Wanted ✘ Luka Couffaine

chapter five

After a few minutes, I notice Marinette nervously hovering around the piles of clothes, pretending to be interested, but before I can ask her if she's okay, she turns around says, "Actually, I'm going to catch up with Luka. I'll see you guys later."

Everyone mumbles a 'bye' and Marinette darts out of the shop and into the crowds of people.

I stand there for a minute, not knowing what to do, but I can't really bare to stay here much longer either. This results in me shoving the clothes back from where they came from, shyly dismissing myself, and then hurrying after the direction Marinette left, clutching my own shopping bags.

Marinette is my closest friend here so far and I'm not going to lose her to this unwanted relationship she's managed to get herself into. The sadness and frustration is clearly shown on her face, but unfortunately, only to those who look for it. I make my way out of the shop and turn left.

I swear she went this way. I speed walk through the swarms of people who have only seemed to manifest in the last half an hour. Accidentally knocking into some of them, I curse under my breath. That is until I spot some familiar-looking teal hair poking out of the top of the crowd.

Continuing to rush through all the people, I see the two of them go around a corner, and after lots of struggling, I manage to push through without any loss of belongings and pull around the corner as well.

It turns out to be a stairwell — one that doesn't appear to be used often considering no one else is on it. I make my way down the steps one at a time until I see an exit. The sky is beginning to darken but a warm yellow light cuts through it.

Almost immediately, I hear arguing. I go still when I recognise the voices, although I wasn't expecting it to be anyone else.

Cautiously, I creep around the corner to see the two of them shooting harsh whispers at each other. Marinette is facing my way, though it doesn't seem like she notices my shadow in the door, so I can only see her expressions.

"I can't believe you're accusing me of something like that, again," Marinette says firmly, her hands clenched into fists by her sides. "I keep telling you, I don't like him-"

"That's not true at all and you know it," Luka cuts her off. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You still have feelings for Adrien Agreste. I see it every time you look at him and every time you look at me."

"Luka, just listen-"

"Why don't you just break up with me?"

A sinister silence fills the air and I feel shivers on my arms. I can't see Luka's face from where I'm standing, but Marinette's indicates that both of their hearts just got torn in two. For some reason, just watching it makes me feel like mine just did too.

"Maybe you should have a little trust in me, Luka. That's how relationships work. Have you thought about that?" she hisses, voice shaking with rage. "Maybe the fact that you feel so far way from me is because you're always comparing yourself to Adrien!"

A small amount of fear surges through me at the sight of this girl. I've never seen this version of Marinette.

Tears slip down her cheeks as the final comments cut through Luka. His whole body goes stiff. All of a sudden, the hurt and anger in Marinette's eyes is replaced by exhaustion. She rakes a hand through her hair, which has gotten a bit messy throughout the day. Her body trembles a bit as she inhales deeply and, before either of them can get another word in, she storms off into the dark, leaving Luka with only his shadow, created by the warm light of the shopping centre exit.

And with supposedly no one left to listen, he mumbles to himself, "I never even stood a chance, did I?"

In that moment, I feel just as heartbroken as him, shut out, unloved, second best. An overdose of pain floods through me. I should leave.

But before I can slip away, he turns and catches a glimpse of me tucked in the doorway. A silhouette caught red-handed.

We both freeze. His blue eyes meet my (e/c) ones. Brows furrowing, he breaks the silence, "How much did you hear?"

"M-Most f it," I respond awkwardly, holding my hands behind my back and dragging a foot along the ground to relieve some of the embarrassment. It doesn't work.

He sighs, running a hand through his teal hair.

We stand there in silence for a few more moments — him with his hand cast over his eyes, unmoving, and me, sending shifty glances between the floor and him.

"I should go..." he mutters tiredly.

I look up again to see Luka turned away from me, padding down the alleyway to the lively evening streets of Paris.

Panic washes over me at the mere thought of him leaving. I don't know what it is about it. Am I worried about him leaving or him leaving me? Either way, I can't stop the word leaving me.

"Wait!" I race forwards and without thinking of any repercussions, I throw my arms around him.

He doesn't stop me.

"Please," I whisper breathlessly, hands digging into the fabric of his hoodie.

A warm sensation seeps into my skin and zips through my body, my face flushing, a tingling where my hands are placed on him. My heart starts gunning and I suddenly feel very short of breath. Why am I feeling like this?

I decide to continue, still clutching onto him, "It's not your fault."

The words feel foreign on my tongue since I'm so used to telling myself the opposite, and simply saying it feels like a betrayal to Marinette, but I need him to know her allegations really were false.

"Yes, it is," is all he says back, but he still doesn't make an attempt to break free from my grasp. I feel the steady thump thump thump beneath my fingertips. It's almost like he's waiting for me to convince him... so I do.

"No, it isn't," I insist. "Maybe you need to trust yourself a little more. I know what it feels like to not be loved enough, and although I also struggle believing it myself, the fact is that it's never because of you. Well, unless you're a murderer or something." The last part makes him laugh slightly, but it sounds rather empty still. "You're dependent on her."

At this, he stiffens slightly and a jolt of nerves run through me. At this point, the words are spilling out of me uncontrollably, all in a jumble. I start to panic again. I can't let his guard get back up. I need to get through to him.

In a frantic attempt to recover myself, I say, "You won't leave because you're desperate, desperate to be loved!"

As soon as I say it, I know he's gone. He removes himself from my arms and turns around to face me. A conflict rages in his guarded eyes, secrets painting his lips. Despite his stern face, he says nothing but just stares at me — a second too long.

I could never anticipate what he would do next.

🍃

a/n: word count: 1245.

first of all, I am so incredibly sorry for the long wait (last updated in January while saying I'd try to update more 😅). I'd like to say thank you all for being so patient with me and my terrible updating,, I love you all 💞

secondly, we hit 1K reads! I didn't expect this at all until I woke up one morning and saw that it was at one thousand! This is all thanks to your support and I think I overuse the words, 'thank you' a bit too much but seriously thank you, thank you, thank you 💓💘💗💓💘

I really want to update more regularly as I have plans for this book that I'd really like to execute, but things tend to get in the way. I originally wrote a rough draft of this chapter in my notebook in late January, but I delayed rewriting and editing it because I had a lot of other things to do. Still, thanks for sticking around 💗

(also, if you see any mistakes, don't be afraid to point them out!)

Love and appreciation to you all,
💗 starraika