You Change

Chapter IX

The following afternoon

Leaving the lycée , Luka passed Marinette and they both had another date. The girl kept thinking about how much Adrien had changed in such a short time and how he no longer seemed to be the boy she had fallen in love with. Instead Luka was sweet and handsome, and he liked spending time with him.

Things were easy with Luka.

That afternoon they were only in a café, while the boy played his guitar quietly. Marinette had rested her head on Luka's shoulder almost all afternoon, and had found him strangely comfortable.

The afternoon passed calmly, especially since there were no attacks from Akuma. And being in Luka's calm presence, Marinette even forgot for a moment all her troubles with the Miraculous affair.

After a while, they had both retired to Luka's apartment. They both sat in the small room, next to a huge window that led to the balcony, which had a beautiful view of the Eiffel tower. Marinette believed that they would continue to chat quietly, or that Luka would play the guitar, but as soon as they arrived, the boy excused himself for a minute and entered his room. He returned almost immediately with a strange smile.

"Luka?" Said the girl, raising her eyebrows at the boy's expression, "what is happening? Why are you behaving so mysteriously?"

-I have a surprise for you, ma petite souris - the boy smiled, taking with him an elongated box. Deep breath; He looked a little nervous - one of the guys at the café where we played is the son of a jeweler who has his workshop on the outskirts of Paris. I showed him the pattern of your backpack and your notebooks, and asked him to make a charm with onyxes, since they are black, so that it seems that your earrings are part of the same game-

As he said that, he uncapped the small box, and showed him the charm. It was really beautiful, it had the same flower pattern that was printed on his favorite blouse, and in several of his designs. It was made of silver, with a quintet of small round onyxes, which formed the petals of a flower. He smiled and looked up. It was completed by a silver chain. They seemed to match their earrings when idle.

-It's really beautiful, Luka! - Marinette said, running her fingers over the beautiful charm, looking at it in wonder- how did he...? You should not have...-

-Don't say that, of course yes- said the boy, somewhat embarrassed as he took the necklace and unbuttoned it- it's the least I can do-

The boy put the necklace on while Marinette pulled her hair to one side to let it rest on one of her shoulders. Once he fastened the necklace, Luka hugged the girl from behind and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. Marinette smiled and turned to him, taking him by the collar of his shirt, and pulled him closer to herself to kiss him.

This time it was not a chaste and quick kiss, but they both took the time to get to know each other's lips. Marinette put her hands on her neck and tiptoed to reach him, and Luka circled her waist to bring her closer to her.

"I love you, Marinette," the boy whispered when they separated.

Marinette was surprised at her own daring, and only managed to smile slightly. She really loved Luka and was attracted to him, but... She didn't finish that line of thought because the boy kissed her again.

xxx

Office in the Agreste mansion

Two weeks later

Marinette had come to her job at Adrien's home office, wearing a huge smile. They had almost finished their final exams at en lycée , and graduation was just around the corner, so she could get on with her work and study for college admission. Every day she had gone to work, and had come a long way in the mission that Adrien had given her: to prepare the designs for the next parade. In the afternoons Luka passed by her and they walked together back home.