Luka doesn't get to see Adrien again until school finishes. It shouldn't seem like such a long time, but ever since Adrien told him that he was free after school and was going to walk with him to the barge before getting picked up by his bodyguard for his next appointment, he's been disproportionately cheery.
The last two periods of the day fly by in a blur, and before long Luka is sat outside the school on the stairs, watching the crowds go past. Perched up on a little ledge that partitions the elevated grass area from the staircase down, Luka leans back to enjoy the golden rays that seem to amber as the sun slowly tilts ever closer to the horizon.
Sabrina passes him with a stink eye, but he doesn't linger on that thought for long as Adrien comes out behind her. Now that they were all older, the classes were more mixed up depending on what subjects people took, but still mostly aligned with their form for registration. That meant that the only subject Luka shared with Adrien, who was in a different form class, was music. Even that was only by a thread – the blond had told him about how it took him weeks of whining at poor Nathalie to get the go ahead for it.
Pulling up from against the tree, he raises a hand in a casual greeting, getting a beaming wave back from across the crowd. Around Adrien, a few stray students frows burrow, remarking on the tonal shift to an emotion rarely seen on the blond in school.
As Luka leans in to tap the boy's shoulder, with more fluency than last time with his aborted attempt at a hug in the corridor. He'd been so embarrassed. That was the second time he'd gone in for a hug, only for Adrien to have been expecting something else. As much as he likes being close to the other boy, he is desperate not to make him feel uncomfortable or come on to, when at the moment he needs a confidant. But Adrien pulls in closer, fiddling with his tie. For a moment, Luka thinks even the bro taps were a step too far. Ever since the whole accidental sleepover thing with Adrien resting on his chest, Luka's been eager to be physically close with Adrien. It's totally definitely platonically motivated, since Adrien definitely doesn't think of him like that. So Luka prepares himself for the crushing blow, for when Adrien asks him to stop invading his personal space.
"Would it be, um, permissible to hug you?" Adrien looks up bashfully, with an awkwardness that betrays to Luka that he's dropping the model mask. "Earlier, you seemed as though it might have been helpful. In the bathroom."
Luka smiles softly, letting out a small breath, before wrapping his arms round the smaller boy. His movements are probably a bit too quick and eager, since he hears a little squeak from the smaller boy at the sudden pressure. There are a few glorious seconds, the blond's chin slotting in perfectly on Luka's shoulder. Not knowing what to do with his hands, Luka links them together cupping the small of the other boy's back.
As he pulls back, Adrien squints at him for a second, as though a few pieces are assembling themselves in his mind. "Were you worried?"
"No." Luka replies, a little too quickly.
Adrien raises his brows quizzically, with a brief twitch of his nose. It's very cute.
"I just," Luka gestures awkwardly around, "You know, thought maybe all the physical contact would make you uncomfortable... or something."
"It is absolutely fine." Adrien replies, with an almost singsong lilt. He flicks Luka's nose, "Don't worry about me."
The two had started walking whilst talking, crossing streets and roads as students thin out more and more. Soon enough they'd dissolved into the Parisian foot traffic.
Luka scoffs. "It's hard not to."
Adrien pouts. "And what is that meant to imply?"
Luka teases, "Oh you know, saviour of Paris, troubled home, working himself to the bone." He turns to walk backwards facing Adrien, shrugging sarcastically, "What on earth would I be worried about."
Playfully, Adrien punches his shoulder.
Luka feigns betrayal.
"Oh! Sorry!" Adrien says, checking Luka's arm as though he'd done actual damage, "Did I do it wrong? I swear that's a thing people do?"
Despite himself, Luka laughs softly. The more he's got to know Adrien, the more Luka's realised he's like a puppy. Playfully, and ever so adorable, but completely new to all conventions. "Yeah," he ruffles the blond's hair, "It is. I was teasing you."
Adrien's forehead creases, almost as though trying to commit to memory. As soon as he notices Luka watching, he sticks out his tongue, and feigns robot motions with his arms, "Data...added...to...file..."
Luka laughs.
"Satisfied?"
"What?"
Adrien pouts, "You seem find my social incompetence fascinating."
"Adorable," Luka corrects. They cross over the bridge, and sadly Andre isn't working the ice cream place today. Not that Luka would be ballsy enough to ask Adrien to go with him. Not yet. Everyone knows how that's all about romance, and the idea of confessing is terrifying to Luka. It had been easy earlier, when they were acquaintances getting to know each other, to flirt blatantly. Now? They're confidants, and Luka already hates the idea of losing Adrien as a friend. He has so much more to lose, if Adrien reacts badly to his feelings. Still, a part of Luka had hoped that Andre would be there, and would somehow sense the emotions, in that weird way that he always does. Then, Luka and Adrien could have gotten lover's ice cream together without Luka having to take any risks.
Alas, his daydream did not meet reality, and the two keep walking on. As they pass a familiar lamp post mid pun, Luka realises they're getting very close to the barge, and he's not asked Adrien the question he really should. To be fair to him, he was enjoying the other boy's company so much that the time had really flown by.
"Hey man," internally, Luka cringes at the use of man, but perseveres anyway, "How was it, you know, with your dad?"
Adrien's face falls.
"If you know... you want to talk about it," Luka laughs awkwardly, "I respect your boundaries 'n all that."
Adrien sighs, and stops by the edge of the Seine. "I should."
Somehow, within a few seconds of sitting down, he's found a stone to skim. It's a botched attempt, since there's enough boats passing back and forth that the water's never still to get that beautiful movie effect, but Luka supposes it's a distraction enough still.
"I messed up." Adrien eyes are staring out, affixed to a point in the water of seemingly nothing. "I broke the rules."
"What rules?" Luka slowly slides down to sit on the embankment next to him.
"That's just it," Adrien turns to him, eyes tearing up. "I don't know." His voice breaks, betraying frustration. "It's like, my head is just so... foggy? I can barely remember what happened."
"Did he... hit you?"
Adrien shakes his head vehemently. "He would never."
Luka pauses. As much as he can tell that talking about this is hurting Adrien, he's worried as to what it means about the actual state of Adrien's homelife. "I mean... did you get a response to the question?"
"I had a question?"
Alarm bells are ringing in Luka's head there. "Do you not... remember?"
"Should I?"
"You spoke to me about it beforehand."
"I did..." Adrien's brow furrows. "I know I did. I just don't remember what I said to you."
"You found out about your mother," Luka presses gently, "You said your father tried to close the investigation early and bribed off the detective, but he told you that he pushed to extend it."
"How did I even find that?"
Luka's pulse is racing. "You spent so many nights searching for files on it."
"I don't get why I would do that? I never investigated it!" Adrien voice is almost pleading, as though convincing someone. "I'm a good son. I have to be."
"Even when you know he's lying to you?"
"I don't see why he would lie to me?" In his lap, Adrien's fists ball, knuckles whitening. "If he did, I trust he has a good reason."
"Look, I'll tell you what I do remember." Adrien takes in a slow, steadying breath. He gazes out into the water, eyelids almost flickering, as though the memories trickled back to him piece by piece. "I...I came in with questions to his authority. He, he had good reasons for them. I was in the wrong. He was upset, but patient. He explained to me why he had to keep things from me, okay? It was my fault. Okay? I created all these messes, and he's been cleaning them up. He's been trying to protect me from the responsibility."
"Do you... remember what you did wrong?"
"No..."
"Then maybe you should keep investigating-" Luka begins, before getting cut off.
"He's been trying so hard." Adrien whimpers, shoulders collapsing in as he sobs. "I just... I need to be better."
"You didn't do anything wrong." Luka rubs a soothing rhythm into the boy's back.
"You don't get it." Adrien turns to him, face flushed red and tracked with tears. As he meets Luka's eyes, he speaks with a certainty Luka has never heard from the boy. "I only have myself to blame."
"Maybe-"
"I can't." Adrien face seems to darken, "I'm sorry, I just can't talk about it anymore. I don't want to think about it again. I just need to be better."
Luka nods. As much as he absolutely disagrees with Adrien's line of reasoning, he can see how utterly destroying it is for the boy to talk about it. Still, he feels a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. The story Adrien is telling now is completely different to the one he'd told before confronting Gabriel. Unnaturally different. And the gaps in memory? Luka isn't sure what it is, but he is certain that Gabriel is up to something. If Adrien can't bare to investigate it, then Luka will do it for him. Quietly, so Adrien doesn't have to bare the distress of the investigation. The boy has enough on his plate with Shadowmoth and his new powers. Luka can pick up the case.
He will help Adrien.
"Come on," he wraps an arm around the blond's shoulder. He needs to cheer him up with a distraction. "The Dupain-Cheng bakery isn't far from here. We could pick up some rocking macarons from Sabine, yeah?" He waggles his eyebrows as he uses the word rocking. A few days ago, Adrien had bust it out in the absolutely most ridiculous context, and it had the two rolling on the floor of Luka's bedroom for ages. At the word, Adrien looks up, replacing a sob with a snort.
Adrien sniffles, and breaks a small smile. "Yeah," he wipes a tear, taking Luka's hand to stand up, "That sound nice." He rests his head on Luka's shoulder. "Thanks for listening."
"Anytime."