Muhaha. Muhahaha. MUHAHAHAHA- *cough cough cough* Ah-hem. Enjoy.

February

"Come on, Marinette. Cheer up. You literally called with your boyfriend yesterday." Alya shakes her head and takes a sip of her lemonade.

"I know! But I miss his voice already!"

"Dude, I know you two are still in the honeymoon phase and all, but I'm not sure of this clinginess is healthy."

Rose smacks Nino's arm at his comment. "Don't listen to them Marinette, I think it's lovely that you care so much about each other. It just shows how much you love him!" She leans against Juleka with a sigh, who only pats her head, used to her girlfriend's antics.

Marinette blushes. "I just don't think I have really showed him that the past time. There is no time difference, but he's so busy during the day that he can only call past twelve and then I'm so tired. I really want to listen to his stories, but I always fall asleep on the phone!" She cries out. A few other people in the café they are at start looking their way, but the group of friends ignore them.

Every once in a while they would have a small reunion with as many people as they could gather. It depended on the day with who and with how many they would be. Today, it consists of Marinette, Nino, Alya, Juleka, Rose and Alix, and they were celebrating Valentine's Day together.

"He knows you love him," Alix soothes. "You two are honestly the sappiest people I know, even worse than Marceline and Bubblegum over here. I bet you greet each other with an 'I love you' every day, don't you?" She laughs at her statement, but it slowly fades as she sees Marinette pale. "What?"

"I've… never told him I love him before."

The group stares at each other then back at Marinette. "What?!"

"I… Like I said, we haven't been communicating properly ever since he left. And in the months before that… I suppose it was just never mentioned."

"This is an outrage!" Alya exclaims, and Marinette eyes other customers apologetically while sinking in her seat to hide herself. "First thing you'll do when he comes back in a few days is say 'I love you' and nothing else, you hear me?"

"Aye aye," she whispers.

"What's going on over here?" Says a male voice with a laugh.

Marinette feels her whole body shiver and her hairs stand up straight.

"Hey bro," Juleka says, although barely audible due to her ever-famous mumbling. "I didn't think you would come."

"Well," Luka shrugs, "the band and I were done sooner than we thought we'd be. I knew you guys were here so I thought I'd drop by." He gives his sister a kiss on the cheek, then passes everyone with a hug. He hesitates when he stands in front of Marinette but gives her a hug nonetheless that lasts a little bit too long for her taste, but she supposes she shouldn't make a big deal out of it. It has been a few years already. "You look amazing," he breathes in her ear and she curses her cheeks for turning red. She also curses Luka for being pleased with her reaction and sitting next to her instead of the other empty seat that was right there.

Alya coughs as a distraction. "So, where were we? Oh right. M, how were you going to tell Adrien how much you love him again?"

Marinette glares at her best friend and kicks her under the table. Alya kicks her back just as roughly.

"I-I don't know. I'll see."

"Oh, come on. You were just telling us how infatuated you are with him."

"That's enough, Alya," Marinette speaks anxiously, daring a glance towards Luka who eyes her curiously.

"I'm just saying-"

"I. Said. Stop." Marinette looks thoroughly pissed now and Alya takes the message, nodding and continuing to slurp on the straw of her lemonade.

It was already bad enough that her ex-boyfriend had to come by unannounced so she didn't have time to either leave or prepare herself. She didn't need Alya rubbing in Luka's face how not single she was on top of that.

"Well," Luka speaks, noticing the tension rising. But who doesn't, because it is so palpable. "What have you all been up to?"

Marinette curses when she checks her watch and slows her pace when she sees she has already missed the last bus. The next one would leave in twenty minutes so she has all the time in the world now to get there.

"Marinette! Wait up!"

Oh crap. Her day is just getting better and better, huh?

Luka jogs to catch up and takes a few deep breaths when he's next to her, waving. "Hi."

"Hey," she waves back, and they walk at a slow pace. "You're not heading home with Juleka?"

"No," he shakes his head. "She's with Rose. It's Valentine's, so I wanted to give them a bit of privacy. Mom isn't home, so I guess she wants to make use of that."

Marinette nods in understanding. "Where are you headed then?"

He cringes then chuckles. "Funny you ask that. I hope I'm not intruding, but I was wondering if I… could stay with you. You have your own apartment, right?"

"…Yes," Marinette says skeptically.

"I don't mean any funny business!" He assures her. "I know you're with Adrien. Alya made that… pretty clear."

She groans. "Oh my God, that was so embarrassing."

"She's just looking out for you, M."

She smiles. "I know. She's a good friend. But I can take care of myself."

Luka eyes her appreciatively, and instead of making her uncomfortable, it causes her stomach to feel warm. "Yeah, you can."

"So," she starts, trying to hide her blush. "You wanted to stay with me?"

"If you don't mind. I thought it would be a good opportunity to catch up. I mean… we haven't spoken in a while, which I get, but… I kinda miss just hanging out with you. You're a great friend to have." He ends with a dashing smile.

This time Marinette isn't able to disguise her red cheeks. "Thank you. You're a great a friend to have as well." They walk in peaceful silence for some time. Their hands brush against each other from time to time and before she really registers it, they're laced together. She supposes it's just old habit, so she's not gonna make a scene out of it, but she also can't get herself to let go. They continue their stroll and at some point words leave Marinette's mouth that she never thought she would say ever since she has gotten together with Adrien. "I missed you a lot."

She swears she sees Luka blush and then feels his hand that is holding hers squeeze her affectionately. "I missed you, too."

:D

Homeboy should have never left Paris.