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Adrien's neighborhood had always been kind of a mystery, an entirely different universe for Luka. Fancy looking people that lived in the nearby houses, if not directly neighbors.
Perfectly trimmed front lawns that had most likely never been touched by their owners in the plant's entire existence, but by experts specially commissioned to keep it in shape.
An air of importance that seemed to come out of every window, emitted by every creaking intricately designed iron gate.
They liked to joke it was somewhere none of them belonged to. Not by birth or connections, as they should. No matter how hard as they tried to fit in until they eventually gave up.
In a way, they had more stories to share than any of them expected the day they met at the Liberty.
Jagged had left his two kids so he could find a life for himself. Gabriel practically pretended his son didn't exist for anything other than his personal wishes.
Both could have simply snapped out of the lives of their sons and none would have noticed.
Living eccentricities, knowing or unknowingly living to fulfill their parent's wishes.
A tale old as time.
In the beginning, it had been some sort of childish fairy tale, secret evening meetups behind closed doors and windows, hoping the wind wouldn't carry the most sacred part of their lives all the way to ears that lacked understanding.
Kitty Section practice sessions they forgot to notify everyone else about.
Kagami agreeing to help hide their secret, knowing what the fear of others finding out far too well herself.
Stargazing nights where Luka couldn't explain to himself how on earth his boyfriend had gotten permission to visit him, or even worse, how had he managed to sneak out with the security levels both knew the Manor had.
All for what some would call future-less, even dumb young love.
With the soft swish of the current of the Seine, they had gotten to know each other's melodies with such detail, they could almost play them from memory. As silly as Adrien thought the whole melody thing was at the beginning, he had learned to hear it, appreciate it, love it.
They had made so many plans, how they would live with the rest of the band in a rusty tour bus, Luka teasing Adrien about how much they would have to invest in fancy bedsheets, pillows and mattresses to accommodate his raised-rich soft skin.
There would be so many places they'd visit so many people they'd get to know. Maybe, even in a few years, so many planets. Sometimes they liked to daydream what it would be like, to settle on a far away planet.
Far away from anyone's shoes they would have to fill, any surnames or nosy people who would love to see them get exposed, just for the sake of having news to gossip about while they skipped tea or coffee and enjoyed a croissant with a friend before moving to another topic.
As with anything dreaded, the day they expected it the least, tabloids exploded with a single photo.
Them, in the boat they had adopted as a home to their shared life. Where they were supposed to be safe.
Surrounded by everyone they entrusted with the secret. Everyone they cared about enough, knew well enough to know wouldn't go around spreading the news for the sake of five minutes of fame.
Them, without a care in the world, sneaking a furtive, quick kiss while being in the main deck for the first time.
Distancing was probably not the best solution, but it was the one not only offered but required by Gabriel Agreste and associates via a corporate email for both parties involved in "a PR scandal of disastrous magnitudes."
"They say distance bring fondness. We'll be fine, trust me."
"What if…"
He couldn't even finish writing and sending the text before a new message appeared in the conversation.
"I'm sorry."
And he was blocked.
~(x)~
Adrien walked home after yet another late night photoshoot, wondering what had his life become in the few years that had gone by ever since he left Paris for good.
Far too much filling his memories for him to stay even one more day.
The city was loud, even strident at times. Many lights, many people, many late night gigs in bars that were probably not even legal.
For some reason, he was in the mood to feel his skin vibrating along to the sound of a guitar with too many effects for his liking.
He walked into one of the many locals along his way, eager to see what the crowd was enjoying so much.
Only to see a blue-haired guitarist leading the stage.
The chords, the lyrics, every note that came from his guitar. It was his. Theirs. One of the many songs he had helped compose when they were nothing more than kids fearing to be discovered, so he always ended up acting as a ghost writer.
He had been searching for him for so long, trying to find the dates to each one of the band's shows only to find himself with the news of canceled gigs whenever he was lucky enough to get tickets to the paid shows, and there he was. Standing on the edge of the stage like the rock star he always dreamed of getting to be, in an outfit that would have left his fifteen year old self absolutely bedazzled.
Adrien couldn't help but find himself being slowly filled with pride. He had spent so long searching for the boy —the man— in front of him, only to find him living his life to the fullest.
Would it have been any different if he had answered to any of his texts?
He found himself being pushed to the front by the dancing crowd, being static among them. For a moment, he felt himself make eye contact with Luka.
The crowd moved him yet again as the guitarist made some sort of note change that made them go crazy.
He had spent so long searching, and he had found, just to find himself be removed again.