Chapter Text
I burst through the doors of the mansion, rushing past Gorilla and out the gates towards the Seine. Today is the Paris Music Festival so my friends' band 'Kitty Section' will be playing their first gig on Juleka's mum's houseboat. After a long day of piano practice with my dad and Natalie, Father finally allowed me to go see the concert with my friends!
My mouth forms a small smile as I remember the moment– my dad sitting down on the seat beside me and playing a duet with me for the first time. It was one of those moments I wish lasted forever... yet I know this kindness is fleeting. Soon he'll be back to restricting everything again... my friends, my hobbies, my life...
"Watch out!" A familiar voice cries out as I make my way to the houseboat finally. Marinette points in front of me. I'm already tumbling towards the ground before I realise what she's talking about.
Nino quickly runs over to help me up. "Adrien! Are you okay?" Nino asks, fearfully, pulling me upright. My eyes are pressed shut as I rub my head but I peel them open and manage to give him a nod.
"Need some help?" I turn to the sound and I'm presented with a friendly hand, which I grab and pull myself off the floor of the houseboat. Once I'm on my feet, my eyes meet with those of a boy my age with dyed hair and a warm smile. "Welcome aboard, Adrien!"
The sound of my name coming from this unfamiliar yet immediately comforting voice startles me for a second and my mind goes blank. "Thanks! Uhh..."
"Luka."
"Thanks, Luka!" I'm so focused on his calming voice and his warm eyes that I forget the fact that I'm still holding his hand. When I do realise, though, I pull it away quickly as I realise my palms have begun to sweat. How embarrassing.
"Your friends say you can play keyboard and we're... a player short," he starts, rubbing the back of his head. I watch as Rose nods along with him. "So would you be up for it?"
Grasping at the opportunity to be useful and lacking the words to express this, I nod quickly, raising two thumbs up.
Although I'm suffering inside, Luka seems to find the whole thing funny as he lets out a small laugh, which I reciprocate. "I hope you're a fast learner, Adrien, because we have half an hour before we start performing and we've never played with a keyboard before."
For the next 30 minutes, I work tirelessly to perfect my part of the song, reading sheet music until my eyes go blurry and playing until my fingers go numb. Luckily, it's not too hard as Luka comes up with a simplified version of the original so I can learn it quicker. I can't help but dwindle on the feeling of his hand in mine as he leans in closer to watch me play, I remember his callused fingertips tracing my palm as he helped me up, greeting me with those warm, thoughtful eyes—
"Adrien!" Rose calls. I snap back to the present. It's dark out now and multicoloured lights are flashing everywhere. "We're about to start!"
I nod and stand up, joining the rest of the Kitty Section members onstage. Juleka and Ivan give me eager smiles as I take my place behind the keyboard and gulp down the lump of anxiety that has been forming in my throat.
Rose counts us in and I let my hands control me, taking me across the keyboard just like I planned earlier. There's no room for mistakes and I don't intend to make any. I glance sideways at Luka for reasons beyond my understanding and I'm met with a subtle reciprocated glance that we hold for a moment. Finally, I feel like I'm a part of something I don't have to keep a secret. Maybe Father will let me be a part of this for once...
♡˚♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.♡
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