Ya girl's back with another short chapter because...it's just is. The day's prompt is a little less obvious in this, but I swear it links if you squint.
Not so pleased with this one, but I haven't had much time today to go through it properly so yeah. Apologies.
As usual, thanks for all of your kind comments!
(And kikurie: yes, there should be more Lukanette stories! Y'all who are reading this need to go write some!)
Day Seven: Second Chance
A week had passed since the dance last Friday, and Marinette still had her head firmly in the ground. Like an ostrich. A cowardly ostrich. An awful, cowardly ostrich. How could she have let it happen? How could she have been so foolish? Betrayed Adrien that way?
But was it betraying him if he didn't know how she felt?
Was it hurting Luka if he did know how she felt?
She wasn't even sure which part she felt most guilty about. Was it when she'd kissed him? When she'd run away? Or when she'd spent a solid week ignoring his texts. Ignoring everyone's texts.
She would have carried on ignoring him, right through until Christmas and into the new year, if it wasn't for Tikki suddenly appearing in front of her face with her little arms folded.
"Marinette!" she said. Her voice was like scalding water. "Luka's outside."
"What!?" she shrieked, launching herself across the room to stare out the window. Indeed there was Luka, across the road, sitting on a low brick ledge with his fingers tented beneath his chin. Marinette ducked out of sight and let her head fall against the wall. "What do I do?"
"Talk to him."
"I can't. Not after what happened! What will he think?"
"The only way to find out what he thinks is to talk to him," Tikki said. She flew across the room and picked up Marinette's phone. "At least read his texts."
Marinette hesitantly accepted the phone then peeked out the window again. Luka had pulled his phone out too and seemed to be typing something. Moments later, her screen lit up with a new message.
Friday 21.54
L: I'm really sorry about today. Can I take you out for a coffee to make up for it?
L: Or hot chocolate if you don't like coffee?
L: You did look beautiful today by the way. I hope your dress can be salvaged. Goodnight mamamarinette x
Saturday 14.38
L: Do you want to hang out this afternoon? Or tomorrow? Theres a fair in town
Monday 12.02
L: Please talk to me. I'm worried
Tuesday 9.47
L: Are you ignoring me because of that kiss?
L: We can pretend it never happened if that makes you feel better
L: Marinette?
Wednesday 13.11
L: Im sorry I kissed you.
L: Please give me a second chance just being friends
L: Im sorry. I just want to know that youre alright. Youre ignoring Jules texts too
Friday 10.26
L: Sorry if my texts have been bugging you. I promise this is the last one. But can you please reply to Jules? She's worried and from the sounds of it your other friends are too. We care about you.
Marinette's insides flopped and writhed as she read the texts before sinking into the pit of her stomach. Somehow, she felt even worse.
"Oh, Tikki," she mumbled. "What do I say to him?"
"What do you want to say?" she asked. "How do you feel?"
"I...I don't know. Ugh…" Groaning, Marinette buried her head in her arms and tried to squeeze herself out of existence. "I love Adrien. But I kissed Luka. Why would I kiss Luka when I love Adrien?"
She looked up; Adrien's pictures looked back from around her mirror, behind her desk, across the walls. She still loved Adrien, didn't she?
Then why did her thoughts lack conviction?
Marinette looked at her phone again, reread Luka's texts, then began her reply. She rewrote it a few times until she was happy.
M: sorry i havent been replying. i havent even looked at my phone since the dance
(it was a lie, but she couldn't bring herself to admit her cowardice)
M: i think we need to talk. im free now if you are?
Part of her hoped her wasn't free, that he was outside her window because he was passing by on his way to something hugely important. She peered outside again; he had moved along the street as though leaving, but now stood in the middle of the pavement staring at his phone. Within seconds he replied.
L: I'm free. I'm not far from your house
Marinette looked to Tikki and sighed.
M: ill put my shoes on and meet you outside
After checking the temperature on her phone—four degrees and a strong wind, cold enough for a scarf—she pulled on her boots, grey coat, and a pink scarf then made her way downstairs. Her parents stopped her before she could leave.
"Are you going out to see your friend Luka?" Sabine asked, piling warm pastries into a paper bag. "Some of his clothes are still here; I'm surprised you haven't returned them already. They're just here…" She passed the paper bag to a customer then ducked down behind the counter, reemerging with a white t-shirt and a hoodie.
"Thanks, maman," Marinette said, grabbing the clothes. Then, waving her and her father goodbye, she left. Unsurprisingly, Luka was already waiting for her on the bakery doorstep.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," he replied. "How are you doing?"
Marinette shrugged, shifting her feet. "I'm okay. Should we go to the park?"
It was cold and bright, but the sky was a confusingly warm shade of blue. Bare trees lined the park, like bunches of twigs held together with sheer will and magic. It had been raining yesterday, and some of the residue had frozen like a fine layer of glass. Marinette kept her head down, watching her feet tread carefully on the tarmac and ice, crunching the odd leaf that had landed in her path. A brisk wind yanked her scarf and hair.
They soon found a bench and sat down. Marinette bundled the clothes on her lap then held them out to Luka, not looking at his face. "These are yours. You left them here last Friday… I completely forgot about them. I'm sorry."
"Honestly, so did I," Luka said, accepting them. "Thanks. I still need to give you back your shirt."
"My shirt? Oh!" She shook her head. "No, you keep it. I'm not going to wear it."
"Won't you want to use it for something? Photoshoot for your website or a competition?"
"No, I made it for you." She tried to smile but still couldn't bring herself to look at him. "If you give it back then you won't have any shirts."
"Well, when you put it like that…" He chuckled, but it sounded hollow. "It'll be worth thousands when you're a famous fashion designer. Maybe I should get you to sign it, to prove it's an authentic Marinette from her early days."
"I'd rather you wear it. It looks good on you."
He chuckled again, with more life this time. More soul. Marinette felt herself relax a little, shoulders leaning into the back of the bench. It was so easy to talk to Luka. Even after the dance and the kiss and the ignored texts; it was like none of it had occurred. Which, she supposed, was his intention. Hadn't he said they could pretend like nothing had happened?
They could pretend all they liked, but that didn't change the fact that something had happened. So, she breathed in, the cold air stabbing her lungs, and mustered whatever courage still lingered in her body.
"I'm so sorry about ignoring you," she blurted, a little too fast. She hoped he heard it. "I just, after everything…"
"It's okay," he replied softly. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
"No!" she yelped, twisting her head to look at him, not liking the bleakness in his eyes. "You never make me uncomfortable! You're very comfortable! Uh, I mean...that didn't come out right…"
"I just mean, you know, after the, uh—" Luka turned away, flustered. "The kiss. I thought—"
"Oh, no! I, it's just, after everything earlier...it was a bit much. I was a little overwhelmed. Please don't take it personally…"
He smiled but his eyes were still sad. "Look, Marinette, I have to tell you something. I really like you. I mean really like you."
Marinette's heart stuttered like a broken machine before suddenly launching into overdrive. "I—Luka…"
"But," he continued, "I know it's not that simple for you. With Adrien and everything. I'm not expecting an answer now, or ever. But I just wanted you to know. You can do with it as you wish. I just...you're an extraordinary girl, Marinette. You deserve to be told that you're loved every day."
Perhaps he didn't notice how he had gone from 'really like' to 'love', but Marinette noticed. Something flashed in her chest; she couldn't tell if it was hot or cold, just strong. It made her skin tingle from her face to her feet.
It wasn't the first time someone had told her they loved her; Chat Noir told Ladybug nearly every time there was an akuma attack. But there was too much expectation, too much pressure to shut him down, too much worry he would end up upset with her again.
It wasn't the first time Luka had said it either. But it was different this time. Whereas his first confession was beautiful, it was masked behind pretty similes. Here, so plainly said, so explicit…
So selfless, because he didn't expect anything back.
Finally, she looked at him. His eyes were as warm and intense as the sky, but his smile was gentle. "Luka," Marinette breathed. "Thank you."
There was the feeling of more things unsaid lingering like misted breath in the space between his face and hers. Unsaid because they weren't yet known, or unsaid because they were?
