The Wolves in the Woods

Burn It All Clean

Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean.

— Maya Angelou

***

Idon talks to the adults about the situation at Dupont.

***

            "So, Luka," Amaia asked. Luka turned to her while Marinette played with Diego. "How are things between you and Juleka? The smile on Luka's face faded somewhat. As though he were thinking about how to best process and explain this. The telltale furrowing of his eyebrows was hidden well enough Marinette didn't see it.

"It's... going," Luka said. Amaia raised an eyebrow. "I know now, after a day or two, that she didn't want that to happen." He sighed. "I'm just... not in the best frame of mind right now to talk to her." Without blowing up went unsaid.

"... do you want to talk about it?" Amaia asked.

"I don't really know," Luka admitted. "It's not like Jules to be part of it. I know she's smarter than that." A flash of anger appeared in his eyes. "But seeing what they did to her that day... I can't forget it." That seething rage threatened to boil over and attract another akuma. Amaia scanned the front of the store with her eyes in case one did show up, her hand subconsciously reaching for the salt packs in her bag.

"Sounds like this isn't the first time it's happened," Amaia suggested. Luka snorted in response.

"Please..." he growled. "If anything, this just shows who they really are..." Ah, so traces of that anger were still lingering. "If I had known they would do this, I—"

Amaia stopped him right there.

"What happened that day wasn't your fault," she said plainly. "I don't know too much about what happened. And I'll tell you right now, I don't particularly care." Luka gave her an odd look. "But is it gonna help you to get that angry right now?" When Marinette needed him the most? Luka sighed again.

"Sorry..." he whispered. "It still... ticks me off..."

"Noted."

For a while, neither said anything while they kept an eye on Marinette playing with Diego. The puppy yipped and yapped, tail wagging on overdrive with his new playmate. Marinette in turn squealed and giggled. Diego rolled on his back, looking up at Marinette with his wide and adorable eyes. Marinette cooed and tickled his belly, earning a happier tail wag and a squirming, happy puppy. Slowly, little by little, Amaia sensed Luka's anger melting away.

"Cute dog," he said.

"Thanks," Amaia replied.

"What breed is he?" Luka asked.

"Siberian husky," Amaia said. "Fair warning, he sheds as much as he smiles." Luka snorted. "Not making this up."

"I can tell," Luka chuckled. He and Amaia looked up in time to see Marinette cradling Diego against her chest. She looked up at them with the cutest eyes anyone had ever seen while she held up Diego's paws in her hands. The puppy himself was clearly enjoying the attention from the girl, if his lolling tongue was any indicator.

"Look at his tiny paws," Marinette cooed with huge eyes. At which, Amaia and Luka burst out into laughter. For a moment, they all forget about the looming threat over the city. They forgot about the incident that sealed Marinette's transfer and subsequent escape from Dupont. They forgot about the spineless doormat that was Adrien Agreste. They forgot about everything that troubled them in the world.