Chapter Text
I can't help you
Marinette sighed.
She was tired.
Very tired.
The failed schemes. The failed attempts to confess her love. His constant “just a friend” words...
She felt invisible. Miserable. Like she could never belong to his world - at least not as how she had wanted to be for for so long.
Loving Adrien was painful.
And she wanted the pain to end.
Once again, her friend Luka managed to find her. With tears in her eyes. Again. But he said nothing. He just sat down beside her and lent her his shoulder to cry on, as he had done many times before. She felt horrible for that, too. Using him for support after she broke his heart some years ago. But he had never said anything. Never complained. Never asked. Never failed her.
Why couldn't she just forget about Adrien and stop this spiral of pain that was draining her and making her a nuisance to Luka and the people close to her? She wanted it to stop. She couldn't take it anymore.
For the first time, she let her voice be heard.
“Luka, tell me. How do I make it stop? How can I move on from this exhausting, unrequited love?”
Her voice involuntarily came out as a cry. Her heart was crying.
Luka took his time, unsure if he should answer her at all. But, with all his sincerity, he did.
“I'm sorry, Marinette. I can't help you. I have no answer. I don't know how to do that.”
“Eh?” Marinette’s tears momentarily stopped, as she looked up to see his face.
“I'm certainly not the best one to ask about this.” He sighed, his hand still resting on her shoulder.
Was it even possible? After years…?
“Luka…you…you still…?” Her eyes stared big at him. A bittersweet expression was on his face.
Instead of speaking, he just shrugged, showing her a sad smile.
“Oh, Luka…!”
She let all her weight fall on him in a hug he easily reciprocated. She cried even harder, feeling more horrible than ever. Added guilt to the girl’s weakened heart. And a painful, heartbreaking sight for the boy.
He wished he had the answer, for her, and maybe for himself too.
And she wished with all her heart she could love Luka as he loved her- and in a healthier way than she loved Adrien- instead of being unable to move on from a hopeless, unrequited love.
Whether their wishes were possible or not, only time had the answer.