#Luka and Adrien should kiss about music theory

[lostuntothisworld]

I've been a Luka stan for about a year now, and while I admit there are stereotypes that goes with guitar players (and they CAN be true!)

I would like to extend the fact that he also knows how to play classical violin, among other stringed instruments, and was also raised by a musician, his mother Anarka.

Luka MOST DEFINITELY knows how to read sheet music, and knows music theory like the back of his hand.

Nobody's trash talking Adrien about his music knowledge because he's been studying classical piano, but why not classical violin Luka? Is it because he's a fork in the road of the Love Square?

Sorry, he's not a stereotype of a fuckboy guitarist, but instead just a talented guy with an atlas complex, but I digress.

[miraculouscontent]

“Truth”-related asks:

Anonymous said:

I just watched truth and man, we didn't need any of that... I'm so tired...

Anonymous said:

Me after reading that summary: We coulda had it aaaaaaaaaaallllllll, decent wri-itiiiiiiiiiiiiiiingggggg

Anonymous said:

oh. lukanette breakup. how surpri— oh wait, no it wasn't.

bunnybunblitz said:

Me, skimming your summary of truth: life is a nightmare life is a nightmare life is a nightmare abort abort

Anonymous said:

Truth was a living nightmare, and that's the truth!

*defeated sigh*

Anonymous said:

The way all that just make me start disliking Adrien so hard wow I have enough of him so hard can they get ride of him for one damn episode?

Anonymous said:

Wow! Writers got on completely new level. They somehow made people to be annoyed with Adrien, even without putting him in episode.

My meme image of “I’ve had enough of this dude,” about sums it up.

It’s almost impressive???

Anonymous said:

I have the impression that you should slowly gather materials for "Treatment of Marinette S4"

You know, when you’re right, you’re right.

Anonymous said:

Hey there... Got a lil rant, I hope you don't mind in sea of anons you're probably getting. I guess if show didn't treat Marinette as their favorite punching bag and lukanette as a thing to get over with to be back on love square bullshit I wouldn't be this salty. We all knew lukanette isn't a endgame, but we actually care about Luka ans Marinette as characters and as a couple, and we knew there was a break up brewing.

But I mlb writers for setting things up, canonizing them over provocative tweet and leave them to dust right at the beginning of s4. And, oh sweet irony as they kinda accidentally made Lukanette totally better than love square (let's be honest if they knew what they were doing we wouldn't get any breakup from narrative and character development standpoint),,, because their heroine for once is loved and appreciated but that's another discussion and they hate that for her. Also, thomas arstruck can suck my toe.

I don't know what's your opinion on soulmate and destiny thing, but I'm totally in opposite. I remember The Good Place (love the series btw!) quote about how soulmates are made with love and nurture of people and not some cosmic forces. And to see how show is pushing for Destiny ™️ I'm kinda disheartened. But I guess I never really liked love square execution in the first place when it turned out that Marinette is butt of the crush joke for 3 seasons and there's 0 development from that. Like Thomas, that's not funny running gag. Thanks for reading! Hope you're doing well!

Thank you for the rant, and I agree!

It’s so strange how all their attempts to push for the love square just push me more towards Lukanette. How do the writers do that???

Anonymous said:

Yeah that point where she exclaims Luka in shock just angered and confused me. She LITERALLY transformed because Luka was akumatized. And her being shocked is only there to get her under the truth spell.

This episode is held together by knots and strings at this point.

Anonymous said:

Wow, "Ladybug likes Chat Noir humor." Then why every time Chat Noir makes puns, Ladybug looks like she wanted to strangle him on spot.

Ladybug = us

At that point, they should’ve just said, “[The writers] like Chat Noir’s humor.” Like--writers, please don’t use Ladybug as a tool to simp for your sunshine boy, it looks really pathetic.

Anonymous said:

Based on the ellipses you used I'm guessing you're not a fan of Jagged talking about the "Guitar is my only family" song.

Oh, no actually... I mean, I do because it’s there to torment Luka, but the ellipses was because of the intentional pause in the episode. Jagged was looking sympathetic

Anonymous said:

Truth was awful, the only good thing we got out of it was a Lukanette date (yay :'D) and we got to know Luka's father (although we all been knew).

Honestly if we could find a way to edit it so Luka and Marinette properly kissed then we’d just chop it out of the episode and call it the only canon thing.

asexual-individual said:

So, given that "Truth" didn't introduce the protection charms, I'm going to take a wild guess that they're not introduced until after "Gang of Secrets", meaning that Marinette won't get any close friends that it's safe to tell her secret to.

I was legit so sure that it was a guardian benefit and now I’m just left confused/curious about what causes CharmBug. Like, what, do you get CharmBug by purifying your one thousandth akuma???

Anonymous said:

I am absolutely positive no one quality checks these episodes before they’re sent out. Ladybug getting caught off guard on Luka being Truth even though she knows he was akumatised, and the horribly upbeat music playing as Marinette lies in bed absolutely defeated is so bad there’s no way this was double checked before it was sent out to TV stations

At this point, I’m convinced that they don’t care and are jamming through episodes as fast as they possible can.

cobraonthecob said:

I'm willing to bet that the writers go through critical and salt blogs just to see what the fandom's thinking, and then they think we're serious and they sprint with whatever we say.

guys please reconsider and also lower your alcohol levels

Anonymous said:

It was awful in general, but why add the paternity thing in the break-up ep? It detracts from, well, everything else and makes obvious they are copypasting fan theories instead of thinking of plot points.

I really do think they knew that Luka being upset over Marinette’s secret wasn’t enough to akumatize him so he needed something else.

Anonymous said:

Let me get something straight: The episode was explicitly about Marinette going on dates with Luka and that they were together. Yet Juleka is once again part of the shipping squad with obligatory "Marinette is only weird because she's with Adrien"-theories, and she's totally cool with that?

Yup! :3

guys I just adore mob mentality, did you know.

guys--

Anonymous said:

Ok, but the fact that everyone considers Marinette’s crush on Adrien to be her big secret is stupidly unrealistic. They KNOW they’re all aware of it - the girl squad even figured it out by themselves before they were told and think it’s totally obvious (as long as you’re a girl cause guys are clueless about feelings right). As far as they’re concerned it’s not actually a secret so they SHOULD be spilling the things they think only they and Marinette know. I mean, I can think of dozens of possibilities for Tom and the rest of the girls already, but Alya?

We had a front row seat to the damning secret Alya knows from back in season 1, but I guess asking this show to acknowledge continuity is too much. Still, the episode could have been so much more interesting if Alya had said, “Marinette’s the one who really gave Adrien the scarf for his birthday, but he looked so happy thinking it was from his father that she couldn’t bear to tell him that Gabriel hadn’t actually gotten him anything.” (I suppose reminding people of that wouldn’t fit into the writers’ poor attempts to make Gabriel sympathetic though 🙄).

Lol, just imagine the entire battle being sidetracked by Luka being brought to tears by how selfless and sweet his girlfriend is while Shadow Moth is too distracted by how this will ruin his reputation to get him back on track.

JKHJDSKGFSG

YES.

ALL OF THIIIIIS.

THIS IS AMAZING.

Anonymous said:

Marinette deserves to tell Luka she's Ladybug and have some support on her side tbh, it's disgusting to see the writers breaking up clearly the only thing that brings her joy and peace currently

HONESTLY.

And judging from that one trailer, she IS going to tell someone her secret and it’ll probably be freaking Alya; you know, the girl who blabbed about her Adrien crush to Nino and is thus THE LEAST TRUTHWORTHY PERSON. (”bonus” if it’s before the amulets)

I’m having nightmares already about Alya distrusting Lila because Marinette is Ladybug and not because Alya believes in Marinette. DX

Anonymous said:

Now that it’s been confirmed (in the worst way possible) that Jagged Stone is in fact Luka’s (and possibly Juleka’s?) father, how would you handle the whole mixed family aspect considering Jagged and Anarka’s relationship, Jagged and Penny’s, Anarka and Penny’s, Jagged and Luka’s (and Juleka’s?), and Penny and Luka’s (and Juleka’s?)? Topics like mixed families and family relationships are something that needs to be handled sensibly and sensitively given how it hits home for a lot of real-world people. Since we obviously can’t trust the ML writers to handle such topics the way that they deserve to be, how would you go about it knowing what we know up to this point about each character on their own and how they interact with one another?

Luka and Juleka were “accidents,” but Anarka kept it a secret from Jagged since Jagged was already hyped up to go on his next tour and Anarka knew their relationship was crumbling (possibly he already dumped her as his guitarist and she was annoyed about it). Jagged eventually learns that he has kids and is hesitant towards the idea, but because of him doting on Marinette (who’s the same age as his kids), he opens up to the idea.

Anarka and Jagged in present are mixed between tolerating each other for the sake of their kids and being chaotic best friends. The bad blood died out a while ago and there’s occasional tension but because Anarka is a single woman not interested in Jagged and Jagged is single with a possible thing for Penny, they make it work

Anarka and Penny have an awkward relationship. Penny wants to schedule time for Jagged to hang with Luka and Juleka and Anarka is confused at the very concept of a schedule, like just take them whenever okay??? isn’t it easier that way??? and Penny is like, “...oh, I guess so?”

Jagged and Penny, it depends on if they’re in any sort of relationship. If they’re in a relationship, Penny is either open to the idea of him learning to be good with kids if she’ll eventually want kids with him, or mixed because these are another woman’s kids and it’s really awkward. If they’re not in a relationship, then Penny could also be mixed since she’s crushing on him but I could also see her either finding it sweet that Jagged wants to hang out with his kids or finding it a hassle to schedule them in.

Jagged and Luka is rough. Luka has so many conflicting feelings on his idol ending up being his father. Jagged will probably even comment on Luka’s shirt + necklace and all of Luka’s merch in an attempt to bond but that kind of comes off desperate/awkward and Luka’s not about that life. I could also see Luka taking all the stuff down and swapping out his shirt, but being hesitant to remove the necklace because it’s a gift from Marinette. He might try to wash off the signature. He knows it’s not Jagged’s fault exactly but Anarka seemed to have bad blood with him and even if they get along now, Luka’s bitter. Jagged meanwhile wants to connect with Luka because hey musician energy!! but is gonna mess up a lot and say a lot of awkward things. Marinette will probably have to be a middle man between the two because it’s easier for them to talk with her around.

Jagged and Juleka don’t have a significant relationship at first. Juleka never care who her father was and she wasn’t crazy about Jagged Stone like Luka was. Jagged does try to connect with her but they clash majorly due to Jagged being so “loud” and Juleka being so quiet. Jagged will see it as a huge accomplishment the day where Juleka says something coherent (i.e: not a mumble) to him.

Yeah though, keep in mind for all of this that I’m not a family relationship kinda girl, so this isn’t my forte (I’m probably the most sympathetic to Jagged out of the whole fandom; not to say I agree with his actions but I have a history of hating babies and children, so not cool of him if he ditched Anarka but like, I get it, doesn’t make him better but I get it from a non-realistic standpoint of “ew, parenting”).

Anonymous said:

You know what? Imma gonna ignore canon for a bit more than I’ve been doing. The only thing I take away from “Truth” is that Marinette loves Luka and Tikki looks adorable in hats. That’s it have a good Saturday! 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

Anonymous said:

If there’s one small detail that I thought was genuinely cute this episode, it’s Tikki posing in the mirror with her little hat collection.

Ahaha, those are good takeaways!

And yes, Tikki looked good in hats, but at what cost. (guys, where’s our jealous Tikki episode where Tikki is jealous of the attention Marinette has to give the other kwami wait no they’d just make it Marinette’s fault go back go ba--)

Anonymous asked:

Am I the only on squicked out by how Adrien acts all noble and claims he would never force Ladybug to tell him anything, but when it becomes apparent that he has to ask her a question before the akuma can he goes all ‘what are your three favorite things about me?’ :3c I mean, he had decent amount of time to think up a bunch of innocent questions that couldn’t hurt her in any way like ‘what is your favorite color?’ or ‘do you like cookies?’ or even ‘what’s the capitol of France?’ But instead he basically demands she compliment him. Coming from a guy who spent most of the last two seasons refusing to take ‘no’ for an answer that’s a bit… icky.

THIS

He could’ve phrased it in any way and he used it to get compliments from her. :|

At least Ladybug asked a legitimate question about how he felt about her guardian status.

Anonymous said:

I had this idea for an episode: Luka finds out that Marinette is LB because he is in danger. Let's say he gets yeeted off a building by an akuma and Marinette (in her civilian form) jumps after him, transforms while Luka sees it (he's shook, obviously), she grabs him and saves him from falling. I think that would be pretty epic, do you think you could write a one-shot based on that idea if you feel like that? I would forever be thankful. Have a nice day!

I like the idea, though I feel like that’s been done a lot before in identity reveal fanfics.

Anonymous said:

You know, despite them all getting interrupted, I thought the attempts at Lukanette dates was really cute. Luka picking up Marinette from school, the two trying to see who is the biggest jagged fan, getting ice cream at Andre's, it's really cute! I only wish Hawkmoth and the writers weren't such dickheads.

It’s so adorable!

Like--show, you aren’t doing a good job at getting me off the Lukanette train.

Anonymous said:

Are you sure the Lukanette breakup wasn't Marinette's fault? I mean, the episode frames it like she's refusing to tell the truth, even if it's for a good reason.

I’m not sure when I said that the episode didn’t frame it as her fault?

Things are ALWAYS Marinette’s fault, it’s literally a rule of the show.

Anonymous said:

You know the truth episode actually gives more reasons for lukanette in my opinion based of its description you said. Luka is ridiculously understanding and also almost manages to fight off hawk moth as well as taking probably a week at least for him to get to that and yet he, while he’s upset, still tries to be there for marinette. Also makes the relationships she has with her friends and family worse if the secret they think she has is that she likes adrien while dating Luka.

YES!!

And oh my gosh, I feel the friends and family comment so badly. Just throwing it out there, maybe you guys don’t actually support her???

Anonymous said:

How do you feel about Luka having no negative reaction to this whole "Marinette loves Adrien" thing? I understand that he isn't exactly the jealous type, but still, it seems weird to me that he just accepts it while Marinette is dating him. I love Luka a lot, but in this situation his reaction was just so unrealistic...

Honestly, I find it really interesting. Plus, it’s Truth who’s being told those things, not Luka, and Truth has other priorities.

And--I mean, I’m positive that Luka got into the relationship knowing that Marinette wasn’t completely over Adrien. She wanted to see if they’d work and he wanted to date her. It’s both of them being a little selfish in a way and I like that.

That’s why I think he doesn’t have a big reaction to the Adrien call. He seems amused more than anything, and Luka is empathetic also so he knows not to take Marinette’s stammering/mistakes to heart because she doesn’t mean them. We already had evidence of that in “Desperada.”

writingamongther0ses said:

Even if Lukanette had stayed together, I have a feeling Alya would complain that it's not Adrien...which could lead to a character growth opportunity for her when her complaining leads to Luka getting hurt when he overhears and becomes an akuma. But that's too interesting.

Interesting character relationships??? In THIS show???

never

Anonymous said:

After watching Truth the only thing I can feel at the moment is bitter. Not angry, not sad, not disappointed. Just bitter.

Bitter’s a good way of putting it, yeah. *sigh*

Anonymous said:

The fact that the second episode released managed to get a bingo really says a lot about how predictable the show's garbage fire writing.

I KNOW, RIGHT??

I knew the Lukanette episode would be a big card filler but DAMN.

Anonymous said:

I hated all of Truth, but perhaps the worst part was how hard they tried to remind you that, no matter how much of a good time Marinette and Luka have together, it's Adrien who Marinette will end up with in the end. From Alya rudely insinuating "girl, you're acting stupid, is Adrien at your house?", to Luka receiving a PICTURE of Adrien from a kwami, to Marinette talking on the phone with Luka while her Adrien pictures are in the background, to Marinette CALLING LUKA ADRIEN, to Truth demanding that people tell him Marinette's secret, only for them ALL to say "She's in love with Adrien Agreste.".

It's absolutely anger-inducing because it tries too hard to let the audience know to forget about Luka because Adrien is lurking in the corner and he and Marinette are endgame. The fans are right, Luka IS a second choice, but not in the way they think. Luka's a second choice, not for Marinette, but for the Miraculous Ladybug world. for the WRITERS!!!

But what bothers me the most is that everyone saying that Marinette loves Adrien is accepted as truth even when Marinette herself says she's over Adrien. Her words are ignored, how she feels is ignored, because everyone else(including the girl squad, when they're supposed to be her "friends") tells her that she's supposed to be in love with Adrien, and so she "has" to go along with it because ENDGAME. It's the show saying "stupid naive Marinette, you're too immature and dumb to know how you really feel, let someone else do the thinking for you!"

Meanwhile Adrien moving on with Kagami is accepted even when he still flirts with Ladybug(and forces her to build up his ego when he asks her what she admires most about him; I know it was a spur of the moment thing, but meta-wise, it was obvious love square pushing.), because "he's trying to respect her feelings and date someone else!" It's one of the main gripes I have with the show: that teenage girls are too emotional and confused to know what they really want, but teenage boys are mature and rational enough to make up their minds about who they love without holding any animosity towards anyone.

The all-white, all-male writing team pushes the Chinese girl's feelings aside and forces her to hide and erase them if they're not want they want her to feel, while the white boy gets congratulated with a pat on the back for doing the bare minimum and always, ALWAYS, takes the moral high ground(even in superhero form when he's supposedly goofy.). When she's the lead.

"Luka's a second choice, not for Marinette, but for the Miraculous Ladybug world. for the WRITERS!!!“

LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK

It’s just tiring. It’s not even me being sick of the love square, but it being forced into everything when it’s not even relevant. The episode strategically throws more and more of Marinette’s Adrien crush (I did the math, I know this) into the mix and it provides nothing but the same tired jokes. Heck, they keep leaning on the lucky charm Marinette let him borrow (not GAVE, let him BORROW) back in Season 1 because they basically have nothing else to go off of.

[airi-p4]

Disconcerto

*Warning: S4 spoilers / theory*

My take on violinist Luka episode. I wanted to write violinist Luka + pianist Adrien as a duet and my fingers slipped. This is almost a full episode and I added too much Lukanette fluff for canon-verse ^^; (No regrets here)

AO3

__________________________________________

It was a peaceful evening at the Liberty when a deep sigh interrupted the sounds of Luka's guitar. Seated next to him, knees slightly touching, Marinette fidgeted in surprise. It was unusual to see him sigh. And it was unusual to see him down as well. But Luka kept playing and, despite not being a music expert, she noticed his music sounded slightly... off? Distant? And she couldn't help but feel curious and worried for her boyfriend's mysterious behavior.

"What's wrong, Luka? You seem down?"

The music immediately stopped as Luka's eyes darted to Marinette's, opened in surprise at her sudden question. She sounded worried, and that made him slightly happy, but also bad for instigating concern on her.

"It's nothing, Marinette. Nothing that should trouble you" he answered, returning to strum the strings of his guitar with his long fingers. He kept playing a little, making a few unusual mistakes Marinette didn’t fail to notice, and that encouraged her to insist.

"Luka. I know you're worried about something. You always listen and help me whenever I need it. Let me do the same for you" she offered.

"Thank you, Marinette." Luka smiled. "But I don't think you can help me. I appreciate your offer, though" he ended, kissing the top of her head. ‘So unfair’ Marinette pouted while he giggled a little.

"Luka!" She finally yelled. "Don't be stubborn and let me help you. I want to know what's worrying you so much. And I want to help you, if I can! I'm your girlfriend. I want you to trust me" she clinged to his arm looking straight into his eyes. "Tell me. Please?"

Luka blushed a little before looking away, unable to keep looking at the beautiful starry eyes that were making him melt. She was too cute. And the way she said she was his girlfriend… Luka’s heart was loudly pouding in happiness in his chest. Not that it showed on the outside, obviously.

"Ok…" he finally agreed, moved by Marinette's support. His answer caused her smile to grow wider in victory before he started his explanation. "You know how I go to a private school that focuses on music, right?" Marinette assented, even if she didn't know much about it. They hadn't been dating long, and Luka was very reserved when it came to himself. She was curious to know more about him. "Well, the thing is that school is very expensive… In truth, the only reason I can afford going there is because of my outstanding scores and the scholarship I keep receiving every year”

“That’s amazing…” Marinette mumbled, causing Luka to stop looking worried and smile instead, only for a second.

“But this year… There's a new violin teacher that never gives me more than a B+. I don't want to sound like I’m bragging, but I think I'm doing just as well, if not better than my classmates who get excellent scores. I don't know if Maestro Pinsart holds any personal grudge against me or my looks or whatever, but I can't seem to get there no matter how hard I try" Luka shrugged again, finishing with another sigh under Marinette's focused stare.

"You play the violin?" Marinette asked, in awe.

"The violin, the guitar, the lyre, the cello… The piano too, even if just a bit”, he smiled.

“I didn’t know that!” Marinette was amazed. She had never heard any of that before.

“That’s for string instruments. I can also play the flute and the drums, for the wind and percussion instrument classes, even if just the basics”

"Wow… That's amazing! How come you never told me before?" she asked, in glowing eyes.

"I like to be reserved about my own stuff" Luka shrugged with a soft smile. "Whenever I tell people about my scholarship most people think I'm just telling them because I’m either arrogant or looking for compliments, which couldn’t be farther than the truth. Their heart songs turn to jealous tunes that twist into fake compliments they feel pressured to make because of it. I hate it. That’s why I prefer to be quiet about it. Many people are envious of the way I can understand music and they can't"

Marinette felt embarrassed and used his shoulder to hide her red face behind. "Oh… I see. It makes sense… Oh... I'm such a bad girlfriend... I should have asked before… I'm sorry"

"Don't be” Luka smiled widely, while his hand moved to carefully grab a flock of her twin-tail’s hair. “You know now. And if there’s anything else you want to know, you can ask me anytime. You’re not like the others, Marinette. I know you’re sincere about your feelings"

“Thank you. I will" she blushed at the compliment and smiled at his widening grin. "But Luka, is there really no way to pass that subject and get your scholarship back? Maybe talk to the teacher…?" Marinette suggested.

"I already did that, Marinette. But his solution seems unattainable" he sighed again with a sad smile.

"So there’s a solution, then! What does it consist of?" Her eyes opened more.

Luka put his guitar aside to welcome Marinette in his arms, where she immediately found comfort. "You see? There's a violin contest for students from 14 to 16 years old in two weeks, Sunday. If I win that contest, the teacher is going to give me a ‘super excellent’ score and, in consequence, I'll be able to get my scholarship back and keep going to my music school" He told her, close to her ear, with his arms finding its natural position around her waist.

"Wow,  That’s it then! If it’s you, I’m sure you can win!” she exclaimed, locking fingers with him. “I believe in you” she finished.

“Oh, Marinette!” Luka laughed. “How I wish you were right! But it’s not that easy, sadly” he kissed her temple.

“Why not? Is- Is it that hard to win?" she asked with a mix of a sad and concerned look. Luka had to look away to control the urge to kiss her. She wasn’t ready for being kissed as he wanted yet. It was too early. He needed to be patient.

He left a resigned sigh. "Not hard, Marinette. It's impossible. The best violinists in France will be there to participate. You know I'm more of a guitarist than a violinist. I don't think I can win"

"But-! I’m sure you can do it! You’re amazing and talented!!" Marinette said, and Luka slightly blushed at the compliment.

"Thank you for your faith in me, but there's also another problem,” he continued under his girlfriend’s attentive ears. “I need someone to accompany me at the piano. I don't have any pianist friends at school, and the ones my teacher assigned to me, either refused directly or couldn’t stand my corrections after a day of practice. None of them want to accompany me for the contest " he sighed.

“Oh, no…” Marinette cried. “But then, your scholarship…”

Luka giggled again at her reaction. ‘Gosh, she’s so cute’, he thought, pressing a kiss on the top of her head. “It’s ok. At least I'll be able to go to your school if I fail, so it’s not that bad" he shrugged again, this time playfully.

"You won't fail!" Marinette yelled to Luka's soft smile. Even if the idea of Luka going to her same school enthused her, she didn’t want him to stop pursuing his passion for music- she knew how important it was to him. "If you need a pianist, we'll find a pianist-" she stopped as a realization struck.

Adrien.

Adrien was a pianist. A good one. Maybe he could help Luka? That’s it! Her face lit up. "What about A-" she cut herself again, biting her lip. What if Luka felt bad for her suggesting Adrien? What if he misunderstood it as her still having a crush on him?

Noticing how Marinette froze and lost herself into her thoughts, Luka called for her attention. "Marinette, it's ok, I also considered asking Adrien", he explained and she gasped in consequence.

"How do you know I was-!” She jumped, her bumping under his jaw. ‘Ouch’ He groaned. “Sorry!” she panicked. “It’s just that-! I- I didn't mean it that way!" Deep down, she wasn’t sure about her feelings for Adrien. Feelings that may have or have not completely faded. Either way, she wanted them gone. Or at least for them to stop interfering in her growing affection towards Luka. "I just want to help you… I thought that maybe..." she sounded apologetic.

"I appreciate it, Marinette. Thank you." He showed her his gratitude while squeezing her hand to cheer her up, and raising her chin with the other one so their eyes could lock together. "You see? Adrien is my friend too, and I’m more than aware of how talented he is. I just don't think his father would let him go, that's why I haven't asked him" he explained, making Marinette feel relieved.

“Oh… You’re probably right…” Marinette sadly agreed.

Luka started humming her song at the comfort of their bodies entangled in comfort together, but Marinette was more focused on her thoughts. What could she do to help Luka? Giving up before trying wasn’t like her. It wasn’t like Ladybug either. Hell no. She was going to do something. If Adrien could be the solution, then it was worth the shot. She was going to give it a try! For Luka. For her boyfriend.

“Luka. I'm going to get you a pianist, no matter what! I'm going to convince Adrien and his father!” she informed, under Luka’s surprised face. “Only helping, ok!? Don't think it's because it’s Adrien because it's not! I want you to win that contest and so you can get your scholarship. I don’t want to see you sad… even if I would like to go to the same school as you I think you deserve to follow your dreams..." she ended in a whisper.

"Thank you, Marinette. I appreciate it. I'll count on you, then?" Luka chuckled at her rambles.

Marinette’s face lit up once again. “Leave it to me!” She proclaimed, giving him a quick peck on his cheek. Gosh. He loved it when she did that. He was glad she couldn’t see his uncool and stupid in love face from that angle, because he would be dying of embarrassment otherwise.

“Would you let me listen to your violin, Luka? I really want to listen to you play it,” she asked.

“Of course. Wait a moment until I get it. Some practice will certainly do me good" he moved to his cabin and soon returned with the instrument case on his hands. He took the violin out of the case and checked its tunes. Standing up in front of Marinette, he started playing some classical music. The sounds were much different than those of the guitar, yet his music had Luka’s unique touch in it, she recognized. Marinette couldn't help but melt in his music, her fastening loud heartbeat matching the tempo and the delicate movements he performed with his bow. She felt closer to him as her admiration grew.

"Wow. It's amazing…" she mumbled after Luka stopped playing the classical piece of music. In response, the musician played some more, while Marinette set her resolve: it would be a pity if he failed before trying. She was going to convince Adrien to play the piano with Luka no matter what.

__________________

The next day, an akuma attacked early in the morning and made Marinette arrive late at school. "Oh, no! Now I have to wait until classes are over to ask Adrien..." she sighed in defeat in front of the school gates.

From behind her, a voice called. "Marinette!" Her eyes opened big in surprise to find Adrien Agreste running towards her.

"A- Adrien!" She jumped nervously. "Why are you here? Classes have already started! You should be in class!"

"Shouldn’t you be in class too?" Adrien teasingly smirked and Marinette couldn't stop a blush to form on her cheeks.

"A- I- Ahm- I guess, yes..." she started stuttering. Before things turned worse, she shook her head. 'Focus Marinette! For Luka!' she convinced herself under Adrien's innocent look. "I have something to ask you, Adrien"

"Hm? What is it?" He asked.

"Are you free on Sunday in two weeks?" Marinette successfully asked, to her own stupefy. If Alya had been there, she would be jumping in joy for her progress on talking to the blond model.

"Why?" His eyebrow arched in confusion.

"Oh, no! It's not what it seems!" She quickly denied his possible idea of it being a date- even if that was only in her own head. "Luka needs a pianist to accompany him during his violin contest. I was hoping you could help him..." she explained.

"Luka plays the violin?" the blond boy asked and Marinette nodded in confirmation. His face of confusion looked familiar, just like the one she had probably made the day before when she first found out too. "I had no idea. That's impressive" he smiled.

"I know right!? I didn't know either until yesterday," Marinette confessed. "Is there any possibility you could make it…? Please?" Marinette almost begged.

"I should talk to my father first… Or maybe I can ask Kagami to come too, and we can fake it as fencing training and sneak out of it" he playfully smirked.

“Oh… Kagami, of course…” she shoved away her mixed feelings and focused on Luka again. “It would be awesome if you two could make it!” she grinned.

“Sure! I’ll talk to my father and I’ll let you know later. We should go to class now. We’re running late” he signaled at the time on his phone.

“Oh- You’re right. Thank you very much, Adrien! I’ll be very happy if you say yes… I mean Luka will! Luka will be happy! And I will be happy too!!” ‘Argh, not again Marinette…’ “And I bet Kagami will be happy too!” She nervously said very quickly. “Anyway- Let’s go back to class…”

Later that day, at night, Adrien confirmed he would be able to make it for the contest through a message on her phone. She squealed and celebrated happily with Tikki and called Luka to let him know about the good news. “That’s awesome. Thank you, Marinette. I knew you were extraordinary” He told her, and her face flustered in bright red at the compliment. Tikki giggled at her cute reaction. Gosh, she really liked him.

____________________

The next day, when Marinette arrived at the Liberty, she was surprised to see Adrien playing the keyboard, accompanying Luka as he played the violin.

A duet.

The aura wasn’t the same as a grand piano, but it wasn’t like Adrien could easily sneak Luka into his room to practice without his father noticing, and it was enough for a first approach and to harmonize with each other.

Marinette greeted them raising her hand in silence and taking a seat at the sofa to listen to their music. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two boys that held a part of her heart each, completely hypnotized by their mesmerizing performance. Adrien played perfectly, clearly understanding his secondary role, enhancing the alluring sounds of Luka’s violin. The way Luka’s talent displayed made Marinette feel small. ‘He is the extraordinary one… ’ she thought, closing her eyes to get lost in the music. Marinette never knew violin music could be so versatile: soft and heart touching; dynamic, powerful and piercing, all at once. Luka’s skills were certainly outstanding. How could he not be getting excellent scores when he played so well? His music was flawless in Marinette’s biased opinion.

“Wow…” Marinette enthusiastically applauded when their practice ended. Luka lowered his violin and gestured for Adrien to come to his side, which he obeyed with a smile. Side by side, they exchanged a nod and bowed to their only audience: Marinette, who had a big fond smile on her face.

“That was amazing,” Adrien commented. “I have no doubts you’ll win if you can play like this. I’ll do my best so I don’t let you down” Adrien encouraged, extending his hand to Luka.

“Thank you, Adrien,” he took his hand in a confident handshake. “I really appreciate your help. I’ll do my best not to waste your efforts and support. Both of you” Luka commented, looking at both Adrien and Marinette.

“You could never!” Adrien and Marinette replied in unison. The girl blushed and sank her face in her hands, embarrassed, while the two boys shyly laughed at her cute reaction.

“When can you come to practice again?” Luka asked Adrien, but he shoved his head in a negative gesture.

“I don’t think I can tomorrow. But I’ll try to come as soon and as many days as I can, I promise”

“It’s ok. I understand. Thank you for this Adrien, it means a lot” Luka moved to hug Adrien, patting his back in a friendly way. Adrien hugged him back, happily for what seemed a step forward in their friendship. Marientte couldn’t help but squeal a little as a blush formed on her cheeks at the sight.

_____________________________

Sunday.

In what seemed a blink, the day of the contest arrived.

Marinette felt her heart pounding nervously and expectantly as she greeted Juleka, Rose and Kagami, who were saving her a seat knowing she was most likely going to arrive late, as usual. She excused herself to her friends and managed to sneak to the backstage. She wanted to wish Luka and Adrien good luck before the performance, even if, after having heard them play together, she had no doubts they were going to play amazingly on stage. Marinette walked discreetly, knowing she was in a restricted area, avoiding collision with the other musicians who awaited for their turn. Suddenly, she spotted Luka’s blue hair from afar.

“Luka!” Her boyfriend turned at her call, and saw her too, raising his hand to make it easier for her to spot them.

When she reached in front of them, her jaw fell to the floor at what she was seeing: Luka and Adrien were wearing suits, and they looked spectacular. Her temperature rose to what was surely feverish and she felt like passing out because of their handsomeness.

“Hot… I- mean- Here you are! Hello!” she nervously greeted, and the boys smiled.

“Happy to see you, Marinette. You look beautiful” Luka said, and Adrien nodded in agreement.

She did look beautiful. She was wearing a short pink but elegant sleeveless dress with a short white cardigan over her shoulders and a necklace she made with a beautiful turquoise colored shiny stone Luka had given her on their second date. Her hair was tied in a bun and a pink hair flower ornament decorated her hair. She had some makeup on too, which made her cheeks and lips a softer shade of pink than usual.

“Thank you, Luka” she blushed. ‘I’m glad I put effort on my look. Worth it’, she thought.  “Both of you look amazing…” She admired them.

First, she looked at Adrien. He was wearing the same outfit he wore the time he modeled with the hat she had designed. It wasn’t a surprise he looked great in it. But then, Marinette’s eyes moved next to analyze her boyfriend. It was her first time seeing him in a suit, and hoped it was the first one of many to come. She couldn’t stop looking at him.  The blue-haired boy was wearing a black elegant suit with a dark blue necktie and tiny golden details. He took off his earrings and accessories and got his hair styled for the occasion. He looked so different… But still managed to keep his usual calm aura to surround him. He didn’t look nervous at all despite how important the contest was for him and his future.

“Where did you get your suit, Luka?” Marinette asked.

“Oh, I lent him one,” Adrien explained. “Let’s say I secretly borrowed it for today”

‘You mean you stole it, right?’ Plagg mumbled from inside Adrien’s pocket and the pianist slightly hit his chest as a warning to the Kwami of destruction under Marinette and Luka’s confused looks. “Oh, don’t mind me. It just tickled for a moment”, he nervously excused himself.

Marinette returned to admire Luka. “You look so handsome...” She shyly admitted. “But…” Marinette took a step forward, closer to Luka. She grabbed and untied the messy looking necktie and tied it back correctly, finishing it with pressing the unwanted folds of his chest to make him look impeccable. “Now you’re perfect,” she proudly proclaimed, satisfied with her clean work. She didn’t realize what she had done until she raised her face up and found Luka’s face so close that soon her cheeks were tainted red again. ‘So close! So bold of me! How could I do this!? I feel like his wife now!’ her face flustered. Luka blushed too at their closeness, and neither of them moved for a few long seconds.

“It’s almost our turn, Luka. We should get going” Adrien interrupted, and Marinette felt even more embarrassed.

Luka smiled at her reaction. ‘So cute’ and lowered his head to press a kiss on the top of her hair. “I’ll be going now. Pay attention to us, ok?” he winked before turning to pat Adrien’s back in a ‘let’s go’ gesture.

Marinette nodded once, but immediately stopped Luka by grabbing his arm.

“Wait!”

Luka quickly turned his head towards her and she rested her feet on her tiptoes to kiss her boyfriend on the cheek. “I know you don’t need it but- Good luck” she smiled sincerely. Luka stood still for a second, processing what had just happened until he smiled softly at her.

“Thank you” Luka smiled softly at her under Adrien’s ‘awww’ smile.

“Go for it!” she yelled, pushing the boys backs as they walked to the stage.

Adrien gazed at Luka to see him unusually grinning, and smiled at his happiness. He looked determined- ready to eat the world. ‘I need to do my best too’

Luka felt a rush of emotions. ‘Now I’m ready to channel all this happiness into the song,’ he thought. But most of all, he felt invincible. He was going to win. Not for himself. Not for his teacher. Not for his scores or his scholarship. But for Marinette. And for Adrien too. He was going to show his audience what music meant to him, and what his girlfriend and good friend made him feel. Ah, yes. He was going to give the performance of his life.

____________

Marinette barely made it on time to see the two boys get on the stage as she rushed to carefully sit down next to Kagami, apologizing for her tardiness.

Adrien moved in front of the piano. He positioned the piano stool at his ideal position and strengthened his back and his arms to let his suit's sleeves slide down his arms to impede them from interfering with his playing, and ended his ritual turning the score to the right page.

Next to him, in front of the piano, Luka looked at Adrien, who nodded in a 'whenever you want' meaning, which Luka nodded back with a 'let's do this'.

Luka's eyes were on fire. When the first notes of Adrien's initial solo started, he raised his violin and his bow, straightened his back and searched for Marinette in the audience. He immediately found her, and she felt her body hot at his burning eyes and his loving smile. One second later, he tilted his head to let it rest on the violin and closed his eyes before letting himself merge and flow with the soft music he was producing. From the way he played, it felt like Luka had become music himself, perfectly harmonized with Adrien's soft piano as the classical slow tempo song advanced.

And then, the crescendo.

A sudden change of rhythm impressed the audience with a collective gasp and amazed voices as Luka played like there was no tomorrow. Fast and extremely difficult, according to the expert musician behind Marinette, and perfectly accompanied by Adrien's talented piano, the music reached the enthralled audience, who felt the dramatic sounds over their skins. And when the classical song seemed to have reached its climax, Luka masterfully performed a movement of extreme difficulty to create his own accord arrangement. Nobody could disagree that Luka made the song his own song.

“Your boyfriend is amazing,” Kagami whispered in Marinette’s ear, more than impressed by the boy’s performance.

The half chinese girl blushed at her friend’s comment and felt proud of being Luka’s girlfriend. He was amazing indeed... Such passion and talent, plus his ability to touch people’s hearts with his music… There was something more… Gratitude...  Ambition… And LOVE. Love towards her, Marinette realized, when he took a quick glance at her. And all her senses were glued to him: her boyfriend- Luka. His movements were both dynamic and energetic, and precise and delicate. It was perfect both visually and musically, to the point the performance moved her to tears.

And not only her. The audience was hypnotized by Luka's violin and Adrien’s piano. So much that when his music stopped in a dramatic and passionate finishing segment with impeccable control, only silence and Luka’s breath occupied the auditorium for a moment. It took the audience a few seconds to react before standing up for a heart-felt and excitedly massive standing ovation.

Luka was panting out of the effort and sweat was running down his face. The drops of sweat appeared to make him glow under the spotlights and Marinette was fascinated as his gaze moved to lock with hers again. He proudly smiled at her, satisfied of having given it his all and grateful to his girlfriend for having encouraged him to stand where he was at that precise moment. Her hands stopped clapping at that moment and used them to cover her obvious blush instead. It was in that instant when she noticed the tears running down her cheeks. She was touched by his recital.

Amid the acclaim, Luka and Adrien came in front of the stage and bowed to the audience and, then to the judges. Some of them were having real trouble holding back their tears and excitement, despite trying hard not to show it. When the two boys moved backstage, Marinette rushed to go meet them, followed by Kagami.

Soon, the girls encountered Adrien, but he was alone. His eyes glowed when he noticed the girls. "Kagami, Marinette!" He called, running to hug his girlfriend encouraged by the rushes of adrenaline from the performance.

"You were amazing, Adrien" Kagami congratulated her boyfriend with a quick peck on his lips. Adrien giggled and lifted her body. Kagami couldn't help but to smile back at him.

Marinette felt a little awkward at the scene, but somehow, she didn't feel hurt. Not as she would have expected some time ago, at least.

"Adrien" Marinette called. "You were incredible," Marinette proudly stated. "Thank you so much for doing this"

Adrien signaled Kagami to separate from the hug and let him talk to his 'good friend' Marinette.

"Thank you, Marinette. It was fun! Besides, I'm always happy to help my friends” he said, noticing how she was trying to peek behind him. “Oh, I bet you want to talk to Luka, right?" He realized, turning his head to signal her where he was. "He's talking to his teacher now. You know, Maestro Pinsart, that old man with the white crazy hair. I think it will take a long time... He won't stop complimenting how ‘super fantastic’ and ‘majestic’ Luka’s violin was" Adrien giggled.

"Oh… I guess I'll have to wait then…" Marinette sighed, a little disappointed.

"Why don't we go grab something to eat meanwhile?" Kagami suggested. “There’s still time until they announce the winner.”

Adrien's stomach growled. "Now that you mention it, I'm starving" he grinned. "Let's go get something from the cafeteria!" Adrien grabbed Kagami's hand and Marinette's wrist and pulled them like he did that day they escaped together from the Bourgeois’ Wedding Anniversary party. But this time, to his surprise, Marinette refused his hold. Adrien and Kagami blinked and exchanged confused looks.

"Sorry! I would rather wait for Luka here. I really want to congratulate him for his performance" Marinette explained with a subtle blush on her face. The couple exchanged smiles in understanding as they excused themselves and ran hand in hand across the aisle.

Marinette took little curious glances at her boyfriend and his teacher from afar. Maestro Pinsart seemed exalted. His movements were euphoric and he seemed proud of his student as he commented on his performance. ‘Spectacular! Majestic! Estupefantastico!’ were some of the words Marinette could hear him yell from afar. It was amusing to see someone so happy about a violin performance. It was understable after seeing how marvelously Luka had played, though.

Luka was listening to his teacher, but when he looked to the side for a second, he noticed Marinette and gestured for her to join them. Mister Pinsart turned his head to Marinette too, and she squeaked before approaching them.

"Your girlfriend?" The old man asked.

Luka looked at Marinette, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Yes. She's my girlfriend, Marinette. She always brings out the best in me. She's extraordinary"

Marinette blushed once again as Luka’s teacher looked at her. "So she's your muse, huh?” the old man said. “Nice to meet you, Miss. Your boyfriend is the best student I've ever had. I have great expectations for him. I’m happy to meet his source of inspiration"

"Eh? But then… I don't understand. My scores...?" Luka seemed surprised.

"I wanted you to try harder. You have a lot of talent and I know you could do better if you give it your best. And you proved it today. I'm very proud of you, Mr. Couffaine. You're my pride and joy as a teacher" the teacher finally explained his reasons.

"Then… can he get an excellent score now?" Marinette suddenly blurted, and immediately gaped, covering her mouth in regret. “Sorry!”

Instead of feeling offended, Maestro Pinsart laughed and looked at Luka, who was smiling at his girlfriend. "You know my promise, right? Mister Couffaine will get a ‘super excellent’ only if he wins” he told Marinette. Then, he focused on Luka and placed his hand on his shoulder. “It shouldn't be difficult after your outstanding performance"

"Thank you so much, Maestro" Luka blushed, happy for his teacher’s trust.

"Maestro is right, Luka! You were fantastic! I'm sure you'll win, too" Marinette agreed in excitement and Luka smiled softly at her.

"Thank you, Marinette"

"The judges will assemble to discuss the winner as soon as the violinist currently playing finishes," Maestro commented. “Don’t be late for the announcement. See you later”

“Where’s Adrien?” Luka asked.

“He went to the cafeteria with Kagami. Are you hungry? Or thirsty? We can join them, if you want” Marinette asked.

“What do you want to do, Marinette? Are you hungry?”

“I’m not-” she started, but her stomach growled. Marinette sank her embarrassed face in her hands and Luka giggled at her cuteness.

“Let’s go to the cafeteria, then”

Luka offered her his hand and soon, they joined Adrien and Kagami who were happily eating and joking around.

___________________________________

Some minutes before the time of the winner announcement arrived, Luka and Adrien returned to the contestants room to wait for the judges deliberate to end. The list of the finalists was already published and Luka's name was one of the 5 contestants' names that remained.

Marinette was nervously tapping her fingers on her lap, her feet on the floor and he seemed unable to find comfort in her seat. Kagami tried to calm her down, but nothing worked, so she excused herself to the toilet to go get any hint she could.

From behind some curtains, she saw how a man hid something inside a music equipment box near the stage. She looked at his smirk in suspicion, but soon the announcer crossed the door to go to the stage, followed by the 5 contestants and their partners. Luka seemed calm, and it helped Marinette to loosen up as she returned to her seat.

“I’m so nervous!” Juleka said, and Rose held her hand in a reassuring way. “Don’t worry, Juleka. It’s going to be ok, you’ll see”

Marinette had her hands in a praying gesture, wishing for Luka’s name to be inside the envelope the announcer had in his hands. After some words she couldn’t properly hear, the moment of truth arrived.

“And the winner is…” the man started, proceeding to read the name chosen by the judges. Oh, gosh! The suspense was killing her. C’mon say it already! She internally begged. And he finally spoke. “Miss Cresto! Congratulations!”

Silence followed for a few seconds after the revelation. Luka not winning? Nobody could understand why. Not even when they started applauding more because of protocol than anything. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t honest. Something was fishy. Before Marinette could protest someone else did.

“WHAT!? This is inadmissible!” Maestro Pinsart jumped to the stage. “My student performed the best here, there’s no way he’s not the winner! Are your ears corky!? I bet everyone in this auditoire thinks the same! This is gibberish!”

“Oh, calm down Maestro Pinsart… Everybody’s performance was impressive, just accept the judges decision… it’s never easy for them to choose one winner” the MC attempted to calm the old man.

“NO! This can’t be the result! I can’t accept it!” He was enraged at the judges decision.

“Wait, isn’t that Maestro Pinsart?” someone close to Marinette mentioned.

“Oh no, no way!” exclaimed the woman next to her.

“I thought he retired after what happened that time!” said a third person.

“Me too! I can’t believe he still goes with the name of ‘Maestro’ after everything...” yet another voice added.

“And now he’s doing it again! He just can’t accept defeat, can he?”

“Poor Couffaine boy…”

More and more voices raised as the time passed by and Maestro’s attitude only worsened.

‘What happened for everyone to think so badly of Maestro Pinsart?’ Marinette wondered, and reached her smartphone to look at his name on the internet.

Bingo.

Apparently, Maestro Pinsart had lost in an orchestra conducting contest. He claimed someone manipulated the results, but couldn’t prove it and his reputation was damaged in the process when he punched the winner of that contest: Maestro Cresto. ‘Wait. Maestro Cresto…? Isn’t that the name of the violinist who won? Something is very fishy’

Marinette couldn’t give it more thought when she saw how a black butterfly entered Maestro Pinsart’s wand baton and got akumatized by Shadow Moth. A black cloud of noise surrounded him, and an akuma who called himself Disconcerto appeared before the crowd’s scared eyes.

The akuma soon tried to get Luka under his control, but he managed to dodge the laser beam Disconcerto threw from his wand and successfully fled to hide. Disconcerto’s next target was the winner of the contest, and soon, Paris’ superheroes Ladybug and Chat Noir joined his concert.

The akuma's power was to channel his feelings through his wand into mind controlling magic. Everyone affected by Disconcerto’s powers couldn’t control their bodies and were forced to obey the akuma’s wish, which was revenge by showing people his conductor and teaching abilities and calling out Mister Cresto and his daughter. Soon, the Disconcerto had a whole army of musicians ready to punish the Crestos and fight Paris' superheroes for their Miraculous. The victims under the akuma’s control were forced to play a perfect song with musical instruments he himself provided them, giving them the skills to play them. The music was dangerous too, since it had paralyzing effects on whoever listened to it so the heroes used headphones to cover their ears.

"Lucky charm!" Ladybug called, and two bottles of wine fell into her hands.

"Wine? What are you going to do with that?" Could be read in Chat's lips. Both heroes had soundproof earphones on their ears to protect themselves from being controlled. "Cataclysm!"

Ladybug noticed how Disconcerto’s eyebrows frowned whenever someone missed the beat. ‘Bingo’

Ladybug gazed around with her spotted vision. Her eyes landed first on Luka, who was hiding behind the curtains of the stage, covering his ears and trying to find an opening to convince his teacher to snap out of his akumatization. A smirk formed in Ladybug's mouth.

Luka, his violin, his violin bow, a cable, an amplifier, the curtains, a rope, a spotlight, Chat Noir and finally, the wine bottles and their cork caps.

Ladybug asked Luka to connect his violin to the amplifier and play as loud as possible to distract the akuma and neutralize his powers. As expected, his attention immediately turned to Luka. “Mr. Couffaine! Why are you doing this! I’m your teacher!” he yelled, and Ladybug took the chance to direct the spotlight to his eyes to blind him, creating the perfect opening for Chat Noir to cataclysm the ropes holding the curtains so they fell over the akuma. She then used a cable to tie him and stuff the cork caps into his ears. With the loss of his hearing and tied up as he was, the akuma’s anger peaked and Disconcerto’s wand finally fell into Ladybug's hands. A moment later the akuma was purified and all the damage cured by the magical Ladybugs. Luka immediately ran to help his teacher and thanked the heroes.

"What happened?" the old man asked.

"You were akumatized" Ladybug explained. “It’s over now. Don’t worry”

"Oh, no! It's because I'm a failure as a teacher and I couldn't even make my best student win… I repeated the same mistake from a long time ago..." The teacher cried in regret.

"You could never be a failure, sir. Not when your student is so talented and shows all this admiration towards you" added Chat Noir.

Luka, who was holding him, nodded in agreement. "I would have never tried my best or reached this far if it wasn't for your accurate instructions. It's the first time a teacher can understand and explain music in the language I understand, myself- to some kind of inexplicable spiritual level"

"Mr. Couffaine… You really are my pride and joy. You're the winner for me. And don't worry. Rest assured you have more than an excellent score from me. I hope you continue coming to the school next year" He accepted Luka’s helpful hand to stand up.

"I’ll be honored, Maestro"

"Thank you Ladybug, Chat Noir" Pinsart thanked. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience I caused”

“Not at all, Maestro. What is wrong here isn’t your doing but this” Ladybug took the envelope from the music equipment box close to the stage she had considered suspicious. “This is most likely the real envelope with the real winner. We’ll have to ask Maestro Cresto and his daughter to give us some kind of explanation for their involvement in the matter” Ladybug explained, handing the true envelope to the MC. Everyone gasped and Maestro Cresto’s daughter ran away crying in embarrassment.

That said, the superheroes left the stage and returned to where they were supposed to be: Marinette in her seat next to Kagami and Adrien at the stage, behind Luka.

_________________________________________________

"Well… it seems there was a confusion with the results, as Ladybug pointed out… We verified it after talking to the judges and it seems someone manipulated the envelope and changed its contents. So here’s the real verdict…“ The MC paused dramatically to create expectation as he slowly opened the envelope. Marinette gulped and joined her hands in a prayer. ‘Let Luka win, please! Let Luka win…’ she begged. And the man finally released everybody's tension by reading the name of the winner. “The winner is... Mr. Luka Couffaine, accompanied by Adrien Agreste on the piano! Congratulations!"

Marinette gasped and teared up as her applause resonated with every single one in the concert stadium. From the stage, Luka smiled at Marinette and took the golden violin statue prize. Adrien offered to hold it for him as he grabbed the microphone to give his winning speech.

"Thank you so much! I’m honored to receive this prize. I just want to say that I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for my friend Adrien and my girlfriend Marinette. And this" he signaled the statue he got as a prize, "would have been impossible to achieve without my teacher's lessons. Thank you, Maestro Pinsart" Luka bowed to his teacher.

Another round of applause followed when the spotlight found Maestro in one of the seats closer to the stage. He blushed and bowed his head in gratitude, crying a little.

"Would you perform again for us?" the presenter asked.

Luka nodded and returned the microphone. He exchanged a glance with Adrien, who understood him without words, and they got ready to perform. Luka took out an electric violin and plugged it into an amplifier Juleka had previously prepared.

“One, two, three… Rock-'n'-roll!”

Nobody expected Luka and Adrien to suddenly play Jagged Stone's music. 'When did they practice for this?' Marinette wondered. It was so intense the audience was losing it. People said that Maestro Pinsart had never been fond of Rock music, but it didn't escape Marinette how he was happily tapping his fingers and moving his head at the rhythm of the song. Marinette grabbed Kagami's hand and encouraged her to dance with her. Then she encouraged Rose and Juleka to do the same and join them. Soon, it seemed more like a rock concert than a classical music contest. And it wasn’t a bad thing, the audience seemed to agree.

When Luka and Adrien finished, they bowed to the audience once again. Statue in Adrien's hands, they got stopped multiple times before they could finally make it to the contestants’ room.

By the time they changed to their usual clothes and exited the auditoire, Kagami had already returned home, and Adrien's curfew was slightly overdue. The blond boy was the first one to come out from backstage to where Marinette was waiting for them, with Adrien’s bodyguard waiting for him in his car parked nearby.

“Marinette!” Adrien called.

"Adrien!” she called back, happy to see her friend. “Congratulations! Thank you so much for this". Out of gratitude, Marinette's body moved on its own to press a thankful kiss to the blond boy's cheek. The boy innocently smiled at her, and it was then when she realized what she had done and panicked.

"See you tomorrow at school" Adrien left, waving at her and entering the car.

"Ye- yes… See you tomorrow!" ‘Argh! What am I doing? I was supposed to be over this crazy phase!’

From behind, someone tapped her shoulder and Marinette jumped, startled by the sudden touch.

"Luka!" She recognized when turning to him, jumping for a hug that left him a little puzzled. "Don't tell me you saw that?" she panicked. Luka nodded with a sympathetic smile, one that reminded her of the one he showed her the day of Felix’s ‘incident’. "It's not what it seems! I'm just grateful and thankful and moved and I don't know how it happened- it's not what you think, you have to trust me!"

Luka chuckled at her rambles. ‘So cute,’ he thought, before holding her closer in a warm embrace. "I trust you from toes to earrings, Marinette. Thank you for encouraging me" he fondly said. Marinette blushed at the contact and showed a surprised confused look. 'Does he know?' Luka could tell she was wondering. He knew her better than herself, he thought.

But the way Marinette got lost into his ocean blue eyes and raised her tip-toes to kiss him tenderly on the lips proved him wrong.

She loved him.

And she wanted to show him how confident she was about that fact. She wanted to tell him she had no doubts anymore. Tell him he was special and that she was thankful for having him in her life.

And Luka understood.

Her loving eyes when her lips parted from his were honest, and Luka couldn't hold himself back, so he cupped her cheek with one hand and finally kissed her like he had always wanted to kiss her, with all his love unleashed- no holding back. And Marinette accepted it. All his love, at the same time she gave him hers. They lost themselves in a long, magical kiss filled with new sensations that melted their insides as if their hearts were fusing together. Mutual love.

"Luka" she called in his breath. "Hm?" He pulled apart a centimeter, just the necessary distance to allow her to speak. "Congratulations for winning the violin contest" she grinned.

"Totally worth the prize" Luka grinned, before leaning in for another kiss.

[hermionemonica]

Cause I knew I was in love with you (when we sat in silence): Marichat May 2020 - Day 29

AO3 | For the @marichatmay

Collab with @lalunaoscura

DAY 1 | <-28 | 29 | 30->

Day 29 — Pajamas (Chapter by @lalunaoscura)

His hands on her back froze.

“W-what?”

“I want to know who you are.”

“My lady…” his voice came out strangled. “Do you- I mean, are you-” he stopped and she could hear him taking a deep breath. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. I want to.”

“O-Okay. Yeah, that’s okay.”

She reached out to turn the lamp on, but Chat grabbed her wrist to stop her.

“Why don't we let the sun raise?” he said, his nose sliding down her neck until he reached her collarbone where he left a kiss.

“And what are we going to do until then?”

“We could listen to some music…” one kiss on her collarbone. “Or talk…” another on her shoulder. “Or kiss…” this time, on her neck. “Or…”

She moaned and he stopped, all blushing and embarrassed.

“I- We- I mean, I-”

She kissed him to stop his babbling.

“I like the kissing part. Besides, you don’t have to show me if you don’t want to. I can give you a good good-bye kiss and let you go.”

“I want the kiss but I also want to show you who I am, so please, help me choose?”

She laughed and grabbed his chin, kissing him slowly. She was feeling a little bold, so she licked and bit his bottom lip gently, shivering, when he moaned against her mouth.

“Too much?”

“No. Try again.” he said and she laughed, kissing him again.

Chat threw himself back on the bed, lying down with Marinette sitting on his lap. His girlfriend bent over and kissed the corner of his mouth before spreading kisses along his jawline and finally on his neck.

When she kissed his neck, his hands slid down and he grabbed the back of her thighs, squeezing them. She stopped and he froze.

“I-I’m sorry.” he stammered

“Hm, I really don’t mind,” she put her hands on his shoulders and pushed herself up. “But I think it’s better if we behave for now, right?”

“What a shame,” he said, his hand caressing the exposed skin of her legs that her pajama shorts weren’t covering. “But you’re right. We have a big thing happening soon.”

She lay down next to him and they moved so they were facing each other. They shared the earphones, listening to his playlist. They were so close, his arms around her, her hands caressing his face, especially where his mask would be.

“It’s almost time. One last chance to give up,” he whispered.

She replied with a long kiss, closing her eyes.

His heart was beating like crazy, full of excitement and a little fear. What if she freaks out? What if she wants to break up with him because he was Adrien? She said she was moving on from him, and then she fell in love with him, and when he reveals himself she would hate him and they would break up and-

“Chat,” she whispered against his mouth and he opened his eyes, seeing her with hers still closed. “I can practically hear you thinking. Do you want to reveal yourself? You don’t need to do it if you don’t want to.”

“I want to, my lady. It’s just… I’m a little nervous, you know?”

“I know. I’m nervous too. Here,” she grabbed his hand and put against her chest so he could feel how fast her heart was beating. “See? I am as nervous as you.”

“You… promise me you won’t freak out when you see me without the mask.”

“Chat, I told you before. I’ll love you no matter who is under the mask.” she kissed him.

“I’m not saying anything about love because I know you will, but” he said, brushing her hair to the side. “I just think you will freak out a little when you see who I am.”

“Yeah? Because underneath that mask you’re a fugitive psycho?”

He smirked, putting his hand around her neck and squeezing a little, moving to the side so he could kiss her ear.

“And you let me sleep in the same bed as you.”

“Maybe I like the danger.”

He laughed as he ran his nose down her neck, getting intoxicated by her sweet lavender smell. She sighed happily, putting her arm on his hip and looking at him. They stayed quiet, looking at each other, listening to their songs, with him playing with her hair and she caressing his chin with her fingertips.

Little by little, the sunbeams started to enter her room, illuminating the place that once was dark. Little by little, he saw her expression changing: first recognition, then shock, and in the end a delightful smile, her eyes full of love and tears as she drew the details of his face with her fingertips.

“So…” he said, so nervous that his voice cracked. “What do you think?”

She said nothing first, just looking at him like he was the most precious thing she had ever saw. Gently, she moved in bed, approaching him until she was laying down, face to face. She kissed his cheeks. His nose. His eyes. His forehead. His mouth.

“You’re not surprised.” he said.

“It’s you,” she whispered against his mouth, staring at him. “How could it be anyone but you?”

“Mari-”

“How couldn’t it be you? Of course it is you!” She was smiling, her thumb brushing his tears away. “Of course you’re mine.”

“Yes. I am yours,” he picked her hand and kissed. “I’m your chaton.”

“Yes. You are,” she started crying for some reason and hugged him hard. He hugged her back, kissing her head.

“Shhh, it’s okay, my lady. It’s okay.”

“I know now how you found out about my identity. How could I be so stupid to think that Adrien would tell people who I was in Chat Blanc’s universe?” she mumbled and he kissed her forehead to calm her down. “Of course you wouldn’t. I should trust you way more than I did. Oh, my God, how could I think that-”

He kissed her to stop her ranting.

“That place doesn’t exist anymore. It is in the past. You saved me, my lady. You saved me and we promised each other that our love will be stronger than Hawkmoth. And we will be because I trust us. Trust us, my lady. Trust that we can be stronger.”

She grabbed his face and kissed him senseless. He chuckled when she started peppering kisses on his face, and he wrapped his arms around her waist to turn them. She gasped when her back hit the mattress and he put his elbows on it, her face between them.

“Hi, Marinette.” he whispered.

“Hello, Adrien.”

Her saying his name with all her love and affection did things to his heart. Good things. Things able to make his brain not work properly and his thoughts similar to a keysmash. His insides twisted like he was on a rollercoaster and he didn’t know if he was hot because it was hot, or because she made him hot.

Both, probably.

He grabbed her face and kissed her hungrily.

“I love you.” he whispered against her mouth.

“I love you too.”

They shared another kiss and then he lay down next to her, bringing her into his arms to steal a few more minutes with her before going back to his room.

“You know, it all makes sense now,” she whispered.

“What?”

“You being a blushing mess everytime Alya and I talked about Chat. Or when you snapped at me because I went on that date with Luka.”

“I thought it wasn’t a date?” he said suspiciously, as he lowered his head to look at her. His girlfriend was smirking.

“Gotcha.” she flicked his nose and he rolled his eyes. “Did you- did you just roll your eyes at me?”

“Yeah, I did, what are you going to do about it?”

Marinette smirked before tickling him. Adrien tried to run away, but she locked him with her legs and he whined, begging for mercy while she laughed and tickled him.

When he was almost dying from laughing, he grabbed her arms and pinned her to the bed. She gasped and looked at him with a huge smile.

“Is that Ladybug themed pajamas?”

He smiled as he let her go and put both of his hands on his hips, cocking them to the side.

“Do you think it makes me fabulous?”

“So hot.” she laughed and he pouted. “I loved your pajamas.”

“It’s to match your Chat Noir one.”

“Oh, so you bought it recently?”

“Yes.”

“That’s funny because I went with Alya last year to the shop to buy some clothes and they were selling a pair of pajamas that were identical to yours.”

He blushed and she giggled.

“Well, you can’t judge me. I’ve been your fan since we were 13. Do you want to talk about embarrassing things? You tried to kiss me when I was a statue!”

“Hey! That’s it, leave my room, I don’t want you here anymore!”

“Damn, if I could go back in time, I would punch my face. Why didn’t I let you kiss me? It would have saved us so much time.”

She rolled her eyes, opening her arms. Adrien cuddled up into her embrace.

“Damn, you’re such a dork,” she whispered “why do I love you so much?”

“I don’t know, but I can say this… you’re really something.”

“What?”

He moved to kiss her.

“I love you so much too.”

*

“Okay, I confess, I’m really happy for them,” Plagg commented, watching the two teens teasing each other, whispering love confessions and kissing. “But I don’t miss this part.”

Tikki laughed, looking at their holders.

“It’s always beautiful when they finally are together.”

“When they can be together, you mean,” Plagg said, eating a piece of camembert. “We had a lot to deal with all those years. And we need to be careful with them.”

Tikki sighed.

“Do you think that Chat Blanc happened because of their love?”

“I don’t know, sugarcube. But I don’t want to test the theory.”

Tikki agreed.

“So, we need to keep eyes on them.”

“Like we already do.” Plagg shrugged. “But it’s worth it, right?”

Tikki looked at the happy couple.

“Yeah, it is.”

[vampexx]

Thoughts on Luka and in general

Well, I have been working on an analysis for Luka’s character for a little while now and every time I worked on it, I just didn’t like the way it was turning out. As in, it wasn’t flowing well, it was super messy and patchy, and it was so long that I was losing track of all of the points I was planning on making....yes, that long. SO, I thought I would not only spare myself the headache, but that I would spare you guys too lol.  So I just threw this together hoping it would sit better with me and luckily, it does :) .

I was going to make this post some grand master-analysis on my theories, thoughts and opinions of everything from characters, theories, different ships, etc. and yikes, that idea was scratched pretty quickly because someone who rambles as much as I do, that’s the worst decision ever lol I do not have the time nor patience for any of that mess lol.

Besides, most of what was in this post before I scrapped it has all been said before so I didn’t want to be repetitive.

So instead, I have decided to include mainly my new thoughts on Luka since coming to a different conclusion and stance on his character. The rest will be included, yes, but in the form of links to my other theories and opinions that I was planning including originally to some degree for anyone who may care what my opinion is.

With all that being said, let’s talk about my new found opinion of Luka.

I have always agreed with those that said that Luka’s character was flat, 2-dimensional and too “perfect” to be true. Now here’s the thing, while I was writing the scrapped analysis that was essentially going to reiterate those same things, I came to the conclusion that Luka is, in fact, not perfect. 

For instance:

In the episode, “Silencer,” Marinette and Luka go to XY and his manager to defend Kitty Section when discovering their style and song were wrongfully stolen/ copied. Of course, Luka is a very reserved and subdued character so his flaws are more easily unnoticed at first glance. To spot his flaws, you have to look less at what he is doing (writing melodies, being compassionate, etc. you know, things that make him “perfect.”) and look more at what he is not doing. Back to my point in, “Silencer.” So, Marinette, as she normally does, is quick to defend and argue over the wrongful use of Kitty Section’s style and song. She ends up in a pretty heated argument with XY’s manager. Where is Luka, you ask? While he is in indeed angry like Marinette, but he is standing in the background not really helping nor backing her up in said argument when he arguably should have. Now, this is in fact a flaw. It is due to his non-confrontational and reserved nature that he does not get involved in the argument, neither to back up / defend Marinette, but also not to defend Kitty Section, his own band. He just let’s Marinette do all the arguing and talking while he’s just there watching, getting angrier and angrier, eventually being akumatized. 

Granted, Luka has shown to be not as good with words as say maybe someone like Marinette. What I mean by that is, he usually seems to speak via music so maybe he struggles with verbal expression although that would contradict his poetic words in, “Silencer,” and compassionate words in, “Felix.” Not that expression primarily through music is a bad thing, it is easily endearing to his character however it can also be viewed as another “flaw,” being that he is not a communicator unlike Marinette, who sometimes over communicates lol. It’s pretty clear that Luka does have some nice choice of words to say, however when he does talk, he doesn’t say a whole lot as in, it’s fairly brief. Otherwise, he keeps to himself it seems. Now Luka’s lack of communication can be foreseen as kryptonite to the Lukanette ship, just as I have said above, Marinette is a communicator and not Luka. For someone like Marinette, that could easily be a “turn off” for her, who is a very (sometimes overly) outwardly expressive person, although sometimes not by choice lol.

I may not have found many flaws for Luka, however I feel it’s enough to combat the statement of his character being too “perfect.” I agree, he seems that way at first. Due to his “laid back,” and “go with the flow,” type nature, it’s easy to potentially misinterpret him as a “too good to be true,” type of character. To reiterate, his flaws can be more easily found in what he is not doing, rather than what he is doing. For comparison, a good example of someone having flaws based off of what they do/ their actions (as opposed to inaction) would be Kagami, basing this statement off of her vastly differing personality from Luka. 

To sum up regarding Luka’s flaws, the ones that I have found so far are inaction, seemingly distant and disinterested (mentioned more in depth in link #2) and lack of general communication. Why he possesses those flaws are open to anyone’s interpretation. I for one, am not digging that deep.

Thus being why I have changed my opinion of Luka from being neither good nor bad, just generally indifferent to his character, to actually now being a Luka stan. Now, I’m not necessarily his biggest fan and I am certainly not a fan of Lukanette, but I’m ok with his character and  I do stan Lukagami because they are both Adrien and Marinette’s mirrors, therefore they are also arguably yin and yang like Adrien and Marinette.

Now this post is titled, “Thoughts on Luka and in general.” Meaning, there are some other things I wanted to include that don’t necessarily involve Luka’s character. 

1st being - As of the season 3 finale, I would like to state that no one is officially dating. Nothing official has happened. No one even kissed. 90% of Lukanette’s actions were essentially friendly, nothing too romantic. Marinette does not appear to really reciprocate Luka’s feelings (as backed by, “Luka as seen by Marinette,” video where she never mentions returning his feelings). Also, Adrigami didn’t officially happen either. Although a kiss was attempted, it did in fact fail on Adrien’s end. Some kids sat next to each other, hung out  and ate ice cream which normally doesn’t suggest that people are dating. If anything at all romantic happened in the very end of the finale, it’s that the two pairs are in the, “testing the waters,” phase at best. No more no less, in my opinion.

Remember: The theme of the finale was, “You don’t always get what you want.” That doesn’t just apply to Adrien, Marinette and especially the fandom. It also applies to Kagami, Luka, Chloe, Hawkmoth, Mayra and hell, even Andre lol.

Let’s be honest, we’re not even guaranteed to pick up where we left off in the season 3 finale when season 4 starts.

2nd thing - Now that the peacock miraculous is fixed, I will be shocked if we don’t see the butterfly and peacock miraculous unified, and whatever fresh hell that will bring lol.

Third thing - The kiss in season 2 finale was not just friendly unless when a friend kisses you on the cheek, you look at them like this...

To which I must ask....are they just a friend lmao? (Lol sorry, don't @ me, trying to make a MLB pun....)

4th  thing - I really don’t know which love square ship will be primary in season 4. Like, Adrien still loves Ladybug, obviously, and always will but seems to be taking a break from pursuing her romantically. It is also made crystal clear via a forgotten confession in, “Chat Blanc,” and through increasingly prominent heart eyes from Adrien that his, “more than friends,” feelings for Marinette are growing so much and so fast that they’re quickly reaching the point for him to no longer be able to ignore it. So Adrien, “changing his target,” will not shift to Kagami, rather it will shift to Marinette. I mean, there was no mention of Adrigami vs. Adrinette having a decided victor in season 4 like Lukanette vs. Adrinette, which leads me to think they will not only end first, but also end pretty early on in the season if the ship takes off officially at all, which is still unknown. Next, we have Marinette who is in a more complicated position. She believes that she cannot love Chat due to thinking, for what she knows to be some outrageous reason that she refuses to look into, “will end the world.” She is also trying to move on from Adrien, who obviously she will also never get over. So for Marinette it’s trickier because she feels like she can’t have either, while Adrien seems to get a simple shift in “targets.” 

So how this love square business is going to play out in season 4 is kind of up in the air for me. Marichat is a possible route, where Adrien is pining for Marinette as Chat and Marinette is pining for Chat (while believing they can’t be together) however that makes it seem less likely. It could also be Adrinette, which I feel might be the most sensible route, because Adrien pining for Marinette after finally coming to terms with his feelings for her, and Marinette I guess then deciding to give them a shot romantically assuming Adrien confesses, otherwise if she is still trying to move on without knowing Adriens feelings for her, then I don’t know how well that would work. Ladrien I guess could work, like an unrequited love type deal although I don’t know how likely that is to happen given both main character’s head spaces. Ladynoir I expect, at least for most of the season, to be mostly platonic temporarily. Ladynoir, in my opinion, will probably be the last corner of the love square to be resolved, which I think will take place in the movie after season 4. So, yeah.....more than likely to be played out either via Marichat or Adrinette in my opinion.

That’s all I have to talk about for now....I have just been kind of sitting on those thoughts for a while. Now I will include the links as mentioned earlier:

Link 1) https://vampexx.tumblr.com/post/190128222840/just-my-opinion

Link 2) https://vampexx.tumblr.com/post/190054338050/uh-ohi-used-my-brain-againget-ready-lol

Link 3) https://vampexx.tumblr.com/post/189482028990/just-a-thought-there-are-spoilers-in-case

Link 4) https://vampexx.tumblr.com/post/189856458390/alright-sorry-but-im-gonna-be-salty-real

Sorry this was lengthy, but believe me, this is way better than what this post would have been originally lol. I’m still so tired after all that though...oh well. Worth it I guess.

Have a miraculous day and thank you for your patience! 

[quickspinner]

Day 6 - Hurt/Comfort

I don’t know why I had so much trouble with this, except there’s so much hurt/comfort in my usual fics that I had a hard time finding an approach that I hadn’t already used or wasn’t about to use. Anyway, this is the third thing I came up with and I’m not totally happy with it but I’ve finally decided to just quit overthinking it! (Hi, I am the queen of overthinking). Anyway, have a sort of college student/coffee shop owner AU. Day 7 will be a little delayed because I was working on this one, but I think I have something roughed out that might work, even if it’s cheating a little to use it.

The day was over at last, but Marinette couldn’t bring herself to go home and face another day of her roommate’s increasingly clipped and curt pep talks. She headed for her favorite coffee shop instead. Luka smiled when she came in, and she had no idea what kind of look she gave him in return before letting her eyes slide away. Marinette found her way to a secluded table in the back, put her head down on her arms and cried. At some point, she sensed a cup and a napkin being placed next to her, as well as a small packet of tissues, and felt a gentle hand press on her back, and then he left her alone as she knew he would.

A sharp snapping sound made her jump. She raised her head and blinked. The snap she heard was Luka closing the blinds. Looking over at the cafe door, she could see the sign was flipped to closed. “Oh,” she said, getting to her feet. “Did I—did I fall asleep?”

“Yeah,” Luka said in his gentle voice, glancing over at her as he closed the last of the blinds.

“Oh no, Luka, I’m so sorry,” Marinette raked both hands through her hair in distress. “I’ll get out of your hair right away, I’m sorry—” His hand on her shoulder stopped her from getting up. 

“It’s okay. Just stay there for a few more minutes, okay?” Luka patted her shoulder and continued on past her, working methodically through his closing routine. 

“Where’s Jenna?” Marinette looked around, confused. 

“I sent her home early and told her I’d close on my own tonight,” Luka replied. He approached her table and set two steaming mugs on it. He unclipped his nametag and put it in the pocket of his apron, then rolled the apron up and laid it on the table. “Try it,” he said, pushing one of the mugs toward her. “It’ll help you relax. And you seem like you need that.” 

Marinette pulled the mug towards her and wrapped her hands around it, watching as Luka went behind the counter again. A few minutes later, the cafe filled with music—not too loud, but enough to fill the small space. 

Luka came back and motioned to the chair across from her. “May I?”

“It’s literally your chair,” Marinette said blankly. 

“It is,” he agreed, “And I literally won’t sit in it unless you’re okay with me joining you. So,” she wondered if she imagined the deepening of his voice. “May I join you for tea, Marinette?” 

Marinette gaped for a moment, and then blushed. “Yes, please do.” 

“The acoustics are part of why I chose this place,” Luka smiled as he sat. “I’m trying to get a loan to put in a stage so we can host local live music.” 

“It sounds nice,” Marinette said, trying to muster some enthusiasm for her friend. She’d been coming to the cafe for a little over a year now, and Luka was almost always working. The cafe was his baby, and she’d known he had bigger plans for it. She was glad he was doing well enough to consider such a thing, truly. It was just a bit hard to show it at the moment.

They sat in silence, Luka drinking his tea and Marinette staring at hers. The music he’d chosen was instrumental, soothing, and he hummed along with it occasionally. He didn’t ask any questions and seemed unbothered when Marinette continued to not speak.

“What are you doing, Luka?” she asked abruptly, raising her eyes from the cup to his.

“I’m having a cup of tea with a friend who’s had a rough day,” he said, setting his mug down on the table. “But if you’d rather not, that’s okay too.” She continued to stare at him and he shifted uncomfortably. “I just wanted to do something nice for you, Marinette. You’ve been miserable for days and today you cried yourself to sleep at my worst table. I’ll admit that I’m getting a little worried. I’d like to think we’ve become a little more than customer and proprietor after all this time, but if I’ve overstepped, please feel free to tell me so and go. I’d never want to make you uncomfortable.” 

“No,” Marinette said quickly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. Of course we’re friends if you’re willing to have me.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I’ve been so gloomy.”

“You don’t have to be sorry for that,” Luka replied earnestly. “Marinette, you’re allowed to be unhappy. I just...I’d like to be here for you if I can. You don’t have to talk to me about it, but...at least try the tea?” He smiled a little uncertainly. “I’m not helping, am I?”

Marinette smiled. “You’re not hurting,” she shrugged, drinking the tea, though she hardly tasted it. It was warm, though, and that was something. No longer hot to scald, but warm like Luka, comfortable and soothing. 

“Is there anything else I can do to help?” he asked sympathetically. 

“No,” Marinette said slowly, her shoulders finally coming down a fraction. She took a deep breath, and then another, and another sip of the warm tea. She closed her eyes and actually listened to the music for a moment. It filled the small cafe, not overwhelming, but making the space feel warm and intimate. “You’re right,” she said softly, opening her eyes and giving him the smallest fraction of a smile. “The music sounds good.” 

“I can put on something different if you’d prefer it,” he said, his warm voice fitting in perfectly with the cozy environment he’d made for her.

“No, this is nice,” she said, sipping the tea again. Her shoulders relaxed a little more. They sat in silence and drank their tea. Now that she was paying attention, Marinette recognized it as the calming blend Luka occasionally gave her to go when she stayed late at the cafe. She glanced up as she sipped to find Luka watching her. “What?” she said, and he jumped.

“Nothing, I’m sorry,” he said, looking away with a faint blush on his tanned cheeks. He spent so much time working, Marinette wondered where he found the time to get out enough to be so tanned. His eyes darted to her again and away, like he was finding it hard not to look at her. “Are you feeling any better?”

“A little,” Marinette sighed, leaning her chin on one hand. “It’s a lot to ask of one cup of tea.” 

“I can get you another.” 

“My final project was rejected,” Marinette said, idly pushing the handle of the mug back and forth. “I have to revise the proposal, again. My roommate is on a deadline and really, really snappy right now, which is part of why I’m here so much right now.” Her breath hitched and her eyes filled with tears. “And Adrien dumped me two weeks ago.” She lifted her left hand to flash her empty ring finger at him. 

“Oh, Marinette,” he breathed, reaching to catch the hand. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea.”

Marinette just shook her head, unable to bear talking about it. She’d already rehashed all the theories and reasons and all that with Alya, and when it came down to it, she’d discovered that none of it really mattered. He either hadn’t been strong enough to fight for her, or hadn’t loved her enough to do so, and that was that. Either way she was left with the ruins of her dreams. Luka didn’t say anything else, just held her hand as she sniffled and sipped her tea.

“You want to help me finish up?” he asked, taking her empty cup.

It was something to do to keep the tears from coming back, so Marinette stood up and let Luka direct her in wiping down the counter one last time while he washed up the cups and put the last of the chairs on the table. 

He was humming along with the music, and soon she was too, and the next time they passed each other, Luka caught her lightly around the waist and spun her around with him. Marinette smiled and let him pull her into a dance—not a waltz, thank God, just a slow sway across the floor as a mellow, vaguely Celtic sounding tune filled the space around them. He spun her at random, though always on the beat, and her heart lightened at his playfulness.

“Thanks, Luka,” she giggled. 

Luka smiled and kissed her cheek, and then hesitated when he should have pulled back. She got one look at his eyes, dark and intense, before his lips were on hers, hard and needy.  Lonely and touch-starved and sad, she hardly knew what she was doing when she clung to him instead of pushing him away. She wasn’t thinking at all, just reacting, pressing up against him, needing the warmth of his body, the comfort of being held. 

His kiss gentled, softened, and his hand came up to caress her face and cradle her neck, thumb brushing along her jaw. It felt tender and loving and everything she thought she’d never feel again, and she whimpered softly, tears gathering in her closed eyes.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” he breathed. “Not that I didn’t want to, but...Marinette,” he sighed into her mouth as she rose up to kiss him again. He let her, even prolonged it when she would have let him go, and kissed her again afterwards. 

“Luka,” she sighed breathily, rubbing up against him, reaching up to kiss him again. “Don’t let me go, Luka.” She could feel him shiver under her, but he took the hands that had wound behind his neck and pulled them gently away and down, and waited until she opened her eyes, blinking hazily at him.

“Marinette,” he said softly, holding her hands against his chest. “I could take you upstairs right now and make you feel all the things you want me to, and believe me, I want to do that for you...and then you’d never be able to look me in the face again. I don’t want that, I care too much about you to let that happen. I shouldn’t have kissed you knowing how vulnerable you were feeling tonight—I just, it hurt my heart to see you like this and— He took a deep breath. “But the truth is I’ve been in love with you almost since you walked through that door. I’ve been trying to get over you almost as long and it hasn’t worked at all. I want you, I do, I’ve wanted you forever but I want so much more than one night from you and it’ll break my heart to pieces if you never come back.” Marinette stared at him and he swallowed. “I’m sorry for having crappy timing,” he said thickly. “I don’t expect you to say anything, not now...you shouldn’t, anyway, you’re hurt and sad and lonely and this is completely unfair of me...Listen, just—just know that I would never ever push my feelings on you. When you’re ready, I’ll be here, and if you’re never ready, if you can’t feel that way about me, or there’s someone else you’d rather be with, then that’s okay, and I’ll still be here as your friend.” 

Marinette stood silent for a long moment, trying to decide how she felt about everything he’d just said. A year. A year she’d been coming here to his coffee shop, and he said he’d loved her almost as long. And she’d felt it, at least a little, felt the warmth he had just for her, but he had never once shown it openly, nor said anything to even hint at it. He’d flirted with her a little bit in the beginning, but he was like that with all his customers to a degree, and he’d stopped as soon as he found out she was in a relationship. She’d been with Adrien all that time, had been engaged for months now. She felt...almost a little bit angry, a bit betrayed, that he had been hiding those kinds of feelings for so long, but...it wasn’t like it should have been. She should have been furious that he would lie to her like that and make her think they were friends when he was just another guy lurking and waiting for things to fall apart so he could—

But she wasn’t angry, because that wasn’t Luka. There’d been no backhanded comments about how Adrien didn’t deserve her, no hints that he could take care of her better. Luka was her friend. He’d given her advice, even, when she needed it. He did nice things for her sometimes but it was never anything ostentatious or just-on-the-edge-of-appropriate. He’d never been the least bit inappropriate or over the top when he complimented her. He’d been genuinely happy for her the day she came in and showed him her engagement ring. The look on his face now was remorse and frustration, not with her, but with himself, for losing control and speaking when he should have stayed silent. 

“Luka,” she said softly, and then had to clear her throat. “Can we kiss some more? And then...and then I think maybe I won’t come in for a while. And some time...when I’m feeling a  little stronger...I’ll come back...and we’ll talk some more?” 

Luka breathed out slowly. “Okay,” he said at last, the word shaky with emotion. “Okay, Marinette.” 

Maybe it was selfish, but it was what she needed when he bent and tenderly kissed her, when he pressed his love into her lips and let her take it from his own over and over as they stood in the middle of the empty shop, the music still swelling around them. Luka would have said it was something he gave freely, and would a million times over, just to let her know that she was not alone, not abandoned, not unworthy, not unloved. And when he murmured one last time as she said goodbye, preparing to go out into the night to figure out herself and her heart, “I love you, Marinette,” he meant it not as an obligation, but as a blessing, a reminder. She smiled and took it as such, touching his face. 

“I’ll see you in a few weeks, maybe,” she said, and he smiled back bravely. “I can’t promise I’ll have an answer—”

“I don’t need one,” he said quickly. “I don’t. And I’ll never bring it up again, I promise. If you ever want to ask me out, I’ll say yes. Otherwise, we’ll just be like we have been.” He sighed. “Only can I...is it all right if I just love you? Like I said, I’ve been trying to get over it and it...it just hasn’t been working and I think it’s because...I don’t want to. I’ll keep trying if you want me to, but...I’d rather just love you.” He flushed, running his fingers through his hair. “That sounds really stupid when I say it out loud.” 

“I think I get it,” Marinette said with a wistful smile, thinking back on the early days of her crush on Adrien. “It can be nice, being in love.” She sighed. “I don’t really want you to wait for me because I can’t promise that and it seems really unfair...but if you want to...to feel that way about me, I guess...I don’t mind.” 

“Okay,” Luka said with relief. “Then I will, but I promise I’ll never make it a burden to you. I’m sorry I did tonight.”

“You didn’t,” she said, hugging him. “You really didn’t. Don’t worry about it.” She raised up and lightly kissed him one last time. “Good night, Luka.”

“Be well, Marinette.”

[angelofthequeers]

Hold Me By Both Hands: Chapter 46

Disclaimer: I don’t own ML.

@smolplantmum tagged as requested :)

Chapter 45 | Chapter 47 | AO3 link

Although the plan is to go and visit Master Fu and discuss their next move, a wrench in the form of Adrien’s sleek car pulling up at the Eiffel Tower and honking is thrown into that plan.

“You sure?” Marinette says when Adrien heaves a deep sigh at the sight. “You can transform, you know, and they can’t exactly do anything about it.”

“No, I should go,” Adrien says. “I’ll just be delaying the inevitable. But trust me, Father won’t be stopping me from Chat Noir. That’s one thing I will put my foot down on.”

Marinette smiles and pushes herself on her tiptoes to press a quick kiss to Adrien’s lips. “Good luck,” she says and squeezes his hand. “Text as soon as you’re free, okay? I’ll probably gather the team now instead of waiting until tonight. That reminds me, who’s Petite Souris?”

“Mylène,” Adrien says. “I was…well, I was desperate once I knew that Sanguisuga would get to Luka first. I just kind of knew that the Rat would be helpful. And she was the first one I found. Is that…okay?”

“Of course it is, silly kitty.” Marinette kisses Adrien on the cheek. “Don’t doubt your instincts. Mine haven’t been wrong yet and neither have yours.”

Adrien smiles and looks down at the ground with pink cheeks. “She suits it, doesn’t she?” he says. “I don’t think Alix or Juleka would’ve pulled it off as well as she did.”

“A hundred percent,” Marinette says. “Can you text her and tell her to meet at the hotel, since she knows you’re Chat Noir?”

“Of course. That’s my bugaboo.” His cheeks still dusted with pink, Adrien squeezes her hand, then turns to head for his car, ever so slowly letting go of her hand so that they’re left joined by their pinkies before he inevitably has to fully release her. Once his car has driven off, Marinette lets out a deep sigh and pulls out her phone.

[1:56 pm] miraculass

ladyBIrd: @everyone nvm about tonight, meet at hotel asap, I’m heading there now so I’ll meet Honeybee on the roof

honeybeetch: asdfghjkl ok lb

what does the fox say: kk

mess w turt u get hurt: how’s adrien?

ladyBIrd: facing the music with his dad

mess w turt u get hurt: :|

airhead: I’ll be there soon and I’m bringing Luka

what does the fox say: wait why does luka get to sit in on superhero business

ladyBIrd: I’ll explain everything

honeybeetch: lb hurry the fuck up and get here

what does the fox say: smooth

honeybeetch: fuck off

Marinette can’t help the snort that escapes her at Rena Rouge and Honeybee’s banter as she shoves her phone back into her purse, then takes extra care to make sure that no one can see her behind the Eiffel Tower leg.

“You ready?” she whispers. Tikki darts out and nods.

“All recharged, Marinette!”

“Tikki, spots on!”

.

“Adrien.”

Adrien gulps. If Gabriel’s waiting on the staircase rather than hiding away in his atelier, this conversation is not going to go well.

“H-Hello, Father,” he forces out. Gabriel dismisses Nathalie with a nod, then descends the staircase and pauses directly in front of Adrien. The gleam in his eyes as he takes Adrien’s hand and examines the ring leaves an unsettled pit in Adrien’s stomach. Gabriel’s probably just a Miraculous enthusiast, right? Hence why he’d had the Peacock? But there’s just something…unnerving about his face right now. Something almost greedy and…triumphant?

“All this time…” Gabriel murmurs.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Father,” Adrien says. “I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone –”

“Oh, I know. We all have our, ahem…little secrets. And I think it’s time I shared mine with you, in light of this new information. Come with me. I have a task for you…son.”

Okay, so Adrien had expected his father to act weird because of the news that he’s Chat Noir. But there’s weird and there’s leading him into the atelier and pausing before the painting of his mother with an odd smile.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Gabriel says. “You look so much like her. Perhaps that’s why it’s been so hard to look at you. To see Emilie in you every time you’re around…”

“Perhaps that’s why it’s been so hard to look at you.” The words are like a slap in the face, leaving Adrien reeling back with an audible gasp that Gabriel seems to ignore. Plagg darts out and nuzzles against Adrien’s cheek to comfort him.

“It all makes sense. You’re never around when akumas attack. Adrien was never in danger because he had magic to protect him.” The hungry gleam in Gabriel’s eyes as he watches Plagg unblinkingly sends sick shivers down Adrien’s spine. He can’t shake the feeling that something’s going to happen, something massive, and it involves Gabriel, and…is Gabriel really Hawkmoth like they’d suspected all those months ago? It’s a thought he’s shelved for his own sanity, especially after Gabriel had been akumatised, but with the way Gabriel’s acting right now…

“F-Father?” Adrien croaks. “What’s going on?”

For a moment, Gabriel says nothing. Then he sighs and reaches out to press several spots of Emilie’s dress simultaneously, and the ground beneath them starts to descend so rapidly that Adrien yelps and instinctively clings to Gabriel’s arm. For some reason, Gabriel doesn’t even react and shake Adrien off like he normally would.

Okay. Another point for the “Gabriel is Hawkmoth” theory. Who the hell has an elevator installed in their atelier?

Oh. Shit. Gabriel could be Hawkmoth. And the Black Cat Miraculous is literally right next to him. Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Adrien pushes Plagg back into his shirt with the hand containing his Miraculous, wiggling his fingers until Plagg finally gets the message and the ring starts to slip off Adrien’s finger. If it comes down to it, so long as Plagg can get away with the ring and warn the others, that’s all that matters to Adrien right now.

“Come,” Gabriel says once the elevator grinds to a halt before a metal catwalk in a dark room. As he and Adrien cross the catwalk, lights begin to slam on, bathing the room in artificial fluorescence and revealing it to be full of greenery, with an odd, cylindrical object in the middle of the patch of grass.

“Father –”

“You must understand.” Gabriel stops next to the cylindrical thing and grabs Adrien by the shoulders. There’s so much tension in his hands that Adrien can’t help but wonder if he’s two seconds from snapping like a taut string and shaking the life out of his own son. “Everything I’ve done has been for you.”

“F-Father…are you Hawkmoth?” Adrien whispers. A corner of Gabriel’s mouth twitches.

“I never intended to hurt you,” Gabriel says. “One of my mortal enemies, my own son…well, there’s definitely a sense of poetry in that, is there not?”

The nausea bubbling inside Adrien threatens to rise into his throat at the confirmation; the confirmation that his father is the magical terrorist who’s been traumatising Paris all this time. No. No. It can’t be! Having that suspicion all the way back when he’d found the book and the brooch is nothing compared to having the confirmation before his eyes. But how can he warn the others?

“…the Butterfly’s akumas create internal change within the target themselves, and so a transformed Butterfly cannot affect themselves with an akuma.” Master Fu’s words from months ago come swimming to the forefront of Adrien’s mind. “And akumatising themselves when not transformed, without the safety net of the holder’s control over the akuma, can potentially have harmful effects on their psyche. Only a truly desperate holder would akumatise themselves.”

Is Gabriel really that desperate that his own son isn’t enough to stop him from going to these lengths? And just how much of this is Gabriel? How much has he been warped from akumatising himself into the Collector? Judging from the Collector’s single-minded drive to capture and collect everything around him, does that mean that Gabriel’s just gotten so much more obsessive about achieving his goal? If so, how dangerous is he to Adrien right now, and is he seeing Adrien…or Chat Noir?

“You’re a monster!” Adrien bursts out. “You’ve been terrorising Paris all this time, and for what? Ultimate power? A wish that comes with a price?”

“You don’t understand!” Gabriel shouts. Adrien takes a reflexive step back, then freezes when a small purple thing comes zooming out of Gabriel’s jacket and rests on Adrien’s shoulder. A…kwami with butterfly wings? Is this Nooroo?

“Master, you’re scaring your son!” Nooroo says in a little, high voice. “I’m sorry, Adrien. I never wanted to be part of any of this.”

Gabriel visibly takes a deep breath. “Very well. I’ll explain. And then you’ll see, Adrien, why you should help me in my goal.”

“I’ll never help –”

But the cylinder starts to whir and the top of it slides open before Adrien can finish his sentence, to reveal – to reveal – no –

“Mother?” Adrien claps a hand over his mouth to hold back the bile that rises at the sight of Emilie Agreste inside the cylinder – the coffin – with her eyes closed, dressed in a sleek white suit, looking as though she’s just sleeping rather than – rather than –

“She’s not dead,” Gabriel says as Adrien sinks to his knees and rocks back and forth, trying desperately to cope with the sudden influx of emotions coursing through him at the knowledge that his mother isn’t dead, she’s been here all this time, underneath his feet! “Merely damaged by the Peacock Miraculous. You ask why I want the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses? I want to fix the damage done to her, to bring your mother back for you!”

“Did Nooroo tell you there’s a price to pay?” Plagg comes darting out of Adrien’s shirt and hovers in front of Gabriel, thankfully without the ring. “You really wanna mess with the universe, Gabriel Agreste?”

“I know…sacrifice myself –”

“– don’t get to pick who –”

The whole exchange is distorted, like Adrien’s underwater, but it still somewhat registers in his frying brain. Desperate, he fumbles in his pocket for something, anything to ground him, and his fingers close around something bumpy, something that turns out to be a little charm when he pulls it out – Marinette’s lucky charm! Of course! His lucky charm from his lady!

“– universe could take Adrien, but you don’t seem to give enough of a shit about him –”

“– you dare –”

Adrien can’t breathe – why is the light so bright, why is his mother there, taunting him, just out of reach, little butterfly thing in front of him, mouthing something, but he can’t hear, he can’t hear, he can’t breathe, purple light, why did butterfly thing disappear –

“– universe would shift to accommodate – not just as simple as swapping a life for a life –”

“Enough!” Adrien clutches at his hair, yanking, gasping, struggling to draw in oxygen as black spots dance at the edge of his vision. “Why? Why? Why? Just leave me alone!”

“Adrien. Son. Look at me.”

Purely on autopilot, Adrien’s body obeys and when he looks up, his father is no longer there. No, now it’s a man with a silvery head mask, dressed in a purple suit – it’s Hawkmoth, his mortal enemy, his father –

“You can help me,” Hawkmoth says in a voice that sounds a million miles away. “Join me, son, and help me take Ladybug’s Miraculous. Then you’ll have your mother back. Isn’t that what you want?”

Hawkmoth’s words are smooth, honeyed, sticking to Adrien, trying to draw him into their trap. But…no. He’s a hero. He can’t betray his lady, his Marinette, all his friends, the world, just to bring back someone who he’s already started to move on from, because yeah, it hurts to think of Emilie, but he’s been making progress, he’s moving on –

“No,” Adrien gasps around the iron band constricting his chest. “I can’t. I won’t.”

“Don’t be selfish!” Hawkmoth hisses. “You want your mother back! I’m doing this for you!”

“Not like this!”

Hawkmoth sighs and flips open the top of his cane. “Then I have no choice.”

“Adrien, look out!” Plagg cries as an evil, dark butterfly emerges from the cane and makes a beeline for Adrien. He gasps and shuffles back, trying desperately to avoid it, because he can’t give in, he can’t betray everyone, but there’s nowhere to go, nowhere to run, why can’t he get away from this?

“Plagg! Please!” Adrien’s voice cracks as the akuma darts at his lucky charm, and he’s suddenly filled with despair, betrayal, he’s drowning in it, he wants to cry and scream and do something, anything, to fix this, to right this wrong that’s been done against him, he just wants it all to go away, he can’t cope –

“Be strong, kid!” says a voice through the fog as something brushes against his side.

“No!” Hawkmoth bellows, both far away and deep in Adrien’s mind, so deep that he can’t get away no matter how much he gasps and cries and tugs at his hair. “Fine. It matters not. You can just get the ring back for me.”

“No,” Adrien chokes. It’s clear in that moment that he’s not going to be able to hold out, not in his current state of mind, but if he can just hold on, he can give Plagg a chance to get away and then the ring will be safe from Hawkmoth.

“Yes.” The word reverberates through Adrien’s mind, compelling him to obey. “Phantom, you will obey me. I grant you the power to possess others, to control them and bend them to your will. Once you bring me the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses, you’ll have your mother back. Your family will be whole again. Do we have a deal?”

“N-No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“Stopitstopitstopit – get out of my head –”

“Obey me!”

The direct order from his father slams into him both physically and mentally, unbalancing him, and that brief lapse in resistance is just what Hawkmoth needs, and cold, sickly power washes over Adrien, enveloping him, pushing him down into the abyss until everything is dark and he knows nothing…

Devoid of spirit, Phantom rises to his feet. The purple man in front of him grins, and he knows he should hate this man – Hawkmoth – but he just can’t muster up any feelings of hatred. He’s blank, floating in apathy, and it’s actually kind of blissful in a way, to not have to care about anything except what Hawkmoth tells him to do.

“Good boy, Phantom,” Hawkmoth purrs. “You’ll listen to your father, won’t you? Tell me: who is Ladybug? Who are the other Miraculous holders?”

Opening his mouth to follow that order is like a bucket of cold water falling on Phantom; he gasps and staggers back, then fumbles for the pitch-black bracelet around his ghostly white wrist to get this evil butterfly away, far away, and if he can get it to Ladybug – to Marinette – because he can’t betray his teammates, he can’t, if he has a smidgen of resistance then let it be for this –

“Enough!” Hawkmoth says, and Phantom sinks back beneath the waves of apathy, swaying on the spot as he awaits his next order, his resistance thoroughly squashed. “No matter. Phantom, you will simply take me to the other Miraculouses yourself.”

They’ll all be together at the Eiffel Tower, but that won’t be until tonight. And the thought of betraying Ladybug causes the faintest stirrings of some kind of feeling deep in Phantom’s core, so he steers himself as far away from it as possible so that he doesn’t have to leave this blissful apathy.

But if Hawkmoth wants Miraculouses, well, Phantom knows exactly where to go to get them.

[sassyduckqueen]

Kwami Buster and Loveater

Spoiler alert!!!!!!

So I watched both Kwami Buster and Loveater and I'm just screaming inside. So much awesomeness

So first Kwami Buster

I wanna say I love Ms Mendeleiev's determination and devotion to Science. I also think her Kwami Buster outfit was sick! I thought it was very innocent when she said really in response to Hawk Moth.

Multimouse! Oh my god! That is amazing! I love it so much!! Marinette you amazing superpower cutie!!! Her plan was awesome and her mentality and strength is displayed so well in this episode.

Adrien... look I love Adrien... I do but my god he is such an idiot at times. Right I get it. He thinks the girl he loves may be Marinette but dude there is a time and a place and when you know that there is a super villain who is literally about to throw someone off a skyscraper, you transform and go save them then worry about who ladybug may or may not be..... but this explains his reaction in Startrain, which kind of makes me be salty. Like is he actually showing Marinette love because shes amazing and awesome or is it because he thinks she's ladybug?

That illusion. Just wow. That's all I'm saying.

Master Fuu is impressed!

Now on to Loveater!

LUKANETTE!!! AAAHHHHHHH!!!!

Ok, ok. I'm calm. I'm good

As you all know, I'm a huge Lukanette shipper and this episode.... It had me screaming and fangirling. I think I died tbh. It all but confirmed my theory that silencer is set after Desperda! Why? Look at how Marinette and Luka interact with each other. Silencer has to be set after Desperada but before this.

And I hate to break it to all you lovely Adrienette shippers (myself included) but I think this ship is sinking 😭 til endgame (maybe) but we got some serious Adrigami moments including a kiss!! I also love that Kagami doesn't want to hurt Marinette but loves Adrien. Also the whole ladybug asking about cat not calling her my lady... I don't actually think she got jealous. I think she was surprised. He literally calls her it all the time and then suddenly isn't. Also his flirting with Rykuo is bad timing. Big creepy head thing to fight after all, which is something I see in my nightmares for the record. Anyway, it's not jealousy, its mild annoyance and surprise because fighting an akuma.

Back to Luka though....

Firstly, I love that he is a delivery boy! Thet moment when he was like "got it". Bet that person was like what the hell!

He's trying to find her melody! And that he promises he'll work it out and get it perfect! And lukanette cheek kiss!!!

But that ending! My god, he is such a sweetheart! That bike drop was significant as it had his guitar on it (headcanon: Marinette designed the design on it) to comfort her but more importantly, what he said to her and I quote:

"It's alright, Marinette. You can tell me everything or nothing if you prefer. You can be yourself with me you know. Just yourself,"

This! This! Like if you have a huge responsibility or a burden that you have to keep whatever it is, you need an outlet and that is what he is offering her. It doesn't have to be romantic or anything and hell, shes doesnt have to tell him what it is. That's what is so great about these words. There's no catch. No needing to be strong or heroic. No need to lie or to tell the truth. She can just be herself in that moment. He doesn't care about Ladybug or saving Paris right now. He cares about Marinette and it shows. He gives her the choice to tell him what's on her mind but is totally ok if she doesn't tell him. He respects her and clearly loves her!! Which brings me to a theory!

So it's all but confirmed that Dragonbug is gonna happen but what about Snake Noir? So Sass was taken by Hawkmoth along with the others and Chloe is going to corrupt them with her powers right?

But what if it doesn't work on Luka? What if she gives a corrupted Sass to force Luka on her side but it doesn't work? I'd even go as to far to say that he frees Sass from her control! How? Well there is one thing we know about Luka Couffaine. He is literally the most selfless person in the whole show (examples include desperda, captain Hardrock, frozer.. all of the episodes he has appeared in basically. Prime example been Party Crasher, where he literally sacrificed himself for Carapace, who he literally didn't know) and he is the complete opposite to Chloe in every sense. She's a lone child, he has a sibling. She's rich, he isnt (lives on a boat and has a job as a delivery boy. Obviously, he's supporting his family. Also anyone could totally like on a boat but look at the size and think off the bills. It would be cheaper then a house or a flat and also he shares his room with Juleka. If they had money, would they be sharing a room? Probably not) He's kind where she's cruel. He is free spirited and she's a control freak. He treats everyone with respect and as his equal. She sees everyone as peasants and below her. He is modest, she is arrogant but most importantly, he is selfless and she is selfish. Even Marinette is more selfish then he is. She has done some stupid things because she acted selfishly. (You all know what I mean) Sure, she's not mean spirited like Chloe but she can be selfish. A fine example is choosing Kagami in Loveater but so can Adrien (remember the Bubbler? Should have become Cat Noir straight away but didn't. Other examples include Frozer and Desperda as well as others) but like Marinette, he isn't mean spirited. In fact, all the characters can be... expect Luka. Even the reason for him been akumatized was selfless. Sure, you could argue Marinette's was too but was it? She got akamtized briefly because Lila framed her but that's exactly it. Sure, Lila was awful and it was a terrible thing to happen but she didn't get akumatized because it happened to someone else who she loved. She got akamtized because it was an injustice that happened to her. The same as everyone else really (apart from Tom in weredad maybe but I think that was more about him then his daughter) but that's where Luka is different. His Akumtize form was because he wanted to protect Marinette from Bob Roth and to prove her stuff got stolen. I don't even think he was 100% upset that his music had been stolen. Sure, annoyed but not enough to be akamtized. It was only when Bob threated Marinette that he got so angry that he got akamtized. Also Hawkmoth described him as a "pure soul". Since when did Hawkmoth describe anyone as that huh? Also I'm not saying that been a pure soul is important but literally in every fairytale or magic related stuff, been a pure soul is important. You know most baddies need a pure soul for a wicked ritual. Snow white and Cinderella had pure souls which is why they found the strength to forgive their stepmoms or at least in the Disney versions they did. Anyway you get the ideas and nothing in this show is pointless. They even pointed out that to use the snake miraculous, you have to be selfless due to timey stuff. So this brings me to my theory. Luka is so selfless that somehow he is able to break free from Chloe's hold or somehow free Sass but instead of becoming Viperion, he literally does the most selfless thing and gives up his miraculous to Cat Noir so Cat can become Snake Noir! Then Dragonbug and Snakenoir kick Chloe and Hawkmoth's asses!

[judyhopps934-mt-zd]

Thoughts on Miracle Queen

Warning: Spoilers!

So the English Dub is up on YouTube. Now I can write this!

Marinette's monologue is beautiful. It's the continuation of the second part. The English Sub did not capture it, but the Dub made me understand the speaking in the background.

Chloé, now Miracle Queen, stings everyone at their happiest moments and moments of joy (well, almost everyone)

Kim is just so adorable with him returning to Ondine pretending to be a seal.

When the scene goes back to Marinette, the English Sub said the following: "Then there's me. Am I in love with Luka?" But the English Dub was the continuation of the monologue with the explanation over how difficult the journey is to get to that point of joy after loss.

Both Adrien and Marinette were hesitant over being with Kagami and Luka respectively, with Adrien backing away from Kagami from kissing him and Luka sensing that there was something wrong when Marinette wanted to hear the song. Yet both protected them from the Wasps.

I swear, the scene in the Seine was very emotional. Especially since Ladybug initiates a hug with Chat Noir after she breaks down blaming herself for what I like to call "Doomsday". More on this later on.

Chat is aware that merging Miraculous is very dangerous due to the amount of power one holds. See peoples! They are equals and Chat knows stuff too!

Going back to Chloé, how dare she call each Miraculous weilder pathetic! They are all very capable and just because she hates them as civilians, that doesn't make them any less capable!

Master Fu is still alive, but imprisoned! At least he's alive?

Hawkmoth tries to get everyone to go against Ladybug by blaming their doomsday on her. Sir, don't you think she's dealt with enough???

Battle of the Miraculous commences, with their prime target initially to get the Snake Miraculous. Once they do, Chat gets it and becomes Snake Noir (and Ladybug became Dragon Bug as she activated the Dragon Miraculous).

I don't know why (it might be the memes), but I found Snake Noir being launched into the Sun by Pegasus very funny. Like dang Pegasus! There's no need for sending people to the sun!

Using King Monkey's Uproar, they make Miracle Queen's powers go awry so they could take her down.

But Hawkmoth has another akuma with the same power. And Chloé was excited to grab it. This is a problem for two reasons: 1) Chloé's development has come to a halt and landed on a "begin from start" square. So all that development went to the garbage and the hope that she was being a double agent to help Ladybug in the end was crushed, and 2) for Hawkmoth, Chloé cannot be akumatized as she is happy to receive it. This shocks Ladybug (who captured the second akuma) and Chat Noir for obvious reasons.

Chloé wears all the Miraculous, with Ladybug being worried over how she'll handle that many Miraculous. But this is what happens: the Kwamis were like "Nope. You're rude since you are asking us to transform you when you don't know our names and without saying please". KWAMI RIGHTS!

For those who were like "Chloé didn't faint when she wore all of the Miraculous unlike Marinette", I have news for you. Marinette wore virtually all the Miraculous that were in the Miracle Box. Chloé wore over 7 less than Marinette. So haters be hating. Fight me!

Cornered, Ladybug uses Lucky Charm, but there was only a key chain. Not able to see the solution in which they do not lose, she breaks down once again, blaming herself.

Now this time, Master Fu tells Ladybug that even though she's made mistakes, she would make a great Guardian as she's a great Ladybug.

Say what???? Yeah, Marinette (under Ladybug) becomes the new guardian of the Miraculous! I have mixed feelings, the Kwamis are sad to see Master Fu go, and Hawkmoth is in shock and disappointed. This is explained later on.

Chloé is upset for obvious reasons and since she couldn't escape, she literally throws all the Miraculous to the ground and revokes her loyalty to Ladybug, vowing to run away to New York with Audrey. Good luck with that Chloé. Why? Because Audrey and Andre got back together and Audrey is staying in Paris, which means problems for Chloé as she cannot save face and run away. It's funny how she demands them to start fighting again.

So Master Fu survived the blow from Hawkmoth's sentimonster, but doesn't remember about Ladybug and Chat Noir.

So Wayzz tells Ladybug that once a Guardian passes over the Miracle Box, they lose their memories to protect the identities of the wielders. This is problematic for many reasons. This means Master Fu can no longer provide support to Marinette or Adrien over being superheroes and give them his wisdom since he doesn't even know about them. And its especially devastating to Marinette because she lost a friend who guided her and when she passes the guardianship over to someone else, she will lose her memories for the same reason. And don't get me started on the theories that people have of the show because of this detail.

Miraculous Ladybug did not restore his memories, but was a clue as to what Master Fu wanted before he lost his memories.

So Marinette's monologue was actually her reading the letter out loud as Master Fu explains loss and how to overcome it.

Marianne is still alive! I'm sorry for my original post that said that I thought she died. I interpreted loss as in death in that part of the monologue. And Master Fu can finally be with her! He deserves it even though it means we might never see him again. Foreshadowing from "Backwarder".

Marinette and Adrien have a regular conversation, but Adrien goes to Kagami for Icecream and Marinette looks sad before going to Luka, where she hears the tune.

So...the Love Square is somewhat dead. I wanna cry. I say somewhat because who actually knows? Season 4 might revive a side of the Square (or whatever shape it has become).

To go back to Marinette blaming herself, I can relate in some way. Just like her breakdown at the end of "Loveater" (aka "Heart Hunter"), I relate in the level in which I feel like I am at fault for everything that happened, which is added on by others blaming me for what happens. Marinette is relatable in so many ways (aside from the superhero thing unless you happen to be a superhero, which is unlikely) and it just hurts to see her go through so much.

Now thanks to the English Dub, I was able to see something that I haven't seen while watching the episode, but had definitely seen on Tumblr: Gabriel and the Peacock Miraculous! So Nathalie got the decoded Book and Gabriel had finally fixed the Peacock Miraculous. This is absolutely terrifying because he and Nathalie had become more powerful. The ominous music gives us a vibe that we should be wary about.

Overall, this episode was good. Sure, I am not happy with the ending, but it doesn't mean that I hate the episode. I am not happy that Master Fu has gone away, Chloé's character development has been completely discarded, the identities of the other Miraculous users were revealed, the Love Square being squashed (for now?), and Hawkmoth being more powerful. But hey, we have at least 2 more seasons, so why not? Nothing is set in stone yet!

Well, this was fun. Now that season 3 is over, this is the last review for the next few months or so. So yeah, see you all next fall. This is the 934 signing out from Miraculous Thoughts posts!