Chapter Text
“Distracted much?”
The voice startled him, causing him to drop the rapier that he had previously been pensively leaning on as he now fell forwards onto the balled point of his opponent’s own rapier.
“What is up, Adrien?” asked the fencer in red. “Why are you so distracted? Are you alright?”
“Yes . . . I mean, no . . . I mean—I don’t know,” he said, stuttering out what little he could. After a brief moment, he gathered his thoughts. “Mr. D’Argencourt, can we be done early today? I really don’t feel on my game today.”
“Ok, Mister Agreste, but you need to regain your focus. You seem too distracted,” the senior fencer replied.
“We need to talk,” he mouthed as he grabbed his sparring opponent’s hand and lightly pulled her towards the locker room. As they entered the room, Kagami’s look did not lose its bewilderment. Adrien’s face almost matched hers in the confusion, and he hoped that he could find the right words to say so he didn’t break his friend’s heart.
Adrien sighed, still locating the words to speak his heart. Kagami searched his eyes, now beginning to understand the reason for his loss of words.
“This is not working out for you, is it,” she asked in a solemn voice. Adrien looked up at her with slight surprise, his eyes welling up with tears. “I know we never officially called us a couple, but I felt like we were all along,” she said, her eyes also pooling.
“Kagami—” he began as she continued. “But I can tell your heart is still elsewhere, even after we were unofficially together.”
Adrien pulled her into a hug. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered in her ear. “But even after being with you beyond as just friends, my heart just isn’t ready for this. I’m so sorry . . .” he apologized in a whisper. He didn’t want to tell her that it was because of Marinette because he knew it would hurt her.
A few tears escaped her eyes beyond her control, but she couldn’t let her emotions show. She needed to be strong for him. She summoned what little strength she could, leaning out of his embrace and grabbing his chin. “Adrien Agreste, I’m officially dumping you. I don’t think we’re meant to be. I want to stay close friends . . . for life if you’ll put up with me,” she said, forcing a laugh as her heart pained her all the more. “But not as a couple,” she finished, giving a tear-blurred smile.
“Even now, she takes the blow for me by honorably dumping me. How can she be so strong for me even in the face of pain?” Adrien asked himself.
“Close friends for life then, but only if you’ll put up with me too . . . because I know that will be the harder end of the bargain,” he said, smiling through his own tears.
“It’s a deal then,” she whispered, still using all her energy to keep up the façade of emotional strength.
He stood and helped her to her feet, pulling her back into his embrace. “Thank you for understanding, Kagami. You mean so much to me . . . . And you don’t have to be strong for me. Even if my heart is elsewhere, even if we aren’t together, I want to be here for you.”
. . .
Marinette stood leaning on the railing, enjoying the wind that was blowing across the Seine. Her beautiful melody could be heard carrying through the wind, but it was somewhat different now. It was as if it had an entire attitude change much like she had since she went out with Chat. She could see Luka strumming in the corner of her eye, and she could have sworn a moment ago that he had been staring at her with inquisitive and almost sorrowful eyes.
She didn’t want to have to tell Luka that she couldn’t be with him. Luka was one of the noblest guys she knew. He was always there for her, and he always put his own feelings aside so that she could be happy . . . even if that wasn’t with him.
She finally turned around, walking over and sitting down beside him. She sat there listening to the newer melody. It used to resemble the melody that Luka had said represented himself, but now it seemed as if the two only complimented each other—as if the two were meant to be close but not as close as what could have been.
“Your melody has changed,” he said, eyes closed as he strummed to the tune that he sensed from her. “It’s as if there’s some kind of stronger resolve now that was not there before.”
“Luka, I—” she began.
“I want you to be happy, Marinette. I can sense this resolve isn’t one that you can be happy with me with. I don’t know if it’s still Adrien or someone else . . .” he said, setting down his guitar and staring into her eyes, “but whoever it is, I want you to be happy.”
“I’ve thought a lot about my feelings, and I think I’m over Adrien . . . but I don’t think I’m quite ready for this. Honestly, I feel like my heart is leading me elsewhere . . .” she trailed off, not telling him about Chat for fear of breaking his heart.
“Then follow wherever it takes you because that’s where you will find true happiness,” he said, grabbing her hand. “Marinette, you’re the most amazing girl in all of Paris—in the entire world. I know now that you can’t be happy with me, and that’s ok. I just want you to go wherever your heart leads you.”
She hugged him tightly, tears flowing onto his chest. “You’re amazing, Luka . . . . I really don’t want to hurt you . . .”
“You won’t,” he whispered, her old melody playing in his head, reminding him of what could have been. “I’ll be here for you,” he said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Always.”
Even after she’d left, promising to follow where her heart was leading, her old melody played in his head. He was reminded of the lyrics he’d made before the melody changed.
“If only you could see / What I see in you / You’ll be ok right here in my arms, I promise you / Stay strong for me . . .”
Had things gone differently, he would have sung her the lyrics and proposed actually dating.
But now she would have to be safe in another guy’s arms.
Whoever it is and no matter what happens, he will be there for her.