Everything in Paris was deceptively peaceful again. The shadow of Monarch had lifted, but the air still held the quiet tension of an event that had shaken the world to its core.
The main duo, Adrien and Marinette, were closer and happier than ever. They were together, finally, navigating their new, very public relationship, and doing it with the warmth that had always defined their connection.
Adrian was happier than he had ever been. Emilie Agreste had suddenly woken up from her coma. She was alive, healthy, and back with her son. Gabriel had told Adrien the truth that his mother was in fact never dead but Comatosed—a secret that had been hidden from him for years. Adrien was devastated that this important truth had been kept from him, but he was also ecstatically happy that his family was finally whole.
Emilie woke up thanks to the Wish Gabriel made, but only Marinette and Gabriel truly knew about the astronomical price involved. Even though Gabriel had sacrificed his life, he didn't know why he had miraculously survived as well. It was a secret he carried heavily, driving him to be a genuinely good father, husband, and person for the first time in years. His survival was an unexplained miracle—a knot of uncertainty in their fragile new life.
Another concern weighed heavily on the group: Luka Couffaine.
He still played music, still smiled, and remained calm, but he was subtly detached—chillingly so. His kindness felt forced, his eyes too distant. His serenity had turned into something eerily motionless, terrifyingly perfect.
No one could truly grasp what was going on. It had started with his smiles getting less genuine, a hint of emptiness in his gaze. Everyone initially thought he was just feeling unwell, but it got worryingly different. He wouldn't tell anyone what was wrong.
"Juleka!"
"Wait!"
Marinette, Adrien, Nino, and Alya stopped abruptly at the descending stairs of their high school. Marinette was panting slightly from running, pausing near Juleka to catch her breath. The rest of the group quickly caught up.
Adrien began, his voice laced with concern.
"Hey Juleka, um... we had a question for you."
Juleka looked at them shyly, her magenta-tipped hair obscuring her eyes slightly.
"Yes?"
She murmured, wondering what they could possibly want from her.
"Juleka, d-do you think your brother is acting… weird?"
"We mean, we all think Luka is not quite himself these couple of days… he just feels so… far away."
Marinette asked worriedly, the question tumbling out.
"Yeah, dude, he's not feeling well, is he?"
Nino added, his arms crossed with anxiety.
"We're worried...."
Alya confirmed, her usual journalistic sharpness replaced by genuine fear. Adrien, Nino, and Marinette nodded in solemn agreement.
"Ah… that…"
Juleka understood their concern, but she didn't know what to say. No one, not even her, nor their mom, Anarka, knew the depth of what was wrong with Luka.
"I… I don't know. Mamon and I are worried about it too, but… Luka won't tell us anything. He just… says he's fine, even if we try to ask." Her voice was small, edged with fear. Marinette sighed, her worry growing palpable. Adrien gently held and squeezed her hand, offering quiet reassurance as he turned back to Juleka.
"Hey, don't worry, Juleka. We will also try to talk to him. If we find something out, we'll let you know. Thank you for telling us."
Juleka nodded, offering a small, grateful smile. "Thank you..for your consideration..."
She replied shyly before walking away.
Adrien looked at Marinette, seeing the fear in her eyes, and gently squeezed her hand again.
"Don't worry, Mari. We'll figure something out. Maybe he just needs some space."
Even though he said this, the worry clawing at his heart was strong. He wanted nothing more than to rush to Luka and ask him what was going on.
Alya and Nino also reassured Marinette, though they still looked doubtful, and then bid their goodbyes.
After bidding the others goodbye, Marinette and Adrien began walking out of the school and through the city.
"Mari.."
Adrien stopped in his tracks when they reached a quiet, isolated corner, far from the bustling Parisian streets.
"Huh?"
Marinette stopped as well, confusion coloring her face.
Adrien cupped Marinette's face in his hands, his thumbs gently caressing her cheekbones. His expression was serious, intensely vulnerable, and he looked right into her eyes. He spoke, his voice barely a tremor..
"I… I've wanted to talk to you about this for so long. I know we're together, and it's perfect, but I have to be honest with you about something…"
He hesitated, his eyes wandering from Marinette's—his eyes containing a strange mix of fear for her reaction and profound relief at finally holding her and speaking the truth.
Seeing the wide, questioning look in Mari's eyes, he continued, his voice thick with emotions.
"It's about Luka. I… I really do love you. B..but I love him too, Mari. And… and I love him the same way I love you. Do you… do you understand what I mean?"
Adrien's hands, holding her face, were now slightly trembling with fear and anticipation.
Marinette looked at Adrien, her own feelings mirroring his confession. She was shocked, but not surprised. The comforting, deep affection she had for Luka—the feeling of being utterly seen by him—had started to morph into something more, something that felt like a quiet extension of the fierce love she had for Adrien.
Tears welled in her eyes, but they were tears of relief, not sadness. She lunged forward, hugging him tight.
"Adrien… oh my God! Me too!"
She cried into his shoulder.
Adrien's eyes widened at her reply.
"Huh?! Y-you too?"
Marinette chuckled with a shaky relief and happiness, pulling back just enough to look up at him. "Yes, you silly! I said I love him, too. I love Luka, and I love you too! I have the same feelings you do..."
Adrien's eyes moistened as he hugged her back fiercely, burying his face in her hair.
"Thank you, Mari… Thank you so much.."
He whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "I was terrified that you'd be angry… or....or leave me..."
"Never!"
Marinette whispered, squeezing him tight.
"I would never leave you- We're stronger together, and our hearts are big enough. We'll talk to him. Soon. We have to tell him how we feel...i just...i really didn't know what to do when I realized that I love two people and I want to be with both of them...i-i hurt him...i trampled his feelings....would he..still love me?"
Marinette's voice cracked and her tears streamed down her face as she spoke her mind.
"Shh...mari...its okay- don't worry....everything will be okay....you know that whatever happens, he'd still love you...i just hope he loves me too..." Adrian consoled marinette and himself of the hope that Luka will reciprocate their feelings- but one thing was clear in his mind- Luka is his, no matter what happens.
Adrian's beautiful orb green eyes flickered a sense of his quami's power- destruction.
As they held each other, the tension of their mutual secret finally released, a faint, almost inaudible hum briefly echoed around their isolated corner, and suddenly, the scene around them changed.
{ END }