Author's Note: For AuroraLynne and all her pretty, pretty Lukagami art...that is already inspiring fic scenarios. :D
Luka sighed into his empty room. His fingers impatiently tracing a familiar pattern across the strings, chaining chord after chord until the progression resolved, strumming the strings with his pick.
Frowning, he opened his eyes, staring down at his placement and the fingerings. He kept wondering why the sound felt just a little...off.
But at the moment, he could hardly focus.
Setting down his guitar in its case, Luka padded his way up onto the deck.
Anarka had just taken Juleka and Rose along on their annual vacation. It was Juleka's turn to choose the destination. But he suspected that this year, Juleka was catering far more to Rose's wishes for magic and whimsy. Disneyland Paris hadn't been his first choice, but it had been several years since he had last been.
Luka was supposed to go as well, but he found himself feigning illness at the last minute.
How could he not? Not after a certain spotted-superheroine popped in through his port-side window the night before.
He blinked as she drew up to her full height, still some several inches shorter than him at least. "Luka, I need your help."
Smiling at the memory and the ghost of her lips still pressed to his cheek, Luka stared out across the docks. If he hadn't already figured it it out, the slightest hesitation in those blue eyes had given her away.
Ladybug was no less impressive than she had been on that first day he met her in person.
It hadn't been all that long ago that he had seen Ladybug swing past the boat while he was up on the deck.
She had blushed fiercely when he'd asked after Marinette, which was definitely not the reaction he expected. But it was that oddity that stuck with him. It was what let him finally start to put the pieces together.
From then on, he'd been helpless not to spot the similarities in their posture, in their mannerisms. Her cute pigtails and the strength and sweetness in her eyes were changed all too little by her superheroic form.
He had been right, that very first day. Marinette had been brave. He just hadn't known how much.
Yet the entire rest of Paris seemed content to stay none the wiser.
Well, mostly…
His fingernails dug into the railing. By the time he started to pay a bit more attention to the news reports and the blogs, it had all been a little too late. The news had been whipped into a frenzy as Ladybug and Chat Noir kept being photographed, kissing atop the highest buildings they could find.
The news - and the general public - ate it all up.
It left him feeling strangely empty. It left songs feeling more haunting and somber than he'd ever wanted.
But underneath it all, was a sweet set of melodic riffs that kept trying to break free.
Inhaling deeply, Luka picked up the spyglass from its spot beside the wheel, scanning the horizon for a brilliant flash of scarlet.
Maybe that was why Anarka was so willing to leave him be.
He still held onto the hope that his next brush with magic might still be a little more special.
Kagami handed her bags to the hulking driver and slid into the limo, sitting down beside a smiling Adrien in her usual red fencing attire.
Her friend had been as kind as ever, inviting her to a fencing retreat so prestigious, even her mother could hardly find fault in sending her along without a chaperone.
And she always enjoyed taking on Adrien as a fencing sparring partner, especially once she'd figured out his extracurricular training activities.
If he was always sneaking more training in, she was certainly not about to fall behind.
Buckling her seatbelt, she pressed her lips together. Not that she wasn't technically old enough to travel alone anyways, but in all things except fencing, her mother was extremely overprotective.
"Are you ready for a weekend of training?" Adrien asked.
Kagami nodded. "I brought all my gear with me. Will the trainers have us on a strict regimen?"
Adrien chuckled. "Probably not quite as strict as you are used to."
"Oh." She blinked, smoothing her hair into place. "Should I have brought something else? I really only have gear with me. And something comfortable enough to sleep in."
Adrien already had his cell phone out typing away. The hint of mischief in his eyes was making her a little nervous. "I think I can arrange something..."
Frowning, Kagami's eyes drifted out the window watching the buildings rush by. When they missed the turn for the train station, her frown deepened. He was definitely up to something.
Adrien tapped her arm, pointing to her cell phone and nodding meaningfully at their driver.
Her eyes narrowed, as she typed to voice her thoughts. Where are we really going?
His grin only widened, his normally schooled mask slipping to betray his alter ego as he typed. Have you ever wanted to sword fight on the deck of a ship?