Lukanette Soulmates AU

Chapter Ten: Her Genius Idea

Marinette's POV

I'm not proud but in all honesty I only wanted to dance with him so he wouldn't see the matching infinity mark on my arm, but when we were dancing with the corny paper streamers and the cheesy music-

I just- I leaned into his touch but everything went down once the song ended.  Everything. 

I felt myself pushing through the crowd and running out of the gymnasium.  Luka trailing me.  I ran past the windows, and made the mistake of looking outside.

Lila was practically swarming on top of Adrien in the courtyard. He looked nervous but was still trying to push her off of him. And I couldn't help but stare until I heard the squeak of sneakers from down the hall.

"Marinette!"

Crap.  Who wears sneakers to a school dance?!

Only Luka Coffaine.

I ran faster until I reached the girls bathroom, swung the door open like a savage and-hid there. 

"Hopefully he didn't see me." I whispered to myself, out of breath.

I heard the door open a minute later and there stood before me: Luka Coffaine.

"BWAH!" I yelled and stumbled back.

He locked the door behind me, panting with his hands on his knees.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE GIRL'S BATHROOM YOU-YOU PERVERT?!"

"Better- question," he said, "How can you run that fast in tiny boots-"

I rolled my eyes before taking my boot and throwing it at him.  He dodged it before saying again, "An even better question would be, was that really what I saw back there?"

"Depends on what you saw." I said looking down praying that the infinity mark would disappear off my wrist.  I knew it wouldn't though.

Call it wishful thinking.

He came up to me, as I tried to back away, but I hit the bathroom wall.

He took my hand and pinned one so I would stop thrashing against him.  Taking the other wrist surprisingly gently his eyes lit up at the tiny infinity.

"YOU KNEW WE WERE SOULMATES AND YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!"

Oh fu-

What I dreaded for the past two days finally happened- just great.

I couldn't bear to look into his eyes, both of our masks fell to the ground of the bathroom as we stayed there in the silence.  I could hear the sloshing of water coming from the other toilets and nearly gagged.

I slid down the bathroom wall and he quickly followed.  We sat across from one another, looking at each other in hopes of an explanation.

"How long have you known."

I didn't answer. "How long have you known!" His voice raised a little higher.  I would've been mad in his position too.

"Keep your voice down." I hissed and covered his mouth.

"Oh. My. God. I can't believe you-" Luka said as he stood up running his hands through his hair hysterically.

"YOU'RE TRYING TO COVER IT UP. YOU DIDN'T WANT ME TO FIND OUT DID YOU- THAT'S WHY YOU DANCED WITH ME AND THAT'S WHY YOU CAME UP TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE DURING THE DANCE." He laughed.

"You wanted to know how much I knew and you wanted to know how you could stop it."

"Luka, I-"

"You're really selfish, you know that! Can you think of anyone but yourself! I knew this soulmates thing was bullshit! I'VE SAID IT A MILLION TIMES SOULMATES ARE SO BULLSHIT-"

"Luka! I tried to tell you in the hallway on Wednesday!" I called out desperately.

"-But you didn't because of Adri-"He stopped and looked at me for a minute. 

"So that's why..." he murmured, "Adrien..."

"NO-YOU CAN'T TELL HIM P-PLEASE-" I begged, feeling tears enter my eyes.

"Why not? I'm your soulmate not him." He countered back.

He was clearly enjoying the turn of events and the satisfaction that he was right about soulmates being quote on quote "bullshit."

The anger bubbled up again when I said back to him, "WE MAY BE SOULMATES, BUT I LOVE HIM NOT YOU."

Time stopped for a minute.  And for a second I could see a flash of hurt in his eyes.

"Yeah whatever..." he shrugged it off before scoffing.

"There's no way we're soulmates. The fact that whatever god there is out there thinks that we could be together- yeah no..."

"Then let's not." I said, before covering my mouth.

He turned to me, "what?"

"You want nothing to do with me and I just want to be with Adrien.  We can both get what we want."

"How do you suppose-". That's when he caught on to my idea.

"You're pretty sneaky, you know that?" He gave a chuckle

I nodded giving a small smile of pride due to my plan.

And that's when the String Pact was made between us.  The idea seemed genius at the time but it was the worst idea I had ever had.

"So for now... we pretend we don't know or see each other.  It's like the other person doesn't exist."

"Right." I nodded.

"And we worry and procrastinate all of this until Adrien's birthday in July? I mean you said it yourself you love Adrien, Adrien loves you and I'm just hot garbage!"

"Uh well I wouldn't put it that way-". I said sheepishly.

He raised his eyebrow at me.

"I mean your right... Once Adrien turns seventeen and knows we aren't soulmates he won't leave me until I find mine and he finds his- and if we pretend not to hang out."

I shuddered at those words. Why did they sound so toxic? They were. But I was desperate. The thought of Adrien not loving me-

"You love each other, no matter what things happen between you and Adrien, I'm sure it will work out." Luka said reassuringly.

I looked up at him tears coming pricking in my eyes. How could someone change their tone so quickly? More importantly how did he know exactly what to say to ease me up. He had a kind smile and the most sincere eyes I had ever-

I had never seen him like this before. And after what I just said about never loving him-

Before I could finish my next sentence Luka gave me a wink and a finger to his lips to symbolise a "shhhh" noise. I chuckled, still sniffling.

This could work right?

Wiping the pricking tears in my eyes I smiled up at him and stuck out my hand.

"Deal?"

"Deal."