AN: On we go. :D

And big thanks to Redboat for your comments. Without those, I'd probably give up on posting here at all :)

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Chapter 11: The Date (2/2)

Marinette's eyes widened in shock. "You… WHAT?"

Her mind was reeling. Luka was talking, telling her about how he and Chat Noir had first met after the Captain Hardrock incident, but she barely listened.

Luka and Chat Noir? But… But that wasn't possible! Chat was already dating Viperion—he couldn't be dating Luka, too. Unless…

Her mind was working at rapid speed, all other senses shut down for the moment. Could it be? Could… could Luka be Viperion? She tried to compare them in her mind, even though she knew how futile that was. The magic of the Miraculous prevented registering and connecting obvious details like the hair, the voice, or the built. His character could fit, though.

She went through one occasion after the other, every fight, every conversation, every time she and Viperion had met. And there was nothing that proved he couldn't be Luka.

But wouldn't she know if one of her closer friends—someone she had a crush on, no less!—was also a superhero colleague? Wouldn't she… feel it, somehow? Recognise them, despite the magic? She couldn't be sure since she already knew the identity of all other heroes, but still. The idea of the Miraculous magic being that powerful somehow gave her a weird feeling.

But no!

Another memory came to her mind, one that soothed her frayed nerves. When she first got the Snake Miraculous, she couldn't give it to Adrien as she'd planned because he hadn't been where she'd left him. All searching for him had been in vain, so Desperada must have got to him before her; it was the only logical explanation. And Luka had been with Adrien when she left them, so Desperada must have captured him, as well. They'd been her primary targets, after all. And if Desperada had captured Luka, he couldn't have helped Chat Noir defeat her later.

So Luka couldn't be Viperion—it was impossible.

That would have been a ridiculous coincidence, anyway.

Strangely relieved, Marinette relaxed, the tension flowing out of her body, her jaw, her shoulders, her back. Not that she would have minded if Luka was Viperion. The thought had just been so odd.

"…and so we happened to talk, and… well, things went from there, I guess."

Oh, right… Luka had been telling her about how he and Chat had met. She probably should have listened.

"I… I don't know what to say," she said truthfully. What could she say in a situation like this? Even if she'd listened more carefully, a civilian directly dating a superhero wasn't exactly something that happened every day.

Another thought popped up in her mind though, and she frowned. Was Chat dating two people, then? And was in love with three, including her? I wasn't impossible, obviously, but… did Luka know? With how he'd talked about honesty before, he should know, but still... How could she ask this without giving away too much, though? She wasn't supposed to know about Chat and Viperion, after all.

"That's… wow, I guess. Chat Noir, really? I… I always thought he was in love with Ladybug, though.

Luka chuckled softly and nodded. "He is. But as we've already established, that doesn't mean he can't have feelings for someone else as well."

"True, I guess," Marinette chimed in on the chuckling, though still a bit confused. "And that works for you? With what you said before, I mean. With always being honest. You tell each other everything? About your feelings and who you date? Some of his superhero colleagues, for example?"

Luka's gaze grew distant, his lips twitching. "Yeah, that wouldn't be a problem, either."

There was something he wasn't telling her, but to Marinette, that was reassuring enough. Marinette didn't need to know the specifics of Chat Noir's relationship with another superhero, just like Luka didn't need to know she already knew about Viperion.

"We trust each other completely," Luka went on. "And tell each other everything when it comes to things that affect our relationship. That's the only way this can work."

Marinette nodded. "So, does that mean you know his true identity, too?" The question had slipped off her lips before she could hold it back, and she froze.

No!

If she thought it'd help, Marinette had bitten off her tongue. She didn't want to know the answer to that question. She mustn't know! If she learned about Chat's identity, then Master Fu would…

Before she could backpedal in any form that didn't betray her own identity, though, Luka already reacted. "Please, don't ask me this question," he said in a low voice. He'd grown noticeably quiet, his expression even more serious than before. "It's one I can't answer. His identity is too important a secret—even if I knew I couldn't tell you. I'm sorry."

Marinette exhaled deeply. "That's all right, I understand," she said, more relieved to hear this than she could ever explain to Luka. It meant Chat was still responsible enough to keep his identity hidden. Or as hidden as possible, in case Luka knew or suspected anything. It made her feel better, too, because she didn't intend to reveal she was Ladybug. If Luka accepted their identities as important secrets, then it was okay for her to keep her identity hidden from him, too.

Reassuring Luka with a smile and a nod, Marinette turned back to look at the Seine, her arms wrapped around herself. Her mind was still spinning from all the revelations of this evening, but she slowly started to feel grounded again.

It all seemed so complicated, with Luka dating Chat, and Chat dating both Luka and Viperion, and now she was causing even more chaos. But for them, it seemed to work. Luka hadn't confirmed it directly, but… Well, even though she didn't know who Chat Noir was, she knew her partner well enough. He wouldn't go behind Luka's back in dating Viperion, would have told him directly. And if it worked for those three, it surely could work for her, as well.

"Okay," she said, quietly but with conviction as she turned back to Luka. "I'm still not sure how all this works… But I'm willing to learn. I'd like to see you more often, to give us a try."

Luka's eyes grew wide with joy, a sight that made her suck in a sudden breath. He was so beautiful. Before she knew what was happening, he'd pulled her into a heartfelt hug. "Thank you! You have no idea how much that means to me."

Marinette chuckled, a little awkwardly. "I should be the one thanking you."

He pulled back, looking confused.

"You already have a partner," she explained quietly. "But still you agreed to meet with me today and… and everything."

With his arms still loosely around her, Luka relaxed. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Marinette. You're amazing. Beautiful, smart, kind. Clear and true like a melody. Like a fresh breeze, a soft wind, making everything lighter. I was so happy when you stopped by earlier and asked me out. I… Marinette, I…" He trailed off as he leaned in closer, his eyes looking deeply into hers. So many emotions whirled inside them, joy and hope, nervousness, a question.

He was so close!

"Luka…" she breathed, leaning in just the tiniest bit, her eyes fluttering close.

When their lips met, a wave of warm tingling spread through her entire body. The kiss was barely more than a brush of skin against skin, and yet it felt so powerful, so right and true. In that moment, she knew she'd made the right choice.

Too soon for her taste, Luka pulled away, though leaving only a finger's width between them. Giving her time to react, the choice.

Marinette's breath hitched. Slowly, her hand glided up across his chest, curling around the back of his neck. She stretched, curious, careful, until their lips touched once more.

This second kiss was more. It was slow, hesitant, but so wonderful. Marinette barely knew what se was doing, but Luka guided her gently. His mouth moved with hers, slowly, his tongue caressing across her lower lip, his breath on her skin. His hand cupped her cheek, giving her such a wonderful sense of safety.

Bolstered by his guidance, Marinette let her other hand move to his hair, so soft beneath her fingers, and pulled him closer toward her. Her lips parted, her tongue teasing his, and with a low groan, he gave in to her silent plea.

His arm wrapped tighter around her waist, holding her as if to never let go again. The kiss deepened, leaving her breathless, and at some point, she felt the rough bark of some tree against her back.

She never wanted this moment to end.

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AN: So, no identity realisation after all. O:) I hope you're not too disappointed.
Next chapter will have Adrien's POV again.

Also, there's a Lukadrinette fan server on Discord. If you like this triad and/or the three side ships, and are interested in joining, look up this story on AO3. There's an invite like attached to the notes. :)