#Naga Luka Couffaine

[mc-lukanette]

Marinette allowed Luka to lead her through the forest, his tiny hand holding her even tinier one. Looking down, she could admire the black of his nails, wishing she could match him yet knowing that her mother would tell her it's "impractical," whatever that word meant.

But that was okay. Having met Luka around a year ago, she was just happy to spend time with him and go on whatever adventures they could get away with in their childhood. His grip was unwavering and, despite its gentleness, she truly felt as if no one could pull her away from him if they tried.

Her feet were a little unsteady as they walked, but he went slow enough that it didn't hinder either of them. Whether he did it on purpose or not, she was thankful for him, only having a bully back at home to deal with rather than any kind of friends.

"Almost there," Luka announced, though quiet enough that it might've been him muttering to himself rather than her. There was a tinge of excitement she could detect in his voice, a sure sign that he'd been anticipating this just as much as her.

The forest was so thick and the trees were so tall that barely any light could show through the leaves. Anywhere patches of sun did show through, tiny flowers were growing, and the two of them slowed or changed course so as to not to step on them even if it made the trip longer.

But finally, Marinette saw light coming from the gaps between the tree trunks, her pace picking up eagerly.

She initially flinched when her eyes had to adjust to the light, but that was how she knew they'd arrived. A village, right in the middle of festivities, laid itself out in front of them, people walking around and talking amongst themselves without batting an eye at them. Fairy lights - which she understood as a magical form of light that grew brighter the closer to nighttime it got - were strewn about everywhere, only giving off a faint shimmer in the pinkish, purplish tint of the afternoon.

"Luka!" she exclaimed in a hush whisper, shaking his arm. "It worked! You did it!"

He beamed at her. "You did it too. Our clothes would look weird if you didn't."

She blushed at the praise, unconsciously gripping his arm tight. Where she'd come from, the types of clothes they'd needed would've been entirely worthless, so it was rare to hear anyone praise her knowledge (as much knowledge as a child could absorb anyway) on the subject. She was simply fascinated by such attire and went through all the necessary research to make sure they'd blend right in.

Coming during festivities was intentional, as everyone would be too busy having fun to pay attention to them. It was also a good excuse for Luka not to have to dye the blue highlights in his hair black, which Marinette insisted he shouldn't have to because they were too pretty to hide. There, highlights in one's hair were just seen as a fun, colorful, and temporary thing to do for the festival.

In other words, they were just two kids wandering through a village like they belonged there, and no one would concern themselves with them unless they appeared truly lost. Marinette involuntarily puffed her chest out, wanting to appear confident in the face of any curious eyes.

Luka giggled next to her, imitating the pose. "Where do you wanna go?"

"Hm?" She glanced at him, then their surroundings. Dodging people would be difficult given their heights in comparison to adults, but she suspected that would change as the day progressed. Furthermore, while the villagers were clearly taken by the festival, she was taken by everything, having never been in such a place before.

Grinning, she said only half-jokingly, "Everywhere!"

—————

Playing by ear, as Luka might've put it, 'everywhere' started with a stand that seemed to be boasting about some sort of game: a typical choice for children, but very new for them. The person behind it was highly enthusiastic, waving at anyone who even glanced their way. It was funny, so they were drawn to it.

"Hey there, boy and girl!" the person greeted with a clap of their hands. "Do one of you want to play? Every customer's first game is free, and if you win then you get anything here as a prize!"

Behind them were shelves lined with handcrafted plushies, pillows, and tiny wooden figurines. Marinette turned to Luka to check his interest, but he looked oddly unimpressed with the display.

Still wanting to try anyway, Marinette climbed up onto the stool in front of the stand and bopped the counter with both hands. "I'll play! Um, how do I play?"

The person smiled, pulling out a few cards shaped like leaves and placing them upside-down along the counter, muttering something as they went. Behind them, Marinette took in the main attraction that she assumed must be the "game": a fake tree that had six "levels," each level designated by a single hole with a branch coming out the bottom of it. She blinked, wondering what the connection was, then looked down at the cards and noticed that there were also six of them.

Touching one experimentally, it didn't move but flashed orange and let out an awful (albeit brief) noise. She scrunched her nose up in displeasure, reminded of the sound of her bully's whining.

"My little friend can explain the rest," the person behind the stand added, looking over at the tree.

One of the holes on the lower half flashed green, a small fairy emerging from it and landing gracefully on the branch. They bowed, waving to their captivated audience of two and explaining, "We'll give you one minute to play. I'll be hiding in the tree and pop out of each hole at random to stand on the branch. You need to touch the card that matches it when that happens."

Marinette remembered then that the hole the fairy had come out of was green. Staring at it, it was the third hole from the bottom, and the card that flashed orange was second to the left. It must've been like a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The cards hadn't actually been leaves either, they were shaped like the fairy's wings.

The fairy smiled knowingly at her understanding of the game. "I'll go slow for the first thirty seconds, but don't expect me to go easy on you after that just because you're a child."

She pouted, leaning forward in determination with her hands hovering over the cards. The fairy slipped back into the game's tree and the person nearby raised a hand, a wordless gesture to tell her to prepare.

"Ready?" they asked. At her nod, they counted down, "Three... two... one... go!"

They threw their hand down and the fairy immediately popped out from the hole that flashed yellow. Marinette followed by smacking the third card, which let out a pleasant 'ding' noise this time rather than a bad one. When the fairy slipped back in, it took a few seconds before they popped out of another hole, this time blue. Marinette hit the second-to-last card that time.

The game went on like that as the fairy had promised, a consistent rhythm of them popping out for a second, disappearing, and popping out somewhere else. She followed their movements easily enough, going from green to red to purple and then green again.

So far, so good. With each affirming 'ding', a strip of color was added to the fairies wings, corresponding with the color of the hole they'd left.

Then, the thirty seconds passed and things started to speed up. The fairy wasn't waiting as long this time whenever they went back inside the tree, so Marinette had to be quicker with her taps. It was also a little more tricky as it wasn't guaranteed to be a different color anymore: sometimes she had to hit orange twice in a row.

Despite Luka's disinterest in the prizes, she could feel his interest in her playing. His eyes never left the cards under her hands and she was starting to feel the pressure. She really wanted to win and impress him.

Ten seconds left. The fairy wasn't messing around anymore and the timing became more erratic. They barely popped out at all before going back in and Marinette was expected to know where the cards were now, no longer having the time to look down at them to check.

Orange, purple, green, green, and then green again. Red, blue, orange—!

Marinette's hand flew up in the air in shock as the unpleasant whine signified a failure. She blinked rapidly, needing a second to realize what had happened: that, in her panic, she hit yellow instead.

The holes all flashed at once, then slowly dimmed with a fading whirring noise to signify the end of the game. She'd lost, and even worse was that she could see the colored strips along the fairy's wings as they emerged to perch on one of the branches. All the colors she had tapped went along the whole of the wings - disregarding how tacky it looked - barring the very end, which was just barely uncolored.

"You did your best, kid," the person at the stand complimented, leaning on the counter. They appeared genuinely impressed. "I don't think anyone here has gotten as far as you on their first try. Do you want to go again?"

Marinette's competitive side wanted to push for another round, but she didn't have that much money on her. It seemed like such a waste to use it up on something she might not win.

"...No," she replied reluctantly, the frown evident in her voice. She hopped down from the stool, disappointed, but a clattering noise from that same stool made her look back.

Luka had gotten up onto it, raising a hand and insisting, "I want a try."

That was weird to her. It made sense for him to watch her play, but not for him to play if he didn't even want any prizes. Granted, if the first try was always free, there at least wasn't any harm in trying either.

The fairy fluttered their wings, the strips of color evaporating off as if they'd never been there in the first place, then they happily slipped back into the nearest hole. Marinette watched on curiously as the countdown was repeated, wanting to see how well her best friend would do.

The game began, Luka watching each hole carefully and looking down when he needed to. Red, green, yellow, all carefully tapped as he kept his focus on the fairy. Normally, Luka wasn't as good with games as she was, but Marinette supposed he could've been playing just to play. Maybe it looked like fun.

Thirty seconds passed by successfully, meaning it was time to speed up again. Much to Marinette's surprise, Luka dropped his eyes fully to the cards on the counter, no longer looking at the fairy anymore. That, reasonably speaking, seemed in every way a losing strategy, but the first tap Luka made went off cleanly.

Then the second, then the third, and before long she realized that whatever he was doing was working. Purple, blue, yellow, yellow, orange, and he wasn't even breaking a sweat. Marinette gripped the counter in anticipation, unable to count the exact seconds but feeling the time pass in the back of her head.

She got on her tiptoes, wanting to cheer him on but afraid of throwing him off if she did. Her ankles ached from the awkward position, but she didn't even notice in the heat of the moment.

He was getting close to where she'd been, which could be gauged by the fairy picking up their pace. Marinette watched the cards light up under Luka's touches, seeing the hole of the tree flash right before it out of the corner of her eyes. She felt so tense that it was almost like she was the one playing, and she wondered if that was what it was like for Luka watching her earlier.

The one difference was that, with one, final tap on the blue card, he beat the game. She gasped, watching the final flash of the tree as the fairy flew out with strips of color going all along their wings, signifying his victory.

The person behind the stand staggered backwards, putting a hand to their chest in awe. "Wow! Congratulations! You did great!"

The fairy even clapped for him, nodding along to the praise.

Luka didn't particularly acknowledge the victory until Marinette awkwardly hopped up onto one of the horizontal pieces on the lower part of the stool, squeezing Luka in celebration. "That was so cool!"

He had to lean away to avoid the stool toppling over, but he happily returned the hug with one arm. "Thanks, but I got it from seeing you play first."

"Then we both got it!" she corrected. She didn't know if he was telling the truth, but she wouldn't complain if it joined the two of them together in some way.

The person at the stand gave them a few more seconds to themselves, then gestured at the shelves behind them to ask, "So? What kind of prize do you want?"

Luka narrowed his eyes at the prizes, looking all over without committing to any of them. It was taking him longer to pick something than it did for him to play, but slowly, his gaze dropped down and he pointed with his free arm. "That."

Marinette squinted, leaning forward a bit, and saw what he'd requested when the person raised their arm up confusedly. On their wrist was a spiral bracelet wrapping around half their forearm in the colors of the rainbow.

"This?" They waved him off. "This isn't one of our prizes. Those are on the shelves back there."

They jabbed a thumb behind them, but Luka wasn't deterred. "You said we could have anything here as a prize."

"...Ah—?"

They were baffled, then jerked their head towards their fairy companion, who'd suddenly burst into laughter at what was going on.

"Aw, just give it to him!" they said, wings fluttering in tune with their giggles. "He just won a second time against us with that!"

The person snorted, having not expected any of this today, but relented and slipped the bracelet off. "Alright, you little sneak. A deal's a deal."

Luka accepted the bracelet, giving it a final look before holding it out to Marinette. With a soft smile, he said, "Here."

"Oooo~" Keeping one arm around him, she held the bracelet up to the sky with the other, watching the colors shift depending on how the light was hitting it. "It's neat!"

She went to hand it back to him, but Luka's hand had dropped into his lap, curled into a fist so she couldn't. A beat of silence passed, which is how long she'd needed for it to click with her.

"W-wha—" She let go of him, losing her balance on the stool. The drop wasn't at all high, so her feet hit the ground without a stumble. "But why?"

He cast a glance at the shelves. "You can't take any of those home."

So he'd thought about giving her a gift all along? That's why he looked at the shelves like that? And that wasn't even what she meant!

"But..." She stopped short, staring down at the bracelet again and running her fingers over its surface. She'd already been planning to get Luka something anyway, and she had wanted a souvenir from her experience there. Wouldn't the souvenir being from Luka make it all the more special?

Wordlessly, she accepted the gift by putting it on herself. It was too large for her own arm, so she slipped it onto one of her legs instead, wiggling the leg experimentally to make sure it wouldn't fall off. By the time she'd confirmed it, Luka had hopped off the stool so they could continue on their way.

Holding his hand so as to not get lost (one of the few lessons from her parents that she was actually following at the moment), she walked alongside him and asked, "How'd you do that anyway?"

He gave her a curious glance, clueless.

"What you did!" She waved back at the stand. "You beat it without looking!"

"Mmm..." He tilted his head. "But I heard it."

"Huh?"

He made a flapping motion with his free hand. "I heard the wings echoing in the tree, and they stopped when they got to a hole."

He could hear the wings flapping in the tree and know which hole the fairy would come out of from the way he heard it echo and stop?!

Marinette exhaled in disbelief, leaning against him. "But you're my best friend, so I already thought you were the best!" Looking up at him, she genuinely asked, "Does that make you my best best friend now?"

Luka let out a small noise, covering his mouth in a rare show of embarrassment. "It was just a game."

"No it wasn't! 'Cause you won it for me!"

He relented to her point after enough pressing.

—————

Marinette totally, definitely hadn't been searching for one, but one of their next stops was a store that just so happened to have toys in the window. There was a sound of a bell as they walked in and she peered up at it, wondering if someone must've hung it there as a prank to annoy whoever worked there.

Regardless, she had a mission and dismissed the thought to eye the store. Her grip on Luka's hand tightened in determination, but then she noted that she wouldn't be able to secretly buy him anything if she clung to him. She'd even need her other hand to properly inspect the quality of whatever she was buying.

"I'm gonna go over here," she told him, letting go of him to point in a random direction.

"Okay." He nodded, immediately heading there and misinterpreting her entirely.

"A-ah, wait, wait!" She hurried to get in front of him and pressed against his chest with her hands to stop him. "I mean, we should play hide-and-seek, so I'll go over there to count!"

He stared at her, then looked around as she had done earlier, though for very different reasons. Thankfully, the store was big enough, having more than enough shelves, clothing racks, and random objects to either hide around or hide behind. She even saw a few plushes even bigger than her that would make for a good hiding place, though she questioned how a giant would fit into the store to buy one.

"I'll go hide," Luka agreed after an agonizing few seconds. He turned away, getting ready to walk, but stopped to look over his shoulder at her in confusion.

Right, she needed to go count.

Marinette headed off in the direction she'd pointed to, trying not to be obvious about staring at the things she passed on the way. Some of them were candy and snacks, but she didn't want to give Luka anything that wouldn't last. She didn't want to buy him any of the children's books either, because if they were called children's books then that meant it wouldn't be a gift for him when he wasn't a child anymore.

For the time being, she squatted down at the edge of one of the many shelves and covered her eyes, making due on the lie by counting aloud. Faintly, she could hear Luka's footsteps getting further away, straining her ears to hear them over her own voice until she was certain he was far enough from her.

By then, she carefully trailed off her counting until there was nothing but silence, freeing her to stand up and start exploring for a gift. If Luka saw her before he found a hiding spot, she could always claim that she never said how long she would count for.

Finding a balance between eyeing the toys she saw and looking out for anything dangerously Luka-colored, she went down an aisle at a time. Occasionally, she would stop to pick something up, like a pair of two squishy ladybugs forming a ball together, or a slug that made a funny clicking sound when she wiggled it, but nothing was calling to her as a gift for him. She knew Luka was a sweetheart and would like anything offered to him, but that wasn't a reason to not try.

As she tried to imagine what a "perfect gift" for Luka would even be like, she caught sight of something pink and blue on one of the shelves. She hurried over and, while she was briefly disappointed that it was only the back of the packaging that was blue, the pink color screamed her which made it serve as a good reminder of who this potential gift to Luka came from.

It was a clam shell. Marinette ran her fingertip along the ridges and noted that there was a little clip or force of some kind keeping it shut. It opened with a little effort, but nothing was inside; according to the advertisement, it was made to hold something, though didn't specify what.

Luka was someone who could use something to hold things. Eyeing the inside of the clam, she saw that there were even little slits that he could perhaps use for guitar picks. That might not've been the intention of the maker had in mind when they designed such a thing, but they didn't specify beyond "something," and guitar picks would be multiple somethings! Genius!

Taking the clam off the shelf, she ran through the store as fast as her little legs would carry her. She almost tripped and went face-first into the floor, but the sheer importance of the moment kept her upright.

Understanding enough about stores to know that she had to go to the cashier, she took one last wary look for any sign of Luka before handing them the clam. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the few coins she had, which were gathered meticulously over many days on the beach. She still recalled waiting for everyone to leave so she could look for coins they may have dropped, wanting to be ready in case something like this ever happened.

Giving them up to the cashier, they confirmed the price of the clam and returned it to her, as well as a single coin. The packaging had been taken off at her request, so she could fully take in the sight of the little storage clam and the nice weight it had.

Thankful for the deep pockets in the jacket she had, she slipped it inside, doubly thankful that the poofy design allowed for the clam's bulk to not be that noticeable. Then, with all that checked and confirmed, she set off to look for Luka.

By her estimation, it hadn't been that long since their game had started and she'd kept her eyes out for him the whole time, so she felt good about him not being suspicious that she'd been up to anything. Grinning to herself, she daydreamed about his potential reaction while searching for him between shelves and behind the giant plushies.

Tauntingly, she raised a hand to the side of her mouth and called, "Luuuuka~" She looked left, then right. "I'm gonna find y—"

She stopped when a rustling noise caught her attention, her focus shifting to one of the circular clothing racks that had fancy festival wear. Two pieces of clothing were pushed aside, Luka slowly stepping out from the gap he made.

Marinette blinked. They made eye contact and he froze halfway out of his hiding spot, a few confused seconds passing by before they both realized what happened.

He was so used to coming to her when she called his name that he did so without thinking.

Luka bowed his head, ashamed of having ruined their game. "Sorry."

Giggling, Marinette made her way over to him and snatched up his hand. It made her happy, knowing that they could both act silly together. "It's okay! My hand was lonely anyway!"

It wasn't a lie even if she'd planned to return to him casually. Things just felt better when he was around and she hadn't wanted to separate in the first place.

—————

Even over the hustle and bustle of the crowd as the afternoon began to transition to evening, Marinette could still hear the grumbling of Luka's stomach. She stopped, eyeing the source of the sound, and Luka turned to look at her.

"What?"

"Ah... I'm hungry," she told him. "Can we eat?"

An actual lie that time, but she'd been down this road before to know that it was necessary. They'd gotten into loops enough times of noticing that the other was hungry, the other insisting not to worry about it, and back and forth until finally they both decided to eat together. In retrospect, Luka may have given the same lie to her in the past.

It just seemed like such a waste to miss out on potential playtime to eat, but at least now they could have food they hadn't tried before.

Luka agreed, so they set about finding something they wanted. There were plenty of people down the streets waving around food and shouting out what she presumed was the name of it, but the two of them couldn't really make sense of it. Food there was so different from what they were used to that they probably wouldn't recognize anything anyway.

They debated on whether they should risk their money on chance, but then they heard the familiar word "blueberry" and looked over. Luka was a forest dweller and often brought Marinette fruit that he picked, so they both knew what those were.

In the woman's hands, however, were tiny round things that Marinette didn't recognize. They were closer to baby blue than the dark purplish-blue she was used to on blueberries, which confused her brain entirely as they did smell like blueberries. At Luka's asking, the woman listed off a few rough ingredients and the general process of baking them, but it all sounded like random words mashed together barring "blueberries" and "eggs."

"Here." She put her handful of treats back in the container she had them in, pulling out one in each hand and offering it to them. "Cuties like you can have one for free as a taste test."

Marinette exchanged a glance with Luka. She wasn't sure what the criteria was that the lady was using, but she could agree that he was cute: calm, quiet, and always with something sweet to say whenever he did speak.

"Okay," Marinette began, only to not take the one offered to her and point at Luka instead, "but Luka has to give it to me."

He didn't ask why, accepting both treats and holding one up to her mouth. Catching the woman's confused stare on her, Marinette felt compelled to explain anyway.

"My maman and papa told me not to take sweets from strangers, but Luka's not a stranger."

With that, she opened her mouth and let Luka slip the treat in at the same time he fed himself. The taste of blueberry filled her mouth as she bit down, the treat so tiny that she could only bite a few times before it was largely crumbs. The outside had been crisp, but inside it was soft and a little chewy, her tongue getting the full force of the fruit she would still insist it didn't look like.

She put a hand to her lips, letting out a tiny, pleased noise at the flavor, and heard something similar from Luka. It was an easy choice from there to buy it, though she already imagined that the single coin she had wouldn't buy much.

Luka, on the other hand, still had coins of his own. While she'd found hers on the beach, he sometimes found some that forest visitors had dropped, or those snatched up by birds and placed in nests for their shine. He bought enough that the both of them would've struggled to hold them even if they used both of their hands, but the woman settled the two piles onto edible pink paper for them, neatly crimped and folded so as to contain them well.

Walking off with the treats, they found a quiet place to sit and got to eating. Marinette imagined that her parents might have complained about her eating so much of something sweet, but it had fruit in it and it was a "treat" day anyway. They deserved to spoil themselves instead of thinking about such things.

"Why do all kids like sweet stuff?" she wondered aloud. "Some adults do too."

Luka hummed, not able to answer at first when his mouth was full. He swallowed, then guessed, "Maybe they have a spell on 'em?"

She looked down, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she poked the top of the pile. Nothing happened, at least beyond the treats moving from the little push. "All sweets? Do they wanna be eaten that bad?"

He shrugged, still mulling it over, and she took the time to shove a palmful into her mouth.

"What if we have the spell?" he suggested. "So it's not the sweets, and sometimes the spell goes away when we grow up?"

"So we're cursed when we get born?" She nodded along, invested in the hot new theory he just dropped. "I bet your mom could cure us. She's good with magic and potions."

"Mm." He stopped eating to consider that, lightly prodding and moving around the treats he still had, then countered, "But it'd be sad not to like these anymore."

"Yeah," she solemnly agreed. That was the trick of such a curse, she supposed, because why would someone want to take away how good sweets tasted?

The conversation lulled off as they dedicated themselves to enjoying the treats, cursed or otherwise. Marinette even tore a corner of the paper to taste, noting the strawberry undertones, and got an idea. With just a few, precious blueberry bites left, she curled the paper around them and shoved the whole thing directly into her mouth, flooding it with the taste of both berries at once.

Luka was wide-eyed at the motion, but not in any negative way. Rather, he thought it was an amazing idea and went about imitating her, slightly clumsier with curling the paper but it didn't affect the taste.

With any hunger satiated, they dusted off their hands like they'd done a hard day's work, then returned to enjoying the festivities.

—————

Neither of them were used to walking for so long. Knowing that, it was inevitable that their legs would start to tire, but the two of them had left it as a problem for their future selves.

Except now, though thankfully late in their adventure, the future had arrived and they reluctantly accepted that they had to rest. They searched for a quiet place where few people would be and settled on a library, having not even realized how much it was to deal with the crowd of people outside until they were away from it all.

A single librarian stood behind the front desk, idly sorting things they couldn't quite see. On the corner of the desk was a container of candy, either bribing material or congratulatory rewards for kids to read more, but they ignored them to traverse the rest of the library.

The rows of bookshelves almost felt like a maze of knowledge, but they eventually made it to a comfy little spot in a corner. There was a table, chairs, and a few books that were either abandoned or recommended for those who may've come by. Curious, Marinette grabbed one of the books to look at, but scowled when the cover showed blond hair that looked all too similar to her bully's.

Definitely abandoned books.

Luka was tired enough that he didn't even bother pulling out one of the chairs to sit on, opting to plop down on the floor and lean against the wall. Sympathetic, Marinette left the book re-abandoned on the table and went over to kneel at his side.

"You should sleep if you're tired," she encouraged.

He yawned, though tried to hide it with his hands. "There's a lot we didn't do yet."

She tapped her chin in thought. "Well... we didn't sleep yet? I can read you a story too."

Before he could answer, she pushed herself up and walked away to a small rack of more child-friendly books than the ones on the table. Their thinness made it perfect for her hands to hold comfortably, and she returned to Luka with a smile.

Then, considering something, she put the book down on Luka's lap and retrieved the heavier book she'd hated from the table. Dropping it next to their little spot, she sat down next to him and picked the thinner book back up.

"This one's to read," she explained, then pointed to the one she'd dropped. "That's for keeping you safe if anyone tries to wake you up."

He giggled at the exaggerated motion she made of whacking someone with the book. "I thought books were for learning things."

It was playful, but Marinette huffed and replied anyway, "They'll learn not to wake you up."

And that was that. She leaned against the wall with him, their bodies bumping together comfortably as she opened the book to the first page. Her ability to read aloud wasn't perfect and she stumbled on a couple words she'd seen but never spoken before, yet Luka didn't complain.

Eventually, she felt him relax against her, looking over to see that his eyes were shut and his breathing had slowed. She debated with herself on continuing to read, but the book didn't seem as fun when they weren't looking at it together.

Her eyelids drooped, the letters blurring as the sleepiness started to take her too. She had promised to protect Luka while he napped, but she could already hear his voice in her head, telling her that she couldn't protect him if she didn't protect herself first.

Making a compromise with herself, she turned further towards him, settling the book on his lap and placing her hands atop it. His scent was familiar as she snuggled against him and, if she really focused on it, she could still smell the flowers they had picked and put on each other the other day.

The scent on her, unfortunately, had probably washed off by then, but that was fine. They still had the memories even if the scent didn't linger, and that thought lulled her fully into secure slumber.

—————

"Hey... hey there, come on," a gentle, deep voice said. "Wake up."

Marinette whined, glaring off at nothing as she slowly opened her eyes, then lifted her head up towards the source of the wake-up call. It was the librarian, who looked worriedly down at the both of them, just out of whacking distance.

"I wanted to let you two sleep, but it's getting late," he told her. "Aren't your parents worried about you?"

Honestly? Probably not. Her parents were nice but didn't have much of a hands-on approach - probably assumed she lost track of time somewhere - whereas Luka's mom was fully aware where they were and what they were doing. She looked outside to get an estimate of the time, the fairy lights hung just outside the window glowing as bright as ever.

Because it was as late as ever.

Marinette jolted, eyes wide open as she turned to Luka. She didn't even have time to wonder if she'd have to whack herself for trying to wake him, too panicked as she grabbed his shoulder and gave him a shake.

"Luka! Luka, Luka!"

He groaned as he stirred from her efforts. His body was sluggish and might've fallen over had she not had a firm grip on him. "M-Marinette...?"

"It's late!" she cried out. "Late late!"

He blinked slowly at her, because normally it being "late late" wouldn't be a concern for either of them. However, his brain finally caught up and he became wide awake in an instant, pushing himself to his feet as the book fell from his lap to the floor. "We have to go!"

"Yeah!" She hurriedly gathered the two books to set them on the table, barely giving the librarian a "thank you" before her hand grabbed Luka's and they were off. The little corner they'd taken minutes to find after coming in through the front door took only seconds to backtrack from, the two of them working as a tiny unit to force the door open as fast as possible with their free hands.

Ignoring any glances they might've gotten from adults, they ran around and past anyone they could. Occasionally, they might've bumped something or someone, taking up more space from being side-by-side as they were, but their grip on each other was solid and they refused to let go of each other even for convenience.

Before long, they headed back into the forest, Marinette allowing Luka to lead since he was the one who knew the way. Swerving around trees and ducking under branches, it was clear that he was trying to take the quickest route possible.

It was hard to gauge the time anymore, the moon completely out of sight due to the vast foliage above them. Still, Marinette could catch them smell of the ocean, so she felt they could still make it before—

"Ah—!"

She fell forward, Luka stumbling along with her as they both hit the ground. She raised her head to apologize, certain that her legs had finally given out, but then she looked behind her.

In place of her legs was her mermaid tail, bright pink and shimmering like it'd never left. The only evidence that she'd gone to a human village at all was the bracelet she'd put on, which nicely fit right above the fins at the end. She turned her head back to Luka and, sure enough, his naga tail had come back as well.

There was only one conclusion to draw: that the potions his mother had given them had worn off. She groaned, mentally cursing her luck that they'd turned back just before they got to the ocean. To Luka, it was hardly a problem so long as they were out of the village where they could no longer be seen, but not so much with Marinette.

She wiggled her tail and tried to push herself up, but to no avail. She couldn't move on land like he did, only awkwardly crawl or drag herself.

"Marinette," Luka called, fretting. He looked her over worriedly for injuries and reached for her arm when he found none. "Here, hold onto me."

She pouted as he helped her up and guided her hand to his shoulder. "I'm gonna be heavy."

"Nu-uh," he huffed, like it was a personal offense to him if he couldn't lift her.

Slowly, she slipped both of her arms around his neck while he grabbed her waist, straightening up and reorienting the both of them. He kept one hand at her back, the other supporting her tail so they could continue on their way.

She still protested, but he didn't complain, grunt, or show any signs that he was bothered on their way back to the beach. The trees slowly made way for vast skies and pink sand, but she clung a little tighter to him even as she stared out at the familiar sights that should've been home.

They both readied themselves, Luka's arms tensing while she prepared herself to leap. With one precise, strong toss, he threw her upwards and she flung in an arc to land safely back in the water. The crisp, clear world aboveground turned blurry when she looked up, the water distorting it into shapes she knew weren't real.

Popping her head back up above the surface, she looked out at Luka, who had made himself comfortable on the beach. He was leaning back, his hands almost lost in the sand and supporting him as he tried to catch his breath.

"Sorry," she murmured.

He raised a brow at her, puzzled, then offered her a smile. "I had fun."

He'd changed the subject, not even acknowledging the apology like he truly didn't need it. Marinette mirrored the smile back at him, agreeing, "Me too. Maybe we can go again?"

The immediate nod was reassuring. Though it ended rather stressfully, that didn't take away from the experience overall.

She also noticed then that their clothes from the waist up had stayed on: one more happy reminder of their secret adventure. She grinned wider, gripping her jacket and pulling it tight against herself, but something ridged, large, and round nudged at her side as she did.

Gasping, her eyes lit up in recognition. She twisted, awkwardly fighting the wet fabric and the drag of the water to reach into the pocket. "Oh, um, Luka, I got..."

Sand shifted nearby as Luka came closer to her, the tide just barely missing him. Marinette retrieved the clam and swam closer, struggling a bit with the shore but managing to find a comfortable place where she could "sit."

"Here! It's for you!" she exclaimed, holding the clam out to him. It was wet, but a quality enough product that it wasn't damaged or worn from it. "I bought it at the store we went to."

He gaped at her, leaning forward to take a closer look. Nearly losing his balance, he thrust his hands into the wet sand and hovered over the gift while she presented it to him. "Really? For me?"

"For you!" she echoed. Popping the clam open, she pointed at the slits on the inside and explained, "You can hold things inside, like your guitar picks! Neat, right?"

Though, when she looked at it again, she wondered if it was really enough for her best friend, who'd been upgraded just that day to best best friend. A storage container was nice, but was giving someone an empty one equivalent to giving them a gift box with nothing inside? Surely there was something she could put in it.

An idea struck a moment later, Marinette pulling back and turning the inside of the clam towards her. Raising it to her lips, she kissed the inner part of the top for good luck before slamming the clam shut with a satisfying click, wanting to make sure the luck didn't have a chance to escape.

That way, she figured, the bottom could store his guitar picks and the top could store the good luck. It was taking full advantage of all the space inside.

Holding it carefully with both hands, she extended her arms towards him with a hopeful smile. "Do you like it?"

He was speechless, having not expected to get any gift that day beyond his time with her. His lips pressed together in a pout, wobbly with emotion as he raised a hand to take the gift from her.

However, he stopped short, noticing the wet sand still caking his hand. Unwilling to touch her gift with dirty hands, he reached into the water to flap his hands about inside to try and clean them. While that did most of the job, he remained dissatisfied and grabbed at his jacket, pulling it off to wipe his hands on it.

Throwing the jacket-turned-towel aside, he finally took the clam from her and cradled it to his chest. Marinette's heart ached pleasantly, seeing that it was already something precious to him.

"Thanks. I love it," he whispered.

They stayed there for just a minute longer in each other's company, no longer fearing any time limit urging them into action. Their friendship was powerful despite only a year of knowing each other, of having to meet in secret at the shore when no one else was around, of Luka's mother "stealing" Marinette away to show her their home when viable, and of risky adventures created through human disguises.

There would inevitably be a time in the future where they wouldn't be able to do it anymore. They would get older, busier, and it would be harder to keep meeting on the shore. Even further in the future, one of them may even have to make a choice to ensure they never part again.

But in the blissful innocence of childhood, they could simply enjoy their time together.

[verfound]

FIC: "Scales are for Adornment" (MLB; Lukanette; LBSC Lukanette Month 2024; Winters)

@lovebugs-and-snakecharmers is doing a Lukanette Month for September 2024, and we all just kinda tossed some prompts in the disco to compile a list?  We ended up with 71 prompts, so I decided I’d roll some dice to pick a prompt, do a twenty minute (ish, bc we all know sometimes they run away from me) sprint, and try to get some short fics out this month?

(...how many days are we into this before these two popped up? 😂 Thank Bloody. She's been sharing some WIP art that got me itching. 🖤)

Read on Ao3

Prompt 33: Scales

There was a soft noise, a tinkling like chimes, barely perceptible on the far edges of his awareness.  It was just enough to be distracting.  Just enough to draw him from the warmth and softness and comfort of sleep.

…just enough to make him aware of how empty his arms – their nest – was.

A giggle floated on the breeze, making him twist and reach for his missing mate.  She wasn’t where she was supposed to be.  The bedding beside him was painfully empty.  Cold.  The chimes sounded again, and his brow furrowed.

His eyes felt too heavy as he struggled to open them, which…wasn’t fair.  It wasn’t even winter.  It was still early in the spring, and he supposed close enough to the end of his brumation that the lethargy was expected, but it was still…frustrating.

Hadn’t he spent enough time sleeping over the winter?

Wasn’t it time for him to be awake?  Up and about and enjoying his new mate?

She was at the kitchen table when he finally hauled himself out of the nest and to her side.  Scattered around her on the top were…pebbles?  No.  They were…he rubbed his eyes, squinting at the familiar teal shapes glinting in the afternoon light.

“I don’t recall you sleeping this much last summer,” she said, distracting him from the objects on the table.  She had turned towards him on the bench, her arms wrapping around his middle.  Her fingers danced along the line where scales met skin at his back, scratching lightly – and gods, did that feel good…

“I don’t, not u…usually,” he said around a yawn.  “I think ssssomeone’s worn me out.”

“Hey!” she laughed, leaning back to glare at him.  It was half-hearted at best, and there was a grin dancing on the corners of her mouth he longed to kiss away.  “You can’t possibly blame me when you’re the one who always starts it!”

“I do not recall sssstarting it lasssst night,” he hummed, dipping to kiss her.  He sighed as her nails scratched along his scales, but then he winced when a nail caught and…tugged.  She pulled away in surprise, her eyebrows lifting as she held up…oh.  “Ah.  Sssso that’sssss what’sss happening.”

“Luka?” she asked, looking up at him.  She laid the scale on the table, and he realized that’s why the things were so familiar.  And gods, how much had he been shedding that she had that many to…just what was she doing with his old scales, anyway?

“Why do you…what are my sssscales doing on the table, love?” he asked, picking up one of the older ones.  He had never paid much attention to them, once they were gone.  They were just something to clear out of the bedding when his new skin came in.  But it appeared Marinette had been collecting them – had amassed quite the collection, from the looks of it – and they were…hard.  Almost like stones, or the shells his sister used to collect along the seaside.

“They’re beautiful, don’t you think?” she asked, smiling as the scale he was holding caught the light and gleamed.  He looked at her, amused.  He had never thought so, but he had never been a particularly vain snake.  Unlike his father.  “I just…there’s so many of them.  I thought…I don’t know.  They were too pretty to just toss away.”

“I probably shhhould have warned you,” he said.  “I shhhed, in the sssspring.  It’ssss…you might ssssee it as a ssssummer cold?  It’ssss natural, and I confesssss I’d barely thought of it thissss year.  With…everything.”

“…if I wasn’t so worried about you saying you’re getting sick, I’d have words for you for that,” she said, frowning.  He sank onto his coils beside her and pulled her into another kiss.  She frowned as she pulled back.  “No.  No distractions.  You’re getting sick?”

“I will be fine, love,” he said.  “Jusssst…a little groggy.  Ssssore.  Really itchy.  It only lasssstssss a few days, and when it’ssss over I have a nicccce, shhhiny new sssskin.”

She hummed, unconvinced, but he just kissed her again.

“Now, tell me,” he said.  “What are you planning to do with my sssscales?”

“I’m not sure yet,” she said, looking back at the table.  She grinned at him.  “Let’s call it a surprise, shall we?”

He rolled his eyes before he decided she’d maybe had enough time with her little project.  He scooped her up and pulled her back against him, and she laughed until he bent her back with another kiss.  She always said nothing helped a creative block like a little distraction, after all, and he was quickly becoming her favorite distraction…

. : .

The next week was…unpleasant, at best.  Excruciating at worst.

He had perhaps downplayed how bad his yearly shedding could be – though that was perhaps just another stupid snake thing he had never fully considered warning his witch mate about.  The worst had been the day she’d come home from the market to find him passed out – and barely breathing – in the nest.  He had been fine, of course – his body just…slowed, a bit, as his skin shed.

(…then of course had been the actual skin, which…)

(…ok.  He owed her.  Big time.)

(…the way she had spent most of that first night just…running her hand over his new scales had been heaven, though.  If he was a cat he probably would have spent the whole damn night purring.)

(…he did, however, feel terrible that the intimacy had been caused not because she’d wanted to touch him but more because he’d scared her – terrified her, nearly caused her poor heart to give out on her, you awful snake – so.)

Still.

It was behind them now, and she’d be better prepared next year (“…oh my gods you do this every spring.”), and it was too glorious a day to be concerned with how awful the past week had been.  The sun was high in the sky, and he had an entire tail of fresh, shiny scales eager to soak up its warmth.

“Are you not joining me, love?” she called from the riverbank below.  He tipped his head back onto the rocks, smiling lazily at her.

“Perhapssss…” he paused, clearing his throat as she grinned at him.  “Perhaps you could join me up here?”

“Tempting,” she said, reaching behind her to undo the laces of her dress, “but I worked so hard on my new swimsuit…I was hoping to show it off today.”

“You don’t need a swimsuit, love,” he said, turning to frown at her.  “You’re jusssst fine without…”

And then her dress fell to her ankles.

And he saw exactly what she had been so busy with over the last week while he’d been busy writhing in itchy agony.

Or…rather what use she had decided to put his old scales to.

Her swimsuit.

If it could even be called that!

He had seen her swim clothes the previous summer – had seen what her friend Mylène considered ‘swimwear’!  That…those…the skimpy garments barely covering her bits were underthings at best.  And barely, at that!

(“It’ssss called lingerie, you dumbassssss,” a sardonic voice that sounded suspiciously like his sister hissed in his head.)

…not that he was complaining!  It was…it was…a bra and panties.  That yes, kept her covered, but it could hardly be considered decent.  By human standards, at least.  Rose would probably…

…it was probably best they didn’t tell Rose about this one.  She’d demand one for herself in Juleka’s scales, probably, and he…did not want to think about that.  Eugh.

On Marinette, though…

His old scales had been woven together, and they shone like polished shells in the sunlight.  She was beautiful.  She was always beautiful, but there was something about seeing her wearing his scales like that that sparked something almost primal in him.  He wanted…he needed to…he ached for…

“Luka?” she called, frowning, and he realized with a start that he had been silent – gobsmacked – just a moment too long.

…that start also made him slip, his hands sliding along the slick rocks and losing their balance.  He tumbled tail over head with a mighty splash into the river, and he was barely aware of Marinette screaming after him as he plunged below the surface.  When he finally regained himself, pushing himself up from the bottom of the river to swim towards the surface and breaking through with a strangled gasp, Marinette was waiting for him.

“Luka!” she cried, slipping her hands along his sides and under his armpits to hoist him up.  They bobbed there, Luka watching her with wide, startled eyes, and Marinette staring back with panic in her own, and he blinked slowly as he tried to process what in the seven hells had just happened.  “Gods, are you all right?  What just happened?  What was that?”

“I…” he started, but he trailed off because he honestly didn’t know.  One minute he had been staring at her, wearing his…and then his eyes dropped, his gaze focusing on the breasts bobbing in the water beneath him.  On the teal scales shimmering along their edges, hugging them and holding them up as perfectly as…

“Luk…” she started as he bent his head to her chest, her voice cutting off in a soft gasp as his nose skimmed along the edge of a cup.  His hand found her side, moving slowly up until it was holding the breast he was nuzzling – and then he pushed it up as he grazed his fangs along the soft, wet skin available to him.  His fangs caught on the edge of the his scales, and he hissed softly as a breathy giggle left her.  “I…I take it you like it?”

“That…is an undersssstatement,” he sighed, nuzzling her chest.  “How…when did you…?”

“I am very talented with a needle and thread,” she said, reaching up to brush her fingers through his hair, “and you have been very sleepy lately.”

“Did I truly shhhed thissss much?” he asked, glancing up at her.  She hummed, arching her back to push her chest closer to his mouth.  His other hand slipped along her back, reaching up to toy with the ties holding the top together.  He was torn, though, between his desire for more of her skin and the sight of his scales gleaming against that skin.

“I’ve been collecting them for a while,” she said.  “Honestly, Luka.  The nest is littered with them.”

“Ssssorry,” he chuckled, nipping at the mark above her heart.  The skin was starting to scar over, what with how often he bit her there.  He felt he should feel guilty about that, and yet…

It was the same as that part of him that thrilled at seeing her new underthings.  Swimwear.  A little primal voice that hissed mine.

“You are not,” she giggled, nipping at his ear.  He hissed when she licked it, smiling.  “So.  You love it, then?”

“I love you,” he sighed, lifting her slightly to give him more access.  She hummed, the sound cutting off in a gasp as his claws lightly scratched along her back.  As he settled his face between her breasts and took a moment to just…be.  To breathe her in.  Bask in the fact that she was there and his and…

“So…so who’s starting this one?” she giggled breathlessly when he turned his head to run his tongue along the inside of a breast.  He glanced up at her, grinning as he tugged on the tie and slipped the cup just a little lower.  Just enough for her nipple to slip out – just enough to flick his tongue against it with a hiss.

“You,” he insisted, cupping her ass and pulling her against him to grind up.  She slipped along his wet scales, her legs scrabbling to lock around him, but from her gasp he knew she had felt the point he was attempting to make.  “Looking like thissss, little mousssse…looking the way you always do…it is always you.”

She wasn’t sure when he had spun them, when he had pressed her back up against the rocks – when his tail had wrapped around her middle to hoist her up – but his mouth was working its way down, nibbling along her ribs and towards her stomach while her hands twisted in his hair.  Her head tipped back, her mouth dropping open as his fangs grazed along her skin.

“In…incorrigible,” she breathed, sighing as his fingers toyed with the waistband of her bottoms.

“For you?” he hummed, glancing up at her with a slow, satisfied smile.  “Always.”

[miharuki]

𝖁𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖒𝖔𝖚𝖘 𝕾𝖓𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝕷𝖚𝖐𝖆

Ruki note: I had this weird idea while writing another imagine, cobra luka, gender neutral reader (gender not specified) au miraculpus

It was just a few days of vacation at a camp with your friends. The forest was very beautiful, especially at night, with the most stunning waterfall you had just discovered. You were eager to take a dip, but it would take too long to return to the camp to fetch your swimsuit, and it was hot that night, so why not?

On a whim, you took off your clothes and left them on a rock in the grass to keep them clean, and you jumped into the water. You were thinking that you would come back here with your friends the next day to enjoy the waterfall's good water.

You were having so much fun, marveling at how the moonlight illuminated the scene so well, that you didn’t notice something brushing against your feet—something scaly. Looking at the water, you saw the tail of a snake slithering between your feet. Turning to sense the presence behind you, you froze in terror when that thing appeared—a huge blue snake with hypnotic eyes.

Turning to run from the giant snake, you felt your wrist being pulled back. Turning around, you saw a young man where the snake had been. The snake had vanished, and the only thing there was the young man with black hair tipped with blue and those hypnotic eyes.

You snapped back to reality when pain struck you. Looking down, you saw the boy biting your wrist. Pulling your wrist away quickly, you held it against your chest, and with the throbbing pain, you ran, grabbing your clothes and sprinting back to the camp. You stopped briefly to put them on before running back to the camp, glancing at your wrist and noticing the two puncture wounds from the fangs. You didn’t realize how close you were until you were near the campfire.

You turned to look back, thinking the boy might have followed you, which made your friend Alya find it strange. “Did something happen, (name)?” Alya asked, looking at you with confusion, noticing you were scared and wet. “I-I had a—��� You could barely speak, and realizing this, Alya got up from her place on the log and walked up to you, grabbing your shoulders and pushing you to sit on the log as you looked like you might fall or faint at any moment. “Breathe, what happened to you?” Holding your wrist, you took a deep breath before finally letting it out and looking at the girl in front of you. “I found a waterfall and decided to go in. There was a snake there, but then it changed. I tried to leave, but it turned into a boy, and then he—”

“Calm down! You’re talking too fast!” Alya said, resting her hand on your shoulder, noticing you were trembling. “What happened?” You showed your wrist to the girl, with the snake bite. “A snake, a boy, I don’t know what it was, but it bit me!” you said, almost shouting, with Alya finally noticing the seriousness of the situation. “Oh my God! I’m going to call the others. Who knows if it was poisonous,” Alya said, as she stood up and ran out, leaving you with your hand outstretched toward her. “Don’t leave me here!” It was too late; Alya was out of sight, and you were alone. Whether the snake was poisonous or deadly, you didn’t know, but you knew it had some effect since you were starting to feel strange. You began to hear a very faint humming, as if your friends were approaching and you could hear their voices, but it was becoming background noise as you focused on the melody. With your vision blurring, you turned to see where the melody was coming from and saw, from a distance in the forest, the same young man, identifiable mainly by his cyan blue eyes that shone among the dark foliage.

You couldn’t even hear your friends calling you from afar, not when you heard that boy whispering something. “Come with me,” he said, and you began to stand up. With your vision still blurry, it seemed that the only thing you could see clearly was that boy, the same boy from the waterfall, who seemed somehow so attractive. Your feet began to follow him slowly, watching him raise his hand as if wanting you to take it. Your friends' voices were so faint and distant, even though they were almost at the camp. All you could hear was the boy's voice drawing you closer, closer, but before you could lift your hand and touch his, something happened.

[everythings-a-feather]

ok these two may also be giving me brainrot

I was gonna just draw kemonomimi... but sneks dont have ears so naga it is

also how the fuck do you actually spell lukas last name cuz I always thought it was couffaine but apparently its spelled as "couphene" on an official zag website which also lists kims name and the bee miraculous power wrong

[enternalempires]

Luka Couffaine as a Naga!

Inspired from one of my upcoming fanfics of Ao3 (username eternalempires if you want to check my out)!

Why can I do Luka's face but not Adrien's? Prob cause I'm so bad at animation art but better at realistic, I need more practice :(((

[justknitstuff]

ML Holiday Prompts 2K19

Day 6: scarves

Pairing: Lukanette

Supernatural AU, where Marinette is a witch and Luka is descended from nagas.

---------

"Marinette, what are you doing?" Luka asked, hoisting himself up onto the counter in her shop. The blue haired witch glanced up at him briefly before focusing back onto her work.

"I'm knitting you a new scarf. The cold weather is coming up soon, so I want to get it done quickly."

Luka blinked down at her in confusion, tilting his head to the side. Light from the charms floating around the shop shined on the teal and black scales on his cheeks and around his eyes.

"But I already have a scarf from you. I don't need another one."

Marinette smiled at the memory that brought up. When she was little, other witches her mother hung around would teach her all about the other races surrounding them. She was taught who preferred which charms she would one day learn to create, who were friendly, and who to stay away from.

Many people had preconceived ideas about snakefolk, and those descended from snake races. Many believed them bad luck, or just down right evil.

Fortunately for her, Marinette's mother's culture revered snakes. So when she was only ten years old and had come across a boy with scales and slitted eyes, she had no fear of him. It was the middle of winter and he was shivering while waiting outside a shop. Against the protests of her mother's friends, Marinette had approached the boy.

With a kind smile on her face, she unwound the pink and white knitted scarf from around her neck. It had been her first success on weaving a warmth charm into material, and while she was proud of it, the boy looked like he needed it more.

The boy watched her with weary eyes as she approached. Marinette simply thrust the scarf into his arms. "You look like you need this more. Please stay warm!" She chirped happily before turning away and returning to the adults.

She hadn't really thought about that boy for years, until one day Marinette spotted a familiar scarf around a teenage boy with familiar scales. She had burst out of her parents bakery and awkwardly squawked at him. Thankfully good fortune smiled on her, and the boy remembered her. A friendship had sparked between them. They ended up inspiring each other in their passions, which led Marinette to owning her own shop specializing in charms, mostly woven into clothing and other articles.

Marinette shook herself out of the memory and focused back on the present.

"Yes, but it's so old. The charm is wearing out. I wasn't as strong then. I'd need to unravel it and weave it all over again. So I might as well make a new one. Besides..." She flicked her eyes up at him and smiled. "Pink doesn't really match your colors." She gestured to the blue yarn she was currently working with. The nearly finished scarf contained multiple hues of blue that complimented the teal in his scales around his exposed face and hands.

A blush bloomed on Luka's cheeks, though he looked a little sad. "But I really like that scarf. It means a lot to me. It was the first thing anyone outside of my mom and sister gave me. And the great time someone wasn't scared of me..." He trailed off, looking away and it the window.

Marinette put down the knitting needles and took his hands, getting his attention back on her. "I'm sorry... I didn't think of it like that."

Luka smiled down at her and squeezed her smaller hands. "What if..." He hesitated. She nodded her head encouragingly. "What if you show me how to knit? Can you weave the charm into it still?"

"Of course!"

"Then how about we do that? Then you can use that one? It'll be something we create together."

Marinette smiled up at him, hands still clasped with his. "I think I like that idea a lot."

[courtneyinterupted]

Was really feeling my little monster theme for drawings last few days and decided who better then Luka from @lunian 's Curse AU

I do hope you like it.

[mc-lukanette]

Marinette hummed to herself, mulling over the various fabrics laid out in front of her. Her witch's hat tipped down a little whenever she lowered her head and she made a mental note to have her first fashion line be "alternate witch headwear" no matter the cost.

The cafe was a great place to get ideas and have the usual silence of her room replaced with the idle chatter of everyone else. It being all-inclusive was just a bonus that allowed her to look around and imagine what the various other species of people would look like in the clothes she designed.

The scent of coffee and pastries wafted through the area, her own sweetened coffee at her side while she worked.

Silk is too smooth. Cervitaurs like a bit more texture in their clothes, she thought, staring down at her fabrics on the table. She felt the corner of one, then moved on to the next, dissatisfied with how each rubbed against her. But elves have sensitive skin, so they might find wool too itchy and uncomfortable.

She tapped mindlessly on the table, the enlarged sewing needle in her hand acting as her wand as she pointed it to the textiles on the table. The tip of the needle glowed, Marinette flicking her wand and watching the fabric move around at her will. She redid her sorting for the tenth time that session, or maybe it was the fourteenth? She'd lost count and the sweetened coffee at her side was probably getting cold by now.

With a defeated sigh, Marinette slammed her wand down and collapsed onto the table, lamenting, Maybe there is no "one fabric" for everyone after all. Would I have to invent a new one instead?

She supposed the other problem could be the background music. She loved Jagged Stone's music, but it wasn't good for productivity and the only change the cafe made was that she couldn't hear the lyrics. If it was a knock-off so they didn't have to pay for Jagged's actual music, it was a good one.

She looked over, curious for the source of the song if only to distract herself. She spotted a naga lounging in the corner with black hair and blue highlights, playing on his guitar like imitating someone else's music was no big deal to him. It was impressive to her how his fingers strummed without hesitation or thought, his face not showing even an ounce of stress despite the attention on him from onlookers.

Although, when she really looked at him, he didn't seem invested in what he was playing at all, which was a stark contrast to Jagged's upbeat style coming from his fingertips. Marinette surveyed the room, wondering if he actually worked there to provide music for everyone, because she couldn't imagine why else he'd be there if he didn't enjoy what he was doing. The easiest way to find out was to simply ask, but she couldn't just go up to a stranger and start pestering him with personal questions, even if she wanted to know... right?

Staring down at her fabrics again, the complete lack of ideas practically staring back at her, she groaned and pulled her bag out to shove all of her supplies inside. Whatever. I'm not getting anything done anyway.

——

Marinette shifted in her seat as she waited for the mystery naga boy to be free. Even after the song had finished, he got approached by an employee and she couldn't make out what they were saying. She did catch him rubbing his arm though, making her wonder if it was from nerves or if the room was a little too chilly.

Finally, the employee stepped aside, allowing her to stand up from her table and try to approach as casually as possible. The boy's eyes met hers, probably sensing her presence, but he didn't move or show any sign of discomfort.

"You're really good," she complimented, prioritizing praise over his abilities above all else. "You've been playing Jagged Stone, right?"

He smiled, nodding at her. "Yeah, that's right."

There was a casualness to him of not minding being spoken to, but she could see the look in his eyes of someone who's used to having this exact conversation with other people. That was fine with her, as it wasn't her intended topic of discussion anyway.

She played with a strand of her hair, unsure of how to broach the subject. "Was... that because they asked you to play it?"

His back straightened in surprise. He looked down at his guitar and furrowed his brows, running his hand idly along the neck. "What made you think that?"

Marinette realized only now how awkward the conversation was about to become if she was wrong. She swallowed nervously, deciding to commit regardless. "You didn't seem interested in playing, even though you look so comfortable with your guitar."

She meant it. When she'd watched his body language, he seemed as if he'd been playing since he was really young. She could relate with her own interest in fashion, so she knew what it was like.

The naga eyed her, then searched the room cautiously like he was afraid of being caught. When he looked back at her, he set his guitar down and slowly pushed himself up, Marinette letting out a squeak when he leaned in close.

"You hit the note perfectly," he told her in a whisper, "but I'm not allowed to say that."

She gasped, covering her nose and mouth with both hands. It muffled her voice, but her reply came out clear enough: "And I asked you in front of everyone!"

He shook his head. "You're fine. I don't think anyone heard, and I can only get in trouble for answering."

She brought her hands down, feeling sympathetic to him. While he didn't say it, if he had such restrictions placed on him that he didn't like, then it must've been one of the few jobs he could get. He was still young - certainly not that much older than her - so finding a place where people would take him seriously must've been hard.

"It seems like such a shame." She frowned, keeping her voice low to maintain their secret conversation. "You're so talented, but you have to play other people's songs."

He shrugged, sad but giving her a reassuring, grateful smile. "Maybe someday. For now, they only want me to play what's popular, so I can't try my own music."

"Your own music?" she repeated, almost breaking the 'safe' volume between them with her intrigue. She'd suspected that he wrote music himself, so it was nice having it confirmed. "Could I hear it sometime? I'm sure it's amazing."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really!" It wasn't out of pity for him, but a genuine longing for the passion of another creative mind.

Before he could respond, an annoyed voice called from afar, "Couffaine! No flirting on the job!"

Marinette blushed. She supposed there were only so many ways their current situation could be interpreted, and if the place was already judging him based on his age, there was only one.

The naga, unphased, turned towards the voice and smirked. "I'm going on break." He reached for his guitar, holding it against himself and softening his expression when he met her gaze again. "Do you want to come with me?"

"What?" Her brain clicked, remembering what they'd been talking about. She was surprised that it'd be so soon - so immediate - but she wouldn't complain. "O-oh! Yeah, let's go!"

They went for the door together, her holding it open for him and hearing a hushed, "It's Luka, by the way," as he slithered past.

"Ma—Marinette!" she exclaimed in return, following after him.

——

The two of them wound up settling down in a park with a fountain, Marinette sitting down on the fountain's stone wall while Luka was content lounging on the ground. She expected him to start playing right away, but he put his guitar off to the side instead.

At her confused look, he asked, "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"We only talked about me," he explained. "You had some things on your table and you were moving them around, so I thought..."

He SAW that?! She was absolutely mortified. The fact that he was watching her too made her feel less weird about her initial motivation in approaching him, yet she hadn't wanted his impression of her to be her succeeding in a whole lot of nothing.

Luka, probably reading her expression, put his arms up next to her on the stone and assured, "I don't think there's anything wrong with needing time to make a song work, but you don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I was just curious."

Marinette drummed her fingers on her lap, shy. She'd shown interest in him but hadn't expected the same in return.

"You stuck your tongue out to the side when you were focused," he continued, voice gentler than before. "My sister tells me that I do something like that: the end of my tail flicks back and forth when I'm 'focusing too much.'"

He was relating to her to help her relax, even though he'd already given her an out. The worst part was that it was working, and she managed to answer, "I-I specialize in fashion, so I was looking at some fabric."

"What kind of fashion do you make?"

"All kinds, even accessories. Like..." She sat her bag on her lap and opened it, but couldn't find anything she could use inside. Pouting, but refusing to give up when she wanted to impress him, she asked hopefully, "Do you have anything small on you? Something that you're not that attached to?"

Luka looked towards the bag he was wearing around his waist, unzipping one of the pockets and fishing inside for an object that matched her description. When he held one up to her, triangular and round at the edges, she figured that it must've been a spare guitar pick of his.

"I-is that really okay?" She took it, turning it in her hands. "What if something happens to the one you have now?"

"Don't worry. I've got plenty," he assured, zipping his bag back up and patting it for emphasis.

She wasn't sure if she could believe him, but didn't see any reason to make a fuss about it. Retrieving her wand from her bag, she held the guitar pick close to her chest and shut one eye for precision. The tip of her wand made contact with the tip of the guitar pick and she used a touch of magic to form a hole in it. She then took a thick piece of string from her bag, threading it through the hole and pinching both ends together. Rubbing them between her thumb and index finger, she whispered soft words to bind them, leaving the string forming a complete circle when she let go.

It was still a bit plain, but that was inevitable since she was just improvising. Pressing the blunt end of the wand to her cheek in contemplation, she wondered aloud, "Do you mind if I touch your tail?"

He didn't ask why, shifting his tail about so that he could raise it up to her. Marinette offered him a smile in thanks, then began to draw magic on her palm with her wand. She was tempted to comment on the adorable way Luka tried to lean in to watch, but didn't.

As she finished off the pattern she'd drawn, it glowed blue along with her eyes. Turning her attention to Luka, she placed her hand on his tail and began to run it across. He shuddered at the sensation, though it didn't affect her work.

"Sorry," she said, "I've never done this on anyone, so I didn't know that'd happen."

"It's okay." Then, more curiously, "Done what?"

When she took her hand off, she showed him: the color, pattern, and texture of his tail had been replicated directly onto it. Luka's eyes were wide with awe and she felt a burst of pride in her chest.

Closing her fist around the string with her tail-patterned hand, she pulled and pulled at the string with her other one. With each pull, the part of the string that went through her closed fist came out with the exact same pattern as Luka's tail, until finally it matched it entirely. Satisfied, Marinette shook her magic-imbued hand in the air, the pattern coming off like wind blowing dust away.

The most important part came last. She clutched the guitar pick, bringing it to her lips in thought while she considered what to do. Her personal opinion was that a witch who worked in fashion should never do so without a spell attached, but she wasn't sure which to pick. Luka didn't come off as someone reckless, so making it more durable seemed like a waste. Luck, meanwhile, was such a cliche spell to cast on anyone, not like she believed in such a thing in the first place.

She eyed him for ideas, from his highlights to his eyes and then to his body. As her gaze skimmed past his arm, the faint memory of him rubbing it earlier struck, and she almost felt stupid for not thinking of it before.

Giving the guitar pick a soft kiss, it lit up along the edges. While it was pure black before, her magic changed its border to a bright crimson, confirming that her spell had gone off without a hitch. She turned to tell Luka that it was a success, though she paused when she noticed that the tip of his tail was flicking back and forth.

I thought he said that it only did that when he was really focused on something? she wondered, but didn't catch onto the implications.

After looking over the enchanted accessory one last time, she offered it to him with a smile. "Here! Just like that!"

Luka took a moment to reply, as if her magic had rubbed off on him and put him in a trance. Snapping back to focus, he tore his gaze from her to stare at the necklace. "That—that was incredible, Marinette!"

"Y-you really think so?"

"Yeah. You even copied my tail onto the string; I still have no idea how you did it or what spell that was. I felt inspired just watching you work."

She blushed at the heavy praise, replying defensively, "You haven't even tried it on yet!"

"Oh, then please..." he said easily, not wasting another second.

She thought he would just take it from her, but he leaned closer and bent his head down patiently. Whether it was a naga thing or he somehow felt wrong touching it himself, she wasn't sure, but she went along with it anyway. It almost felt like she was bestowing a medal of honor when she draped it over his head and let it drop.

Immediately, she saw Luka's body language change and asked, "How's it feel?"

"...Warm." He hesitated, putting a hand to his chest. He raised a brow in confusion, trying to find the right words. "I feel warm?"

"Yup! It's a spell for keeping you warm." She poked the guitar pick for emphasis. "I thought you looked a little cold earlier, so it seemed right."

He gaped at her, stunned. "You did that in just a few minutes? I have a couple of naga friends who hate being even a little cold. If you want any business, I'll put in a word for you."

She started to feel shy again. "I-it's not that big of a deal?" She waved him off. "It's more like a prototype. It won't protect you from being too hot, a-and it doesn't last forever."

She felt bitter at having to say it. Temperature-controlling charms had been one of her goals as a fashion-inclined witch, yet she still hadn't figured out a perfect solution to its limited nature.

"I don't think anyone would expect that," he argued, almost sounding offended on her behalf. "Even if it doesn't last, people could only wear it when they know they'll need it. That's not much different from wearing something until it's too worn out."

That's... not a bad point, she conceded, though not enough to verbalize it. She'd just never thought about it that way.

Luka held the guitar pick part of the necklace, bringing it closer to his face to admire it. "Why aren't things like this being sold everywhere?"

Marinette shrugged. "I mean, I did come up with some of those spells myself, but maybe witches just aren't interested in using their talents for fashion? It's not exactly as flashy as making things disappear or lighting things on fire with the flick of a wrist. "

He shook his head, adamant in his position. "I couldn't take my eyes off you."

His gaze was a little intense; he meant it. She tipped her head purposefully to have an excuse to adjust her hat, not sure how to handle compliments from someone who - as she was quickly noticing - was quite handsome.

"...O-oh! Um—" She fumbled to shift the conversation away from her. Pointing hurriedly at the necklace, she explained, "A-about the spell: I said it doesn't last forever, but it doesn't need recast or anything. The enchantment on it will stay, but once it runs out of power you'll need to get someone else with magic to recharge it." Then, she blurted out thoughtlessly, "Or I could?"

She managed to suppress the scream she nearly let out, leaving it to bounce and echo in her mind while Luka could only stare in silence. She'd never cast a curse in her life - only considered it in a few dark fantasies involving people who'd bullied her - but she might've cast a curse to remove her voice if she could go back to a few seconds ago. She'd just met this boy, and she was talking as if they were ever going to see each other again.

...Well, in retrospect it wasn't impossible; actually, it was very likely. If he continued working at the cafe and she continued to visit, they would inevitably continue seeing each other. One could even make the argument that she'd become the most convenient person to recharge the enchantment then.

It didn't make her any less embarrassed though.

Looking for a diversion (a successful one this time), Marinette turned her attention to his guitar. Gesturing wildly at it, she clarified, "B-but only if you play for me! You said you would!"

He didn't say explicitly that he would, but she hoped he wouldn't remember that detail.

"...Alright," Luka replied, as if everything she'd just said and done wasn't entirely ridiculous. He even grinned wider and repeated it. "Alright. I'll play for you whenever you want."

"Oka—whenever I want?" She blinked at him, thinking that he might've slipped up as well, but he was already focusing on getting his guitar in place.

No more words were spoken as he began to play, Marinette's thoughts of how fast she'd have to be to outrun a naga left behind to listen to him. As she'd imagined, he was really good, his music feeling like it was coming straight from his heart and into hers.

Now that she'd calmed down from her little outburst, she found her fingers twitching, either to adjust one of her spells or simply to start drawing new designs. She'd stumbled her way into agreeing to meet with him again, and even if her way of going about it wasn't ideal, she'd wanted it.

As she continued to listen, his words echoed in her head, "I felt inspired just watching you work," and she pondered if this was the result of his inspiration. Thinking about it, she'd never got to make anything in front of someone before, nor come up with something new on the spot.

Perhaps they'd inspired each other then, even without meaning to, and she silently hoped that they could continue to do so.

[verfound]

FIC: Spring is for the Day They Met (MLB; Lukanette; Winters)

@rengokuswifeysblog Pssssst remember when you asked about a first meeting fic??? 👀

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

Rating: Teen and Up

Summary: Luka wasn’t used to seeing humans this far into his forest.  He’s not used to seeing witches this far into his forest.  He’s not sure he’s going to like it.  (Marinette, on the other hand, is just fascinated by the fact that a snake is the ward of her new home.  That was definitely something her superiors could have mentioned before sending her here.)

Author’s Notes/Warnings: Ages back, Bloody had this idea about Naga!Lu being fascinated with Marinette’s human feet.  It made me think of the meeting scene in Disney’s Tarzan, and then I got all twisted up in first meetings and feet and could not for the life of me make any progress with the fic.  I went through so many drafts with this, and then I realized if I focused more on the meeting and not on the feet the fic actually came together quite nicely?  So.  Here’s the fic formerly known as “Human Feet”?  Now with 95% more meet cute and 75% less feet jokes. 😂

“Spring is for the Day They Met”

It was a glorious spring day, but then again, all of them had been glorious so far.  After an entire winter of not-so-nice days cooped up in his cave, hiding away from the cold and the snow, the sun shining high above him through the clearing in the leafy canopy of the trees was a welcome sight.  Even the breeze, still cool in the early spring, was a much welcome change from the bitter chill of winter.  The ice had completely thawed from the river below him, and his rocks were once again prime basking space.

Even better, spring was still early, and most of the Forest’s inhabitants had yet to realize he was once again up and about.  If they had had any need for him, those needs had not yet been serious enough to bother seeking him out.  He was free to sprawl out on his rocks, soaking up as much sun as he could in an attempt to recover from a too-long winter.

Yes, spring had once again come to the Forest, and life was…

A resounding slap echoed across the water, followed by the raucous bark of heckling laughter.  More laughter bubbled up in chittering cackles as water splashed and rough, croaky voices squabbled.  He dropped his head back onto the rock, hanging it upside-down to stare across the river to the opposite bank.

It would be perfect, he couldn’t help but think, if those damned kappas would relocate.

[ao3feed-ladynoir]

Choosing Love or Duty

Choosing Love or Duty by AlwaysAwkward

Prince Luka Couffaine is a Naga that is in arranged marriage to Kagami Cheng. He's also the soon to be King.

Lady Marinette Dupain-Cheng is in an arranged marriage to Lord Adrien Agreste

Luka is bound by duty to marry Kagami, though they both love another. So what's he supposed to do when he's hopelessly in love with Marinette?

Words: 2579, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Miraculous Ladybug

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Luka Couffaine, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Kagami Tsurugi, Tikki, Sass, Plagg, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Chloé Bourgeois, Lila Rossi, Juleka Couffaine, Rose Lavillant

Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fantasy, NagaLuka, Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Lukanette, Fae Magic, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Naga Luka Couffaine, Courtship, Witch Juleka, witch Rose, Luka Couffaine Loves Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Bisexual Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Loves Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Protective Luka Couffaine

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40707015

[verfound]

@bloody-no-kissu I think Rebbie's singing your song 👀👀👀

(Also Rebbie Godspeed. 😂 The #1 rule of a semi-successful WIP folder: always do notes AND snippets. Just to remind yourself. I seriously have one floating around somewhere that just has some Goo Goo Dolls lyrics in it, and every time I open it up I'm like "Yeah! ...but what the hell was I doing here?" 😂)

Six Sentence Sunday!

Hello everyone! I hope you are having a sensational Sunday!

So… I have a lot of WIPs piling up XD Every time I get a new idea I write it down and (usually) write a small scene for it too. Which can be bad, because now I have a ton of ideas with like twelve sentences and I’m left wondering how to continue from there!

All this to say, because of the previous Sprint Challenge, I had two ideas I wanted to write. But I knew one of these ideas needed a lot longer than 45 minutes, so I only focused on the Apple Picking one. (wow I am talking everyone’s ears off, sorry lolol)

The problem is! I wrote a little snippet for a scene but I don’t remember exactly what the point of the story was! But it seems interesting enough, I just have no idea where to go from here. (Darn you, Past Rebbie! Start writing summaries instead of scenes!)

So…Imma share what that snippet was. It’s a bit longer than six sentences (sorry about that XD)

It begins under the cut! <3

Keep reading

[caffeinatedmagpie]

Luka Couffaine

He has arrived!

Slight outfit modification as I cannot get a jacket and hoodie quite like what he’s wearing in canon. Where does one find a short sleeve denim jacket with formal lapels, anyway? And why short sleeves on a hoodie? It’s autumn now. He wants to be warm.

Watch for him to show up next as the Naga in my ML Cryptid series!

I’ll be making some additional modifications to his Canon model for later in-universe renders - I want to play with the textures a bit more, these rendered a little flatter than I would like. Stay tuned!

- @enberlight​ (10 October 2020)

[verfound]

FIC: Sit a Spell (MLB; Lukanette; Winters)

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

Rating: General Audiences

Summary: Marinette comes home to find her new housemate sitting outside.  Luka’s just glad to see his mate safely home.

Author’s Notes/Warnings: Set during their first autumn, shortly after Luka’s moved in.  Early in his brumation, before he’s sleeping all the time.  Winters is kind of my comfort series?  I have actual stories and plot planned out for this ‘verse, but every now and then I just need to come back and do something short and fluffy for my own sanity.

“Sit a Spell”

“What are you doing out here?”

Luka looked up and smiled when he saw his little witch – his mate – walking up the path to her…their little cottage.  The tip of his tail flicked almost subconsciously, a sign of his pleasure at seeing her safely home, and she grinned when she noticed it.

“Aren’t you cold?” she asked once she was closer, her eyes glancing down at his bare chest.  He noticed the way they lingered – her gazes had been lingering more and more lately – and his tail swished again.  Her cheeks were pink when her eyes lifted back to his own.

The pinking wasn’t new, not for a while now, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it.  There was a little thrill that raced through him every time he saw that lovely color fill her cheeks.  He’d found himself wondering lately how far he could make that blush go, and how lovely it might look…

…but those were thoughts for later, when the cold wasn’t creeping in and his body wasn’t so damnably slow.

[verfound]

Six Some Sentences Sunday: 01.15.23

I was really hoping I'd get this finished today, but maybe tomorrow...?

“…he said you’re gonna eat me,” she mumbled when he pulled away.  A strange sound, somewhere between a hiss and a laugh and something choked, escaped him, and she rolled her eyes as she shoved at him and flopped onto the cushions of their nest.  “See?  Stupid.”

“Why would he….?” Luka started, but then his eyebrows rose even higher as he blinked at her.  “You ssssaid village gosssssip.  Do they…do they all think you’re in danger here?”

She looked away from him, but there was no denying the flush on her cheeks, even in the dark.

“…maybe,” she mumbled.  “They…they all implied that the Snakefolk eat people, so…so obviously you’re going to eat me.  Ridiculous, right?  The Snakefolk don’t eat…Luka, stop laughing!”

“Apologies, love,” he said, shaking his head.  “It’sss jussst…you’re right.  He’s an idiot.”

[verfound]

FIC: Snake Tales (MLB; Lukanette; Winters; Lemony Fresh)

Characters/Pairings: Naga!Luka Couffaine, Witch!Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Lê Chiến Kim; Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Marinette knew the villagers didn’t really think too highly of the Forest Snake – certainly not like she did – but honestly.  This was all a little ridiculous.  (Or: Marinette overhears some gossip at the butcher’s and learns her mate is apparently plotting to eat her.  Or something.)

Author’s Notes/Warnings: Set shortly into their first mated spring.  Our cook at work was telling us this story about his friend who had a pet constrictor.  It was a funny story, and I quickly relayed it, and it took Quick all of two minutes to debunk it & Min to spin it into a Winters prompt.  😂

“Snake Tales”

Marinette hadn’t meant to eavesdrop.  She really hadn’t.  It’s just that the women were so loud, in that way that gossiping biddies could be, and it was almost impossible to not overhear.  She had just been minding her own, waiting on the butcher (or the farmer that acted as the village butcher, when you no longer lived in a busy metropolitan area like the Citadel that had an entire shop just for…butchering) to wrap up the chicken she’d been planning for dinner, when they came in behind her.  She vaguely recognized them from around the village, but neither had yet sought out her services and she hadn’t had much opportunity to interact with either.  She was pretty sure the one was married to the farmer who lived next to Kim.

But they’d been chattering away from the moment they opened the door, laughing over something or other, and Marinette had been the only other person inside while the butcher worked in the back.  It had been difficult not to overhear, especially when their topic of conversation had been about snakes.

[mc-lukanette]

MC-Lukanette’s “No Context November” 2023 Masterpost

` = ficlet

* = one-shot (or close to being a one-shot if a few paragraphs/a little more context were added)

^ = part of a larger AU/hypothetical story

{AO3 link for No Context November}

(Halloween bonus) * (3867 words) - A Horror-ble Idea {Lukanette} [Horror Movies] [Fluff] [Childhood Friends] [Confession] [Kiss]

Marinette had been friends with Luka for years, having shared just about everything except for her crush on him. Deciding it's time to change that, she tries to come up with the ultimate plan to prove her love for him.

It has varying results.

Day 1 ^ (1597 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Meeting Again]

Luka meets Marinette again after years and realizes that he wasn't the only one pining.

Day 2 ^ (2223 words) - {Lukanette} [Drama] [Confession] [post-"Silencer"]

Marinette makes a decision regarding Luka's confession in "Silencer," as much as she doesn't want to.

Day 3 ^ (2971 words) - {Lukanette} [Sleeping Problems] [Trauma] [post-"Chat Blanc"] [Light Girl Squad Salt]

Luka approaches an exhausted Marinette, unaware of her terrifying experience in an alternate timeline of Paris.

Day 4 * (1648 words) - {Lukanette} ["Silencer"] [Canon Divergence] [Marinette and Luka are Confident and In Love] [Love Square Salt]

"Clear as a music note, sincere as a melody." Those words kept echoing in Marinette's head, not unlike a chorus on replay.

And perhaps she was the song in his head simply because she'd wanted to be there in the first place.

Day 5 ^ (1086 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Charity Auction] [Silly] [Flirting] [(implied) Adrino]

A charity auction is held, selling off dates with famous men to any woman with enough cash to throw at them for it.

Marinette just didn't know the list would include a rock star's son.

Day 6 ^ (1431 words) - {Lukanette} [Silly] [Confession]

Two fools in love stop being as foolish as before.

Day 7 ^ (1707 words) - {Lukanette} [Luka Hears Heart Songs] [Rock Star Anarka Couffaine] [Luka's Father is Not Jagged Stone]

Luka senses music in most things he experiences, yet somehow Marinette is still a unique one.

Day 8 * (1963 words) - {Lukanette} [Post-Dating] [Gift Giving] [(Adrimi But Only Mentioned)]

Marinette had been dating Luka for a while now and she couldn't have been happier. He was everything she could've wanted in a boyfriend: attentive, mature, and incredibly loving.

But maybe there was also such a thing as too loving?

Day 9 ^ (3854 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Homeless Luka Couffaine]

Marinette worries about her homeless friend when cold washes over her town.

Day 10 ^ (3431 words) - {Lukanette} [Fantasy] [Witch Marinette Dupain-Cheng] [Naga Luka Couffaine]

Marinette meets a musical naga boy while she's working on new ideas for her magic.

Day 11 ^ (1523 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Baker Marinette Dupain-Cheng] [Childhood Friends]

Luka stops by a bakery in town and sees a familiar face. He has mixed feelings about it.

Day 12 * (2678 words) - {Viperbug} [Sparring] [Introspection]

For Ladybug, going on patrol just isn't good enough. Akuma battles aren't the time to be improving her skills, so she uses her nights to train whenever she can.

She knows just the partner to help her with that.

Day 13 ^ (4945 words) - {Lukanette} [Childhood] [Fluff] [Sleepovers]

Luka meets a new face during one of Juleka's "girls only" sleepovers.

Day 14 ^ (1974 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Florist Marinette Dupain-Cheng] [Luka Has Flower Nymph Genes]

Marinette gets an interesting customer in her flower shop.

Day 15 ^ (1636 words) - {Lukanette} [Fluff] [Introspection] [Outsider POV] [Possibly Post-Dating]

Juleka reflects on three separate instances of her brother and friend hanging out together.

Day 16 * (2765 words) - {Lukanette} ["Glaciator" Fix-It] [Adrien Salt] [Love Square Salt] [Introspection]

Marinette's first instinct had been to run away as she watched the culmination of her efforts end with her ice cream cone falling from her hands. After all, none of her efforts - no matter how strong - had gone anywhere or done anything substantial for her relationship with Adrien.

But if she ran, the cycle would only continue. She would do the same thing over and over for little to no return and it would continue to be that way for potentially forever.

So instead, she reflects, in part with the help of the new friend she'd made just recently.

Day 17 ^ (1150 words) - {Lukanette} [Luka Knows] [Nutrition]

Marinette shares a previously-unknown fact about being Ladybug with Luka.

Day 18 ^ (1797 words) - {Lukanette} [post-"Silencer"] [Music]

Marinette calls Luka about a particular location for their next music lesson.

Day 19 ^ (2281 words) - {Lukamouse} [Post-Dating] [Luka Knows] [Multimouse] [No Miraculous Timers]

Luka gets a tiny visitor during class one day.

Day 20 * (3070 words) - {Lukanette} ["Desperada" Fix-It] [Reincarnation] [Canon Divergence]

Luka wasn't self-conscious about his role in life. He was perfectly happy where he was as his mother's son, as Kitty Section's guitarist, as Juleka's brother. To him, his life had enough meaning as it was.

He just couldn't help feeling like there was something more to it.

Day 21 ^ (1699 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Merman Luka Couffaine]

Ladybug comes across someone interesting and her own heroism gets the better of her.

Day 22 ` (925 words) - {Lukanette} [Silly]

Marinette prepares a little something for Luka, but nothing ever truly goes according to her plans.

Day 23 ` (1194 words) - {Lukanette} [Adulthood] [Post-Dating] [Trauma]

Luka helps Marinette work through the thoughts in her head.

Day 24 * (2808 words) - {Lukanette} [Jealousy]

As the months went on, Marinette found it harder and harder to keep up with her growing circle of friends and responsibilities. There were too many things to do and she wasn't "good or efficient enough" to do them. Other people had it easier, and she imagined they could replace her if needed.

Luka disagreed.

Day 25 ` (1386 words) - {Lukanette} [Post-Dating] [Gifts] [Fluff]

Luka goes to Marinette's house and catches her in the middle of one of her bad habits.

Day 26 ^ (2837 words) - {Vipernette} [Fluff]

Viperion goes out for patrol and gets appreciated by the only person he would seek appreciation from in the first place.

Day 27 * (3320 words) - {LukaFairy} [Adulthood] [Fantasy Elements] [Fairynette] [Introspection] [Love Square Salt] [Moments in Time] [No Dialog]

A tale of a fairy seamstress as she meets a model, a musician, and experiences love for the very first time with one of them.

Day 28 ^ (1703 words) - {Lukanette} [The Wish] [Silly]

Luka meets Marinette for the first time… sort of.

Day 29 ^ (1809 words) - {Lukanette} ["Chameleon" Fix-It] [Canon Divergence] [Luka and Marinette Are the Same Age] [Post-Dating] [Brief Class Salt]

Marinette gains an ally in her metaphorical battle with Lila.

Day 30 * (3381 words) - {Lukanette} [Cold Weather] [Silly] [Fluff]

Marinette hates the cold, and it's looking as though she's about to have a lonely day far removed from anything enjoyable.

Until, of course, Luka arrives at her home and they can't seem to part from each other for even a moment.