#couffaine family

[that-octavian]

Happy Halloween from the Couffaines dressed up as characters from the Shining…

[airi-p4]

✨MERRY CHRISTMAS 2023✨

(Full version of this art from my Fairy Misunderstood AU)

Close-ups under the cut:

Juleka and Anarka with their new knit shirts (made by Marinette).

Remember this? Luka's Jagged Stone themed ugly knit shirt made by Marientte (previously seen in this special comic chapter of Fairy AU)

Presents details! *Click for bigger view* (a few name name tags and sparkles for presents made by Marinette with her knitting magic. Oh, and what could that present for Rose be...? Can you guess it? 😝 )

And that's all- ✨Merry Christmas!! ✨

[aloeverified]

i wish jagged was luka and juleka's step-dad instead.

anarka and jagged meet in a dim, little corner street bar. she doesn't keep up with all the new fancy spots anymore and he's trying to hide away from anyone with a camera who might make his night worse.

anarka goes out for the first time in many, many years. luka and juleka want to have a little get together with their friends at the boat, and she trusts her kids enough and know they'll not do anything too reckless. besides, she remembers what it's like to want freedom and privacy from parents at that age, so she'll let them have a little party while she gets some alone time.

jagged was also looking to have a drink that night, trying to take his mind off another annoying disagreement with his producer. apparently, he'd gone against his contract by playing unreleased music during his television interview and was essentially being put on house arrests: no tours, no shows, no leaving paris. not until he had a new album ready to announce and was ready to do everything his producer asked of him.

he overhears anarka ordering, something strong he's only had on a handful of occasions. he takes a sea on the stool beside her and asks for the same. she smiles over at him, asking if it's been "one of those days."

he replies with a groan, saying everyday is one of those days with this ridiculous coworker of his. she chuckles at that and he questions if she's in a similar predicament.

she shakes her head and takes a first sip as their drinks are placed in front of them. she tells him it's just been a while since she's been able to go out, is all, might as well enjoy all the alone time she can while she has the chance.

he asks if his presence is taking away from her alone time, and she shakes her head once again before taking a larger drink. it's nice to have a drinking partner, she tells him it's been a long time since she's had one. he takes a sip of his drink as well, humming in agreement.

the two of them talk some more with more drinks coming. jagged realizes anarka has a very nice laugh and also a much higher tolerance than him.

somewhere in their conversation, something is said that causes anarka to have an epiphany. she jolts up in her seat, startling jagged, as she turns further towards him and announce that she knows him: he's a musician that her oldest kid is absolutely obsessed with!

jagged tries to hide the surprise in his voice as he repeats that she has kids. anarka nods, still very proud of her discovery. two, she tells him, the sweetest little kiddos in all of france. he listens to her gush about them for a few moments more, enjoying the way she face brightens with each word.

he decides to test his fate by saying he hopes her husband doesn't mind her having a drink with a rockstar, lots of people would get the wrong impression. anarka laughs, loud and heavy, telling him he doesn't have to worry about anything like that. she gives him a mischievous look, telling him that if she ever saw her lousy ex husband again, she'd throw him overboard.

jagged offers her his help if that ever happens, a long with his number written on one of the bar napkins. she stares at it for a moment in bewilderment, before laughing and sliding it into her purse, telling him she'll never turn down a drinking buddy.

from there on, jagged and anarka meet fairly often. it started off as getting a drink once a week together at the bar while so the kids could have a night to themselves and so jagged could unwind, but it eventually turns into them getting together every few nights for drinks, dinner, checking out new instrument stores.

luka grows suspicious that their mom is seeing someone and eventually decides to ask her about it while she's getting ready to go see jagged, and juleka jumps in to let their mom know she's happy for her and supports any relationship she may be pursuing.

she tells the kids to settle down, it's nothing like that. he's just a friend she's been getting together with to have some adult time. though, she does find him quite handsome and charming, and his accent does do something for her. she decides to text her "friend" to come by the boat to pick her up, rather than meeting a few blocks away.

imagine luka's shock when his idol shows up in his living room, more polished and out together than he's ever seen him, with a bouquet of flowers for his mom.

summary: jagged stone falls in love with anarka from the moment he sees her and she decides to entertain it, featuring bonus family shenanigans with juleka and luka having a good father figure for the first time in their lives and jagged realizing that maybe he doesn't mind the idea of settling down and having a family as much as he thought he would.

[mystic-myrtille]

What did you think of Jagged Rock being revealed to be Luka's father?

Oh I have a lot of thoughts on that. As most things in the show, the execution is shit but the general idea is cool.

I mean, a plot line where the guy with daddy issues finds out that his deadbeat father, who left his mother behind with not one but two little kids and never even trying to reach out to them, is in reality his number one idol with whom he had interacted in the past.

That is fucking juicy.

There is so much potential for angst there. They could've explored Luka's trauma and the effects it has on his life, how he reacts to this reveal and ultimately how he tries to deal with it. Would he act out and cry over how shitty Jagged is?Would he let his friends and family comfort him? Or does he try to keep things to himself to not burden anyone? Does Jagged feel regret? Will he try to redeem himself? How do they move forward? Would Luka want to keep in contact with the man who abandoned his family? How would that affect Jagged's relationship with the rest of the cast? What if, for example, Luka doesn't want contact but Juleka does? The family dynamic is super messy and there's a ton of stuff you can do with that, develop characters further and have them grow.

And canon... yeah. The reveal is shoehorned into the Luka//nette breakup episode. It's not the main plot, not even a b-plot, it's just like a fun fact thrown in to justify Luka's reaction to Marinette keeping secrets.

Jagged then waits before the boat and just goes "Hey we can make dope music together:)" and Luka just fucking forgives him. Instantly. No questions asked. After Jagged has the audacity to say him leaving his family inspired some banger songs, one of which is Luka's favorite. After Luka yells at him with so much hurt in his voice why he abandoned him.

And then the show sets Jagged up as so great and cool that he came back to his family and stepped up as a loving dad who made amends with his ex gf (with whom he randomly flirted pre reveal but then had a bad relationship with her??) in order to have a happy family, completely ignoring that he only did all of that when he was specifically called out for being a deadbeat. Like had Luka not been akumatized into Truth, Jagged wouldn't have come back into their lives.

This whole thing ruined canon Jagged and are pretty clear indicators that the writers don't care about writing complex characters with complex feelings. It's all shook value and plot device.

But if the writers really didn't want Luka and Jagged to have a bad relationship, they could've just left it at "Jagged and Anarka were in a band once". Jagged learns that his old band mate has kids who are into music and have a band, so he decides to invite them to his studio, show them some cool stuff on the guitar, become their mentor. He doesn't have to be their bio dad to take care of them and love them. Of course, the show could've dropped some ambiguous hints that he might be, but then never confirm it because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter. Or if they confirm it, it's also a surprise to Jagged, so he wasn't there as a dad because he didn't even know he was one and now everybody adjusts their life according to this new revelation.

And I like those wholesome plots. I love fanworks about Couffaine family shenanigans, they're chaotic and awesome<3

So yeah, in conclusion, everyone involved deserved better.

[verfound]

FIC: Coffee Shop Soundtrack: 3/10 (MLB; Luka)

Notes: “Ver.  Babes.  Coffee Shop AUs are supposed to be silly, fluffy, tooth-rotting romance served up with an abundance of silly caffeinated beverages and scones.  What are you doing here?”  You mean this isn’t how you do a Coffee Shop AU?  (The “Blank Space” cover mentioned is the one by I Prevail and kicks all kinds of ass.)

Ch 1 | Ch 2

Coffee Shop Soundtrack

Chapter Three: That Monday Andrew Came to Work

Monday morning brought with it a sense of…not peace.  Not exactly.  Luka couldn’t say he felt peaceful about the unexpected meeting Saturday, and he definitely didn’t feel peaceful about trusting his real name with a six-year-old he barely knew, but there was a sense of…clarity, at least.  He felt calm, like a bit of his equilibrium had been restored.  Somewhere amidst the chaos Saturday had thrown his mind into, a rational thought was breaking through.  That thought said he was panicking over nothing.  He had gone over a decade without running into Andrew Couffaine, so there was no reason to believe he would run into him again.  It was just a random encounter that had led to a bad night, and now it was over and he could move on.  Andrew Couffaine was his past, and the bastard could stay there where he belonged.  He had no place in his future.  Luka didn’t want him to have one.

The clarity also brought with it a resolution.  Andrew Couffaine would not be a part of his life.  CeeCee – Celia Couffaine – could not be a part of his life.  So, he decided as he laid there in the early Monday light, neither would be a part of Juleka’s, either.

[porryc]

The Whole Agreste Family Backstory In Movie

[staab]

[coralpaperthoughts]

LukAdrien headcanons: Homely Edition (with a lot of some JuleRose)

Adrien always sneaks out of his house to visit the Liberty (whether out the back door / under the guise that he’s got a class meeting / with the help of Chat Noir, he’ll always find a way)

Like it’s also most every other day/night, he’s at the Liberty

Nathalie knows

The Gorilla also knows

Every time he’s there, he’s always welcomed by 4 pairs of warm arms (Luka, Rose, Juleka and Anarka in that order)

Anarka has practically adopted him at this point (like she did with Rose)

Him and Rose are honorary Couffaines (because they’re too young to get married)

Lukadrien and Julerose DOUBLE DATES !!

They go out sometimes, to like Andre’s ice cream or smth, OR they stay at home and watch movies or have a video game marathon

Adrien and Juleka always the best at video games

When they team up for games, they don’t always go by couples - sometimes its Adrien and Juleka against Luka and Rose, sometimes siblings vs blondes

Adrien helps out making meals/helps clean up afterwards

Rose teaches him all he needs to know coz yk our boy does not know the first thing about cleaning (bro didn’t even know how to play fricking football)

Juleka bullies him all the time, but he knows that’s just how she shows love

Luka wraps his arms around Adrien’s waist when he’s washing up

Luka presses kisses to his neck and shoulder, Adrien gets flustered, Rose giggles at them being lovey dovey, Juleka makes fake gagging noises

Juleka gets comfy enough around Adrien that she talks freely in front of him, but only in the house boat

Luka tends to sit on the couch, strumming his guitar, during the making/cleaning up of meals

[just-another-oikawa-kinnie]

Grief.

Adrien knows that feeling, he knows how it feels to cry himself to sleep, to find his mother peering in on his life in his dreams and he knows how he’ll always chase her to the daylight where he knows she’ll fade away. He knows the sleepless nights and the dark hallways. He knows the days under the covers and weeks without eating more than a single real meal.

That’s not what he feels right now though. He can’t feel anything actually. His father was hawkmoth. He lived with a man who desperately tried to kill him on the daily. He lived with a monster in the form of his father, a parasite in his father’s skin, come to light. He’s not sad he’s dead. His father died with his mother. That man was just a mirage after all, a sick man’s dying wish that he follows further and further into the desert. Adrien found no water at his feet, he was dying of thirst right up until he became Chat Noir. He found himself and found the Nile, that river of life, a family of his own. Ladybug, Marinette, Luka, Nino and all his other friends. When he saw his fathers grave he didn't cry, but he couldn't shake that ghost. Then Luka put a hand on his shoulder and Marinette hugged him around the waist. A tear rolled down his cheek, and he let go of that wasteland and embraced the rain.

[sidsinning]

You know Luka also has something that sets him off that has nothing to do with being selfless like anyone does

Abandonment

Daddy issues part 2 baby (part 1 being Adrien ofc)

The times he's been preyed on by an akuma stemming from his own feelings being hurt were in Truth and and Crocoduel

Luka has never been mad/upset at Marinette for her indecision or her love for Adrien literally ever, it's just not in his nature to covet romantic love as a major priority

He got sad when she wasn't present during their relationship, missing out on important events and dates- then finally he opened up a very vulnerable part to himself, only to be told straight up that she cannot reciprocate his amount of vulnerability in their relationship. They're in a relationship, so ofc he expects a certain amount of attention and affection equal to his own.

Second time is when he thinks Marinette doesn't want to be in his life at all anymore in Crocoduel. Like anyone would be, he was upset after their break up bc, hey- he did love her and want their relationship to work out. But his sadness didn't ever reach a point to where he couldn't control it. What's important to him is simply having those he holds dear to be with him. Marinette not wanting to be near him at all is what truly upsets him, bc gf or not, he just wants those he loves to love him in return.

Wanting the people he loves with him, to communicate with him, spend time with him, etc.- are all things that stem from his own desires and self esteem. It's how the reassurances of his other friends stops the akuma.

Like yeah he could be fleshed out more (lack of screentime,,,,hic,,,sob,,,) but I really appreciate the small morsels we get of him here and there 😭 literally an empath

Also as an elderly being 👩‍🦳 watching the show now, his lax attitude towards teenage love is so refreshing dtvdybfkt- like don't get me wrong, I live for the melodrama of mlb most of the time, but he reminds me shit ain't really that serious in your teens and if we treated it like just a natural cycle of life we'd all be better for it 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

I'm Marinette in terms of uncontrollable and erratically nervous behavior around my crush

But also I'm Luka where I'm like: Well, I'll live. I'm still young. I got my art, family, and friends- after a few awkward weeks even my ex is still my good friend so things are great 👍

[donsive]

I also plan to make a solid design foe the couffaines and their estranged dad tomorrow for my rewrite

[that-octavian]

Jagged consulting Luka how to dad (AND LUKA SAYING TO JUST SPEND TIME WITH THEM AAA)

Luka scolding Anarka

JULEKAAAAA

Mama bear

PENNY READY TO MOM

FANG SCOOTING AND JOINING THE GROUP HUG

LOOK AT THEM

[airi-p4]

🌙✨

Merry Christmas! 🎄 🎁 🧶

___________________________________________

✨Fairy Misunderstood AU - Chapter Guide🧚🏼‍♀️✨

___________________________________________

Luka’s clothes close up under the cut:

(Notice the sparkles? They’re Marinette’s involuntary trademark! ✨)

(+ a “cuter” version with Jagged’s logo redesigned by Fairy Marinette 🤭)

[imsparky2002]

Miraculous Animal AU - Couffaine Family Headcanons

Luka and Juleka were newborns in the same room, orphaned and tiny. Two of the farm's older attractions, a crocodile named Jagged and a parrot named Anarka, felt a bond towards the babies and took them in as their children.

Jagged is the pet croc of Fang, a wild and loveable rockstar. Whenever he and Anarka go away to be backstage at a concert, they always bring their kids along.

Anarka has a habit of talking like a pirate, since she's spent most of her life outside the farm as the parrot for a children's entertainer at birthday parties. She's not too big of a fan of the law, and often pecks and poops on the cops. A police dog named Roger (Sabrina's dad) is not amused.

Jagged has the ego of a rocker, even if he's just a pet. Whenever he sings, the animals find it beautiful, but all humans hear are hisses and growls. Even if he can be a diva, he still adores his friends and family.

Luka and Juleka love both of their parents equally, but the snake is more of a momma's boy, while the tiger is more of a daddy's girl.

The parents were the biggest cheerleaders for their kids when they found a mate, or in Luka's case, 3 mates. They know if anything happens to their babies, a pecking or chomping attack is coming for anyone who harms them.

I would love to hear your additional ideas in the reblogs and comments! @artzychic27 @msweebyness @nerd-chocolate

[ninadove]

Miraculous Masterpost

Because I did not expect to write about this series as much as I did, so now my Random Ramblings Masterpost looks like a never-ending shopping list, and we can’t have that.

Generic 🦋

Miraculous’ philosophy of consent: all’s fair in love and plot [S5 E19]

A word on show-don’t-tell (Get it? A word? On show-don’t-tell? I’ll see myself out —) [S5 E18]

London Callin’ (Maybe) (We’re not sure) [S5 E24]

The Shadow Weaver-ification of Gabriel Agreste — Part 1 [S5 E26]

The Shadow Weaver-ification of Gabriel Agreste — Part 2 [S5 E26]

The Shadow Weaver-ification of Gabriel Agreste — Part 3 [S5 E26]

I love the Sentimonster Theory Canon and you can pry out of my cold, dead hands [S5 E26]

Felix Graham de Vanily / Argos 🦚

"Duusu, spread my feathers!" — A queer reading of the Sentimonster theory [S4 E26]

Felix is a little b*tch (affectionate) [S4 E26]

Taking risks in Strikeback (Get it? Risk? Strikeback?) [S4 E26]

On the beef between Felix and Chloé [S5 E18]

Felix’s masterplan was brilliant, actually [S5 E18]

Leave my fucking child alone — Part I: "There’s only one thing worse than Gabriel —" [S5 E18]

Leave my fucking child alone — Part II: A very chill rant about Adrien’s amok [S5 E18]

Reminder that yes, Colt SUCKS, but he’s not the only one [S5 E24]

On cracked rings and broken chains [S5 E24]

Surviving child abuse through humour [S5 E24]

Badass in the arena [S5 E24]

TRANSMASC. FELIX. PROPAGANDA. [S5 E24]

Plushie Parallels [S5 E24]

Felix is a ray of fucking sunshine [S5 E24]

On Felix’s wish [S5 E26]

Kagami Tsurugi / Ryuko 🐉

To wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve [S5 E18]

Cutting off contact(s) [S5 E19]

Thinking about Kagami Tsurugi ❤️ [S5 E24]

On Kagami and the cousins’ silly antics [S5 E26]

Birthday post ❤️🐉🎂🎉 [S5 E26]

Feligami 🦚🐉

On Feligami and the (absence of) masks [S5 E18]

Beware of first impressions [S5 E18]

Feligami Fastburn my beloved [S5 E19]

Feligami Flexes [S5 E19]

It’s the way they hold hands, your honour [S5 E19]

Some Ship Bingo Ramblings [S5 E19]

Incoherent screaming over Kagami’s amok [S5 E19]

Feligami / Gabemilie parallels [S5 E19]

Pretension 🥺💜❤️ [S5 E19]

On Flairyuko and chokers [S5 E19]

The quickest prison break ever [S5 E24]

You come to MY post, you disrespect MY blorbos — [S5 E24]

A word on jealousy [S5 E24]

Finding beauty in the monstruous [S5 E24]

Feligami’s couple cosplays [S5 E24]

A word on monsters [S5 E24]

Feligami Writing Guide [S5 E24]

From queer neurodivergent child abuse survivors to lovers [S5 E24]

Draw me like one of your British boys [S5 E26]

Felix doesn’t get the monopoly of the heart eyes [S5 E26]

On defying the narrative [S5 E24]

Ryukomori x Argos… Argomori? [S5 E24]

*Fireflies from Owl City starts playing* [S5 E26]

The Marigami-to-Feligami pipeline [London]

Beauty and the Beast AU

Felix’s fanfictions

Coup de foudre

Adrien Agreste / Chat Noir 🐈‍⬛

Remember kids: necromancy bad — [S5 E26]

On the S6 Redesigns Dread™ [S5 E26]

Graham de Family 💍

Flairmidable’s formidable costume [S4 E26]

Transmasc Felix Propaganda [S5 E18]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part I: NEWSFLASH, ASSHOLES!!!!! Felix has cared about Adrien the entire goddamn time [S5 E24]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part II: The Path to Isolation [S5 E24]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part III: L��Enfer est pavé de bonnes intentions [S5 E24]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part IV: Sun and rain [S5 E24]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part V: Sun and moon [S5 E24]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part VI: Mirror, mirror [S5 E24]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part V: First draft [S5 E24]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part VI: Everything I did… [S5 E24]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part VII: Reclaiming your image [S5 E24]

The Senticousins Agenda — Part VIII: Blue roses

#LetAmelieStabABitch2023 [S5 E24]

On Felix, Emilie and Solitude [S5 E24]

On Felix, Emilie and loneliness [S5 E24]

All I’m saying is, Emilie should have been a lesbian [S5 E24]

Some thoughts on Sentisouls [S5 E24]

Adrien is a disappointment to his entire lineage (and we love him for it) [S5 E24]

Hands again! [S5 E24]

Let’s play Animal Crossing: Happy Home Paradise! [S5 E26]

A word on accents and guillotines (with a title like that how can you NOT want to click)

Aroace Adrien and Demiromantic Felix propaganda

Marinette Dupain Cheng / Ladybug 🐞

Do NOT talk shit about Marinette [S5 E26]

In defense of Ladybug’s suit [Paris]

On Marinette and second chances [London]

Kind of an accidental Lilanette post [London]

Love Square ❤️

Queer coding! Queer coding everywhere!

Chloé Bourgeois / Queen Bee 🐝

Can a bee change her stripes? [S5 E18]

That one time I accidentally made myself a Chlolila shipper [S5 E22]

Lila 🐛

London special takeaways

Master Fu 🗝️

Ah yes, the good old cycle of abuse and neglect

Lukadrien 🐈‍⬛🐍

A word on… Swear words

[verfound]

FIC: "Of Found Things and Mme. Stones" (MLB; Lukanette; LBSC Lukanette Month 2024)

@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?

...who gave these fics the right to be a series? (They probably would have worked fine as chapters, but too late now. 😂)

Read on Ao3

Prompt 07: Street/Craft Fair

The Ring

Marinette gently, quietly closed the door behind her, turning back for one last look at Luka before she went.  She doubted the sound of the door closing would wake him: he had fallen asleep before they’d even made it up the stairs to their flat, and she’d had to hoist him over her shoulder and haul his lanky ass up four flights before reaching their front door.  That would have been fine, except Carlos – their older neighbor who lived across the hall, who still hadn’t fully warmed up to Luka thanks to his dyed hair and tattoos – had been leaving his own flat, and he had barked out a laugh at the sight.  Marinette had offered him a sheepish smile and tried to explain that it had been a really long couple of days, but Carlos just shook his head, patted Luka’s ass, and chuckled “Bienvenidos, mijo” on his way past.

Her idiot boy…fiancé had slept through the whole thing, which was a shame: it was the closest to approval he’d probably ever get from the old man.

(Carlos did adore him – about as much as his wife Manuela – but he still loved to give Luka grief about his appearance and being a rock star.  She supposed it was fine: Luka loved to give him grief about the amount of pizza he loved to eat.)

She had maneuvered Luka to their room as soon as she’d had their door open, and she’d dropped him on the mattress as gently as she could.  Still, he had groaned and mumbled something incoherent before reaching for her, and she had almost slipped into the bed with him – except she did still have some work that needed done, and he needed his rest.

Neither would get accomplished if she crawled in after him, she thought as she closed the door.  He was sprawled out in the center of their bed, her pillow hugged to his chest with his face buried in the damn thing, and that was exactly where he was going to stay until he actually slept.

…she could always wear him out again later.

. : .

Of course, as she would later learn, it had been a really long forty-eight hours leading up to the nine-hour flight from hell, and it was well into the next day before Luka actually stirred.

He had wandered his way out towards dinner time, but that had really only been to shuffle into the bathroom.  He’d found her before heading back to bed – just long enough to bend her back over the (thankfully off) stove with a deep kiss – but that hardly counted.  She still wasn’t sure he had actually been awake, no matter how thoroughly he’d kissed her.

He’d mumbled something incoherent when she’d climbed into bed that night, and she had barely had time to crawl under the covers before he’d wrapped himself around her.  He hadn’t woken, though, and he still wasn’t awake when she slipped back out of bed the next morning.

If she hadn’t been dealing with Couffaine sleeping habits for almost ten years now (first at sleepovers with Juleka and later with him), she might have worried.  But as long as he was still breathing, she figured he was fine and let him sleep.

Penny showed up at their front door early the next morning.  Marinette was still wearing her dressing gown when she knocked, her first cup of coffee still in hand.

“Guess what wasn’t actually in Barcelona,” Penny said by way of greeting when Marinette opened the door.  Her eyes widened as Penny patted the suitcase beside her.  “It was mislabeled and about to head to Hong Kong, but you’d be surprised how effective a crocodile can be in tracking down misplaced luggage.”

“Liar,” Marinette laughed, pulling her into a hug.  “More like how effective Jagged Stone’s irate wife can be in getting anything done.”

“Well, that, too,” Penny laughed, patting her back.  “But years of dealing with Fang doesn’t hurt.  Has he calmed down yet?”

“He’s still sleeping,” Marinette said, and Penny’s eyebrows lifted.  Marinette waved her in and wheeled the suitcase over to the dining area.  She lifted it onto the table and opened it, rooting through the front pockets until she found…she grinned when her fingers brushed against a small box.  “He was already exhausted, and losing this didn’t help.”

“Shouldn’t you let him find it first?” Penny asked, an eyebrow lifting as Marinette pulled the ring out and slipped it onto her finger.  She held her hand up, her smile growing as she finally saw it.  The pink opal burned just as brightly as it did in her memory.  “I’m fairly certain he’s supposed to ask you before you start wearing it.

“Oh, he’s not getting this off my finger any time soon,” Marinette laughed, grinning at her.  “If he wanted to surprise me, he shouldn’t have told me he lost it in the first place.”

“He was exhausted, Marinette,” Penny said, frowning.  “He didn’t know what he was saying.  You should give him this.  Let him do this properly.”

She gave her a pointed look, and Marinette sighed as she looked back at her hand.  She knew Penny was right, but…she really didn’t want to take it off.  She liked how it looked – how it felt – there.  Like it belonged.

…like she was always supposed to be Marinette Couffaine.

“Just for a little bit?” she asked, looking back at Penny.  “I’ll put it back before he wakes up.”

Penny shook her head, but she was smiling as she laid an arm across Marinette’s shoulders and puled her into a half hug.  She looked back at her hand, her smile warming as she studied the ring.

“It’s a lovely ring, Marinette,” she said.  “Very…you.”

“Lay off,” Marinette giggled, nudging her side.  She glanced down at Penny’s own hand, which sported a stone in the shape of a heart and the color of Penny’s hair.  It was ringed by black stones on a gunmetal band – not at all traditional, but very rock-n-roll and very ‘Rolling-Stone’, if Jagged did say so himself.  “Your ring is so much worse, and this is a family heirloom.”

“Really?” Penny asked, surprised.  “I knew Gina gave it to him – she met us in Rome – but he didn’t tell me the story.  I figured she had found it at some street fair or something.  Some…sorry, but it really does look like cheap costume jewelry.”

“I’m not offended, but only because your ring does, too,” Marinette giggled, sticking her tongue out at her.  She looked back at her nonna’s old ring, her smile softening.  “I promise you it’s one hundred percent genuine.  It was Nonna’s mother’s.  Nonna was just a baby when the war started – barely a year old – and her family had to flee Italy before things got really bad.  They didn’t make it back until Nonna was almost ten.  This ring was the only thing of value her mother was able to bring with them.”

“It’s a beautiful ring, Marinette,” Penny said softly, and Marinette nodded.  It was.  A round, pink opal sat in the center of the ring, ringed by tiny diamonds and flanked on either side by flowers made of pink quartz.  They were generic looking enough, but she had always liked to imagine they were cherry blossoms.  The whole thing sat on a gold band, and it had captivated Marinette since she was a little girl.

“Nonna always called me her Little Fairy, but I always thought she was the fairy,” she confessed.  “I didn’t understand how opals worked back then – I always thought it was fairy magic that made the stone burn like that, not opal fire.  She never bothered correcting me, either.”

Penny laughed, shaking her head.

“It’s very you,” she said.  “Luka was really excited when Gina offered.  He went through all the trouble of getting Tom and Sabine’s blessing – Jagged was pouting for weeks after that, by the way.  He couldn’t understand why Luka didn’t ask for his blessing, too.”

Marinette laughed at that, not surprised at all.

“Of course he was,” she said.  “What, do I need to ask him for Luka’s hand first, too?”

“It probably wouldn’t hurt,” Penny snickered.  “But you know how Luka is.  He’s not a planner.  I think part of him honestly didn’t think Tom would even say yes.”

“Dummy,” Marinette said, shaking her head.  “Like Papa would ever say no to him.”

“That boy is crazy for you, Marinette,” Penny said, squeezing her shoulders.  “He’s not above being completely irrational when it comes to you.  I’ve seen him put up with a lot on the road, between his father and the rest of the band, and sometimes I honestly think the only thing that truly scares him is the thought of losing you.  Even if he knows it will never happen…I don’t know.  It’s like…I don’t know if he saw something.  During an akuma attack, back in the day.  Maybe that breakup you two had when you were younger.  But he says things sometimes, like he’s all too aware of how things could be.  How fragile life really is.  I think it makes him hold on a bit tighter to how they are.”

Marinette bit her lip.  She wondered if Penny realized just how right she actually was.

“I gave him up once, Penny,” she said, brushing her thumb over the opal.  “I have no intention of doing so again.  He’s stuck with me.”  She looked back up at her, her grin coming back.  “And he’s going to have to pry this ring off my cold, dead finger.”

Penny laughed and leaned in to smack a kiss against her temple.

“And don’t you let him forget it,” she said.  She winked at her.  “After you let him get the proposal out, all right?  You know he had something big and romantic planned.”

“Luka?  Plan?” Marinette gasped, her eyes wide.  “How dare you accuse him of such a thing!  That’s my future husband you’re slandering, Mme. Stone!”

“Only because I have entirely too much experience wrangling his family, Mme. Stone,” Penny said with a roll of her eyes, but Marinette was too busy grinning at being called Mme. Stone to pick up on her tone.  Penny just smiled and shook her head, waving her off.  She told her to tell Luka to call her – she wanted him to rest up, but they still had work to do in the studio – and headed towards the door.  When Marinette was alone again, she turned back to her ring with a soft smile.

…street fair costume jewelry.  Tch.

(…she wasn’t going to think about it.  If not for the fact that Tom had known her great-grandmother and could confirm the truth…she wouldn’t put it past Gina Dupain to embellish a tale about smuggled wartime jewels just to entertain her little fairy.)