LADYBUG doesn't know what to do as she lands onto the deck of the Couffaines' ship.
It's only been a few days since the breakup, but she can't stop the rush of hurt and nostalgia that floods her body as her feet touch the floor. Marinette hadn't been here since then (would've preferred not to show up anywhere, really: although the responsibilities of being the token superheroine of Paris would never give her the opportunity; not to date, of course, and not even to heal from the aftermath of it).
The sudden creak as one of the doors open— his door; makes Ladybug briefly wonder and rethink whether this is such a good idea.
(For the sake of Paris, absolutely. For her own sanity and emotional wellbeing, the complete opposite.)
Her heart drops as he steps outside, clearly wary, one arm protectively grasping his guitar. They make eye contact, and Ladybug has to actively blink away the tears that threaten to form in her eyes. She swallows it down, and instead watches silently as he takes a cautious step forward.
"Ladybug," he states. "What are you doing here?" Luka makes his way to her, a look of hostility and hesitance switched to one of concern and worry. "I saw what happened. Rose and Juleka… are their friends okay?" A brief pause. "Marinette… do you know if she got out?"
She doesn't know how, but somehow manages to nod. Her body feels a bit shaky, and Ladybug decides to blame it on the water flowing under the ship. She can't be thinking of anything else right now. "Don't worry, they're hiding inside one of the empty classrooms. Chat Noir's keeping them safe." Ladybug looks at his expression again, then continues. "And Marinette… she's with them. She'll be fine."
The relieved sigh that escapes his lips is evident. "That's good," he says under his breath, a small tilt of a smile forming on his face. "I've been worried about her."
(Knowing the deeper context behind that statement, even when he doesn't know it, almost destroys her.)
"Anyway," Luka continues, "why are you all the way here? Is there anything you need?"
At that, Ladybug is thrown back into reality, and nods in determination. Right.
Paris. Akuma. Safety.
She doesn't have the luxury to waste time like this.
"Luka Couffaine," Ladybug starts, at once revealing a box in her hand. "Your sister Juleka and bandmate Rose have been akumatized, and their powers are too strong for me and Chat Noir to handle alone."
The box opens to reveal an all-too-familiar accessory.
"Do you accept this miraculous?"
He nods, determination setting in. "Of course, Ladybug." Luka clasps the bracelet around his arm, preparing to transform. "I'll bring them back from Hawkmoth's control… and I'll save them all." His hands go down to turn the switch. "I'll save her."
Ladybug smiles gratefully, then takes a step back.
"Sass, scales, slither!"
.
.
The akuma is much easier to capture with Luka's power, and the fight doesn't last any longer until they are able to destroy the object and purify it.
At once, Rose and Juleka collapse back on the ground, evidently disoriented from the situation.
"Ladybug, Chat Noir…," they both pause at the third figure. "Viperion. What happened to us?"
"You were akumatized," the snake-themed hero explains, helping to pull them up. "What do you remember?"
"We were having lunch," Rose starts. "And there was some…," she winces, then continues her statement. "Sorry for my language— jerk who kept harassing us and…!"
Anger flaring up again, Juleka puts a cautious hand on her girlfriend's shoulder to calm her down. "He was just really annoying," she finally deadpans. "Being really persistent about how 'wrong' our relationship was, and while we're used to it, we were sick of it."
Viperion nods along, then looks carefully at the two of them. "If anyone ever tries to do something like that to either of you again, tell me." (It doesn't cross his mind how strange such a sentiment it may seem coming from a hero they've never met.)
Then, a soft smile. "People like that only have hatred in their hearts, and are jealous of the love you have. Take care of each other, okay? Don't let each other go."
Juleka only nods, some confusion evident. "Okay…," she finally responds. "Thank you, Viperion."
The hero only nods, before walking back to his other companions. Chat Noir puts a sudden arm around his shoulder and grins. "You were ameowzing out there," he starts, then tilts his head. "I think I'll have some competition for being the most crushable hero in Paris."
Viperion only manages a small laugh. "You don't have to worry," he only responds. "My heart already belongs to someone else." He pauses for a moment, placing a careful hand to his chest. "And she's the most extraordinary girl I've ever met."
(Ladybug almost swears that she can hear her heart crack. The 'sorry' stays lodged in her throat, and she has to actively keep herself from vomiting out the words should they fall out.)
"Meowne too," he responds, grinning brightly. "She's lucky to be with someone like you."
"Was," Viperion corrects, the smile still remaining on his face. "We broke up."
"I— well," Chat Noir evidently stumbles over his words, at a loss for what to say. He sighs, then puts a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry; things usually have a way of working themselves out in the end. It'll get better."
The snake-themed hero gives a grateful nod, as the sudden beep! of their miraculous signals the abrupt end to their conversation. "And that's my cue to pounce," Chat Noir begins, before bowing down to them. "It was nice to see you again, Viperion," he starts. "And a pleasure as always, milady."
As the hero fades from view, leaving the two alone, Ladybug only manages to tilt her head in the direction of one of the empty locker rooms. "You can detransform here," she starts. "So I can get the miraculous back."
Viperion nods gratefully, as they both run inside. "Sass, scales, rest!"
It's harder to see him back in his original form, as he unclasps the bracelet from his arm. "Thank you for trusting me with this," he says, reaching out to hand the miraculous back to her. "I hope I was able to help."
"Of course I trust you, Luka." The words escape Ladybug's mouth before she can stop it, and they're both caught off-guard.
Luka smiles at her, then nods. "You have no idea how much that means to me." There's a brief silence between them, as Ladybug's miraculous beeps with warning. "Guess I'll go, then."
"WAIT—!" She says it without thinking it, grabbing his arm before he walks away.
"Ladybug…?"
"Luka, I— I just," she stumbles over her words, acutely aware of how time was slowly running out. She still wants to talk to him; so many things that she still wants to say, really, that she knows she won't be able to tell him as Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Not as the girl who broke his heart.
Instead, she hands the miraculous back to him and shoves it in his hands. "For patrol," she tells him. "Tonight. Chat Noir told me he'll be busy, and I— well, Paris could always use another pair of eyes for making sure that everyone's safe."
Luka stares at her for a moment, pauses, then nods. "Okay, tonight." He smiles. "I'll see you then, Ladybug."
He shuts the door, leaving Marinette behind. Tikki looks over at her in worry, as what she's just done slowly dawns on her.
How is she supposed to survive this?
.
.
"To be honest, I didn't think I'd get a miraculous again."
Ladybug looks up at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, are you sure you want to?" He asks. "I was just akumatized a few days ago. How do you know it won't happen again?"
"Because I know how strong you are," she responds easily, recalling how he'd fought against the akuma's control. "And I know that you'll always do what's right to save your family and friends; to save everyone."
He smiles. "I'm not sure what I've done to warrant such praise from the top heroine of Paris, but I'm grateful."
She knows why.
Because she knows him.
Because she loves him.
The conversation comes to another standstill, as Viperion looks down at the bracelet containing his miraculous. "The power for a second chance," he mutters. "It seems too good to be true."
"It really is a powerful tool," Ladybug hums. "The ability to do things differently— to do things right, the next time around." She pauses, memories flashing back to late attendances, sudden disappearances, and altogether hurting the feelings of the person she cares about most.
How she wouldn't hesitate to rewind time to hurt him less. To do things again in a way that allows them to be happy and together and in-love, like a normal teenager should be able to do.
(But then she remembers that she's not a normal teenager; that being Ladybug comes with responsibilities, and no matter how much it hurts her, she can't simply ignore it and go after a relationship with him.
Everyone's safety— including his, depends on her doing her job well.)
Viperion gives her an understanding smile. He knows the feeling. "Things you'd want to do differently, Ladybug?"
"Of course," she only responds. "But then I remember why I made those choices in the first place, and realize that I'd still do the same thing all over again. No matter how much it hurts."
He nods along. "That's true," he admits. "I guess it's difficult for you," Viperion continues. "Having to balance being a superhero and living normally. Without telling anyone your true identity— isn't it hard?"
Ladybug stares at him, wishing she could just detransform and tell him the truth. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.
She swallows the feeling down, and breathes a laugh. "It is," she admits. "But if I want to protect everyone I love, it's something I have to do, even if things get hard." They make eye contact for a moment, and she forces herself to look away. "What about you, then? Anything you want to change?"
(Ladybug knows the answer. He wishes he hadn't been with her. Wishes that nothing had happened between them— to save him from all the pain and heartache that their relationship ultimately brought with it in the end.
She wouldn't blame him.)
Viperion hums to himself. "Even with the power of second chance, there wouldn't be much that I could do or change." He sighs softly. "It was ultimately her decision, and I respect that."
"You don't regret it?"
(The words already flow out on their own.)
"I mean, this is the girl you broke up with, right?" Ladybug quickly amends. "The one you and Chat Noir were talking about. Wouldn't things have been easier if you'd never met?"
He raises a curious eyebrow at her response, then shakes his head. "Easier, yes," Viperion replies. "... but I don't regret being with her at all. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me— my muse, and my melody. I just think that our relationship... didn't have good rhythm. She has things to figure out, and us being together stood in the way of that."
Viperion leans back, and looks up to the sky. "I just feel like I could've done more. I don't think I was what she wanted, and that's why we fell apart. Why she doesn't trust me enough to tell me the truth."
"No—!" Ladybug almost shouts, then takes a deep breath in. "I'm sure you were perfect it's just…," she struggles with how to phrase it as, for all Luka knows, his superhero friend. "I know she trusts you. She loves you. Things are complicated, but that doesn't make her feelings any less real."
He looks visibly taken aback by her response, and the silence takes over as Viperion suddenly leans close— observing her; as if connecting the music notes to create some piece in his head.
Then, his eyes widen in the slightest bit with a flicker of understanding and realization.
He smiles again, but it seems much kinder now— much more loving.
Has he figured it out?
"You're right," he finally responds. "I just hope she knows that I'll always be there for her." Viperion says it carefully, eyes unblinking, seeming to look right into her. "That she knows I'll be waiting— no matter what."
Ladybug swallows down the surprised squeak that escapes her, and manages to nod. "I'm— ah, I'm sure she does."
It's a quiet moment before Viperion takes a step back and lets go, and she can't help but miss the proximity.
He only smiles at her, then leans back, and hums a familiar melody.
Her melody.
A lot is left unsaid, but neither dare to ask the questions they evidently want to. They both decide that this is already more than enough.
Instead, they sit in a comfortable silence, and watch as the stars shine above them.
Ladybug isn't sure how she knows it, but she does.
That everything will work itself out in the end.
ah yes here is some emotional lukanette implied-reveal word vomit, coming from yours truly ! (and yes, we're gonna ignore how some aspects of this make absolutely no sense in canon because i no longer believe in it :)
ml s4 spoilers & minor show salt / so who, like me, is absolutely destroyed over truth? they really said get lukanette together, but break them up right after one episode and only show us scenes of them both suffering under the relationship :D additionally saturated with everyone repeatedly stating marinette's love for adrien . okay :D i adore the love square, but this was just mean and we all know it
on a tangent, i absolutely shouldn't even be writing this considering that i'm averaging 2k words a day for a 30-day challenge (plug… here3) and have a mountain of work to complete in real life, but i have feelings and my mind won't shut up until they're written down so here we are anyway !