The Identity Problem •Luka x Reader x Adrien•

Tripping

Caleb's main talent was being the drummer of a top charting band, but he moonlighted as a lock picker especially when we were younger. This is how we discovered this elevator in the first place, behind an old door designed to look like a wall at the end of a small hallway.

"My bad it's not like we had the hardest job or anything."

I bump our shoulders together, he opens the door and hits the elevator button behind it. Luka takes the tablecloths out of Juleka and I's hands. Adrien pops the question just as the elevator doors open with a 'ding'.

"So what exactly is our plan here?"

"Rather than stand around and have shallow conversations all night and wallow in rich kid self-pity. We are watching the ball drop from the best view in New York."

We all cram into the very small service elevator, I can feel Felix's elbow jabbing into my side and Juleka's breath on my shoulder. The elevator dings as it goes up each floor, we have twenty-three to go. I break the silence before we reach the top.

"So every year we say we aren't going to ditch and go up here but we always do anyway. You don't have to worry about the others finding us, not even Poppy knows where we go because our location always shows in the building."

I can physically see the tension leave Adrien and Felix's shoulders, and it gives me a pinch in my gut at how familiar it is. Before I can reassure them further the doors open and the cold winter wind hits me like a wall.

"Bro, give us our damn coats!"

I turn around to grab mine from Caleb but he pulls it away and takes off running up the stairs and out the doors onto the roof. Adrien takes off after him laughing, Felix and Juleka picking up the pace to trail them.

I take a step and promptly trip over my dress, a large hand wraps around my upper arm and pulls me back from face-planting. Once I have my footing my eyes travel from my bare arm where Luka's hand sits up to his face. There's a sliver of moonlight peeking through the doors to the roof that runs diagonally across his face.

"I got you."

"You do."

I cringe as the statement leaves my lips, but it feels like the only appropriate thing to say. The light widens across his face until it fully illuminates both of us. Adrien walks down the stairs briskly, stopping at the step above me to hold out my coat that he had retrieved.

The position reminds me of when he asked me to do the stage kiss, and his face is the same barely concealed frustration as it was when he found out Luka was going home with me that day. I know deep down I shouldn't feel like I was caught doing something nefarious, but it's that insecure feeling that claws at my chest.

Luka's grip loosens as I reach for the coat. I force out a chuckle that falls on deaf ears in the tense atmosphere.

"Thank you, Cal gets to live another day as long as I'm trapped in these heels."