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“What are you hiding, Marinette?” His voice was low in her ear, fingers intertwined with her hair. His guitar was strewn to the side, laid against the wall— and yet, his voice held a melodic tone that wouldn’t be possible without the instrument. He was smiling down at her, still running his hands through her hair as if to comfort her. Her eyes were barely open, head resting against his lap. She was on the verge of falling asleep before he asked the question.
Marinette gave him a soft, small smile, unable to blink away the sleepiness in her eyes.
“A secret.” She giggled, not quite awake enough to hide anything, but not tired enough to spill everything. She snuggled into his lap before drifting off to sleep.
“What are you hiding, Marinette?” He repeated the words he had uttered a few dates ago, poking her cheek with an outstretched finger. He still had a grin, as if he was making a joke only the two of them understood.
“Luka! Stop doing that.” Marinette swatted at his hand playfully. They were sitting at a bench, both carefully holding their ice cream with one hand while they messed with each other with the other. “You’re gonna make me spill my ice cream.”
“What’s your secret, Melody?” Luka’s eyes gleamed with curiosity and something else Marinette couldn’t discern. Marinette just gave him a pout before licking her ice cream, not giving him an answer.
Luka just leaned over and kissed her cheek before focusing on his ice cream cone.
“Marinette, what are you hiding from me?” Luka held her arm in a tight hold, keeping her from running away from him. She looked up at him with pleading eyes, biting her lips.
“Luka, please.” Marinette whimpered, tugging at her arm. “I have to- I have to go.”
His eyes held an unbearable amount of hurt and pain as he let go of her arm, not able to keep himself from giving into her. Marinette began to run off before stopping in her steps. She turned back, and under the poor light of lamppost, as the moon shined above them, Marinette ran up to him. She carefully grabbed his face with shaking hands, pulling him down to her height. Without a second thought, she leaned in. Softly, she moved her lips against him, trying to portray the love and affection she had for him.
Luka melted into the kiss, feeling her chapped lips pulling against his soft ones. It was brief, but the warmth of the kiss lingered on his lips, to the point he tried to lean back in when they separated. Marinette gave him a weak smile, hugging him before running off.
Words unspoken lingered on the tips of both of their tongues.
“My melody, what have you been hiding from me for so long?” His voice was akin to a growl, deep and low. The sound reverberated around the room, filling it with his tune.
Clear blue eyes glowed, entrancing the person its gaze landed on like a siren. His hair was pulled back, but it remained as messy as it was before. There was a single clip pushing back his bangs, with a small music note decorating it. His normal black earrings had a large spike sticking out of it, like a warning. Like— the teeth of a snake. He wore a long white button up shirt, the sleeves going past his hands. He wore black, plain pants. Hiding underneath it was a pair of chunky raven boots.
As he reached out his hand, his sleeve pulled up to show a simple bracelet, blue and pink, made of yawn.
“Luka…” Marinette could barely get out his name, frozen in place. She stood directly in front of him, on the other side of the room. Her eyes held no emotion except for shock.
The man shook his head.
“Silencer.” He spoke, still staring her directly in the eyes.
“No… Luka, please. No!” Marinette took a step forward before losing her balance, falling to her knees before the man could catch her. “You have to tell him no! Please, for me!”
He shook his head again.
“Luka already agreed to Hawkmoth’s deal, Marinette. I’m sorry.” He stepped towards her, feet silent. He kneeled down, holding her face. “I am all that remains, now.”
“No!” She cried, hands clutching the fabric above his chest. “Luka! LUKA!”
He was silent as she beat against his chest. A purple butterfly symbol appeared around his eyes after a couple minutes before he sighed and tilted her head up to make her look him in the eyes.
“Luka?” She whispered.
“Marinette, tell me your-”
She was tired of it, tired of the secrets she had to keep and the sacrifices she had to make everyday. Tired of living a life her boyfriend didn’t know she lived. One of which he wasn’t a part of.
Marinette ripped out her earrings and threw them out the open window before he finished speaking. This was the last time she would show responsibility for the stupid kwamis— for Paris. She was just a girl and she just wanted to be honest with her boyfriend!
Silencer, ironically, went silent after he saw her throw out the earrings she wore everyday. The ones she never took off. Ever.
“Marinette?”
“I’m tired of secrets, Luka. I’ll do anything for you.” She smiled at him— a smile full of pain, misery, and love.
The purple butterfly flew out of his bracelet as he hugged her tight.
But she still did not escape her fate.
“No, no, please, no, no, no. Luka, I will do anything for you— please. Don’t… don’t do this to me. To us.” Marinette was barely breathing as she stood under the lamppost of which they shared their very first kiss. “Please. I will do anything.”
“…Marinette.” He remained out of her reach. “You aren’t the problem.”
“You aren’t either! So- so there! Neither of us are the problem and we don’t need to break up!” Marinette was grasping at straws as she saw the love of her life— of her soul— barely a few steps away from her. And yet, he never felt farther away.
“No, Marinette. I need you to listen to me.” Luka gestured for her to sit down at the edge of the ‘wall’ that kept the Seine from growing larger. Marinette immediately sat down, legs dangling as she waited for him to sit down.
He squatted a bit away from her.
“I’m listening, I promise.”
“I know, I know you are, Melody— Marinette.” He sighed. “There isn’t a problem with either of us. But… I made you give up an entire identity, Marinette. Because I didn’t want you to keep a secret from me. I took something away from you that you’ll never give back.”
“It- it doesn’t matter- I-”
“It doesn’t matter because you are okay with it? But I’m not okay with it, Marinette. I can’t live with myself knowing I took away something so important to you.” He slid a blue bracelet towards her, nodding.
“Why? Why?”
“I know you, Marinette. You give and you give. But I’m not here to take from you. I’m giving you back this part of yourself. Bunnix came to me and-”
Marinette’s eyes widened with realization. “NO!”
“Go back, Marinette. Go back and don’t make this sacrifice. Not— not for me. Not for anyone.” Luka seemed to grimace before grabbing her hand and putting the bracelet on her. “Take your second chance.”
Even as Marinette refused, Bunnix had made sure she would go back. By all means necessary.
“Marinette, tell me your-” Marinette broke out in tears before shoving him away and running out the door. Silencer just sighed, eyes glowing bright, before taking care of the other people in the room.
He knew she wouldn’t choose him over a simple secret.
But it didn’t make it hurt any less.
Ladybug took care of the akuma in record time. But her suit now carried only one line spot, above her heart, and her shining aura was filled with gloom.
“I’m sorry, Marinette.” Luka whispered before turning away, walking down the road, away from her.
And he would never hear the words “I love you” that she cried as he disappeared.