previously: mari revived luka and healed him, luka pledged to protect her while kagami kept trying to fight him, and a ragtag trio was formed.

guys, it really is luka! i'm not lying to you, i swear. i'm trustworthy... you can trust me. adrien's coming later, but this trio needs to roam the country and be pals first. i'm taking slow burn to a new meaning. it's gonna be as slow as my kettle boiling on the stove.

fun fact for the place names: i keep asking different people for two random words and combining bits of them. they have no deep meaning.

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Chat Noir © Thomas Astruc

Luka bought her a dress.

It was in similar fashion to the ones she'd seen Alya in; loose and flowing, sleeveless, and made of a soft material that was decorated slightly with golden details. The quality of it was much better than what she'd seen from those on the streets.

Marinette looked at him with wide eyes, holding up the garment. "How much did this cost you?"

Luka smiled.

Along with that, he bought her another few sets of clothes, complete with a new pair of boots that were brown. All of the garments had colour rather than the black-and-white scheme that the castle had provided.

He'd gone as far as to get her ribbons to tie into her hair.

Her eyes felt hot.

She'd never been provided something like that before.

It had been luck that the hairbands she'd arrived with hadn't broken, though they were stretched out and in pitiful condition. Between all of her friends, they'd piled up the clips and other accessories they'd brought along, savouring them and attempting to fix them with magic before giving up.

She held the dress to her chest and whispered, "Thank you."

He didn't get Kagami any new clothes.

However, he did come back with bread that was still warm.

"A bakery opened," he explained, splitting a baguette with her. "I know you prefer sweet things, but you should eat this first."

She grasped his hands in hers, ignoring the bread. "You're staying forever."

Kagami was beside them, fuming.

To try and make peace, Marinette split her piece of bread again, holding it out to her.

Kagami looked entirely displeased with the situation as she ate.

It was awkward between the three of them.

Marinette felt like she had to mediate, to try and stand between them so Kagami wouldn't become violent and get her sword out again. Luka was all smiles when talking to her, but as soon as he addressed Kagami, his expression fell and was as bad as hers.

He wanted to go east.

Kagami was still against them not waiting for help to arrive. The news of Sha-Mi being over taken had been over a month ago, and yet, no help from the king had come yet.

Travelling across the country back to the capital had been the original plan. Kagami had come up with an optimal route that would avoid known trouble, avoid large towns to hide her eyes, and would provide enough shade to spare her from the constant heat.

"Where do you want to go?" Marinette questioned, rolling her clothes up as small as possible.

"I can take you to—" Luka started to say before he cut himself off, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth as he coughed. "...The Demon King could help you."

Kagami stood stiffly beside her.

Amused, she asked, "You call him that, too?"

"No," he relied. "It is not wise to say his name in our current company."

Before they could start bickering again, Marinette enquired, "Should we refer to him as a nickname? I can't imagine you're comfortable calling him that name."

Luka blinked.

"You are not going to the Demon King," Kagami interrupted, talking to her directly. "There is no excuse you can make that will spare you the king's wrath if you do that."

"But—" Marinette tucked some hair behind her ear. "He's going to mad with me anyway, right? I mean, I don't even know the guy. It's not like I'm suddenly going to become his weapon or anything."

And when she looked to Luka for reassurance, he nodded.

"You do not know that," Kagami said.

"He can help you," Luka insisted, smiling slightly.

"No," Kagami retorted.

Luka finally turned to look at her, any softness in his expression leaving. "You do not understand."

"You are not trustworthy," Kagami bluntly told him, taking a step forward. "I will not let you harm her."

"Mari saved my life," Luka responded, the cat ears on his head twitching. "I was originally in the castle to extend this offer."

"Offer?" Marinette questioned, butting in. "What do you mean? I thought you were spying."

"Well." Luka pushed his hair out of his face. The cut of it was startlingly similar to Kagami's and the same black colour. "After finding you, I was told to see if anyone has any plans of escaping."

She frowned. "And?"

"And to extend the same offer to them," he clarified, fidgeting on the spot. "I—it is not wise to say it now."

"All of you demons are cowards," Kagami interjected, the slant of his shoulders tense. "You run at the first sight of danger."

Luka frowned. "And what do you know?"

"I know enough," Kagami retorted, hand going to her hip to touch her sword.

Marinette panicked, stepping away from her packing to stand between them. "You said you wouldn't fight."

Kagami stared, displeasure radiating off of every part of her.

"Please," she whispered, stomach churning uncomfortably. "If we happen to run into the king's men, I'll agree to go along with them, okay? But for now, I kind of want to explore and learn some more. It's horrible being in an unknown place where everything is kept from me."

Kagami tore her gaze away from her.

"I've only left this room once to hide," Marinette quietly pointed out. "How is this any different to the castle?"

Luka spoke to say, "My kind will not hurt you for no reason."

"Will I blend in?" she questioned, reaching up and touching her head. "It's not a dead giveaway that I don't have ears or anything, is it?"

"No," he told her. "Not everyone keeps a feature after they shapeshift back."

"They won't—they won't harm Kagami either, right?" she asked, glancing at her knight in worry. "She's my friend."

"They will not harm her for no reason," Luka repeated, not looking away from Marinette's face. "As long as either of us is with her, she will be fine."

She beamed.

Kagami wasn't any happier.

-x-

Their destination was Mi-Ha.

According to Luka, it was a neighbouring town to Sha-Mi that had been conquered some months before. He said that it had been repaired and upgraded since that time, the townspeople welcoming his kind with guarded ease since demons hadn't threatened them since the takeover.

Kagami was against it.

Luka didn't listen to her.

Marinette made sure to stand between the two of them, watching as they stubbornly went back and forth about who was to be the one carrying their supplies. Kagami refused to let him be trusted with them, while Luka didn't want Marinette's back to hurt from wearing the bag.

So, she was stuck holding up her dress as they travelled through a woodland area.

Marinette hadn't been able to say no when Luka asked her if she'd liked it.

Although it was designed for hot weather—not like the stuffy outfits she'd seen in history books that covered every inch of skin—her cooling charm made that titbit unimportant.

She didn't want to offend him, though.

He hadn't turned back into a cat after saying that he could protect her better how he was.

It was different than when she was hiding in a tree, waiting for hours for the only person she knew to return. She'd been terrified, thinking of the worst things, and hadn't fully been able to appreciate the view.

At least, that was until she got bit by a bug.

"Fantasy world, my ass," she muttered, rubbing the reddened mark on her skin.

Luka stopped walking, turning on his heel and coming towards as he said, "Here, this will help."

Kagami wedged the unsheathed sword between them, making her intentions clear.

"I need to touch your skin to cast the spell," Luka explained, addressing her instead of Kagami. They were both as petty as each other. "It will repel all insects for a few hours."

"Really?" Marinette questioned, surprised. "There's such a thing? I had no idea."

"It's why my skin is clear," he said, gesturing to his face and wiggling his fingers in a surprisingly playful way when there was a sword inches from his heart. "I mean no harm. I can cast it for your friend, if you wish, Mari."

Knowing that that wouldn't be an option, she asked, "Can you teach me it?"

And so, he did.

Marinette learned a lot.

Compared to her and her friends, Luka was an expert. It seemed effortless when he cast a spell, demonstrating his skills by causing the leaves falling from the trees to shatter into pieces as they drifted in the wind.

While he taught her, Kagami stayed at the back, almost seeming like she was sulking.

It was hard to try and get them to talk for more than threats. Luka consistently ignored Kagami, rarely addressing her, while Kagami butted in and made him move away when he got too close.

Marinette was reminded of children fighting over her back at home.

It brought a smile onto her lips.

At least, that was until Kagami brought out her sword again, trying to stab him.

Marinette's shield stopped it from going through.

Luka seemed to be treating Kagami like a bug, ignoring her attempts of murdering him despite the fact that she'd succeeded before.

Mi-Ha was more developed than Sha-Mi.

It had the same cobblestone roads, surrounded by fields and nature, but the streets were lively. The clothes were more taken care of, more stalls than a singular merchant selling produce, and the reaction to Luka's eyes—as he walked ahead first—wasn't fearful.

There was cautious respect there.

Luka looked over his shoulder, beckoning her over.

Marinette was wary.

"We can stay here for the night," he said, pointing out the different inns that they could stay in. "And tomorrow, we can buy horses to travel faster."

The town was developed enough for that, then.

Kagami had the final decision for the inn.

"Are there other demons here?" Kagami asked.

"I do not know," Luka replied, talking to her but not looking in her direction. "I was not assigned here, therefore I don't have that information. If there is, I will handle it."

"Handle it?" Marinette questioned.

"I told you," he said, offering her a smile. "I will protect you."

Kagami was glowering at him.

For once, they didn't have dinner hidden away in the bedroom. Kagami was fervently against it, insisting that Marinette shouldn't be seen that often, but that was overruled when Luka reminded her that she'd be mistaken for a demon unless she stated otherwise.

It brought up the question why they'd never been told that before.

Sure, she'd been told that some kept animal features, but it seemed like an important detail that they couldn't be told apart otherwise. When fighting, how were demons identified so quickly?

Unless there were unnecessary casualties on both sides from carelessness. Marinette only had fantasy battles and war scenes she'd seen in films playing in her head, and she doubted any of them were correct.

The biggest shock came when they entered a restaurant in the evening only to find that it had magic-powered lights, the same that had been in her room at the castle.

They'd had to light a lamp in the inn before.

Kagami didn't comment on it.

Marinette looked around the room in amazement. It wasn't like the modern and sleek restaurants from her time; rather, it had a lot of wood, hand-drawn signs with the specials for that day, and the crowded tables proved that it was popular.

She was wide-eyed about the amount of people in the room.

And unlike at the castle, they weren't told to run away when she approached them. Some eyed her strangely at first before offering polite smiles, and an employee scampered over and ushered the three of them to a free table.

"This is so cool," she whispered, unable to take her eyes away from her surroundings.

Luka smiled. "Do you like it?"

"So much," Marinette gushed, feeling almost giddy from being included in such an experience. It was more akin to the fantastical scenes she'd read in novels. "Are all restaurants like this or is this special? Is it mostly wood because we're surrounded by trees? Is it more convenient?"

Luka laughed. "You have a lot of questions."

"I have someone that'll answer them," she replied, honest. "There's so much I want to ask."

"Ask away," he encouraged with his smile reaching his eyes. "Think about what you want to eat first."

"Recommend something for me," she requested, feeling jittery as she adjusted how she was sitting. "I can't decide."

He said the magic words. "I have enough money for dessert."

Marinette's eyes lit up.

-x-

"No," Kagami rejected.

"It is the best course for our travels," Luka countered.

And while they fought, Marinette sat cross-legged on the floor, staring up at the two horses that had been bought, not rented. She had no idea how to interact with horses, let alone how to judge if they were worth the money or not. The closest Marinette had ever gotten to riding one was a carousel at the amusement park while her parents cheered her on from the sidelines.

It was so much more intimidating when it wasn't inanimate and painted.

Of course, her having to quip that she only knew how to ride a bicycle led to the two of them bickering about who she'd ride with. Marinette had given up voicing her opinion when they started to raise their voices.

For someone that had barely been with them a week, Luka had managed to make Kagami angrier than she ever had. Until he'd come along, she'd never heard Kagami raise her voice before.

She didn't think it was a compliment.

Marinette was practising her magic more than when she'd been confined in the inn, wasting the days away.

Luka was a treasure trove of information. He gave her tips—telling her to imagine her magic surrounding an object instead of being inside it when she used levitation, causing the result to be smoother—and smiled in encouragement when she didn't complete it perfectly the first time. There was no overwhelming gloom that anything she did that others saw would be used against her in the future.

As she felt the wind in her hair and the fresh breeze, she had to wonder what her friends were doing.

It must've been a year by then.

Marinette's hair was a light pink, the dye faded as much as it could. Her hair would never grow to show the roots, though she quite liked the colour it had turned out as.

She didn't have to deal with haircuts like Kagami did.

Marinette had been horrified the first time Kagami had cut it, barely an inch from her scalp and so short instead of brushing the top of her ears.

She popped a water marble in her mouth, watching them bicker.

Eventually, she clapped her hands to get their attention. "Are we leaving yet? The sun's getting higher in the sky."

It was after she patted the sunscreen salve onto everyone's faces that they left. Marinette put it on her bare shoulders for good measure, adjusting her ponytail complete with the ribbon to make sure it didn't stick to her.

Marinette ended up riding with Kagami.

Lyss-Ria was a country that was surrounded by large rivers, separating them from their neighbours. She was told that that was a constant in any country in their land; that water was the border that decided which country was which, and that they were difficult to cross over unless a boat was present.

It was days before they reached the river.

Marinette experienced bathing in a creek for the first time.

Luka could hunt and use magic to prepare animals before they could eat them.

It was so startlingly different to being pampered in the castle.

Marinette refused to be coddled any more. She followed after him, demanding that he explain what he was doing and tried to replicate it to abysmal results at first.

Luka didn't find her annoying.

He laughed, allowing her to come along, whispering instructions in her ear and telling her to focus on her magic.

She accidentally killed a rabbit.

Well, the plan had been to kill it by other means, but when it keeled over and stopped moving without being trapped or killed instantly from a stone hitting it with enough force, it was determined that she'd accidentally used her magic to stop the heart.

"I didn't mean to," she whispered, a bit horrified by the outcome.

It was different when it wasn't a flower wilting because of her.

"Good," Kagami said, leaning over and picking up the rabbit by the ears. "This is dinner."

Marinette couldn't help but stare at it, horrified.

"You wanted to kill it," Luka said, brushing his hands on his trousers as he stood up. "Your magic misunderstood. It happens."

She swallowed. "Will it happen again?"

He hesitated before replying, "Most likely, yes."

She winced.

Kagami demanded, "Teach her."

Luka averted his eyes, looking at neither of them. "I cannot."

"Why?" Kagami questioned.

"I... have yet to learn it," he said, choosing his words carefully as he shifted his feet. "Necromancy is near impossible for most to do."

Marinette squeaked, "Necromancy?"

Luka tilted his head. "Yes. What did you think it was?"

"That's—necromancy is, like, talking to the dead or some shit, isn't it?" she rambled, gesturing wildly to the dead rabbit in Kagami's hand. "I'm certainly not talking to that right now!"

"It is death," Luka corrected.

Kagami asked, "Resurrection is normal?"

Luka grimaced. "Normal is not the right word."

"It has happened before," Kagami murmured, almost in wonder as she turned her gaze to Marinette. "There is no record of that happening for us. Death magic has always destroyed, not resurrected."

"Luka's not, like, a zombie or anything," Marinette hastily said. "He's not my undead minion! He's alive and breathing. I just—I kick-started his heart? And fed him health potions."

Luka interjected, "You brought me back from death. That is your power."

"Maybe you weren't dead," she muttered.

"I struck his heart," Kagami rejected. "You reanimated him."

"Okay, let's say I did." Marinette nervously tightened her ponytail. "I didn't—I didn't mean to. And I didn't mean to hurt that rabbit just now. For Luka... I wanted to see what would happen if I tried to kill something that was already dead."

Kagami thrust the rabbit towards her. "Use it."

"What?" she spluttered. "No!"

Kagami shook the dead animal.

Marinette jumped back, horrified. "You said you wouldn't make me use dead animals!"

"That was before you could reanimate them," Kagami responded. "This one might turn back and pledge their loyalty to you, too."

"Was that a joke?" Luka questioned, surprised.

Kagami ignored him.

"I don't like this situation." Marinette backed away. "I'm leaving and running where you can't find me. Maybe I'll teleport away and you'll lose me forever."

"You do not know how to teleport," Kagami pointed out.

She raised her chin haughtily. "I'll figure it out."

"It is hard to control," Luka remarked. "My superior is the only demon I know that is capable of using it accurately for long distances. Mages never mastered it."

She threw her hands up. "No wonder we ended up in a ratty village!"

"For your first time, it would have been a random location," he agreed.

"A random location where you were," Kagami said.

Luka's smile towards her wasn't sincere.