Elements of Madness

An Ex-Kiss

Luka was whistling as he locked his bike up. He was feeling more rested and sane than he had in a long time. Before Chloe, possibly even before Marinette. Out of all the possible reasons he would never have expected Chloe to be the one. After her little shower game she'd let him dress, they'd snuggled up on his bed to talk, and both promptly passed right out. Luka had slept like the dead, apparently they both had. He'd awoken to find her still burrowed under his chin and Juleka gently shaking him, pointing to the time on her phone; 2AM.

A hotel car had picked Chloe up. Their parting kiss was a sleepy chaste forehead peck and Luka'd gone right back to sleep so hard he missed breakfast. He half believed he'd done the whole thing in his sleep and his memories of it were just a dream.

When did the dream begin though? The whole episode after practice seemed surreal. Did she have any idea of the effect she had on him? She seemed to. She seems to know how to play him like a fiddle. Luka mused, wasn't he supposed to be the minstrel?

He was so lost in his head he missed the horrified 'eeeeep!" that pressaged Sabrina plowing into him instead of stopping. Down they went into a tangle of limbs and wheels. Someone skidded to a stop beside him as Luka got up, helping a frazzled Sabrina on rollerblades to her feet. That could only mean the other person...

Luka grinned wide enough that Chloe gave him an accusatory,"Whaat?"

She was outfitted in full gear. Helmet(custom yellow with black trim and a cutaway for her ponytail), shin, elbow, forearm guards,fingerless gloves all in yellow, and what looked to be honest to God diamond studded gold rollerblades. Luka didn't feel even a little abashed taking a second and third look at the whole picture. Beside her Sabrina was similarly attired, but in light browns with an adorable dog face and ears on her helmet. She was also wearing a harness with a strap that trailed behind her.

"Are you.. What're you even wearing?" Luka looked between the two of them.

Chloe folded her arms and hmphed,"Well, I had to find something between walking and my limo to keep pace with your bike, and I will *not* ride one of those things, nor do I wish to be a cramped passenger all the time."

Luka was still too bemused for most coherent thoughts,"You know how to skate?" he asked in the face of obvious proof.

"Duh. Ballet, Ice Skating, Wheels are different but it's not that hard." She paused then bent down and picked up the strap trailing from Sabrina,"For some of us."

"Sorry Chloe." Sabrina wobbled, her feet splayed like a beginning skier.

"Wait." Luka's brain caught up,"Is that a *leash?*" he nodded to Chloe's hand.

Chloe gave him another look that questioned his intelligence,"I can't have her rolling off into the road can I? It's for her own safety." she gave the leash a little flick,"C'mon Sabrina, let's get you back in shoes where you won't trip quite as much."

Chloe parted with a warm smile to match her usual finger wave, skating behind a flailing and struggling Sabrina. It was so bad that Chloe deigned to catch hold of the harness itself and support-pull Sabrina off to one side of the steps.

Luka started up the steps and was halfway up when a voice beside him piped up,"That is not something I ever expected to see, huh Luka?"

"Hi Marinette." he murmured in greeting even before turning his head. He smiled warmly at her, today was a much different day than a week ago. "No, can't say Chloe on wheels was something I expected, although perhaps we should all be a little afraid."

She gave him a smile in return that was warm and perhaps a touch timid,"Yeah, sooo umm how've you been?" she drew out the question into a singsong.