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I emphasize that it gets sad here people! If you love Luka, and it makes your heart break to think anything could happen to this blue haired guitar playing sweetheart, you’ve finished the story ‘To-Cry’, close that tab, this story will only bring you angst so go read something fluffy and forget about this forbidden and technically non canon one-shot (it’s non canon to the story To Cry, because I want those blueberries to be happy, but this is how Adrienette could happen afterwards)!
For a fluffy alternative, please try
FaceTime Mishap If you haven't read it already, it's also an Adrienette with an funny Identity reveal
Now on to the story!
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While it was true that Paris was safe and everyone was happy, and life went on… life wasn’t always predictable. Sometimes bad things happened to good people, and sometimes life was unfair and just tore you apart.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng Couffaine understood that better than anyone else as her good luck had finally run out and she had been forced to bury her husband before she was ready, as if she ever would be. Luka was the perfect husband, father and life partner.
She had known that Luka had been hiding something from her for months.
Marinette also knew that he would tell her what it was when he was ready as he spent time with her and the children. Although she had begun to worry a little about it when she realized that whatever it was, it had caused him to call his last tour short and that he had decided that he wanted to practically retire after ‘missing his family’ too much. He only worked a couple of hours a day for his last few months, more for the fun of it and to write a few songs for his children to appreciate once he was no longer there to play them for them, not that she knew that at the time.
Marinette knew that he had been having asthma attacks and breathing issues, but with rest and medication, he was still the same Luka and the same father to their children that they had always known for the most part these last few months. Katlyn, Harmony and Lyra couldn’t ask for a better father and all of the girls knew how to play their father’s heartstrings for their benefit. He was a kind and loving father.
Marinette expected him to be ecstatic when she told him about the baby.
Unlike when he found out about her first three pregnancies though, Luka was calm and almost radiated sadness when she told him that she was expecting their fourth baby five weeks ago.
It took Luka another week to finally fess up about why he had reacted that way, he had cancer. Incurable, small-cell lung cancer that was so advanced, it had already spread to his other systems. His prognosis was bad to say the least and he had been given four months.
He had already made it to five months when he finally told her.
Luka apologized to her for hiding his diagnosis from her as he held her once again as she cried herself to sleep.
Luka explained the next day that he didn’t want them to see him ill and struggling to breathe fighting the inevitable. It was terminal after all, but he wanted to go on his own terms. Luka wanted her and their children to remember him as he was, strong, healthy, happy and alive, not as an invalid or as a source of worry and a burden. With the pain medication, he had managed to hide it for the most part after all. All he wanted was for Marinette and their children to enjoy their lives and what he naturally had left with them.
Which was why he had kept it secret.
A month after he told her about the cancer, after many teary nights and cuddles, Luka passed away calmly while he was taking a nap at his studio after finishing what would be his final album. They had already made it a habit to say their goodbyes every morning and night, so while Marinette was sad, she hadn’t broken down from the loss. She had three children to raise and a baby on the way.
A baby that would arrive in five months she realized as her tears silently fell as they lowered his casket at the funeral in to his grave. They had discussed what was happening with their children before it happened, and they were as prepared as children could be, which meant they had only been warned, but they cried alongside their mother on that rainy day, surrounded by their family and friends.
…
Which was partially why Alya came to see Marinette a week after the funeral, after the children had gone to bed, so that they could have a serious talk.
“Gurl, I hate to be the one to do this, but I’m here to remind you that Luka wanted you to be happy, you need to get yourself out there and start dating again.” Alya instructed her friend immediately after they had sat down.
Marinette scowled at her friend with tears in her eyes, “I just buried my husband last week and you’re telling me to go replace him with someone else?!”
Alya waved her hands, asking for her forgiveness, “look, that’s not what I’m saying. This, this conversation was not my idea.” Then she sighed and pulled out her phone and then found a video, a video that Luka had sent to her.
“It was, well, inspired, shall we say. Look, Luka sent me this video over two months ago. He had talked to Max to find a way to lock me out of it until two months had passed. I just got it three days ago, but I figured that you needed at least a week before you should hear it. I’ll, I’ll just let you see it. I think it would be better if you understood where I’m coming from.”
Marinette nodded as Alya pressed play. It was a video of Luka playing her song on his guitar.
She gazed on her husband fondly, it was nice to see him still close to being healthy, as if he was still there. His music let him still be there for her, and she let it calm her as it always did.
Once it was over, Luka looked up at the camera and said, “Alya. I’m hoping that you get this after I’m gone, because I know you won’t be able to keep it from Marinette, not that I want you to, it’s just, uh, I love her so much that I’m going to do something here that is difficult, I’ve had the time to think about this and I think it’d the best way to deal with my one regret. Not being there for her or our children. I don’t want her to be alone. If I timed this right, and if I lived as long as I hope I will, then you’ll get this message right on time and you can let her know that I know that she’s hurting and sad, but I want her to carry on.”
He looked off to the side dreamily as he strummed a gentle tune on his guitar, “Marinette deserves the world, but I now know that I’m not able to give it to her myself. I want you to tell her Alya, tell her that not only does she have my permission to be happy with someone else, I expect her to find someone or at the very least to enjoy her life. Her light and kindness should not be dimmed by being alone and our children deserve a father if she can find a guy that is worthy of her and them. I can only provide my support and my approval by cheering her on from the other side, but I can’t hold her or our children myself, so I will have to ask someone else to do so for me.”
Luka looked up at the camera with a wry grin, “I hope you still like to plot to do things with your husband like you used to Alya, because I’ve sent a similar video to your husband. I’d like you to talk with them both and maybe show them the video that I sent you if either of them doubt my words.”
Alya paused the video, “do you get where he is going?”
Marientte swallowed but shook her head, “no…”
“Then watch. I didn’t think you’d believe me.”
“Alright, so here’s the part I want you to show My Melody, My Marinette.”
Luka cleared his throat, “My LOVE, I want you to know that you were the light and song to my life, you and our children made my life worth living. I am so privileged that you chose to be with me, to lift me up and allow me to be a part of your world.”
He sighed, “now just to let you know, this video was made in January, and if I’m right, you’ll be pregnant when you see this video, when I’ll be gone. You always have such adorable quirks when you’re pregnant and Darling, you’ve been showing them all week. I strongly suspected it if you didn’t have a chance to tell me anyway for certain.”
Then he chuckled, “I don’t know how long I’ll have been gone when you get this, but I want you to know that I am so happy that we’ll have another child together, my only sadness is that I’ll never see them grow up or be by your side as our children grow up either.”
He coughed, as he tended to do at the time, before he continued, “I wanted you to start looking, and if I’m right about my recommendation, if possible, I think it would be a good idea for you to consider getting married before the little one arrives so you have a couple of months together before the insanity of sleepless nights and nursing takes you away from the idea of looking for another soulmate for good.”
Luka smirked, “I bet you think this is a bad prank, but it’s not. I can prove it, you have a birthmark on your…” He paused, “actually no, that’s not a good one to use. It’d only embarrass you with Alya being there. Alright, how about I admit that you had to negotiate with me to go out with another guy for half a day before I would take you out for a full day long date? Or maybe that I held you while you cried your eyes out about that same guy a couple of months before that?”
“Believe me now Ma-Ma-Marinette? I know you do, but you’re not going to like what I have to say.”
Marinette pouted as she told the screen, “it’s too soon!”
Luka chuckled again, “I know you’re going to say it’s too soon, but I’m saying that it’s time and that it’s okay. If you need my permission, which you don’t, I’m going to give it anyway. I want you to start dating again, and I’d like you to start with the same guy that kind of started it all. I’m recommending that you go out with Adrien. He’s grown up and been an excellent Godfather to our kids and many of our friend’s kids. If anyone can come close to loving and respecting you as much as I do, he’ll fit the bill.”
Luka coughed again. “Don’t feel bad about it either, I’m not. I’m doing what I want and making sure that you’ll be taken care of Love and honestly, I’ll be sending several videos to our parents, Juleka and our other friends with a similar message. I’m expecting them to be supportive and to encourage you to get out there and maybe even steer you his way. We've said our goodbyes and had more time than many together, so please listen to me and take care of yourself and our family. I'm more than okay with it.”
Marinette groaned as Luka’s eyes twinkled at the camera, this was so like him, looking out for her!
“I doubt you're get much argument from Adrien to give it a try. Honestly I would be surprised if he doesn't arrive at your door in a few days from Nino giving him his video."
Luka chuckled, "Anyhow, this is kind of my way to say goodbye and to take care of our family. Remember that I will always love you Marinette and that I only wish the best for you. Be happy my love and enjoy your life. Don’t focus on the negative, but celebrate the positive. Being with Adrien, or if he somehow screws up after this glowing recommendation, someone else you deem worthy. Remember that it is what I want you to do if it makes you Happy. Opening your heart to another does not mean you no longer love me and I know that, I want you to share all of that love that you have to give. It’s not enough to just survive life my Love, but to live and spread your wings and your love to others.”
He took a deep breath before adding, “Find your happiness Marinette, I will love you, forever and for always My Love. Now go out there and be happy.”
…
Alya comforted Marinette as she cried out all her sorrows and how she missed Luka.
Once Marinette had finally cried herself out after about an hour, Alya asked her, “so, are you willing to listen to Luka’s advice?”
Marinette sniffed as she wiped her eyes, “I, I don’t know. I always listened to him and we always talked things through before, but now it’s up to me. He’s not here.”
“Gurl, that’s why he sent you the video. He loves you enough to let you know that it’s okay, to look for happiness sooner than later. He knows you Gurl! You’ll get wrapped up taking care of your kids until you’re old and grey, only to find out that you’re all alone.”
Marinette frowned at Alya, “I think you’re exaggerating.”
Alya, “Marinette, we both know you’re not about to let go of your business, sure you’ll have the future sales of Luka’s last album and such and I know you could live well off of that if you were careful, but you like to stay busy. Once those kids are all grown up and have moved out, you won’t be the beautiful young thing that you are now and you’ll want to find someone then, so why not now? Someone who can share your burden and love you and your kids back?”
“Alya.” Marinette whined, “it, it still feels too soon.”
“Luka spent his last months saying goodbye.” Alya pointed out, “and he made this video so you wouldn’t have to second guess yourself.”
“I know.” Marinette whispered as Alya’s phone pinged.
Alya checked her texts, “gurl, I know that you want to respect your husband, but there is no law about waiting to find someone else to love and live your life with. Luka suggested Adrien right? What do you think about that?”
Marinette swallowed, knowing that Alya now knew that she had been Chat Noir’s partner all these years, and although he was just a friend with her as Adrien and godfather to her children, the Cat would still tease and gently flirt with his Ladybug when the battle was over, keeping the illusion alive that she was still not accepting his advances. It had annoyed her, but Luka had only laughed about it, because he was the one she came home to. Marinette knew that Adrien still cared about her, but he respected her relationship with her husband and ironically, they had become good friends over the years, she just wasn't' sure if he still loved her as more than friends.
“I-I think I’d h-have to talk to Adrien about it.” Marinette stuttered, “I , don't know h-how he feels and I-I’d be willing to go slow and try dating him, o-only to respect Luka’s wishes.”
“Uh, huh.” Alya answered with a grin as she typed out something and sent it before putting her phone away, knowing that Marinette is thinking about it if the stutters were back. She had gone through a short phase of that with Luka too before they became an official item. “That’s all that we ask Marinette, we all want you to be happy.”
Marinette raised an eyebrow at her friend as she asked, “but what about Adrien? I doubt he’d be willing to have a whirl wind romance only to marry a pregnant woman who is not carrying his child. I’m not exactly easy to deal with when I’m like this and it’s not really fair to him.”
Alya raised her eyebrow at her friend, “you’re kidding me right?”
Marinette pouted, “I’m not. A-Adrien has a life of his own, what makes you think that he’ll drop everything to come running over to be by my side?”
That was when the door bell rang, Marinette got up, not far along enough in her pregnancy for it to be difficult as she walked over to the door, with Alya following behind her and Marinette opened the door since their butler had left for the night.
Standing before them was a sheepish Adrien Agreste, with mused up hair, carrying a grocery bag. It was filled with healthy food, Marinette’s favorite ice cream, foot massage cream and a large ice pack in one hand for her aching back, and a bouquet of flowers in his other hand.
Adrien took a steadying breath and let it go before saying, “my Lady, I don’t want you to make a decision tonight, I want you to take your time deciding, but I want you to know that I’m on board with Luka’s idea.”
“Adrien?” Marinette whispered.
He nodded yes, “I want to court you and date you like you deserve for at least a month, then I’ll ask you for your hand if you’ll have me.”
“Adrien?!” Marinette asked even louder.
“I’m doing it because I do love you and I want the chance to be there for you and for the kids, not because Luka told me to or because he sent me over four hours’ worth of advice on how to win you over.” Adrien rolled his eyes and Marinette chuckled. “I mean, I’ve courted girls before, you’d think that he thought that I didn’t know what I was doing!”
Marinette and Alya chuckled at that.
“Luka was right you know.” Alya pointed out, “you’re clueless when it comes to girls!”
Adrien waved off the comment as he handed Marinette the bouquet of her favorite flowers, “Well, I hope you realize that I never had Luka’s pointers before and I never got to truly court the girl that we both loved.”
He loved at Marinette adoringly as he knelt before her, “Marinette Dupain-Cheng Couffaine, will you allow me to take you out tomorrow night and let us see where this could go?”
Marinette blushed as she breathed in the fresh cut flowers before answering Adrien, “I’d like that.”