To Fall

Revelation

Luka sighed as he walked out of the elevator, a pizza held in one hand and his other smoothing his hair. It had been three days since the attack at the MPD, nobody hearing from Ladybug or Marinette since. He stopped in front of her door and knocked softly, ears straining to hear any sign of life from inside. He knocked louder after not receiving any answer, a frown forming. He reared back to knock again when a click sounded behind him, his head turning to lock eyes with the man peeking out across the hall. Adrien clicked his tongue at him and looked at him with a lazy glare.

"What are you doing here?"

Luka eyed Adrien, nerves hit by the slightly confrontational tone of the blond. 

"I'm checking on Marinette. There was an.. accident. Nobody has heard from her."

Adrien frowned and concern flashed in his eyes. He had noticed the lack of Marinette, the bluenette having not made a sound in days. "I can check on her with you, if you want. We are good friends." Luka gave a sarcastic chuckle and eyed him, a challenge clear in his tone. "We are a little more than friends. I think I got this." Adrien stiffened at the statement and frowned, his eyes locking with Luka's as they sized each other up. "Is that so?" The door opened before Luka could answer, a head of messy blue hair peeking out. 

"Luka?"

Both boys snapped to her, concern taking them both as they took her in. Dark bags glared under her eyes, a contrast with her pale skin. Her normally vibrant eyes were dull, sadness radiating from them. Her baggy pink hoodie engulfed her and her black sweatpants pooled at her feet. She looked as though she had yet to sleep, and Luka felt his heart clench as he knew that was more than likely the case. He lifted the pizza into her view, a weak smile sent her way.

"Hey Melody. I brought some food."

She gave him a small smile but made no move to let him in, her body barely poking out of the door. "That is really sweet of you Luka, but I'm not in the mood." Luka frowned and glared down at her, used to herself destructive ways when she got upset. "Don't give me that Marinette. I know you haven't been sleeping, those eye bags don't just magically appear." Marinette rolled her eyes and made to close the door, a frown taking over. "I don't need this right now Luka. Just go home I'll be-"

"Will you just fucking stop and let me in!"

Marinette froze, her eyes darting to him in shock. Luka rarely raised his voice, but when he did, you knew you were in trouble. She looked at him weakly, tears threatening to form at the prolonged conversation. "Luka, please just-." Luka turned to Adrien; his eyes hard as he dismissed him with a nod toward his dorm. "Marinette and I need to talk. You can check on her later." Adrien growled lightly, not taking lightly to being dismissed. Marinette looked his way as if noticing him for the first time, her eyes pleading. Adrien stepped forward, drawing up to his full height. 

"She said no. She will talk when she's ready."

Luka set the pizza on the floor and turned fully to Adrien; fists clenched at his side. "This isn't your business Agreste." Adrien laughed and nudged his head in Marinette's direction, his eyes never leaving Luka. "You are upsetting her. That makes it my business." Luka moved forward and leaned into Adrien's face, his jaw clenched and voice low. "Stay in your lane Agreste. You aren't what Marinette needs right now." Adrien raised a sarcastic brow and smirked, his eyes meeting Marinette's over Luka's shoulder. 

"Last I checked she dismissed you, not me."

Adrien groaned as his head collided with the wall, Luka holding him by the front of his shirt and pressing Adrien into the wall. Luka glared at him and prepared to verbally assault the blond when a hand grabbed his arm, Marinette pulling him away and a smack echoing through the hallway. Luka stared at her in shock, his eyes hurt and confused as she glared up at him. Marinette shook in anger as she pointed a finger in his face.

"Just stop! Stop it! You think this is helping me!? Covering that violence with this violence!?"

Adrien watched in shock as Marinette broke down, tears falling hard and fast down her cheeks. Her breathing quickened, hands gripping into her hair as she fell into a panic attack. Both boys made to move forward when she backed into her doorway, eyes glaring at them as she tried to escape. "Both of you just take your dick measuring somewhere else!" She slammed the door, both men standing in shock before turning to each other. Adrien sighed and smoothed his shirt, moving back to lean against his door frame. 

"Are you happy now?"

Luka looked guiltily at her doorway. He just wanted to help her, afraid to leave her alone in her thoughts. He looked back at Adrien and extended his hand, a sign of truce. Adrien hesitantly accepted, eyes narrowing in suspicion. Luka leaned against the wall next to him, both men staring at her closed door. They sat in a thick silence before Luka broke it, his voice small. 

"I'm sorry."

Adrien eyed him out of the corner of his eye, lips in a thin line. He remained quiet, content to let Luka speak. Luka ran a hand through his hair and sighed, shoulders slumping. "Marinette isn't the type of person to leave alone when they are in their head. She gets self-destructive, whether in work or actual physical harm to herself." Adrien grit his teeth lightly and lowered his head, letting the words sink in. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Luka looked at him sharply, studying him for a minute. He searched Adrien for any hint of ill intent. Finding none, he lowered his voice to avoid anyone else hearing. 

"Some friends of hers got attacked a couple days ago, got banged up pretty good. It's hitting her hard." 

Adrien froze, eyes locked on the door in front of him. He shoved his hands into his pockets, fists clenching once concealed. "Attacked?" Luka nodded absently as he bent to pick up the pizza, preparing to leave. "I won't say much, but just keep Marinette in mind these next couple days. You are right here next to her. Please, just watch out for her." Adrien nodded as Luka turned and walked back down the hallway, muttering to himself. Adrien turned to enter his dorm, casting one last glance in Luka's direction. His ear twitched as his feline hearing picked up Luka's voice, his breath freezing in his lungs as the words crawled into his head. 

"Let's just hope Ellis pulls through."

Adrien closed his door quickly behind him, his heart racing as his mind struggled with the words. Marinette knew the captain. Marinette was friends with the captain. Adrien- no Chat- had hurt the captain. His head burned in pain as Gabriel flashed in his mind, cold eyes digging into his thoughts and pain coursing through his body. He had hurt the captain on Gabriel's orders. He felt sick as the thought of Marinette on her bed, tears flowing and eyes puffy pushed Gabriel out. The thought of himself being the cause weighing him down. He called out to Plagg, the black cat flying over with a piece of cheese.

"Kid? You look like you just saw a ghost, everything okay?" 

Adrien shook his head and opened his own balcony door, checking that nobody was in the park that was his backyard. "We have to go Plagg." The kwami didn't question as he was sucked into the ring, Chat Blanc darting out of the dorm and scaling the walls of the dorm tower. He pulled his claws from the wall as he slunk onto Marinette's balcony, the cold ocean air attacking his nose as he stared into her dorm room. She sat on her couch, wrapped in a thick black blanket and curled into a ball. He reached out a hand and hesitated, unsure exactly what to do. He steeled his nerves and tapped on her glass, her head snapping to him and her eyes growing in anger and shock. She jumped up and sprinted to the door, throwing the balcony open and gripping him by his bell, spinning them so she could throw him into the kitchen counter. Chat cursed and stared at her, the ferocity in her eyes almost making him shrink back. 

"You!"

Chat raised his hands in peace, trying to make his posture less threatening. "Listen kitten I-"

"I hate you!"