My deepest apologies that these chapters aren't coming out like daily. I have tons of time, but then I get distracted with other stories or my YouTube/Tik Tok channel.

This chapter is going to be two parts. This is part one.

Thank you to Mesha4200 for your idea twist in this chapter :).

~҉҉~҉҉~҉҉{҉҉ ҉҉}҉҉~҉҉~҉҉~҉҉

With a soft smile on his face, Luka watched Marinette, or rather Ladybug mix a small black cauldron that contained a mysterious purple liquid with a wooden spoon. He always knew Marinette was amazing, but to learn she was Ladybug, he felt his heart flutter even more. He didn't see her any differently knowing who she was. His feelings never changed for her.

"Sure, it's amazing being Ladybug. I've got these powers, these awesome kwamis," she pointed at three of them who were floating just above her chaise. Her other handheld some notes of what something could possibly be, but almost impossible to interpret.

Two kwamis under one of Marinette's designer hats had flown past the three kwamis in delight.

"But can you imagine if I could prevent Shadowmoth from creating villains in the first place?" She had continued to stir, but moments later, she stepped back and held her arms out to look at her wall of the number of times the people of Paris had been victims to Shadowmoth. "Hah! It'd be ruined!" she placed the wooden spoon back into the cauldron and pointed at the board with victims. "Have you noticed that Shadowmoth seems to be re-akumatize people much more often these days?" Ladybug face contorted into a deep thought as she narrowed her eyes. She had one of her hands placed underneath her chin and the other arm right underneath. "Because he gets to know them and figures out how to manipulate them better."

Luka had walked up to her to stand by her side. He was listening to every word that came out of her mouth. How many times had he been akumatized? Silencer was one. Truth was another. Did the time the mayor's daughter lured all the heroes out count too? "You're right. I was akumatized as Silencer and Truth. I know it's not really a lot, but you'd think Shadowmoth wouldn't target the same person twice or more."

Ladybug took a break from stirring the cauldron and picked up the notes with both of her hands. "I'm sorry, Luka. I had to keep it a secret when you were akumatized as Truth."

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing, Marinette. Now that I know your secret, you know I'll always have your back." It was like the last sentence he had just said was hitting a brick wall. Of course, she wasn't listening. He followed her eyes and looked at the board himself. His eyes widened in shock when his eyes laid on Mr. Pigeon. "Woah," was all he could say. "I know Mr. Pigeon has been akumatized a lot, but seventy-one times?"

Her voice turned sympathetic, "He's just a harmless guy trying to take care of his pigeons. It's so not fair. I promised him I'd find a way to keep him safe from Shadowmoth, but I just can't figure it out." she let out a frustrated groan. "I don't understand a thing in this spellbook!"

This is what the blue-haired guitarist liked about Marinette. She was caring towards everyone no matter who they were... That exception being Lila or Chloe.

Wayzz was side by side to Ladybug as well. "Master Fu didn't really understand much of it either, but he was able to do it with proper time and rest."

"Hold that thought, Wayzz!" It seemed a lightbulb appeared above her head. She grabbed a pinch of something and put it into the cauldron. "I think this is it!"

KABOOM.

The explosion sent Ladybug and Luka back a few feet. Luka had landed on his butt while Ladybug just completely fell over. Though, she made a quick recovery and stood up with a disappointed look on her face.

"I was sure that spicy little rock would be pepper." she slowly walked back to the cauldron.

Sass and Trixx made their way towards Luka.

"Help us reason with her, please." Trixx seemed to beg.

"Yesss. It would appear that our Masster is growing tired. Work like this needsss a break."

Luka nodded firmly. He stepped closer to Ladybug who was still in a mess of everything. As he approached her, he gently set a comforting hand on her shoulder. "How long have you been doing this, Marinette?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "Maybe six or seven days." She turned to Luka and put her arms out. "Or maybe ten! Now that we're on spring break, I finally have the time to put my whole heart into it." Ladybug shook something and looked back down at the cauldron containing purple liquid.

From Ladybug, he looked at her corner with unfinished designs. "What happened to working on your designs?"

She picked up the notes for the spell once more and peered back at the guitarist, "I do loads of designing. Look!" she pointed at some strange contraption she had made connected to her trap door. "I designed a security system so that nobody can enter my room when I'm not in it and if I put on this hat," she placed a ridiculous hat with some noise devices strapped onto it and turned to Luka. "I can hear everything that's going on here when I'm out of the room!" she smiled.

Luka chuckled. "This is silly, Marinette." He took the hat off of her and held it with both of his hands. "I may not know what you're going through, but when I was trying to figure out your melody, I found myself unable to focus on anything else that was also important to me. Sometimes, just focusing on one thing can have blocks. When this happens, it's important to take a break."

"No way," Ladybug walked away from Luka and returned to the cauldron. She picked up the notes from the spellbook. "No breaks until I figure out how to keep Shadowmoth from re-akumatizing people!" she picked up a container that contained a blue substance and poured it into the cauldron.

KABOOM!

The spellbook notes flew everywhere and both teenagers were knocked back once more. The pink towel on her head became undone and landed on her head.

Luka gently pulled it off of her. "I understand how much this means to you, Marinette." he lowered his head slightly. He wasn't really good with words. He felt like he wasn't getting into her head. If he had his guitar or something, he could easily get her attention.

"Luka, Shadowmoth has been targeting the people I love," she went back to the cauldron with a frown. "I can't stop doing this. I won't stop."

Sass and Trixx looked at Luka with sad looks.

The blue-haired guitarist looked around the room. His eyes landed on the scattered pictures of Adrien. It was clear she still liked him if she still kept pictures of him. He wasn't one to judge someone. "Juleka had the girls over the other day and I overheard them say Adrien and Kagami broke up."

This seemed to get her attention as she turned around rather quickly. A glass broke because she dropped it. "What?! Are you serious?!"

Luka gave a small satisfied smile to the two kwamis beside him.

"I have to go and console Kagami!"

Kagami?! His mouth dropped slightly.

She threw off the robe. "Poor thing! She must be devastated!" Ladybug had placed her hands on her face and looked in sadness into the distance...

The guitarist was a little confused. Wouldn't Marinette be head over heels to find out that Adrien was single? "What about Adrien?"

"Adrien? I'm not going to go comfort, Adrien. There's no way I can without messing up and stuttering all the time. Which besides, Kagami doesn't have any friends other than Adrien and I. I have to console her." She had a sad smile on her face when she said that.

The melody in her heart was a sad one. It felt like her heart was breaking when she said what said. His question was why? Why wasn't she being truthful to her feelings? He may not be an empath and all, but he understood her to the very least. "You're an amazing girl as always. Go console Kagami as long as you're getting some fresh air." He stopped there as he didn't want to say something else rude. After all, he wasn't exactly good with words still. "While you're away, I'll try to figure this all out, alright?"

A wide smile crossed her face, "You would do that?"

He nodded his head, "You're not alone in this anymore, remember?"

Ladybug wrapped her arms around him as that smile still remained on her face. She gently placed a kiss on his cheek and thanked him. Then went off on her merry way.

"Wait-" he called out to her. "I don't think you'd want your secret to be revealed to your parents, do you?"

She looked down at herself and blushed in embarrassment. "Oh, right. Spots off!" she took another opportunity to go, but Luka called out to her once more. "What?" She looked down herself and giggled. "It's been a long day." the bluenette changed into her typical wear. Then took her pull-back bag, opened her trapdoor, ran down the stairs with the trapdoor closing behind her, and ran out with a smile. And a determined look in her eyes.

Marinette was stopped by her mother speaking to her. "Ah, sweetie! That science project of yours is finally done?"

"Yes! I-" she was interrupted by the sound of her stomach growling. "I mean no!" she made a full turn to her parents. Her hands slapped her thighs. "Luka is helping me since he's an upperclassman. He said I should take a break since I've done a lot of work today. Her hands moved up to her stomach as it let out another growl.

Both of her parents smiled. Her father held out a basket of freshly baked pastries for her. "Maybe you should take something with you to eat while you go take a break."

"Thanks, you guys! You're the best!" she kissed her father on the cheek and gave her mother a hug. Then she walked out with pastries in one arm and her other arm in the free zone.