid taking any shards straight to the face. Ladybug, meanwhile, was bobbing and weaving, attempting to simultaneously evade the barrage while pushing close enough to get into more of an offensive position against their latest adversary.

And as far as Viperion could tell, it wasn’t working. They needed a new plan.

He hastily ducked behind the chimney of the rooftop he had landed on, fingers brushing over the strings of his lyre in thought. Once again, the familiar vibrations of an instrument helped to cool his nerves, serving as the bridge point between his thoughts and emotions in the midst of high tension.

He distractedly fingered a few more notes in quick chromatic succession, the music serving to somewhat dampen the audible sounds of Ladybug struggling several feet beyond. If only these vibrations could…

Wait, vibrations.

“That’s it!” Viperion swung back around to expose himself. “Ladybug! We need stronger vibrations!”

Ladybug dodged the next onset of glass, using her yo-yo as a shield before swinging herself haphazardly back in his direction. As she flew by, she wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling them both out of the fray and into an alley for a moment of respite.

“You have a plan?” she demanded through uneven breaths. Small nicks and cuts littered one cheek, and a line of jagged fabric was torn all the way up the opposite arm.

“I do,” Viperion confirmed. “If we can find the frequency at which the akuma’s glass vibrates, we can shatter his attacks before they reach us.”

Ladybug’s eyes lit up. “Like singing at the right pitch to shatter a wine glass.”

“Exactly.”

“We may even be able to use that frequency to destroy whatever item is hiding the akuma,” she thought aloud. “The only questions, then, are how we make the vibrations and how we find out where the akuma is hiding.”

Viperion began to thumb his lyre in contemplation again, momentarily closing his eyes before offering whatever brief answers he could in their limited time.

“Well, if we manage to find the frequency, the akuma would likely be in whatever item he tries to protect from us. He’ll become vulnerable, so he might give himself away if we look closely enough,” he explained. “As for creating the vibration… if we stretched your yo-yo out long enough, we could probably tune it like a single string. We would just need to amplify it."

Ladybug beamed, a modicum of hope restored to her facial expression.

“Luka, you’re—I mean, Viperion , you’re a genius!” she exclaimed. “And luckily, it just got dark for the evening. If we play this right, the akuma may not even see where I lay out the yo-yo string. I just need you to distract him long enough for me to tune it, and we can take it from there.”

Viperion placed a hand on her uninjured shoulder. “I’m always happy to help in any way I can.”

She nodded back with a determined smile before raising her eyes to scan the sliver of sky above the alley.

“You go out first and try to get his attention, then I’ll head out in the opposite direction toward the Eiffel Tower. There’s supposed to be a big concert there tomorrow and they’ve already begun to lay out equipment — I’ll bet I can find something to use as an amplifier.”

Viperion nodded, raising his left wrist to ready his power.

“Seems like the perfect time to prepare my Second Chance.”

They nodded in silent agreement, both bracing themselves for the next onslaught as Viperion launched back out onto the rooftops.

“Second Chance!” He flicked the Miraculous resting upon his wrist before turning back toward the frenzied akuma, making an attempt to vie for his attention.

“Hey! Over here!” Viperion waved his arms in frantic motions before strumming his lyre as loudly as possible. It didn’t take long for the akuma’s eyes to zero in on his form. “Come over here and face me!”

With a snarl, the villain lurched forward to pursue his would-be prey — but not before a flash of red and black unwittingly detracted from Viperion’s efforts.

No, no, it’s too soon. I need to keep his attention for this to work.

Much to his horror, the akuma had already whipped back around, readying its next attack.

“Ladybug, watch out!”

Too late.

Her back was turned, her yo-yo already wrapped around a nearby streetlamp so as to support her weight as she swung away. And as she was startled into turning back around midair, the glass shards found their target, burying themselves deep throughout her torso.

She lost hold, falling inelegantly. Her hand was still outstretched, reaching toward the yo-yo that now hung limply from the streetlamp as her mouth opened in a gasp of pain.

“No!” Viperion dropped his lyre and shot forward.

Tucking and rolling onto the pavement, he caught her mere seconds before she hit the unforgiving pavement. He hoisted her more securely into his arms ducked into another alleyway, kneeling to shield her body with his own.

Use your second chance, he thought haplessly. You still have two minutes left. You can still fix this.

But as much as logic beseeched him to reset this moment, to return to a mere few moments prior, his horror kept him rooted in the here and now; in the impossible future wherein he, Luka Couffaine, had failed Ladybug.

Chat Noir should have been here, not me. Chat Noir wouldn’t have failed.

“Ladybug?” He gently propped her head up with one hand. “Ladybug, please. Please, can you hear me?”

As she turned and looked up at him in the dim light, the splotches of blood appeared dark enough that they could have blended into her costume, dotting her chest and abdomen in all the wrong places. The new spots were too uneven, growing too fast.

But that was nothing compared to the bloodied and broken tragedy that awaited him when she dropped her transformation.

“Marinette?” Luka’s words were cut off by a choke. His chest heaved, his panic overtaking him as he cradled the heroine — as he cradled Marinette — in his arms. Her placid gaze, deathly calm, stood in stark contrast to that of Luka’s. “I thought you might be… but, but I—”

One minute, three seconds left.

She reached a shaky hand up to his cheek. It was still warm despite the wintry air that pressed in and continued leeching the heat from her weakened body.

All Luka could do was bite back the sobs that threatened to wrack his ribs, deciding instead to place his free hand on top of hers. He turned his head to plant a gentle kiss on her palm.

“You see, this is the part where you tell me you’re proud of me,” Marinette whispered. “Just like you always do.”

Forty-six seconds left.

“I love you, Luka.”

I can’t let it end like this.

“I-I love you too, Marinette.” Luka’s voice broke. “And I’m proud of you. So completely and utterly proud of the melody you’ve brought to Paris — to this world .”

Words, words, why did his words always seem to fail him?

Thirty-one seconds left.

“Truly, Marinette, your heartsong—”

Please, I need more time. More time.

“—How did I not realize sooner?” he lamented. “Your heartsong isn’t just your shared kindness, or your sweet sincerity. But it’s your drive for justice. Your passion for others.”

Marinette smiled softly, her eyes beginning to flutter shut.

“No, no, listen to me, Marinette. Please. You’re the kind whose heartsong always closes on the most hopeful of cadences . And I am so proud of you .”

Eighteen seconds left.

Slowly, as though brushing her fingers lazily over Luka’s guitar one last time, Marinette’s hand fell from his cheek. Her fingertips were icy.

Luka wrapped his arms tighter in as much an effort to hold her closer as it was to keep himself from crying out in distress. The akuma was still nearby.

Ten seconds left.

He couldn’t break.

Not here. Not like this.

Not yet.

Luka bent forward, keeping his right hand propped beneath her head as his left fingers brushed the bangs from her cool and bloodied face. Tenderly, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I couldn’t be more proud of you if I tried,” he whispered. “Which is why I refuse to let you die without a second chance.”

He set her down as gently as possible and slid his right thumb over the bracelet of his left wrist.

[airi-p4]

Stealing hearts

I wrote this for the @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers LBSC Sprint challenge - Meet cute week event.  Vipermouse enemies to lovers, because, honestly, who doesn’t love those? 

Prompt: They meet while trying to steal the same thing

Rules: write in 3 sprints of 15 minutes each + 24 hours to edit. (I used 4 sprints, but whatever ^^;)

Thank you @livrever for checking it for me 💙

AO3

_____________________________

The night had fallen. The street lights illuminated the streets, the whole city under the soft moonlight. Hiding in the shadows of the night, Multimouse jumped to the roof she targeted and observed through the glass window.

There it was: the Ladybug miraculous- her target.

Stealthily, she snuck close enough to detect the security cameras and the museum guards. They were not going to make it easy for her to steal the jewels, were they? Multimouse smirked. That wasn’t something that could stop her, anyway. She called for her power: “Multitude” and a group of tiny multimice appeared in her place. All of them knew how to proceed. In just two minutes, they got down the half-opened trapdoor, avoided all the security systems, took the magical earrings, and returned to the roof.

Mission complete.

Once outside, and just before the alarm buzzed, she recovered her multimouse appearance and smiled satisfied at her achievement: the powerful jewel safe in her hands. The next part should be easy, she had thought, but she suddenly found herself trapped with a hand covering her mouth and an unknown arm immobilizing her. She immediately fought it, without success.

“Shhh…” A husky low voice said close to her ears. “Keep quiet if you don’t want to be found out again”

The voice gave her shivers. ‘ Who?'

“In 2 seconds a guard is going to come through the door, but he’ll run the other way. We’ll escape then”

Multimouse’s mask wrinkled at her frown, showing doubt. She worked alone. She should trust no one. Everyone else was an enemy.

“Now. Count to 3 and jump to that roof. Trust me” the stranger's voice continued.

Multimouse saw the guard run the other way, just like the mysterious voice’s owner foretold. She tried to escape that moment, but, as if he had seen through her, the stranger caught her in his big arms and carried her little body to the next roof and to an empty room under the stairs, locking the door behind him.

The moonlight that filtered in through the small upper window of the room let Multimouse see the stranger for the first time. His yellow eyes glowed in the dark, along with his green hair, the same color as his tight, snake themed suit.

“Viperion” she mumbled, and his yellow eyes smiled at her under his mask. “You’re Viperion, aren’t you? Why are you here?”

“For the same reason as you, Multimouse” He smiled at her, amused, showing how the earrings she had just stolen were now in his hands.

“Hey! Give them back! I stole them first!” Multimouse attempted to fight, but Viperion skillfully dodged her surprise attack and immobilized her using her suit's tail- a jumping rope. All her attempts to free herself were useless, but she didn’t stop trying. “Let me go! I need them," she protested.

"Shhh… You wouldn't want to be discovered, would you?"

He had a point, despite her disgust. Multimouse felt like prey under his amused glare. She didn’t like it, but she couldn’t deny something about all this was thrilling. She had to take the earrings back and escape. She needed a plan. She was good with plans. What were even Viperion’s powers? He was barely in the news: a complete mystery- just a rumour. How did he know about the guards? About her attacks? It almost seemed as if he had known what was going to happen beforehand...

Time. His power is related to time, she figured out.

A sudden fleeting flashback in her mind distracted her. By instinct, her hand stopped trying to free herself from his grip and held onto the snake bracelet on his wrist instead. She didn’t even know why she did it, but he froze at this act. His body stiffened and his smile disappeared. Didn’t he foresee this?

“Let go, Mouse” Viperion commanded in a serious tone.

“Not until you give back what’s mine”

“It’s not yours, you just stole it”

“Which makes it mine now! Don’t think I’ll allow you to reverse time again”

“You figured out my powers? Not bad, Mouse”

“I’m not stupid. You knew about the guards. You lead me to this room knowing it was empty, despite another one being closer. You knew exactly where I would call my power back. But despite stealing my earrings, you haven’t run away yet. Why? What are you trying to do?” “You said you wanted the jewels, but that’s not true. What do you want?”

“I want to become your ally. Would you believe that?”

“Of course not! Why would you want that? We don’t know each other!”

“You don’t. And I certainly didn’t a few loops ago. I know you now. You’re even more beautiful under the mask” he fondly stated.

Why was she even blushing? Sure, he was hot but- Why were her lips tingling? Could it be?

“You kissed me...”

He seemed surprised at her question. Was she supposed to forget about everything that happened in previous loops? Probably. Only he could know how many times the scene repeated.

“Technically,” he tilted his head to the side, “you kissed me. To distract me, you know? It worked quite well, to be honest” he winked.

Multimouse was surprised. Would she really do that in despair? Should she try it again, then...? She couldn’t deny his lips were… tempting. He was HOT. Too HOT she finally noticed, all flustered.

What was she even thinking? He was the enemy! Why would he want her to become his ally anyway?

She shoved her hormones away. “You haven’t answered me yet. You already have the Miraculous. What else do you want!? Why haven’t you escaped yet?”

“I do have the Miraculous, but now? I’m more greedy than that. There’s something else I want” he showed a knowing smile, that thrilled her.

“What is it...?” she finally asked, after hesitating for a few seconds.

Viperion took a step closer to Multimouse and made sure her eyes kept locked in his own. “Go to a date with me”

“A… date…?” she blinked twice in disbelief. “Are you making fun of me?”

“No, I’m not. I’m serious” She frowned her eyebrows, not trusting him, but he continued. “You can’t remember, but I do. During the first loops, you kicked my ass. Who would have thought you were so strong despite your tiny body? When I could finally immobilize you, you tricked me and distracted me with a kiss. Not that I can complain, though. It was a very effective move. You’re a good kisser, you should be proud of that”

Multimouse face flustered red and his smile widened in amusement. “I- What happened next?”

“The next few loops I finally immobilized and stole the jewel from you. I thought you were tricking me again when you started to cry, but you weren’t. You were honest and your heart cried out for help. I listened to your reasons and I understood why you steal and why this Miraculous was so important to you” he explained.

“Then you know why I need it and why I can’t give it to you!” she yelled, avoiding those eyes that were giving her butterflies in her insides.

“I do.” He nodded. “That’s why I gave you the jewel back the next loop. And you smiled gratefully- the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen. And at that moment, your transformation dropped and I was doomed”

“What- do you mean...?” she asked, feeling even weaker under his hungry stare. She gulped, both in fear and excitement. Her heart rate intensified, making her cheeks even redder. It only worsened when he approached his face closer to hers even more.

“That now I can’t stop going back in loops until I find a way to convince you to meet me again. I want you to rely on me” he confessed. “I want to help you find another way to fix everything. Revenge is never the answer”

“Huh...?” Multimouse sensed honesty in his words. But she was a loner. She had a mission- She had to-

“Is that too much to ask?” He continued, distracting her from her thoughts. “I can’t let you go knowing you’re going to be hurt or even disappear once you use the ultimate power of the Miraculous. Besides: you stole my heart- isn’t it fair I get to keep the earrings?”

Multimouse short-circuited. Was he serious? He sounded serious. Was it even possible for someone so HOT to be interested in her? Why was her heart beating so fast? Was she… happy? Pleased? Excited?

“Mouse,” he called again, and her body reacted to his voice. “Do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow? I’ll prove you I’m reliable”

“Are you serious…? Are you trying to trick me?” She asked. She was scared of betrayal, but couldn’t help it but be hopeful as well.

“I’m totally serious” He said, and her heart throbbed at his piercing eyes.

“How can I assure you’ll be there? And how will I recognize you under your mask?”

“Is that a yes?”

“Maybe…? If you answer me first”

“Here,” Viperion let go of the tail that kept her trapped, but she kept her hand on his bracelet. With his hand now free, he took her free hand on his and opened it, placing one of the earrings on it. Multimouse’s eyes opened wide in surprise, and only after closing her fist in a protective manner, she let go of his wrist. “You keep one, I keep the other. Is this enough assurance?”

Multimouse nodded. “How will I recognize you?”

The snake’s hero smiled widened at her question, his eyes glowing in the dark as he moved to unlock the door. “Don’t worry, Mouse- I will” He winked before he fled and her legs turned jelly, making her fall on her knees.

She had a date with Viperion!?

____________________________________________________

Marinette was nervous. More than nervous. She had agreed to go on a date with a stranger. Viperion. Was she going to be ok? Her heart beated in anticipation. What would he look like under the mask? What if he had tricked her? She had to stay in alert mode, she had ignore the image of that stupid tight suit of her mind- of those yellow eyes and sexy fangs- Did she just say sexy? No, Marinette! Stop! He’s HOT but still the enemy.

Deep in her inner thoughts, she didn’t notice how a hooded figure approached her until she noticed a pair of colorful sneakers and black denim jeans in front of her. She gulped, nervously, and raised her head to look at her date’s face. She was surprised when she didn't see green or yellow as she expected- but blue instead. Beautiful sky blue that made her heart flutter. And if she had any doubt of his identity, the Miraculous on his ear made it clear.

She had thought Viperion was hot in his suit but without it? Damn It. She was screwed.

"Hello, Mouse. I’m happy to see you” He greeted with a wide, loving smile. “How should I call you?”

“Ma-Ma-Marinette" Her face burned even more in embarrassment.

“Marinette” he repeated, with a smile on his face. “That’s a beautiful name. I’m Luka” He ducked to reach her eye level, and her gaze moved from the floor to his hypnotizing blue eyes. "Are you still wary of me? Where did your confidence from last night go, Ma-Ma-Marinette?" he teased.

“So unfair…” she mumbled, and it took him by surprise when she stepped on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. She kissed him roughly, and he soon led all his attention to her. Her hands moved to his hair, and his hands rested on her waist, pulling her closer. A long passionate kiss.

Marinette broke the kiss when she felt the need for air, and Luka had a cute lovestruck grin. They stood in front of each other for a minute, awkwardly, trying to come with something to say, until Marinette called his name.

“Luka. I guess we’re even now” she said, showing the two Ladybug earrings on her hand. Luka gasped.

“You, little thief! I shouldn’t have told you how to distract me. I’m so stupid!” he regretted, fearing a farewell. But she didn’t move. “Wait- Why are you not running away now that you have what you wanted?”

Marinette smiled and sticked her tongue out at him, playfully. “You said it before: you stole my heart, so isn’t it fair that I keep the earrings? Who's the thief now, huh?”

Luka laughed and she smiled fondly at him. “And now?” he asked, hopefully.

Marinette grinned, returning one of the earrings to his hand and holding the other one tightly. “Now we have a date and a lot of kisses to share"

“I like this plan” Luka answered, leaning in to kiss her once again.

THE END