Cat's Eye (Lukadrien)

Volume 3, Chapter 4

Luka doesn't get to see Adrien again until school finishes. It shouldn't seem like such a long time, but ever since Adrien told him that he was free after school and was going to walk with him to the barge before getting picked up by his bodyguard for his next appointment, he's been disproportionately cheery.

The last two periods of the day fly by in a blur, and before long Luka is sat outside the school on the stairs, watching the crowds go past. Perched up on a little ledge that partitions the elevated grass area from the staircase down, Luka leans back to enjoy the golden rays that seem to amber as the sun slowly tilts ever closer to the horizon.

Sabrina passes him with a stink eye, but he doesn't linger on that thought for long as Adrien comes out behind her. Now that they were all older, the classes were more mixed up depending on what subjects people took, but still mostly aligned with their form for registration. That meant that the only subject Luka shared with Adrien, who was in a different form class, was music. Even that was only by a thread – the blond had told him about how it took him weeks of whining at poor Nathalie to get the go ahead for it.

Pulling up from against the tree, he raises a hand in a casual greeting, getting a beaming wave back from across the crowd. Around Adrien, a few stray students frows burrow, remarking on the tonal shift to an emotion rarely seen on the blond in school.

As Luka leans in to tap the boy's shoulder, with more fluency than last time with his aborted attempt at a hug in the corridor. He'd been so embarrassed. That was the second time he'd gone in for a hug, only for Adrien to have been expecting something else. As much as he likes being close to the other boy, he is desperate not to make him feel uncomfortable or come on to, when at the moment he needs a confidant. But Adrien pulls in closer, fiddling with his tie. For a moment, Luka thinks even the bro taps were a step too far. Ever since the whole accidental sleepover thing with Adrien resting on his chest, Luka's been eager to be physically close with Adrien. It's totally definitely platonically motivated, since Adrien definitely doesn't think of him like that. So Luka prepares himself for the crushing blow, for when Adrien asks him to stop invading his personal space.

"Would it be, um, permissible to hug you?" Adrien looks up bashfully, with an awkwardness that betrays to Luka that he's dropping the model mask. "Earlier, you seemed as though it might have been helpful. In the bathroom."

Luka smiles softly, letting out a small breath, before wrapping his arms round the smaller boy. His movements are probably a bit too quick and eager, since he hears a little squeak from the smaller boy at the sudden pressure. There are a few glorious seconds, the blond's chin slotting in perfectly on Luka's shoulder. Not knowing what to do with his hands, Luka links them together cupping the small of the other boy's back.

As he pulls back, Adrien squints at him for a second, as though a few pieces are assembling themselves in his mind. "Were you worried?"

"No." Luka replies, a little too quickly.

Adrien raises his brows quizzically, with a brief twitch of his nose. It's very cute.

"I just," Luka gestures awkwardly around, "You know, thought maybe all the physical contact would make you uncomfortable... or something."

"It is absolutely fine." Adrien replies, with an almost singsong lilt. He flicks Luka's nose, "Don't worry about me."

The two had started walking whilst talking, crossing streets and roads as students thin out more and more. Soon enough they'd dissolved into the Parisian foot traffic.

Luka scoffs. "It's hard not to."

Adrien pouts. "And what is that meant to imply?"

Luka teases, "Oh you know, saviour of Paris, troubled home, working himself to the bone." He turns to walk backwards facing Adrien, shrugging sarcastically, "What on earth would I be worried about."