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The time they first met
Now, he knew admitting it would have his aunt kill him, but he’d gone to clubs before. There weren’t any under 18 clubs or hangout places, so he followed Felix’s lead into sneaking into clubs. That wasn’t the part that bothered him. It was doing this, completely by himself. Honestly, he should be back at home, in bed asleep. He and Felix moved back into the dorms tomorrow and they had a full day of orientations as usual that he needed to be awake for. He shouldn’t be here, but how could he not? He’d gone into his aunt’s office to grab a folder for her, as she drowned under paperwork for a benefit coming up soon. He offered her help and she pointed him to her office, that had grown too small for everything to get a folder she was missing. It took a while to find the folder and he’d knocked things over. He picked them up, meaning to dump them onto the table for the after benefit clean up but he found pictures. Pictures of his mother.
After his mother’s disappearance and the lack of care from his father, his aunt moved to France, got him out of the house and sent him and his cousin to a boarding school. They’d come home on the weekends, spend time together, become closer. The only thing that didn’t happen, was talk about the adults missing in their life. Part of him was jealous of Felix, he knew his dad was gone. He got to say goodbye. Adrien had no answers about his mother and nothing of hers that his father would let him take. His aunt didn’t like talking about it and he always stumbled over bringing it up. So to find pictures of his mother, he had to just sit there and look at them. in a few, his aunt was there as well, the sportier one of the twins while his mother was on school stages. In one of them she was hugging two kids, dark hair and bright eyes, the dark colours they wore contrasting with her pastels. They all had large smiles on their faces. According to the writing on the back it was ‘Emilie, Luka and Juleka, Viperion site’.
Viperion, the club he was in now, was an older nightclub but still one of the more famous ones. The old architecture drew people in with the contrast of new age items inside. Felix was dying to get inside but never had a weekend where his mom was too busy to stay at school and go then. He looked it up later and found out that the owner’s name was Luka. it was such a long shot, but his mother wasn’t the biggest fan of clubs. She could barely do parties at fashion shows as much as she tried, so he guessed that the people behind Viperion had to know his mom. Maybe even know what happened to her. It was such a long shot, but he couldn’t help but think about it and it wouldn’t rest until he got an answer.
So here he was, in his most basic clothes that Felix would yell at him about later, making his way to where he saw security and he knew VIP were. The bartender said the boss might be in. he just needed a yes or no.
The bouncer for VIP looked a bit stunned at the picture Adrien held up when he said he needed to talk to Luka. it was the only thing he had that could get him inside.
“Do I wanna know why you’ve got a picture of the boss as a kid?”
Good, so this Luka guy looked the same. “He knew my mother. I need to talk to him.”
He was expecting more resistance. He was expecting to get thrown out when he saw the bouncer call someone on his radio, but when another bouncer appeared, the guy gestured to follow him inside the VIP area. They bypassed the semi empty sitting area and bar and went to a back door.
“Wait here.” The bouncer knocked on the door and opened it when a voice called to come in. “Boss, there’s someone here to see you. says you know his mom?”
“What?” a voice replied. It was smooth and melodious. He felt like he could listen to all day.
The bouncer turned to Adrien. “What was her name?”
“Emilie. Emilie Agreste.”
The bodyguard didn’t get a chance to relay the message as the door was pulled even wider and standing in the door way was the boy from the picture. Though man would be more accurate now. His dark hair was mostly covered in blue hair dye and he had a number of piercings on his face and on his ears that Adrien could see. His blue eyes focused on Adrien and he felt himself stilled under their gaze. Except he didn’t still much. Adrien didn’t know why, maybe it was realising he was going to get answers and he didn’t know how to feel about that. Maybe he wanted to delay being turned away. So instead, he turned around and ran away he ignored the yells from the men he left behind, telling him to wait. Like a cat, he easily slipped past the crowd of people and was out the door and in a taxi before they could even catch up. As he slipped back into bed, he looked at the picture he’d stolen, the one that cause him to start this wild chase. The boy in the picture was bright and happy. The one he saw was serious, but…Adrien could see the look in his eyes. The one of disbelief. Maybe he did know something about his mother, but Adrien was suddenly too scared to find out why.
Maybe his aunt had the right idea to not talk about his mother.
The time Luka came looking
Moving back to Françoise Dupont Academy was fine, it was the long orientations he could do without. Especially the ones for seniors. Long talks about national exams for universities and questions on what to do after school life. Adrien just wanted to get through everything without an issue. Maybe even not have to think about what he’d done the night before they moved back. He still remembered the eyes, looking like they had answers, but he’d been too scared to know the answer and he ran off. He vaguely told Felix what happened. He had several words for him, but mostly seemed happy that he was ok.
“So…did you learn anything?”
Adrien had looked at his cousin, who many confused as his twin brother and the person who was his closest friend, not counting Nino. Lying to him wasn’t an option. “No. I got scared.”
Nothing much was said after that and the subject was changed. Now back at school, it was easy to push the issue to the back of his mind. In fact, he was sure if he tried hard enough, he would have been able to forget it – the photo was in a drawer in his bedside table he rarely went into – if he didn’t appear.
There was a break in orientation, the last day of it, and all Adrien wanted was a nap. He and Nino were walking back to their room, Adrien telling him about how overworked his aunt was becoming with the upcoming benefit, when he looked forward and saw blue dyed hair. Luka, in a well-tailored suit and overcoat was talking to the headmaster. Nino let out a shout of surprise as Adrien shoved him off the path and behind the pillar.
“Dude what the hell?”
He almost didn’t hear him. He was too in his head trying to figure out why the heck Luka was here. Was it a coincidence? Was he looking for him? The school was well known for having a large amount of scholarship students, so it wasn’t a hard school to get into. But if he owned the night club, he could afford to send whoever to a much better school. Unless, he was actually still a student? Nothing seemed to make sense.
“Adrien? Dude, you’re starting to breath kinda quick. Are you having a panic attack?”
“Huh?” oh, his chest was starting to feel a bit tight. He shook his head, trying to clear it and looked at Nino, who’s amber eyes looked at him in worry. “I might have forgotten to mention something I did over the break. I looked into my mother’s disappearance.” Nino’s eyes widened. “The guy talking to the headmaster, I found his picture with my aunt’s things and he was with my mom and I thought he might know something.”
Nino quietly poked his head out, obviously looking at Luka before looking back at Adrien, clearly full of questions. “Did you?”
“I got scared of the answer and ran off.”
“Ok, but why is he here then?”
“I don’t know.”
He followed Nino and poked his head out to look at Luka. he had his hands in his pocket, looking unbothered as their headmaster chatted away. He could barely make out what they were talking about. He took the time to take Luka in more. Under the club lights, he hadn’t realised how much of the dye was actually in his hair. The dark blue was a close match to his eyes. The piercings made him look unapproachable, but the way he held himself said differently. The part of him that still retained the fashion advice his father always gave him could tell that his suit was fitting to him and despite his appearance he felt comfortable in them. a business man who enjoyed being slightly rebellious.
Had he been anyone else, Adrien would have been feeling more confident to go approach him. But this guy knew his mother and he knew Adrien was looking for him. He didn’t want to risk what it could mean if they met again.
“He’s coming this way!” Nino said, causing the two to duck back behind the pillar. It felt like ages before they heard the steps of feet passing by and go away from them. Adrien couldn’t help but to peek out again, stilling as blue eyes caught his. Luka just gave him a smile for disappearing around a corner.
Adrien knew that wouldn’t be the last time he saw Luka.
“Is he gone?” Nino asked. When Adrien nodded, he let out a relieved sigh before looking at his best friend closely. “Now, will you please tell me what the heck happened? How did you find information on your mom and not even tell me?”
The time they first talked
Adrien kept thinking about that smile he got. Luka had a nice smile, he noticed, but he couldn’t help thinking about how easy it would be for Luka to come find him at school.
“Adrien, we kneed to dough to create gluten, not press down on it.”
The blonde blinked, remembering he was at work and currently, suffocating his dough. While his aunt told him he didn’t have to work, he still begged for permission to leave campus to do so. He’d never get the chance with his father and he wanted to experience all he could get. He got a job at Dupain Pâtissier, working with the owner/baker Tom on the treats and sometimes taking over the front for the co-owner Sabine. He liked baking with Tom, it was relaxing, though apparently it wasn’t enough to keep his thoughts off Luka.
“Sorry. All the talks about university are getting to me.” He apologized, pulling dough off his fingers.
He let out a cough at the hard pat Tom gave him. “Not to worry my boy. You’re welcome to continue here if you can’t decide what to do.”
“Adrien?” Sabine called, saving him from having to awkwardly decline. “Could you come take over the front? Marinette needs me to drop off something at Le Grand Paris. I’ll be 30 minutes at most. Tom, it’s slow today so maybe stop making items for today at 4.”
“Yes ma’am. Go on, I’ll finish up your loaf.”
After cleaning his hands of leftover dough, he went to the front of the store, taking his spot by the counter. He waved Sabine off as she left the store and let the sounds of Tom humming to himself and the hum of the display case lights fill the silence. He stayed on his phone, making sure to look out for any customers coming in. he was answering a text from Felix, who wanted to sneak off campus and go out for the night, when the bell over the door rang. He looked up, greeting on his lips before he stopped.
Luka walked up to the counter, that same smile on his lips.
Shit.
“You gonna run away this time?” he asked, practically teasing.
Adrien looked over his shoulder to where he could see Tom focused on now icing cookies. He knew they were the royal icing ones which would hold all his focus. He looked back at Luka, who was leaning on the counter, with a smirk and a raised pierced brow. Why was his slight smugness kinda hot?
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to pick up an order. Under Couffaine.”
“Yeah right. I come to your club one time and suddenly you’re stalking me?” Adrien said, crossing his arms.
“Kinda hard not to figure out your school when you had an obvious sweatshirt with the name printed on it.”
Sweatshirt with the name?
Oh, oh.
He knew exactly what sweatshirt he meant. The same one he almost always wore on campus. Light blue with Françoise Dupont Academy written in white. Kinda hard not to miss. One that had been sitting out the night he snuck out. He just pulled it on without thinking.
Ok, so Luka obviously did the smart thing and went with the clues he had to find Adrien.
“How do I know you didn’t start stalking me after you saw me at school?” he asked, not willing to let the thought go. How on earth could he of found this place?
“I mean I could. I have the means to. But I am serious, I do have an order to pick up. Hey Tom!”
Tom poked his head out, brightening into his usual smile. “Luka! how nice to see you again.”
“I didn’t know you had help. I haven’t been here in a while.”
“Oh, this is Adrien. Adrien, this is Luka Couffaine. He and Marinette used to, uh, be close.” Aka, they dated. “he’s been a loyal customer regardless. Oh, he has an order to be pick up. It’s under the counter were the other orders sit. It’s nice seeing you again Luka.”
“You too Tom.” Luka said, shooting a smirk in Adrien’s direction. That wasn’t allowed to be hot.
Like Tom said, there was a box with Luka’s last name on it. He went through the motions on making sure that the register noted an order was picked up while Luka ripped the sticker off and steal a cookie.
“What?” Luka asked at the look Adrien gave him. “My sister knows one will be missing.”
“So, are you going to ask me why I was at your club?”
“I know why you were. The questions is, are you ready to hear the answer yet? I mean, you had the chance to ask at school and even now. Your choice.” Luka said, looking like he meant it.
Was he?
No, he wasn’t. even though he’d been begging for answers, he was still scared what they’d be. The worst thing would be to hear that his mom never wanted him or loved him. Even though it would be so easy to hear the story of what happened with his mom, he wasn’t ready.
“Here, gimme your phone.” Luka said, waiting for Adrien to put it in his hand. He quickly typed something in, his own phone buzzing with a text. “I might not be able to tell you the answers you want to know just yet, but I can tell you about your mom. I remember a lot of stories about her.”
“Do you have pictures?” Adrien asked, barely thinking.
“I’m sure I can pull up a few out. One thing I do know, you have her smile. You should show it more often.”
“Smile? But when have I ever…?”
“Ok, so maybe I did stalk you for a few days. Can you blame me, you’re all your mom ever talked about. See you.” Luka left as quickly as he appeared, leaving Adrien with a slightly red face and a new number in his cell phone.
The time they first kissed
“You’ve been glued to your phone.” Felix teased, like he didn’t know the reason. Adrien had hidden the pictures Luke sent to him in the back of his barely used textbooks, ones his aunt would never look through.
“once you get past the whole, he knows way too much to just be working in a club, he’s actually pretty cool.” Adrien said.
“And he’s pretty cute.”
Adrien wouldn’t deny that. He hadn’t gotten the chance to see Luka since he came to Dupain Patisserie, but he was featured growing up in a fair few of the pictures taken with his mother. Seeing Luka grow up into the guy he knew now, it was hard not to be impressed and appreciate the change. Not to mention Luka was pretty flirty over text. It was easy to forget that Luka had answers, especially since whenever they’d talk, Luka would ask if he was ready, Adrien would say no and Luka would change the topic. He wasn’t pushing Adrien to demand his answers and at the same time not cutting contact off either.
“You clearly came to the library wanting something. You’ve called this place a heaven for procrastination once.” Adrien said, wondering what had brought his cousin to the library where he’d come to study.
“Well, how do you feel about sneaking out tonight to go clubbing?” Felix asked.
“Well, it’s the day before a school holiday and your mom already signed for us to stay here. History has shown they check more on the holiday itself, so I’m down.”
“Excellent, because I got us an in at Viperion.”
“Wait, Luka’s club? I hope that in isn’t me.” Adrien said.
Felix waved it off. “No, I was planning this before you found the picture. You know that girl who has a crush on me? Chinese, pigtails, has ladybug stuff on her school blazer?”
“Bridgette?”
“Well, when we were both stuck in detention last semester for that falsely accused prank-”
“You turned Lila green by sneaking the most stain inducing power into her shower head.” Adrien interrupted. “You bought the powder from Bridgette.”
“Shh! That’s not important, though she completely deserved it. Point is, we talked and I got a better understanding onto why she has a crush on me. It was kinda ego inflating honestly and I guess I realised that’s she’s not half bad, once she stopped following me everywhere. She mentioned she has family who works there and in exchange, I go on one date with her.”
“That’s…I don’t know. Was it bad?”
“Well, we went on three more if that spells it out for you. once she calmed down and I got to know her, turns out we got along really well. Plan is another date on the holiday but with all this talk on exams and university, she insisted I take a load off first. She’s taking her own cousin to another club that’s closer to their house. If we’re hungover the next day, she lives above a bakery, we can load up on food and coffee and just watch movies.” Felix said, actually looking a bit excited. Adrien was surprised Felix had even considered the date, let alone that it went well without Bridgette leaving in tears.
“So, party night before and you two can chill?”
“Basically. If going to Viperion is too much for you, I can ask if we can crash her partying excursion with her cousin.”
“And give up the opportunity to go to the oldest and most exclusive club in Paris? I’ll be fine, it’s not like he’d be there every night.”
Felix raised an eyebrow and looked down at the phone Adrien was still holding. “You could ask. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”
“No. plus I don’t want to give him the idea I’m ready to talk about mom.”
“Like he’d leave even after you got answers. You two are always talking.”
Felix was right, but still.
“We’re going, I’m not going to mention it to Luka and we’ll have fun before your date. Your date, never thought I’d say that.”
“Hey!”
“Is this punishment for sneaking off campus?” Felix complained for what sounded like the hundredth time. To be fair, the night air was chillier than it had been for the past few days.
“Hopefully you don’t get sick and pass it on to Bridgette.” Adrien teased, pulling his leather jacket tighter around him. He felt for Felix who was in a cropped shirt, remembering how he decided to opt out on a jacket for fashion.
Felix looked at his phone and showed a picture Bridgette had sent him. Her disgruntled face was turning red in the cold night air. “She’s close to just calling it quits and going home. Honestly, I’m ready to agree. It’s getting cold!”
Adrien opened his mouth, ready to offer that they just go home when one of the bouncers came up to them. one Adrien recognised. It had been the guy who was guarding the door to the VIP section the night Adrien came here.
“M. Agreste? The boss said to make sure you and your guests were let in on sight. He also invites you to enjoy the VIP area.”
Adrien and Felix looked at each other with twin surprised looks.
“I think I like your boyfriend.” Felix teased.
“He’s not my boyfriend!” Adrien corrected as they followed the bodyguard to the front of the line and entered the club.
It was still as packed and loud the last time Adrien was here. Felix darted off to the dance floor while Adrien tried to get drinks. Luka might have told the security they could go to VIP, but it just didn’t feel right to go up there without Luka. maybe if they couldn’t get a table later, they’d go up.
“Excuse me? Excuse me.” Adrien called to the bartender who seemed focused on the gaggle of girls in low cut outfits.
“You know, you could get better service upstairs.” A voice said close to his ear. He spun around to see Luka standing behind him. He was surprisingly out of his usual suits, in ripped jeans and a tight-fitting shirt, hair pulled up to show off his piercings. “What are you doing down here?”
“What are you doing here? I didn’t think you’d be here.” Adrien asked instead of answering.
“I was supposed to off today, but I got a call about an issue about an hour ago and me being the overprotective group mom I am, I decided to stay in case of anything else. The security let me know you and your brother?”
“Cousin.”
“Right, he let me know you were here. I thought you would have taken advantage. Unless you thought it was my way of trying to force you to accept your answer.” Luka asked, looking worried.
“No! I just didn’t think you were there and it just felt the strange without you there.”
Luka looked like he knew that wasn’t the whole idea but he let it go. “Would you be ok going upstairs now that I am here? I wasn’t joking about getting served. Though, I am going to have a word with our bartender down here.” He said, looking over at the bartender who still wasn’t looking in their direction. “Or I could send security to deal with him.”
“Oh boy, pissed off the boss. Hate to be in his shoes. It’s fine really. As long as Felix knows where I am, I don’t mind heading upstairs with you.”
Luka got one of the staff members to tell Felix where Adrien would be before leading Adrien to the VIP area. He directed him to one of the seats in the sitting area before getting the VIP bartender’s attention.
“My usual, and something with a little less alcohol for my friend.”
“Yes sir.”
“Wouldn’t want you to have to suffer through a hangover.” Luka said, sitting next to Adrien in the booth seat.
“Well, it’s a holiday tomorrow so I’d be sleeping in anyway, but thank you for your concern. So…” Adrien trailed off, unsure of what to ask. Texting Luka had been easy, but now here he was, in the same place where he ran away from answers.
“Why sneak out?” Luka asked, giving him a question, clearly seeing him struggle to ask something.
“Oh, well it’s Felix’s idea mostly. Growing up, I was pretty sheltered. After I moved in with my aunt and Felix, he’d sneak me out of the house to go to clubs. There aren’t under 18 clubs so we’d come to places like this. We’re careful and we have back up plans but I kinda grew to love the thrill of it.”
“You’re quite the wild child, aren’t you? you have what, a year to wait? Guess hanging out with someone who's 3 years older must give you a thrill.” Luka teased. Their drinks arrived and Luka took the smallest sip out of Adrien’s glass before handing it to him. “Sorry, force of habit. I do it to check for anything.”
“Shouldn’t it be your guards doing that?” Adrien asked, trying not to feel too much on the fact that Luka was willing to risk getting woozy from a drug for him.
“I like making sure the people I care about are safe.”
“So I’m a person you care about?”
Luka raised an eyebrow, before leaning in a little. “How do you not realise the effect you have on a person? Of course I do, and it’s not just because I knew your mom.”
Adrien felt his face getting hot. Did that mean all those flirtatious comments weren’t just regular comments, but maybe something more? He also noticed Luka hadn’t exactly backed away and in a spur of the moment jolt – one that Felix would be proud of – Adrien asked:
“Are you gonna kiss me?”
The only hint that Luka had been thrown by the question was a short laugh that escaped his lips.
“Just tell me to stop.”
He didn’t. Adrien closed his eyes and then felt Luka’s lips against his. He’d kissed people before, mostly girls. But this, this felt different. Logically, he knew that there was a chance once he got his answers from Luka, they could easily slip away from each other. Maybe the answers he’d get would kill him, but honestly? Right now? He didn’t care. He liked Luka. he was kind, a bit of a flirt and made Adrien feel safe, oddly enough.
Luka had just slipped his tongue - which was pierced, how did he miss that? – into Adrien’s mouth, humming when fingers slipped into his dyed hair, when footsteps came thundering up the stairs.
“Adrien! We – oh, whoops. Sorry.” Felix actually did look sorry, which helped Adrien’s red face. “I would totally just leave to two of you, but Adrien, Nino just texted to say that Damocles caught a bunch of freshmen sneaking out and is doing a dorm check. Assuming he doesn’t get help from the other teachers, we’ve got about 20 minutes to get back to school.”
“Oh shit!”
“Wow, curse words from the wild child.” Luka teased, like he hadn’t just had his tongue in Adrien’s mouth. “let me get one of my guys to drive you over. If you can’t get off campus again, it’s gonna be hard to see you.”
Adrien didn’t get a chance to ask what that meant before security got them into a car and Luka had been swallowed up by the crowd outside the club.
“So, was it good.”
“Felix, not now.”
Sneaking back inside their rooms had been easy with them being on the first floor, they changed into pyjamas and were under the covers, phones in hand by the time a teacher came to check they were still there.
While Felix spun the story of coming to see his cousin and just hang out, Adrien pulled up a text history and sent a new one.
Was it just a onetime thing?
No. like I said, if you can’t get off campus, how am I supposed to ask you out on a date? I don’t know about you, but I’d like to see where this goes, even after you’ve gotten answers.
Adrien wanted to see where it went to.
The time Adrien is ready for answers
He hated last minute fittings when he lived with his father and was a model, and he still hated them now. Even if it was for a better cause. It was the night of the benefit his aunt was hosting. Months of hard work, finally ready to pay off. It had been easy to forget the benefit with Luka occupying his thoughts. They didn’t get to see each other as often as Adrien would like. Their only date that lasted more than lunch break had been their first one at a food truck where Luka knew the owner. He felt like the student he was, sneaking off campus to meet his secret boyfriend in his car for food and a make out, if they were lucky.
He didn’t even get the chance to text him today, other than good morning, they’d been so busy. Interview and fitting and calming his aunt. He just wanted this whole thing to be over with.
“All done. What do you think?” the stylist asked.
His suit was black with a pale green shirt underneath it. Felix contrasted in with grey slacks and a dark jacket.
“Looks good.”
“Quickly! We need to get to the car. The benefit will start soon!” his aunt’s assistant, Hallie, clearly wasn’t happy to be so far from the boss to babysit her kids but what could she do?
The boys made her life easy by following her to the car, keeping focused on their phones.
“He hasn’t texted back.” Adrien quietly said.
“Well, you did tell him you’d be busy.” Felix answered. “Don’t worry so much. When this is over, the two of you can talk all you’d like.”
True, but still. He wanted to talk to Luka so he wouldn’t have to focus on being the prefect nephew at the benefit. He knew his aunt would only ask for an hour before looking the other way if he decided to duck out, though he had a feeling with the magnitude of this one, it’d be longer.
They arrived at the hotel and were quickly hustled into the room. It was pretty packed, people mingling and talking with each other, his aunt in the middle of it all. She so easily looked like his mom in her blue and green dress, similar to the peacock feathers of Emilie’s favourite broach.
With all the time spent with Luka, the answers Luka held were right there. But Adrien was still scared to ask for them. he didn’t know why. He could tell after he got his answers, he wouldn’t leave Luka – unless of course, the answers would destroy him. Maybe that’s why. He liked Luka, a lot. He didn’t want to give him up because of what he’d eventually learn.
But he still deserved to know what happened with his mother.
“Felix, Adrien!” his aunt finally approached them. “There you are.”
“Sorry we’re late. Last minute outfit change.” Felix said. “Did we miss your welcome speech?”
“I’m about to make it. Stand near the front, will you? I’m going to invite you two on stage near the end. Oh and 2 hours, ok boys?”
Great, he was right.
“Mother.” Felix whined.
“A lot of people who can help sweetheart. Then we wouldn’t have to make so many benefits happen.” His aunt said.
Adrien let out a sigh. “It’s only 2 hours. Who knows, maybe it’ll fly by.”
“You’re a sweetheart. It’ll fly, I promise.”
Adrien watched his aunt approach the stage and tried not to feel stifled by the people pressing close to him. With the room paying attention to his aunt, he stood as close to Felix as he could, who kept whispering about all the different things he noticed about the guests.
“I can’t tell if that woman is apricating the culture or trying to appropriate it.” Felix said, looking at a woman in a sari.
“She could have grown up in India. Or it could have been a gift.” Adrien said.
Before Felix could open his mouth, whether to agree or not, another familiar voice interrupted them.
“From what I heard, she’s on a spiritual enlightenment. I’m all for wearing the outfits because you apricate the culture, but not that.”
“Luka!”
It was a bit odd to see Luka without most of his piercings, but he made up for it with the asymmetrical suit jacket and longer slacks.
“What are you doing here?” Adrien asked.
“I donated so I was invited. Plus I wanted to see you.”
“Dear god, you two are sickening.” Felix moaned, though he was ignored.
“You look good.” Luka said, looking at Adrien’s suit.
“I would hope so. My stylist made me change it after hearing another guest would be wearing previous suit.”
Luka fingered the lapel of Adrien’s blazer. “I think you’d look fine regardless.”
Felix was gagging next to Adrien, but he didn’t care.
“And I’d also like to thank two boys who’ve had to put up with me as the days of this event got closer. My son Felix and nephew Adrien.”
Adrien gave Luka an apologetic smile as he turned and followed Felix onto the stage, standing next to his aunt’s left. He saw Luka in the crowd, applauding like those around him, but a guy – one of the security people from the club – came up and whispered something in his ear. He watched Luka send him one last look before disappearing in the crowd.
“Who was that?” his aunt whispered in his ear.
“A good friend.”
“He looks like someone I know.” His aunt said, before speaking up to finish her speech, leaving Adrien thinking.
Did his aunt know Luka like his mom clearly did? Would she want him to stay away from him?
The speech over, Adrien followed his aunt and cousin, greeting guests and smoozing. He finally got a break to stand by the table showing the items for the silent auction.
“See anything?” his aunt asked, slipping her arm through his.
“I don’t think I’m allowed to bid on a private concert with Jagged Stone.”
“Well seeing how Chloe lives at his usual hotel, I think you can pass on that one. About that person you were speaking with.” Adrien tried not to tense. “he looked so much like a woman I knew. She and your mother used to hang out all the time.”
Adrien looked at his aunt, feeling a bit stunned. “You never talk about mom.”
His aunt Amelie gave him a sad smile. “I don’t. seems I’m no better than your father in that regard. I might have lost a sister, but you did lose a mother.”
“So, she is dead?” Adrien asked, wondering if the answer was that simple.
“Well, that’s the thing. I’m not really sure. I want to say yes just to help you with closure, but I don’t actually know. She just took a flight somewhere, during some argument she was having with your father but then it seemed she vanished. I don’t know if something happened that made her leave or if something did happen. I could never get your father to let me send a private detective to find out, nor did he have answers.”
So she didn’t know. Luka was the only one who still had answers.
“I thought maybe one person might know, but I haven’t talked with her in ages. That woman was so different from your mother, wild and crazy. I think your mom needed it but it seemed like they fell out of contact when you were a child.” Amelie let out a sigh. “I wish I had found the guts to find her and ask. But I guess I’m just scared of knowing the answer.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Knowing might hurt and it might even break us, but I think at one point, we need to stop being afraid because that fear is going to start taking us over.”
Start taking him over, or even question when Luka would get tired of waiting. It was easy to forget that Luka had answers when he could focus on kissing him. But his aunt was right, it would start to take over his life if he kept pushing the chance away.
“What was her name? the woman mom knew?”
“Anarka Couffaine. You know, she always used to talk about wanting to open up a club. Maybe after you graduate, we can try and find her?”
“Sounds great.” Except Adrien hoped to find answers much sooner.
He’d planned on texting Luka after the party, still trying to build up the courage to finally ask. But when he was in the bathroom, taking another break from interacting, the same security guard who had spoken with Luka popped in and handed him a key card for one of the rooms in the hotel the benefit was in.
“What’s this?”
“Boss said if you had a moment, he wanted to see you.”
Adrien put the key card against the lock, pushing the door open when it flashed green. Felix promised him 20 minutes of distracting his mother to let Adrien escape without being seen. The room was one of the more expensive ones, the large bed and great view from it proving his point. Luka was on the phone, though he looked over when Adrien came in.
“I’ll leave it in your hands. Later Jules.” He wondered if that was Juleka, the girl in the photo. “I didn’t think you’d be able to get away.”
“I asked Felix to distract my aunt. She said you looked familiar. I guess she knew your mom.”
Luka’s face didn’t change. “Did she tell you?”
“No. Cause I want you to. And I’m asking you to.”
Luka then looked surprised. Adrien wondered if Luka ever thought he’d ask.
“Right now?”
“No. half the reason I kept running off so to speak is cause I’m scared what you’re answer will be. And I like you, like a lot. I don’t want what you tell me to hurt me so much that I’ll end up pushing you away.” Adrien explained, looking down at his feet.
Luka used his finger to get Adrien to look at him. “Hey, listen to me. I like you too. A lot. If what I tell you hurts too much, I’m not gonna make you stay with me, but I want you to know I haven’t felt like this towards anyone in a long time. But your happiness matters more. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll make it happen.”
It was going to be so hard to walk away from this if it didn’t go well.
“I’m home for the weekend, but I can convince my aunt to let me ‘stay at a friend’s house’ and you can take me back to school Monday. I’ll be allowed back on campus earlier if I need to be.”
“Ok. Just text me when you’re coming. How much longer before you have to go back downstairs?”
“I put on a timer.” Adrien said, before kissing Luka.
The hand that had been on his chin moved to his cheek, staying there as Luka pulled away. “Are you sure?”
“Just in case if this ends tonight. I want something to remember it by.”
Luka opened his mouth, as if to say it’d be fine, but he closed his mouth. He didn’t know it would be. Instead he leaned down and kissed Adrien, as if it was the last chance he’d get.
The time Adrien stops running away
“Are you sure about this. It could ruin your relationship.” Felix said, watching Adrien pack his bag.
“Or my constant dodging could. Aunty already promised after I graduate, we’d look but I feel like Luka should be the one to tell me. I went to him and he knows something and I just feel like it’d be a weight off. Plus if after he tells me and it hurts and I still want to be with him, doesn’t that say something?”
“I guess. I also can tell he wouldn’t want to hurt you.” he might have been gagging at how sickeningly sweet the two might have been at the benefit, but he wasn’t blind. Luka made Adrien happy and anyone with eyes could see how much Luka cared about Adrien. Felix was glad Adrien was finally getting answers, but he hoped that it didn’t destroy their relationship.
“I know he doesn’t. but I don’t want to keep wondering if it will. So I’m going to find out tonight.”
“Is he gonna come pick you up?”
“We agreed I’d take care of my own transportation, just in case…”
Adrien sighed. This was terrifying. Not the whole getting answers, that was scary in its own right. But the question of what it would do to his relationship. But being scared and running away again would just make things harder later. He just had to hope that they could make it through this.
Luka’s place was at Avenue du Suffren in the Champs de Mars Tour Eiffel neighbourhood. When the elevator opened, it opened to the living room, where the night lights and the Eiffel Tower glittered from behind the floor to ceiling windows. He slowly walked in, taking in the clean and minimalist area. He wondered if Luka’s room had more things that spoke to who he was.
Speaking of the blue haired young man, he came out from the kitchen, hands in his pockets, looking as nervous as Adrien felt.
“Got here ok?” he asked, clearly trying to drag it on. Adrien couldn’t blame him. He felt the same.
“Yeah. This place looks amazing.”
“Just one of the few places I call home.” Luka said. “it’s the one I’ve been staying at more often, since it’s close to your school. My favourite one is the one where I grew up, a little houseboat.”
“From a houseboat from one of the most expensive neighbourhoods. Quite the accomplishment.”
“I guess I should probably tell you now. It makes more sense to why I know about your mom.” Adrien had wondered that. It had been his overactive imagination that brought up an idea. “My family kinda does more than just own a few of Paris’ more famous clubs. We have fingers in some other revenues. Some not completely legal.”
“My aunt did say your mom was a bit wild.”
“That’s one word for her. Chaos incarnate is what my sister and I agree on. We don’t do weapons, drugs or humans though. Everything else, well…you’d be surprised what we can do as a family.”
Family, like mafia? This should have scared Adrien, he was dating a mafia member but…his mom had trusted Luka’s mother, Luka donated to his aunt’s benefit and Luka hadn’t really hidden anything from him. Or maybe he was waiting to hear about his mom before he could make any huge decisions.
“For now, I’m processing that fine. We’ll see after we talk.”
“I’ll take it for now. So, shall we?” he asked, taking a hand out of his pocket to give to Adrien.
Feeling like a love interest heisting to take their lover’s hand for the first time, Adrien put his in Luka’s and let him sit him down on the couch as he sat on the coffee table directly across from him. He also sat with one leg tucked under him, trying not to box Adrien in. Luka was still giving him an out, just like he always did.
“So, my mom?” Adrien asked.
“Well, I guess I should start with mine. Like I said, she’s what you call chaos incarnate. Wanted to be a pirate and when my dad left her with a toddler and a baby, she pushed up her sleeves and proved she wouldn’t ever come begging him for help. She met your mom in school. I guess she was a lot like your aunt, more out going but she didn’t have to conform to being polite and quiet. I guess your mom liked that cause they became thick as thieves. Believe it or not, just like you and Felix sneak into clubs, my mom would drag Aunty Emilie to closed parks and outdoor theatres. I remember her being this bright spot when things were hard. Mom was never one to ask for help, but somehow, she could never say no to your mom. When we started to make a name for ourselves, and I started how people would start to not trust us, I was so sure that she’d leave, but she didn’t. I remember being really happy at that. That picture you have, the one at Viperion, that was one of the last times I had seen her. I know she had a kid about Jules age and your dad did not like mom. She could have been mad at your mom, but I think mom knew just how much your mom cared about us.
“a few years passed with only letters from her and then one night she came over. Mom sent us out of the room and I saw how Aunty Emilie looked. Scared. So of course, we didn’t listen and we listened at the door. Your mom kept talking about how someone was looking for ‘it’. The only thing I had seen was her holding a peacock broach.”
Adrien knew what he was talking about. “Mom always wore it. She said it was important.”
“Well, whoever was after it, she didn’t want them to have it. She asked mom to help her get under the radar. We’re good at that, helping people disappear. She said she was going on a trip and they could go from there.”
“Her trip to Tibet. That’s where she went missing. But she’s not missing or dead, just hidden?”
Luka nodded. “you should also know that she talked about wanting to keep you safe. Whoever this person was, she didn’t want to risk you getting hurt.”
So she hadn’t left because she didn’t love Adrien anymore. She left to keep him safe. The knot that had been in his chest since his mother’s disappearance loosened. Mom cared. To tell him what was going on would be bad, and seeing how his father was, he’d think himself above everything and wouldn’t let mom out of his sight.
“Do you know where she is?”
“No. unfortunately, I couldn’t get that far. They didn’t deicide when we listened in and when I went looking, my mom had the information locked down. even as her son, there’s certain stuff she hides from me. But I have a good reason to believe she’s still alive. If you want to find her, we need to figure out if the person who was after her is still looking for her or what the broach could be about anyway.”
His mom was still alive. She still had a chance at coming home. And…Adrien wasn’t breaking at this. Luka told him everything, even things he should know if he wanted to find more information.
“Will you help me?”
Luka looked surprised. “You want me to help?”
“one of the things I was worried about was hearing that mom didn’t love me, but I know that’s not true. Do you think if we ask your mom, she’ll tell me where she is?”
“If you’re anything like your mom, I’m sure. but you really want me to help?”
Adrien pushed himself to the edge of the seat so he could take Luka’s hand. “yeah, I want my boyfriend to help me. My mafia member, sweet, kind, very good kisser boyfriend to help me. I know I can trust you and I know this doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
Luka looked about as relived and happy as Adrien felt. He didn’t hesitate to kiss Adrien, relishing on not having to give it up.
Adrien had been running away from answers since he met Luka. now he was glad that his answers wouldn’t involve running away from Luka.