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The six and a half hours train ride from Milan to Paris had been thankfully uneventful. After spending most of her teenaged years, constantly on high alert for an Akuma attack, it was nice to have regular, mundane worries instead of superhero ones. Did she remember to pack her phone charger? Did she take her multivitamin that morning? Would the local florist have tulips available to pick up for her mother, or was it too early in the season? Should she text any of her old friends and let them know she would be back in the city? Or should she settle in first?
The annual fashion week in Northern Italy had been a success. It had been nice to spend the winter with Nonna while she prepared, but now Marinette would be home for the foreseeable future. After spending the last three years traveling throughout Europe, Marinette was looking forward to spending the next few months with her parents and simply resting.
She stepped off the train pulling her pearl pink spinner suitcase behind her when her mobile rang. She connected her bluetooth earbud to answer.
“Hello, Maman,” she greeted. She listened while Sabine reminded her of the Lunar New Years celebration. The Chinese community in her old neighborhood had decorated the block by the bakery for the occasion and tomorrow would be the fifteenth and final day of the festivities. “Yes, Maman. I just arrived at the train station. I’m looking forward to the celebration.”
As her mother continued to speak about the Snake theme and the red lanterns, Marinette busied herself reading the signs to determine the best way out of the station. She’d been through so many stations in the past year especially, it was hard to stay oriented. She’d just found the direction for the exit when she saw him.
“Maman, we will talk more tonight. I just saw an old friend at the station.” Marinette ended the call. Stepping off a train in the arrivals platform from Berlin was none other than Luka Couffaine. He’d grown taller since she last saw him and his shoulders looked more broad. His raven hair with electric blue tips made him stand out in the crowd, his torn bluejeans jacket over his ripped jeans with a white shirt taut across his muscular chest. He had a guitar case strapped over his back and carried a duffle bag in his right hand.
As if he sensed her gaze upon him, his arctic ice gaze landed on her. Luka’s lips stretched into a familiar smile. The sight warmed her heart just as much now as it had back when they’d been teens on his family’s houseboat on the River Sienne.
“Luka!” Marinette called, a bubble of laughter spilling from her lips unbidden. She dropped her suitcase and started to run towards him, barely avoiding other passengers at the station.
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🐞🐍OoO🐍🐞
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It had been four years since Luka graduated from the Parisian University of Fine Arts. Since most of his bandmates in Kitty Section were a year behind him, he’d joined his father Jagged Stone on tour. He continued to write music and enjoyed playing the guitar alongside his father. The time spent together had done wonders to repair their once estranged relationship.
Luka had spent the past week in Berlin, finishing up the last leg of the tour and spending his free time visiting the world-famous Museum Island. He examined the busts of Queen Nefertiti and explored the Babylonian walls reconstructed so far from their homelands. While he enjoyed the beautiful art, he’d also felt a deep well of loneliness. And as he stared fixedly at the oil panting of a dark-haired Chinese woman wearing a pale pink Qipao dress, he’d longed for Marinette — the girl who broke his heart, but never left it.
Luka had texted his sister Juleka, sent her the image of the painting and asked if she thought it looked like a certain someone. She’d texted back that he should return to Paris for the Lunar New Year celebration. Imagine his surprise, when he’d not stepped twenty paces from his train at the Parisian station and saw the woman he’d never forgotten. His name was called out in the most lovely voice, a melody that haunted his every waking moments.
Marinette with her dark hair secured in a single, thick braid wore a dark pink qipao top and black skinny jeans. She dropped her pink suitcase and ran towards him, long legs devouring the distance between them. Moments later, her arms wound around his neck and her lithe body pressed against him. Luka dropped his duffle bag and his hands held comfortably onto her hips.
“Marinette,” Luka murmured. “Where did you come from?” He pulled back just enough to study her face, her big aquamarine eyes and the soft familiar smile. Her cheeks were more pronounced in her maturity. She was even prettier than he remembered. He wouldn’t have imagined such a thing to be possible.
“Milan,” Marinette answered breathlessly. “I just finished a fashion show. You’re coming from Berlin?”
Luka nodded. Milan was a city famous for their fashion shows. He was proud of Marinette for pursuing her dream. “Would you like to catch up? I’m starving and there’s a little cafe just outside the station.” He released her waist reluctantly and plucked his duffle bag off the ground. “We might not want to leave your suitcase abandoned on the floor.” He gestured towards her luggage and the pedestrians veering around it and some stepping over it.
“Oh no!” Marinette’s hands flew to her mouth and she hurried towards her abandoned suitcase, apologizing profusely to whomever was nearby.
Luka chuckled as he joined her. Even a few years apart had done nothing to diminish how adorable he found her. They still texted on holidays and each other’s birthdays, but he’d not known about her show in Milan. He had wanted to invite her to some of his shows along the tour, but Juleka had warned him against it. Marinette was his first love and would always hold a special place in his heart. They’d worked hard to repair their friendship after their breakup years ago. They were buddies, but that didn’t mean some part — a big part — of Luka wasn’t still in love with her. Because he most definitely was and his heart pounded in his chest at the enthusiasm she showed in their unexpected reunion.
“I would love to join you at the cafe,” Marinette agreed. “I am rather hungry. I slept on the train.” She looked up at him, their height difference a bit more than when last they met. “Did you enjoy Berlin?”
“The museums are amazing. I actually thought about you,” Luka admitted.
“Oh?”
Luka hummed and then led the way to the cafe. He opened the door for Marinette setting off the tinkling of the bell and she stepped under his arm inside. They settled at a vinyl booth and submitted their order on the kiosk at their table. He pulled out his phone and scrolled to the photo he’d sent his sister of the painting of the woman in the pink qipao and held it out for Marinette.
She looked down at her current outfit and giggled. “Uncanny.”
“It’s been a long time,” Luka murmured, an absent smile on his lips as he tucked his phone back inside the inner pocket of his jacket. The waiter came over and brought a tray with their sandwiches and boba tea. “It’s nice to see you. Texting just isn’t the same.” Luka oriented the tray so that their drinks were in front of them and the sandwiches were in the middle.
“Will you be in the city for long?” Marinette asked before poking the fat cardboard straw through the top of her drink. She closed her eyes for a moment to savor the fruity scent.
“For a while,” Luka answered. “I haven’t seen my apartment in about a year. “ Luka took a drink of his own tea, enjoying the sweet burst of flavor on his tongue. “Jules has been keeping it maintained, watering my plants.” He grimaced and rubbed his forehead with the tips of his index and middle finger. “Let’s hope they survived.”
“Well, if they didn’t, I’d be happy to take you to the local plant shop,” Marinette offered. “I’m sure I owe you tons of flowers for all the awkward messes I made for you over the years.”
Luka chuckled. “Ma-Ma-Marinette, I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’ve always been the one to fix messes.” He flashed her a pointed look, referencing their adventures with the Miraculous and her lucky charm. “How about you?”
“I’m taking a break from the fashion circuit,” Marinette explained. “I opened a clothing line and want to work on some new designs and there’s no place like home to brainstorm.” She took a long sip from her boba tea, watching Luka’s glacial gaze soften. She wanted to fall right into those icy depth.
“The comforts of home will be good for creativity,” Luka agreed. He cleared his throat and then took another sip of his tea. “I feel the same way. It’s part of the reason I’m back myself. I missed Paris, but it wouldn’t have been the same if you weren’t here. I’m glad you’re back too.”
“I should probably start looking for an apartment myself,” Marinette said. “I don’t think I’ll want to stay in the attic more than a few weeks at most.” She laughed softly. “I love my parents, but I’m not a teenager anymore. It’s hard for them to remember that. They’ll always think of me as their little girl.”
Luka resisted the impulse to volunteer his own apartment. He took a sip of his tea, gripping the cup tightly to repress the urge. He didn’t see an engagement ring on her left hand, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t dating someone. His heart couldn’t take any false hope. It had been so hard the first time when his feelings hadn’t been requited.
Before long, they both lost track of time, drawn into each other’s gravitational orbit.
Three hours later, Luka’s phone chirped angrily. He pulled it out of his jacket to see Juleka wanting to know his E.T.A. He frowned when he noticed the time. “I hate to wrap this up, Melody, but I’m supposed to meet my sister for dinner.” He looked across the table, struck silent as he found himself lost staring into Marinette’s aquamarine eyes. They reminded him of a field of cornflowers in the summer.
“Would you like to go out with me?” Marinette burst out. “The Lunar New Year celebration ends tomorrow.” She wrung her hands together nervously. “It’s the year of the snake. The block where my parents’ bakery is located has been decorated for it.”
“Year of the snake?” Luka smiled, memories of his time as Viperion coming to mind. Absently, he rubbed the silver bracelet that he’d not activated in years. He noted the black stud earrings Marinette wore. Paris had not needed any of the superior heroes of the Miraculous since the defeat of Hawk Moth in their youth. “I would love to meet you there.”
“I can pick you up,” Marinette suggested. “Like a date.” Her cheeks were bright red and she tugged on her long braid nervously with her right hand.
Luka now noticed the black ring of the Cat miraculous. “You and Adrien?”
“We broke up a long time ago.” Marinette sighed, releasing her hair and spinning the black ring around her finger. “Good friends. He moved to England and gave me back his ring.”
“So to clarify, you’re asking me out on a date?” Luka asked, wanting there to be no room for confusion. His mind echoes with the old quote, ‘If you love someone set them free; if they come back they’re yours.’ Was Marinette coming back to him after all this time?
“Luka, will you be my date to the Lunar New Year festival tomorrow afternoon?” Marinette bit down on her bottom lip.
Unable to resist, Luka brought his hand to her face. His thumb gently pulled her lower lip free. “I look forward to our date, Melody.”
He leaned back in the booth and pulled his phone out again to text Marinette his address. Things would be different this time. Luka let Marinette slip away from him once before, but never again. He planned to keep her this time.
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🐍🐞OoO🐞🐍
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Marinette always felt so comfortable in Luka’s company from the moment they first met to even now when it had been a few years since they last were together. As they walked past the red lanterns, he’d taken her hand, entwining their fingers as if it were the most natural thing to do in the world. They stood leaning into one another, arms pressed together as the parade started, the dozen participants donning the undulating dragon dancing in front of them.
“Thank you for coming with me,” Marinette whispered, staring straight ahead.
Luka laid his cheek over the crown of her head. “All you had to do was ask, Melody, and I’ll be here for you.”
She shifted so that she stood in front of him, her back now towards the parade. She clasped both of his larger, calloused musician hands in hers, holding them between their chests. “How can you still say that? I was thirteen when we last dated — it’s been ten years, Luka.” She could feel her eyes prickle with tears as she searched his eyes. They were brighter in the afternoon light. The blue reminded her of the turquoise waves of the Mediterranean on a warm summer day.
Luka brought her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across her knuckles. “You’re the Melody of my heart. I never stopped loving you, Marinette. Just like we’ve never stopped being friends. We may have been apart, but we’ve always been connected.” He laid her hand over his left breast and she could feel the steady rhythm of his heart. “Our hearts have always beat as one.”
She found it hard to breathe with his poetic words. Luka had always been an amazing song-writer. Hearing him speak beautiful prose wasn’t surprising. The sincerity of his love shown clearly on his face made Marinette regret every day they’d spent apart over these past few years. “I want to start and end every day with your face,” she murmured.
Luka smiled. “Yeah, me too.”
“Oh!” Marinette’s hands flew to cover her mouth. “I wasn’t supposed to say that aloud!"
Luka laughed. “I’d rather you speak your mind, Melody.” He wrapped his hands around her wrists and drew her hands away from her mouth. “Let’s go back to my apartment after this. We have a lot to catch up on.”
“Three hours in the cafe and two hours at this festival isn’t enough catching up?” Marinette laughed, her eyes falling upon where he still held her wrists.
“No. It’s not.” Luka leaned forward, his forehead braced against hers. “Stay with me, Marinette. I’ve loved you since the moment I found you in my bedroom ten years ago. I can never get enough of you.” He pressed his lips softly against hers.
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🐞🐍💍OoO❤️🔥🐍🐞
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Luka strummed his guitar absently. He listened to Marinette hum one of his songs while she folded the towels fresh from the dryer. Only a week after their reunion at the train station had passed and Marinette took him up on his offer. They now shared his studio apartment — pieces of her and pieces of him blended together so seamlessly.
This was The Year of the Snake. Snakes were said to be intelligent, wise, determined and caring. Luka vowed to himself, by the end of the year, Marinette would be his wife. He’d waited for nearly ten years for the fates to bring them back together. He wasn’t about to waste any more time.
“What?” Marinette asked, catching his stare. She carried the laundry basket balanced on her hip, folded towels piled high, and set it on the floor by his feet.
Luka set aside his guitar on the bed and grabbed Marinette’s wrist. He pulled her towards him until she fell into his lap. He used his free hand to cup her cheek and press a tender kiss to her lips. “Marinette, you’re my first love. I want you to be my last love. Marry me.”
Marinette smiled, her cheeks pink in an adorable blush as she nodded.
When they FaceTimed Juleka and Rose to share the news, neither were surprised that it only took a week of living together before Luka and Marinette were engaged.
Rose giggled. “Premier amour, dernier amour.”
Juleka rolled her visible eye. “First love, last love. It took you two long enough!”
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