Chat Blanc ✅

Chapter 11

"Luka?"

"Hello, Ma-Ma-Ma-Marinette," said boy teased, accompanying the greeting with a chuckle.

"H-Hi!" she enthused, a blush overtaking her features. "It's great to see you."

All of a sudden, a hand held her shoulder firmly, whilst a voice spoke from next to her ear.

"It's great to see you too," Adrien agreed, though his tone held the sound of a slight hiss. The bluenette he was holding close simply shrugged it off, as she walked forward and towards the guitarist nearby.

"What are you doing here?" Marinette asked, adding on at the last second, "N-Not that I don't want you to be!"

"Well, I actually wanted to hang out this afternoon," Luka revealed, a smile playing on his lips. "If you're free, that is. I was thinking we could take another stroll around Paris."

"Oh, that would be fun!"

Turning, she made eye contact with the two blondes behind; one who was smugly smirking, and the other who had a furrowed brow aimed at Luka.

She questioned, "Will you two be okay if I go with him? I mean, you could come along if you want, but-"

"We'll be fine," Chloe cut in, answering for them both. "We know you lovebirds need some time to yourself, anyway."

The duo blushed in embarrassment, glancing to the side.

"Right, Adrien?"

"O-Oh, yeah - of course Chlo!" the male responded, rubbing at the back of his neck in nervousness. "We'll, we'll leave you two be. I hope you have a good time together."

"Thank you," Marinette said, sending an appreciative upturn of the mouth to the model. In response, he did the same, yet with a pink dusting his face.

The female hesitated for a moment, before gripping Luka's hand in hers. They both pointedly ignored the action, only acknowledging it with identical blushes, and began to walk off.

Adrien watched intently, his emerald eyes narrowing at their intertwined fingers. For some reason he felt his fists clench at the sight, as he was oblivious to Chloe's words.

The Mayor's daughter clicked her fingers in front of his vision, causing him to jump in surprise at the noise. Now that he had the ability to study his surroundings better, he noticed that the teens had already disappeared from view.

"Ugh, finally. Took long enough for you to break out of that," his friend groaned. "What is up with you, anyway? Gosh, if I knew better you have a crush on Mari judging by the way you look at her."

"H-Hey, I don't!" Adrien denied, folding his arms. "She's, she's just a-"

"Don't. Don't even finish that sentence," Chloe cut him off with, raising a manicured finger. "Now, I'm going to go back to Daddy's Hotel to work on the hero project we have. Call me if you want to escape the Agreste Mansion for a while."

With that parting offer, she proceeded to stroll away, her purse swinging back and forth from where it was hung. The boy was soon left alone.

Adrien gazed at the direction that Luka and Marinette had sauntered off at, and then chanced a glance at the silver ring he adorned.

He slunk off into a place hidden from sight.

~*~*~

As she took a seat, Marinette pulled the chair a bit closer to the rounded table it was situated at. An onyx umbrella was open above, that provided a canopy which soaked up the sun's vibrant rays.

She let out a breath. Her fingers played with the tips of her flowing locks.

Luka sat straight across from her form, smiling gently at the display of anxiousness. He quizzed, "Are you okay with this? We don't have to eat here if you don't want to."

"No, no, no. That's not it," she assured. "It's just that, uh...well, this seems kind of like a date, doesn't it?"

The guitarist froze.

"I-I mean, if you don't want it to be, that's fine! I'm j-just wondering if it is or if we're friends hanging out like normal or, you know, something else!" Marinette rambled.

There was quiet for a few seconds, consisting of Luka attempting to calm down the red on his features.

"I...do you want this to be a date?" he finally asked in a soft voice, reaching a hand flat onto the table.

The designer exhaled slowly. A smaller, shaking hand held his in a warm hold.

"...I would love it to be."

~*~*~

A male - perched atop a rooftop nearby - sucked in a raspy breath. An uncomfortable pain settled in his chest, that soon spread from his heart and all the way to his toes.

Thoughts rushed through his mind wildly. He inhaled and exhaled at a fast pace, feeling his clawed fingers dig into the cement beneath. Chat Noir's back was arched, reminiscent of the very animal he was dressed as.

Slit irises glared at Luka Couffaine below, who was blissfully unaware of the hissing hero above as he laughed at a joke the girl he was talking to made.

Adrien growled threateningly, though the sound abruptly stopped when his eyes moved to Marinette a bit to the side.

He took in the freckles spotted over her cheeks, her silky tresses blowing in the breeze, the way she sat in a graceful and carefree posture.

Before Chat knew what was happening, a tingle tickled his neck, before a grin graced his darkened features.