If she said 'YES'

3 - Not a Plan B

He was stuck. Hopelessly. There was no option to move on with the song. No matter how many times he tried to play the nostalgy in his heart – every time it wasn't that. Marinette wasn't a sound of sadness. He couldn't create a sad song about her. He couldn't create a sad song about his feelings to her. There was something wrong, as if the feelings didn't correspond with the notes. As if his intuition was mistaken and gave him wrong tones, and he couldn't translate it into the melody. For the first time in his life.

At first, he tried to move on and just follow the steps dictated by – as he thought – his heart. It took him a week to discover that it wasn't his heart, but the reason. The reason which interpreted all that had happened between him and Marinette. Or rather what hadn't happened, because of Adrien. What could the reason do with all that? Logically – it could only mess up in his song.

Luka laughed out loud at his own stupidity. No wonder that every time he tried to play the song, something was wrong.

He closed his eyes and suddenly he found those notes. The melody just went from his fingers to the strings of the guitar. And it wasn't a sad song. This was... Just Marinette. Ma-Ma-Marinette, as she had introduced herself during their first meeting. He smiled to those memories. And continued playing...

Suddenly, he felt someone's eyes on him. He stopped playing and opened his eyes. There was Marinette standing at his door. And – just like that first time – she blushed when his eyes met hers.

"I-I'm sorry..." she murmured. "I didn't want to..."

"It's OK, Marinette." He smiled immediately. He just couldn't help that.

"Ju-Juleka invited me, so I came. And now I was passing. And I heard your song. And I liked it. I couldn't stop listening. So... That's why... Uhm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't disturb you..." she was chattering, and he could imagine how much embarrassed she was.

"It's OK, Marinette." He repeated. "You never disturb me."

"Oh..." she muttered. "Can... Can you play that song once again?" she asked unexpectedly, coming in.

"You really like it?"

"It's like you played the music from the bottom of my heart." She confessed. "I have no idea how you do it..."

"This time is the melody of my heart, Marinete." He said.

"Oh..." she hesitated and took one step back. "Maybe I should go..."

"I can play it again, if you want. I like this song very much. I've been looking for those notes for so long..." he added quietly, as if just to himself.

"Are-are you su-sure I don't disturb you?" she asked shyly.

"I've told you, Marinette. You never disturb me. Please, sit down." He smiled.

This time he didn't close his eyes. The moment was just perfect – he could play his song for Marinette and watch her listening. He felt like he could spend his life on that. They both felt so comfortable with the song, that even when Luka stopped playing it, they stayed contemplating the melody.

"How's your band-aid?" he blurted out suddenly.

Marinette looked at him in astonishment.

"Ripped off." She answered after a moment.

"So? Healed? Or infected? A gangrene or something..." he gave her a wink.

"What do you think?" she replied jokingly. "I'd prefer not to amputate my heart, Luka."

"You can always try with a transplantation." He advised in a similar tone.

"Where will I find a new heart?" she laughed.

"I can give you mine, if you like."

Marinette became serious immediately and blushed terribly. They'd just crossed the line.

"But you need your heart." She said carefully.

"I can take yours. The one with a gangrene." He suggested and seeing her shocked face he added quickly in a humorous tone: "I have self-healing superpowers, so I can deal with a gangrene."

"It's not funny anymore, Luka."

"It's never been funny, Marinette." He smiled.

"I don't get it." She whispered.

"Uhm..." he sighed and put his guitar away. "The serious things shouldn't be funny."

"But... We've just made some jokes."

"You can talk about serious things in a humorous tone. But you should never make fun of them."

"I'm afraid I don't understand you at all..." Marinette laughed.

"Sometimes I can't explain in words what I want to say." Luka sighed. "It's because I music is often simpler than words. And sometimes it's easier to say in a humorous tone words so strong to describe something so important that most of teenagers couldn't bear this pressure. Like giving someone your heart. Don't you think it's the matter of the greatest importance?"

"But... Luka... You seriously mean it?"

"Yes, Marinette. I seriously mean it. Although in a humorous tone..."

"But..."

"I know, Marinette. We both were at the ice rink."

"But..."

"I'm not going to make you choose..."

"But..."

"I just..."

"Can you be quiet for a moment, please?!" Marinette interrupted him finally. "You don't even know what I'm going to say!"

"You start from 'but', so..."

"So, what? Wasn't that you who said recently that you like talking to people, asking them questions even if you know the answer? So, maybe you could start listening? Because maybe I'll surprise you?"

"You remembered all that?"

"Sure, I did! It was very wise, Luka." Marinette admitted and then she sighed and continued: "I just wanted to say that I liked all those things you told me about my heart and your heart. Maybe except the part of a transplantation..."

"Oh..." he murmured.

"But I don't want you to think that you're like a backup or plan B for me."

"That's OK." Luka nodded.

"I... I think I need some time."

"We have plenty of time, you know?" he smiled at her.

"Re-Really?"

"You don't?"

"Well, yes I have time. But I thought..." she hesitated.

"I'm patient. And I know it's worth waiting for something special. Do you know that the most beautiful songs have been composed the longest? The same with poems or stories. People love the most those ones that were created in the biggest pains."

"Thank you very much for comparing me to pains!" Marinette laughed.

"Not you, Ma-Marinette." He corrected her in a serious tone. "I'm not saying that waiting is nice. I'm saying that it is worth waiting, when you know what you wait for."

"Thank you..." she whispered, so moved with his words.

"Do you want me to play the song once again?" he asked, taking the guitar.

"You know the answer!" she laughed and in the next moment she closed her eyes to contemplate the melody just from their hearts.