"Why have you been avoiding my calls?"
Spinning around like a bloody shot, I nearly dropped the oversized box I was currently holding in both hands. Mouth now agape, my eyes locked onto a figure I hadn't seen in several years. And yet, despite the time that had passed, I could still pick him out from a crowd. Standing tall- or taller- than I remember and hair still as blue as the Atlantic Ocean, there he was in front of the closed door. Our stares met; mine utterly lost and his looking found.
"L-Luka…." I didn't hear myself whisper aloud. Smirking ever so slightly, my old friend from university crossed his arms defiantly over his chest, still staring at me intently. "Seriously? It's been two years, and that's all you've got to say? Can't you greet a guy better than that?" "H-How did you get in here?! You need card access to open that door!" His words didn't register with me, clearly. His smirk grew ever so cleverly. "Some security guard let me in. There're perks to being a rock star's son," only then did his expression turn stern. He took a dominant step inside, inching ever so closer to me.
"So, you gonna tell me why you haven't answered any of my calls?" Wait, what? When did he try and call me?! "When?!" I guess I was thinking out loud all of a sudden. "I've been calling you for days, Mari. You don't have this number saved in your phone; I got a new one a while ago," to show he was telling the truth, he pulled out a phone I didn't recognize from his black jean's back pocket. It didn't take long for my brain to put the pieces together. My jaw literally dropped again in pure, unadulterated shock.
"That was you?! I-I didn't know it was you! I thought…. I thought it was someone else; someone…. I'd rather not speak to," if I can help it. Luka's foot took another step in my direction. "Someone you're concerned about?" His tone was seasoned with worry. Instead of answering his question, I merely peered his way with a disapproving frown. "Why are you here?" "I thought it'd be evident. I couldn't get a hold of you over the phone, so I had to come find you in-person instead. Thanks for letting me know you graduated from Masters and got into PhD, by the way," he quipped in a sarcastic tone. I did my very best not to roll my eyes. "I didn't think…." "You didn't think I'd care?" "N-No! I just…. W-We haven't spoken in a…. a while," my eyes drifted downwards a bit.
After watching me another agonizing moment, Luka's smile returned. He grinned to himself and walked right over to me. My face flushed frazzled as he unexpectedly took the box from my arms. "Here, give me that," grabbing it, he proceeded to place it on a shelf beside us. Then, to my absolute stun and horror, he wrapped both arms around me, pressing me tight up against him. I was so alarmed that I didn't hug him back, just existing there with gigantic eyes and an open mouth.
For a long minute- much longer than I was comfortable with- Luka held me like that, his arms coiled around me like steel bars. I heard him sigh contently on my shoulder; I'm sure his eyes were both closed right now. After a very uncomfortable embrace, he reluctantly let me go, gradually lowering his arms off me and taking a step back so we could see each other's faces again. Neither of us looked particularly happy; he was back into serious, stoic mode real fast.
Luka's frown suddenly came back in full force. "How come you didn't tell me you were getting married?" "Where did you hear that?" My eyes widened. "Are you kidding? It's everywhere on social media and the news. You're front-page news, Mari; you and that….. that model." My own frown intensified. I really, REALLY didn't like him speaking about Adrien like that. Not my boyfriend of nine years and soon to be future husband. "Fiancé, Luka; he's my fiancé," he could tell my own was sour. He blinked down at me; first with surprise, then mild annoyance.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded again, refusing to relent on the question. I let out a long, aggravated sigh. "We haven't spoken since our undergrad graduation. I thought you'd have moved on with life by now." "Moved on from you, you mean?" His scolding eyebrow raised. My mouth shot open to reply in the affirmative, but no words came out. I did catch sight of his fingers curling into frustrated fists down at his sides. "You told me…. You told me at graduation that you weren't interested in being a relationship; not just with me but with anyone. You turned me down for that very reason, and now you're getting married less than three years later? Forgive me for being a little more than confused and irritated right now." "It was an arranged marriage. What do you expect me to do?" I tossed my hands up into the air. "To repeat: you've never been interested in being in a relationship with anyone, and now you're going to get married, arranged or not? That's quite a leap, don't you think?"
I sighed again, shutting my eyes for a minute in an attempt to clear my head. "It wasn't my choice, Luka. No one asked me; I was "told" I'm getting married, not "asked". The reason I didn't tell you is because I'm still getting over the shock myself. And besides, I thought…. you might have a new romantic interest on the horizon; I didn't want to disturb that if you did." Though this was all true, I tactfully left out the main reason why I didn't call him to announce the wedding. It's going to sound terrible but I frankly just…. forgot. My thoughts were already constantly occupied with Cat Noir; there was no room in my heart for anyone else. Not now, not ever. I didn't think to tell Luka because I simply didn't "think" of him. It was nothing personal; I was just head-over-heels in love with someone else.
Someone very, very precious to me.
But I knew, of course, that I couldn't tell Luka that, and I didn't want to hurt him either. So I elected to put on my "big girl" pants and handle the situation like an adult. I drew in a deep, cleansing breath and reopened my eyes, just to find Luka's staring back.
"I'm sorry, Luka; I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But I really didn't see a point in it. What good would it have done for me to have said something?" "Because you know I'm still in love with you?" "Luka!" I gasped, scandalized. Me thinking it in my head was one thing but hearing him say so out loud gave it a real gravity it hadn't possessed before. My heart started to beat unsteadily as my own hands clenched into nervous fists. But as my resolve was quickly breaking, his was growing ever stronger. "You really think I moved on these past few years? You think I'd be here if I had?" "Luka, please! You're not in love with me! How could you be? It's been over two years!"
He rolled his eyes unimpressed. "Oh come on, Marinette. You're clueless when it comes to this sort of thing." "No, I'm not!" I cried back. "Yes, you are. How would you know if I still have a thing for you all these years later? Can't you tell by the way I look at you? No, of course you can't. You couldn't see it with me, and you couldn't see it with Cat Noir." "C-Cat Noir?!" My blood froze. W-Why is he bringing him up? I never, ever told anyone that Cat Noir and I are dating. That is essentially our number one unspoken relationship rule since day one. Well, that and he doesn't reveal his secret identity to me- something which is down the drain now.
Luka's eyes rolled a second time. "You never noticed the way he looked at you either? Or how he always shows up whenever there's trouble? Remember that night he "miraculously" found your place during Mr. Pigeon's raid on the city?" "The area was being evacuated around my apartment! He just wanted to make sure that we BOTH got to safety." "I was there; he didn't need to intervene. I could have protected you on my own just fine," Luka's voice raised a little. My own voice was growing progressively louder as well. My hands flung up into the air. "That was four years ago! What's your point?!"
"My point is that you have this startling ability not to see what's right there in front of you, Mari!"
My fingers twitched and I gulped very, very nervous, determined to keep my composure "I-I told you. C-Cat Noir doesn't have a crush on me; he never had a crush on me! A-And I thought you said that he and Ladybug were a thing anyway. Remember that picture of them kissing?" "He certainly seemed possessive over you," there was so much jealously in his sentence, you could almost taste it. And it was bitter. I immediately frowned, put off by the whole thing. "We barely know each other, Luka; you know that. I've….. never liked anyone before," I lied through my teeth, hoping to put an end to this argument.
It didn't work. In fact, it backfired on me. My heart raced a mile a minute, this drop of sweat crawled down the back of my neck as Luka stretched out both arms at my sided. His hands planted on the shelves, effectively locking me in place. It was a definite show of dominance- one which I didn't find sweet or sexy like when Cat Noir did so. Keeping me firmly where he wanted me, his head drew in closer to mine. His tongue ran across his lips a tad in a lustful, possessive sort of way. My back was pressed so close up against the shelving unit that I'm sure it was making indents in my skin.
"So you never liked me? Ever? Even a tiny bit?" Luka, my lips parted a sliver…. "Yes; yes, I liked you, as a friend. Just a friend! We've been over this so many times. This is why we stopped talking; I wanted to give you room to grow and finally get over all this… get over me. I'm not available now, and even if I was, I just…. I just don't see you like that. I'm sorry; I've been sorry for so long, but there's literally nothing I can do. I'm sorry, Luka….
I'm sorry."
The man eyed me for another minute with a sturdy countenance, only breaking into a stoic grin moments later. His eyes visibly softened onto me. He actually chuckled a little to himself, giving his head a little shake. "I knew it; you haven't changed. Not a bit. You're still so kind… So gentle." "Luka…" I began but he interrupted me with another shake of the head. "God, I've missed you, Mari. I've missed the colour of your eyes, the sound of your voice…. All of it; I've missed you so much." "Luka, please; I'm getting married," I interjected, praying this might disway him from continuing. It did not.
He forced our eyes to lock onto the one another's once more. "You can't possibly be happy with being trapped in an arranged marriage. You may not love your fiancé, but there are other options." "Luka, stop! I'm an engaged woman," I shook my head in a desperate plea. But he leaned his face in toward mine. His ogle glistened with desire. "Let me show you what a real relationship can be like. One full of heat and passion…. The kind of relationship you rightly deserve. I can give it to, Mari; I can take care of you, protect you…. You just have to let me in."
"Why are you doing this now? Why are telling me this…. just after I got engaged?" My lips wouldn't stop trembling. He breathed ever so softly. "It took me quite some time to find you again. You're like Ladybug; you can disappear into a crowd when you want to." "I wasn't hiding…" "No, but I still couldn't find you. I blame myself really, for ever letting you leave my sight to begin with…." "Luka, please don't. You don't know what you're saying," I was on the verge of tears. But he merely shut his eyes, pressing his forehead into mine. "Oh, yes I do. And I know better now too. If I had known before what I know now….. I'd have tried to find you sooner. After all,
I'm still wearing that smile you gave me…. when I first laid eyes on you."
