Autumn's Bounty (LukaxReader) (AdrienxReader)

Chapter Nineteen

Days had gone by, and I still couldn't shake the image of Adrien's expression. The confusion, hurt and annoyance that swirled in his eyes... it was all I could do to turn away and avoid his gaze.

He hadn't talked to me since then, except for the occasional curt nod or half-hearted "hello" in the hallway. It was like we were strangers again. Even our classes felt different, as if the air had been sucked out of them, leaving nothing but an unsettling quiet in its wake. He disappeared from the lunch table, opting to go home for lunch instead.

I let a sigh out and leaned back against my wall, hugging my stuffed animal close.

Luka stared at me, and placed a gentle hand on my knee, offering a reassuring smile.

"What's on your mind, Belle?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle. I looked up at him, feeling a strange sense of guilt bubble up in my throat.

I sat for a moment. Do I tell him what's really going on inside my head? No, he'd be upset. He would tell me to forget about Adrien, that he was just jealous we had gotten back together.

"I'm fine, really," I said, forcing a smile. "Just... It's nothing important."

Luka nodded, but I could tell he didn't believe me. He shifted closer, his arm sliding around my shoulders. "You don't need to think about him anymore, Maybelle. He just wanted to take advantage of you while you were vulnerable."

I bit my lip, wishing I could believe those words as easily as he seemed to. But the way he had looked at me... I couldn't forget it. "I don't know," I said softly. "I just wish things could go back to how they were before."

"You don't mean that," Luka insisted, his voice laced with concern. "Adrien wasn't being a good friend to you, Maybelle. He only cared about himself." He squeezed my shoulder a tad too hard.

I jerked away from him, anger building inside of me. "Don't you dare tell me what I do or don't mean!" I exclaimed, my voice shaking with emotion. "You don't know anything about it! You were too busy sulking and skipping school, or talking with Marinette to see how much he was there for me!"

Luka recoiled, clearly taken aback by my outburst. "I'm sorry, Maybelle," he stammered. "I didn't mean to-"

But he stopped, his gaze stuck to my bedroom window, where a pair of glowing green eyes watched us from a rooftop across the street.

My breath caught in my throat. "What is it?" I whispered, following his line of sight. There, in the darkness, was Chat Noir, looking at us with an expression that I couldn't quite make out.

For a moment, I felt a strange sense of relief wash over me. Maybe he could understand what I was going through. Maybe he could help me figure out what to do. But then, just as quickly, the relief was replaced by uncertainty. Why was he here?

"That mangey fucking cat," Luka spat, leaping to his feet. He moved to grab my hand, but I yanked it away, feeling a strange mixture of fear and anger coursing through me.

I glanced out the window again, meeting Chat Noir's gaze. He was still there, his expression unreadable. "He hasn't visited me since... Since you said you were going to 'talk' to him."

"Well, he should be careful," Luka muttered. "If he thinks he can just keep watching over you like this and not face the consequences-"

My heart skipped a beat. I turned back to him, my mind racing with unease. "Luka, what are you going to do?"

He didn't answer, his gaze still fixed on the figure across the street. His jaw was tight, his hands clenched into fists. Suddenly, he took a step toward the window, as if he were about to leap out of it and confront Chat Noir himself.