Title: Melody in His Head
Timeframe: A couple days after Silencer, episode 3.8
Warnings: SPOILERS for Season 3 episode 8 (Silencer)
Special thanks: LovelyLiliana101 for beta reading this for me!

Marinette was confused. Very very confused. She loved Adrien. She really did. It was hardly a secret. However, it wasn't blond locks that she found herself thinking of as she drifted off to sleep the past several nights. Instead, her thoughts are flooded with blue strands and 'his declaration of love' as Tikki had called it a few days before.

"Tikkkiiii," Marinette groaned, flopping back on her bed and narrowly avoiding whacking her head on the wall behind her. "You heard him too, right? I didn't just imagine it?"

Tikki rubbed her eyes, only slightly annoyed to be woken up by her chosen over another rant about a boy. She was starting to think that Plagg might have a point with his whole love being a waste of time philosophy. "Did I hear who?"

"Luka, Tikki," she clarified, pulling her oversized stuffed cat onto her lap, her cheeks flushing pink. "He told me I've been the song in his head ever since we met."

"He did. He also said you were an extraordinary girl. I think he really loves you, Marinette. It's pretty obvious you have some feelings for him as well."

"I do, Tikki. He's really cute. He cool and nice, and I feel like I can be myself around him."

"Then, what's the problem. Why don't you tell him that? I'm sure Juleka will give you his phone number if you ask," Tikki encouraged her, cuddling up in the pink cat as well.

"It's Adrien. I've liked him ever since he came to school, I can't just give up on him. But I get so nervous around him. He's just so perfect."

"I think that very fact that you get so nervous around him, yet you feel so comfortable around Luka says a lot. I bet Alya and the other girls would agree with me too."

"Do you really think so?"

"I really do," Tikki nodded, placing a soft kiss on the girl's nose. "But whatever you do is up to you."

Marinette grinned, nodded rapidly a few times, and dived for her phone. "You're right! I'm going to text Juleka now! Thanks, Tikki!"

The young designer was awoken early the next morning by her best friend swinging back the door of her room, and jumping into bed next to her. "Please, girl, explain to me why I just got a text from our dear Juleka informing me that you asked for Luka's phone number late last night?!"

"Alllllya. Why are you here so early?" Marinette groaned, looking around her room in a panic until she saw Tikki hidden in a roll of fabric leaning against her desk. She let out a sigh of relief and turned her attention back to her best friend hovering over her expectantly.

"I am here so early because, as I said, Juleka text me this morning that you'd asked her for Luka's number. Is someone other than Adrien actually driving your compass crazy? I can't believe you didn't tell me, girl! What happened?"

"Well… yeah. Can we get breakfast first, and the I'll explain?" Marinette asked her with a pleading face.

"Deal! Your old man said he'd put something out in the living room for us. I'll go grab it while you get dressed."

Alya had barely finished her sentence before she was out the trap door, Marinette quickly running over to Tikki before she got back. She confirmed the kwami had enough cookies to last what was sure to be a very long chat with Alya and moved the little bed she had recently made for her under her own bed, insuring Tikki would be out of sight but more than comfortable. She was just pulling on her blazer when Alya came back up with a tray of pastries and two coffees. The two went over to the chaise and Alya even allowed Marinette a few bites of a chocolate croissant before she broke.

"Alright, spill."

Marinette swallowed a sip of her coffee nervously and felt her cheeks warm as she filled her friend in. "Well, you know that Kitty Section got to perform on tv and got a contract. I think Rose told you that Luka and I confronted XY and his father," she paused, saw Alya nod, and continued. "While he was akumatized Luka told me that I was the most extraordinary girl and that I was as clear as a song note and sincere like a melody. Then he said I was the melody he's had stuck in his head since we met that first day." She blushed even deeper at Alya's squeal. "After Ladybug used her healing charm, I asked him if he remembered anything. He didn't, but when I tried to brush it off as nothing he repeated the exact same thing, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about him since."

"And let me guess. You freaked out about it and didn't say anything to him because you were afraid of what that meant for your feelings for Adrien, right?" Alya asked her, knowing better than anyone how her friend got about the model. Marinette nodded a soft, "Yeah," and Alya set down her plate and gave her best friend her serious face. "Girl… You know I love Adrien. He's one of my best friends, and he's a good guy. You go crazy for him though. Honestly, Nino and I have talked about it before-" she held her hand out to stop the other girl's protests. "No, Mari, he's my boyfriend we don't have secrets and it's natural that we would talk about our best friends. As I was saying though, we've talked about it before, and it's really not healthy. How could you be in a relationship with him if you can't even carry on a conversation with him. You seem to really enjoy yourself around Luka though, and it's no secret that he cares for you. I've been Team Lukanette since the music festival." Marinette groaned at the mention of her friends use of yet another 'shipname' but agreed with her.

"That's pretty much what I realized last night. He really is very sweet, and I feel so at peace with him. Something just feels right."

"Did you end up texting him?" Alya asked her, assuming she had probably chickened out like she did with Adrien.

"I did."

"AND?" Alya shrieked, shocked at her friends courage, and reached for the other girls phone, frowning when Marinette grabbed it out of her reach. "What did you say? What did he say? Give me the deets, girl!"

Marinette had the phone unlocked and was smiling down at it as she reread the texts from the night before. "I told him that what he said meant a lot to me and I was sorry I didn't let him know that then. He was up writing some music and sent some lyrics for me to read and we talked a while. We are going to meet for coffee tomorrow before classes."

Alya shrieked again, and both girls broke into giggles. "Well, are you going to wear anything special?"

"I had a couple of ideas." Marinette hurried over to her closet and pulled out a handful of different outfits.

That was how Sabine found the two several hours later when she popped her head up to call them down for lunch in the middle of a pile of clothes, shoes, and accessories.

I am fully rooting for Marinette and Adrien being endgame. However, I also really love Luka and Marinette together before that. I think he would help her grow as a person, and teach her what a healthy relationship feels like, which is pretty much impossible for her to do with Adrien in her current state around him.

I am also looking for a beta reader. If anyone is interested, feel free to reach out to me. I'm not sure how many of my Ladybug stories will be Luka/Mari but I am working on a handful of Adrien/Mari (well really Mari/Chat) ones now. I'd really love someone that I can bounce ideas off of on top of actual just editing.

Thanks for sticking through the long author's note.

-Maman Abeille