Chapter One

Colourful lights strobed, music blared and people danced. Marinette was swaying to the beat but things were not going the way she had hoped. Yes, she was out having fun with her friends, watching the band comprised of her old classmates. And yes, by some miracle Adrien had actually been allowed out to be their keyboardist. But gaining and holding her crush's attention was practically impossible. There were fangirls everywhere but the real drawback was the presence of Kagami.

The delicate yet striking features of the petite beauty held Adrien captivated. His alluring smile was frequently flashed her way as his fingers raced across the keyboard. Of course, Adrien had personally invited his sparring partner from fencing and his eyes had been drifting to her for most of the night. Bitterness had Marinette's throat constricting as she watched the flirty glances passing between them. It had gotten to the point where she couldn't watch Adrien anymore.

Needing a distraction, Marinette let her eyes drifted over the rest of the band and she was surprised to discover Luka watching her. Juleka's older brother no longer sported the blue tips to his hair, now that dark artful mess was its natural deep brown. His blue eyes were crinkled with amusement and his lips were curled upward in a shy yet rakish smile which made her heart skip a beat. Adrien might have been oblivious to the fact that Marinette was a desirable specimen of female variety however Luka had no such trouble, given the smouldering stare he was bestowing upon her.

Plus, there was something sensual in the way Luka held his guitar and moved to the rhythm. His antics were suggestive and Marinette felt her cheeks flush just a little. These days she was much more controlled in schooling her expressions. Escaping her teen years had a lot to do with that. Long gone were their high school days, now they were out in the world either studying or working.

Despite this change, Marinette still had a secret part-time superhero job of fighting Hawkmoth. The elusive villain was less active these days but remained a nuisance. Continuing to harass Parisian citizens while he endeavoured to steal the most powerful pair of miraculous from Ladybug and Chat Noir. This made balancing everyday life a continual struggle but somehow Marinette made it work. But she didn't want to think on that right now.

Instead she held her appreciative gaze on Luka as he finished his set and reached down for his water bottle. Leaving the stage, the musician sauntered her way with a self-assurance that screamed of sexiness. Luka was something of an introvert, yet he had the charisma to pull people in. While on stage he seemed to shed his quietness and become a true entertainer. Marinette supposed it had to do with losing himself to the music. As a fellow artist she could understand that, even if the medium was different.

"Hey," he said with a nod as he reached her.

"Long time no see," Marinette replied with a smile.

"Indeed." Luka placed his water bottle on the table behind her as the next band began to play. The musician extended his hand. "Dance with me?"

Marinette happily accepted his invitation and Luka led her to the dancefloor. Finding an empty space, Luka gave a playful tug on Marinette's hand and pulled her close. The song had a fast tempo but neither had any problems keeping up. The clumsiness Marinette exhibited during her school days had lessened over the years, plus it helped that she wasn't trying to impress Adrien who was often the catalyst to her embarrassing behaviour.

There was no tripping or shuffling. She moved with the grace and elegance of her alter ego. Luka was an excellent dancer, spinning her out and around, reminding her of the time they'd ice skated together when she'd tried to help Adrien with Kagami. The thought had her spying to where she'd last seen the model. His blonde mop of hair was like a beacon to her roaming eyes in the sea of people. She quickly located him across the room, deep in conversation with Kagami.

Marinette was momentarily distracted as Luka reeled her close. But she took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his neck and peer over his shoulder. Much to her horror, she watched as Kagami took Adrien's face between her hands and the pair leaned in for a slow lingering kiss.

A heavy weight settled in Marinette's chest at the display of affection. In the past, she would have been exceptionally jealous, burning with a need to plot a variety of scenarios to overthrow her rival while winning Adrien's favour. But she wasn't a teenager anymore, nor was she obsessed with the notion that her future would be with the model. Real life had opened her eyes to the odds of such a reality coming to fruition.

Witnessing their kiss was enough for Marinette to finally accept that nothing was ever going to happened between her and Adrien, at least in a romantic sense. The begrudging truth was she'd been friend zoned for years. If she wanted a real loving relationship it wasn't going to be with him. Dipping her chin, Marinette averted her eyes to stare blankly at Luka's denim covered shoulder. It was no secret that the musician harboured feelings for her. While he'd never said as much out loud, it was obvious from his expressions and body language.

Juleka had mentioned earlier that her brother was currently single. His last girlfriend had dumped him months ago when her own band had been given a label offer they couldn't refuse. Apparently, she'd said she needed to concentrate on her music, crafting her art to the highest form, meaning Luka would be a distraction.

The music changed to a ballad and Marinette lifted her head to look her dance partner in the eye. Luka never considered himself great with words but his gaze expressed so much. He was an observant man and he noticed when her attention settled on his lips. The arms around her waist tightened and his mouth descended to hers. "May I kiss you, Marinette?"

She gave a slight nod and murmured, "Yes."

The pair closed the miniscule distance between them, their lips meeting in a gentle caress as they swayed to the music. Closing her eyes, Marinette lost herself to the moment. Enjoying the feeling of being desired. Relishing the sensation of having her feelings reciprocated. Marinette Dupain-Cheng decided to forget all about Adrien Agreste and focus on Luka Couffaine. A guy who actually wanted her in return.

I suppose this chapter could be a short story in itself, but where's the fun in that? XD

With Marinette closing the door on a possible relationship with Adrien, what will fate have to say about that?

Let me know your thoughts in the review box below. Thanks for reading :)