Le Grand Paris Hotel's main ballroom was perfectly spooky. The lights were orange, green, and purple. Projected ghosts swept across the walls and suspended bats swooped down from the ceiling. The walls were lined with food and chairs, blood red punch and literal finger foods open to all. Smoky mist covered the crowded dancefloor. Mr. Bourgeois had invited all of the guests at his hotel to participate if they so wished and had invited many big names to attend. Only the best for his darling Chloe. Most attendees costumes wore elaborate costumes, more than one dressed as the famous superhero's that haunted the city.
Nino and Alya broke off from the group pretty quickly, rushing the DJ with requests. Adrien, Marinette, and Luka made a B-line for the food, Luka making Marinette sit down at the first empty chair they saw.
"You're exhausted," he said when Marinette tried to protest, "let's at least get some food in you before you try to dance."
Marinette relented and waited for the two boys to return while gazing nervously around the room. Someone in the room, one of those hidden faces, knew she was Ladybug. She shrank back as a drunken Vampire seemed to be heading for her, but he turned at the last minuet to address Mr. Banana a couple feet away instead. She started to breath again and peered through the crowd one more time. What had that note to her said? Something about fortune. A woman dressed as Marie Antoinette glided by. A wealthy aristocrat perhaps? Something to do with money?
A boy dressed as the Little Prince ran by followed by another child in an airplane costume.
The letter had mentioned two kinds of fortune, perhaps they were dressed as a fortunate person then. Between a Ladybug and a Phantom of the Opera was a Leprechaun. Marinette shook her head, surely not.
No one approached her as she sat and Luka and Adrien returned without incident. They sat and ate, the two boys unconsciously pampering their designer. Even with the boys there Marinette still felt antsy, glancing up and around every few seconds.
Luka watched her warily, wondering what was making her so agitated. He tried to keep the conversation light, talking different musicians and songs with Adrien, pointing out clever costumes. Every time he pointed one out Marinette flinched, her costumes blue feathers rustling with motion. Adrien got up and left for the toilet, leaving the two alone.
"Hey, Marinette?" Luka asked after a moment.
"Hm?" Marinette shook herself and looked up at him. "I'm sorry Luka, what is it?"
"What's got your feathers so ruffled?" He asked, gently caressing her face, "you're tiered and jumpy. I want you to relax."
"It's nothing." Marinette said quickly.
Luka's eyes shined with concern through his mask. "That's what you always say. I want you to trust me Marinette, to be able to tell me anything. Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"
Marinette turned away. "I said it's nothing," She snapped a bit more harshly then she meant to. Luka sat back, away from her, and immediately she felt apologetic. "I'm sorry Luka, it's just, now's not the right time. I need you to trust me, can you do that? Please?"
Luka looked down at her, studying her clear bluebell eye's. They shimmered with an anxiety he couldn't quite pinpoint, and were rimmed with a weariness that only reflected part of her schedule. Her hands rested pleadingly on his knee, her lips unreadable. He knew himself, he wouldn't be able to say no. But he wanted too. He wanted to be strong enough to push her for an answer, to ask why she wouldn't trust him the way he trusted her. But he wasn't.
A thought nudged the back of his mind as he took her folded hands. What if I'm not the one she needs? He didn't acknowledge it. He loved her, how could that be wrong? He brought her thin hands to his lips and gently kissed her fingertips.
"I can do anything you need me to." He said.
I can be whoever you need me to be.
Marinette smiled, relieved that he wasn't going to press any further. "Thank you Luka."
Another person passed by and she jumped. Luka opened his mouth and then closed it again. He had just promised not to pry, to trust her. Now wasn't the time for questions, so long as she was safe. A sigh escaped his lips even as her bit back his words. He looked down at Marinette's plate and found that it was empty. He took it and threw it away with his own before extending his hand out to Marinette, bowing playfully.
"Care to dance?"
Marinette blinked up at him, taking a moment to process the question. She couldn't pull her eyes from his face. She accepted his hand with a giggle and allowed herself to be lead to the dance floor.
Across the room Adrien came out of the bathroom and spotted them heading for the floor.
"Going to join them?" Plagg asked from under Adrien's three-cornered hat.
"Don't be silly Plagg," Adrien said, "I don't want to get in their way right now. It's nice enough already that they let me tag along."
"You're such a wuss."
"Shut up Plagg." Adrien said, sneaking some cheese to his companion in hopes of keeping him quiet.
A slow song started and he saw Natalie, looking as professional as ever, up against one of the walls. He started making his way over to her when a girl in a bright blue and green get up caught her attention. Adrien backed away not wanting to interrupt. He spotted Nino and Alya chatting next to the DJ booth and went over to them.
"Where's the love birds?" Alya asked as he approached.
Adrien gestured in their direction with his cane. "Dancing."
"You got ditched," Nino laughed, "it's okay dude, we'll keep you company."
The song ended and a fast song came on, the dance floor becoming so crowded it was impossible to see across it. A strange looking horse waddled up to them, Kim's face protruding out of the mouth.
"Yo, you all seen Lila around? We're supposed to meet up with her at ten."
"We?" Nino asked.
"Back here." Max's muffled voice said from the horses rear.
"Pull the short end of the stick?" Alya asked raising an eyebrow.
"I don't now how he talked me into it." Max responded, barley audible.
"So have you seen her?" Kim interrupted.
"Sorry man," Adrien said, "I haven't. Alya?"
Alya shook her head.
"Oh well," Kim said, "we'll just have to try other places. Onward!" He galloped off, Max's flailing legs dragging behind.
At that moment Adrien caught a glimpse of Marinette and Luka. He just managed to see Marinette shake Luka off and duck into the crowd when the lights went off.
'What was that?' He thought.
