Author's Note: This story was part of a Lukanette gift exchange for LycoRogue.
It was a beautiful spring day in Paris… one of those days that made you remember why it was called the city of love. Blossoms were everywhere, and the sky overhead was a pure, clear blue. Marinette lay in the park with her head in Luka's lap. They'd become close friends since the day she broke down on him… the day she'd become the guardian. He had made his interest in her on a romantic level known, but never pressed it; Marinette had been so overwhelmed with life and her side job of saving Paris, that by the time she realized she was in love with Luka, she was fairly certain that he was no longer in love with her.
They had remained friends and become closer, sharing inside jokes and lacking any need for personal space. It was about 2 months after Marinette became the guardian that the pair were sitting up in Marinette's room, Luka was working on a new song, and Marinette was working on her homework, when an alarm went off on her phone.
"Oh no! It's an akuma!" Marinette looked around nervously. "I, uh, I need to go check on my parents!"
Luka smiled calmly at her. "You don't need to worry, Marinette. Go save us. I'll be here if you need help. Or I can leave if you'd prefer."
She gaped at him for a few seconds, before closing her eyes, and taking a deep breath, trying to practice some of the meditation tricks he'd taught her, at her request. Once she was calm enough not to scream, flail or hyperventilate, she opened her eyes and squeaked, "What?!".
"I'm sorry. I know you want to keep your identity a secret, and usually I try to find some excuse to leave you alone, but please don't feel you need to pretend with me. I've known you were Ladybug for a long time now. So, please. Go save Paris."
Giving him a long, considering look, she walked over to her basket of yarn, tugging on the ends of three of the balls. Suddenly, the balls all started rolling to the side as a platform spun it's way to the top of the basket, displaying a large red and black spotted egg on the top. Her touch seemed to open it, and several compartments slid out. She reached into one, and pulled out a very familiar silver bracelet. Closing the egg and putting it back in her yarn basket, she held the bracelet out to him.
"Luka Couffaine, this is the Miraculous of the Snake. You will use it for the greater good. I need to talk to Chat Noir, but I think that if you have discovered my identity, it might be better for you to keep it. At least for now. And when we are done, you and I need to talk. Can I trust you with this?"
"Of course, Marinette."
Marinette looked down at herself. "Oh no! Tikki! Spots on!"
"Sass, scales slither!"
The two of them leaped up to her bed and out through her skylight to fight the akuma.
After the relatively swift fight, Ladybug pulled Chat aside and explained to him that Viperion might be joining them full time for a while. She would explain it to him later, but she needed to talk with Viperion, Tikki and Sass, and then would talk with him afterwards. Chat expressed his approval for the snake hero, and told her that he would be awaiting her call, before bowing to kiss her hand and leaping away.
Ladybug took a circuitous route to the Dupain-Cheng residence, eventually landing on her balcony with a quiet thump, and slipping down inside. Luka was sitting there, chatting with Sass, fingers playing a song that spoke of nervous energy, with just a tinge of regret. Dropping her transformation, Marinette smiled at him, but addressed her first comment towards Sass.
"Eggs, right? You like eggs?"
"I'll consssssssume pretty much anything, but yessss, eggsss are my favorite. Raw isss fine."
Coming back with a couple of eggs and a plate of sweeter treats for the rest of them she settled herself in her desk chair, facing Luka as he sat on the chaise, idly playing the guitar, more to keep his hands from shaking than anything else.
They sat that way for a few minutes, lost in their own thoughts, their normal comfort with the other momentarily shattered. "H-how long have you known?" Marinette's voice was a whisper, the fear and sadness that laced it weighing down her words.
"I've suspected for a long time. Your song just resonates with me, but I've always felt like I was missing something. When you first gave me the bracelet, I heard Ladybug's song clearly for the first time. It was so similar to yours, but again, I only suspected. When you started making excuses every time an akuma would appear, I tried something I hadn't done before. I combined your song with Ladybug's, and I found that missing piece of your song." His fingers started playing the new song automatically. "I was afraid to play it for you, because I was worried that you would realize."
Marinette closed her eyes and listened as the notes swelled and faded. As the song ended, she stood and walked over to sit on the chaise next to Luka. "Thank you." She sighed, consciously exhaling all the fear and worry. "If anyone were to find out accidentally, I'm glad it's you. There is nobody I trust more outside of my suit. I do need to talk with Chat Noir about this. I trust him with my life, and well…" Marinette broke off, shrugging. "It's complicated. He's my partner, my best friend. Someone that I trust without question. The only other one who comes close to understanding this crazy life we live… but I have no idea about who he is or what his life is like once the masks come off."
Looking over to where Tikki and Sass were coiled around the food plate, she smiled at how comfortable they were together. "What do you think, Tikki? I still think sharing identities is dangerous, and I want Sass to stay with Luka long term so that he has the ability to keep himself and his family safe."
Tikki nodded. "That sounds like a very sensible choice, Marinette. I would talk to Chat before you bring Viperion anywhere else." Marinette nodded her agreement.
The next week produced the perfect spring day. Marinette and Luka were sitting in the park by her house, soaking up the sunshine. They were idly asking questions, some more personal than others, although they were way past the point of being embarrassed around each other. Looking up at him from her position with her head in his lap, she pulled a face. "Ugh. That's a terrible question. It's complicated? I mean, I guess Chat? I mean. Technically I kissed him to save him from Dark Cupid, you know, the anti-valentine akuma we had last year? And then again when our memories got erased… but I have no idea why, or even remember it. And OF COURSE someone took pictures of both of them. But then again, I don't think I've actually kissed anyone because I wanted to." Her face was getting pinker as she rambled, but then she threw it back in his face. "What about you? What was your first kiss like?"
Luka smiled down at her. "Much less complicated. I've never kissed anyone." He shrugged. "I've never really felt that I needed to. I've gone out with a couple of people, but nothing that lasted past a date or two, and I didn't want to pressure them into a kiss that neither of us were really ready for. So, no embarrassing stories to share." He grinned down at her as she covered her face with her hands.
"I guess I could just consider those Ladybug's first kiss, and that Marinette is still waiting for hers. Or does that sound more pathetic, because nobody has wanted to kiss me?" She sighed, and looked to her right at the pink blossoms that looked gorgeous on the trees.
She missed the blush that snuck across Luka's face, settling for turning his ears pink as he studied her face, suggesting as calmly as he could, "Or I could just kiss you."
Marinette's blush was much less subtle as she shot him a sassy smile. "I don't need your pity kisses." Inside though, her heart ached to kiss the young man who so easily smiled down at her.
Although he was fairly certain of what her answer was going to be, it still stung when she gently played it off as a joke. He didn't show her any of his inner turmoil, and packed his heart away a little more carefully.
Marinette's birthday was rapidly approaching, and Luka kept asking her little questions about things that she would like to do, colors of thread that she needed, gathering as much information as he could to get her a gift that truly fit her.
She caught on one day, asking why he needed so many details about a certain fabric she was saving for, and he just grinned at her in response. "Luka, don't you dare get me that fabric. It's expensive, and it is just something for me, anyway, it's not that important. What about you? Your birthday is next month. What do you want?" The smile that he gave her was enigmatic, making no promises.
"I don't need anything, Marinette. You know that. Just spending some time in the sun listening to music, or just hanging out with you." He closed his eyes, laying back in the chair on her balcony as she perched on the box near his feet. "Or, you could just kiss me."
With his eyes closed, he didn't see her flinch, but she schooled her features quickly, regardless, laughing to cover the sound of her heart breaking. Too busy blinking back her tears, she didn't see the look of pain that flashed across his face, to be quickly hidden away.
He did get her the fabric he threatened, and she, in turn, embroidered a new guitar strap for him, with his name embroidered in a beautiful floral pattern, surrounded by musical notes, and a little teal snake, hiding in the 'A' if you knew just where to look.
The line eventually became a joke between the two of them, offered up whenever they were trying to think of something to do, an inside joke that Luka used to tell Marinette that he loved her, without her knowing the true meaning behind the words.
About a month before Luka graduated from Lycee, the teens fought in the battle of their lives. Hawkmoth was taken down, and all of the heroes were to return their Miraculous to Ladybug. They were given the option to reveal themselves to their teammates, and they all did, with the exception of Ladybug and Chat Noir.
The pair had met privately afterwards, revealing their identities to each other, and something had happened, Luka was never sure what, but Marinette had been hollow eyed after that meeting for weeks. All she would say was that she was letting Chat keep his Miraculous, and none of the rest of it was her story to tell.
Ladybug and Chat continued to patrol the city, although they weren't seen out as often, they could be seen on random nights, out running the rooftops of the city.
When Luka's first single was picked up by a recording label, the first person he called was Marinette. When she saw him coming through the park from her balcony, she raced downstairs to meet him, crashing into him just beyond the park entrance, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. He just held on to her, burying his face in her hair, grounding himself, while letting the sheer surrealness of the day overtake him.
When he was calm enough to register the fact that Marinette was talking, had been rambling this whole time, he took some deep breaths, and tried to hear what she was saying. Compliments. She was babbling about how talented he was and how excited she was for him, and how proud she was, and the color just rose, unbidden, in his face.
"We should celebrate! Have you told Juleka and the Captain? Were they thrilled? I bet they're so proud of you! We could throw you a party! Would you like a party? Or I could cook you dinner!"
"Or you could just kiss me."
The words hit her in a way they hadn't in years. She'd almost kissed him, when she'd thrown herself into his arms, although she didn't think he'd noticed. Feeling brave, and a little celebratory, she smiled in a way she hoped looked mischievous, and kissed Luka's cheek. She pulled away when he stiffened, her eyes dropping to the ground.
Marinette had kissed him. Luka stiffened in shock, and she was already backing away before he could even react, which was probably a good thing because he had the overwhelming urge to grab her and kiss her senseless. He sighed, inwardly, closing his eyes once more against the waves of emotion that surged through him, before opening them once again, smiling down at the girl standing before him, and walking with her, back to his family's boat.
The single was, of course, a hit, and Luka was invited to go on tour, opening for Jagged Stone. He was scheduled to leave the summer after his sister and Marinette graduated Lycee. Juleka, who had played bass on his recently released album, was invited to come along, and she jumped at the opportunity, while Marinette was gearing up to start her first semester at ESMOD. Marinette was at the airport to see them off, being close to both Couffaine siblings.
They talked about inconsequential things as they waited for their flight to begin boarding, trying to keep the nerves to a minimum. Juleka moved off to talk over a few last minute details with their mother and Penny, leaving Marinette and Luka alone. They promised to stay in touch, to send photos and call whenever possible. Marinette grinned up at him. "I'll leave you a message, while you're up in the air, so you'll have something of France when you land in New York."
Luka looked down at her, those blue eyes shining up at him, his heart hammering in his chest, begging him not to leave her behind. Instead, he offered her a half smile, and in a voice thick with emotion countered, "Or you could just kiss me."
Her eyes widening, and her face slightly flushed, Marinette grabbed the lapels of the jacket he'd been asked to wear for the flight, pulling him towards her, as she surged up on her toes and kissed him, briefly but passionately, pouring every ounce of love she could into the five seconds their lips were in contact.
Getting no reaction from Luka, she stepped away, and disappeared into the crowd. He was already hidden from view the only time Marinette paused to look back over her shoulder.
She was gone. Luka was almost panicking. She'd kissed him, and his brain had shut down, and when he went to grab hold of her, whether to kiss her again, confess his undying love, or just to beg her to come with him, she was gone. He saw the hem of her skirt disappearing into the crowd, but then Juleka had his arm and was steering him towards the plane, as they'd just been called to board.
When he arrived in New York, heartsick and exhausted, it was to a message from Marinette that hoped he had a nice trip, some general pleasantries and a few jokes, but no mention was made of the kiss.
Luka dreamed of that kiss every night… the feel of her lips against his, her hands on his chest. In his dreams he held her close, kissed her back, told her he loved her, but she always disappeared, and he always woke up alone.
For her part, Marinette felt embarrassment and shame when she thought of that kiss. Of the way she'd thrown herself at him, and his obvious disinterest. She hated that his last memory of her, as they parted, was something that made him uncomfortable, and resolved to never mention it again.
They tried to talk every day, but Marinette's schoolwork, Luka's shows and the difference in time zones got in the way. Daily turned into every other day. By Christmas, they were only talking once a week, although they did text more often, sending each other a "good luck" for shows and exams, and anything else important. The Couffaines were an instant success, and the world clamored to know more about them.
Marinette started saving all the articles and pictures about them, thrilled for her friends success, but as time and distance often do, the pair drifted apart. While they didn't talk as much as they used to, checking in on social media, but rarely hearing the other's voice, they both secretly measured every person they met against the other.
The first time Luka's name was linked with another woman, Marinette cried herself to sleep, but sent Luka a brief, but cheerful missive in the morning. The truth was that the woman had been a friend, someone who, in fact, had a massive crush on Juleka, who needed someone to accompany her to a movie premier, and the movie was one that Luka had been dying to see, so he accepted.
The truth was that neither of them dated much, each throwing themselves into their work to try to forget the other. Soon it became habit, something that was expected of them, to work themselves to exhaustion, to stop themselves from thinking.
A year on tour became two, which rolled into three, and soon the Couffaines could barely remember sleeping in the same bed for more than a few days at a time. The downtime they had between tours was spent in the studio, or Luka would disappear for a few days and come back with a bunch of new songs. Finally, almost four years after they left, they landed back in Paris, intending to stay for at least a year. Juleka had put her foot down… they both needed a break.
They played a few concerts, and reconnected with many of their old friends. Tentatively, Luka had reached out to Marinette, but she didn't get back to him for a few days. He didn't realize that she was gearing up for her final fashion show at ESMOD, which could basically make or break her career. She was sleeping about 3 hours a day, and hadn't even looked at her personal phone in over 72 hours. Unless it was about the show, she didn't have time for it.
She called everyone back as soon as the show was over, a huge success. The first call she made was to Luka, not that she mentioned that to him. They made plans to meet up in a few days time, but a meeting that ran late on his part postponed it. The next meet up they planned was bumped, because a fashion house wanted to interview her at that time.
Their attempts to meet were repeatedly foiled over the course of a month, until Luka invited her to his next concert. She accepted, and actually made it, watching from the third row, singing along, her eyes never leaving his face.
The concert was over, the fans had left, and following his habit, Luka slipped out the back door to get some fresh air. Luka took several steps from the door, eyes closed, breathing deep, before he heard a noise that had his eyes flashing open. Some of his more devoted fans caught on to his need for fresh air, unfortunately for him, and were waiting outside the door. They approached him, friendly enough, asking for autographs, and he complied, smiling, although the smile itself was strained.
He turned to head back inside, debating between the roof, and just heading back to the apartment he was sharing with Juleka for now. That had a balcony, and if he could hold on, he could get fresh air then. As he was realizing that the door was locked behind him, he felt the hand stroking his backside.
Turning to face the handful of women that had gathered around him, now each reaching out to touch him in some way, smile no longer anywhere to be seen, he asked them very firmly to stop. Luka started to feel a little afraid when they just giggled, but then he heard a sound he hadn't heard in years. The zip of a yo-yo cut through the women's intoxicated giggling, and they turned to see Ladybug landing a few feet behind them. "I believe Mr. Couffaine told you no. That means you need to back off."
Doing as they were asked when confronted by Ladybug, they all stepped back, giving Luka some breathing room. Two of them remembered they had their phones out to take pictures of Luka, and trained them on Ladybug instead. She approached the group warily, her eyes not leaving the musician's face. "You're not hurt are you?"
Shaking his head, Luka tried to find his voice, shrugging away some of the discomfort. "A little unsettled. Comes with the territory. I should have checked the door, though."
Her voice turned icy. "You should never have to get used to something like that. People should treat everyone as a human being. No matter who they are." Her mouth quirked up on one side, although the smile didn't reach her eyes. "Need a lift?" She tilted her head back towards the building.
"Thanks. What do I owe you for the service?"
This time the smile did reach her eyes. "You could always sing for me."
Luka threw back his head, barking out a laugh. "Or I could just kiss you."
He didn't expect the blush that exploded across Ladybug's face, turning it the same color as her mask. She stared at him for a few moments before gripping him around the waist with one arm and throwing her yo-yo, zipping up to the roof of the building. To his surprise, Ladybug didn't stop there, nor did she loosen her grip on him, instead carrying him back to his apartment.
Once he realized they were going further than just the roof, Luka wrapped himself around Ladybug to the best of his ability, given their size difference, and held on tight. It was exhilarating and terrifying, all at once, and under different circumstances, he would have very much enjoyed being wrapped around the woman under the mask, but the fact that they hadn't seen each other in four years, and the fact that she hadn't said a word since he'd offered to kiss her didn't bode well for him.
They landed on his balcony, and he led them inside, thanking Ladybug's good luck that he'd left it open that morning. Once they were inside, he locked the doors and closed the blinds, more in an attempt to avoid looking at her than out of any real need. Eventually he turned to face her, having run out of things to do. She stood there looking at him, her blue eyes glowing in the semi darkness of his apartment. ""Thank you. You got me out of an awkward situation, and I appreciate it."
Ladybug continued to watch Luka as he walked across the room to turn on a table lamp. The blue shade diffused cool light around the room without making it too bright. Luka turned to really look at Ladybug for the first time in four years. At seventeen she had been beautiful, her kind heart just accentuating her physical beauty, but at 21, she took his breath away. Her mask hid the sprinkling of freckles that he knew Marinette had across her nose and cheeks, and while her hair was longer, it was still pulled back into Ladybug's signature twin tails, and her suit hadn't changed discernibly.
He was hit with a wave of longing for her, one that he hadn't felt since the first few months on tour. Despite the distance, despite the time that had passed, despite everything that had occured in the years they'd been apart, since she'd kissed him, and then all but disappeared from his life, seeing her standing there before him, Luka realized that he was still hopelessly in love with Marinette. He cleared his throat, not completely trusting his voice. "So… can I?"
Ladybug's brow wrinkled in confusion. Luka was speaking to her. She needed to pay attention to his words, and not to the way that his shirt was taut around his biceps, or the muscular legs that filled out his skinny jeans. And she definitely needed to stop thinking about the back muscles she'd felt rippling under her hand as she had snatched him from those women who had dared to touch him. Not that she couldn't understand the temptation, she was very much tempted herself, but this was Luka, and he didn't want her touching him like that, and oh God, those perfect lips had just asked her a question and she had no idea what he was asking.
"Marinette. Can I kiss you?" Please? She hadn't moved. She hadn't even blinked, and he was a little nervous until she muttered something under her breath, and a pink light engulfed her. Without the suit, she was even more heart-stopping. Her hair was loose and hung halfway down her back, much longer than it was in the suit. She wore a flowy, knee length skirt in a blue floral pattern and strappy teal shirt. She was barefoot as she stepped towards him, shoes abandoned at the concert venue, not saying a word, but nodded, blushing, tipping her head back to look up at him, before slipping her arms around his neck, gently tugging his mouth down towards hers, hesitating just before their lips touched.
"Are you sure?" She asked him nervously. He just closed the distance between them in answer.
Fireworks went off inside his skull, and Luka forgot anything else, but the woman in his arms. The one he'd wanted to kiss for the past seven years. The one he was in love with from the moment he'd heard her heart. He reached up to cup her cheek, trying to keep the kiss gentle, trying to keep the want of her at bay, but then she ran her hand down his back, nails lightly scraping, fingers clutching at him, and he was lost.
He grasped her thighs, lifting her into his arms, his lips not leaving hers, and he took one, two, three steps back into the couch, tearing his mouth away as they dropped down heavily, only for her to dive back in, fingers carding through his hair, straddling his lap. His hands were clutching convulsively at her hips, and the soft little mewling noises she was making were driving him crazy. He knew he was moaning as well, but was too lost in her to care.
He'd just started trailing kisses up the column of her throat when he heard the sound of the key in the lock, and he swore softly. Marinette froze, stiffening in his arms, as the voice floated down the hallway towards them.
"Jeez, Luka. Did you really proposition Ladybug? I mean, I knew you were ballsy, but seriously. There's a video out there of you offering to kiss her. And the footage of her carrying you away? I didn't realize she was so tiny! She's always seemed so much larger than life, you know?" They heard her drop her keys in the dish by the door, and the coat closet open and close.
Marinette let out an embarrassed little whine and hid her face in Luka's neck, but made no move away from him. "I didn't think she was coming home tonight." He breathed into her ear. "She usually stays out."
The voice was getting closer as they heard footsteps down the hall, pausing as shoes were removed. "What do you even say to someone like that? 'Thanks for saving Paris so many times'? I don't think I'd ask her to kiss me, though. I mean, everybody wants to. That's a given. She's seriously hot. But most people wouldn't ask her…" Juleka trailed off as she entered the living room, taking in the petite, dark haired girl sitting in her brother's lap, face hidden in his neck. She eyed his disheveled hair and kiss-bruised lips, and gasped as she drew her conclusion. "Oh, my… you're sleeping with Ladybug."
The girl on Luka's lap once again whined in embarrassment, and Luka muttered under his breath, "Not now that you're home" which earned him a thump on the chest. Juleka had obviously been replaying everything that she'd said since she walked through the door, because her blush rivalled Marinette's as she started mumbling an apology, but stopped halfway through with a shocked look at her brother.
"Wait a moment. Ladybug's in regular clothes. You know who she is! Seriously? Since when?"
Luka gently touched Marinette's back, but she nodded without raising her head. "Years."
Juleka nodded. "But you were hung up for so long on…" Marinette took a deep breath, then raised her head to turn and look at Juleka. "...Marinette!" Her name was spoken on a soft exhale. Sighing, Marinette slid from Luka's lap, sitting next to him on the couch.
"Hi, Juleka."
The three of them sat talking for nearly an hour, catching up and reminding Juleka of the need to keep Ladybug's identity secret. She agreed wholeheartedly, eventually stretching, and, with a jaw-cracking yawn, excused herself to go to sleep, with an admonishment to the two to keep the noise down.
Blushing, Marinette turned to Luka, asking him if he wanted her to leave. He shook his head, asking if she would like to watch a movie. Looking up at him, she smiled, and whispered, "Or you could just kiss me."
So he did.