#lovebugs & snake charmers

[abyssal-ali]

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I've been told I'm the Bruce Wayne of Discord servers -_-; Allow me to disprove it:

↠ DC

JaySteph Server (18+) | @/jaysteph-server

↠ DCxMLB/Maribat

Holy Miraculous, Batman! (Gen)

Maribat After Dark (18+ NSFW)

Maribat? Get In! (Gen)

Miraculous Swiftibat (Gen Swifties x Maribatters unite)

Pistol Pixies' Library (Gen Jasonette) | @/official-jasonette-server

The Maribat Server (Gen) | @/maribatserver

Timari Coven Mafia (Gen Timari) | @/official-timari-server

↠ MLB

Love Bugs & Snake Charmers (Gen Lukanette) | @/lovebugs-and-snakecharmers

Feel free to ask/DM for invites to these or other servers <3

[fenheart87]

Sprint Challenge: 3.31.21

I am aware this is a day late but it's finally done!

"Dude, how did you mess this up?!"

 "I did everything you told me to!"

 "Bro, obviously not! Now we have a sleeping beauty who didn't consent nor a way to wake her up! Our grades are gone and maybe our magical career period! We don't even know if she's a witch or a human!" Nino's voice rose with his stress to a higher pitch, hands clutching his short curls, his hat long forgotten on the floor when he first entered the room. 

"I know this Nino!"

 "Adrien. Dude, bro I need you to think very carefully and tell me what you used for this potion."

 "I don’t remember the exact order but I wrote down most of it on this paper. I used all the ingredients listed, like you told me to." The blonde pulled the page from his spell journal where it was tucked and passed it over for observation.

 "Okay well half of these would kill a human, vampire or any type of sea related being. So she's magical somehow at least."

“Because that makes me feel better…” The wind based wizard muttered.

“It should! It means she’s sleeping and not dead, you dummy!” The childish insult slipped out before he could help it and the blonde drew back as if he’d been slapped.

“I’m the dummy? You’re not much better if you can’t reverse the spell you gave me!” Adrien snapped, moving from his seated position to start pacing as the stress was finally hitting him. Even Plagg, his familiar, seemed to be judging his newest failure.

“Dude, chillax. I promise we can fix this, it’s just going to take some time… Hopefully no one puts up a missing poster.” The Earth affiliated wizard-to-be moved from the couch where the young woman slept and started to pull together the ingredients used.

“Nino! Seriously?!” 

“Adrien, I got you. It will be fine, now I need your help to recreate this potion so I can figure out a reverse or cure depending on its… Potency.”

Adrien grumbled but made his way over to the workbench, picking up Plagg from the back of the couch on his way. Using the hand written instructions they measured out the ingredients and consulted other books on the different effects mixing the ingredients would have. In the midst of their research a knock sounded at the door. Nino left his blonde friend to answer the door. Pulling the heavy oak open revealed another teen slightly taller and muscular, his hair was a contrast to his dark robes being black faded to teal tips. His hand were raised and empty to show he was non-threatening.

"Hi, I have a somewhat awkward question but I'm looking for someone and hoping you may have seen her? On the petite side, blue black hair in pigtails and wears a ladybug cloak?"

"Sorry can't say that we have, what's her name? We can keep a look out for you."

"That'd be great." The stranger smiled.

"Hey I found something that could help." Adrien piped up from the work table,  drawing the other males attention inward.

"Oh thank God you brought her inside."

Now they were both concerned and eyeing the newcomer with suspicion. Between the two, being an air and earth affinity that knew each other from boyhood, they had countless hours of spellcasting and mock fighting techniques that were being geared up to use against this stranger.

“Ah, that didn’t come out right. Her name is Marinette and her familiar Tikki has been looking for her all day. Usually she’s too busy taking care of everyone else that she forgets herself and well, falls into a mild coma to recover. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her fall asleep this deeply though....”

“So uh, my dude…” Nino carefully spoke, shifting slightly so his wand was easier to reach.

“Luka, you might know Juleka? She’s my little sister.”

“Oh, we have potions class together! Juleka never said anything about a brother though.”

“We’re always around each other so no need to miss or talk about each other. So where did you find Sleeping Beauty? Last I knew she was sketching for Mendelvie’s class.”

“Uh, well…” Adrien shared a look with his best friend and decided to come clean with a sheepish countenance. “Funny story, I was making a potion for class and found the last ingredient I needed near where Marinette was sketching… She asked for something to drink and I gave her the wrong jar…”

"Well whatever you put in it definitely worked to get her to sleep but she's not under a sleeping spell. This is for Bustier's test right?" Nino nodded and let Luka in the room, closing the door behind him. "So the version she wants you to make is the hardest version out there and almost no one can make it. Which is the point, it's a test to your abilities to see what your second affinity could be or help pick a specialization. May I see the ingredient list?"

"Sure. So what year are you?" Nino shuffled the ingredients list over and went back to the Wildflowers of the Forest tome to compare.

"Third year, my apprenticeship starts soon." Luka glanced over the ingredients list and paused noticeably, scanning the ingredients on the table. "Are these the exact ingredients you used? Everything looks and smells the same?"

"Yeah, everything's here." Adrien double checked each jar and sprig, only hesitating on the belladonna blossoms. "I used pink ones instead of the purple."

"You sir, are a very lucky accidental genius." The older wizard sighed and the tension seemed to finally melt away. "Your mix up saved her life and created a sleep tonic. Marinette is half Naga and that much belladonna apparently helps her sleep because she has venom sacs that are potent enough to absorb the deadly part."

"We don't need to tell Ms. Bustier do we?" The wind wizard asked nervously. 

"Probably, there are other Naga students and I know several other reptile species that could benefit from it. Also incase of a sneak attack the chance to study cures would be invaluable." Luka clapped a gentle hand on each of their shoulders before moving to pick up the still sleeping student. As Marinette yawned she exposed her fangs that were bared as a defense while in her sleeping state, her tongue flickering along Luka's jaw to bury her face in his crook of his shoulder.

"That's kind of creepy but cool…" Nino remarked, starting to clear up the research mess.

"It helps that she knows me, Nagas much like their snake counterparts can taste the air to smell."

"Oh my Gods, Adrien dude! You should totally get with Kagami!"

"What?" The blond was looking at the other like he was crazy with his outburst.

"She's a Naga, they taste air, yanno wind? The only thing that's between your ears?"

"Did you just-" Adrien turned towards Luka who politely coughed carefully to hide his laugh and not wake up the still slumbering girl. "Did he just call me an airhead?!"

"Well I'll leave you to it, let me know if you need anything. Jules knows how to find me." With that parting remark he left the squabbling younger wizards to clean up and compile a report for their grade. With a quick glance around, the wizard opened a secret passageway and took it as a shortcut to near where Marinette's rooms were.

"Mm, my mate… warm and safe, good mate…" Marinette murmured in her sleep and it took everything in Luka to not drop the sleeping girl like she just dropped that bombshell. That was something to unpack at a much later date and when the mixed Naga was awake.

[verfound]

FIC: Luka Loves Snowdays (MLB/Lukanette)

Rating: T / PG-13 / Teen  (It’s more K Plus/PG except for ONE JOKE.)

Characters/Pairings: Harmonika Couffaine (OC), Hugo Couffaine (OC), Louis Couffaine (OC), Luka Couffaine, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Melodika Couffaine (OC); Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Couffaine Family Fluff

Summary: Luka loves snow days.  Snow days mean sleeping in, and snuggles with his wife, and staying in bed all day because they have nowhere else to be…or at least they used to.

Author’s Notes/Warnings: We did an in-house, OG LBSC Secret Santa, aaaaand I got @feminaexlux!  She asked for “sleeping in”, “snow day & snuggles”, and “hot chocolate” – I tried to hit all of ‘em.  This was just rambly fluff, and then the House Band snuck in and I’m pretty sure it became tooth-rotting fluff instead.  xD

“Luka Loves Snow Days”

Luka liked Tuesdays.

His schedule pandered to late nights and later mornings, with most of his work commitments being on the weekends.  He usually worked Thursday nights through Sundays, with Mondays through Wednesdays finding him in the studio or promoting the latest project somewhere.  Touring got even crazier, but he tried to keep the touring to the summer – at least the international tours.  Falls and winters kept him closer to home, playing local venues or committing to weekend gigs.  Tuesdays were great, though.  He wasn’t hungover (metaphorically, though sometimes literally) from the weekend like he was on Mondays, and he went into the studio later in the afternoon, so he got to sleep in on Tuesdays.

Marinette had made her schedule match his Tuesdays years ago, so she went into the office later on Tuesdays, too.  Most times any more she just worked from home on Tuesdays. Her job, except on weekend nights when she had showcases or some function to attend, usually pandered to early mornings.  Even when she was just an intern, she was usually the first one at the offices to meet the early-morning deliveries.  After so many years she was just used to it, and once she’d started her own fashion house she was the only one she fully trusted receiving the shipments.  He remembered well enough all the years of oversleeping, when school and her growing body and Ladybug duties left her too tired to deal with early mornings, but those days seemed long behind her now. She wasn’t exactly what he’d call an early bird, but she was certainly a lot earlier than he was.

She also worked as Jagged’s official tour stylist (which also made her Luka’s official tour stylist), so she usually went on the road with them, anyway.  Touring was always better when he could share his bunk and hotel room with his wife.

[bbwoulfc]

Lukanette Investigator/Crime AU

Happy Valentine’s Day @wingsofprinces! I was your secret valentine for the Lovebugs Snake Charmers exchange :)

Prompt:  Luka as an investigator/detective who keeps running into Ladybug at the scene of a crime. In real life, Mari seems to be this non-assuming assistant at his office, but really that’s how she’s been beating him at solving the crime.

I might have not met the exact mark of the prompt, but I hope you enjoy the gift! Happy Valentine’s!

[quickspinner]

Killer Combo - Ch 6 Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 Epilogue | Bonus Tidbits | ART inspired by this story! |  AO3 | Fiction Master Post

Okay, so. First of all, this chapter is a monster, and I couldn't find a good place to break it, so...I recommend a bathroom break and a beverage and maybe even a snack for this one.

Second, I met some really wonderful people through the Lovebugs and Snake Charmers exchange earlier this year, and we've kept in touch, and you have no idea what they put up from me this week, and I am both really sorry and super grateful. You guys are the best ever and I am super grateful for all of you dealing with needy Quick this week (and last week. and pretty much all the weeks).They're always supportive but they really went above and beyond while I was losing my mind this week, so: love you guys so much!!

Luka naming his instruments is also a bit of an in-joke from LBSC and coming up with the names was a group effort but it worked well for what I was doing here so I ran with it. 

“Marinette.” 

Marinette’s head snapped up. “Hmm?” 

Kagami smiled knowingly at her across the table. “The last time you were this distracted for one of our juice dates, it was because of Adrien.”

Marinette flushed and she tried to find something to say, but whatever words she would have found drowned in a flood of guilt and embarrassment, without ever touching the happy flutter in her stomach. What came out of her mouth instead was a garbled rush of sound as she flailed her hands widely in a reflexive deny! deny! gesture that never, ever worked. 

Kagami cocked an eyebrow. 

Marinette deflated slightly and tried to deflect. “I’m so sorry, Kagami, here you just got back and I haven’t seen you in ages, you’re right, let me just put my phone away and—” 

The fencer’s hand flashed out and snatched the phone off the table before Marinette could grab it and stuff it out of sight. 

Marinette gaped at her friend, and then pouted, and then her eyes widened as the phone signaled a new message. She gave Kagami a pleading look.

The second eyebrow rose to join the first and a clearly amused expression replaced Kagami’s normal stoicism. “That serious, is it?” 

Marinette slumped in her chair. “Kagami,” she whined, holding out her hand. “Please?”

“Of course, Marinette,” Kagami smiled, handing over the phone. “But I would very much like to see a picture.” 

“Of who?” Marinette asked, taking the phone back and holding it to her chest, but unable to resist a peek to see the message alert.

“Of whoever’s making you smile like that,” Kagami said, hiding a smile of her own behind her glass of juice. 

Marinette blushed. “You’re making a big deal out of nothing,” she mumbled, but Kagami just quirked up an eyebrow. Marinette sighed, and pulled up a picture of Luka on the UMS league website. She hovered over a recent photo, of him as Viperion in his Team Lucky Charm Hoodie and makeup, but chose instead a slightly older photo. She handed her phone over to Kagami, feeling her blush deepen. “His name is Luka,” she said. “I told you a bit about him.”

Kagami’s eyebrows rose further as she studied the picture. “You did. Although you spoke of him more as a rival than a love interest.”

“He was a rival. Is a rival,” Marinette amended. “Though we’re getting more even lately.” She felt a little bit guilty about that, actually. She probably wouldn’t have caught up with him so quickly if she hadn’t gotten to study his playing style so closely, but it couldn’t be helped. Luka had known the risk and chosen to help her anyway, and it wasn’t something she could turn off or ignore, so she just chose to be grateful. 

“But he’s more than that now?” Kagami smirked at her. “Marinette. Rivals turned lovers? How romantic.”

“We’re not lovers,” Marinette huffed, turning up her nose slightly. 

“But you want to be,” Kagami suggested, her lips still curled up in a smile that Marinette kind of wanted to smack off her face.

“Kagami!” Marinette sighed in exasperation. “Even if I wanted to, it sounds like it’s not a good time.” 

“Marinette,” Kagami said, leaning forward and putting a hand on her arm. “Haven’t you learned yet that nothing good happens when you hesitate?”

Marinette pursed her lips, feeling a cold knot in the pit of her stomach. “This isn’t like that. I’ve done better this time, but...I can’t push him if he’s not ready.”

“Have you asked him if he’s ready?” Kagami asked, tilting her head slightly. “Or are you making assumptions?” 

Marinette opened her mouth and closed it again. It was true that she hadn’t ever directly addressed the issue with Luka. It had taken a lot of courage for her to text him the day after the match, but she had done it, and they’d been talking off and on ever since. Marinette was worried at first about texting him too much, but her confidence grew when he texted her first just as often. 

“He said he was taking a break from dating,” Marinette shrugged, and Kagami sat back, studying her. 

“But you haven’t told him how you feel.” 

Marinette blushed. “Not in so many words, no. He’s perceptive, though. Not like—” She broke off and Kagami looked away. The two girls were silent for a moment, suddenly very interested in their juice. “I’m not that good at hiding it,” Marinette finally mumbled. “He has to know, at least a little bit.” At least as much as she knew, enough to suspect she wasn’t completely indifferent to him. Just like she suspected he wasn’t completely indifferent to her. 

“That’s an assumption, Marinette,” Kagami said at last. “As long as you don’t tell him, he can pretend he doesn’t know and he doesn’t have to make a decision. It leaves him free to flirt with you as long as he wants without committing. Then when you finally do confess, what happens? He can say that he told you he wasn’t ever interested in dating and pretend that all your flirting meant nothing. Be. Direct.” She tapped her fingernail against her glass with the words. “Don’t give him room to hurt you.” 

Marinette winced. “That’s a really dark view of things, Kagami.”

Kagami shrugged. “I just don’t want you to get hurt, Marinette. You don’t have to push him, just let him know the option is there, and see what happens. We both spent much too much time on someone who was never going to return our feelings. I don’t want to see it happen again.”

“It won’t,” Marinette smiled at her phone, where a new message notification popped up. “Luka’s not like Adrien. And I’m not that person anymore, either. Thanks for the advice, Kagami, but...I don’t think I’m ready to be that direct just yet.” 

Kagami sighed, but smiled. “Whatever you think is best, Marinette.” She shook her head. “Come on, let’s get on with party planning. Mother hardly ever lets me have one, and I want to make it a good one.” 

Marinette grinned, sending a quick text to Luka to let him know she’d talk to him later, and pulled a notebook stuffed full of post-its out of her bag. “Okay, here’s what I’ve been thinking so you can get what you want without your mother vetoing the whole thing.”

***

Marinette did think about Kagami’s words off and on for the next few weeks, but all it seemed to do was underline how different liking Luka was. She’d had post-Adrien crushes, but nothing approached the intensity and endurance of what she’d felt for the blond model; nothing that she actually cared to do anything about. Nothing, until Luka. Yet, even liking Luka as much as she did, this was different. When she talked to him outside of the competition, she was excited and fluttery and yes, embarrassed and nervous, but she wasn’t paralyzed. She wasn’t terrified. She was hopeful. And she didn’t know if it was that she really was braver, or if it was something about Luka himself that was the difference.

It didn’t really matter. It only mattered that Marinette was excited to hear from him, comfortable talking to him, and the only time her breath got short or her stomach turned over or she felt like screeching and throwing her phone across the room was when she said something a little more daring than usual, and it always subsided as soon as he responded in kind. 

Luka always responded in kind. Whatever tone she set, he seemed happy to meet it, unless she was putting on a tone of false cheer. Somehow, he always seemed to know, and he’d let her talk it out if she felt like it, or try to improve her mood if she didn’t. She hoped she did the same with him, but even now she wasn’t sure how well she could read him. He was honest and direct almost to a fault, but it still felt like he was closed off somehow. It was...frustrating.

Still, there was something to Kagami’s words. Marinette really did need to tell Luka how she felt about him, even if he didn’t want to date anyone right now. She needed him to know. She just...wasn’t sure how. Or when. Marinette was actually incredibly busy just at the moment, between school, her commission work, and the tournament. She even had to ask Luka to take her place in one of the team matches so that she could rush back after the solo competition to sit for an exam she had to make up. That was the first time he’d called her instead of texting. Max asked him too, he told her, because Max “had something else to do” and they knew she’d want to hear how the tournament went right away. Then he asked about her exam before he even told her anything about the tournament, and they’d talked for over an hour. 

They’d talked a few more times since then, usually when texting was inconvenient. Luka, it seemed, liked to have his guitar in his hands more than his phone, and she enjoyed hearing it in the background when he called her. She learned a lot during those chats. She learned that he could play drums and bass as well as guitar, that his eccentric best friend had gotten him into gaming before he moved back to Australia, and that Luka was taking some university courses in business and a few other seemingly random things but he was only a part-time student. The rest of the time he worked in a music studio as “an entry level grunt,” in his own laughing words.

Marinette told him how she got into design, and started building her business, more about what she hoped to achieve, and how she and Max almost hadn’t been paired together for their first tournament but she was glad things had worked out the way they had. 

Texting had been nice but she loved the smooth sound of his voice no matter what mood he was in. She never quite got up the courage to ask him to video chat but it almost didn’t matter; she was learning that his voice was more expressive than his face. It was smooth and pleasant when he was relaxed, taught and energetic when he was excited, and she knew whether he was in public or by himself by the way he chuckled quietly or let his laugh ring out. And when he teased her, it went deep in a way that sent pleasant shivers sparking through her.

One night he called her much later than she was used to hearing from him. 

“Hi,” he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “Sorry for calling so late.”

“It’s okay, you know I’m always up late,” Marinette said, putting the phone on speaker and setting it down on her desk so she could go back to the project she was working on.

“You and me both,” Luka chuckled, and Marinette smiled.

“So we might as well be keeping each other company,” she said as casually as she could manage. “Anything on your mind?”

“Not really,” he said. “I guess I just wanted to talk to you.” 

Marinette was glad she didn’t have to hide her pleased smile. “You’re not playing your guitar,” she observed.

“Don’t feel like it tonight. I just want to hear your voice.” Marinette froze for a moment, and Luka continued quickly, “What are you working on?” 

Blushing and a little scattered thanks to the way her heart was suddenly racing, Marinette’s answer wasn’t very coherent, which led to him teasing her and her sassing him back, and Marinette was both pleased and horrified when they finally hung up and she looked at the time, his velvety “Goodnight, Marinette,” still ringing in her ears. 

Even so, they still never saw each other outside of tournaments, and Marinette wasn’t sure how to change that, or if Luka even wanted it to change. 

She was nervous, therefore, as she walked onto the Couffaines’ boat with her longtime friends Rose and Mylène in tow, afraid she was intruding where she wasn’t wanted. 

But Juleka lived here too, and Marinette had also been texting quite a bit with her, and Juleka had finally decided to let Marinette reintroduce her to some of the friends she had lost touch with when she changed schools. Marinette had introduced her to Kagami already, since Kagami hadn’t come to their school until after Juleka had transferred. She’d been a little worried at that first meeting because Kagami could come off blunt and harsh at first, but the two shared a dry sense of humor and a tendency not to say more than necessary, so they got along well enough, in a quiet sort of way that mostly meant letting Marinette chatter on. (Marinette’s second big concern about introducing them also proved groundless; other than a slight raise of her eyebrows at finding out that Luka was Juleka’s brother, Kagami had been mercifully silent on the subject of Marinette’s crush.) 

Marinette had broached their subject of meeting some of their old friends with some trepidation, knowing Juleka was miles improved in confidence but still sensitive about those days. Juleka has taken her time to consider and finally agreed to give it a try. Juleka was the most comfortable on the boat, so Marinette brought her two least intimidating friends to the boat to hang out and maybe watch a movie. 

Juleka was waiting for them, pacing nervously on deck. Marinette opened her mouth to greet her as they crossed the gangplank, but Rose shrieked, “Juleka!” and shoved her way past Marinette to throw her arms around Juleka’s neck. “You got so tall! Oh I’m so happy to see you again. Look at you, you’re so beautiful! I’m so happy!” Rose bounced on her toes, beaming up into Juleka’s startled and blushing face.

“Rose,” Mylène chided, tugging her sleeve. “Let her breathe before you deafen the poor girl. Besides, I want a turn.” She took Juleka’s hands and smiled up into her face. “It’s good to see you again Juleka. I’m so glad you found your peace.”

Juleka, blushing beet red after Rose’s onslaught, just nodded and tucked her hair back. “Downstairs?” she asked shyly, and a still-bouncing Rose latched onto her arm and cheered for her to lead the way. 

Marinette hung back a little bit, looking at the lanky figure sprawled in a deck chair, facing mostly away from them. She jumped at the touch on her arm and found the other girls were already downstairs and Juleka had come back for her. 

“He’s in the zone,” Juleka drawled, rolling her eyes. “Trust me, you won’t get any worthwhile conversation out of him. He’s been working on that song for a while and he’s finally had some kind of breakthrough the last couple of weeks.”

“He writes songs?” Marinette asked. 

Juleka gave her an odd look. “Yeah, constantly. He hasn’t played any for you? I thought you guys were talking a lot lately.”

“No,” Marinette shook her head. “I mean, we have been talking, but every time I’ve heard him play it was—well, it was amazing, but it was always a song I...knew...” She paused, remembering the last time she’d been here, on the boat, while she’d been mending his hoodie and he’d been playing his guitar. There had been a while there, where he’d played a tune she didn’t recognize. Just messing around, he’d said. She hadn’t thought much about it at the time, but now that she thought about it, it was the only time she’d heard Luka play something unique like that. 

She wondered what he was playing now as she glanced back one more time before she followed Juleka downstairs.

***

A couple of hours later, Marinette and Mylène emerged alone on deck, giggling at each other. Marinette startled slightly at the sight of Luka sitting on the deckboards facing them, legs crossed and fingers together in a meditation pose, his eyes closed as he breathed deeply. His body swayed slightly with the motion of the ship.

She started again at the hand on her arm, and Mylène smiled up at her with a knowing smile. “I’ll see you later,” Mylène told her, and walked off the deck alone, leaving Marinette staring there, clutching her purse strap and wondering distantly what Luka would do if she just crawled into his lap and kissed him and whether his hair was as soft as it looked, ruffling with the breeze. Marinette shivered as the wind cut across her skin; no wonder he always wore a hoodie. 

Banishing those thoughts with a quick shake of her head, she sighed quietly and adjusted her purse over her shoulder, biting her lip. She hated to leave without at least greeting him, but she didn’t want to disturb him either. She began to turn for the gangway.

“Hello, Marinette.” 

Surprised, she lost track of her limbs and her foot caught the edge of a crate, and she stumbled. She caught herself just in time and hung there for a moment, panting slightly, before straightening and turning to look at Luka. 

“Sorry,” Luka said, chuckling softly. His fingers were still curled together but his eyes were open and watching her. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” His cheeks dimpled with his grin. “Again.”

“It’s okay,” Marinette said breathlessly, sinking down weakly to sit on the crate she’d stumbled over. “What’s another random adrenaline rush in a day?” She brushed her hair back out of her face and smiled at his low velvet chuckle.

“Why are you sneaking off?” he asked, and Marinette blushed.

“Let’s just say I don’t think they’re going to notice we’re gone,” she smirked. “I guess they have a lot to catch up on. Rose is really not happy that Juleka didn’t keep in touch with her and Mylène and I started to feel like we, um...weren’t really necessary for the conversation.”

Luka rolled his eyes. “Maybe Juleka would have made more of an effort if Rose wasn’t always gushing about Prince Ali,” he muttered under his breath, and then shook his head. “Sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” Marinette shrugged. “Rose was kind of...single-minded, back then.”

Luka’s smile was gentle this time. “We’re all that way at that age. I shouldn’t hold it against her.” 

Marinette made a noise of assent, staring at her feet with an embarrassed smile. “It’s cute the way you stand up for your sister though. I’m sorry for disturbing you, but I’m glad I got to say hi before I left.”

“You’re not disturbing me. I would have been disappointed to miss you.” He tilted his head toward the deck chair he’d abandoned. “I’d love to hang with you a bit if you’ve got some time.” 

Marinette smiled, and came to sit in the chair, and then paused. “Actually...I could join you? If that’s okay.” 

Luka’s eyebrows lifted. “You practice?”

“Not all that regularly, but sometimes. Mostly my mother does, and I do it with her sometimes. It’s a nice way to connect.” 

Luka gave a slow smile. “Then, yeah, if you’d like to. Make yourself comfortable. Wherever.” 

Marinette hesitated just a moment, and then took off her purse and set it in the chair, and moved around behind Luka to sit back to back with him. “Is this okay?” she asked, feeling his warmth behind her. “This is how I usually do it with my mom, but if you’re not comfortable—”

“No, it’s nice,” Luka said, and Marinette felt his back straighten behind her. She did the same, stacking her spine and folding her hands in her lap, and when she felt Luka breathe in, she did the same, focusing on the flow of energy through her body. 

After a few minutes, Luka broke the silence to ask quietly, “Did you get your exam grade back?”

Marinette smiled. “I did. Aced it. Honestly, I was worried, because it was really tough.”

“I knew you’d do great.” He said it with simple sincerity, and it gave Marinette a warm feeling. 

“Thanks for covering me,” she said after a moment. “You and Max did awesome, and it really helped me out.” 

“No problem,” Luka said, and she could hear his smile in his voice. “I’m glad I could help out. It was interesting, playing with Max.” Marinette grinned at his clear amusement. “He’s an interesting guy.”

“Very,” Marinette giggled. “He takes a while to get to know, but he’s wickedly funny when he wants to be.” 

“I noticed,” Luka chuckled. “Not much tolerance for people being dumb. It was cool to get to know him better. You’re lucky to have such a great friend.”

“I’m lucky to have a lot of great people in my life,” Marinette said, and then felt a blush rise as she heard herself. “A lot of friendships that have stood the test of time,” she hurried on, hoping he couldn’t feel how tense she’d become all of a sudden.

“You are lucky,” Luka said. “Not a lot of people can say that.” She thought she felt him sigh softly as he said it.

Marinette swallowed. “One of my friends has been in Japan for the last couple of years,” she stumbled on, suddenly having no idea what she was saying. “She just came back and we’re having a party for her in a few weeks. You should come.” She opened her eyes, blinking against the sunlight, and wondered what the hell she was thinking.

“Me?” he said, sounding a little confused.

“Sure,” Marinette said cheerfully, though her stomach felt like ice at his reaction. “Max will be there, and some of our other friends. Juleka too, actually, I gave her her invitation earlier. I can get one for you.”

She felt Luka shift behind her and moved away from him on instinct, climbing into the deck chair he’d indicated to her before as Luka turned to face her. 

“Invitation? What kind of party are we talking?” he asked.

“Oh,” Marinette said, biting her lip. “It’s...well the party is casual, it’s just Kagami is...uh…” Luka raised his eyebrows, and Marinette gave up on trying to be tactful. “Rich,” she finished. “Really rich. And her mother is super strict, so you know...we can’t just throw her a flyer party or anything like that.” 

“I’m not sure I’d fit in at a party like that,” Luka said, his expression completely neutral. 

Marinette shook her head quickly. “I promise, it’s not going to be like that. It has to be exclusive just for Kagami’s safety but it’s not going to be a stuffy rich person party. We rented out the upper floor of that trendy club near the Tower, and there’s going to be live music.” Luka perked up a little at that. “Total club vibe,” Marinette went on. “Just a smaller crowd and open bar.” She smiled. “Kagami’s always wanted to go clubbing with us but her mother would never let her, so we’re trying to replicate the experience.” 

“Still,” Luka sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair. “I don’t even know her. I’d feel weird.”

“Well, you know me,” Marinette reasoned. “And you’d be my guest, so it wouldn’t be weird.”

“So...I’d be like your plus one?” Luka tilted his head slightly. “Like a date?”

The No Marinette was tempted to shout got stuck in her throat, and Kagami’s words about assumptions and hesitations were suddenly loud in her ears. “Sure,” she said instead, fingers tightening on the edge of the deck chair. “So, will you be my date to the party?”

For a handful of heartbeats she was certain he would refuse. She wasn’t sure what that face was he was making but it didn’t look like a yes. 

She was floored when he said, “Okay.” So was he, by the look on his face. 

“Okay?” she said breathlessly, and he nodded slowly.

“Yeah,” he said, with a smile that started small but eventually reached his eyes. “Yeah, I think I’d really like that. Been a while since I went out, it'll probably be good for me.” 

“O-okay then,” Marinette grinned, trying to keep her cool and not bubble over in excitement. “Well, I should get going, but...I’ll text the details? You shouldn’t have any trouble getting in since you’ll be with me, but I can bring the actual invite to the next event. Unless I see you before them. Oh—” she paused, remembering. “It’s the weekend before the tournament finals, is that okay?” 

“Yeah, no sweat,” Luka shrugged “It’d have to be a pretty killer party to take me out for a week.” He grinned at her. “If you can handle it, I can handle it.” 

“Right,” she smirked back. 

“Do I need to dress up?”

Marinette blinked and then thought about it. “Just club wear,” she said finally with a little shrug. “Whatever you’d normally wear going out. I mean, the girls will be dressed up but—” She made a face. “There’s a lot fewer degrees of formal in menswear than there is in women’s.”

“That’s right, you’re a fashion designer,” Luka chuckled. “I’m in trouble. Maybe you can help me work out something so I don’t embarrass you.”

Marinette snorted softly. “You wouldn’t embarrass me, Luka, you’ll look good no matter what you wear.” His grin widened and she blushed as she realized what she’d said. “But if you want some help, I’m happy to,” she shrugged, trying to play it off as best her red cheeks would allow. 

Luka, still sitting on the deck, drew his knees up and draped his arm over them, tilted his head, and gave her the pirate grin. “We’ll work it out. I just know you’re going to look amazing so I want to measure up.” 

Her cheeks burned a little hotter but she shrugged and stood to go, looping her purse over her shoulder. “Just try to find something that’s not falling apart at the seams,” she teased as she walked to the gangplank. She looked back at him and waved. “Bye, Luka.”

“See you later,” he murmured as she crossed. She shot one more smile back at him, one that grew a little brighter when she saw the soft look he was sending back at her, and she almost managed not to trip off the last step.

***

The next few weeks were a whirl of tests and competitions and getting her final portfolio ready to submit and showcase at the student fashion show, and the day of Kagami’s party found Marinette trudging up the steps of the Tsurugi mansion a little more tired than she had planned, but still excited to finally give Kagami a real party.

The lady of the hour looked perfect in white slacks and a red sleeveless shirt with a white vest buttoned over it, the new, sharper edge to her bob and the strength in her arms making her look like the powerful, confident woman she was. Marinette had helped with her makeup and it was a little bolder than what Kagami normally wore.

“Are you sure?” she asked, lifting one perfectly lined eyebrow. “It seems like a lot.”

“It won’t, under the club lights,” Marinette promised as she put away the makeup bag and cleaned her hands before smoothing down her own dress.  

Not wanting to compete with Kagami (and never confident in her success if she tried), Marinette had gone for a softer look, with a messy updo that left tendrils hanging around her face and neck, and an off-the shoulder dress with sheer, fluttery sleeves and a gauzy knee-length skirt with a lot of movement; black, but with pink accents that added a little sweetness here and there. It was perfect for dancing, and because it was of her own design and make, there were pockets hidden in the skirt. She’d focused on her eyes for her makeup and kept a light lip. She looked sweet, but with enough edge to fit in...so she hoped anyway.

She rode to the venue with Kagami and helped settle all the last minute details, and then hovered at Kagami’s elbow for a while, as people began to arrive. She greeted their mutual friends as they came in and stood back while Kagami greeted her business associates and other family and school friends that Marinette didn’t know, until Kagami caught her checking the time again and finally shooed her away.

“I just want to make sure everything goes smoothly,” Marinette protested, not entirely truthfully. “I want to be here if you need me.”

“If I need you, I’ll text you,” Kagami said reasonably. “Go enjoy the party for a while. Besides, I can see you fretting and it’s throwing me off. He’ll be here. He’s coming with Juleka, right? I’ll tell him to meet you on the dance floor.” 

Marinette looked at the dance floor and then back at Kagami’s stubborn expression. “Okay,” Marinette said, with a sigh. “If you’re sure. But if you need help with anything—”

“I won’t need help,” Kagami assured her, touching her arm. “You did a great job with the planning and everybody knows what they’re supposed to do. It’ll be fine. It’s time to let go of the planning and just let things be and enjoy them .” 

“Okay, okay, I get the message,” Marinette giggled. “But you have to follow your own advice! This party is for you, you can’t be doing business the whole time.”

Kagami sighed heavily and checked the time herself. “I won’t be, I assure you. You may be waiting on a certain handsome acquaintance; I’m counting the minutes until we’ve passed the point of reasonable expectation for greetings.” 

Marinette shook her head a little and smiled, giving Kagami a sympathetic squeeze. “If you need me—”

“I won’t need you. Now go.”  

“Okay, okay,” Marinette giggled, moving off towards the dance floor, but she stopped and turned back instantly when a familiar voice, pitched to carry despite the growing noise, called her name. Marinette turned back instantly, her skirt swirling around her knees. She didn’t realize the way her face lit up, nor did she see Kagami’s sly smirk or the glance between her and Juleka, or the way Juleka had to kick her brother to get him moving towards her. 

All she saw was Luka, and the warm smile and intense eyes he was giving her as he approached and took the hands she didn’t realize she was holding out to him.  

“You made it.” She blinked up at him, trying not to stare. He’d certainly adhered to her terms of wearing things that weren’t about to fall apart, but her fashion brain failed her as her gaze flicked over him and she was left with the impression of leather and metal, dark pants that fit him a little too well, and short sleeves that left his very distracting arms bare. Oh God, had he done that on purpose? Had he noticed her looking before? And damnit he really was good with the eyeliner, it wasn’t fair. 

He tilted his head slightly, still smiling. “Did you think I wouldn’t?” 

Marinette blushed. “No, of course you would, I don’t know what I was—never mind. I was just going to dance, do you, um...want to join me?”

Luka looked thoughtfully at the dance floor. “I don’t know…” he mused, and Marinette’s throat seized up for a moment until he shot a smirk at her and said, “You sure you can keep up with me?” 

Marinette gasped and pouted as he laughed, and she slapped his arm. “Watch me,” she told him, and started off towards the dance floor, the clack of her low heels barely noticeable with the bass pounding through her feet. 

A rough hand caught hers and she glanced back to see Luka grinning as he laced their fingers together. “Don’t want to lose you,” he shrugged, and she smiled, locking her fingers through hers. They wound through the small crowd and onto the dance floor. 

Kagami and Juleka were left snickering behind them, entirely forgotten by both. 

“DJ’s pretty good,” Luka commented behind her, and Marinette envied his ability to make himself heard over the music without yelling.

“That’s my friend Nino,” Marinette shouted to him as they reached the spot she was aiming for. Marinette waved up at Nino, who just gave her a grin and nod back in time with the beat. Alya wasn’t here tonight; she was working a deadline and she’d never gotten on that well with Kagami anyway, so even though he was technically an invited guest, Nino was clearly in full professional mode. “He’s the best,” she continued as Luka bent down to hear her. “He’s only playing the first couple hours, though, then he’ll come chill with us and we’ll have the live band I told you about. I hope they’re good; I wasn’t in charge of booking that part, but someone from the club recommended them so I guess they’re probably fine. Is this okay?”

“Good for me,” Luka smiled as she turned to face him. 

Marinette smirked. “First one to quit gets to stand in line for drinks.” 

Luka grinned back. “You’re really going to challenge me in those shoes? You’re on.”

“You should know by now I never give up,” Marinette chided him, lifting her arms and beginning to swing her hips to the beat. 

They’d been dancing only a few minutes when someone tapped Marinette’s shoulder. She glanced back and gasped, 

“Nathaniel!” she yelled, turning from Luka to greet him. “How’ve you been?” she caught his hands and leaned close to be heard. “Is Marc here?” 

“Not yet,” he yelled, grinning. “Said work might go over today.” He shrugged. “Just wanted to say hi, I won’t keep you.” He winked at her. “Your date’s a nice catch but he looks like he could break me in half, so I won’t stick around. We’ll catch up later.” 

“Okay,” she giggled, drawing back. “Later.” 

Nathaniel let go of her with a quick nod to Luka and disappeared back into the crowd. 

“Sorry,” she said, still smiling. “I haven’t seen him in ages. We were in art club together in school and he’s got a part-time job as an illustrator that keeps him really busy outside of his university classes.” 

Luka nodded his understanding, and they were interrupted a few minutes later as Marc came through looking for Nathaniel. Then Max, who at least greeted Luka, and made them both laugh with when he spent a song doing the robot right next to them. Marinette gave him a look that meant I love you but get lost and he retreated, snickering while Marinette made faces at his back. 

“Gotta say, I’m impressed,” Luka chuckled, shaking his head. “Wouldn’t have thought he was that flexible. How many of these people do you actually know?” Luka asked, bending down to her to hear her answer. 

“A few friends from school mostly,” she told him. “A lot of these people are business contacts or people Kagami went to school with after she transferred out, but a lot of my friends got to be her friends also. Max is here because the Tsurugi company works with a lot of robotics manufacturing so Kagami is a business contact for him. She’s very interested in his research.”

“Nice,” Luka nodded with a faint smile. “Good for him.”  

“So then there’s Juleka and Rose and Mylène,” she listed, “Nathaniel and Marc that you met just now, they’re here together assuming they can find each other, and Max always brings Kim so he’s probably here somewhere. And Kagami and Nino, of course.” She looked around and giggled. “I’m not even sure Kagami knows who all the rest of these people are,” she shrugged.

Luka’s nose wrinkled slightly. “Doesn’t that bother her?” 

"Probably,” Marinette said honestly. “But she’s used to it. Most people want to be friends with Kagami because of what they can get from her. She doesn’t have very many people she can really count on.”

“She’s lucky to have you, then,” Luka observed. Just then the music shifted, going mellow and smooth. 

“Huh,” Luka said, and they both looked up at the DJ booth. “That’s different.” 

“A request?” Marinette shrugged, making a face at Nino when he waved at her with a grin that told her this was probably an Alya plan, even if Alya wasn’t here. 

“Maybe,” Luka acknowledged, and looked down at her. “So are you giving up yet?” 

Marinette snorted automatically. “No. Why, do you want to quit?” 

“Definitely not,” Luka chuckled, holding out his hands, and Marinette blushed as she realized couples all over the floor were coming together to slow dance. She hadn’t even put together that he was giving her an out if she didn’t want to. Well, she wasn’t about to back down now. 

It wasn’t like she didn’t want to dance with him, after all. 

She stepped forward and put her hands on his shoulders, and his found her waist, and they began to sway in time with the other couples.

“At least it’s easier to talk now,” Luka chuckled. “I like your hair,” he added, lifting a hand to tweak a tendril laying against her bare shoulder. “Very pretty.” 

“Thanks,” Marinette smiled up at him. He met her eyes for just a moment, then his gaze flicked away. He did a double take and then froze, staring at something over her shoulder, before going completely red and turning his head away. 

“What?” Marinette asked, looking over her shoulder, but she didn’t see anything noteworthy.

“Nothing,” Luka muttered, still blushing. “Just Juleka giving me shit. I’ll get her back later.” 

Marinette looked over her shoulder again and found Juleka leaning against a wall, clearly laughing too hard to stand up straight, and Kagami standing next to her with a scandalized yet amused expression. Juleka only laughed harder (and even Kagami giggled a little) when Luka rolled his eyes lifted one hand from Marinette’s waist to flip off his sister. Marinette raised her eyebrows and turned back to Luka. “Ohhhhkay…” she murmured, and Luka shook his head.

“Siblings,” he grumbled. “Especially mine.” He sighed, and tugged Marinette a little closer, getting them swaying with the beat again. “Let’s just pretend she doesn’t exist, that usually works for me.” He smiled down at her and Marinette giggled. 

“Mean,” she teased, squeezing his shoulder, and that was a mistake because wow, that was really solid, and Luka smirked like he knew exactly what she was thinking. 

“Do you really want to be thinking about my sister right now?” he asked, tugging her a little closer. “Can’t we just enjoy getting to see each other without the makeup?” 

“I’m still wearing makeup,” Marinette pointed out. “So are you.” 

“You know what I meant,” he chuckled. 

“Do I look like a mind reader to you?” Marinette teased. 

“You look incredible,” he said softly. “Really.”

Marinette couldn’t contain the smile or the blush, but she did her best to hold his gaze. “Thank you. Um...so do you. Like always.”

It was Luka who broke the stare, looking away with a grin that gave her flutters in her belly, because he looked entirely too pleased. “You’re way too dangerous to look this sweet,” he muttered, and Marinette wasn’t sure she was supposed to hear it but she couldn’t resist teasing him anyway. 

“You’re way too sweet to look this dangerous,” Marinette giggled, and caught her breath at the look he gave her. 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was no stranger to kissing; she’d kissed her way through a fair number of boys in her quest to get over Adrien Agreste. She knew how to kiss and be kissed and she knew what it looked like when a boy was thinking about kissing her (and maybe she knew how to pout her lips just so to help him make up his mind if he was wavering).

But before she could decide how she felt about that look and what it meant, the song ended and a pounding dance beat once again took its place, with a synthesized, digital sound that was very trendy at the moment. Luka straightened, and his hands slipped from Marinette’s waist as he stepped back. Marinette let her hands drop from his shoulders, the brightness in her dimming a little at the expression on Luka’s face.

“I’m, um, gonna go find the restroom,” he told her, leaning close again so she could hear him. “I’ll catch up with you, okay?”

“Okay,” Marinette tried to smile. “I’ll just be back with the girls.” She nodded toward Kagami, Rose, and Juleka. 

“Sure, I’ll find you,” he said, and then strode off quickly. 

Marinette chewed her lip as she made her way over to where Juleka and Kagami were standing. Rose had joined them, carrying a frothy pink drink with an umbrella and a couple of cherries on a skewer.

“Where’s Luka?” Kagami asked, with a look that suggested she was thinking about her sword.

“He said he was going to the bathroom,” Marinette frowned, rubbing one arm with the opposite hand. “He had a...a funny look, though. I hope he’s okay.

Juleka shook her head. “He’ll be fine in a minute.”

Marinette looked at her, but Juleka wouldn’t meet her eyes. “He doesn’t like this song,” Juleka shrugged without looking up. “Look, I can’t talk about it, just. He’ll be fine. He really does just need a minute. It wasn’t anything you did.” 

“If you’re sure,” Marinette sighed, smoothing down her dress. “We were having such a good time, too.”

“I bet,” giggled Juleka, and Rose beamed, and Kagami covered a snicker with the tips of her fingers. Marinette blushed and pouted, folding her arms and looking away. 

She felt a squeeze on her shoulders and Kagami said near her ear, “I’m glad to see you stopped hesitating.” 

Marinette laughed a little too hard, and then turned away from her, asking, “So, are you guys enjoying the party?”

That set bubbly Rose off on an excited ramble and gave Marinette time to breathe and get herself composed, though she had to pretend not to see Kagami and Juleka still giggling at her. 

Rose had almost run out of words and Marinette was about to ask another question to get her going again when someone reached out and grabbed Juleka’s arm, turning her around. “Juleka!”

Juleka reacted immediately, jerking backward with a gasp, eyes wide and panicked. Rose grabbed onto her shoulders from behind, steadying her as she tried to brace her feet and pull back. 

The guy holding onto her didn’t let go, taking a step forward instead to follow as Juleka pulled away. “Hey, Juleka, long time no see. Can I talk to you for a second?” He was tall and broad-shouldered, good-looking if any of them had cared to notice, with heavy makeup on his eyes and spiked black hair. Metal flashed on his clothes but Marinette had no time to take in more, because Juleka was still trying to get away, and the guy wasn’t letting go. “Shit, Juleka, just wait a second, will you?” he said, clearly exasperated and impatient. “It’s just me.” 

“Hey,” Marinette snapped, stepping up beside Juleka. “Let her go.” 

“Buzz off, sweetheart, this has nothing to do with you. Look, Juleka, I just need to talk to Luka, is he here?”

Marinette wasn’t listening to him. Juleka’s eyes were wide and she was beginning to breathe quickly. Marinette raised her heel and jammed it into the man’s instep, and while he was off balance, Kagami struck. The fencer grabbed at the hand holding onto Juleka and bent his thumb back, two fingers of her other hand circling his wrist to pinch a nerve that made him yelp and his grip go limp. Juleka jerked free and stumbled backwards. Rose caught her while Marinette and Kagami got in between them and the cursing stranger. Marinette opened her mouth to tell him to get lost as Kagami pulled out her phone to signal her bodygaurds, but before either of them could do more, Luka appeared behind the stranger, grabbing the back of the man’s shirt and spinning him around.

“You have two seconds to explain to me why you had your hands on my sister before I get myself kicked out of here,” Luka snarled. “And we both know the bouncers in this place like me a lot better than you, Jean.”

“Woah, easy, easy,” Jean put his hands up. “I just wanted to talk, Luka, I was just asking where you were!”

“Juleka knows I have nothing to say to any of you,” Luka snapped. “And that still doesn’t explain why you thought you could touch her.”

“Okay, okay, that was a bad call and I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking, I forgot about her...thing.”

“Is she okay?” Luka looked around him to where Marinette was still standing between the man and her friends. She glanced back, and Juleka looked up at her and nodded, breathing fast and shaky but not in a full-blown panic attack. Marinette looked back at Luka and nodded in turn. Some of the tension went out of his shoulders and he pushed past Jean to stand next to her. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly, fingers brushing her face before settling on her arm, and Marinette nodded again.

Luka turned back to Jean and folded his arms. “Just get lost, Jean. Like I said, I have nothing to say to you. What are you even doing here, I thought this party was invitation only?”

Jean ignored the question, which Marinette would very much have liked to have answered. She glanced at Kagami, who shook her head slightly. She didn’t know him. “Luka, look, I know we parted on a bad note—”

“That’s putting it mildly, don’t you think?” 

“—But I’m sorry, we’re all sorry about how things went down and what happened, and we’re in a really tight spot tonight and you’re the only guy who could possibly step in and bail us out.” 

Luka stared at him in complete silence for three full seconds. “You’re the band for tonight.” 

Jean sighed gustily. “Yeah, we are, and we’re down a guitarist. Our last guy called and quit about an hour ago. I can’t get anybody else on short notice and nobody but you could keep up anyway—” 

“You actually think I’d even consider playing with you again?” Luka burst out, his voice raising. “Forget it.” 

“Look, man,” Jean said, sighing. “I know Xavier did you dirty—” 

“I told you he was bad news,” Luka growled. “I warned you and you still took him on, and I kept warning you, and you all made me into the bad guy. And in the end, he stole my bandmates, my girlfriend, and my music, Jean. I’ve had to start over from scratch.” 

“Look, I get it, man, he did it to us too, dropped us the second he got an in—” 

Luka snorted, folding his arms. “Color me shocked. If only someone had warned you—oh wait. I did. Repeatedly.” 

Jean pressed his lips together for a moment, clearly trying to keep his temper. “I’m sorry,” he said at last. “We should have listened to you. We should have trusted you. Casey’s been miserable ever since. We’re truly, honestly sorry.”

"Good,” Luka grit out. “Thank you.” 

“So you’ll play with us?” Jean asked, motioning vaguely towards the state, and Luka scoffed. 

“No. Now get out of my face. I don’t want to see any of you and I catch you even near my sister again, I got no problem going to jail for a night, you understand?” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know what a psycho you are about her,” Jean muttered. “Thanks for nothing, Luka.” He turned on his heel and stalked away.

“Kiss my ass, Jean,” Luka yelled after him with a scowl, and for a moment he looked like he might follow before Marinette curled a hand around his arm and tugged lightly. He looked down at her and then away, his jaw tight. 

“Marinette, perhaps your friend would like to step away and cool off,” Kagami said quietly. Marinette nodded and pulled Luka towards the door. Kagami was sympathetic, she was sure, and there were bouncers and bodyguards scattered throughout the small crowd, but any disturbance would be reported to her mother, and nobody wanted that.

They made it only a few steps towards the door when Luka planted his feet and wouldn’t move. “Not that way. Come on.” He took her hand and tugged him along behind her like he knew exactly where he was going. Marinette followed him through the back rooms and up some stairs. 

“Lock’s been broken for months,” he muttered, banging on the door twice near the deadbolt and then opening it to show the roof. Luka let go of her hand and walked out onto the roof, leaning his elbows against the ledge and running his hands through his hair.

Marinette followed him slowly. “You know this place, huh.” 

“I know most of the clubs in this part of town that have live music,” Luka replied mechanically. “Played in most of them, too. If I haven’t, my mom has, so...yeah I know it.” 

“I didn’t know,” Marinette said, leaning against the wall beside him. “That you were so serious with your music, I mean. That’s...kind of amazing, Luka.” 

“Yeah, I haven’t talked about it much with you,” he muttered into his arms, ignoring the compliment. “It’s just...a lot to explain. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for causing a scene at your friend’s party.”

“You don’t have to be sorry for not telling me. I’d never ask you to share more than you wanted to. And what happened wasn’t your fault. He grabbed Juleka out of the blue, we were all surprised,” Marinette told him. Luka pressed his lips together, clearly angry all over again at the thought.

“Hey,” Marinette said, stepping closer and putting a hand over the hands he had clenched in front of his face. “She’s okay. We were there and you were there and she’s okay. Rose and Kagami will take care of her.” 

“Yeah,” Luka sighed, closing his eyes and putting his forehead down on his hands. He took a couple of slow, deep breaths. “I’m sorry,” he said again.

Marinette hesitated a moment, but remembered what he’d told her about being a hands-on kind of person, and everything she’d seen since then had confirmed that, so…

She took a nervous breath, and then stepped into his side and wrapped her arms around him, over his own, and hugged him tight. 

Instantly he relaxed and leaned into her, releasing his hands to place one over her arm where it circled him. He took another deep breath and let it out, and some of the tension seemed to flow out of him with it.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Marinette asked. 

“It’s a long, messy story,” he muttered. “I wouldn’t even know where to start. You probably got the gist.” He shook his head slightly. “I can’t believe they think I’d still play with them after everything that went down.” He stiffened slightly. “It’s going to ruin your friend’s party, isn’t it, if I don’t play with them?”

“Not ruin,” Marinette sighed, resting her chin on his shoulder. “Nino won’t mind if we ask him to take over the rest of the night.” 

Luka winced. “He’s supposed to be a guest, though.”

“So are you,” Marinette pointed out, squeezing him lightly. 

“Yeah, but he’s actually her friend,” Luka protested weakly.

“You’re my friend,” Marinette said firmly. “And I don’t want you doing anything you’re not comfortable with out of guilt. Although…” She paused, her mind suddenly kicking into overdrive as she weighed possibilities.

Luka turned his head slightly to look at her. “Marinette?”

“They sounded pretty desperate,” Marinette said cautiously. 

“Yeah, it’s not going to look good for them if they have to cancel this at the last minute,” Luka said, tapping his fingers on her knee. “Especially after the damage Xavier did to their rep, and after the way they did me…” He glanced at her and away, as if embarrassed. “I’m kind of well-known in the local scene, and so’s my mom. She’s never exactly been a quiet person and it’s pretty generally known, what happened. They’re going to have trouble finding a quality guitarist that’s willing to work with them. That’s why they’re having this problem, I’m sure, they’re probably hiring newbies that are desperate to perform with a group, and none of them can hack it at the level they need for long. Jean’s not the easiest guy to work with to begin with and Simon...” He huffed. “Guy can flay the skin off your bones in twenty words or less if he doesn’t like you. I can’t believe they actually got someone here to recommend them for this gig.”

“So,” Marinette said thoughtfully, “They’re really in a tough spot. Sooooo they might be willing to agree to some pretty crazy terms if they thought they could get you back on stage with them.” 

Luka straightened slowly, giving her time to let go of him before he turned and faced her. “What are you saying?”

“I’m just thinking,” Marinette said slowly, “That if there’s anything they took from you that you could possibly get back—that you want to get back...now’s the time.” 

Luka’s eyes widened as he looked at her.

“You’ve got all the power here,” Marinette said, folding her arms and tapping one finger on her bicep as she considered. “I don’t know if there’s anything they have that you really want from them anymore—” 

“There is,” Luka said quickly. “There absolutely is.” 

“Then…” Marinette nodded towards the door. “Shall we go negotiate? You get what you want, Kagami gets her party, and either way you don’t ever have to see them again.”

Luka stared at her for a moment, until Marinette bit her lip. “Unless you don’t want to. If you don’t want to, that’s totally okay, I just thought—” She cut off as Luka’s fingers touched her lips, silencing her as she blinked up at him. 

“You’ll go with me?” he asked quietly, letting his fingers fall and then tangle with hers. 

Marinette nodded. 

Luka took a deep breath, and nodded, looking at the door behind her. “Okay. Okay then. Let’s go talk.” 

“Are you sure?” Marinette asked softly, folding her fingers in with his.

“Yeah,” Luka nodded, his jaw set. “I’m sure. One more show. I can do one more show, if it means I get back what’s mine.” 

To Luka’s evident surprise, though Marinette felt none, Max was waiting for them as soon as they walked back into the party with Kim at his back, and so was Kagami. 

“I assume there’s a plan?” Max said matter-of-factly as soon as they were in the door. Marinette nodded, and Max grinned. “Excellent. Lead the way, then.” 

“Does the plan involve punching?” Kim asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “Cause you know I’ll do it for you man, but my athletic scholarship—” 

“The odds are extremely low that punching will be required,” Max broke in, giving his friend an exasperated look. “You just have to stand there and look intimidating. If there is punching, we’ll all testify that you didn’t start it.”

“Oh, cool, I can do that part,” Kim grinned. 

“Juleka?” Luka asked, looking at Kagami.

“We took her into the manager’s office,” Kagami replied. “Rose is with her.” She tilted her head. “Shall we proceed?” 

Luka and Marinette exchanged a look, and still hand in hand, proceeded to the club’s little green room, where a harried-looking Jean opened the door.

Luka didn’t waste any time, though his hand squeezed Marinette’s tight. 

“I’ll play,” Luka said, his shoulders squared despite his death grip on Marinette’s hand. “On one condition. I want her back.”

Jean looked surprised, glancing over his shoulder. “Well, I mean, that’s kinda between you and Casey but I know she—” 

Luka was the one to look surprised now. “What? No, I’m not talking about Casey, I’m talking about Claire .”

“Who?” Jean looked totally lost now.

Luka let go of Marinette’s hand and braced his hands on the doorframe. “My guitar, Jean. The one you guys said was bought with band funds and refused to give back, even though I was the one who donated those funds to the band to begin with? I want her back. And if I find out you sold her or gave her to one of those idiots you hired to replace me then you can—”

“We didn’t, we didn’t, the guitar stayed with the band, that was the rule,” Jean held up his hands, but he looked away and sighed. “That was an expensive guitar, Luka.” 

“I fucking know,” Luka growled. “I picked her out and I won the money that paid for her. And don’t—” he added quickly, and Jean shut his mouth. “Don’t you dare give me that bullshit line again , Jean. I don’t care what the legal paperwork says, it was bullshit and you know it. Listen we both know that I don’t owe you any favors so if you want me to play tonight, it’s Claire or nothing. Signed paperwork, she’s mine, free and clear, and I don’t take a cut of the booking. Just Claire.” 

“That’s insane for one show,” Jean protested, and Luka raised his hands, stepping back.

“Claire, or I don’t play.” 

“If I know my family’s lawyers,” Kagami inserted casually from behind them, “Their breach of contract clauses are extremely punitive. You should consider yourselves very lucky that this is all he’s asking. If I were you, I’d agree to his terms.”

Jean’s lips thinned and his chin took on a stubborn tilt. Marinette’s stomach twisted apprehensively, worried Kagami had come on too strong, though she believed every word of it. “We’re not breaching any contract, we can still play,” Jean began, but he was interrupted when Max leaned over Marinette’s shoulder.

“Marinette,” Max said, “Can I assume that you have once again neglected to mention that you are Jagged Stone’s personal designer?”

Luka and Jean both turned wide eyes toward Marinette. She blushed and shot a dark look at Max, who was holding up his phone to display a picture of Jagged, his cheek pressed to Marinette, holding up a peace sign as she gave an embarrassed grin. Marinette was holding the album artwork she’d designed and Jagged had on his signature Eiffel Tower sunglasses.

“I might have his agent’s number,” she said coolly, folding her arms. She wanted to kick Max but she trusted him enough to follow his lead. “Penny’s very busy, I’m not sure she would take a recommendation to listen to a new band...but she’d certainly remember your name if I mentioned it, good…” She smirked. “Or bad.”

“It would be a shame if Marinette published this information about this incident on her social media,” Max commented, adjusting his glasses. “Especially as Jagged Stone is such a big fan of her work. Remind me, Marinette, he manages his social media himself, is that correct? I’d calculate very low odds that anyone could stop him if he took it in his head to go on a rant about how badly his favorite young artist was treated?” 

Jean stared at Max, and then at Marinette, and she stared right back, her spine steel though her cheeks heated and her stomach was a little wobbly. She tilted her head and lifted her eyebrows. 

“Fine,” Jean muttered. “Just let me grab it out of the van. The paperwork, there’s no way I can get that done tonight—”

“I can handle that,” Kagami cut in cooly, her cellphone in her hand. “I’ll have someone here with the appropriate contract papers by the time you’re done setting up. Luka doesn’t play without signed papers and the guitar in his hands.” She looked at Luka. “Anything else?” She quirked an eyebrow.

“No,” Luka said, staring back at Jean. “That’s the only thing left. Isn’t it, Jean.”

Jean sighed and turned back into the room. “Keys,” he said shortly, and someone inside tossed him a set. “I’ll be back,” he muttered, and then paused, turning back into the room. “You stay here until warm-up,” he ordered, pointing to someone inside. “Whatever you need to say can wait until after the show.” He looked at Luka as he shut the green room door behind him. “I’ll go get it.”

“I’ll make the arrangements for the contracts,” Kagami said, pulling out her phone and walking away. 

Marinette turned to Max and pouted. “That was dirty, Max, you know I hate trading on Jagged’s name.” 

“I am aware,” Max said with a shrug, and then smirked. “But as it was for Luka I thought you’d make an exception.” 

Marinette’s mouth dropped open and she flushed but before she could murder Max, Luka swept her up in a crushing hug, his face buried in her hair. “You’re amazing,” he whispered huskily. “Fucking incredible.”

“I didn’t do anything, Max and Kagami did, so stop,” Marinette mumbled, pushing weakly at his arms, and regretted it the next instant when he let her go. 

“Sorry,” he said quickly, and Marinette blushed, opening her mouth to take it back, but Kagami reappeared at just that moment and asked Luka to follow her. 

Marinette hesitated to follow until Max placed a thin hand in the middle of her back and shoved. “Go on,” he grinned teasingly, and then softened. “Trust me, he wants you there.” Marinette opened her mouth to protest but just then Luka looked back for her and paused, so she swallowed her words, jabbing an elbow back at Max before she went after Luka and Kagami.

“So no punching, right?” she heard Kim ask as she walked away, and rolled her eyes. “We’re done with the maybe-punching part?”

When she caught up to Luka, she steeled her courage and slipped her hand back in his. He shot her a look of pure gratitude that made the color rise in her cheeks again and she squeezed his hand lightly. 

He held onto her the entire time they waited, and it took some time for one of Kagami’s legal team to arrive with the papers. Only then did Luka let go of her to read every one carefully before nodding. Jean arrived with a guitar case in his hands, which he set on the bar as he took the papers. He barely glanced through them before signing, which made Kagami roll her eyes. No wonder he’d been so dismissive of her threats if he hadn’t even read the contract papers for the gig. Jean clearly wasn’t happy, his lips tight as he picked up the case, but he looked Luka in the eye as he handed it over. 

“Warmup in ten,” he said, as Luka took the strap of the case. “We’ll meet you on the stage.” 

“Yeah, I’ll be there,” Luka said distractedly, already setting the case on a table and undoing the latches. Jean rolled his eyes and walked away to where the rest of the band was still setting up on stage.

Marinette stepped up beside Luka to peek around his arm curiously.

“ Claire ,” Luka breathed reverently, lifting the sleek black and white guitar out of the case. “Oh, baby, I missed you.” 

“Do you two need a minute?” Marinette teased, amused by his attitude towards the instrument. 

“More than a minute,” Luka sighed as he checked her over. “But we’ll have to make do. Who the hell put these crap strings on you, baby? We’ll make it right, okay, you just do for me tonight and I’ll take care of you tomorrow, I promise.” 

He lifted the strap over his head and settled it across his shoulders. Then he made a face, took it off, and adjusted the strap length before putting it on again. “That’s better,” he murmured. Luka reached forward and dug through the case until he found a packet of picks tucked in a hidden pocket. Nino’s set was just finishing up. At a gesture from Luka Marinette followed Luka him to the stage, where he plugged into the amp and began plucking the strings one at a time. 

“There we go,” Luka said, drawing her attention, and then he swept his pick down the strings, and began to play a tune she didn’t know. Marinette had to admit, in Luka’s hands the guitar sang beautifully. Several heads turned curiously towards them. Luka looked up at her and smiled as he played, the first real smile she’d seen on him all night, and there was a light in his eyes she was used to only seeing in competition. 

There was a thump on the end of the stage and Luka looked up, his glow dimming as the rest of the band climbed the steps. 

"Luka?” Marinette asked, touching his hand where it still cradled the neck of the guitar. “Are you sure about this?” 

“Yeah,” Luka nodded. ”I’m playing with them, but I’m not playing for them.” He glanced back down at her, and the softness in his face made her cheeks warm. “Make sure you’re up front. Claire and I are gonna knock your socks off.” He leaned forward and kissed her temple. “Thanks for everything. We’ll talk after the show, okay?” 

Face burning, Marinette turned away. The tall girl sitting at the drumset gave her a dark look as she passed, but Marinette pretended not to notice. She went down the stage steps, deciding to check on Juleka. She found her with Rose in the manager’s office, pale but composed and looking much steadier.

“He’s really playing with them?” Juleka frowned, when Marinette had relayed everything to her. “Even for Claire, that’s got to be hard for him.”

Marinette nodded. “He told me he was playing with them, but he wasn’t playing for them.”

That seemed like all the explanation Juleka needed. The worry cleared from her face, and the corner of her mouth quirked up. “Good. He’s gonna make them regret every choice they ever made.” Marinette blinked in surprise but Juleka just shrugged up one shoulder and said, “You’ll see. Let’s get out there, I don’t want to miss this.”

“Can he really do this with no rehearsal?” Marinette thought to wonder for the first time as they made their way back to the stage area. Nino, Max, and Kim waved at her from a table down front.

Juleka snorted as they made their way over to their friends. “Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. They’ve gotta be playing nothing but covers right now since Luka’s not writing for them anymore.” 

“He wrote songs for the band?”

“Mmhm, but Xavier got the rights through some kind of legal fuckery, so the band has nothing. Luka’s been writing new music but he sure won’t share it with them, so covers are all they’ve got and Luka can play those in his sleep. The only question is whether they can keep up with him.” She looked at Marinette as they found a place near the stage. “You thought he was good on the boat? Wait till you see him on stage.” Juleka smirked. “Hold on to your panties.”

Marinette spluttered and Juleka threw back her head and laughed as the stage lights came up. Marinette looked up and swallowed, her heart pounding. The drummer counted them off and Luka began to play an intro, and Marinette’s mouth dropped open a little. He was good, just like he had been on the boat. Everything sounded different when he played it; smoother, more emotional. There was an energy to his playing that she hadn’t seen anywhere else besides the tournament and even though he was in the background he had a presence on stage that was nothing like his usual laid-back, relaxed demeanor. 

This is where how he learned to play the publicity game so well , she thought absently to herself. 

“Dude, he’s really good,” Nino commented behind them, and Marinette jumped. “I mean like, really good. Damn.”

"Well, you would know," Marinette replied absently.

"Yeah, man, I've heard a lot of bands and the rest of them aren't bad, but he's off the charts." 

“Marinette,” Kagami said gently in her ear, nudging her shoulder. “You’re pining.” 

Marinette sighed, not bothering to deny it.

“Well, let’s not waste a good beat, dudette,” Nino chided, and began to dance. Marinette giggled and moved her feet to the beat, but she was too preoccupied by the stage to really dance, even when more of their friends found the small group and began to join in. 

Marinette’s eyes widened when Luka took Jean’s place at the microphone. There was a bit of a staring contest between the two men before Jean backed away and Luka moved to adjust the microphone stand. 

“Wow,” Juleka’s low voice carried surprisingly well even over Luka’s opening riff as she leaned over Marinette’s shoulder. “He hardly ever sings. Guess he must be feeling something tonight.” Marinette looked at her and Juleka smirked knowingly, tossing her curtain of hair back to meet Marinette’s eyes. 

Marinette blushed and turned back to the stage just as Luka sang, “I never thought that you could break me apart, I keep a sinister smile and a hold on my heart, you want to get inside, then you can get in line,” his face turned in their direction, like he was looking towards their table. “But not this time.” 

“Or maybe he’s feeling someone,” Juleka added in Marinette’s ear, her voice a sly drawl that Marinette didn’t even know Juleka could do. Marinette brought her hands up to her hot cheeks. Rose giggled and half-heartedly admonished Juleka not to tease her.

“Cause you caught me off guard,” Luka sang, “Now I’m running and screaming. I feel like a hero, and you are my heroine. Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?” 

Marinette swallowed hard, her fingers going to cover her mouth. His singing was as emotional as his playing, in that smooth voice she’d always loved, and her heart was pounding from more than the alcohol. He had an intense charisma on stage that made his bandmates fade into the background as he moved over the stage, playing the crowd though his eyes kept coming back in their direction. “And I feel a weakness coming on, never felt so good to be so wrong, had my heart on lockdown, and then you turned me around.” The smile he was sending their way made her very glad she was sitting down. 

In spite of the stage lights, he seemed to look right at her as the instruments dropped out and his voice softened as he crooned, “And you caught me off guard, and now I’m running and screaming. I feel like a hero, and you are my heroine.” 

Marinette forgot how to breathe as the rest of the band joined back in, until Max reached over and squeezed her arm gently. 

The cheers that erupted when Luka stepped back from the microphone were easily twice as loud as anything that had come before, and they made Marinette’s ears ring. She didn’t think she was imagining, either, the rather sour look on Jean’s face as he adjusted the microphone back to its previous height. 

Marinette didn’t listen to a word he said, her eyes fixed on Luka, who was looking back at her, or at least in her direction, with a soft expression. 

She didn’t remember any of the other songs the band played. 

When the band was finished, Luka disappeared. One minute he was unhooking his amp cord and the next she couldn’t find him. 

“He’s probably on the roof. Someone should probably check on him,” Juleka sighed, and looked at Marinette. “I can go, or you can go.”

Marinette turned pink, but she steeled herself, and said, “I’ll go,” and Juleka smiled.

“Text if he needs me,” Juleka said, flashing her phone.  

“Text if you need me,” Kagami said, squeezing Marinette’s arm before melting back into the crowd. As the hostess, she couldn’t afford to stay in one place too long, after all. 

It took Marinette some effort to find the stairwell again, but when she banged in the same spot Luka had, it opened for her just as it had for him. Luka didn’t look at all surprised to see her as she emerged onto the roof. He was leaning back against the wall, his guitar strap still across his shoulder and the instrument cradled in his hands. He was playing, but it sounded odd to Marinette’s ears without the amp.

“Hey,” she ventured, and relaxed when he smiled at her. 

“Hi,” he sighed, tipping his head in invitation. Marinette stepped up next to him, not looking at his face but listening intently to his voice when he said, “I’m okay.” He sounded okay, more at peace than he had all evening, and Marinette relaxed a little. “It’s okay if you have questions. I can talk about it now.”  

“So, the bad breakup,” Marinette began hesitantly, “You meant the band, or…”

“Both,” Luka sighed. “I broke up with Casey—the drummer,” he gestured vaguely back at the building behind them. “And the band broke up with me. Once Xavier came along just about everything in my life went to shit.” 

Marinette made a sympathetic noise, and he smiled at her. “Come here?” he asked, lifting an arm, and Marinette stepped closer so he could wrap it around her. “Thanks,” he murmured, sighing as he leaned his head on hers. “Tell me if I get too clingy,” he added, sounding a little embarrassed. “I know I can be a lot and you’ve been really good about putting up with it tonight, but...I’d never want to make you uncomfortable.”

Marinette turned towards him slightly and looped her arms around him, giving him a little squeeze. “I don’t mind.” Taking a deep breath, she added, “I like it.”  

Luka relaxed a little, and rubbed his cheek against her hair. “I’m glad.” 

For a moment they were silent, and then Luka went on. “I told them he was too good to be true. I didn’t like all his promises, and honestly I didn’t even like his music. I’ve seen some guys do amazing stuff with digital music, but...he’s just not an artist. He’s in it for the money, pure and simple. Nothing wrong with making money, none of us want to starve, but…”

“But he didn’t feel authentic to you?” Marinette suggested.

“Yes,” Luka sighed. “Yes, that’s it exactly. Somehow though I was the only one that felt that way.” Luka rolled his eyes. “He must have flirted with Casey a lot better than he flirted with me, though, because she thought he was just wonderful.” 

Marinette made a sympathetic noise, pressing closer to him

“In all fairness, she didn’t cheat on me,” he said after a moment, his thumb rubbing absently along her arm. “That I know of, anyway. I’m pretty sure she didn’t. I wasn’t about to stick around until it happened, though. I’m not an idiot, I could see the way the wind was blowing and if she expected me to just hang around while she indulged her little fantasies, then—” He snorted. “She wasn’t happy when I ended it; she said she still loved me and only me and that I was just being jealous and petty and I should trust her, and blah blah blah but…” Luka shook his head. “I’ve never been the jealous type. I never cared when she checked out some guy’s ass at shows or whatever. But this was different, and I’m just not about to be somebody’s backburner boyfriend.”  

“Of course not,” Marinette nodded.

“Well, that was the beginning of the end,” Luka sighed. “Casey couldn’t let it go; she kept asking for another chance and making a scene, and it got hard for us to work together after that, and they all blamed me because, like I said, she never actually cheated on me so naturally the breakup was my fault, and when Jean told me to either get my shit together and deal with Xavier being part of the band or get out…” Luka shrugged. “I got out. That’s when things really got ugly.” 

“Your guitar?” Marinette asked.

Luka sighed, running the tips of his fingers along the edge of the fretboard. “There were all kinds of legal and insurance reasons for the equipment to be in the band’s name, and I technically donated the money to the band and technically the band bought the guitar, so I didn’t have a legal leg to stand on when they refused to let me take it as part of the buyout. Xavier may not have been good for much but apparently the one thing Daddy didn’t lose in his divorce with the music industry was his team of cutthroat lawyers.” 

“Oh, Luka,” Marinette sighed, rubbing a hand gently on his back. Luka just shook his head, and straightened up a little, leaning into her touch. 

“I had to walk away from everything,” he said. “They took the songs I wrote and the guitar I picked out and they went on the tour I booked without me. I don’t know how they thought that would work; Xavier doesn’t even play guitar, but—well, it didn’t matter, because apparently Bob Roth did know a few people still willing to give him a listen. Xavier took the songs I wrote, put them through a bunch of digital filters, and pitched them to a record company and now they’re chart-topping hits by the up and coming artist XY.” 

Marinette gasped. “ That guy?”

“Yep.” He popped the p. “The one and only Xavier Yves Roth.”

Marinette was horrified, but she couldn’t help a giggle. “Jagged hates him.”

“Yeah?” Luka grinned. “Of course he does, Jagged has taste.”

“I’ve got more rock n’ roll in my little finger,” Marinette quoted, pitching her voice low and imitating Jagged’s accent, “Than that wanna-be poseur ever dreamed existed!” Luka started chortling as she went on. “Yeah he’s got a couple of good songs but they’re so tortured! Where’s the soul?” 

“Did he really say that?” Luka laughed.

“Every word,” Marinette snickered. “And a whole lot more I don’t want to repeat.”

“I still can’t believe you work for Jagged Stone, that’s so wild,” Luka marveled, still chuckling. “You really do? Max wasn’t just blowing smoke?” He nudged her. “And you never told me?”

Marinette shrugged, ducking her head slightly. She was proud of her skill and all she’d accomplished, but Jagged had a way of embarrassing her no matter how professional she tried to be. “It was a bit of exaggeration to say I’m his personal stylist,” she said, looking away. “But I do commissions for him every time he’s in Paris. Accessories, clothes, posters, album covers, whatever insanity pops into his weird little brain. And he does follow my social media. I guess he’s kind of taken a shine to me.” 

Luka was shaking his head as she spoke. “You’re amazing.”

Marinette huffed. “I work for a rock star. You’re going to be one.” Luka sobered quickly, and Marinette bit her lip. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he sighed, giving her shoulders a quick squeeze. “It messed me up for a while,” Luka admitted after a moment. “The whole thing. Losing Casey sucked but I could deal, you know? Not my first breakup. Moped around for a week or so in my boxers eating cookies—Juleka was thrilled—and then I got off my ass, cut my hair and changed up my look,” he ran a hand through the short hair on the sides of his head and up to ruffle the turquoise on top, and distantly it occurred to Marinette to wonder if what Luka was wearing tonight had been his pre-beakup-makeover look, before he went to his current go-to of faded and threadbare geek-chic. ”I moved on with my life. Losing my music though, that nearly killed me. Losing Claire was just the icing on the cake. I trusted my friends, my bandmates, I trusted my girl, and it turned out not a single one of them trusted me enough to stand by me.” 

“Well, they really screwed up,” Marinette said matter-of-factly. Luka looked at her and she shrugged. “You’re amazing, Luka. Really great. Nobody up there could touch you tonight. You shine on stage. It’s obvious that you were the one getting them bookings. You were their golden goose and they’re going to regret losing you for the rest of their lives. Certainly for the rest of their doomed-to-be-short careers.” 

Luka barked a laugh, turning towards her and putting his head on her shoulder as his arm dropped to loop around her waist. “Thanks, Marinette. My family’s always been there for me, but aside from them...it feels like a really long time since anyone’s been on my side. Thank you for just…” he sighed. “Everything tonight. You and Max and everybody else...it was really nice to feel like I wasn’t alone tonight.” 

“You aren’t alone,” Marinette said firmly. “Not tonight, and not after tonight either.” Hesitantly she reached up and brushed back the strands falling on his forehead gently. He made a pleased sound and leaned into her touch, so she ran her fingers through his hair, and he sighed contentedly. Marinette petted his hair a few more times and then finally asked, “So is that why you joined the tournament again?”

Luka shrugged, not lifting his head. “The first time was an accident,” he muttered, and his breath across her exposed collarbone was very distracting. “I started in the leagues because I liked playing and I liked competing but I didn’t expect to win. When I entered this time it was a bit more calculated. I still love the game, I still win a lot more than I lose, so why not take another shot. It seemed like a quick fix. Win again and I’d have money for a new guitar and some studio time, record some of my new stuff. Get it out there and see what happens.” He grunted softy. “At least I can say this for the whole shitshow, it gave me plenty of material.” 

“I’ll bet,” Marinette snorted, and Luka chuckled. 

“I had it all planned out,” he said, voice suddenly gone quiet. “Or so I thought. I was definitely not prepared for you.” 

“Is that a bad thing?” Marinette tried to tease, but whatever else she might have said died on her lips when Luka lifted his head and the soft look he gave her rendered her completely incapable of further speech. 

“No,” he said softly. “It’s not. Not at all.” 

Then he moved, his head tilting in a familiar way that told her what he was thinking even before his hand curled behind her neck and his eyes went half-lidded and his lips parted just slightly as they met hers in a soft, tender kiss that was much too innocent for the way it made her feel. Marinette reached up to cup his face without thinking, but it was over before she could do much else. He sighed, resting his forehead against hers, and curling his hand around hers on his face. 

Marinette took a breath to speak, but it was a different voice, husky and tearful, that called, “Luka!” Marinette looked up and saw the drummer from the band over Luka’s shoulder, standing in the doorway. “I want to talk to you,” Casey said, a hitch in her throat. Absently Marinette noted that Casey looked just like she would have pictured Luka’s girlfriend-from-the-band to look; pretty in a punk way that Marinette could never hope to achieve, tall in chunky boots, with leather pants and a jacket with a lot of hardware, a side shave and rainbow streaks in her hair. 

Marinette didn’t think much of her sense, though. Or her timing. 

Luka groaned softly and sighed, his forehead still pressed to hers though his eyes fluttered open. “I’m really sorry,” he whispered. “Apparently I have to go settle this one last time and it’ll probably take a while. I’ll text you when I get home, but it might be late, so...we’ll talk later? Maybe...maybe tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Marinette rasped, and then she cleared her throat and tried to smile. “It’s fine. Do what you have to do.”  

He kissed her lips lightly one more time, thumb caressing her cheek before he finally straightened and turned. He went to Casey and took her arm, turning her away from Marinette. “Start walking, Case, I’m not doing this here,” he said. “I’m not looking to bring down my friend’s party with more drama. We’ll go somewhere else.” 

Casey jerked her arm away and shot one venomous look over her shoulder at Marinette, who felt her face heat though she kept her back straight and looked straight back defiantly. “Casey,” Luka said warningly, and Casey turned back, her heavy boots thumping across the roof until she reached the door, where she had to pause and wait for Luka, whose pace was less hurried. Marinette watched as they disappeared through the door and then leaned back against the ledge for a moment, face in her hands. It didn’t really matter if she ruined her makeup, anyway. Not anymore. Her phone buzzed in her pocket—probably her friends checking on her or teasing her, one of the two, she was sure. Marinette took a shaky breath before walking towards the door, acutely aware of the delicate tap-tap of her heels across the roof, and trying to figure out how the hell she was going to explain that her date had left her to go with his ex-girlfriend in a way that wouldn’t result in murder. 

[fenheart87]

Name For Your Order?

My work for the @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers Exchange 2021! This goes out to @bevvydraws . Prompt was Coffee shop au! - So a coffee shop au where Luka is a singer who occasionally performs at the cafe, and Marinette is the shy barista who keeps forgetting to ask his name.

It was Tuesday, a bright and sunny Tuesday. Usually, just another day of the week except Marinette had been persuaded to swap her shift so one of her co-workers had the day free, which she did not mind at all, for two reasons. The first being that co-worker always covered when she needed it, and extra hours never hurt, but the bigger reason was one tall, blue-eyed and sweet guitarist that played at their little coffee shop on most Tuesdays. Now if she could only manage to talk to him and get his name, that way she could quit calling him ‘blue eyes’ in her head. Maybe she would ask him when he came to get his free cup of coffee, a perk that the manager gave for him bringing in more business.

Looking at the clock showed that the rush hour would be hitting soon, and Marinette checked all the cups, syrups, and other mixing items to make a list of what needed to be restocked before the rush. They never seemed to be successful in preparing for it but anything to make the miserable time easier was always a plus. Moving to the back she grabbed as many items as she could carry until Nino came in through the employee door and helped to break up the load with an empty box he found. Smiling gratefully, Marinette emptied her arms and grabbed a few things she was unable to before. She opened the door for Nino and helped to refill the items, weaving through the other employees as they were making drinks and serving pastries.

“Welcome to The Busy Bean, what can I make fresh for you?” Marinette greeted, finishing a refill of the large cups.

“I’d like a cappuccino with caramel drizzle please.”

“What size for the cappuccino?”

“Medium, I think small goes too quick and the large gets ignored when I’m playing back to back.” Oh, he was early.

“Sure thing!” Marinette squeaked, almost punching in the wrong order but correcting at the last second. She grabbed a medium-sized cup and slid to the side to write on it while her manager comped the drink for the part-time musician. Passing off the cup for someone else to make it, the petite employee moved back to the register. “Next time I recommend a chocolate swirl. it makes it even better.”

“I’ll have to try that next time. Time for me to get to work, thanks Marinette.” The musician smiled softly, just like always, and then made his way to the little stage area they had.

“Still didn’t get his name huh?” Nino teased, knocking Marinette out of her love-struck staring.

“No, and I don’t want to know from you.” The DJ shrugged with a smile and handed off another drink. It had become a thing between the two childhood friends, the mysterious singer was actually Nino’s roommate that he never really talked about by name. It was surprising but humorous and the DJ had fun, too much in the designer’s opinion, teasing her about her crush and not being able to ask him for his name.

“Okay, dudette, but you do realize I’ve been fighting not to say his name anytime we talk, it’s difficult.”

“Free macaroons and I’ll even throw in an eclair a day for Alya.” The raven-haired girl bargained with a sly smile.

“You drive a hard bargain dudette but you got yourself a deal.”

“Welcome to The Busy Bean, what can I get started for you today?” Marinette hip-checked Nino who snorted good-naturedly and moved back to his place in the hot drink line.

The lunch rush came and went, and the stress was eased by the upbeat pop songs the guitarist had been noodling together for the better part of an hour. Marinette had missed her break but was fine as she could take a longer one now that there were only a few people in the coffee shop. Deciding to whip up a similar drink but with sprinkles and roasted marshmallow, she grabbed two medium cups and made her way to the ‘Blue-Eyed Prince’ as Nino teased.

“Hey stranger, thought you could use a pick me up.”

“Well if you’re talking about the coffee then yes, not that I would say no if you were talking about yourself.”

“I uh, what?” Marinette stuttered and froze with her hand outstretched.

“Sorry, Nino has been teasing me about the coffee girls. I take it, you’re not one?I’ll ask for you to make my drinks from now on, it’s hard to play when I’m being flirted with and some girls can’t take no for an answer.” The guitarist sighed, sipping on his drink. Surprise colored his features for a moment, making the coffee worker giggle.

“I put a spin on it, I hope you like it.”

“Sprinkles,” he smiled crookedly and Marinette felt her breath catch, “I like it. Think we can make this my regular drink?”

“When I’m here yeah, I don’t usually work Tuesdays, but now a co-worker owes me and I’ll see you on Fridays to make your signature drink.”

“Cool, I shouldn’t keep you since you get paid to be here and I’m just here to vibe.“

"I had extra time on my break, at least I’m over here and not being harassed by people trying to get their caffeine fix and bugging me when I’m clearly on break at a table. I need to bring a jacket back to work so I can zip it up and not be bothered.”

“Hey I’m here until closer to six, take mine so you don’t get harassed.” He passed over a well loved leather jacket that had a hint of cologne.

“Oh I couldn’t- I mean that’s so nice but I’m so clumsy and I would spill something on it.”

“Nino talked about a friend that works here, she’s a pretty bomb designer and I’ve seen her work on his favorite jacket that she made him and the stains that Chris has put it through. If you make a mess, I have faith she’ll be able to fix it.”

Marinette squeaked as she turned red, and the musician’s knowing look, causing butterflies to run rampant in her stomach. Accepting the jacket, she hid her face and listened to his smooth chuckle.

“Alright I need to play something chill, it seems like the ladies with the short hair cuts like to their chins? They are quite uh-”

“Demanding? Crazy? Rude? A little too Bourgeois?” The shop employee rattled off after removing her face from the leather cover. “Yeah, it’s about that time because the yoga class and spin classes let out.”

“Any requests?”

“I like Jagged Stone but I don’t think they appreciate it. Maybe something mellow?” Marinette mused before Nino waved with a hand signal. “Ah Nino needs help, he’s hopeless with the swirls. Duty calls.”

“When does your shift end?”

“Supposed to be five-fifteen.”

“I’ll play Jagged for you then.”

“Awesome! See ya ‘round Rockstar!” She chirped, nearly skipping her way back to the counter. With a fist bump to Nino, he rattled off the orders that needed swirls, and the designer set to work with the same determination she had when designing for the rest of her shift.

“One caramel macchiato swirl for Rose!”

“Thanks Marinette! Oh hey, I didn’t know Juleka’s brother played here.”

“Wait, brother?”

“No way dudette, you didn’t know my roomie is Juleka’s older brother? And here I thought you knew your blue-eyed prince.”

“Juleka! Oh my gosh that’s so cute! Isn’t it?! Juleka!” Rose squealed, latching onto her girlfriend’s arm and shaking the taller girl a bit.

“That’s my brother, gross.” Came the dry reply.

“I mean if it bothers you I can back off. I don’t even know his name…” Marinette backtracked, not wanting her friend to feel awkward.

“It’s fine, just no details. I haven’t seen him in his birthday suit since we were young and took baths together.”

“Oh my God! Juleka!” For the second time that day Marinette lit up bright red, this time collapsing onto the counter and shielding herself with her arms.

“It’ll be okay dudette, when you remember to ask his name at least.”

“It’s not my fault! We get to talking and he doesn’t seem to mind my crazy runaway brain and lets me figure out my words but, like, not in a rude way. Then I get distracted by his eyes oh my God those should be illegal. And he’s just so nice and funny and talented. By the way, you didn’t tell me you told him about me fixing your hoodie!”

“Hey he’s my roomie and he asked if I got a new one. I told him the truth because you’re awesome.” The DJ shrugged with a grin.

“That’s Luka’s jacket.” Rose gasped, pointing at the leather jacket she was wearing.

“Yeah he let me borrow it, can you give it back to him for me?” Marinette passed over the jacket to Juleka who took it with an odd look on her face but remained silent.

The lack of music drew their attention to the small stage where Luka waved and then started playing a Jagged song, tossing a wink at the ravenette. Marinette flushed again, ignoring the coos from Rose and playful elbow from Nino.

“Huh. he usually hates playing Jagged’s music…”

“Really? I mentioned I liked his music but I wouldn’t have asked if I had known.”

“Go figure.” With that mysterious comment, Juleka shoved the jacket back at Marinette and pushed her towards her brother who finished up the song.

“Hey there Sprinkles.”

“Hey Rockstar, I think this is yours.” Marinette handed over the leather jacket with a shy grin.

“You know out of all the times I’ve played here the last couple of months, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you call me by my name.”

“Well, that uh might be because I don’t know it? And Nino teases me all the time calling you my 'blue-eyed prince because I get distracted by your blue eyes, they should be illegal. And you’re so nice when I’m having a bad day or just a busy day, you always smile and listen to me and don’t make me feel stupid for getting words mixed or rambling like I’m doing right now and oh my God!” She wished a hole would appear so she could sink into it.

“Well your eyes are pretty amazing too, they’ve kept me up on more than one night trying to find the music to describe them.” Her eyes met his, a soft smile present on his face, “And since I was too distracted by the pretty coffee girl to give my name, I guess I should fix that. I’m Luka, nice to finally introduce myself.”

“Hi, Luka.” Marinette smiled, the blush dying down to a pinkish color and not a full red.

“So uh would you like something to eat? I’m sure you’re tired of coffee…” Luka packed up his guitar, taking the jacket and putting it over her shoulders.

“Sure but let’s go somewhere else, the best pastries in all of Paris.”

“Wait, if you’re going where I think you’re going you had better bring me back something! I’ve got another hour left!” Nino shouted, amusing the customer he was supposed to be taking the order of.

“Maman won’t mind another mouth to feed if you just want to come over for dinner. I think it’s dumpling night?”

“Marinette you are my best friend! Sorry bro, you’ll understand when you taste the food.” The DJ joked before focusing back on the order he was punching in.

“Did I just get invited to dinner?”

“Yeah but that’s okay, you’ll have to meet my parents at some point. Juleka and Rose are already like their adopted daughters.”

“Oh! Maman Sabine dumplings?! I’m in!” Rose jumped on her toes excitedly, tugging Juleka along to follow the budding couple.

“I’ll text Maman and let her know we need to break out the other chairs and let Papa know we need another batch of macarons and eclairs.”

[fenheart87]

Home Is where You Are

Sprint Challenge, Secret Santa style! This is for @nottesilhouette, this is cross posted on AO3 as most my stories are for viewing ease!  

 Three 15-minute sprints and 24 hours to polish it off. Prompt was “Domestic Fluff ("You gave me the world in my palms and none of it was as beautiful as coming home to you.")” 

The success of the Kitty Section tour was well above anything any of its members predicted and honestly, they were tired and ready to go home, wherever that was for them these days. Luka knew Rose and Juleka were going to touch base with the sibling's mother, she had taken to being free and sailed around quite frequently. It was a normal occurrence if they saw the Liberty in all her glory when they had a show close to any water that was deep enough for the houseboat.  

The newly engaged couple would then touch base with everyone from their lycée class via skype and some fantastic planning by one Marinette Dupain-Cheng who had found a timeslot in everyone's schedule to have a joint call. Speaking of the brilliant designer, Luka was having a hard time keeping his home sickness at bay. The ravenette was certainly making a name for herself and with his father touring at the same time or joint shows having on occasion, made Luka always hear about her accomplishments. It really sucked having to live through pictures of precious moments frozen in time and the rare call where he could actually hear that angelic giggle.

“Luka, it’s about time to depart. We are completing one last check through the bus and hotel room before we load up and head out.”

“Cool, I think I have everything but I’ll check again.” He waved off Ivan’s questioning look and turned to do just that. With the laminated checklist in hand, even the familiar curl of her handwriting was enough to make him anxious to be home, he checked off all items and then turned to the handwritten one Rose had made to cover all the extra stuff he had bought. Quickly scanning the list, a second time, Luka knew he couldn’t stall anymore and grabbed his luggage to bring it out to the van.

“Luka, I need you to grab something for me. I forgot it.” Juleka murmured with an awkward ‘you know you love me’ smile.

“Yeah sure, anyone else need me to grab anything or are we good?” Luka accepted her key card for her room and turned around to grab whatever it was that was left. The elevator was empty which was a relief, he took the opportunity to lean against the wall and breathe deeply for a few moments of peace. Blue eyes and raven hair swarmed behind his closed eyelids and a painful tug on his heart strings followed. He really missed his girlfriend. The ding brought him out of his light reminiscing and trudged on to the room where his sister and her fiancé had stayed. Opening the door, Luka certainly did not expect to find his girlfriend standing in the empty room with a big smile.

“Hey! I had a layover option here and thought I would add an extra day so we could fly home together an- Oh!” Marinette giggled as the guitarist nearly bowled her over and pulled her into a long hug. “I missed you too Star.”

“I have missed you so much, like you smell like home and just everything good in life. I didn’t think I would ever get rid of the stress and tension from this… This was way too long to be away from you my melody.”

“Star, I’m glad you went and you had fun playing your music. You were born for it after all but I am so glad that Penny put a ban for at least a month before any local shows and a few months before anymore traveling, even just a city away.” Her slender fingers slid through his black and blue locks, a feeling of peace starting to settle from the gentle touch into his very soul. The fact that his girlfriend was here when the homesickness was at its worst was amazing.  

“Everyone is waiting for us, ugh I’m terrible.”

“Nope, they took off already and we have my rental car to take, I have to return it anyway. Gives you some time to relax and we can spend a moment together. I’m thinking when we get home, you can come over and I finally figured out knitting without making a huge mess so there are these super fuzzy socks and my hardwood floors are perfect for sliding. Just carefully, I don't need a Luka sized dent to match the Adrien sized dent in my wall.” She ignored the snort and in retaliation moved her hand from Luka’s hair and laced their fingers together instead.

“As long as there’s some tea or hot chocolate, Maman Cheng style, cookies from Papa Dupain and that big wonderful plush blanket complete with cuddles from the most amazing woman in the world for when I lose our marshmallow snowman war, I'm sold.”

“Okay you’re too sappy, definitely need some TLC… Thankfully I did restock the supplies for the fluffy armies so we can do that after you've rested.” Marinette was blushing bright red and choosing to ignore it by avoiding his playful gaze. Luka let himself be led from the hotel room to the rental car and from the airport to home. He really needed to get the guts to propose but he supposed a ring needed to be purchased first and the nice bonus from this first tour would take care of everything else to make it perfect for them. The guitarist was sure she would say yes after a very quirky Marinette freak-out of course but wasn’t that why he loved her?

[verfound]

FIC: Winters Hold the Longest Night: Part 3 (MLB/Lukanette, LBSC Sprint Challenge Secret Santa - Lemony Fresh!)

Notes: I have no intention of bringing Dingo into this ‘verse, but the idea that – if I did – he’d be a werewolf that checks in on Mari from time to time during the winter, when Luka’s too sleepy to feel like he can protect her properly, just to be warded away every Yule because of copious amounts of mistletoe amuses me to NO END.  “T’way with ye, mangy beast!”  (Also the E rating comes into play here.) 

Hey @justknitstuff someone order some holiday smut?  :D

Winters Hold the Longest Night

Part 3: The Second Yule

Luka was alone when he woke, but he knew he wasn’t alone.

There was the smell of something baking in the main room, above the usual scent of the fire, and he smiled as he burrowed deeper into the cushions of their nest.  He could also hear his mate humming, sometimes singing in her low, clear voice. There was a gentle glow coming from the main room, slipping past the slit in the curtain, and he blinked sleepy eyes as he tried to focus on it.  There was another smell.  Something…fresher?  Like the woods outside.  Like…

He was so tired, but his curiosity was winning out.  He sluggishly pushed himself up and slithered to the curtain, yawning before he moved it back.

He blinked in stupefied surprise as he saw the main room.

Marinette had gone…a little overboard.

[fenheart87]

Sprint Challenge 2 - Colorwheel

The silence echoed in the room, Marinette and Adrien were glaring at each other, a battle of wills making the silence oppressive and settled like a heavy weight on the other occupants of the room. Juleka never glanced up from her phone, Rose watched the heated debate-turned-argument unfold and Nino was fighting to keep Alix from adding fuel to the fire. Dingo had just left to pick up Luka and the rest of Kitty Section from the repair shop.

“You are unbelievable, seriously Adrien!”

“How did they even get into this argument again?" 

"No Idea I place my bets on Marinette.” Juleka murmured, eyes flicking to the arguing pair and back to her phone.

“Not even your own brother? So does that mean that you are going to bet Against me?” Alix chimed in, somehow holding resigned Nino in a headlock.

“Leave them alone dude, they will figure it out when they stop listening to respond and listen to talk.”

“Would you just stop being stubborn-”

“Me?! Pot meet kettle, you stop being stubborn!”

“Hey does anybody know what started all this like they seem that they might try to kill each other…” Rose cut in, concern growing as the quarrel was getting louder and louder. 

“Why are you being so dramatic over this?!” Marinette was well past being just plain worked up, rolling her eyes with a huff.

“Because it doesn’t make sense Marinette.” Adrien shot back, crossing his arms again.

“It makes perfect sense! It you would just do your job and let me do mine-” The designer exploded, pointing aggressively with her words.

“Not when you don’t make sense!” Adrien interrupted again, frowning hard enough that his resemblance to Gabriel uncanny.

“How?! How doesn’t it? I’ve been staring at these with you for at least six hours! I need to know which shades!”

“Why can’t fashion just have some good old color names, why do they always have to be so weird and unique and why can’t we just call them simple colors as what they are! Blue, dark blue, light blue I get. Cerulean, regal and bahama are just different shades of the same blues! They don’t need ten names for ten colors that look exactly the same.”

All eyes snapped to the quarreling pair, a dramatic offended gasp from the other pink person matched Marinette’s outraged face. Dingo and Luka slid into the room quietly as to not draw atttention to themselves. She straightened to her full height and Adrien shrunk a bit but didn’t fully back down.

“Uh Lulu, you might want to save the groom…”

“Nah, he deserves it.”

“You take that back right now Agreste or I quit and you can explain to Kagami why she has to pick a new wedding dress!”

“They’re just colors Marinette.”

“Oi! Lime green and electric green ill have you know are two completely different colors!” Dingo chimed in to defend Marinette.

Heaving a big sigh and rolling his green eyes, the blond admitted, “I just don’t see what the big deal is, that’s all. It’s just for our wedding, one event of many that we will share together.”

“Adrien Michelle Quincy Salvatore Athanase Agretste I will end you if you do not take back those words right now!” Rose threw her notebook she had long abandoned into her chair and marched over the taller blonde, blue eyes narrowed and frown marring her pixie like face. Adrien glanced between the two women and stepped back, growing more and more nervous.

Luka moved closer, sliding in between the scared lamb and lionesses about to tear into his hide. “Look I admit most of the time I can’t tell the difference between Tiger and Tangerine, even though Marinette uses both colors often. What I do know is she has a passion and drive for colors, fabrics and sewing, like I do for my music. Just means while we see pink and light pink, she sees mauve and baby pink just like we can hear different keys in different remakes.”

“Ah I didn’t think about it that way I guess you’re right… I’m sorry Marinette I wasn’t trying to be insensitive or a jerk..”

“You’re forgiven only if you forgive me. Im sorry too, we are all stressed and I shouldn’t have started that argument. This is a big day and while I know you and Kagami won’t notice the little details I put into this, I just want it to be as special as possible. The cocoa color was your mom wore for her wedding, that’s why I wanted to include it so she could be included too. The pinks are rose and myself, Luka is hard to pin down on which blue, I still think Azure and Cyan is a great idea mixed if you trust me to dye the fabric.”

“There’s a whole story hiding in this…” Adrien moved closer to the quilted banner that Marinette had been pestering him about for days.

“Nino and Alya,” she pointed to other color swatches, “Chloe and of course our heros to help watch over and keep you both safe… That’s why I’m being a pain, your colors are red and gold with hints of blacks and whites but this is my wedding gift for the both of you. Kagami was upset she cannot wear her chosen wedding dress but I was able to get free reign for the after party and we might need an EMT at the party.”

“Marinette… I love it and thank you for being so thoughtful. I don’t know the color names but I think I can at least pick out the colors with the swatches”

Marinette sniffled and pulled Adrien into a hug, surprising the ex-model for a moment before he returned it. Rose joined in, dragging Juleka and Alix, Nino wandering over on his own.

“Group hug!” Dingo shoved Luka in behind Marinette and with the help of Ivan, squished everyone together until they broke apart in laughter.

“So Marinette, what are your dream wedding colors?”

“Periwinkle.” The color choice slipped out as she stretched, meeting Luka’s frozen blue eyes. “Pink and blue make purple after all!”

[fenheart87]

Goats Gone Wild

The rehearsals went perfectly, despite everyone saying that it might fall apart and completely spiral out of control and that would to be expected as it was rehearsal and gave them time to fix it. The flower arrangements were gorgeous, Jagged cried when he saw his official wedding suit and Penny had successfully been conned into taking an actual spa day to relax and have a great time with the ladies in her wedding party. 

Tom and Sabine were of course on cake duty in providing other food and refreshments for the big day. With them in charge no one was concerned that the seasoned caterers would have any trouble. The tables and chairs were tastefully decorated and with just enough 'rock n' roll' vibe for Jagged to not complain too much because Jagged always be Jagged.

Of course, for the power duo of the music world, fate may have approved for them to meet, fall in love and live long enough to plan the wedding but it didn't have to be nice all the time. A small mishap and the power was out most of the night, delaying everything from food to simply getting ready for most of the practical preparations. 

Marinette was running on no sleep, no faith and after the power outage, no coffee. Everyone had their wedding clothes and the weather predicting rain at some point made it seem like a tiny accomplishment. Those who had cars to drive would be fine and most could take extra passengers but it would take some people two trips. She had spoken to her Maman and Papa already, they had put the cake in the deep freeze plus had a gas/solar powered generator to offer a space for others in the wedding party.

She still had no idea who would be escorting her down the aisle to fulfill her Maiden of Honor duty, there wasn't time to meet him now because they were sorely behind schedule. Pushing the thought to the side, Marinette slipped into a chic dress but not the one for the ceremony. That was safely at the venue they had booked just in case they needed a place to relocate. Sending up a quick prayer and a threat that this would be a memorable day, Marinette grabbed her clutch and left her apartment.

Marinette could distantly hear her phone ringing even though it was right besides her. She had yet to exit the safety of her car as she watched the chaos unfold. There was a small zoo of animals running around and Jagged was riding a llama, Fang happily scaring the poor creature. Nimbly she picked up her still ringing phone and answered it.

"H-hello?"

"Is this Marinette?"

"Yes I'm Ma-ma-Marinette… Who are you?"

"Ah I'm Luka the best man, Jagged and Penny paired us to walk down the aisle together. Things are uh pretty chaotic and I haven't seen you yet so just making sure you're not the one getting cold feet."

"No, I uh just pulled up. Where did the petting zoo come from?"

"Jagged's idea."

"You know, sometimes I forget he's technically a Couffaine then he pulls shit like this. Where is Anarka when I need the courage to slam his famous and insured face?" Her neck gave up trying to support her head and she let it flop forward to blare her horn, startling the llama and delighting Jagged as he fought to stay seated.

"I'll come to you." Luka's voice was actually soothing and calmed Marinette's nerves enough to move her head to the steering wheel. Distant sounds of goats screaming at each other and the loudness that was Jagged seeped into her quiet space within the car. A light knock on the window drew her from her quiet place within her mind, and Marinette emerged from her car instead of just rolling down the window.

Luka was tall and slender, ocean blue eyes matched the tips of his hair and would match the color of her dress for the ceremony perfectly. He radiated a soft aura that drew her into staring for longer than appropriate.

"Well hello there fair Maiden of Honor."

"Ah yes hello mysterious Best Man. Would you happen to know how bad things are?" The designer bravely faced the stream of messages on her phone, some only minutes old and others hours old. Asking for an update methodically from everyone individually, she let Luka guide her into the venue.

"Jagged is currently trying to convince Penny to keep a llama or a goat from the petting zoo, half of the guests are either not coming at all or left because of the chaos you see around you. The wedding party is here and just enough people to provide witnesses and news coverage. One of the photographers had to back out and the fill in is allergic to the flowers, his only allergy actually, nice guy otherwise. The goats have eaten some of the décor and their fearless mountain climbing leader took off with the ring pillow."

"Where the rings are sewed on… So at this point, the cake is the only thing safe. I can work with that, first let's find Penny because I'm sure her blood pressure is through the roof, next we need to remove the flowers that are a problem, if Ivan is here then he has the fake bouquets in his van and we can put those inside and have the photographer that's not allergic take the pictures outside. Jagged will be Jagged but when it's time he will behave and only have eyes for Penny so let him do his thing. We need to find the rings so get as many people looking for them as we can. Once I check on Penny I'll figure out the rest, I'm getting updates and rearranging as we speak."

"You know, this is kind of weird for me…" Sky blue eyes met ocean and time suspended again for a moment, "I know Jagged considers you like his unofficial niece so it makes it weird that you are absolutely beautiful and I feel like he might try to kill me for just being around you."

"N-no it's fine! I mean he chose after all, if he has a problem I'll take a page from the captain's book!" A blush graced her pale cheeks, accenting the light blush she had applied earlier. "Now go be a Best Man and make sure the groom doesn't sign his life away and marry a llama instead."

"Aye aye fair maiden." Luka winked and parted ways, leaving Marinette’s heart racing more than it was before.

"Stupid pretty boy with their stupid smiles… Penny, are you in here?" Marinette knocked on the door, waiting until it opened.

"Hey Mari, I knew what would happen when I said yes to Jagged but please no more animals."

"Don't worry, no more animals. The cake is fine but I need to find your rings which I guess a goat ran off with?" 

"Yeah, Jagged wanted to get a picture and the goat took advantage." Penny laughed and resumed her seat where Jean-Luc was already fixing her make-up.

"So this is going to be Plan P?" Marinette teased, taking a moment to change into the other dress.

"You bet! Once the circus is over here we will all meet up at your parents bakery for cake and food." Penny winked carefully, causing the younger woman to giggle.

"Let me go find those rings." Throwing on some flats, Marinette left the room with a wave and headed outside. If the goat was a mountain goat then he was probably hidden with the trees. Hiking up her skirt and trekking through the mud that was somehow everywhere and followed the distant sounds of child-like screaming.

There stood the goat, calming chewing on the ring pillow and staring at her with it's judgmental eyes.

"Okay, you give that back right now."

"MAAAAAA!!!" It bleated loudly before resuming its speedy chewing

"Don't make me do this…" The designer tried to get closer and the goat kept retreating with every step. "Oh come on! You know, what fine!"

"MAAAAAA!!" It screamed again and she took the chance to lunge and tackled the goat into the mud. Trying to get a solid grip on the ring piow was difficult as the goat kept trying to kick here or just rip the pillow in two, she wouldn't mind that much, after all it's the rings she was after.

"Just give me the rings and you can keep the stupid pillow you ugly stupid goat!" Marinette grunted as it became a test of tug of war, the sound of fabric ripping made her panic and kick the goat. It worked to get the goat to let go but it charged her and screamed in her face. The sound covered up the approach of the two men.

"Uh Marinette, why are you wrestling with a goat?"

"Oh you know, thought I would try my hand at it, have you seen these guns from gator chasing," She flexed one arm a couple times, "or how about these legs?" Hiking her skirt up wasn't her best idea ever but it was so worth the blush and cute word vomit from her wedding date.

"I uh well, yeah. I mean- you look hot as IN YOU'LL NEED TO COOL OFF BEFORE THE WEDDING!" Luka groaned and covered his eyes in shame.

"Oi mate, are you ogling my goat?" Dingo slapped his back, nearly causing the musician to topple into the mud with Marinette and the goat who resumed chewing on the ring pillow it had stolen, the rings recovered sneakily.

"Okay, the arch can burn for all I care and maybe fry up some bacon if we're lucky." She accepted Luka's help to get up and onto a less muddy patch of grass. The trio made their way back, Dingo as she learned, was fond of Napoleon and argued the entire way back.

"I'll 'ave you know that pigs are some the best pets!"

"No way, Hamster all the way! You can't even own one in the city unless it's a teacup pig and why would you even want one?"

"Oi! All pigs are cool, you can't just love one kind because that's not true devotion!" 

"Will you two stop-" Luka froze as the smell of smoke wafted closer and squinted thoughtfully. Was that, yup the arch was burning. 

"Great, Plan P is fully in action now!" The maiden of honor groaned, slapping her hands over her mud smeared face.

"Oh god no! Please spare Napoleon! No bacon at this wedding!" Dingo sprinted across the field to where the pigs were kept.

"Well let's find the bride and groom and get the hell outta here." Luka proposed, calmly walking the rest of the way with Marinette keeping pace. There was a firefighter giving directions to everyone to stand far away from the building and the burning arch.

"Well this is not what I expected…" A tall blond muttered to himself, standing apart from the rest of the group.

"Well it is a Couffaine wedding, they are chaos magnets." Marinette joked, attempting to rid herself and dress of the half dried dirt clods.

"Well Jagged has always been… Unique. Good to see you again Marinette."

"I resent that, Jagged is the dumpster fire and Penny is the best and craziest person on earth since she somehow agreed to marry that mess."

"Uh, who are you?"

"Me? Wait, Marinette don't tell me you're mad at me again!"

"Luka what on earth-"

"This is why I told Pa it was better if we didn't show up to his wedding, your anger issues. First you nearly gave poor Nona a scare when you wanted to eat Napoleon, then set the arch on fire and lastly took off after Samuel, a poor defenseless goat."

"Uh how do you know each other?"

"Oh this again?! Lemme tell you, this little spitfire is my wife and she's been pissed at me ever since our arranged marriage was official on paper."

"Luka! That's enough!" The mud on her face hid the blush but the tips of her ears were it began to flake glowed red.

"Baby, you know we're supposed to talk when you're angry with me, that was the agreement."

"Shove it up your ass!"

The wail of sirens startled the three adults but what nearly knocked them over was a blur of neon green, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"HELP ME MATE, I CAN'T GO BACK! IT'S NOT SAFE!!"

The station was filled with a workflow hum as the entire wedding party and a few guests waited in the cell block for someone to explain why everyone had been arrested and brought in. Marinette had made use of the sink and cleared off as much dirt from her being as she could. Penny was steadily ignoring Jagged who at this point had been pleading with her and trying to get a straight answer if they would still be tying the knot or not. 

"Couffaine! You're next!" The Sargent growled, shuffling paperwork around. Roger was slowly trying to inch away to not be caught in the crossfire and pulling the rookie away with him.

"Uh which one sir?"

"What do you mean which one?! Just Couffaine!" The Sargent snapped, taking a deep pull of his coffee. When he looked up to see a group of people his face went stone blank.

"Okay so uh, maybe start with the charges and we can help decipher the correct Couffaine?" The petite Chinese woman bite her lip in nerves, echoed by the blond dressed in a matching pink dress. Glancing around he saw a slender woman holding the hand of said blonde in pink, also in a nice party dress. A man with purple hair to match, oh Jagged Stone, was dressed in a suit with a spin. Another woman with purple hair standing next to him and dressed in the more elaborate gown. He easily recognized Anarka by her grey hair and fierce glare, even if she was cleaned up nicely. To the left of the only one brave enough to speak was a young man, a flower in his lapel matching the one on her dress but with light blue tipped hair. Behind him was a kid with a mohawk that nearly grazed the ceiling and a slender brunette who was trying to keep from bouncing around the cell.

"Sorry Sargent…?" The woman tried again, offering a hesitant smile.

"Sargent Le Grand and you are who?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng  uh Couffaine." He blinked twice and looked back through the paperwork.

"Why the hell did no one even specify male or female for the perp?! Or a first name, even an initial would be helpful!"

"Sorry Sarge, I uh just -"

"Forget it rookie, there are a pile of complaints and I can't read them aloud so why don't you tell me what you're in trouble for and I'll find the ticket?"

"Uh that's just it sir… We were all rounded up at the wedding and brought here with no explanation."

"I do not get paid enough for this." He downed the remaining coffee and left the desk, making his way into his office.

"Oi where are you goin'?! You can't keep us cage like a bunch of goats!" The mohawk kid finally escaped the brunette and rattled the jail bars.

"Someone figure out these charges and get them out of my cell!" Sargent le Grand promptly got up and went into his office, slamming the office door shut.

“Roger, why donna ya be a good boy and let me and me crew out of here? You know we have the Boat Fund for when you’re hoititty rules and our love of chaos clash.”

“Anarka, I really do have to charge the tickets before we can discuss payment. uh, “ Roger glanced at the Sargent’s door and saw it still closed. “Okay so we have one charge of setting public property on fire, one count of illegal animal petting zoo, “

“He said he was rock ‘n roll with her permits!”

“One count  of naming your pig Napoleon, haven’t seen that in a while…”

“Oi! I can name my piggy whatever I please!”

“Two counts of animal abuse, one for feeding the goats pillows and one for what’s assumed trying to bury it alive,”

“Oh please, I had to chase it through the woods and mud because it took off with the pillow in the first place!”

“One count for act of terrorism, this one being related to flowers and serious life-threatening allergy,”

“He was a fill in, he signed the disclosure and those charges are bogus.”

“And to wrap it up, one count of illegally sailing in the city.”

“Give me Liberty or give me death!”

“I’m just going to mark all this down and charge the fund. I do apologize for having to crash your wedding Mister Stone and Miss Rolling, I do hope you have plans to finalize your commitment.” Roger opened the cell door and everyone filed out, Dingo sticking his tongue out before being smacked by three different hands.

“Oi!”

“Oi nothing fashion hazard!” Marinette snapped, moving to the front of the group. “Here’s what we’re going to do, everyone is going to quietly make their way to my parents bakery which is just a couple blocks away. While we are there, we can take turns cleaning up and then enjoy a nice meal and some delicious cake that Papa has worked so hard to make perfect for today. At this point, if someone is ordained and could marry them while at my parents house that would at least complete my to-do list.”

“I got ya mate! Let’s gooooo!” Dingo whooped and took off running while Brielle shared a look with Luka before following.

“Well definitely a memorable day wouldn’t you say Marinette?” Penny asked as she slipped her arm around the younger’s.

“I’ll say… You aren’t thinking of having spawns with him are you?”

“Hey, rock n roll is the life for me, no worries my favorite rock n roll designer!” Jagged chimed in, pausing his argument with the Captain for a moment.

“Aye, with Juleka and Luka that’s all the extra chaos he needs.”

“Uh I can explain…” Luka hunched over and raised his shoulder’s to hide somewhat.

“Wedding first then you can use the rest of the time to explain.”

[lovebugs-and-snakecharmers]

Hello and welcome to Lovebugs and Snake Charmers, a Lukanette themed Valentine's Day event! I'm your first mod @justknitstuff . I'm joined by my two other mods @livrever and@semi-slaughtomatic .

I wanted to do a secret Santa like event for Lukanette, but since Christmas is literally right around the corner, there unfortunately wasn't enough time. So I turned my sights to Valentine's Day and the secret admirer idea was born! This event will work just like a secret Santa. When you sign up with the form we will link to, you will be able to give two prompts and a description of each. Once the submission period is over, we will pair up similar prompts and choose two to be paired off as "secret admirers." We will then email everyone with who they will be creating something for with their prompt list. Everything will be uploaded to AO3 under the collection we will create for this event, which will be hidden until we reveal everyone's secret admirer gift on February 14th. This event will be open to writers and artists, so everything can be easily uploaded to AO3.

The schedule:

* Sign ups open on December 28th, 2019

* Sign ups close January 10th, 2020

* Emails will go out on January 13th.

* If anyone needs to drop out, we all to be notified by February 5th, as that will give our pinch hitters time to work.

* Gifts must be uploaded to the collection (which will be hidden) no later than midnight, February 13th.

* We will release the collection on February 14th, in time for Valentine's Day.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us! We look forward to kicking off the new year with some wonderful Lukanette and everyone!

[ao3feed-lukanette]

by Rikkapikasnikka

On the way to Adrien and Kagami's wedding, Marinette and Luka get stuck at an airport in Finland. Oops.

Written for the Lovebugs and Snake Charmers sprint fic challenge, September 2020.

Words: 2674, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Miraculous Ladybug

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Luka Couffaine, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Kagami Tsurugi

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

Additional Tags: Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, LBSC Sprint Fic Challenge, Airports, Stuck At An Airport, Prompt Fic, Sprint Fic

[lovebugs-and-snakecharmers]

Good morning and Happy New Year! I hope everyone's starting their off great!

Just as a reminder, sign ups for Lovebugs and Snake Charmers, a Lukanette Secret Admirer event, is open until January 10th. So you have ten more days to get that form sent in!

[quickspinner]

WIP Report/A look at what’s coming

~two more days until Lukanette February~

I have the first 16 days or so complete, which should hopefully be enough buffer to finish the rest. The end of February gets a little busy for me so I really want to be done ahead of time.

~Then we have the Lovebugs and Snake Charmers Secret Admirer reveal on Valentine’s Day~

I’m excited I think there’s good stuff coming.

~it’s gonna be a beautiful shippy month~

So the rest of this is almost for my own sake because sometimes I get overwhelmed and it helps to talk things out.

I’m still working on all my short pieces so those should be coming along whenever. I do so many of these because they’re easy to work on when I only have a few minutes at a time instead of having to remember and account for an entire narrative arc. Right now I have a bunch started and plus a few that have been suggested that I’m ruminating on:

Man’s Best Fang part 2

Motorcycle Fairy part 2

Sound designer Luka

Elevator meet

Musical soulmates where one hears whatever song is stuck in their soulmate’s head

Lost sketchbook in the park

Pirate AU (I don’t know about this one, I have a couple thoughts but nothing worth writing down yet. I do not want to accidentally get stuck writing an epic.)

Class reunion at a concert (I don’t know about this one either, it’s technically not a first meeting and it kinda sounds like a salt prompt and while I am highly in favor of holding characters accountable and letting them experience consequences, I’m not really into salt for salt’s sake. That said, I had a couple thoughts on something that would be fun, kind of riffing off Gabriel being a jerk in Chat Blanc, so to the anon who suggested that, I’m not ignoring you, I’m just still thinking about it)

And a bunch of scraps that aren’t fully fledged ideas yet but might become something someday.

In case there are people out there going ooh, you take requests: I take suggestions for possible first meeting scenarios. Last time I specifically asked for ideas but I don’t mind getting them whenever as long as there’s the understanding I might not do them. Drop them in my asks or in the comments for I’ll Never Not Know You and we’ll see if it speaks to me)

I still have one long fic (Beautiful Dreams) in progress that’s not related to either of those, so expect that to start posting sometime in March I hope. The first two chapters are completely done and the third is close. I think it’s going to come out to 8 total so I would like to get most of chapter 4 done at least before I start posting. I just like to get close enough to done that I can be sure I’ll be able to finish and you won’t be waiting months in between chapters. I love this fic and I really want to finish and share it with you, but what’s left to be written is the hard part and I really need some uninterrupted time to think through it. As the mom of two kids under 5 that’s a bit tough to come by.

About the soulmate fic I’ve previewed a couple times...honestly, that might get turned into a chapter of I’ll Never Not Know You, I’m just not sure I have enough going on there to make it a full stand alone piece. I have the beginning and the end written and I love then but I’m kind of lost with the middle. So we’ll see; I’m going to sit on it for a bit until I have a little more brain power free to focus on it and see what happens. I have some travel coming up (without the kids! Who I love but who I sometimes get excited about not hearing for a while, also I will get to eat my own breakfast without anyone popping up at my elbow hoping for a bite because whatever I’m eating must be better than what they’re eating) so maybe I’ll have a brainstorm then.

[ao3feed-lukanette]

by Bloody_no_Kissu

"Master, she won't say no to you." "You don't know that; she could say no …" Luka ran his hands over his face… again. "I should have reserved a table in nice restaurant… oh god, she's going to say no…" He directed his gaze to the kwami, his eyes full of nerves. "I need Second Chance, so when she says no, I’m going to be able to go back in time, go to cry and maybe die"

Words: 2781, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Miraculous Ladybug

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/M

Characters: Luka Couffaine, Sass (Miraculous Ladybug), Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Jagged Stone (Miraculous Ladybug)

Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine & Sass, Luka Couffaine & Jagged Stone

Additional Tags: Luka panicking, Sass is done, Jagged tries to be a cool dad, Jagged had taste for rings, Humor, And Romance, I hope, Happy Valentine day!, Lovebugs and Snake Charmers, Secret Admirer

[lovebugs-and-snakecharmers]

Posting to AO3 collection

Ok everyone! I'm going to be providing a link to a tutorial on how to upload both art and fanfics to a collection on AO3. Now, the link will take you to a collection for an Attack on Titan Secret Santa, but it's honestly the best (with pics) tutorial I've found. So please ignore any of the links provided in the tutorial, unless you're into AoT and the pairing, then have at it :)

I've gotten permission from @jmgiftexchange to post it here for you all. Thank you again so much for allowing me to post this! I know I couldn't have come up with a better one. I hope this helps! Once again, the links provided in the tutorial are not for Lovebugs and Snake Charmers. I will be providing that link to participants when emails are sent with their Secret Admirer.