Where Does the Red String Go? -Miraculous Ladybug AU Soulmates

Chapter 31- Breathe

Marinette's POV

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

He's standing there, holding out a box with a golden necklace inside. Nostalgia grips me like a vice, I remember the last time he asked me the same question. Oh how much has happened since then.

I place my hands is his, grasping it lightly. "Yes." I say and smile.

It's been a week since Adrien left. Luka took me to the park near airport. There we sat in the sun and talked, with his probation officer nearby of course. I honestly couldn't distinguish the New Luka with Adrien. They even started to blur together, now I saw them both as one person.

We're close to our kiss, the final sealing of the soulmate bond. Our string will turn golden if we're truly made for each other, which I have no doubt it will. Once I kiss him, all my doubts will be gone. All my lingering feelings for Adrien will fade into nothing. Because I still thought about him some nights, lying awake and picturing his smile whenever we talked.

But the ends of his honey-blond hair slowly turned blue and his grass-green eyes lightened to the colour of the sky. He was replaced with Luka and his white-toothed smile.

I feel the coldness of the necklace as Luka attaches it on my neck. He sweeps my long hair away and does the final clasp.

"I'm so glad to have you back Marionette."

It's the nickname again. He hasn't called me that since the day on the boat, when I discovered his poem. The words send chills across my spine, and the hairs of the nape of my neck rise.

"You should really put your hair up Mari. You look so much better with it up." Luka says.

Immediately my shoulders relax, so glad that he's not using that nickname again. "Sure!" I say to Luka, smiling. The nickname didn't mean anything. I send my worries away with a gust of  green wind.

I've been seeing everything green lately. It's the green of grass, the green of meadows. It's the shade of green that I lived in when I was in my coma. I take a deep breath, somehow seeming green in my mind.

I take a hair tie from my bag and swiftly tie my hair, putting it in pigtails. I look at Luka and he nods approvingly. Luka checks his watch. "I've got to go to my therapy appointment, I'm sorry Marinette." He says and swiftly kisses me on the cheek. It feels forced.

I give him a tight smile. "No worries, see you tomorrow?" He nods, walking away, waving to me from his back. There's a tightness in my chest that won't go away. I can't help but be reminded of the last time he asked me out. And the ab*se that followed.

"You little bitch. You thought that you could get away with breaking one of my rules?"

"Don't you dare fucking run you little piece of shit."

I shut my eyes and take deep green breaths. But I can't block out the words of that night.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson, so you never fucking mess with me again."

"You're going to die."

No, no. I've tried so hard to block out those memories, why are they coming back now? I look at the darkening sky, the slowly consuming blackness triggering more memories. The words come back, the memory so vivid I can almost hear it echoing in my ears.

"Your'ree....aaa...naughty littttlee....girlllll."

"Come here little bitch."

"Don't worry, I'll be back."

I stumble on the grass, my hands pressed against my ears as my breaths come in staccato gasps. He said he's going to be back. He's coming back. To kill me.

The word bounces in my mind like a spring.

Kill me.

Kill me.

He's going to kill me.

The green breeze comes again, wrapping its hands around my thoughts. A new voice sounds in my ears.

"Shush, Marinette take deep breaths."

"Count to ten...breathe..."

Breathe Marinette breathe! My lungs shake as I try to take control of them. Breathe! I inhale. One. I exhale. Two. I inhale. Three. I exhale. Four.

Marinette, it's going to be okay. It has to be okay. You trust Luka. He's your boyfriend for goodness sake! People change, he's changed! Believe it Marinette, believe it!

But for the first time, I don't.

"You would look so much better in a sweater Marinette!" Luka says as we both meet up. "Why would I wear a sweater in the hot sun? It's summer!" I say laughing. We begin to walk in the direction of the school. "Well, you would look better in one. Why don't you wear it?" Luka says, and I could have sworn I saw his eyes flash dangerously. "Fine...I'll wear one tomorrow." I say.

Truthfully, I didn't want to wear one. But the grip he uses on my arm every time he says something fills me with fear. But whenever I look at his probation officer, he never seems to catch it.

"You should really also cover up your legs." Luka says. I take a deep breath. He's only saying this to me because he cares about me, not because he wants to hurt me.

He's doing this for my own good.

He's doing this for my own good.

I relax, it's going to be okay!

I trust Luka, I've always have. Adrien never did, which is why he's my worstmate. Which is why Luka is my soulmate. I look up at my boyfriend, smiling lovingly as I plant a kiss on his cheek. "Sure! Whatever you say." I reply.

I admire his chiseled jawbone from the side as the light turns green and we arrive at school. I intertwine my fingers with his.

"Let's go to class." He says and brushes my hand away. He stalks up the stairs to the classroom, me following shortly behind. We take our seats and class starts.

When the day ends I walk with Luka. We stop at the intersection when we both part ways. I try to hold his hand again. I smile up at him my hands intertwined with his. I look into his blue eyes. "I love you Luka." I say to him. I truly meant it.

Luka looks down, his eyes searching mine.

He doesn't say it back.