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Adrien is walking back from his office, bag on his back, umbrella in his hand. He wishes he could have been more productive, but his internship superviser kept walking in with more and more paper work. It’s not like the content of those documents made him feel better. He was just filing depressing forms recounting horrible stories from the past. Abusive parents, unfit growing environments, foster care nightmares and so on. He knew that as a intern, he couldn’t make much a difference for these children. He was just a man in a white shirt and navy blue trousers, fumbling through old cases to make space for new ones. But one day, once he’d get his psychologist title, he’ll have a real impact.
It’s 5 o’clock and the streets of Paris are filled with workers going home. Adrien can’t help but smile a little, thinking about how he’ll get to see Marinette tonight. She usually works late most days, but Thursday is her free evening. And unless she had other plans, she would spend her time with Adrien.
He certainly never had other plans.
On the way to his apartment building, Adrien stops at the convenient store to buy himself dinner. That is one of the things he misses from living with Nathalie. She always made sure he had a full meal ready for him.
‘’Adrien ?’’
Great. There were always random lost fans that forgot he wasn’t famous anymore.
The young man turns around.
Dark blue hair, snake bites ‘’Luka ?’’
‘’Dude!’’
Adrien smiles and gives him a fist bump, still shocked from seeing him. ‘’No way ! I didn’t know you were in Paris ?’’
‘’Yeah, I’m helping Juleka and mom move’’
‘’Ah really ?’’
‘’Yeah… Rent’s been crazy, they’re moving to the outskirts.’’
‘’Oh’’
Adrien wishes he could say something more comforting. A simple ‘oh yeah, mines too’ or ‘yeah, I hear that’ but that would be a lie and Luka would know it.
‘’Anyways, what have you been up to ?’’ Luka asks with the same calming smile as when he was younger.
‘’Not much, got an internship at the Children Protective Services and I’m starting my masters next semester. It’s been pretty calm though’’ Adrien answers, looking up at Luka.
‘’Yeah, I’ve heard that there hasn’t been an Akuma attack in awhile’’ the older man replies with a knowing look.
‘’The Heroes are still being careful, they patrol every night.’’
‘’At least, they are being safe’’
Adrien nods.
Luka is still the only one to know about his identity. Sure, a few years ago, when Adrien was laying on his bed, unable to move after learning the Truth, he had thought about telling Nino. Everything from his Cat Noir persona to his father being Monarque. But revealing all of this would’ve made it worse. Nino would’ve had to leave, just like Luka.
‘’You look good, Adrien’’ Luka says, putting his hand on his shoulder. ‘’I’m glad you’re doing better’’.
‘’Yeah, me too’’
For a moment, they look at each other. Sure, Marinette had been the one to support him every day when he had been down, but Luka had been there to listen. He had been the only one to understand.
‘’So, you seem to be making a grand feast tonight ?’’ The blue haired man laughs as he points at the two packets of spicy ramens Adrien is holding.
‘’You know I’m shit at cooking’’
‘’Ah yes, I forgot, mister had a private chef that fed him with a golden spoon’’
‘’Shut up!’’ Adrien laughs.
‘’And you’ve eaten ramens how many times this week ?’’
The young man stays silent.
‘’Look, let’s go back to your place and I’ll cook you something’’
‘’I can’t just let my guest cook for me !’’
‘’Yet you grew up-‘’
‘’Oh, shut up, alright’’
The walk back to Adrien’s apartment is long, yet quite pleasant. The rain has stop, but the grey clouds still look menacing. Adrien smiles as he listen to Luka’s stories from his work in Germany.
‘’You’ve seen my place, right ?’’ Adrien asks when they reach the building.
‘’Yeah, I think so’’
Once they arrive upstairs, Adrien opens the door to his apartment. It’s not as spacious as the house he grew up in, of course, but it’s just big enough for him. Plus, it’s right next door to Marinette.
The young man puts the pack of beers he’s been carrying on the kitchen island as Luka places the grocery bags next to it.
Only a few minutes after they’ve settled, a knock comes from the door.
‘’Adrien !’’ Another knock ‘’Adrien ? Do you still have that avocado ?’’
Luka puts his beer down on the kitchen island and walks to the wooden door. Adrien gets up from his seat and passes his fingers through his blond hair.
‘’Luka !’’ Marinette gasps when he opens the door.
‘’Hi, Marinette’’
‘’Oh my God ! Luka ! I didn’t know you were back in Paris !’’ She squeaks excitedly before throwing herself in his arms.
Luka kisses the top of her head and Adrien can’t help but get closer. He’s jealous. It’s childish of him. Sure, they had history from when they were in Collège, but that had been years ago. Not every man that hugged Marinette was attracted to her.
Right ?
’’How you’ve been ?’’ Luka asks while letting her go.
‘’Good, good, but what about you ? What brings you to Paris ?’’
‘’I’m helping Jules and my mom move.’’
‘’Oh, rent ?’’
‘’Yeah’’
Yet again, Adrien can’t relate. After his father’s death, Adrien had received most of the money from the family fortune. In theory, he probably didn’t have to work a day in his life, but the idea of living off the money of daddy dear forever made him sick.
‘’Here’’ Adrien says as he brings the aforementioned avocado to Marinette.
‘’Ah, thanks’’
‘’What are you cooking ?’’ Luka asks.
‘’I wouldn’t call it cooking’’ Marinette laughs ‘’I’m making an avocado toast’’
‘’You guys really have a problem’’ The older man laughs, shaking his head. ‘’I’m making a chicken curry, Mari. Just eat with us, if that’s alright with you, Adrien’’
The young man blushes. ‘’Yeah, Yeah, of course’’
‘’But I was looking forward to my avocado toast, you know ?’’
‘’So bring it over’’
‘’Alright, alright’’ she smiles before leaving.
Luka returns to the kitchen and takes a sip of his beer. ‘’I’m sorry, I kind of just, invited her’’
‘’Oh, no, it’s fine, really. I was gonna see her later anyways’’
Luka nods while Adrien sits back at the counter. ‘’You’re sure you don’t want any help ?’’ He asks.
‘’It’s almost ready, just do what you do best and sit there like a pretty model’’
Adrien flips him off before taking a sip of beer.
‘’OK, so I dropped my toast in the hallway. I guess I have to eat your curry, Luka’’
God she’s adorable.
Her hair is up in a ponytail and she still has a pencil tucked behind her ear. She probably forgot it, like she always does.
‘’We have enough for three, don’t worry’’
Marinette closes the door behind her and sits next to Adrien. Luka takes a beer from the fridge and slides it to her. She opens it before taking a sip. ‘’How long are you staying ?’’ She asks.
Her eyes are almost sparkling as she looks up at Luka who’s cutting a red pepper.
‘’A week maybe ? I have some friends I want to see.’’
‘’And when were you going to tell us you were coming ?’’ Marinette teases.
‘’I was going to text you guys tonight, but I bumped into mister ramen here at the store’’
‘’Ramen again ? Really Adrien ?’’
‘’Oh because you’re better with your floor toast’’ Adrien scoffs.
Luka chuckles lightly. Sure, Adrien can see what Marinette likes about him. He’s tall, soft spoken, objectively handsome and he does look very cool with his tattoo sleeve.
‘’Hey, I forgot to ask, how’s Cerise ?’’
Adrien presses the rings with his thumb. ‘’She broke up with me a few months ago’’ he replies before taking a sip of his drink.
‘’Ah, man, I’m sorry’’
‘’It’s alright. I wasn’t… Well… I wasn’t good for her. Well… At the time, I couldn’t be a good boyfriend for her’’ he says, looking down. He feels Marinette’s hand on his back. ‘’But it’s fine. It’s like Mari said, I was such in a bad place, I couldn’t take care of another person’’
‘’Couldn’t have said better’’ Luka replies.
Adrien swears Marinette’s cheeks are becoming red, which drives him crazy.
‘’And what about you ?’’ Marinette asks ‘’Do you have anyone in your life?’’
Red very obviously crawls up Luka’s neck. The young man bites his left piercing and looks down.
‘’Luka !’’ Marinette squeals.
‘’His name’s Ludovik’’ he mumbles.
‘’Do you have a picture ?’’ She asks while getting up. ‘’'How did you meet ? When ?’’
‘’Yes, at work, like two months ago’’
Luka slides his phone with a picture of a smiling brown haired man wearing round glasses. He seems to be outside, on the terrasse of a bar.
‘’Ah ! He’s so pretty ! He looks like a model !’’
‘’We know you have a thing for models, Mari.’’
‘’Shut up ! I don’t !’’ Marinette snaps while swiping to another picture. ‘’Are you kidding me. Luka !’’
All of Adrien’s previous worries about whatever feelings Luka could’ve had towards Marinette disappear. The way Luka looks at Ludovik in the picture is ridiculously sweet.
‘’Why didn’t you tell me earlier ? I want to live vicariously through your love story.’’ The young woman pouts.
‘’I’m sure your love story’s not too far, Marinette’’ Luka says with a smile before taking back his phone.
They continue talking until quite late at night. Marinette and Adrien listen as Luka tells them about his new life in Germany and how he still plays music in bars with his band. He also, of course, plays a few of his new songs, which Marinette listens with her eyes closed, head moving to the soft beat of the guitar. Adrien can’t help but look at her. She’s wearing an oversized green crewneck with high waisted shorts that hug her curves oh so beautifully. Her legs are sprawled on him as she lays on the couch, next to where he’s sitting. His hand has been on her knee for awhile, slowly but surely sliding to her thigh as time passes.
Adrien doesn’t want to move. He feels like if he does, Marinette will leave. God he wishes they could stay there forever, listening to Luka’s music yes, but especially with Marinette by his side.
Unfortunately, responsibilities are unavoidable. Marinette has an early day and so does Luka.
Around midnight, the young woman gives Luka one last hug and makes him promise that they’ll grab a coffee together this week. As for Adrien, she wraps her arms around his neck and stays there a moment. The young man puts his hands on her hips while only hoping he could bring her closer.
‘’I’ll see you soon’’ she says ‘’And I’ll buy you another avocado’’
‘’You always end up eating them’’
‘’You could eat them too if you made avocado toasts’’
‘’Sure, and I could add you secret ingredient: Parisian floor dust’’
Marinette laughs in the crook of his neck before letting go of him.
Once the door closes behind her, Adrien walks back to the kitchen island to pick up the dirty dishes.
‘’So… How long have you and Marinette been…’’ Luka starts.
‘’What ?’’
‘’Uh… Nevermind’’
‘’Dude !’’
Luka sits the the counter and takes out his phone.
‘’I- I just thought you guys were sleeping together, I was wrong, it’s fine’’ he laughs.
‘’We’re not… What ? I don’t wanna- well, uh… Not that I don’t want to, but what made you think we were… Sleeping together ?’’
‘’Have you seen how she looks at you ?’’
‘’I was a teen model, I’m used to people looking at me a certain way’’ he says with a sly grin.
‘’You’re not a model anymore, dude.’’ He laughs, looking up from his phone ‘’Yet she still looks at you like she wants you on top of her’’
‘’Luka !’’
‘’I’m just saying’’
Adrien can feel his cheeks burning.
‘’Fuck off’’ he mumbles, trying to replay the times his gaze crossed Marinette’s tonight.