Hello guys!! Its so hard to keep people interested in long stories, let alone fanfiction.
The wonderful Marichatlover13 nominated me in the fanfiction awards by "thefictionawards" here on wattpad and THIS story was nominated in two categories!
One for "best Romantic" arc and another for "Best plot" if you guys would like to support me and cast your vote for this story, please go to this link
https://my.w.tt/PHohc02f85
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The warm breeze blew through her hair.
It caressed her cheeks and blew through her lashes. Marinette closed her eyes, enjoying the warm scenery around her. The summer air was still warm, and it had been so long since Marinette could actually breathe and enjoy life.
Everything was serene, it was beautiful. Marinette just wanted everything to be okay.
Her eyes moved beneath her lids, enjoying the sounds of the birds and the gentle howling of the wind. She had been desperate to get a huge weight lifted from her shoulders. Marinette's life had been full of drama from as far as she could remember.
It wasn't this bad when she was in her apartment living alone with her photos and cupped noodles, but since having to be married, her life had been nothing but hell.
Granted, there were some ups and downs. She didn't want to marry Adrien at first, but she never realised that someone good would come out of it.
At first, it seemed like there were many forces against them, but Marinette was happy she made it this far.
She needed to start clearing her path. She needed to tighten loose ties, open way for water under the bridge, and let things go, just so she could allow herself to be happy.
Marinette breathed, slowly opening her eyes so she could look down at her phone. She crossed her legs, and she pressed her elbows against the glass table.
She had sat outside on her favorite cafe table, and Marinette had started to miss when she and Alya would come down here on their days off. She recalled they'd come here after grabbing some ice cream when the sun outside had become too unbearable.
Her blue eyes moved across her phone screen, her heart squeezing in her chest when she witnessed Luka's number popping up on her screen.
'Can we meet up? There's an ice cream cart by the river. I'd like to see you again.'
Marinette pressed her lips together, sighing as she swiped her thumb across the screen with a soft hum.
She hadn't fully accepted the fact that Luka had been sleeping with Kagami behind both her and Adrien's back, but she wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.
It was wrong that Kagami didn't tell him that she was with Adrien, and Marinette knew as well as anyone that when Kagami wanted something, she would do anything in her power to make sure that she would be able to get it her way.
It was certainly believable that Kagami was able to get under his skin. She had witnessed it happen to Adrien on multiple occasions. She truly did feel bad that Luka got roped up into the whole thing, but Marinette didn't want to excuse it either.
Unfortunately, it did happen. It shouldn't have happened, but Marinette believed that Luka was remorseful.
At least he seemed like he was.
At the beginning of their relationship, Marinette didn't have a reason to not trust Luka. He was nice, he was genuine, he was incredibly talented. She had felt comfortable around him, and he even allowed her to sing on their first date.
Granted, she was slowly coming out of her shell when she was with Adrien, but Luka managed to make her feel comfortable as well.
Marinette locked her phone screen and she sighed, her blue eyes followed the waitress as she approached her table and placed two piping hot mugs of coffee on the glass.
The young woman offered her waitress a smile and a nod before watching her return back into the cafe.
Marinette glanced down into her mug, reaching down to grab the pack of sugar sitting next to the mug.
A small blush dusted across her cheeks and Marinette groaned, her heart sinking into her stomach.
It went without a doubt that she still thought about what she and Luka almost did that night. She had tried desperately to get over Adrien, that she almost slept with Luka while doing so.
Part of her scolded herself for trying to use Luka for such a thing, but another part of her assured her that there were some feelings she might have had for him.
She felt comfortable and warm around him, and at one point she even daydreamed about how it would be like to live with him. While her heart was completely shattered by Adrien's love for Kagami, she was beginning to see Luka as her way of light. He gave her hope to love again, but there was something about the way Adrien held her, that kept bringing her back.
Even to this day, she still got that feeling when Adrien held her.
It only made sense as to why Luka was so attached. They were almost incredibly intimate, and he even had left hickeys all over her neck. Marinette wondered if she would ever go into details of her relationship with Luka to Adrien, but she knew that he wasn't in any shape to hear it. The mere mention of his name seemed to rile Adrien up, and Marinette couldn't say she blamed him.
Hell, if Marinette ever got to know who had been sleeping with Felix while she was at home waiting for him, she'd be just as resentful.
She lightly pressed her fingertips to the mug and she brought it up to her lips where she took a gentle sip. She breathed out, placing the mug down onto the tea plate before she licked her lips.
Perhaps it would be okay to at least try to maintain a platonic relationship with Luka. Marinette hoped that things would calm down between him and Adrien, but she didn't find it right for her to simply abandon him without an explanation.
She wouldn't just look at him when she needed him, only for her to look away when the person she loved finally realised that he loved her back. It sounded like a cruel thing to do. Something like that certainly wasn't in her moral code.
Marinette simply wanted to be a good person to people who were good to her.
Luka made a mistake, and she was willing to overlook it.
Just like she was willing to overlook what Felix had done to her.
It had been a couple of weeks since she had last seen Felix unexpectedly at her doorstep.
Grateful that they didn't have each other's phone numbers, Marinette had some time to think to herself. She allowed to let his words sink in, and Marinette often found herself awake most nights with Adrien in the spot beside her.
Marinette managed to get ahold of Felix by the tips of her nails, and it took a lot of prying from Adrien's bodyguard to help, but she eventually got it done.
"I miss seeing your face beside me."
Marinette blinked at the voice who had spoken to her from above. She glanced up at Felix who pulled out the opposing chair and sat across from her.
She cleared her throat, reaching for the second mug of coffee and offering it to him with a nervous smile.
"Thank you for coming. I was worried you wouldn't be able to make it," Marinette murmured, placing both her hands onto her coffee mug with a subtle blush.
Felix perked a brow, grabbing the sugar from the center of the table and lightly sprinkling it into his coffee.
"Why wouldn't I have shown up?" He inquired, grabbing his spoon from the napkin and dunking it inside of his coffee. "I told you that I'm a changed man, Marinette. I won't make promises I won't keep. I'm not going to let you down anymore..." Felix placed the spoon back onto his napkin before he grabbed the mug and pressed it to his lips.
Marinette frowned, her finger running across the lip of her mug. Her heart squeezed in her chest painfully and Marinette suddenly felt guilty for why she had asked him to meet her here in the first place.
"That's... kind of why I asked you to come," Marinette conceded, her eyes lowering so she could watch her reflection in her coffee. "I was thinking about what you told me that afternoon you stopped by."
Felix perked a brow, placing the coffee mug back down on the template with a curious expression.
"Oh? Did you finally come to a decision?" He asked, leaning against the table and folding his hands. A small smile stretched onto his lips, his eyes glancing up at Marinette who just wanted to bury her face into her piping hot coffee and burn her skin off. At least she could use the skin graft surgery as an excuse to get out of this awkward situation.
"Felix, you cheated on me, you got another woman and you completely abandoned me. These aren't things that could just be swept under the rug." Marinette explained, her voice growing lower as she didn't want to cause a scene in a public place.
Felix's smile immediately dropped and he gulped audibly. He exhaled, pressing his lips together as he soon reclined, and leaned more so into his chair.
"I know. I shouldn't have done the things I did, and I regret it. While I was away I had some time to think about you. I swear on everything I love that I missed you. I thought a lot about how things were, but I couldn't bring myself to face you. As the years went on, I thought it would be easier to leave things how they are, but... I couldn't. I heard about the marriage through my parents and I know that it was arranged. Granted, I wasn't able to make it to your wedding, but I needed an excuse to come see you. I jumped at the chance of knowing where you were so I can return and make things right with you." Felix leaned forward, reaching over the glass table to grab Marinette's hand. "I don't know how, but I will do everything I can to prove to you that things have changed. I have changed, I want to prove to you how sorry I am, and that I will never do anything to hurt you."
Marinette bit her lip, her eyes moving down to watch as his hand lay on top of hers. She felt her heart ache the moment she remembered how much she missed his embrace. The very hands that held hers at that moment, were the same hands that had crushed her completely.
"I know it's easier said than done..." Marinette whispered, exhaling as she tried to keep her emotions in check.
"But I'm grateful that you decided to stay away. Yes, I did suffer because I was confused and I missed you, but you also gave me a lot of space to think about this as well. I mean, I didn't learn about your infidelity until a few months ago, but I knew the moment that I saw you, that I was willing to forgive what you did. I'd like more than anything to put it behind the both of us so that we can both look to the future without any regret or any burdens," Marinette explained, pressing her fingers against the mug.
Marinette had a bit of a spiteful streak she wouldn't admit to. She did in some parts felt bad for him, and Marinette knew that if she proclaimed that she was fucking his cousin, even though she didn't exactly have sex with him, she couldn't be that petty either.
Felix blinked, leaning closer to her as hope evidently permeated his features.
"R-Really?" The blonde sputtered, his eyes widening as he placed his hand on the table in hopes to hold her hand.
"B-But..." Marinette pressed her lips together and she lightly as she exhaled through her nose. "I can't forget about it. I don't know if I can trust you, and while I do still have a great deal of love for you, I have found happiness in someone else."
Felix froze, his eyes trained on her as she brought the mug to her lips in a pathetic attempt to hide inside of her coffee.
He glanced down, nodding softly as he began to fiddle with the spoon that sat beside his mug.
"Is it Adrien?" He asked, his eyes glancing back up at her curiously. "Did I lose you to my cousin?"
Marinette inwardly cringed, the whole conversation sounded completely abhorrent out of context. She had been called a home-wrecker before, but now she felt as though she was being slut-shamed even though she had started to see Adrien after they were both out of their serious relationships.
"I don't think it should matter. What matters is that we both move on from what was done in the past. We've both had our chances with each other, we've had our ups and downs and now it's time that we close this chapter and continue you on with our lives..." Marinette explained, her blue eyes glancing up and capturing his.
Those eyes.
It was painful to look at them. She hated letting him down, despite the times he had let her down.
He was her first love, and she knew there would always be a special place in her heart for him, but at that moment her heart belonged to someone else.
"Is there still anything I can do for you? Is there any way that I can make it up to you? I still want to make you happy, to fix things between us," Felix continued, lightly pushing his coffee aside as his entire demeanor completely fell flaccid at his rejection.
Marinette nodded.
"Of course. The best way to do that is to forgive yourself. I know that you were fixated on your mistakes just as much as I was. I know it must've kept you up all night, prevented you from eating, kept you crying, or distracted you from important things. I know you're human, you made mistakes..." Marinette gripped onto her coffee mug even tighter, her heart racing as she tried to collect herself once more.
The last thing she wanted to do was break down in front of him again.
"But if you want to make it up to me, you need to move on. You need to forgive yourself and learn from your mistakes. Trust isn't something that should be taken lightly, I no longer have that strong foundation with you. If we were to start a relationship based on what we have now, it wouldn't last," Marinette pressed her lips together with a grimace. "And in the end, we'll just hurt ourselves all over again."
Felix clenched his jaw, lowering his gaze as his heart was completely shattered. He concealed his emotions quickly, reaching for his mug and taking a long sip.
"You know that regardless of what happens between us, I'll always love you," Felix murmured, placing his mug down onto the tabletop once more. "If you ever change your mind, or if things don't work out, you know that I'll be here. I made you wait for me for such a long time, please know that I'll always wait for you."
Marinette reached up, running her hands through her hair.
"Felix, that's not what I meant-"
"I will move on, just like you asked," Felix interjected, a warm smile on his lips as he reached for his coffee mug and pressed it to his lips.
Marinette furrowed her brow, glancing up at him. She reached towards the back of her neck and rubbed at it nervously.
"I just want you to know that they'll always be a place in my heart for you. I fucked up, there's no undoing the pain I did to you," Felix continued, placing his mug back down. "I lost my first love. I took advantage of what you provided and I didn't realise how true and real our relationship was until I left," he sighed, tracing his finger against the smooth glass of the tabletop. "I'll go on a couple of dates, I'll continue to meet new people, I'll forgive myself for the stupid shit I did, knowing that's what you want. I'll learn from this horrible mistake, and I'll use it to become a better person. Never will I ever inflict this horrible pain on someone else, but..."
Felix paused, lowering his eyes. He gently moved his coffee mug back to the side. He placed his hands onto the table, folding them casually as he pursed his lips, contemplating if he wanted to say that he meant.
"But... the day you ever change your mind or decide to come back to me, I'd like you to know that I'll drop everything to be with you. I love you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and despite everything we've been through and even though I've strayed away... that fact will never change," Felix conceded, slowly unraveling his hands and reaching for hers.
Marinette trained her eyes on his, her heart squeezing in her chest as Felix grabbed her hand, lightly squeezing it with his own.
She glanced up, a soft blush on her cheeks as he leaned towards her with a warm smile.
"I'm sorry, Marinette," Felix whispered. "And even though you don't want me by your side like I used to be, but I'd love for you to give me a chance to stand behind you as a friend. Give me a chance to earn your trust back as a friend. I know after returning, that I don't ever want to miss a part of your life ever again. I'll fully accept that you love someone else and that you've moved on. But please give me the opportunity to love you as a friend. Please don't send me away," he whispered, his hand squeezing hers tightly. "I will get on my knees and beg you if that will assure you..."
Marinette blushed, offering Felix a weak smile as she glanced down at their hands.
"Okay..." she breathed, her hand growing warm beneath his. "But only as friends, Felix. Nothing more and nothing less..."
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Luka sat at the edge of the large wall by the river. The warm sun caressed his face and the serene image of the sunset was enough to lift his spirits.
A hopeful smile tugged at the edge of his lip, and Luka closed his eyes, enjoying the warm breeze and the sounds of the water. He could faintly hear the bell ring from the ice cream cart of the bridge that stood merely a few feet away from him.
He wasn't sure if Adrien relayed the confession to Marinette.
It went without saying that Adrien was a little less than pleased with it, but what more could he say?
He had feelings for Marinette, and he wanted to be with her. That was his goal from the very beginning, since the first time he ever laid eyes on her. It was the reason why he left Kagami, it was the reason why he approached her. He couldn't stop thinking about that night they spent together. He could still feel her soft lips beneath this own. He could still feel her warm skin beneath his fingertips.
He vividly recalled the sound of her voice when she sang, and when she cried for him. He was totally enamoured by her very presence. Luka had never felt his way about anyone before.
He bit his lip, a blush coating his cheeks as he plucked his guitar strings to a melody he had in his head. One that reminded him of a dark-haired beauty that sang with him one night.
She was extraordinary, she was sincere as a melody. She was the song that had been playing in his head since the moment they first met.
"Luka?" Her soft voice emanated from behind him.
His heart skipped a few beats, and Luka immediately turned to see her.
Marinette stood behind him, her beautiful dark locks in a braid that had fallen down her shoulders. She wore a tight-fitting capped sleeved shirt with pink high-waisted shorts that had shown off her long legs. She paired off her outfit with pink flats and Luka smiled at the cute ladybug hairpin she wore by her bangs.
Marinette shifted her weight with a small smile, rolling her shoulders to keep her purse strap fitted to her body. In her hand, she held an ice cream cone, with three scoops of ice cream and a cherry on top.
"You actually came!" Luka breathed, patting the space beside him. His eyes remained on her waist, and his heart began to pound between his ears. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her against him like he had done that night she had kissed him.
Marinette chuckled shyly, the young woman approaching him from the side. She grunted, sitting down beside him while dangling her legs off the ledge.
"I can't believe you're actually surprised that I came." Marinette chortled. "I'm sorry I'm a little late though. I caught up with an old friend and the conversation spanned out longer than I expected."
Luka laughed softly, placing his hands onto the ground beneath him so that he could lean back comfortably.
"It's really okay. I'm just really happy to see you again. I was worried you didn't want to see me since this whole thing with your arranged marriage, and my relationship with someone.. " his voice trailed off awkwardly. He turned his head to look at her.
He admired the way her knees blushed in the rays of the sun. He loved how her shoulders and neck did the same. Her lashes framed her eyes perfectly, and he was completely enamored by the beautiful freckles that decorated her face.
"You look beautiful this evening," Luka murmured his eyes remaining on her face. "The sunset has nothing in comparison to you."
Marinette shyly hid behind her shoulder at the compliment. She glanced down at her ice cream and carefully brought it to her lips so that she could enjoy a tasteful lick.
"I-Is that why you called me out here to the river? Just to compliment me all night?" She teased, shyly glancing over to him as he sat up to grab the neck of his guitar.
"Do you have any complaints, Ms. Dupain-Cheng?" Luka asked, taking his bottom lip in between his teeth. "You know I'd be more than happy to sit here all night to remind you how beautiful you are."
Marinette giggled, her legs swaying back and forth against the ledge of the wall. "I guess I could get used to hearing it," she hummed. "I mean, what girl wouldn't want to hear that." She glanced over towards him shyly. "But I guess I will admit that it's nice seeing you again. Oh, and thanks for the compliment." She looked back down at her ice cream so she could lick the other side of her ice cream.
Luka smiled, the blush on his cheeks deepening as she reassured her pleasure to see him. He playfully reached over, picking the cherry off the top of her ice cream scoop and popped it into his mouth.
Marinette gasped, widening her eyes as Luka plucked the stem from between his lips with a satisfied hum.
"Hey!" She retorted, turning the ice cream cone away from his trajectory. "I wanted that!"
Luka snorted, wiggling his brows at her playfully. "I guess I beat you to it." He teased, refocusing on the guitar that he kept in his lap.
Marinette scoffed playfully, bring her cone back to her lips so she could help herself to another lick of her ice cream.
Silence enveloped around them, but Marinette quite liked the sounds of the birds chirping and the bubbling of the river beneath their feet. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she enjoyed the time she was experiencing at that very moment.
Luka bit her lip, positioning his fingers in their perspective notes, as he began to play a tune. The melody blew through the wind, and Luka kept his eyes on the notes he played.
Marinette slowly opened her eyes, turning her head to watch Luka play his untitled tune.
It was beautiful, and it was soft.
Marinette couldn't understand why, but she felt happy. It could have been the scenery or the fact that she was simply feeling the moment, but she quite liked it.
Marinette closed her eyes, holding the ice cream cone in both her hands as she moved to the tune of the song. She swayed her legs back and forth, enjoying the sound of the notes Luka played.
A small blush coated her cheeks as she angled her head towards the sky, enjoying the warm breeze that caressed her skin.
The tune drew to a close and Luka glanced over towards her, his chest feeling tight at the beautiful sight of her being caressed by the sunset.
"That was beautiful..." Marinette murmured, slowly opening her eyes and looking over to him. "I really enjoyed it."
Luka smiled, glancing down shyly as he mindlessly plucked a few strings.
"T-Thanks. I haven't picked out a name for it yet... but... it's the tune I hear in my head every time I see you. You are my muse, Marinette..."
Marinette furrowed her brow, her heart pumping erratically inside of her chest.
"O-Oh..." she blushed, reaching up to rub her cheeks before she brought her ice cream to her lips awkwardly. "I-I had no idea. I'm really glad that I'm able to help you write your music." Marinette rested her hands onto her lap, glancing down at her ice cream before she looked at him with a small smile.
"You're really talented, Luka. I can see why you're very popular in the gig scene around town."
Luka chortled, glancing down at the water beneath their feet.
"I... I wanted to tell you something," Luka murmured, clearing his throat. "I mean, there is a reason why I wanted to meet you here aside from the fact that I just really wanted to see you."
Marinette pressed her lips together, worry etching onto her features as she brought the ice cream cone to her lips where she took another awkward lick.
"Oh? You did?" She asked, glancing over towards him with a nervous smile.
Luka exhaled, gulping as he remained quiet in an attempt to gather his nerves. If Adrien didn't tell her about his confession, then Luka had every intention to tell her just what he had told Adrien that night.
Marinette had a right to know how he felt, and if Marinette was willing to have him in that way, it would certainly make him the happiest guy in the world.
"I... I want to make you happy, Marinette." Luka stuttered. "I think you're an extraordinary girl, Marinette. You're as sincere as a melody, you're a song I could never get tired of hearing or singing."
Marinette felt her heart sink, sweat beading at the base of her neck as her chest grew tight.
This couldn't be happening.
When Marinette had spent her summers locked away in her room or when she spent her school days studying in a corner by herself, no one would even give her so much as a second glance. Now, Marinette truly felt overwhelmed by the confessions she had been getting lately.
But she truly felt horrible about it.
She wasn't sure if she was ready to hear all of this again. She simply couldn't.
"You make me feel... amazing. I love spending time with you," Luka continued. "I guess... all there's left to say is, how much I truly do adore and lov-"
"Luka," Marinette interjected, a grimace on her face as she glanced down at the half-eaten ice cream cone in between both her hands.
Luka paused, blinking with a grimace the moment he noticed the look on Marinette's face.
The color nearly drained from her face and Luka could clearly see the tired lines beneath her eyes deepen.
"I think I should go," Marinette sighed, slowly sliding back from the ledge so that she could stand up. She gripped on to her purse, awkwardly turning her back towards him. "I-I'm sorry."
Luka immediately moved back, climbing onto his feet and going on after her. He reached out, his hand grabbing on to one of her wrists, preventing her from moving.
"Marinette..." Luka pleaded, lightly tugging her closer so that he could hold her close to him.
Marinette widened her eyes, a deep blush covering her cheeks as her eyes flickered between both of his blue eyes.
The pair remained still, looking at one another silently.
"Marinette, I love you..." he breathed, his arm tightening around her waist.
Marinette pressed her lips together, simply at a loss for words. She knew it was coming. She saw it coming. She expected no less from him. What she had been trying to avoid from the beginning only ever seemed to put her efforts in vain.
Luka parted his lips, slowly closing his eyes as he leaned closer to her. His lips moved closer to hers and Marinette felt horrible.
She slowly reached up, pressing her fingertips to his lips, stopping him right then and there before he could go any further.
Marinette had already tortured him by allowing him to touch her for her own selfish gain that night. She wouldn't allow herself to hurt him anymore by letting him kiss her.
"T-There's someone else..." Marinette murmured softly, the grimace only growing stronger onto her features. "I love someone else."
Luka looked down at her, his face completely blank, as Marinette very carefully pried his hands off of her waist.
Luka remained stunned, his hands dropping to his sides as his heart felt as if it was ripped out of his chest.
"Y-You love someone else?" He asked, his voice quivering, tears pooling in his eyes.
Marinette awkwardly stepped away from him. She glanced down at the ice cream cone in her hand.
"I'm sorry. I know I may have given you some impressions in the past, and I know that you and Kagami weren't actually an official item, but it sort of just happened between him and I," Marinette sighed as she turned her body. "I never meant to hurt you or anyone, but I have no intentions to lie to you, or lead you on either."
Luka stared down at the ground, the sounds of her footsteps only growing further and further away from him. His vision blurred, and his fingers only grew tighter around the neck of his guitar.
Tears streamed down his cheeks and Luka finally glanced up at her.
"W-Will I ever see you again?" He called out to her, his voice breaking as he could no longer contain his emotions.
Marinette paused, her heart shattering into a million pieces. She glanced down at the ground, her eyes glaring into her large shadow that was cast by the warm glow of the sunset.
She slowly turned to face him, her chest feeling tight at the sight of his tears. Never in a million years did she ever want anyone to cry over her.
"Of course," she breathed, "I have no intentions to abandon you, Luka." She reached up, gripping on to the ice cream cone with both her hands. "I promise..."
Luka exhaled, a small sob emanating from his chest. His hand grew loose around the neck of his guitar, eventually dropping the instrument on to the pavement with a loud thud.
A weak smile paved its way onto his lips, and with a heavy heart, Luka took another step forward.
_________________________________________
Marinette sighed, her feet aching as she walked down the narrow street towards her home she shared with Adrien.
It truly felt like such a long and tiring day. Marinette whimpered, feeling emotionally drained. She never had to deal with such a strange turn of events before.
Parts of her wished that she never left her room. At least then she would have been safe.
Perhaps a cold beer and a cup of hot ramen would ease her soul somehow. At least that was how it was before she moved out of her apartment and got married.
She pushed open the back gates of her home, closing it behind her as she stepped on to the pave way that led to the back garden where she usually got into the back door.
The sun rays changed its trajectory as it lowered and Marinette found herself squinting.
She paused the moment she saw a figure standing in the garden.
A deep breath of relief excited her lungs the moment her eyes captured his silky blonde hair.
Adrien stood out in the grass, glancing up at the sky. The warm breeze blew through his hair, and he very casually slipped his hands into his pockets.
Marinette stepped into the pavement behind him, a small smile making its way onto her lips as she always thought he looked adorable in his black wide-necked shirt and khaki shorts.
The setting sunlight nearly engulfed his silhouette in its entirety and Marinette's heart began to skip beats the moment that she realised that Adrien was standing in the light that she looked at.
"Are you still a model even when you're not modeling?" Marinette asked, perking a brow as her eyes moved up to stare at the back of Adrien's beautiful head.
Adrien glanced back at her, a warm smile on his lips at the sight of his beautiful wife who stood shyly beside him.
"I wouldn't say so," he murmured, turning back to look at the sky. "I just realised how nice the sky was." His green eyes glanced around the orange and yellow colors that painted the sky.
"Yeah..." Marinette breathed, gripping onto her purse as she slowly approached him. She hummed, standing beside him as she too glanced up at the sky. The warm breeze continued to comfort them as the pair stood beside one another in the beautiful glow of the setting sun.
"I spend so much time worrying about the crazy fates of life, the bad relationships of the people I know, and the constant scheduling of work and events that my dad insists that I do... that I completely forget to enjoy the world we live in. I forget to be grateful for the life I have. When it's nice like this, it truly makes me happy to be alive, even if it's brief."
Marinette nodded, rocking back and forth on her feet, her mind briefly reverting back to having to reject both Felix and Luka all in a couple of hours apart from one another.
She had a messed up path. She had felt as if she had lost Adrien somewhere in the dark. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt any of the people she cared about, but she knew that if she didn't do it, it would only break the pavement to the path she was trying to create for herself.
Her heart squeezed in her chest the moment she realised that she had finally found Adrien in the light.
"You know, I was feeling the same way earlier today," Marinette murmured, leaning on him slightly. "It felt really nice to enjoy the moment of silence and beauty..." she pressed her lips together before she lightly pulled back to look up at him. "But I realised that sometimes, there are other ways to capture sunlight and moonlight in your life. It was dark on my way back, but when I finally returned, I discovered that you were waiting here in the light for me."
Adrien glanced down at her, his green emerald eyes sought hers in the light they both stood in, side by side. His heart fluttered in his chest at the sound of her voice.
"Then... maybe we'll both be okay even if we don't get to enjoy the light. You're my light, just as I'm yours. If we have each other then none of the other stuff matters," Adrien murmured, moving closer to her and sliding his arm around her waist.
Marinette smiled, immediately dropping her purse onto the ground so she could move in front of him. She wrapped her arms around him, caressing his face in both her hands.
"There's nothing standing in the way of our path to light..." Marinette whispered, a weight lifted off her shoulder as she knew she had finally told everyone that she had chosen Adrien and will only choose him.
Adrien glanced down at her lips, his hands holding onto her hips as he drew her closer. He leaned down, his nose lightly brushing against hers as he gently pressed a sweet kiss her to her lips.
Marinette's eyes fluttered closed and she reached up to play with his hair. Her lips slowly moved back against his, her heart racing as the two shared a passionate kiss in their light.
And as always, it truly felt like the very first time.