Just Give Me A Try || lukadrien

Part 4: New Beginnings

Gleeful shouts punctuate the warm summer air, heavy with the aroma of bruised fruit. The sun rejoices with the festival crowd and as Luka steps between stalls, his mind is light and energized. Juleka and Rose are with him, chattering excitedly, holding hands in the sunshine as the beats of the local band resonate through the soles of their feet.

Locked eyes crossing the distance. Wispy strands of watermelon-sugar hair fly into the girl's face and she holds it back with a delicate hand. She's in the adjacent teacup, and as they swing, closer and then farther apart, midst the joyful screams, their ocean eyes connect and hold, for a long moment.

Luka holds out a hand to the girl, after the teacups slow to a stop. She takes it and steps down, her robins-egg skirt brushing the gravel. His eyes are drawn to her collarbone, freckled and bearing a long shell chain that drag his eyes downward. Endorphins from the carnival ride start to work their magic and heat pulses through his bloodstream. It is natural, instant attraction.

Ondine takes notice of Luka's flushed face and blinks. She looks over her shoulder at her childhood friend Kim, who jumps out of the cup unconcernedly. He suddenly sees the scene before him and a grin blooms. He throws a couple of finger guns at the two before hopping away to a nearby corndog stand. Ondine turns back dazed, looking Luka in the eyes, flushing pink when she sees he isn't looking away.

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This is fun.

Luka takes another tour of the festival with Ondine, this time with fairy lights twinkling above their heads. His sister waved him away with a vague smile, whispering into her girlfriend's ear. He buys cotton candy for Ondine, brandishing the sticks triumphantly above his head like hard-won trophies. She giggles, but he goes to readjust her light-up devil horns, and her gaiety drops, stance shifting away from him.

Luka tilts his head to the side as he asks, "Is there anything wrong?"

"No, no, everything's fine . ." Her eyes are suddenly melancholy, as if recalling something. They stay in silence for a few moments, both looking away at the surroundings.

"Barbe à papa (Papa's beard)," Ondine suddenly chirps, holding the cotton candy to her face and twisting her lips. Her charming pout elicits bubbling chuckles out of Luka, and they just stand there making faces with their 'beards'.

He waves Ondine goodbye as she steps onto the public bus holding a few stuffed toys. They took a few selfies during the 'date', and he used the opportunity to add his contact into her phone. She did the same, and now he looks at his phone dreamily.

Luka lets out a long breath, grinning uncontrollably. He isn't sure what makes Ondine so special, but it was like magic. Logically he knows the high of the rides coupled with an attractive girl simply ignited a biological reaction. He doesn't mind though. Why not spend my days with a cute girl?

The other option would be pining after a beguiling boy, one who ruins his lovely days with longing. Luka didn't have to hide his feelings here, at least. So he smiles, and looks up at the star-speckled sky.

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That very night, a solid knock on Luka's cabin at midnight wakes him up, dreary. A crimson-clad superhero introduces herself quietly and holds out a dark box covered in symbols, smiling.

"You were recommended to me by a friend of yours. Adrien, I think." He accepts the snake miraculous, asking only one question.

"How did you know this was my room? The other cabins look identical from the outside."

A panicked look comes into Ladybug's eyes, and she hurriedly tells him that she remembers from the day she fought Captain Hardrock, his mother. He assures her that he was joking, and they sneak out of the boat, narrowly avoiding Juleka finding her brother in a sparkly unitard.

As Luka whips out to save the day alongside Paris' heroes, his heart swells and it becomes the best day ever.

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The yellow daffodils on his desk catch Luka's eye before he turns back to the cell phone in his hand.

Adrien: so how's your week been?

Luka: i met a girl at the festival yesterday. Ondine, i think you know her. she's friends with Kim, from your class.

Adrien: wow. i did not expect you to say that

Adrien: that's great, i'm happy for you. you seemed kinda down these past few weeks. :)

Luka: thanks. i didn't think you noticed, i've been going through something. i'm better now though. :)

Adrien: that's good to hear. of course I would notice, we're friends

Luka: band bros

Adrien: acoustic amigos

Luka: pitch pals

Adrien: chord comrades

Luka: speaking of chords, could you try to stop by for this Wed's practice

Luka: there's a couple of chords i need to run by you for the next song

Adrien: Sweet Tooth, right? sure, i'll try to make it.

Adrien turns off his phone, and shifts in the covers. He pulls the blanket over his face, making a cocoon and curls up. Plagg materializes next to Adrien's face, hogging half of the pillow as Adrien makes a rude face. They move a bit more before settling, and Adrien is quickly taken by the sand-man.

Behind his eyes, the teal-haired boy dances, fluidly pulling at Adrien's arms. Dizzying and winsome, he won't let Adrien go, singing saccharine melodies and reaching closer and closer . .

His lime-green eyes open and it's over. He sighs and sits up, shaking the fantasies from his hair.

"Sweet dreams?" Plagg asks.

"You could say that," the boy replies, stretching his arms above his head, towards something, something carefully tucked away that only awakens in his dreams. The moon is still hanging in the morning sky, and it glows quietly, hiding in the clouds for now.