*Author's Note*

Disclaimer: I wanted to anchor Marinette's magic in Wiccan as opposed to "Hollywood witchcraft", but I'm Christian. I tried to do my research, but I also know I'm taking a lot of creative liberties. If you notice any glaring misrepresentation of Wiccan, please let me know.

Chapter 6

All Luka could sense was the warmth of Marinette's skin against his, her soft breath against the back of his neck, and the chords playing in his head. He pictured her leaning in to kiss his cheek, and felt his face burn with a blush.

Marinette hovered, frozen in place by the simple action of Luka placing his hand over hers; holding it against his collarbone. The fingers on her other hand briefly brushed against the back of his neck - sending tingles down Luka's spine – as she tightened her grip on the twine. Her breath slowed until Luka could barely feel it anymore.

The moment was lost when Tikki again chirped at her owner. Marinette slid her hand out from under Luka's, and instead rested hers on top, silently instructing him to hold the snake charm in place. She then gently tugged again at the string, making sure it was taught but not too snug before tying it in place.

"Does- does this work for you? It's not too tight, is it?"

"It's perfect, Marinette. Thank you." He turned to her, and caught her again playing with one of her earrings.

"Don't thank me yet. We still need to figure out if it works." She returned to the Northern candle, said a small prayer, and then blew it out. She did the same for the other three candles. She then packed them and the crystals away. Nervously fidgeting with her fingernails, Marinette held out a hand for Luka. "Ready to try out the binding charm?"

He took her hand, and let her pull him out of his chair. "As ready as I can be, I guess. What do you want me to do?"

She led him back out into the store proper, then to a small door along the back wall. Opening it, she pulled Luka into a small foyer with a large, elegant stairwell: the store entrance to the Dupain-Cheng apartment they had attached to the back of their shop.

"Okay." Marinette still had Luka's hand in hers as she faced him, but she didn't seem to remember that. "Can you sing or hum something for me? Anything. Any emotion- oh! But, please, don't make me scared. I hate being scared."

He knew instantly what song he wanted to hum for her, but he had to be certain the charm worked first. He didn't want his power to somehow influence Marinette, and taint her song. Luka then thought of the gray sky and how melancholy he was only an hour before, and debated humming as he did on The Liberty. He couldn't chance the charm not working, and him depressing Marinette, though. She only deserved happiness. So he tried to make her laugh.

He started humming a playful tune, some notes low, others forced him to hum in falsetto. He concentrated on not moving as he hummed, hoping to look as serious as possible in order to try to take out as many extra influencing components as possible.

Marinette laughed. She snorted back her chuckle, but still leaned against him to hold herself upright.

The charm hadn't worked.

"I'm-I'm sorry." Marinette massaged her mouth to try to get back to a straight face. "Your voice was lovely, it really was. It's just- you looked so goofy! You were just so serious when you hit those high notes, and-" She laughed again.

"That's not it. It's my power. I don't think-"

"No!" She stomped a foot and dropped Luka's hand so she could use both to push him towards the stairs. "No, you just threw me is all. The charm works. It's got to! Here. Go up a few stairs so I can't see you, then try again, okay?"

Luka climbed up six steps, and Marinette leaned with her back against the banister. She took a few deep breaths to try to calm her giggles, then waved for him to try again. He started humming the same song, and she instantly snorted back another chuckle.

"No, not that one! I can only picture you looking silly. This doesn't count. Try again. Try again."

He thought a moment, and then hummed a new song. It was nostalgic, with tones of 1950s jukebox crooning. He pictured Marinette in a pink poodle skirt with large white dots and her hair in a wavy high ponytail; his own blue and teal hair slicked back and off his forehead. His white t-shirt tucked into tight pants and his leather jacket draped around Marinette's shoulders.

She didn't react. She didn't move. She simply hummed satisfaction before clapping.

"Perfect! Didn't feel anything!" She spun around, bouncing in place as she reached up to rest her hands on top of Luka's along the banister. "I mean, your voice is good, but I didn't feel anything special- anything extra I mean. I think this worked, I really do! Oh! We need to test it out with an instrument. Give me a minute." She shifted away from the stairs, and caught the charm shop out of the corner of her eye. "Oops, could you also watch the front of the store for me? If anyone comes in could you please let them know we'll be right with them?"

Luka nodded, and Marinette tucked Tikki into a pocket inside her jacket so the poor frog wouldn't have to cling onto Marinette's shoulder. She then sprinted to the foot of the stairs and bolted up to the top floor, pausing only briefly as she passed Luka so she could place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. A few minutes later she came back down, taking the steps two at a time. Lumbering behind her was her father, a gentle giant of a man.

"Okay," she grabbed Luka's hand and tugged him towards the blue double doors that made up the household's front doors; separate from the store. "Papa said he'll cover the rest of my shift. Come on!"

"Where are we going?"

"Trying out the charm with instruments involved, silly." The two teens jogged a few blocks down the road to a music shop. Stopping for a couple of seconds at the entrance to catch their bearings, Marinette spotted the guitars and pulled him towards them. Picking up the first acoustic she came across, she passed it over to Luka.

He stared around the store. There weren't too many patrons, but there was still a salesman with a mother-son duo looking at a drum kit. Luka's grip tightened around the neck of the guitar, but then he looked over at Marinette. She was smiling so sweetly, itching to hear him play. She mouthed 'it's okay' to him, then tapped her own throat roughly where his new choker lay.

Taking a slow inhale, he just as slowly released it, then strummed the guitar. He hoped the charm truly worked, otherwise he would really need to apologize to the mother and salesman. Playing eight quick notes to set up the melody, he rapidly plucked the strings in a very perky, Mariachi-paced beat. His fingers flew faster and faster, imagining a frantic dance, a massive fiesta, chaos in party form. He had told Marinette that he didn't purposefully project emotions onto people, but this time he wanted to push his hereditary magic as hard as he could, to make sure the charm truly did work.

The ten-year-old boy sat behind a set of drums, just banging aimlessly on them with sticks; completely off beat from Luka. So Luka stepped closer to the drums, his fingers starting to sting as he raced them up and down the neck of the guitar. The mother turned, as did the salesman. The boy tried to play faster to try to match Luka. The guitar's notes hurricaned off the instrument. Faster. Wilder. Luka pictured how his mom might have played in her youth, and let the chaos of her music bleed through him.

Eventually the boy stopped trying to play with Luka, a pout on his face when he realized he couldn't keep up. The mother gawked, and the salesmen quirked an eyebrow; intrigued. Luka finished his song, and Marinette wildly applauded with a few hoots and whistles. The salesman and the mother joined in, with more controlled claps.

"You've got quite the talent, son," the salesman said. "Interested in that guitar?"

Luka simply looked down at the instrument in his hand. He did it. He played a guitar with as much maniac energy as he could muster, and everyone stayed calm as they listened. With tears tracing down his cheeks, Luka wrapped Marinette into a tight hug.

"It works! It really works!" He sobbed as he laughed, unsure what to do with his emotions now that he was free.

She laughed and hugged him back. "I'm so glad. You are an amazing musician, Luka. I can't wait to hear what other music you create."

Luka scooped her up by her waist, holding her high over his head as he swung her around in a tight circle. "You are so amazing, Marinette. I don't know what I would have done without your help. I have no clue how to thank you. Oh, wait." He put her down and rummaged through his pocket, pulling his few Euros out. "I forgot to pay."

"Uh, speaking of paying?" the salesmen ventured.

Marinette flashed red in embarrassment as she took the guitar from Luka and put it back on the display. "Sorry. No. We're good. Sorry again for interrupting." She then grabbed Luka's wrist and pulled him back out of the store.

"Marinette, here." Luka held out his money once more, but Marinette only plucked a two-Euro coin out of his pile. Luka gawked at her, then down at his still mostly-full hand, and then back at her. "Two Euro? That's it? For everything? No. I have to properly pay you. How much is the session and choker really?" He flipped through the bills and counted the coins he had. A little over twenty-six Euros left; that had to be at least a good chunk.

"Consider it a friend's discount. That, and maybe the price of admission to hear you play." She winked and gave a little giggle that made Luka's heart soar.

"I truly appreciate that, Marinette, but that's still not nearly enough." He then perked up as a plan came to mind, "But I think I can make up the difference. Come on." He took her hand and started running back to the Seine.

"Where are we going?"

"It's my turn to take the lead. Follow me, okay?"

"Of course." Marinette rotated her hand so she had a better grip within his, and squeezed tight.

~ Thank you for reading. Comments are always welcome. ~

*Closing Notes*

Luka can FINALLY start acting more like himself now that Marinette gifted him his music.

Also, I 100% pictured Luka playing "Gerudo Valley" from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time when I wrote him in the music store.

Hope you're enjoying this story. Happy Valentine's Day!