On we go! ^^
. o O o .
Chapter 2: Trust
There was more Adrein wanted to say. He wanted to ask Luka how he really felt. He wanted to ask what those minutes of making out just now had meant to him. He wanted to ask where this would lead them, if anywhere at all.
But talking about the Akuma had reminded him of how Ladybug needed him. Surely she would be back by now. No matter what he might or might not feel for Luka, talking it out had to wait for later. And not just because his feelings for Ladybug hadn't changed; he could never abandon her anyway.
So instead of further addressing the state of their… relationship? he said, "I think we should get out of here. See if Desperada is back to normal by now."
Luka seemed disappointed, but didn't object when Adrien opened the locker door and stepped outside. After giving Luka a sign to be quiet, he glanced out into the corridor. However, there was nothing to be heard. No fighting, no shouting. Had Ladybug defeated Desperada already? With the help of whatever other Kwami and hero she'd appointed? Adrien let out a small sigh. It wouldn't be the first time she managed well without him.
"Okay, everything's quiet. Let's go."
Adrien sneaked ahead, Luka right behind him. He was confident in Ladybug's capability, but something was off. Shouldn't her Miraculous Ladybugs have brought him and Luka back to the Liberty? He wasn't sure whether them running away counted as something that needed fixing, but he'd rather be safe than sorry. Which turned out to be a wise choice.
Although, he almost missed it. Adrien was so focussed on what lay ahead of them, watching out for any signs of Desperada or Ladybug, that he didn't pay attention to the small box and the letter lying in a tiny niche just where Ladybug had left them earlier. But luckily, Luka was more observant.
"Adrien, wait. What's this?"
Frowning, Adrien took the letter. There was a sketch on the front, a ladybug and a black cat. With a bad feeling, he unfolded the letter and read it.
I'm sorry, Chat Noir. I failed. Desperada will find me any moment now. I meant to give the snake Miraculous to a boy named Adrien Agreste, but I couldn't find him. Now, it's on you and him to defeat Desperada and free us all. I trust you.
Ladybug
Adrien's eyes were wide as too many emotions exploded in his soul. Regret. He should have been here, should have helped his lady. Joy. Ladybug had wanted to ask him, Adrien, to help her. And guilt. If he hadn't enjoyed making out with Luka so much, he could have saved her.
With a heavy heart, his gaze followed Luka as he bent to pick up the letter from where it had dropped from Adrien's hands. Yes, he wished he'd been here to help Ladybug. But at the same time… at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to regret what had happened between him and Luka. It had been too good, too real. He just had to find a way to fix it now.
"Oh, wow!" Luka exclaimed, making Adrien flinch. He gestured for Luka to lower his voice, and he nodded. "This is amazing," he continued in a whisper. "Ladybug wants you to help her and Chat Noir? What an honour!"
"Yeah," Adrien replied slowly. He had to find a way out of this, and quickly. He would have loved to fight at Ladybug's side as himself, for her to know him as who he was. But now, that wasn't an option anymore. Now, he had to find a solution, and fast. He had to get away from Luka to transform, and then he had to find someone else to give the snake Miraculous. Someone trustworthy. Someone good. Or…?
He took a deep breath. "Luka?"
Luka looked up, startled at the seriousness in his voice.
"What was that for you earlier? Why did you think it was a dream?"
Clearly puzzled at the change of topic, Luka bit his lip and looked away for a moment. But then turned back to him, his eyes brimming with sincerity. "I believe in being true to your feelings. You want to know why I thought it was because of an Akume? Because… because it seemed too good to be real, like some dreamlike wish-fulfilment. Because I've been thinking about you for a long time now." He reached for Adrien's hand, somewhat shyly despite his words. "I like you, Adrien. A lot. And I hope…" He took a deep breath. "I hope that, whatever this is, we can explore it further. Together."
Adrien swallowed. This answer was way heavier than what he'd expected. But even though it made his heart vibrate with joy to hear this confirmation, it wasn't what he needed to know at this moment, not entirely at least.
"But… what about Marinette?" he asked carefully. Kagami had been so sure that there was something going on between her and Luka, and he'd thought he'd seen the signs, too. "I know you said you two are not together, but… there's at least something, isn't it?"
Luka's gaze grew distant, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I know this is probably going to sound strange to you. But I won't lie, ever. I believe that… that emotions are not some limited resources. Your feelings don't become weaker just because you share them. The truth is… You're right, I do like her, too. But that doesn't mean I like you any less."
Adrien thought of Ladybug, of how—even after what had just happened between him and Luka and with holding Luka's hand at this very moment made his heart sing—his feelings for her hadn't changed. He was still in love with her, despite the blossoming feelings he had for Luka. So what Luka said made absolute sense.
"Besides," Luka added, his eyes not quite meeting his. "She's in love with someone else anyway, and chances of her returning my feelings are pretty slim."
At that, Adrien couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Oh, yeah, I can relate to that."
Luka chuckled as well, barely more than a low rumbling. It sounded beautiful.
"So… Where does that leave us?" Luka asked.
Adrien hummed. "I'd like to try and see where it leads us, too," he replied with a smile, but then shook his head. "But that's not why I asked. I believe you that you won't lie. I think I can trust you there. But… how good are you at keeping secrets?"
"You mean because of that letter? About how Ladybug wants you to become a superhero? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
But Adrien shook his head. "That's good, but not what I mean. I…" He hesitated. Could he really do this? Reveal his identity when it wasn't to Ladybug? Was he allowed to do that or would that mean he might lose his Miraculous? But what else was he supposed to do? Get away from Luka with some excuse or other and then try to find someone else for the snake Miraculous to wear? He had no time.
"Okay. Can you promise me, can you swear on everything you love, that you won't tell anyone what I'm going to show you? This is important, Luka, more important than you think. Can I truly trust you to keep this secret?"
Frowning, Luka cocked his head. He seemed to understand how serious Adrien was, even though he couldn't know why. He took a moment to think, then nodded. "As long as your secret doesn't harm or endanger anyone I care about, then yeah, you can trust me."
Adrien exhaled, in both relief and stress. "Okay. Then… here, you take this." He handed Luka the ornate box with the snake Miraculous inside.
More out of reflex than anything else, Luka took the box, but at the same time shook his head. "What? No! Ladybug wanted you to take this. Why would you give it to me?"
Adrien didn't allow himself to hesitate. "Because she made a mistake there. One she can never know about, you hear me? This is absolutely vital."
Luka nodded, listening attentively.
"As happy as I am that she thought I might be a good choice, I can't take this Miraculous," Adrien went on. "Because I already have one. That of the cat." He held up his hand, the ring on his finger glistening in the dim light.
Luka's eyes went wide in understanding. "You… You are Chat Noir?"
Adrien nodded, and fought to keep himself from shrugging or smiling sheepishly. This was not the moment to appear timid. "I am. But again, this has to stay a secret. I only revealed this to you because I don't have time. I have to save Ladybug and free Desperada, and I need your help."
Luka recovered quickly, Adrien had to give him that. It took only seconds until the open bafflement on his face turned into determination. His hand closed around the jewellery box. "All right. What do you need me to do?"
It took little time to explain the specifics. Sass accepted Luka as his temporary owner with no objections, and when Luka picked his superhero name Viperion without having to think for more than a second, Adrien knew he'd made the right choice. Transforming in front of someone else felt weird. But then, making out in that locker with Luka had been far more intimate; there was no reason for his reluctance.
"Okay, you have the power of the Second Chance," Chat Noir explained. "That means once you turn your bracelet around, you can go back to this moment as many times as you need to. But it's only active for five minutes, so we better hurry."
He turned to head on, but Viperion caught him by his arm.
"Ad— Chat Noir, wait."
He turned, puzzled. Had he forgotten something? But instead of saying anything more, Viperion pulled him closer and kissed him. Chat's eyes fluttered shut without his help, and a low groan rumbled from deep within his chest as his lips and body moved along.
Somehow, this kiss felt different from those between Luka and Adrien before, more intense even though it didn't last long. It wasn't just because of the heightened senses the Miraculous granted, he was sure of that. No, what made this kiss special was that feeling of ease that always overcame him when he became Chat Noir. In this form, he was free, didn't have to be the famous model, didn't have to behave as expected or fear his actions might reflect badly on his father. In this form, he was more himself than at any other time. And Luka… Viperion still wanted him.
When the kiss ended, Viperion didn't pull away but instead let his forehead rest against Chat Noir's. "Thank you!" He spoke quietly, but with a sincerity that made Chat Noir shiver.
"For what?" he murmured back. "You're the one who agreed to help me."
Viperion chuckled. He pulled back after all, but only far enough so their eyes could meet. "For trusting me, with the Miraculous and your secret. I promise, I'll prove worthy of your trust."
. o O o .
Did that reveal happen sooner than you expected? Yeah, I felt the same. But I think Adrien needs this, someone he can confide in. And their bond of trust is so important, for both of them. 😊
Also, I'd love to get some feedback. 😊
