Le Chat et Le Serpent

Chapter 46: Never Let Me Go

I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart. 

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

"This silence is making me uncomfortable, Chaton." Ladybug scanned the horizon from her lean against the railing of the Eiffel Tower.

"Well, if he's going to do it any day, it will be today. There's always a sea of negative emotion on Valentine's Day." Chat responded from his casual pose on the ground, one leg up to hold his dangling arm, and the other stretched out, the toe of his combat boot pointing to the sky.

"What about you, Chat? You don't have anybody today?" Ladybug briefly looked back, but didn't want to pull herself from her survey for too long.

Chat sighed, not wanting to think about his far from elegant exit from his Valentine's Day date.

Luka was stomach down on the bed snoring when Adrien brought up his 'sweetheart's breakfast'. The aroma of eggs and fresh bacon filled the room as Adrien sat on the bed, a rectangular silver tray in hand.

At the shift of the mattress, Luka slightly roused, his face lifting off the pillow, hair spidering to his clammy cheek. Adrien started setting the tray on the bed, but needed to recoil it when Luka's sleepy arm swung in front of him.

Curiously, Adrien watched Luka pat the bed beside him, then jolt up in panic. Adrien still held his contemplative expression until Luka's eyes recognized Adrien.

"Good morning, handsome." Luka yawned as he rubbed at his face.

"Happy Valentines Day!" Adrien grinned as he circled the tray in the air.

"You made me breakfast?" Luka brought his hand to his heart. "You are so sweet."

"Look, I even ordered the special Nutella latte you like!" Adrien pointed to the one thing that he had not made from hand. Since he was worried about the lack of personal touch, he wrote words of adoration around the cup in black marker.

Taking a sip of the sugary caffeinated beverage, Luka nodded in appreciation. The beverage had an aroma of chocolate coffee, but it was a layered treat of caffeine. First, the sweetness of the Nutella hit Luka's mouth, immediately backed by the bitterness of espresso. Next, the oat milk was silky warm against his tongue, pairing with the nutty richness of the Nutella. It wasn't a drink Luka was able to get often, but whenever he saw it he would order it. Of course , he thought , Adrien would remember that.

"This is the best valentines gift ever!" Lila kissed the back of Felix's shoulder.

Felix's Miraculous started to flicker. Shutting his eyes, he tuned in to the voices of despair. He didn't hear the one he was waiting for yet.

"This time, we're gonna win!" Lila bounced from foot to foot.

Felix clicked his jaw. He wished it hadn't come to this, that Adrien would just listen to reason. To his dismay, as always, Adrien allowed his perceived morality cloud him.

"This is Adrien's last chance." Felix's jaded eyes burned through the window in front of him, waiting for his perfect moment.

"Mine was boring." Chat brushed off her prying. "What about you? That guy you're in love with ever work out?"

"I think he's seeing someone else." Ladybug pointed her pout away from Chat, not wanting to see how much it hurt her.

"Aweh, I'm sorry Bugaboo, why do you think that?" Chat's ears rotated slightly out, as if he was trying to hear her better.