From School Girl To Superstar

Gifts Part 2

Tomas gently tried to shake me from my doze and I brushed his hand away, attempting to settle down again into the blissful darkness. I heard a familiar chuckle and I groaned in both irritation and exhaustion. "Tomas leave me alone...." I mumbled out in a low tone, so close to successfully falling asleep again when something tickled the back of my neck. I shot up and slapped the back of my neck in surprise, my blurry vision taking a minute to clear as I flicked my eyes from side to side. Two chuckling voices filled my ears and I looked behind me to find Tomas with a hand over his mouth and facing forward to see Adrien grinning like a madman at my reaction. I squinted at him, almost as if I was processing his image. He stood there patiently, waiting for my reaction as I let out a small breath, pushed him in the gut to get him to stumble back, and closed the car door, almost laughing at Adrien's dumbfounded face. I looked at Tomas with a leveled and tired expression. "Thirty seconds to get out of this car. Give me five minutes alone." Thomas narrowed his eyes at me but nodded, slipping out of the car and leaving me with no one but the driver who I knew wouldn't bother me. I took a deep breath and lowered my head, attempting to get my energy back.

Tomas' POV

I sighed as I looked at the tinted windows of the car, imagining Mari and the exhausted slump of her shoulders. Adrien peeped at me from the other side of the car in curiosity but I just shook my head, motioning inside. I walked around and we walked in together, finding Luka in the private room I had booked for the night for us to have a peaceful night. He stood up with a smile but it fell as soon as Adrien and I walked into the room. I could see something flash behind his eyes but he schooled his face into neutrality as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Where is she?" He asked simply.

"She needed a minute to herself, so we're giving that to her, " I replied. Adrien sighed and plopped down on one of the leather couches.

"She looked so tired, drained even. Should we really be doing this for her right now?" he asked. I couldn't tell if that was a rhetorical question and he didn't ask for an answer. Which was good I suppose because none of us were willing to give one. I sighed.

"Adrien, I guess I should take this time to talk work with you, " He lifted his head to give me a questioning look. I felt more than saw Luka stiffen up in the corner. "M.R. is going to pitch the idea of some sort of collab between us." Adrien snorted.

"I hate to burst their bubble, but between me and Mari, she got all the pipes. I can't sing even if I tried." He smiled and I returned it.

"Oh trust me I know. I can tell you're tone deaf just by hearing you speak." Adrien was about to interrupt me to defend himself but I cut him off with a good matured chuckle. "Regardless, I just wanted to let you know so you're not surprised." He looked a bit put off at how I had cut him off but he nodded in acceptance.

"Thanks, man." The door behind me suddenly opened with a loud squeal of its hinges, before I got the chance to look back someone wacked me on the back of the head, making me pitch forward. I paused, stunned at the impact while Adrien and Luka snickered. Looking to the side I was Mari, leaning forward so she could meet my eyes in my bent-over position with her hands on her hips. She had a playful glare in her eyes as well as a happy smile on her face. I almost sighed in relief

"Serves you right for kidnapping me. Now, " she stood up straight. "Let's get this show on the road." Marinette plopped herself down next to Adrien who excitedly pulled her close. I stood up myself and ran a hand through my hair. I caught Luka in the corner of my eye standing almost awkwardly off to the side before he cleared his throat and hung his head. My eyes narrowed. 'He never does that...' He spoke.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I'll be back in a bit." Both Adrien and Marinette were too preoccupied with each other to give him anything more than a grunt of acknowledgment, but my gaze followed him as he very quickly left the room. I huffed and followed him.

I found him outside the building in the same back alley that my car was in. He was pacing up and down anxiously, almost seeming to mutter to himself as he did.

"Luka!" I called out, making him whip around to face me, his breathing heavy.

"Why did you follow me?" He asked quietly. I took a few steps toward him.

"You didn't seem alright, so I came to check on you." he snorted and lowered his head again, shaking his head. He walked back and braced his hands on the trunk of my car, leaning forward.

"No.... I guess I'm not alright. There's a lot on my mind right now." He sighed and I walked up next to him.

"Luka, you've been off lately. Can you tell me what's wrong?" I asked in a gentle tone. He stayed silent for a moment before he clenched his hands into fists. I was almost scared he was going to bang them against the car but just turned his head to me, revealing all of the confusion and what looked to be pain in his eyes.

"Everything Tomas. Everything is wrong. Between us I mean. Before we used to spend so much time together, even when we weren't producing new music. Now that...I've started going, " he took in a shaky breath and I suddenly understood exactly what he was referring to. "And Mari is now in the picture, I get the idea that you're pushing away from me." He sighed and ran a hand through his black and blue locks. I continued to stare at him, waiting until he was officially done. "Every time I do see you we talk about either Mari or Adrien or, whatever the hell I'm doing. I guess that's it right. You're disgusted with what I'm doing to stay at this company so you're deliberately pushing me away right." He started chuckling sadly and my eyes went wide. I opened my mouth to say something but he kept talking. "That's why you and Adrien have gotten so buddy buddy right? I had to ask myself if I thought that Mari knew but I just think she's in on it and happy to be with you both. Right?! Who am I kidding, of course, that's how it is, you'd rather be with a model and a fellow singer than a producer who has to p-" I didn't even think, I just acted. I knew what he was going to say and I didn't let him finish. My face went hard as I stomped up to I'm using one hand to push him against the trunk of my car and the other to lift his chin so he was looking straight at me as I pressed my lips to his quickly to shut him up.

After a while, I pulled back a bit, far enough to let him breathe but close enough so I still had his full attention. "I don't want to hear that come out of you ever again you hear me. I was never disgusted with you or anything of the sort. Adrien, Mari, and I do not have that kind of relationship. They love each other and I could never get between them. And it's the same with you and me, our relationship is more than a bromance. Right?" He stared at me wide-eyed for a bit before he gave a stunned nod. I smiled at him. "Glad to hear it, or else this would be really awkward." I kissed him again and this time, I felt him reciprocate.