Thief | Lukadrien

Part 17 - Frozer

Adrien's POV

The ride over to the ice rink was silent. Marinette sat across from me and Luka in the limousine, avoiding eye contact by going on her phone.

Luka gently put his hand over mine, sending a blush to my face. I looked at him with a timid smile, trying to forget about the question I had to ask him later.

Akumas fluttered in my stomach as we got out of the car. Luka tried to intertwine his fingers with mine as we walked to the doors of the recreation center, but I pulled my hand away. I was paranoid that someone would see us walking in together and my father would find out.

Kagami met us inside the building. She and Marinette headed off to the girls' change room while Luka and I stopped at the skate rental booth.

"So, what inspired you to invite me here, of all places?" Luka asked as someone handed each of us a pair of skates.

"I don't know," I said with a shrug. "It sounded like a cute place for a date."

He kissed my cheek and led me through the locker room. "Well, I'd say this was a pretty good choice."

We tied up our laces and headed out into the rink. Kagami was already out there teaching Marinette how to stay on her feet. Despite her usual uptight demeanour, she was being incredibly patient with her.

"Wow, you're really good at this," I marvelled as Luka skated around me. "Do you practice here often?"

"No, I just come to the rink during the winter sometimes. Juleka used to be a figure skater, so  I help her practice lifts and stuff."

"Lifts?"

"Yeah. Here, I'll show you!"

"Huh?"

He took my hand, twirled me around, and while I had my back to him, he hoisted me up by the waist. He spun me around and I somehow ended up extended above his head horizontally.

"Wow, you're really strong," I said once he lowered me back onto the ice.

"Eh. I work out."

As we skated hand-in-hand, an instructor was also on the rink, trying to convince all four of us to sign up for a lesson. I felt bad for saying no, but come on. How would I make time for it?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Marinette crash backwards into a wall. She rubbed her back as she stood up, clearly in pain. As Kagami helped her up, Luka and I headed over there to make sure she was okay.

"Are you alright?" Kagami asked, still holding Mari's arm.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Maybe you should go get some ice," Luka suggested. "They'll probably have some at the front desk."

"Or she could just lie on the ground; we're in an ice rink, for goodness's sake," Plagg muttered from the pocket of my shirt. I swatted my chest to shut him up.

"I'll take you there," Kagami said, and guided her friend out of the rink. "You two can stay here."

As soon as they disappeared out the doors, the ice from the rink started to spread.

"What the—" I said, stumbling backwards and falling on my butt.

"It must be an akuma," Luka realized. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

We tried to make our escape, but the villain landed in the rink behind us. He looked like a cross between that skating instructor from earlier and Jack Frost. The ugly one, not the Dreamworks version.

"Go!" Luka ordered me. "I'll hold him off."

"But—"

As Frozer zipped towards us, Luka took something out of his pocket and slipped it over his wrist. He transformed into Viperion and slid out of the way just seconds before Frozer would have crashed into us.

"Adrien, go!"

My heart sank as I skated into the hallway. Luka still had the miraculous, which meant that he had taken it for himself, and not for a higher power. I still didn't know his motive, but I had to find out.

"Mari! Kagami!" I shouted as I turned the corner. Marinette was using her for balance as they tried to skate out of the building.

"Where's Luka?" Kagami asked once I caught up to them.

"Uh... frozen. Yep. Frozen like a popsicle," I lied. "Kagami, you go on ahead; I'll stay with Mari to make sure she gets out."

"I can't just leave you here."

"Your driver is probably waiting for you just outside. Go and let him take you as far away from here as possible."

She didn't look happy about it, but she listened. Once she was gone, Mari took out a tray of macarons from her purse while I took out a wheel of Camembert.

"Stalac-Tikk, spots on!"

"Plagg-Glacier, claws out."