#luka couffaine is the most married single person ever

[verfound]

WIP Wednesday 04.19.23

I started picking at the Epic again the last few days. I have this scene in ch2 with Juleka and Luka discussing the ball (it's set after the ball but before morning), but I'm not sure if it's actually going to make it into the final draft? The gist is there, I like the scene, but I'm not sure yet if it'll work better as-is as a flashback or summarized in a conversation with bits of flashback? I'm still kicking it around.

But I do like the scene, and I kind of forgot how much Stupid showed up in it. 😂 So I thought I'd share it today, just in case I do scrap it.

“…you’re still up?”

It didn’t really surprise her.  Luka usually kept late nights, busy composing or tinkering on some project or other, but after the ball – after the way their parents had shoved him at girl after girl, hoping he’d find someone to call his queen – she would have thought he’d turn in early tonight.  Or…well.  Maybe it wasn’t so much that she was surprised to find him still up, but more that she was surprised to find him up and here.

Sitting in the empty kitchens, spinning an off-white macaron in his fingers and watching it with that stupid, besotted grin he’d been wearing since they’d left the ballroom.

…or, no, actually.  Since he’d danced with that black-haired girl in the froofy pink dress.

“Can’t sleep,” he said, twirling the macaron again.  He paused, his smile turning bittersweet.  “I…I think I fucked up, Jules.”

“Obviously,” she scoffed, snatching the macaron away and taking a bite.  Her nose curled.  Marshmallow, eugh.  She’d never understood her brother’s sweet tooth – she’d always preferred the more bitter flavors.

“Juleka!” he snapped as he jolted up, the sound almost strangled, and she frowned as he glared at her.

“What?  You weren’t eating it – just staring at it like a weirdo,” she scoffed.  She gestured to a counter along the wall, where more of the leftover sweets from the party – including a large chunk of the cake she was pretty sure he never got a chance to try – were still set out.  “There’s plenty more.  Just get another.”

He continued to glare at her, so she rolled her eyes and grabbed one of the trays of macarons.  She dropped it on the table before plopping into the seat across from him.  He snatched another macaron from the plate, but he didn’t eat that one, either.  He just sat there, staring at it, that stupid smile back on his face.

“What the hell, Luka?” she asked, blinking at him.  He sighed and dropped his head on the table.  “I know mom and dad are pissed at you for showing up late, but –”

“I wasn’t late,” he grumbled. He glanced up at her, suddenly looking more guilty than stupid, and her eyes widened.

“No,” she gasped.  “You…you actually went through with it?”

She had known he was considering, but she hadn’t thought…she hadn’t noticed…

“Why do you think I had all the musicians wear hoods?” he asked, his tone not quite sharp enough to be sarcastic, but Juleka still felt the bite.  He groaned and dropped his head back to the table.  “And it was going great – perfect – but then…”

“What did you do?” she asked, remembering his claim that he had fucked up.  She frowned when she noticed his thumb rubbing against his fingers.  He’d been doing that most of the night, like he had burned himself or something.  She wondered if he had touched one of the cloches while it was still hot.  “Besides piss our parents off.”

“That’s the problem, Jules,” he groaned, pressing his thumb into his middle finger.  “I don’t think I did.  There was…did you see the girl in the pink dress?  The first one I danced with?”

He had lifted his head to stare at the macaron again, a dreamy, faraway look in his eyes.  She snorted and grabbed another one from the plate, ignoring the way he glared at her for it.  There were plenty there – he could share.

She took a bite and smiled.  Dark chocolate and cherry – much better.

“How could I not?  You didn’t stop gawking at her all night,” she said, and he bristled.

“I was not –” he started, but she just tutted and shoved the rest of the macaron in her mouth.

“You totally were,” she said after swallowing.  She tilted her head to the side frowning as she narrowed her eyes at him.  “Wait…wasn’t that the girl dad wanted you to meet?  The one you swore up and down you absolutely were not going to fall in love with?”

“Her name is Marinette, and I’m going to marry her and have all her babies,” he said, and the seriousness of his tone – the determination, the ferocity – almost gave her pause.  Instead, she snorted and chucked a macaron at his head.

“That’s not how babies work, dumbass,” she said.  He had caught the macaron and was now staring at that one like it was something precious, too.  Why was her idiot brother so weird?

“…ok, she can have my babies,” he said, smiling stupidly at the macaron.  “If she wants to.  Gods, I hope she wants to…”

“You had one dance,” Juleka said, shaking her head.  “You can’t fall in love with someone after one dance.�� And what happened to wanting to find your soulmate?”

His gaze drifted to his hand, his smile getting even more stupid as his thumb brushed across his fingers again.  Her eyes widened in realization.

“…I think I did,” he said softly.  She shook her head, baffled.

“But…you were wearing gloves the whole night.  You never even touched her,” she said, looking back at his hand.  Despite the way he’d been itching at it all night, his skin looked perfectly normal.  If the pink girl was his soulmate like he claimed, and that was his mark, shouldn’t his skin be red or something?

“I met her before Dad introduced us,” he said.  He was still staring at his hand, smiling softly.  “It was an accident, but…”

And then Luka was telling her the dumbest story, about how he had snuck in with the band and met the pink girl by accident during a break.  How he hadn’t introduced himself as the prince – how he had used another name – so that by the time their father was introducing them it was too late.  The pink girl was too busy looking for him to pay attention to…well, him, and now the dumbass was convinced she was his soulmate because his hand – the hand that had touched her shoulder – wouldn’t stop itching, and that had to mean something, right?

“…maybe you’re just allergic to whatever her dress was made of,” Juleka snorted, and she could tell from the look on his face that he wanted to  throw the macaron at her.  If it hadn’t been made by his soulmate, he probably would have.

“She’s the one, Jules,” he said fiercely, his unmarked-yet-itchy hand clenching into a fist.  “I know it.”

“You know Dad’s never going to let you live this down, right?” she asked, smirking as she reached for another macaron.  “He is going to be absolutely insufferable when you tell him.”

“…don’t you think I should tell Marinette first?” he asked, rolling his eyes.  He frowned as he looked at the macarons.  “If she even wants to talk to me, that is.  I lied to her.”

“Yeah,” she said, nodding.  “You really shot yourself in the foot there.”

“Juleka!” he groaned, and she shrugged as she finished the macaron.  She hopped off her stool and reached for the plate, taking it back over to the counter to sit with the other leftover desserts.  She glanced at the uneaten cake and, after a moment’s deliberation, cut him off a small slice.

“Well, the good news is…” she said, walking over to him and offering him the slice.  He stared at it, his expression going weird again, and she rolled her eyes before lifting the fork with a piece of cake on it.  She wagged it in front of his mouth, and he rolled his eyes before taking the fork from her.  His eyes widened the second the cake was in his mouth.  “…it’s not like you don’t know where she lives.  Get some sleep so you don’t look like a deranged lunatic come morning, and then go serenade her under her window or whatever it is you romantic musician types do.  And actually have some of this cake – it’s your birthday, after all.  Aren’t we supposed to be celebrating?”

“…I am going to get so fat,” he said, taking the rest of the cake from her to shove another bite in his mouth.  “Dad said she made this.  Did you try this, Juleka, it’s amazing?”

She snorted and rolled her eyes, hooking her arm through his elbow and tugging him up.

“Come on, dumbass,” she snickered, leading him towards the door.  “You’ve seen Uncle Tom, right?  I doubt she’s going to mind if you gain a couple hundred pounds.”

“…I’m going to mind,” Luka said, but that didn’t stop him from popping another bite of cake into his mouth.  “This is seriously the best cake ever.  Did you try this yet?  Gods, what did she put in it?”

“Of course I tried it,” Juleka snorted, maneuvering her idiot brother so he didn’t walk into the wall as they cleared the steps.  “Mom wasn’t shoving me at every eligible bachelor in the kingdom.  I needed something to keep me awake.”

She wasn’t about to tell him she had thought the cake was too sweet, too.  He was the one who liked marshmallows, not her, and it was his birthday cake.

“I’m going to marry her, and she’s going to bake amazing cakes, and I’m going to get so fat,” Luka said, shaking his head.  “I’m going to need to go on a quest just to stay in shape.  Are we at war with anyone?  We might need to go to war with someone.  How much exercise do you think soldiers get?”

“…you are such a dumbass,” Juleka snorted, shaking her head as she laughed.  “Come on, you goof.  Let’s get you to bed before you start naming your ki…”

That was when it all went a bit pear-shaped.

That was when the palace had started shaking, and the hallway before them disappeared in a terrible crash as a massive red dragon had crashed through the ceiling.

[miraculousfanworks]

Miraculous Fanworks Fanfiction Compilation: August 2020 Exchange

Image credit.

Miraculous Fanworks Fanfiction Compilation: August 2020 Exchange

Welcome to the compilation for the August 2020 Exchange on the Miraculous Fanworks Discord server! 

On the server, we host events every month. This August, we hosted a fanfiction exchange.

A fanfiction exchange is where fanfiction authors submit an offer and a request, and are then matched with fellow writers who would like to write their requests.

This is the compilation of all the authors who published works for the August 2020 exchange.

Enjoy!

Everybody is Confused, Nobody is Responsible by Ambrosia_678

for MyMayura

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26072089/chapters/63411766

When Adrian accidentally finds out his father's alter ego, everyone has to make some hard choices.

Origin of All that is Good (We'll Go Together) by faelynwythe

for tbehartoo

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26193631/chapters/63742417

In an ancient time and land, the great goddess Ladybug has all but lost her influence upon the world, save for a single young man who still believes in her with everything he has.

august rain by fictionalinfinity

for miraculousandstrangerthingsworld

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26097877

Over the years, the umbrella comes to mean different things for Adrien. From empty promises to flourishing friendships and secret identities, he finds that there’s more to the rain than just the thunder.

You Had Me at Bonjour! by JaydenMarie

for Rikkapikasnikka

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26189995/chapters/63732202

More than anything in the whole world, Marinette wished someone would say his name again. Alix kept calling him Bozo, but she knew that was most certainly not his name. She’d been far too flustered by his painted nails, the blue running through his black hair, his open shirt and his bare chest, his voice...UGH. What was she thinking about again? Oh. His name. Marinette certainly couldn't spend an entire weekend in Phuket calling him Soft Hands Guy, could she?  Lukanette

A Game of... Bug and Chat by JuliaFC

for fictional infinity

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26065015

A revealing dream leads Marinette to suspect the identity of her Minou. Being the Guardian, she could just ask him to show her... but where's the fun in that? Marinette starts a game to "spice up" the reveal. Will an extremely flustered Adrien survive flirty!Marinette's "ordeal"? And will Marinette keep her cool when the tables will be reversed? Read and find out! Plenty of Adrinette :)

Lazy Morning at home by Khanofallorcs

for PurpleFlower04

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26112136

Determined to help Marinette relax after weeks of hard work, Adrien plans to surprise his girlfriend with breakfast in bed, on the morning of her 23rd birthday.

Perhaps Love by L3245

for JaydenMarie

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26154802/chapters/63636466

‘Being known is being loved… and then what?’  He bites his lip. ‘Come on, Luka… you had this.’Luka has never written a love song. It's not that he hasn't tried--he has, but nothing has ever felt right. It's never bothered him, until one day the words hit him out of the blue. Being known is being loved. Then there are incomplete lyrics and a half-baked tune stuck in his head until he finds a way to finish them.Perhaps a chance encounter (or five!) with a clumsy, but attentive girl will help. 

Is There a 101 on Crushes with Secret Identities? by Lethargic_Pink

for MissNoodles

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26199550

What is Marinette going to do when they both, accidentally, find out each other's identities?Well, of course, she's going to challenge him to a game of flirting, because that's totally Marinette.

The Unfortunate Flour Incident by liminalshadow

for MarinetteAgresteBrand

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26224177

When Chat Noir and Marinette have a bread baking date, an unfortunate flour incident forces a conversation that they wasn't quite ready to have.

Cirque Du Désir by MarinetteAgresteBrand

for CassandraFisher

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26017315

There was a fine line between Hell and Heaven, lust and love, and the ringmaster, Viperion, knew how to blur it all just so... make everything meld together until Chat Noir and Ladybug couldn’t tell where they themselves began and ended, their fate dancing on a tightrope.

I don't know what to title this. by Mavicah

for sseagully

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26192701

Friendship shenanigans? I'm bad at descriptions.

This cafe by miraculousandstrangerthingsworld 

for Nomolosk

https://archiveofourown.org/collections/MLBAugust2020/works/26174752

Marinette and Adrien get engaged at the place they met and have a few flashbacks.Adrien is a singer and Marinette is a songwriter.No miraculouses

Me, My Best Friend, and Her Cat by MissNoodles

for liminalshadow

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26051047

Ladybugs aren't known for being particularly sneaky. Good thing this Ladybug has a fox in her corner, watching her back.(And giving Ladybug's love life a nudge along the way. Maybe more than a nudge. In Alya's defense, Ladybug can use all the help she could get.)

Before and After by Mommadon

for pickledtalie

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25965442/chapters/63120091

Moments of sorrow bring Marinette and Adrien closer together as they learn, grow, and heal together. A series of nonlinear Before and After snapshots, glimpsing how heartache is turned to joy and tears become laughter.

Lace and Beads and Silk Brocade by MyMayura

for PrinceKapitan

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26075419

Ms. Bustier can't seem to accept that Chloé and Marinette have no intentions of becoming friends. It seems, however, that their forced "friend date" might have some positive surprises in store, which are much needed after Marinette's terrible day.

heroes (just for one day?) by NOIRequin

for Mommadon

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26120986/chapters/63540517

After the epic failure of Heroes’ Day, Mayor Bourgeois and his counselor decided to organize another city-wide event in honor of all the citizens who fought against the evil during the previous celebration. Some people nominate Marinette as an Everyday Hero, the face of that event, but she doubts that she’s worth this title. Luckily, she gets a partner who will help her not only nail organizational issues but to embrace the title of Everyday Ladybug as well. Set immediately after s2, so episodes after that are invalid in this universe.

The Things We Do For Family by Nomolosk

for JuliaFC

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26125108/chapters/63553105

Felix is getting married. It's tradition that the eldest child in the Graham de Vanily family use the Twin Rings as their wedding rings, passed down through each successive generation, and Felix has no intention of breaking with tradition. There's only one problem. Felix only has one of the rings.

it will take time, but we'll be okay  by pickledtalie

for Shattered_Heartless and Angylle

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26160067

ladybug and chat noir sit on a roof. they talk. it goes... well? 

Seven Seas of Symphony by PrinceKapitan

for faelynwtythe

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25946050/chapters/63068758

Luka's relationship with his mother Anarka is rather poor. While neither one had much of a regard to the civilian norms, Anarka would more often than not take things too far. When Luka's crush Marinette comforts him after another altercation, things seem to go well between the guitarist and the designer. Unfortunately, Luka's rebellious mother pulls a life threatening stunt to spite her son's dispiriting attitude towards her reckless behavior and this leaves him, Marinette and Juleka out at sea in the midst of a storm. If they somehow get back home, their relationship is bound to strain even more.

Exposed by PurpleFlower04

for delwyndelwyndelwyn

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26067430

When Alya finds out Mari is Ladybug, she is given something very special to remind her not to spill the secret to the Ladyblog.

Tell Me All Your Secrets (let me know you) by Rikkapikasnikka

for SilverMoonSky

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26166259/chapters/63668782

Luka was tired of secrets.His hands were full of them: in the lines of his palms, in the wrinkles of his knuckles, and in the callouses of his fingers. He held onto the secrets of his partners: the synchronicity of their breathing, the beating of their hearts, the pain of their burdens. And he was exhausted.Admittedly, Luka Couffaine did not know Kagami Tsurugi that well. But he invited her over to talk, and she had showed up, and now, it was time.Adrien and Marinette have to come clean, too. 

Rebound by theriveroflight

for Mavicah

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25848778

“I was in love with you. Adrien you. I was putting off thinking about it until after I told you,” she says, “but I’ve come to a decision. I refuse to be your rebound, Adrien. You just broke up with Kagami. And I know that you didn’t really love her, you told me that yourself, but every breakup needs time for the dust to settle. I don’t want to be your rebound. I don’t want to be the person you use as an outlet for your feelings. I don’t want things to move too fast.”

i promised myself (wouldn't let you complete me) by theriveroflight

for ladybuginette

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26205169

and all I do is cry and complain, 'cause second's not the same...

I can tell that we are going to be friends by sagansjagger

for theriveroflight

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25811668

While Ladybug kicks his butt during their weekly video game session, Adrien realizes he has to treasure his friendship with her and pack it away into his heart like a precious jewel. Featuring heart-to-heart conversations about identities, superhero guilt, and fame, as well as Adrien Agreste/cupcakes.

Ridiculous, Utterly Ridiculous by sagansjagger

for Lethargic_Pink

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25995058

This shouldn't hurt as much as it does, Chat thinks.But after being rejected by Ladybug (again), he's devastated. Vaulting across the city blindly, he finds himself on the balcony of the Grand Paris...And finds sympathy from an unexpected person: his oldest friend outside of the mask, Chloé Bourgeois.

It’s the Yeast I Could Do by sagansjagger

for Speckleflower

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26054116

Wandering the Parisian streets after nine pm on a Sunday, Adrien Agreste is miserable. He’d fought with his father about the stupidest thing. Fortunately, Tom Dupain is there to help him through his turbulent emotions, using the stress-relieving arts of stirring, kneading, and baking bread. It didn't hurt that Tom had a cute daughter, either.

'til we can't tell where you end and where i begin  by sanj_sanj and sagansjagger

for Ladybuginette

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26206465/chapters/63778384

After Hawkmoth's defeat, Adrien is a little, lost bird without a home. Marinette Dupain-Cheng takes him in, and they live as roommates together.But not everything is okay. Adrien is a terrible roommate. They fight about everything and neither has any idea of their mutual pining for each other due to the lack of communication after the reveal and the battle.Adrien is jealous of Marinette and Luka's very close friendship. Eventually, enough is enough. Adrien decides that he'll do anything to fix his relationship with Marinette.Starting by being a friend to her again.

rewrite your history, light up your wildest dreams by sseagully

for khanofallorcs

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26103793

Marinette Dupain-Cheng is just a normal girl with a normal life. That is, until one day, when she is presented with the Mouse Miraculous to join the fight alongside the famous Cat and Bug heroes of Paris, Nekomata and Coccinche.But she is not brought in alone. She has a partner by her side. A really great partner who is very cute and funny and supportive — and who unfortunately has a giant crush on a classmate at his school. -AU where the Black Cat and Ladybug Miraculous were given to Luka and Kagami at the beginning; Marinette and Adrien are brought on to flesh out the team as the Mouse and Snake wielders.Reverse crush SnekMouse. Side pairing Lukagami. Characters slightly aged up.

give me hope for something better by sseagully

for L3245

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26228080

Chloé and Luka sit on the rooftop of Le Grand Paris hotel and have a talk that's been a long time coming.

Repercussions by Shattered_Heartless and Angylle

for sagansjagger

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26208031

Time means nothing when you have love, family and a purpose. And if you don't? What happens when minor changes occur in the Battle for the Miraculous?What repercussions will the choices made have? Will everyone be able to manage the fall out?

Wistfully In Love With You by SilverMoonSky

for NOIRequin

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26056492

Now that Marinette finally knew the way she felt about him, she couldn’t look back. She’d tried to scream at her heart to stop. She’d told herself it wouldn’t work out. But in the end, she’d fallen hard.And yet, despite the fact that she didn’t know what she could really do, Marinette knew only one thing when she’d realized she’d somehow fallen for her superhero partner: she could absolutely not tell him about her feelings for him.How could she? Their love had led to the destruction of the world; what would happen if he ever found out? What if he figured out her identity? Although Marinette didn’t want to admit he still had feelings for her, if there was even the slimmest chance. . . . She couldn’t let Chat Blanc happen ever again. If suppressing her feelings for him was the only way that would happen, then that was what she had to do.

Bitten by the Love Bug by Speckleflower 

for Sanj_sanj

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26141788/chapters/63600310

Adrien gets floored by Marinette at video games, when they are totally not supposed to be working on a project.Later on, Adrien finds something out that completely changes his view of her.And when placed into a difficult situation together before Adrien has a chance to process his feelings, how will they get through it?

A Date with Destiny by tbehartoo

for A_Human42

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26209693

Nathaniel has been set up on a blind date by his dear friend Alya. Marc is Alya’s co-worker and Nathaniel’s waiter for this clandestine meeting. Alya might finally be able to put a win in her score book as a matchmaker, if only Kim would show up for the date!

[tev-the-random]

Self-expression - A Miraculous One-Shot

Would you look at that! Someone is back at the writing table! I do hope y'all enjoy this little thingy I made out of my need to talk about the Couffaine Siblings and that one scene in Frozer where Luka smiles at Marinette and Adrien.

Also on AO3!

~~~~~~~~

The Couffaines had a tendency to not express themselves very well.

Juleka was used to being misinterpreted in her mumbles and deadpan expressions. Even if it was quite inconvenient at times, she learned to live with it. After all, she was an observer, not a talker.

Her mother, on the other hand, was certainly a talker. She oftentimes talked before thinking and did little to no weighting of her actions. It wasn’t to say that Anarka wasn’t a wise woman, but her children knew not to take everything she said to heart. After all, words said without thinking expressed just as much as no words at all.

Luka, too, wasn’t a talker. He was decidedly an observer, yes, but he was also a musician. All of them were musicians. But Luka had it in him to use music as his direct translator for anything he wished to express, be it his own feelings or, more often than not, others’.

“Music is often simpler than words”, he usually said. So Juleka dearly wished he would just drop the plate he had been pretending to wash for the past eight minutes and go play his guitar; because he’d been humming off-tune since he got back, and she just knew something was wrong.

They would have to go a little more complicated than music, then.

‘So…’ she murmured without taking her eyes off her tea mug ‘how did it go?’

‘It went pretty well’, said Luka simply ‘It was fun.’

‘I heard there was an akuma attack there.’

‘Mm’ he rinsed his plate for what was probably the fourth time already ‘Ladybug took care of it pretty quick. No one got hurt.’

‘Uh-huh’ Juleka took a sip of tea and eyed her brother as he went back to humming that half-hearted melody.

Earlier that day, Luka said he was leaving to hang out with Marinette at the ice-rink, and his sister had half a mind to call the girl in pigtails and give her a good rant about how inviting someone else to the ice-rink was a stupid move. But then again, Juleka was not a talker. So she stood still. The thought that Luka could wingman her friend while ice-skating was a funny one; the thought that he could at least keep her mind off of Adrien for a bit while Kagami the Ice Queen somehow conquered the blond was hopeful, even if unrealistic.

In any way, Juleka expected her brother to come back with some awkward Marinette stories to laugh about or maybe with the news that Marinette had finally murdered Kagami and married Adrien. Ok, maybe not that much. But at the very least, she expected Luka to come home with a merrier sounding tune.

The purple-haired goth watched as the blue-haired one finally put down his perfectly cleaned plate. He took a deep breath before he spoke again, and it sounded as if he was trying hard not to sigh.

‘Marinette is in love with Adrien, isn’t she?’ he didn’t face Juleka as he asked.

‘Uh, yeah’ she answered raising an eyebrow ‘She’s crazy for him.’

‘Figured as much’ Luka said in a strangely toneless voice and went back to rewashing his plate.

Juleka frowned at her brother. ‘Why do you ask?’

She normally wouldn’t go about that subject so bluntly, but something was definitely wrong, and she felt like they would have to go a little deeper in words for her to find out what it was. Nevertheless, she got up and went for her guitar sitting on the couch, just to be sure.

‘I don’t know. She just really seemed to appreciate being there with him. Or looking at him, for that matter’ Luka chuckled lightly.

‘And…?’ Juleka encouraged.

He put the dish down again. ‘And I guess she wanted to talk to him after we left the rink. She looked really…’ his hands went instinctively to a guitar that wasn’t there, and he seemed to struggle with his words for a moment. ‘Happy. She looked happy when looking at him, and also really nervous. And kind of melancholic, if that makes any sense; as if she was missing something, you know?’

‘That’s Marinette, alright’ Juleka mumbled with a short smile. ‘And then…?’

‘And then I told her to go talk to him.’

Despite him still not facing her, something in Luka’s demeanour told his sister they were getting to the point. ‘So…?’

‘So…’ once again Luka searched for an invisible instrument to translate the feeling he couldn’t convey. That was the closest he ever got to fidgeting.

Juleka went ahead and played a few chords to try and help him out. Granted, she wasn’t as good at reading feelings like they were sheet music as he was. But it still seemed to have some effect, as Luka finally turned around.

He had a soft smile on.

‘So I let her go.’

Once when they were kids, Luka fell from a tree in the park and broke his arm. Of course he cried, for no kid in his right mind would refrain from immediately crying upon breaking an arm. But as soon as he saw a worried little Juleka desperately sobbing after him as if she was the one in pain, he stopped. In his mother’s arms, he stopped crying and gave her a soft, tranquilizing smile, reassuring her that it was fine, that there was nothing to worry about…

The smile he had on right now was way too reminiscent of the one he had back then.

“I’m fine”. Luka thought that was a white lie, because it harmed no one. Juleka highly disagreed.

‘Why does it upset you?’ she asked, still strumming her guitar.

‘It doesn’t’ he said simply.

Anyone else would have stopped the conversation there, because the boy genuinely didn’t seem bothered. But Juleka knew better than to fall for that.

‘Yeah it does’ she shot back, unimpressed.

He shrugged, much to her frustration.

The Couffaines had a tendency to not express themselves very well.

Juleka found herself lost under the more glooming and suspicious sound her fingers produced. It clearly wasn’t Luka’s arm that was broken; nor did he seem to be physically injured in any way. She rewound their conversation in her head in search for an answer, and her melody started to accompany her process of thought.

“It went pretty well. It was fun.” So it’s not like Marinette didn’t show up or just ignored him all day. I wasn’t like her to do so anyway, even if she could get caught up with staring at Adrien sometimes.

“Marinette is in love with Adrien, isn’t she?” Of course she was, everybody knew that. Well, everybody but Adrien. But despite his cluelessness, Marinette was head over heels for him, and that’s just what it was. Why should that matter for Luka?

“She looked happy when looking at him”. Something in his face lit up when he said those words, as if nothing in the entire world would have made him more contented than putting a smile on Marinette’s face.

“Melancholic”, he said “as if she was missing something”. It was then that that cheerfulness disappeared as smoothly as it appeared; somehow as if the boy was actually talking about himself in that statement. For a moment it seemed as nothing could make him more distressed than having Marinette sad.

It was on the tip of her tongue, she knew it…!

Luka was now done with the plate, and started to entertain himself with washing a perfectly clean fork, again lost in his odd little tune. It reminded Juleka of something. Or rather, of someone…

She eyed her brother once again. He seemed relaxed, not a concern in the world. Those misty eyes could have been read as dreamy by someone who didn’t know him well. And that smile was still there, hanging on his face as if he’d forgotten to turn it off. Lost in the thoughts he tried to console himself with, that was the face of a boy who lost something he held dear…

“So I let her go.”

Juleka’s melody came to a halt.

Oh.

Oh…

‘You like her’ she mumbled slowly.

‘What do you mean?’ her stupid blue-haired love-struck brother had the audacity to ask, trying not to appear ever so obvious.

‘You like Marinette!’ she put an emphasis in the word like that made it impossible to not understand what she meant.

How could she have been so blind?! The way he asked about her after the Music Festival, the way he looked at her whenever she was on board, the way he lit up whenever she talked to him, the way he talked about her whenever he had the chance… heck, the way he started playing after they met! And he gave her his favourite Jagged Stone pick, for crying out loud! It was all done so casually, Juleka didn’t even notice that was the exact same way she acted towards Rose. She felt stupid.

Luka wasn’t one to fall in love easily. But if there was something in Marinette that made him fall for her – and Juleka herself could name quite a few good traits about their Everyday Ladybug –, the youngest Couffaine was willing to believe her brother was the happiest person on Earth for going out with the girl in pigtails.

“And then I told her to go talk to him.”

…Oh God, she let Luka wingman his crush…

To her surprise – or maybe not so much –, the boy was still smiling, this time more truthfully, as if caught in the middle of a pleasant thought.

‘What can I say? She’s an extraordinary girl’ he commented.

‘And you didn’t say anything?’ Juleka questioned almost in disbelief.

‘Why would I?’

‘And you just let her go after Adrien without a word!’ she wasn’t sure if she was angry at him, at Marinette, at Adrien or at herself. Probably all of the above. ‘You encouraged her!’

‘She likes him. If he makes her happy, I don’t see why I should ever get in their way.’

Her brother was literally the most amazing person in the entire world. The aura of sheer joy he had on him whenever he talked about Marinette was enough to brighten the gloomiest of days. There was something right there between them, maybe an exchanged look, maybe a single smile, something that made Juleka doubt everything she thought she knew. And she never really meant to pry on her friend’s love life, but right now, she felt the need to commit herself to never again participate on the active plots against what was probably Marinette’s last drop of common sense. “Sorry, Adrien” didn’t feel quite right, but neither did “you’re welcome, Adrien”.

Luka went to the counter his sister left her empty mug on and, for a solid minute, she saw him mentally debating his will to spend another ten minutes washing said mug. He decided against it and came to sit with her on the couch instead.

‘I kind of just wanna see her happy, you know?’ he said, probably reading questions on Juleka’s mostly expressionless face ‘If it means letting her go, then I’ll do it. If it means being by her side when she needs it, like today, then I will be. And that’s just it’

The boy then reached for his own guitar. The tune he hummed earlier found its way into his strings, sounding somewhat more melodic than before. Juleka had half a mind to play along, but she found herself silently admiring the music. It reminded her of Marinette, now that she thought about it.

There were days when looking at Rose gave her stomach butterflies that could take down Hawkmoth’s akumas any day. She now wondered if Luka ever felt the same about Marinette.

Juleka was a Couffaine. And as such, she had a tendency to not express herself very well.

But oh boy, would she cheer loudly if that ship sailed…

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

Luka Couffaine: Practically Perfect in Every Way!

AO3

Summary:

When Ladybug chooses Luka to wield the Miraculous of the Snake she realizes something.

That he would be the perfect partner.

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So the great Luka Couffain donned the mantle of Viperion and defeated the akuma with natural grace and ease! Though he wielded the Miraculous but for five minutes! Cementing Ladybug's trust in him while showing her how much better he is than all other contenders!

For his sincerity surpassed all others! For he was taller and more muscular and more mature than some random rich kid no one compares him to! For his dyed hair and aqua eyes were so much more interesting than a generic blond no one is talking about!

But, of course, he is far too modest to say such things! So it has fallen to me, The Narrator, to tell all people of the most hansomest, most thoughtfulest, most perfectest boy ever!

I'm . . . I'm so grateful!!!

And because Luka was perfect  (his only flaw being that he loved Marinette more than life itself) he was a perfect Black Cat! So much better at staff fighting despite never having been trained in any form of combat! So much better at distracting akuma! So much worthier of simpathy when captured (though it happened rarely)!

And when his powers of empathy revealed to him that Marinette was Ladybug!? Oh, how much more he loved her! For even when Alya Cesaire could not recognize her best friend, he could! For when Marinette's own parents did not recognize her, he could! For his powers of empathy surpassed even Plot Armor as strong as Ladybug's!

And because Luka was far more perfect (and overall luckier) there was no risk of falling to Papillon! Yes, even if he was akumatized (again) he would never betray Ladybug! Making Luka far more trustworthy than the sensitive, optimistic, trusting son of a supervillain! (Who would totally side with his evil father given the chance!)

But, even though Luka was perfect, he would never speak ill of his predecessor! No, even though he discovered Papillon's identity in the same episode he met Gabriel Agreste in person! Even though he started dating Marinette in a single season! Even though he was so much more successful! Even so, Luka would never rub his natural superiority in anyone's face!

That's my job!

And so, it came to pass that Ladybug and Luka Couffaine defeated Papillon without any personal issues, or moral dilemas, or other such interesting plotlines! Certainly no Angst! Luka Couffaine is above any emotion that doesn't make him more attractive to Marinette, thank you!

And there was much rejoicing! (Because, of course, Papillon's defeat doesn't negatively impact anyone important!)

Eventually they get married and have three kids and a hamster and Luka becomes a stay-at-home dad! Completely supporting Marinette's carrier choices and placing his own hopes, dreams, and desires in a box marked: Unnecessary for the Advancement of Marinette's Plot!

Just like every supportive Love Interest should!

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Just a bunch of fanon!Luka ideas taken too far.

. . . This is just me venting, isn't it? Drat.

. . . Well, since no one else is going to say it: Luka is kind of a Relationship Sue.

NO! DON'T KILL ME!

I like Luka! . . . Mostly. It's just that his character lacks . . . depth. Like he's only there so Marinette can fawn over him. At least Kagami doesn't feel like Adrien's side character (Yes! I've seen Oni-Chan! Even with that she's still more her own character than just a Love Interest!)

And yes, this is inspired by reading one too many fics where SOMEONE swoons over how much better Luka is than (Insert Rival Name Here). Granted most fics do a good job of avoiding that BUT not everyone does. And they are dangerously close to making Luka a Mary Sue. Which wouldn't be fair to anyone. Least of all Luka.

DISCLAIMER: I do not view stay-at-home dads negatively! I have great respect for those who choose to help their families this way! I am mearly providing emphasis for Out of Character choices concerning everything related to Maribug.