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Squeals were heard echoing off the walls in the classroom . It was unnecessary to say it was Rose’s birthday. Her sixteenth birthday.
It was the day where everyone would find their soulmates.
Marinette walked into the class, finding a crowd around Juleka and Rose, as they were hugging. It didn’t take long for her to understand what was going on.
“We’re so happy for you, girls!” she heard Alya say.
It was no mystery that the girls had pined after each other for two years now. Hope got higher when Juleka had no mark yet on her body before the blonde girl. After all, they would still have a chance to be together if both of their marks were similar.
The blue eyed blonde looked around her with a grin before throwing herself at Juleka again giggling like a small girl. The bell rang, interrupting the sweet moment when Ms.Mendeleev entered the class.
Marinette sighed while opening her science book. She was happy for them, sure, but she couldn’t wait for her birthday to come to find her other half. She has been enthusiastic about soulmates since she was a child, seeing her parents happy made her wish for the same happiness with her soulmate when the time would come.
Books and elderly people always said it was a bond that could break titanium. Soulmates have met and shared everything since the first pair was created a long time ago. Most of them would end up married until death broke them apart, and very few got a second chance with a new mate at twenty if their first soulmate died.
The moment Marinette noticed the stern look on the teacher’s face, she didn’t have any other choice but to focus on the lesson once more. Although they took one of their final exams a week ago since it was already June, the teacher kept being serious about her lectures. Nevertheless, the day went on quickly and after school she found herself dragged to a cafe.
“Marinette, we are going to get Juleka and Rose a gift!” someone said when they were ordering their drinks.
~~~~~
After their break at the cafe, they all ended up in a music instruments and related tools shop. She wasn’t that immersed in the shopping, but the rest of the girls had decided on the gift already when they had checked what the shop had to offer. It was a matter of time before they would find it.
Marinette strayed away from her friends, deciding to check the rest of the shop. If it wasn’t for her clumsiness that would cause her an incident… She would have said that she was lucky that day. And yet, she ran into a person who looked like a worker, the boxes he was carrying cluttering onto the floor.
“Oh, I’m really sorry!” she apologized.
“It’s ok, miss.” she heard his deep voice. But Marinettewas more interested in collecting the boxes for him.He joined her soon, crouching near the floor.
“Please, I got them.”
“No, let me help!”
She reached for another piece of wood, as his hand was racing hers to it. They both pulled it into the box slowly, and rose from the ground. The young teenager avoided his stare, and looked at her shoes, shuffling her feet.
“Did you need any help around the shop?” She couldn’t help but find his voice soothing to her shyness. She tilted her head up to look at the young man in front of her.
He had the ends of his hair dyed blue, and his ocean eyes had her breathless. She cleared her throat, apologizing again. While he only smiled at her and went forward to put what he held by the shelf.
"Did you need any help?" He repeated, turning to look at her, gesturing to his name tag, "I'm Luka."
She felt embarrassed beyond her ability to talk, she parted her lips a few times to close them again.
"I'm Ma-Ma-Marinette, I- I was just looking around while my friends are… Somewhere. Was something broken? Do I need to pay for something?"
"No, rest assured. These things aren't easy to break, you're good." He smiled, and she felt the heat creeping up on her neck. "I'll be in the back if you need anything . Have a good day Ma-Ma-Marinette." He chuckled and walked away from the blunette.
Her ears burned and she shut her eyes closed. With a head hung low, she walked to find her friends, hoping to keep out of trouble. She found them, and it turned out that they were also looking for her. They paid at the cashier, making sure that they shared the price equally
"Marinette, where were you?" Alya asked as they stepped outside of the shop, getting a glimpse of the black haired young man from earlier through the glass of the shop's window.
"Embarrassing myself, nothing new." she averted her eyes off him just as he returned her gaze. Alya noticed and looked where her friend was looking.
"Oh, you didn't break anything, right?" Alya teased.
The blue haired teen shook her head. Soon, they were in Marinette's room to celebrate the new soulmate couple. Confettis were everywhere on the floor, pink and purple glitter was carefully put on paper, while the pigtailed girl was slowly painting the box.
"Girls, dinner time!" They heard a yell from their host.
"Coming, mom!"
"I got to go, my parents are expecting me home for dinner, can't stay." Mylène said. Alix, Rose and Juleka followed her out with the same excuse. Alya stayed a little longer, before saying that she had a date with Nino to eat out, leaving as well. In the end Marinette sat at the table alone, telling her parents about her day.
~~~~
Marinette was dragged out of bed and to the class before it started. She was successful at last! … Even if she wasn’t happy about it but grateful all the same. Rose and Juleka got into class just as the bell rang. They were holding hands, everyone’s giving them knowing smiles, but no one bothered them.
Marinette doodled in her notebook, daydreaming of what was yet to become reality. Of her soulmate, of her future with them. Luckily for her, the period was free and a movie was on. She may have stopped doodling and more daydreaming at one point, staring at the book, blankly.
Because of that, she didn’t notice Alya and Nino walking out of the school in the opposite direction to go to their home for lunch. After all, they had a lot to prepare to make their new plan work out.
~~~
Luka stared into the party that her friends decided to throw for his sister on the weekend to celebrate the fact that she had found her soulmate. Everyone knew that it was a lot, from the gift, to the mini celebration done afterwards, in addition to this new party on the Liberty. But no one seemed to mind.
Hewas happy that she got her other half, and such good friends. A friend of hers made the song list, but the young blue haired man couldn’t help and add to them, and the music turned out amazing.
Juleka and her soulmate were on a date, and her friends arrived early to set everything up. He found out about their plans that way.
“That sounds amazing, guys. You did a great job.” Luka called, as the deck was ready and the party was waiting for the couple to start.
"She’s here!”
They all turned at the voice, to find Alya running to help another girl carrying things onto the deck. Luka’s sight was blocked by the boxes that looked heavy. He figured that he could help, with how the girl was struggling with them.
“Here, let me help you.” he barely managed to take the load from her shaky hands. Luka steadied himself with the heavy box, turning around to put it on the table.
She followed him with Alya to set their load too. The young man smiled upon hearing the soft thanks she whispered. He turned around to tell her that it wasn’t a problem,only to recognise her as the clumsy girl from the store.
“It was nothing.” he repeated, feeling his heart warm in pride, seeing her cherry cheeks.
He couldn’t explain his feelings, but he could probably assume that she was still embarrassed since their last meeting.
“Would you guys like to drink something?” he asked, getting some “please” and excited noises in return. He chuckled, while opening the fridge.
~~~
The music was loud, but Luka didn’t find it bad. His sister and Rose had decided to dance, and dragged their friends to the dancefloor as well. He carefully watched the party, sitting with his guitar on the side. His eyes hadn’t failed to notice the quiet and shy bluenette who was clapping at her friends, and sipping from her glass.
She was wearing a pretty, long sleeved pink dress with a sweetheart neckline that reached to her knees. She had taken her hair out of her pigtails when the celebration started, and he couldn’t deny the warm feeling that settled in his chest.
Marinette looked in his direction, and he was once again amused with the flushed skin of her neck -which her dress wasn’t hiding- when she blushed . The older teen stood up and walked up to her, slowly sitting down beside her.
“Are you enjoying yourself, Ma-Ma-Marinette?” he smiled sweetly at her, her shoulders dropped and her expression went blank, he could swear he winced a bit at the joke that turned flat.
“Can you not call me that?” she pleaded in a small voice.
He felt a bang of guilt in his chest as he apologised quickly, “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I didn’t mean to.”
She smiled gratefully at him, and nodded, accepting his apology. They talked for a long time.He told her he was homeschooled, and that he never knew his father. Although, Marinette changed the topic when she felt that he was uncomfortable by telling him tales about his sister in class. He listened to it eagerly, as if he had never heard them from Juleka before.
"Where’s the bathroom?” The blue-eyed girl asked at one point, standing up.
Despite the party didn’t have a lot of people, no one noticed Luka and Marinette leaving. He put his hand on the small of her back, carefully guiding her into the lower deck. The warmth underneath his palm was comforting, and it made him feel whole. The shiver he felt off her gave him a sense of tendency yet again.
“Juleka’s room is on the right, the bathroom is right beside it.” he pointed at the door with his other hand.
Sheepishly she nodded, walking into the room before shutting the door behind her. Inside the bathroom, Marinette buried her burning face into her hands. She won’t deny it felt nice to be in his company, and his touches sent her into madness, because she only wanted to be closer. But everything felt too magical to be true.
The young girl signed wistfully, using the toilet then washing her hands. She thought back about how her birthday was only a few weeks away. She would find her soulmate then, and get her happily ever after.
But, the tingles her heart felt with Luka… Could it be? Could their bond be telling her that he was her other half before she had the proof on her birthday? Her heartbeat picked up, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. A hopeful smile fought its way to her lips before disappearing
But what if he wasn’t? She would only face heartbreak, being with another person while still looking back at the blue haired man and wishing for a change of fate. She wouldn’t want that to the person she was destined with.
Marinette laced her fingers into her hair, massaging her scalp harshly. She stilled for a few moments, before she sniffled, closing her eyes to hold her tears in, inhaling sharply. A few sharp breaths was enough to calm her down. After fixing her makeup quickly, she put on a smile, opening the door to get out.
She heard some melodies upon opening it. Her feet carried her to the sweet sounds, only to find Luka sitting on his bed –she assumed– gliding his fingers over the strings of the guitar, playing with her heart in the process.
The girl leaned against the door frame, watching him with interest. She noticed he played a different melody the moment she arrived, and she found herself loving it.
“Why don’t you come in and sit.” he patted the spot next to him, smiling.
“I didn’t know you played guitar.” she wondered, getting comfortable on the bed.
“Well, we didn’t know each other very well before.” he let the string go, triggering another note. “Besides, I don’t go around carrying a sign to tell it’s the case.”
“I always wanted to try to play music.” she recalled the memories of a seven year old Marinette.
“I can teach you, only if you want of course.”
She nodded, and shuffled closer, holding the guitar with him like he signaled. Their thighs were glued, and Marinette found the instrument heavy. She tried to focus on his hands, his warm chest against her was sending weird thoughts into her head.
Luka guided her fingers to strum the strings to create a melody. It wasn’t as sweet as his, but it wasn’t a cat screeching either.
“Look at you go.”
It might have been her imagination, but she found his voice out of breath. She nodded, assuming he could see her, but she was growing hot. She found it difficult to focus on the strings with his hands holding hers, his warm breath on her neck.
She turned around to look at him, only to find him looking back at her. She licked her lips glancing at his before looking back into his eyes. They slowly forgot the song they have been playing, leaning in till their warm lips met. Electricity shot in their bodies, before they hummed as they moved in sync together. The instrument forgotten, Luka moved it away so that his arms could hold her waist, while she wrapped her arms around his neck.
But a loud crash broke them apart, as they both gasped for air. Luka looked worried for his guitar that slipped on the floor, bending down to pick it up. When he stood up, and looked back at the girl, she wasn’t there.
He put the guitar aside after he made sure it was ok, pulling at his hair. His lips were still tingling from the heated kiss, proving that everything did happen
~~~~
Marinette’s heart drummed as they broke apart. She couldn’t believe she had kissed him but her tingling lips told her otherwise. She took advantage of him checking up on the guitar to get off the bed, standing on her wobbly legs before walking out.
No one turned their head at her as she took her purse and left the deck back into land to find a metro heading home. With some distance from Luka and here, she started to freak out. She kissed someone other than her soulmate! Someone that she met -what- twice! Her first kiss should have been reserved for her soulmate, for the day they finally meet, no one else!
Or so had planned younger Marinette.
Today’s Marinette didn’t get the memo.
She cried on the metro, while shivering from the cold air.
“Are you ok, young miss?” she heard the voice of an old man asking. She looked up to find a short old man wearing a red shirt, with a walking stick. He offered her a jacket, while looking down at her, concern shining in his eyes.
“Yes, thank you.” she said, declining his jacket.
“Don’t worry, I mean you no harm.” he put the jacket on the seat beside her, turning to walk away.
She looked at it, then at the man who sat beside a pretty old woman, before they started giggling like teenagers. She smiled, and assumed they were soulmates too. The announcer called for her stop, and she thanked the old couple, returning their jacket before leaving.
Marinette rushed to her room, as soon as she arrived at the bakery. After she had wished goodnight to her parents she went to her room, claiming that she would go to sleep.
However, Marinette could only stare at the ceiling for hours.
~~~
After three weeks …
“My girl is finally turning sixteen tomorrow. I couldn’t be prouder.” her father wiped an imaginary tear out of his eyes, while she was preparing her bag for a sleepover at Juleka’s.
Her friends had proposed that they all stay the night, and as Jueka’s room was larger, they decided that it would be fine there. As agreed, everyone would get their pajamas and sleep bag. They were going to eat until late into the night while watching some movies to pass time.
Until it was the time to reveal the tattoo that would appear on her.
“When will you be back?” Her mother asked, as she put another paper bag on the table for her daughter.
“I don’t think I’ll stay later than the afternoon tomorrow. Don’t worry.” She went and hugged her parents tightly.
But little did she know, her visit would last longer…
~~~
The next day, on Marinette’s birthday, Luka heard the blaring alarm from his sister’s room. Whining, he got up and walked to knock on the door and to ask if Juleka could stop the sound. Rubbing his face with a hand, he called Juleka’s name a few times, until the alarms went off.
He heard the voices of the girls inside and took that as a sign to walk back to his room, closing the door behind him. Luka used his left hand to brush his hair back, making the sleeve ride up, and for a new change to his skin that didn’t exist when he went to sleep.
He rubbed his eyes rapidly, looking back at his wrist to find the mark there, he wasn’t imagining it. He gasped, and stumbled back onto his bed. Luka stared at it with wide eyes. There, on his wrist, lay a musical note formed by sewing needles and strings.
It didn’t look like normal ink, and his sister wouldn't be as cruel to pull such a prank. The young man stood and walked to the sink, washing his wrist with soap, until it became red, the mark refusing to leave or even fading.
A shriek pulled him out of his daze, but the happy squeals he heard afterwards soothed him a bit. He looked at his wrist again, glare at it and deciding that no one needed to know about it.
After all, he could do without the heartache of having a soulmate. He can, just like his mother.
With that in mind, he walked to his closet, bringing a set of clothes out with more bracelets to hide his pulse point where his mark was. Luka went out to the kitchen, where Marinette was being congratulated for her mark, people wishing her a happy birthday. And yet, she didn’t seem that happy.
Oh. The young musician could only guess that Marinette would have liked to have her soulmate with her, like with his sister and Rose.
And that soulmate wasn’t him.
He wouldn’t find a place in her life like he wished for.
Even he wished it wasn’t the case that kiss was nothing. And from the way she ran away, she felt the same way.
He walked up to them, with a smile plastered on his face to wish her a happy birthday. His eyes lowered to look at her wrist on the table that she wasn’t hiding. The mark on it was identical to his. His breath caught in his lungs, as he stared at it.
“Luka, are you ok?” He heard Marinette’s small voice, as she retreated her wrist back.
“It’s a pretty mark. Your soulmate would be lucky to have you.” he smiled at her.
Luka looked into her soft eyes, that had a glint of disappointment while she rubbed her forearm. He didn't want to hope for anything, but a part of his mind whispered to him sweet words. That this disappointment was the proof that she was wishing as much as him that they were soulmates.
Would that same glint of disappointment shine into her eyes when she discovered that she was linked to him? That she had run away from her soulmate after they kissed?
Shaking his head to clear his mind, Luka walked to the cupboard to ask if anyone wanted cereal. He had no reason to hide, but rejection still stung since they kissed. He wasn’t blind. She was pretty, and he liked her -adorable he might say- clumsiness.
But she wasn’t his.
Soulmate marks were nothing.
Just look at what happened to his parents to know it was true.
~~~
Marinette felt her heart break. She excused herself to the bathroom while scolding herself mentally.
Did you really think he would shout and confess his undying love to you, confirming how he was happy to be your soul partner ? Stupid!
Did you really think it was a fairytale and you will predict your soulmate?
She cried while looking at herself in the mirror. She had hoped, but fate didn’t go as she wanted it to go. More tears streamed down her cheeks as she decided that she needed to move on from Luka. But she couldn’t deny her attraction to him, or how his sweet nature made her heart beat.
Still, she had this small hope he was just taking his time, but he clearly liked their kiss, he would have said something, right?
She sobbed quietly, as she slid to the floor. she only needed to get it off her chest for the time being.
~~~
Luka’s eyes’ lingered where Marinette had gone, the aching in his heart never settling his worries. His thought spiraled just like the milk he was trying to pour in the bowl.
“Lad, you ok?” his mother asked, taking the carton of milk from him.
His mother always saw through him. Despite him acting like the man of the house and helping her out, she was there if he needed a shoulder to cry on.
“Mom.” he whispered, playing with the cereal in the bowl. “I don’t know.”
She tsked, and pulled him into his room.
“What's troubling you? Talk to your Ma’, I might help.I” She gently asked him, squeezing his shoulder.
“I got my soulmate mark. It’s Marinette.”
“And why isn’t she in your arms right now?”
“Mom, we kissed, and then she ran, and I haven't talked to her since then.” he winced.
“Luka, sweetie,” Anarka sighed, “did you see how she looked at you? She had a spark of hope in her eyes. It dimmed when you didn’t say anything about that mark of yours.”
He looked at her, as she sat down by his side.
“She was going to cry. Maybe she is crying now.” she sighed, “Why are you afraid, Luka?”
“What if I wasn’t enough for her? She may end up leaving me like… Like dad left you.”
“I left your dad because his job style doesn't fit to raise children, Luka.” she turned him to look at her. “Not because we didn’t love each other. Go get your girl.”
She kissed his forehead, looking down at him lovingly, while he nodded and looked at his lap. His heart kept turning into ash, but he took off his bracelets, staring down at his mark, and thought of what it meant. He stood up and walked to the bathroom, only to hear sobs.
“Marinette, can I come in?” he asked softly, knocking softly on the door
“What do you want?” he heard her say with a hoarse voice.
“I want to talk.”
After a minute of silence, she told him to come in, and his heart dropped the moment he saw her puffy eyes and red runny nose. He dropped to his knees to come to her level, and from the way her eyes widened, she saw his wrist. Luka took her in his arms as she held him tightly.
“I’m your soulmate, Marinette.” he told her, while rocking her in his arms.
She only answered him by placing her lips on his.
~~~
After she calmed down, he took her up on the deck to watch together as the sun was setting.
"I think I'm afraid of soulmates.” Luka said. “I don’t believe in them. Everytime I ask my mother if my father was her soulmate, she goes quiet. If my father left his soulmate then he wasn’t truly for her, right? All those books say that your soulmate is irreplaceable but I guess I never really saw it in my life."
He sighed, looking at the horizon.
“We can be just friends if you don’t want to be in a relationship with me.” he quickly added
“I’m sorry for that, Luka. I promise not to leave until you do.” she looked up at him, inching her hand closer to his to squeeze it. “I’d love to pursue a relationship with you if you accept me”
He smiled and stared at their hands. Bringing his other hand to cradle her face, Luka looked straight in her eyes.
“You’re the most extraordinary girl, Marinette. As clear as a musical note and as sincere as a melody. You’re the music that’s been playing inside my head since the day we first met. ”
Heat crawled onto her face, her breath hitching at the warm touch on her face. Heart racing at the sweet words, they found themselves leaning in again, until they pressed their lips together, feeling the same electrified feeling, and the tingling through their whole body.They hummed in enjoyment and he pulled her closer for another kiss.
They moved away from each other for moments. before She rested her head on his shoulder while he held her safely, looking into the sunset.
Although, the young musician looked at his soulmark, thinking back of when he found it on his wrist, where the pulse point was. It surprised him that the mark was in a tender place. He touched his mark, pressing on it to feel his heartbeat. Suddenly, he heard a gasp from Marinette.
“Marinette, are you ok?” he asked worryingly
“I am, I felt the breath leave my lungs and my wrist hurt.” she explained, panting. He looked at her wrist to find it perfectly fine.Pressing on her soulmark he found her heartbeat regulating.
“I feel better now, Luka. Don’t worry.” she said in a loving tone.
“No, no, can we try something?” he looked at her bewitched face.
“Try something..?” her tone went down the more she talked.
“Not like that!” they both looked away, hiding their new set of red cheeks.
“Can you press on your mark for me?” he asked her, cutting the silence.
“Um, sure.”
She looked at it, admiring the mark that brought a wonderful person in her life. Marinette didn’t understand what he was trying to do, but she trusted him.She brought her finger up to trace the mark with it before pressing down on it gently, only to see Luka put his hand on his chest and his eyes going wide.
He gave her his wrist, presenting his mark, she touched it too, touching it softly .
“That felt…So good.”
“Did we just feel each other?” she tilted her head at him questionably. “By pressing our marks?”
“I think we did.”
“Can you show me your mark?” he said.
She gave her wrist to him, waiting to watch what he would do. But he only traced his fingers over it softly. Tingles and chills shot up into her arms and body as she relaxed into his arms.
He told her to do the same to him, and he had to lay back down for a moment. He felt his soul floating, lightheaded.
“This feels amazing.” he uttered.
“I know, right?” she kissed his cheek, laying back down, snuggling up to him.
The sound of Marinette’s phone broke the little bubble they created. She took it out to answer a message before looking at her soulmate.
“By the way, my parents are waiting for me home, would you like to come?” she propels herself on her elbow, looking down at him.
“I’d love to.” he pulled her down and placed a tender kiss on her forehead.
Standing up together, hands intertwined, Luka called for his mother, telling her that he would be gone. She only smiled and wished them to stay safe of the road.
And when Tom Dupain-Cheng saw their hand and identical marks, he called his wife and embraced the young couple.