28. Accident and Introduction

Not long after Marinette's phone call, she left along with Jess to go make sure Zoe was actually on her way to the preschool.

You sighed, slumped over on your couch as you spun the beads on your anxiety ring in hopes of regaining your calm. You had only been alone for what felt like five minutes and you were drowning in dread.

Your eyes traveled towards the tv remote and you bit your lip hard as you resisted the urge to grab it. Before they left, Marinette and Jess had banned you from watching anymore celebrity news channels.

As annoying as they were, you knew they were right.

Cutting you off in the middle of your sigh, your doorbell rang.

You felt your entire body stiffen.

No one usually came by without texting first, and your friends had your spare key.

You tip toed over to your door and very quietly peeked through the tiny little circular window.

When you saw a head of blue hair your eyebrows furrowed and you slammed your door open. "Luka?!" You exclaimed and his smile only widened once he saw you.

"So the rumors are true!" He laughed as his arms raised.

Your brows furrowed harder as you tilted your head to the side. "Rumors? If you're talking about what's on tv, you already knew that and-"

"No!" He laughed as he cut you off. "Well—yes I did see that, but that isn't totally why I'm here."

"Right—speaking of which—how do you know where I live?!" You gasped as you pulled him inside, worried someone may see you standing there talking to him without your glasses on.

He stumbled as you shut the door behind him, though the smile never faltered. "I live in the studio at the top of this building." He grinned when your jaw dropped. "My neighbor saw you moving your stuff in and was very excited to tell me that we had a celebrity in the complex. I didn't want to bother you, but when I saw the news I figured I would stop by."

"So why are you grinning?" You asked with a grumble.

"Because you're actually here." His eyes softened and you quickly pushed away the bubbly feeling in your chest.

"Well what-fucking-ever." You spoke as you walked into your kitchen and poured yourself a freezing glass of water. "It doesn't change the fact that we don't know each other."

"What?" His head was tilted now, mimicking your expression from moments earlier.

"Well not on technical terms." You took a long sip. "We just have to pretend. It's not like Dakota should meet you."

"Why?"

"What are you dense!?" You groaned but immediately looked at him apologetically. "I don't think he would react well meeting a man from his mother while his father is in prison. I don't know if Adrien would appreciate that either-"

"Are you guys even together still?" He asked warily and your head shot up.

"Of course we are!" You exclaimed, though you weren't so sure where you stood with him yourself.

Luka threw his hands up in defense. "Just asking!" He laughed as he walked into your kitchen. "May I?" He asked as he motioned towards your cup cabinet.

You sighed as you leaned over your counter and rested your head in your hand, begging for him to leave internally. "Go for it."

Your eyes adverted towards him as you watched Luka shuffle through your tight kitchen to take care of everything he needed. Before you knew it he was standing mirrored to you and had a small smirk on his face as he sipped his water, slowly.

"What's so funny?" You snapped, growing quickly tired of the looming quiet and the sly smirk on his face.

He shrugged as he turned away again. Your eyes never tore away from his. "I'm just so amused that we're neighbors." You swore he snorted when he brought it up again.

"I'm moving out of the damn complex!" You shouted as you threw up your arms and stormed into your living room. Luka followed you, chuckling the whole way over.

**

"Welcome dear." His voice drew out. Nooroo stood exactly three feet above his master, waiting to be summoned.

Nooroo's eyes narrowed as he noticed the woman's mask was off this time. Her features were quite surprising since they looked oddly familiar.

Once more he desperately searched the woman over, looking for Duusu.

"Why haven't you transformed yet?" She snorted. "I'm telling you—you better get this moving. I'll take this brooch with me." Her eyes darkened and Nooroo noticed his master didn't flinch or stiffen at her threats.

"Sure." He nodded knowingly. "And once you do I'll hunt you down—I think we both know what I'll do once I find you." Before he could even process it, his master was before the girl with his fingers curled underneath her chin. His wicked grin never faltered as he tugged her face closer to him. "You work for me. Not the other way around. I would advise you not to forget that."

He released her and clapped his hands together as if he was dusting them off.

Enraged, she stood before him but he simply shook his head. "Don't make me warn you again."

"Let's get this started—shall we?" His smirk grew.

**

"When are you leaving?" You whined as you sprawled yourself across your couch.

"I have offered to leave multiple times, but each time I tried you refused to let me go." Luka spoke simply as he scrolled through the mass chaos of feed on his phone.

He has just gone through another two week period of radio silence. He had finished crafting six guitars—record time for him. His clients had tried to message him but he had missed them completely.

"Well—!" You were flustered and unsure why. "What if some damn stalker finds where I live and I'm here alone?" You offered, finding the concern completely logical. "Who will protect me then?"

"The miraculous." He shrugged.

Your eyes widened. "Excuse me?" You laughed nervously.

"You have Adrien's miraculous—don't you?" He asked and you wanted to kick him in the face for speaking in his stupid calm voice.

"Adrien doesn't have a whatever you just said." You tried your hardest to sound like an idiot but the look on his face showed you were failing. "How did you know?" You conceded.

"Do you remember the victim Wishmaker?" He asked.

You nodded dully. "Well—I'm Viperion." He ignored the shocked looked on your face because really, it was obvious and you should've figured it out by now. "During that mission your sister and Adrien's identity were revealed to me." He was speaking cautiously because he remembered how horrible the day after that was.

"That's why..." you whispered. "Why you were so worked up while we wrote."

Luka sighed. "Yeah."

Your mind was spinning and you noticed your vision go in and out of focus. Everything you felt that day came back to you, everything suddenly felt put into place. "You didn't tell me." You whispered.