Notes: This was meant to be out earlier in the week, then COVID happened. My district is shut down for at least two weeks, but we're still planning on feeding the kids – so I'm in limbo right now. Let's try and make the best of it?
Marinette's 29 Valentine's Days
Day Twelve, Loop Eleven: Proposal
When Marinette woke up to the sound of her beeping alarm, her face felt…wet. She reached up a shaky hand and wiped at her cheeks. Her hand was damp when she pulled it away. It took her another moment to realize she was crying.
She closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. She took another when the tears wouldn't stop. When they continued to fall a moment later, she rolled over and pressed her face into her pillow.
…yesterday had been a really good day.
Despite her tears, she found herself smiling as she remembered Jagged Stone appearing with no warning in her school canteen. The way Luka had smiled at her as he serenaded her, declaring his love for the entire school to hear. The way he had sounded as he sang. The afternoon spent walking through the city, and the lazy kisses by the river at the end of the day.
…the akuma that had ruined – had been ruining – everything.
"Marinette?" Tikki asked quietly, landing on her pillow after turning off the alarm. She laid a paw on Marinette's head, and Marinette looked up and offered her a watery smile.
"…Luka's a really good singer, Tikki," she said miserably. Tikki giggled and nodded.
"He is," she agreed. Marinette swallowed thickly.
"…he's not going to remember doing that for me," she said, feeling the tears rising again. Tikki frowned and nodded.
"He's not," she confirmed. Marinette pressed her face back into her pillow and tried to force down the tears.
"I really want him to remember, Tikki," she said after a moment. "I really just want to be his girlfriend and move on past our stupid first date."
After calling in a favor from Jagged Stone to proclaim his love on Valentine's Day, Marinette couldn't help but think making someone chocolates and inviting them for a maybe-date to get coffee kind of…really paled in comparison. And the idiot said he wasn't romantic.
"He will, Marinette," Tikki said encouragingly. She hugged her Chosen's head, burrowing into her messy hair. "You'll defeat the akuma, break the loop, and then you guys can go on a real date. One you'll both remember!"
That would be nice.
That would be really, really nice.
Marinette sighed and pushed herself up, rubbing at her eyes with an arm.
"You're right, Tikki," she said. Tikki nuzzled her cheek, and Marinette's smile felt a bit more genuine as she held her close. "Thank you."
"Any time, Marinette," Tikki giggled. "Now come on – Luka's probably already waiting downstairs!"
He was, of course, though Marinette wasn't sure if she was surprised or not to find him once again slumped over the table her dad was working at. A mug of coffee and a plate with an uneaten croissant was on the table in front of him. Her dad smiled and waved a candy apple her way when she came down the stairs.
"Morning, Pa-" she started to say, but no sooner had she spoken than Luka had sprung from the table and raced to her side. He crashed into her, making her squeak as she stumbled back – then back farther as he bent down and roughly kissed her, his fingers pressing almost painfully against where they held her face. Her hands automatically, instinctively reached for his own face, and she was dimly aware of the soft thud made by her dad dropping the apples he'd just dipped. Luka actually whined when he licked at her lips and, all too aware of her dad standing right there gawking at them what the hell was Luka thinking kissing her like this in front of him, she kept her mouth closed. The kiss seemed to go on forever yet ended all too soon, and Marinette blinked owlishly at him as he pulled away and rested his forehead against her own. His fingers flexed against her face, gently massaging where they touched. His eyes were closed, and he was taking deep, even breaths. Meditation breaths. She swallowed, and his lips quirked into a smile as one of his pinkies traced the curve where her jaw met her throat. "L-Lu-Luka?"
"Stop running away from me," he said softly, so quietly she wasn't quite sure he had said what she thought he'd said. Her thumb brushed under his eye, where she was concerned to see the bruises getting darker again, and her other hand crept into his bangs and pushed them back – and her concern only grew when she saw the cut above his eye. It was smaller than it had been, but it should have been gone.
What the hell?
"S-sorry?" she asked in a breathy whisper. He kissed her again, though not as urgently this time. He seemed more aware of the fact that her dad was still watching them (probably because he chose that moment to let his inner Rose out and squeal before seeming to catch himself and clear his throat), and he ended the kiss almost as soon as he'd started it – almost. She was sure her smile was as dopey as his usually was as he dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Luka, are you ok?"
He didn't answer, at least not right away. He kept his eyes closed and took a couple more deep breaths, his hands slowly sliding down from her face to her shoulders, pausing at the end to keep his thumbs brushing against her neck. She bit her lip, frowning at his reaction, and took the moment to better study him. Her thumb brushed beneath his eye, pressing lightly against the bruising and making him wince. His skin was getting pale again, too, and she realized his hair didn't look like it had been brushed – even before she'd shoved her hands through it. He looked…tired. More than tired.
She wondered when she had stopped noticing. She remembered he had looked tired, but he had also kept saying he wasn't sleeping well – and she had believed him. But…there were some days where he looked better. When had she stopped worrying over how bad he looked? When had she just assumed he was getting better, even if he shouldn't be?
He caught her wrist and turned his head, pressing a kiss against her palm. She bit her lip when his eyes partially opened, moving slowly over her face as if he was double-checking that she was all right, or real, or something. She swallowed at the intensity in his gaze, and yet…it didn't make her uncomfortable. If anything, a part of her couldn't help thinking she was getting used to it. She liked the way he looked at her, especially when he looked at her like that.
"L-Luka?" she asked again, and he shook his head like he was trying to clear it – or wake himself up. She scrunched her nose as his hair tickled her face, trying not to laugh.
"…sorry," he finally said. He leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together again. "That…that was really forward of me. Sorry."
"It's fine," she said, maybe too quickly (judging from how her dad cleared his throat). She winced and lowered her hands, fidgeting with his hood to keep her anxious fingers from fidgeting with him. "I-I mean…everything ok? You ok?"
"…no," he said after a moment. His eyes opened a bit more, though he was still studying her closely. She raised her eyebrows, and he finally smiled before kissing her again. It was a more natural kiss this time, more relaxed – and one that ended abruptly when her dad cleared his throat again.
"Ok, son," Tom chuckled. Luka winced when he pulled back, but he didn't step away. He glanced over his shoulder before looking back to her, rolling his eyes and making her bite down on a laugh. "You both know you have my full support, but maybe don't test the Protective Papa too much?"
"I just…needed to feel you," Luka said. Marinette knew he was trying to be quiet, but her dad calling his name again let them both know he had failed. He winced and closed an eye, looking up at her through the lashes of the other one. "Not like that."
The way his fingers flexed on her neck told her it was a little like that.
"Just…needed to know you're real," he sighed, bending back down to rest his forehead on her own again.
"I'm always real," she teased, a little breathlessly.
"I…didn't sleep well," he said, but even as he said it, it sounded like a weak excuse in her ears. He stood straighter and shook his head, lifting a hand from her shoulder to rub at his eyes. "Bad dreams. About…something happening to you. And I don't want anything to happen to you."
"Luka?" she pressed. Her hand fisted in his hoodie, and she realized at some point the other had moved back up to his neck and had been toying with his hair. He shivered, his eyes closing, and she had to smile.
"Marinette, I am so crazy, stupid in love with you, and when I woke up thinking that you…sorry. I panicked. This is not how this morning was supposed to go," he sighed. She glanced back at her dad, who had gone back to his apples but was still casting not-so-furtive glances their way. She hopped up a little to wrap both arms around Luka's neck, tugging him down so she could whisper in his ear.
"…we…um…maybe should have this conversation on the way to school?" she asked quietly. He shook his head before he bent over her, moving his arms to her waist to hold her close against him as he pressed his face against her neck.
"No school," he whined, louder than he had intended. "I hate school today. Can we just go to the café and spend the day together?"
And just like that, the happy little bubble that had formed around her heart burst.
A panicked, manic laugh barked out of her as she shot a horrified look at her dad. Tom's eyebrows had nearly disappeared beneath the scruffy sweep of his bangs, his eyes blowing wide. She tried to shoot a reproving look Luka's way – one that clearly told him to shut the hell up what are you doing – but he hadn't moved from her neck. If anything, his arms only tightened around her. She went to pat his back and catch his attention, but her panic only made her slap him instead.
"Ha, ha, ha! S-so funny, Luka!" she said, her voice an octave higher and almost a screech. She pushed him back and stepped away, jerking her head towards her dad as she glared at Luka. He blinked slowly at her, as if he was confused as to what was happening – why she was suddenly so mad at him and what he had done wrong. "Skip school? We would never do that!"
…even if they had, technically, after he'd been suspended the day before – but her dad didn't need to know that!
"Luka, son, are you sure you're all right?" Tom asked. He put the apples he'd just dipped on the stand with the others and moved to walk towards them, but Marinette was faster. She quickly moved past Luka, purposefully bumping into his side as she went, and retrieved the box of macarons from the counter. When she passed her dad on the way back to Luka, she leaned up to kiss his cheek.
"He'll be fine," she said. "He's just tired. He'll wake up during the walk."
"I have my bike," Luka said, shaking his head. He rubbed at his face, seeming to catch up with the conversation. Marinette tutted and pushed his shoulder, encouraging him to move. His eyebrows soared as he looked back at her, but she didn't give him the chance to question her.
"Yeah, no," she huffed. "You're clearly not thinking straight, so we're gonna walk. Come on, Couffaine."
"Marinette, what the he-?" he started, but she was already pushing him out the door and calling a goodbye to her parents.
They walked out the door, straight past his bike, and on to the school in silence. Luka kept his hands stuffed in his pockets and his eyes on the sidewalk, trusting Marinette to grab his arm and stop him when they reached an intersection or he was about to walk into a pole. It made it easier to lead him where she wanted him, actually.
They were halfway to their destination before she said anything.
"You can't say we're skipping school in front of my dad like that," she said. His eyebrows rose, his eyes going wide as he stared down at her. When she continued to keep her gaze forward, her lips drawn in a tight frown, he groaned and rubbed at his face.
"…I didn't," he sighed. "I'm not that stupid."
"You did, and you are," she said. She stopped at a light and looked up at him. "I don't normally mind your stupid and I never mind kissing you, but…that was a lot, Luka. Especially in front of my dad. Especially when…when we're not even together."
"We're together," he grumbled, still rubbing at his face. Her face pinched at that, eyebrows furrowing and lips pulling in a frown. They weren't, though – that was part of the problem! For as many times as they'd gotten together, at that exact point in time they hadn't yet, so they weren't, and…he knew that, didn't he?
Something was tugging at her mind, screaming to be heard over the confusion and concern for her not-yet-but-technically-already-boyfriend.
"Maybe Sass or Fluff…someone who draws their power from time…"
"God, I need to wake up…" Luka muttered, his voice muffled beneath his palms.
"You are awake," she pointed out, narrowing her gaze and studying him more closely. He tipped his head back and glared at the sky. A car honked as it drove past.
"I can't be," he said after a moment, "because if I was awake I would have picked you up for school and asked you out like a normal human being. Not…God, manhandle you in front of your father and tell you I love you and just blurt out that we should cut class like…oh my God I'm channeling my mother…and my father…"
It was so absurd. So absolutely ridiculous. And yet…so Couffaine that Marinette couldn't stop the bark of laughter that escaped her, even as Luka was groaning and sinking into a crouch. He glanced up at her from between his fingers, an expression somewhere between hopeful and bewildered on his face. She knelt on the sidewalk beside him as the light changed and people pushed past them to grasp his face in her hands and pull him towards her. He fell forward with a yelp, crashing into her in an awkward tangle of limbs, but she held him steady as she kissed him hard, and this time when his tongue poked at her lips she eagerly let him inside.
"There," she said afterwards. He blinked at her, his eyes glancing between hers and her mouth as he tried to catch his breath, looking thoroughly dazed as he awkwardly straddled her knees. He was too large to be kneeling over her lap like that, but neither seemed to mind. "Now you can say I manhandled you."
"…now I know I have to be dreaming," he sighed. His arms looped around her waist and pulled her closer, his head resting against her own. Neither seemed to notice their fellow Parisians casting them concerned looks as they moved about their day. "This isn't how today was supposed to go."
"It wasn't," she agreed, sighing as she kissed his cheek. She pushed him back to crouch over his ankles, but he overbalanced and fell back onto his rear. He blinked up at her as she stood, and she couldn't stop the giggle at the expression on his face. He just looked so…cute. Flummoxed. Like he needed a good nap and couldn't understand what was happening around him or how he'd ended up on his ass (but like he was happy with it all the same and wasn't about to complain). She smiled and held out a hand to help him up. He took it with a grin. "Come on, dummy. We're going to be late."
"Do we have to?" he whined. She laughed as he stumbled into her, using the momentum of her hoisting him up to wrap her in another hug. "Seriously, Ma-Ma-Marinette, I am so over school right now."
"Too bad," she hummed, nudging him back. "We have big futures ahead of us, and unfortunately those futures tend to require finishing school."
She turned back towards the light to find it was red again. She frowned and placed both hands on her hips – only to freeze as she realized something was missing.
"Wait…where are the macarons?" she asked, looking around. Luka raised an eyebrow and looked at her empty arms. They both turned their eyes to the ground around them, and he winced when he saw the squished box behind him. He called her name as he bent and picked it up. Her eyes widened when she saw it. "Oh no…"
"Sorry," he mumbled, lifting the bent lid and wincing when he saw the smashed macarons inside. "I…I think I landed on them. When you pushed me."
"I did not push you, you jerk!" she huffed, reaching for the box – but he yanked it back and grinned at her.
"You pushed me a little," he said, winking at her. She rolled her eyes and snatched the box, but after another moment's inspection she realized they were a lost cause. She sighed, and he bent down to kiss her forehead. "It's ok, Mari. They're just macarons."
"Dingo's going to be so pissed…" she sighed. He'd been looking forward to the macarons all week. Luka scoffed, took the box, and chucked them towards a trash bin outside one of the stores behind them. Marinette's eyes widened as it landed inside the bin perfectly.
"Dingo will get over it," he said. The light changed, and he nudged her forward. "Come on."
He sighed and let her loop her arm through his own, tipping his head back again and closing his eyes as she led them across the street.
"I don't know how I'm going to make it through school," he confessed. "I do not have the energy for Belcourt today. Are you sure we can't just skip?"
"Well…" she said, and he looked up as he realized they'd stopped walking. His eyes widened when he saw the Liberty before them.
"…ok," he said, looking down at her. "So we're definitely going to be late now."
"I'm going to be late, and when I explain it was because you were sick and I was making sure you got home safely I don't think I'll get in too much trouble," she huffed. He frowned, shaking his head as he turned back towards her.
"Wait, no – I'm not skipping without you," he said. "Marinette, no. I'm not leaving you today."
"You're not," she said. She frowned at his words. They were pulling at her mind again, the worry in his eyes making her feel like she was missing something important. A key part of the puzzle that would make everything make sense if she could just find it. "I'm leaving you."
"That's even worse," he groaned. He slumped back against her, leaning on her back and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. He pressed his face against her neck and shook his head. "I can't protect you if you keep leaving me, damn it."
"You don't need you to protect me, Luka," she said softly, reaching up to squeeze his arms. "It was just a bad dream. I'm guessing a really bad one to have you this upset…but I'm fine."
He grumbled something she couldn't decipher. She sighed and knocked her head against his own, making him grumble again.
"…can I tell you a secret, Luka?" she whispered. He hummed. "I'm crazy, stupid in love with you, too."
"That's not a secret, darning," he mumbled. She pursed her lips. Was she that transparent? Thinking back on her college crush, she guessed she was – for someone as observant as Luka, at least. She squeezed his arms again and turned, and he smiled down at her once she was facing him. "…hey."
"Ok, no secrets, then," she huffed. His lips twitched with a smirk, and she poked his chest. "I guess big, Valentine's Day confessions are kinda cheesy, huh?"
"You can confess to me any time and I'll be too happy to ever think it's cheesy," he said. She raised an eyebrow at him, and he leaned in to steal a kiss. "I mean it, Marinette. Crazy, stupid in love. No scenario that results in us together will ever be cheesy."
"You're tired and have no idea what you're saying," she said. He chuckled and shook his head, his nose bumping hers. "Luka, really. I…I have a proposal for you."
"Yes," he said quickly, kissing her again. "I don't care how young we are. Yes."
"…what, no, Luka, what –!" she spluttered. He blinked slowly at her, and she laughed again – another one that sounded too crazy for her comfort – before pushing him back. "I meant…oh my God you need a nap…"
"Too soon?" he chuckled. She lightly punched his shoulder and nodded, her face burning. "That's ok. I can wait."
"ANYWAY," she nearly screamed, pressing her face into her palms and hiding against his chest. She could feel his chuckle more than she could hear it, and she groaned. "M-my pro…SUGGESTION…"
"Go on," he said, kissing the top of her head. She groaned.
"You go rest," she grumbled. "You…you look tired, and I'm worried about you. So stop making me worry and go sleep. And we…I wanted to ask you out today, but we can do something tomorrow? When you're feeling better and I'm not constantly sticking my foot in my mouth?"
"I don't like it," he grumbled. "That still means I'm here and you're at school and –"
"I will be perfectly fine," she said. She stepped away from him and pointed to the Liberty. "Now go. I'll…I'll stop by later to check on you? Please, Luka. You look like you're about to drop."
He pressed his lips together and watched her for a long moment. She was half-expecting him to fight her again, to come up with another excuse as to why he shouldn't skip the day and sleep whatever this was off (or why she should skip with him), but he finally nodded and turned towards the gangway.
"You owe me two dates for this," he called as he trudged up the steps.
"Maybe just an extra-long one tomorrow," she called. He waved dismissively, and once he had disappeared below deck she turned back towards the street.
Once she was certain he was below deck (and hopefully on his way back to bed), she turned and started walking in a direction that definitely wouldn't take her to their school.
But she was banking on him not seeing that, anyway.
– V –
Marinette didn't go to school that day.
She also turned her phone off to ignore the inevitable panic texts and calls from her friends and parents.
She ducked into an alley halfway between the Liberty and the café, and after a quick conversation with Tikki confirming this was the best course of action, Ladybug was swinging her way along the roofs. She stopped on the building across the street from the café, found a good spot near the raised ledge, and hunkered down to stake out the café for the day. Logically, she knew that Hannah probably wouldn't show up until after school and she could have sat through another day of lessons she already knew.
…but she also knew of at least one day where the resets had come early, so logically she also knew that she couldn't guarantee that. Whenever Hannah showed up, Ladybug was going to be ready for her. And hopefully Hannah would be more willing to talk to one of Paris's superheroes than she had been to plain old Marinette.
In all honesty, it was a really slow day.
She was almost praying for M. Pigeon to show up, just to alleviate some of her boredom, when she saw the couple walking on the street below. The black-haired man had just opened the door for a blushing Hannah when Ladybug touched down beside them.
"Hannah!" she cried, making them both leap a foot out of their skin. The couple shared confused looks before turning back to her.
"L-Ladybug?" Hannah asked, fidgeting with her necklace. "Um…can I help you?"
"You know Ladybug, Hannah?" the man asked with an uncertain chuckle. "You never said! That's pretty cool."
"I didn't realize I did?" Hannah guessed, looking back at him.
"Hannah, I'm so sorry, but we really don't have time for this," Ladybug said. She held out her hand. "Can you come with me? We need to talk."
"I…ok?" Hannah agreed. She turned back to the man. "Geoff, I'm so sorry. Do you mind?"
"Hey, if Ladybug's asking, it has to be important, right? Go on," he said. There was an awkward moment where he started to lean towards Hannah but seemed to think better of it. He jerked his thumb towards the café, glancing at his feet. Ladybug recognized the look on his face: it was one she had seen on Luka's plenty of times, and one she was sure she'd worn herself. It made her smile. "I'll be here when you get back. Be…be safe."
Hannah smiled before turning to Ladybug with a determined nod. She placed her hand in Ladybug's, and with a toss of her yo-yo they were on the roof of the café.
"Wow, that's –" Hannah laughed breathlessly, but Ladybug immediate whirled on her, grabbed her shoulders, and started shaking her.
"How are you doing it?!" she demanded. If her voice sounded a little crazed, Ladybug felt it was justified. Hannah shrank away from her, blinking wide eyes.
"I-I-I-I'm sorry?" Hannah stammered. Ladybug glared at her, and while she tightened her grip on her shoulders at least she didn't shake her again.
"It has to be you – you're the only thing that keeps changing! So how are you doing it?" Ladybug demanded. Hannah frowned.
"Doing what?" she asked. "I'm sorry, Ladybug, but I really don't know what you're talking –"
"Bullshit!" Ladybug cried, releasing her and moving away. She began pacing, rubbing her hands anxiously against her face. Hannah continued to gawk at her, and Ladybug groaned. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. But you have to know! You have to be the akuma! Nothing else changes except for you, so you have to know what's going on!"
The color drained from Hannah's face, and Ladybug's eyes widened. Even if she wasn't the akuma, she knew something…
"I…I…how did you know?" Hannah gasped, her voice barely audible. Ladybug walked back over to her and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Because I've been reliving Valentine's Day for a while now," she said, narrowing her eyes again, "and it's really, really sucked."
Hannah looked down, unable to meet Ladybug's gaze. She started fidgeting with her necklace again. Ladybug sighed and laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently in encouragement.
"I'm not…I'm not mad," she said. It felt like a lie, but she hoped Hannah believed her. "I'm just…tired. And a little frustrated. Full disclosure, girl to girl?"
Hannah glanced up, and Ladybug smiled at her.
"There's a guy I've been trying to confess to," she said, winking at her. Hannah's eyes widened, her face lighting up at the revelation. "And the resets have been making it…hard."
"Oh my God…" Hannah gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth to hide her smile. "Are you and Chat Noir finally dating?"
…Ladybug had to fight the urge to shove her off the roof.
"No," she said firmly. She pointedly ignored the way Hannah seemed to deflate at her denial. Ladybug sighed. "So what's going on, Hannah? Help me understand this. Clearly you're not akumatized now, so…what happens?"
"I don't know. Honestly," Hannah finally said. She was still fidgeting with her necklace. "It's not me, Ladybug, but…for some reason she's seemed to single me out. Every morning after I wake up, she finds me."
"Why, though? Why you?" Ladybug asked. Hannah shrugged.
"Geoff – the guy I was with? He's…I was planning on confessing to him today, too," she admitted. She smiled, her finger passing slowly over the pendant of her necklace. "We've…we've known each other for a long time, and I'm mad for him. But…I keep messing it up. I mess everything up. The akuma tells me different things to try, but I always get it wrong."
"The akuma tells you what to do and you just do it?" Ladybug asked incredulously. Hannah looked up at her, eyebrows raised.
"I grew up in Paris, Ladybug," she said coolly. "I've never left the city for long, so I've seen everything Hawkmoth has done these past few years. When an akuma tells you to do something, I've found it's typically in your best interest to just do it."
"That's…actually pretty smart," Ladybug said, nodding. And refreshing to hear, if she was honest. Most Parisians weren't that sensible. She looked back at the café and frowned. "So she comes to you every morning?"
"Yes," Hannah said. Ladybug nodded.
"Ok," she said, tapping her fist into her palm. "Assuming I can't catch it again today, where do you live?"
"Sorry?" Hannah asked.
"Where do you live, Hannah? If I can't purify this akuma today, tomorrow I'm going to follow you from the beginning," Ladybug said with another nod. "I'm going to try and catch the akuma first thing and get this stupid day over with."
"But –" Hannah started, but Ladybug shook her head.
"Hannah, Geoff seemed like a great guy," she said kindly, smiling at her. She squeezed her shoulder again. "The way he was looking at you…"
"You can confess to me any time and I'll be too happy to ever think it's cheesy."
"I think Geoff will be happy to know you like him, no matter what goes wrong," Ladybug said. Her smile softened as she remembered the way Luka had looked at her earlier, the way he'd been looking at her for a while now. "You just have to put yourself out there and try."
"You make it sound so easy," Hannah sighed. She laughed a little and shrugged. "But of course it'd be easy for you. You're Ladybug."
"My life's really not as easy as you'd think," Ladybug said with a wry grin. "My boyfriend keeps forgetting he's my boyfriend every morning, for starters."
Hannah winced at that.
"Sorry," she said. She chewed on her lip for a moment, staring at the roof between them as she fidgeted with her necklace, before looking back up at Ladybug. "Rue de Bretagne. The flats by the market? I live there."
Ladybug smiled and held out her hand. Hannah took it without hesitation.
"Thank you, Hannah. Hopefully I won't need to find you. Let's get you back to your date so I can try to fix this, ok?" she asked. Hannah nodded, and a moment later Ladybug was dropping her off by the door. She opened it for her and gave her an encouraging wink. "Good luck!"
"Thanks, Ladybug," Hannah said with a smile. She turned to enter the café and froze in the doorway.
Geoff was sitting at a table towards the back with a gorgeous redhead. She was leaning towards him, her elbows on the table, and his head was tipped back in a laugh. His face was red and growing darker at whatever she was saying.
"Hannah –" Ladybug started, but the woman reached out and laid a hand on Geoff's arm, and Hannah choked on a sob.
"Oh, I'm so dumb!" she cried, pushing past Ladybug and running down the street. Geoff looked up at her voice and leapt up from his seat.
"Hannah!" he called, moving through the crowded café and past Ladybug to chase after her. Ladybug groaned and turned, ready to run after them, when she crashed into someone heading into the café. Her breath left her in a rush as a box poked her in the ribs before falling to the sidewalk with a clinking smash.
"…shit," a very familiar, very tired voice grumbled. Ladybug looked up to see she'd crashed into Luka – a Luka who looked like he hadn't slept all day, despite Marinette's explicit orders. He looked up at her, an annoyed frown turning his lips.
"Lu…er…random citizen!" Ladybug cried, maybe a little loudly as her eyes darted around. His frown deepened as he bent to pick up the box, giving it a little shake to hear the broken pieces inside. "Wh-what are you doing here?"
"I asked a girl out today," he said, picking at the pink ribbon on the box. Ladybug frowned. Had he actually asked her out? She hadn't thought so – she distinctly remembered asking him out instead. "She wanted to reschedule for tomorrow, but…I was kind of hoping I'd still catch her here."
He shook the box at her, and she winced as it rattled.
"This was supposed to be for her," he sighed. "Everything else got ruined today. Guess it makes sense this would be, too."
"Luka…" she breathed, stepping closer and laying a hand over his own. He looked up at her, still frowning.
Before he could say anything, a scream echoed in the distance. They both looked up in time to see a wall of light rushing towards them. She groaned, leaning forward to press her face against his chest.
"…shit," she grumbled, finding his earlier sentiment the only appropriate one as the light swallowed them up.