Chapter 13: Choosing

"You only get so many choices in life. You only get so much time in life. And if you don't become the one choosing, life will happen to you, not for you."

― Drue Grit

Luka was good at making decisions. He'd think things over: all the possibilities, consequences, rewards. He'd then choose the best option for those involved. Even through difficult situations, he calmly assessed and chose.

However, some situations proved to be complex when it came to choices.

His most recent decision was in the form of Ladybug and letting Marinette know he knew. Their relationship and friendship were strong, had been since the night he comforted her about Adrien, but he wasn't sure how she'd react to him spilling her own secret to her. When they had talked on the phone yesterday, Marinette had seemed less stressed and he figured handing out a few of the miraculous to permanent holders- he had gotten Sass to keep a while ago- had lifted some of the burden off of her shoulders. So he figured the next time they saw each other in person would be a great time to let her know.

So two weeks after finding out, Marinette was finally coming over just to hangout. It was the first time he'd seen her in person since the whole Miracle Queen debacle (where she wasn't Ladybug) and it filled him with such happiness that he greeted her with a enthusiastic kiss rather than a hello.

She giggled into it but still kissed him back, cupping his cheeks. "Hi Luka. I missed you too."

They settled on his bed and she caught him up on all the news from the bakery and her school. When she finished, he told her everything he'd been doing over the past weeks as well, although not much had changed for him outside of Sass. When he told her about his Ladybug sighting earlier that week, he felt her tense up. He wondered why and before he could choose what to say or how to ask, she turned more fully to him so they were making direct eye contact.

"I have something I want to tell you. I've been thinking about it a lot and you're not only one of the most important people in my life, but also one of the ones I trust the most. So I want to tell you something I've never told anyone else. Is that okay?"

Luka's heart skipped over her words. She was going to tell him? Over anyone else in her life- her parents, Alya, Chat Noir/Adrien- she was going to tell him. That made his heart do multiple backflips in his chest.

"Of course. You can tell me anything."

Taking a deep breath, she stood and faced him. "I'm Ladybug." And- just as Adrien had done weeks ago- she transformed. Knowing already didn't dampen the awe and amazement of seeing the girl he loved turn into the heroine all of Paris admired. He was in stunned silence for so long that Ladybug's eyes filled with worry. "Luka?"

Snapping out if, Luka took a deep breath. Choosing from all the reactions running through his head, Luka stood and pulled her into his arms. "You truly are the most extraordinary girl, Marinette."

She released a puff of air and smiled. "I'm so glad you think so. I was so nervous that you'd run or be mad or start angrily playing the guitar-"

He chuckled. "I could never be mad about this. You're a freaking superhero!"

Ladybug laughed and detransformed. "So are you, Viperion." Luka blushed a little as Tikki appeared and Sass flew out to greet her.

"Sass."

"Tikki, it is good to see you again."

"Yes! I'm glad you have a holder now."

"Yesss. Luka is great!"

They watched as the kwamis talked happily before Marinette sighed. "I'm so happy you know. That means I don't have to lie or keep secrets from you anymore."

Secrets, that's right.

Luka sighed and decided to tell her. "You told me before I could tell you." Marinette cocked her head to the side, trying to decipher his meaning, before freezing. There was a deafening silence as she looked at him and the kwamis decided to go elsewhere to finish their chat and phase through the wall. Luka was a bit nervous when she still hadn't said anything a while later but then she blinked.

"You knew I was Ladybug?"

"I just found out."

"How long?"

"Two weeks."

He could see the wheels in her head turning. "Before or after Miracle Queen?"

"Right after."

Marinette was silent as she paced away from him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We haven't seen each other since before I put it all together and I didn't think it was something you wanted to talk about over the phone." Marinette paused before nodding in agreement. "I also didn't want to stress you out any further. You'd just lost Master Fu and become the new guardian which had to have been really rough to deal with." Marinette stopped pacing and just stared at him, eyes stormy, and Luka started to really worry he'd chosen wrong. "I'm sorry. I just thought waiting would be the best way to help you and-" He was silenced by Marinette flinging her arms around his neck and kissing him. He was surprised but not enough not to kiss her back. She pushed against him so hard that his knees hit the edge of the bed and they tumbled backwards, leaving her straddling his lap. They laughed and between kisses, Marinette spoke.

"Why... are you... so sweet?" He hummed into the kiss, already slightly dazed from the feeling of her against him. She released his lips so that she could stare in his eyes. "You're so sweet and so good. Always putting others above yourself whether it's me, your family, friends, or even a stranger. Always willing to help other people with their problems even if it causes you to suffer. Always choosing my feelings and needs over your own, even when you should be putting yourself first." Her hands gripped the front of his shirt and tugged a little bit, bringing him even closer to her. "It frustrates me so much because I want you to think about what you need. I want you to be selfish and choose your feelings over everything else but you never do. You're so selfless and you always want to make everyone around you happy. You're perfect. I don't deserve you."

His eyes widened and he shook his head. "Don't say that. You deserve everything, even without being Ladybug. You're kind and smart and caring and so much more that I can't even put it in words. Everyone would be so lost without you because that's just how important you are. You deserve everything." He kissed her forehead before pulling back. "And I'm plenty selfish. I knew you had feelings for Adrien and I still pursued you. I went along with us being a secret because I wanted you all to myself: I didn't want to share you or your time with Juleka, Alya, our friends, or anyone else. Trust me: I'm not perfect."

Marinette gave him a watery smile. "No, you're not, but you're such a good person. And, God, I love you so much."

Her words knocked the air out of his lungs and the music in his heart boomed at them. All he could do was respond. "I love you, too. So much, Marinette."

Their lips met again and Luka felt everything- his room, the boat, Paris, even the music- fall away as Marinette's lips moved with his. When their tongues met, he felt like he would float away on a cloud of jubilation but her hand twisted in his hair, his hands on her hips, and the feeling of her on his lap grounded him.

Due to her hectic schedule, they'd never truly made out before- all their alone time together being so short or filled with naps that quick kisses were all they had- so Luka was unprepared for the heat that followed her hands and lips as the hand on his shirt gripped it tighter and the hand in his hair slipped down his neck. His hands followed their own rhythm as one pulled her more fully into his lap as the other softly traced the exposed skin her rising shirt revealed. Her soft gasp was met with his soft groan as she settled her weight onto his lap and started leaning forward, pushing him to lie back on his bed.

Luka was unsure how far it would've gone- because he didn't wanted to stop- but just as his hand was traveling up her side, feeling nothing but warm smooth skin, there was a loud noise from the door that had them springing apart.

There stood Adrien: red eyed and tears spilling down his cheeks.

One thing Luka loved about Marinette was that- in that moment- he didn't have to choose between their moment or comforting a distressed Adrien. She was off the bed in a flash, stopping him from leaving. She didn't even question it as Adrien broke down on her shoulder and then again after they sat him between them. Luka wondered where her head was at what she made of all this as he told her Adrien's secret wasn't his to share.

All thoughts and words vanished the next second as Adrien claimed his lips in a desperate kiss that destroyed all thinking before Adrien turned and did the same to Marinette. It's like his brain had stopped functioning and he could see the same short circuiting happening to her as well. He tried to process what just happened- did Adrien really just kiss both of them?- but he just couldn't. So Luka chose not to think about it as Adrien's sobs resumed and Marinette looked at him for guidance. Luka motioned for them to him down and- after getting his permission- they snuggled him between them.

Once he was asleep, Marinette spoke softly, whispering as to not disturb the boy between them. "Did you know?"

"That he liked both? Yes. That he liked us ? No, but I had an inkling."

They were both quiet as the boy between them moved a little in his sleep.

"I would ask why you didn't tell me but I understand. It wasn't for me to know unless he wanted me to." She paused and the never stopping gears in her head started to turn again. "Oh. He must've told his dad today."

"That's my guess too. And Daddy Dearest must've been harsh."

"Poor Adrien." She sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair again. Luka's heart did a tiny flip flop as, in his sleep, Adrien nuzzled her wrist at the contact.

"He knew he'd be comforted if he came here." She said as she watched Luka rub a hand on the boy's back and Luka just nodded. He figured she was just talking out loud now so he was surprised when he felt her fingers lace through his where they rested on the blonde's side. "You're such an amazing person, Luka. I'm so glad he has someone like you. Someone he knows he can trust and depend on." Luka's breath caught in his throat as Marinette kissed his knuckles and he had to take a few deep breaths to combat the heat that filled his body.

"About the other thing..."

"What thing?"

Choosing his words, he continued. "The kiss... well, kisses."

He felt her tense before she relaxed again. "Yeah?"

"Do they- Does it change anything for you?"

Marinette was silent for a few minutes and he contemplated dropping the topic and choosing a different one when Marinette squeezed his hand.

"I'm not entirely sure. It's a lot to digest. But one thing that will never change is how much I love you or how much I want to be with you." She paused as if something had just occurred to her. "Does it change anything for you?"

Luka wondered that himself. He hadn't really thought about it much before, even when he was mostly sure that the guy Adrien was crushing on was him. If Adrien wasn't planning on telling him, there was no use in thinking about it.

"I don't know. Your crush on him and us talking out his problems never let me really think of him that way."

"But now...?"

But now that it was all but confirmed, he wasn't sure how he felt. Adrien was one of his best friends. They had bonded and talked about things neither of them had ever told another living soul, Adrien more so than he. They trusted each other so deeply and completely that it made their friendship feel... different than all the others Luka had. He looked forward to seeing him whenever he could and missed him when he was gone. That feeling felt awfully familiar and it probably meant something. It probably meant what Luka had chosen not to think about earlier.

"Now I'm thinking I like him too."