Luka took his time walking home after Wishmaker's attack. His head was spinning.
Ladybug was Marinette and Chat Noir was Adrien. And they don't even know it.
Marinette loves Adrien. Everyone who knows them knows that she loves him. Chat Noir loves Ladybug. Everybody in Paris and beyond even knew as much. Or at the very least thought he was interested in her.
But does Ladybug love Chat Noir? Does Adrien love Marinette? Was it just one-sided for both of them on one side but not the other?
What a mess! It's like they're in some kind of weird love square or something. But really, did he ever have any chance with Marinette at all?
Luka stopped under the bridge Marinette and Luka had ended their relationship. He recalled wanting to know why she was always leaving their dates, always disappearing, and then not even being able to tell him the reason why. He just wanted to know the truth, but she wasn't able to tell him. He thought it was because of Adrien, but she insisted he wasn't the reason.
And he trusted that she was telling the truth.
He was right to do so, she wasn't lying. As much as Adrien did play a part, that wasn't why they ultimately ended. Marinette being Ladybug was why she had to be so secretive and MIA. And Luka couldn't handle that.
"Ahh!" Luka ran his hand through his hair, somewhat aggressively. He listened for the sound of the water and the sound of the breeze to try to clear his head.
Where should I go from here? He thought.
Marinette will always love Adrien, he knew that would never change. But the way Ladybug was around Chat Noir, and the way Chat Noir was behaving around Ladybug... it seemed different somehow than it used to be. As if there was a wall standing between them.
I'll figure out how I can help them, but maybe it'd be easier to help Marinette and Adrien's problem first.
Luka sat back against the wall under the bridge and looked up, watching the reflection of the water dancing below in the sunlight.
Marinette's hesitant to tell Adrien her feelings. Why? Is she afraid he'll reject her? Maybe it's about time I talk to Adrien to see how he views her. Determined, Luka got up and walked the rest of the way back home to the Liberty.
-x-
"Hey man," Luka greeted Adrien on the Liberty for band practice. "Mind if we talk after practice?"
Adrien smiled. "Yeah, sure. I think I can get some extra time after practice."
"Cool. Talk to you in a while then, I'm going to go help Juleka and Rose get things set up for Ivan."
"No problem. But before you go, who's coming to watch today?" Adrien asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
Luka set his case down on the deck. "The usual. Zoe, Mylene, Alya, Nino, and Marinette."
"Ah okay. Thanks," he replied, walking over to the piano to set up.
Luka watched him for a few moments.
It seemed so strange. Adrien's such a gentle, quiet, and calm guy. So seemingly put together and obedient. The poster child of a good boy. But Chat Noir, he was very outgoing, flirtatious, mischievous. The clown on the team that lightened the mood, who couldn't help but crack a joke or hold back flirting with Ladybug during such important moments. Very impatient, too.
Why was Adrien so different from Chat Noir?
Did his father and his "image" keep him from being himself? Was Chat Noir a way for him to express that side of him he could never be otherwise?
But lately Chat Noir hasn't been his usual self either. What's that about?
Luka's eyes kept drifting from Marinette to Adrien and then back to Marinette again. Sometimes Marinette would look at Luka and smile supportively, but then he'd find her looking at Adrien again with such an expression that she had never given him. So soft and sweet, so full of love and adoration. Did Adrien really not notice?
Because Adrien's eyes fell on her most of the time, too. At one point, Luka could've sworn they were talking to each other without speaking. Maybe it was their bond as superhero partners at play that they didn't understand.
Luka had become so lost in his thoughts about everything, trying to make sense of and understand everything that had happened in the last 24 hours, he hadn't fully realized the music stopped playing.
It wasn't until Marinette and Adrien were standing right in front of him that he snapped out of his thoughts.
"Oh! Hey Marinette, hey Adrien. What's up?"
Marinette tilted her head, slightly concerned. "That's what we should be asking you. Are you okay? You've been standing here for a couple of minutes now without moving. The others went to take a break."
He glanced at Adrien whose expression seemed more concerned than Marinette's.
"Yeah I'm fine, just a lot on my mind is all. Thanks for checking on me," he said as he set his guitar down. "I'm going to go get something to drink. I'll see you two in a bit."
Marinette and Adrien exchanged glances as Luka headed down the stairs.
"Is he okay?" Adrien asked.
Marinette shook her head. "I don't know, he seemed okay the day of the Careers Expo."
"Maybe he'll tell me later. He asked if he could speak with me after practice."
Marinette blinked. "He did?"
"Yeah. He didn't say what it was about though. Maybe it has to do with his dad?"
Marinette looked over at the stairs where they last saw Luka. What could be bothering him that he couldn't talk about with her? They just patched things up and said they're friends. Surely he'd come to her about whatever it is… right?
"Yeah...maybe," she muttered, her face having fallen.
Maybe this was a problem he'd feel more comfortable talking about with a guy. That's what she told herself anyway as her mood picked back up.
"How about you, are you feeling better?" she asked, touching his shoulder with concern.
"I am! Luka was right, I might not know what I've always wanted to do, but I just need to focus on the future and figure it out. After all, I'm not the only one who doesn't know what to do yet. You're still not sure what you want to do yet either, right?"
She scratched the back of her head and laughed uncomfortably. "Yes and no. There are so many things I want to do that I want to find a way to do all of them."
Adrien's eyes grew wide. "Wow Marinette, that sounds very ambitious."
She laughed. "Yeah I know, but I want to try at least. Don't worry, I know you're going to find exactly what it is you want to do."
The confidence in her voice made Adrien believe it, too. His eyes brightened and his smile widened. "Thank you, Marinette."
