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If there was one thing that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was good at, it was baking. Sure, she was good at other things as well, but having parents as bakers and learning how to make yummy treats of all kinds by the time she could hold a spoon had basically solidified that fact.
When she was stressed, she baked.
When she was in a good mood, she baked.
When her best friend and secret crush had a total obsession with anything sugary or sweet? She most definitely baked then.
Marinette’s love language was definitely gift-giving. And she did that with sweets. And while she didn’t have the courage to actually confess that she was in love with her best friend, Luka Couffaine, she tried to show it in ways she didn’t have to…actually say it. They had been best friends since the time she was five and Luka was seven. Their mom, Anarka, who preferred to be called ‘Captain’ had come into the bakery with her two kids, Luka and Juleka. Both of her own parents and Anarka had struck up a quick friendship, and they began setting up play-dates for their kids.
Within a month, they were almost inseparable. All three of them would play pranks on each other, and usually their unsuspecting parents. Though Marinette suspected that Anarka was used to it. She called it being “Boat Kids”.
Current said best friend/secret crush was leaning against the kitchen counter in her small apartment while she frosted another set of cupcakes. Luka had been helping earlier, but he was currently more focused on sneaking bits of cupcake, especially the frosting, and teasing her relentlessly.
“You know all that sugar is bad for you.” She told him, pointing the frosting bag towards him, with one hand on her hip.
Luka shot her a wink. “Not when you make them.”
Marinette rolled her eyes while she was actually trying to keep herself from blushing. A simple wink shouldn’t be able to disarm her so easily.
But then again, this was Luka.
When she was eight, she had told her mother that she was going to marry Luka someday. Her mom had smiled and nodded at her, most likely passing it off as a childhood crush and fantasy. But it hadn’t been. Not for her. At twenty-three now, she was still in love with the blue-haired guitarist. He had been there through everything with her. From high school drama, to her becoming an intern at Gabriel . And she had done the same for him. He was now a pretty popular rockstar, made even more attractive to the public since he didn’t go on tour much. He had only been once, for about a year, and now stayed around Paris.
Luka had said that he preferred doing smaller gigs and staying close to home. He wanted to open a music store and teach others, especially kids, how to play.
And Marinette was totally, irrevocably in love with him.
The only thing was that she still hadn’t told him.
And Luka had never said anything.
Marinette was terrified if she told him and he turned her down. Sure, she knew he would probably turn her down in the most kind and gentle way–it was Luka, afterall–but she also knew that their friendship would never be the same. And she couldn’t bear to lose him.
She smirked at him. “You just wait. All those sweets you keep eating will go straight to your love handles.”
Luka put a hand on his stomach and looked down. “You think I have love handles?”
No, not at all. In fact, she knew firsthand that he most definitely did not. The Couffaines lived on a houseboat–the Liberty –and taking care of that had given him some…definition she would say. Not to mention the years he had spent doing deliveries on his bike. She had seen from the time the three of them had gone swimming, just how mouth-watering he was without a shirt on. Not to mention all the sleepovers they had done. And the total Adonis-come-to-life did not sleep with a shirt on. Much to her poor heart's content. She was surprised she hadn't passed out yet from the way he left her breathless, just by existing .
Marinette knew he was cute. Even as teens, several girls had told him. And she had eyes. She knew as well. As an adult, he had only become more so. Sharp jawline, angular features…and those gorgeous teal colored eyes that would make any girl melt.
But Marinette couldn’t say that. She wouldn’t . So instead she just gave him a teasing grin. “You just wait, Rockstar. You just wait.”
She was such a coward.
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Luka’s POV
Later that night, a storm had come in. Marinette had deemed it unsafe for Luka to head home and had told him to stay the night. It wasn’t uncommon for any of them to stay over at each other's homes, and tonight would be no different. At least, it shouldn’t have been.
Luka tried to keep from staring at the bluenette. Marinette was currently getting dressed for bed, and he tried hard to not think of her changing into a set of sleep clothes in her room.
He shouldn’t have thoughts like that of his best friend. Even if he was an adult male.
And even if he was totally in love with her.
Luka had been completely transfixed the moment he had met the absolutely adorable, bluebell eyed, girl when he was seven. As they had gotten older, he quickly had a crush that had morphed into something deeper. She was kind and generous, always going out of her way to help others. When his sister, Juleka, had come out as Bisexual when she was 14, a few girls in their class had teased and bullied her relentlessly. Jules had been especially shy as a kid and teen, and had only been able to hide her tears as she ran to the bathroom, but Marinette had stood right in front of one of them. And then punched the mean girl–Lila Rossi–right in the face.
He had been hopelessly in love ever since.
But he hadn’t told her. He didn’t know how. Luka didn’t want to pressure her, or worse, lose her friendship, if he came on too strong or if his confessing made her uncomfortable. Marinette’s happiness, and her friendship, meant too much to him.
So Luka stayed silent. Hoping she would give him a sign that she was into him. Jules had hinted that Marinette was, but he never saw it. Jules had just rolled her eyes and called him an idiot.
But Jules was his sister. He was pretty sure that as his sibling, she had to say that.
“You can come in now.” Marinette called from behind her bedroom door.
He opened the door and his heart skipped just a bit as he saw her. Marinette was stunning. She always had been, but something about the plain boxer shorts and tank top she wore, had him almost breathless.
Luka just grinned at her though as they both slipped into the queen sized bed. That was also normal for them. They had slept over so much that it was just natural for them to share a bed. It shouldn’t be sending his heart into overdrive.
Marinette was staring at him though and he saw her glanced down at his shirtless chest, and then quickly darted eyes back up. Was she uncomfortable with that? Luka had never worn a shirt while sleeping, but he would if she wanted. He could see her shoulders tense up and her jaw clench just the tiniest bit.
Trying to make her laugh, he shot her a grin. “I think I need my Marinette cuddles.”
It worked. Her face and shoulders relaxed as she laughed a little, and then snuggled closer. Luka laid on his back, her head against his chest with one of her perfectly slender legs tangled with his. It was perfect. He was never happier than when Marinette was in his arms.
Luka nuzzled his own face against the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. She always smelled like sugar. And Luka Couffaine was obsessed with sweet things. Especially her.
“Wait.” Marinette spoke up, pulling away from him. “I know you were sneaking cupcakes while I was changing.” She was grinning.
Okay, that was true. He had been doing that. But Luka loved everything she baked. He couldn’t help but enjoy the sugary goodness. The Dupain-Cheng bakery wasn’t famous for nothing.
“Maybe.” He teased.
“No cuddles if you did. I don’t want my hair to get all sticky if your lips are covered in cupcake.”
Luka pulled away from the cuddle, turning onto his side, propped up on his left arm, with one eyebrow raised. “And how would you know if they were?”
He had been teasing, but he saw the faintest bit of pink appear across her cheeks and nose as she made a tiny squeak. He couldn’t help but stare just a little. He had made her blush? That was a first. Luka had never seen her blush from something he had said before. Was that his sign?
Or maybe he was reading it completely wrong.
“Mari?” He said her name, concerned when she still hadn’t said anything, but her eyes hadn’t left his. Moonlight was streaming through an open patch of the curtains beside the bed they were sharing, making her eyes shine more than they normally did. Small flecks of silver were brought out in the usual bluebell color and he knew that he had never seen something–or someone–as beautiful as Marinette Dupain-Cheng. He could see the small pattern of freckles that ran across her nose and Luka wished he had the guts to kiss each and every one of them.
“You shouldn’t tease me like that.” Marinette whispered.
He looked at her, curious by what she meant. Yeah, he had been teasing, but her tone of voice made it sound as if he had been teasing her in a different way…
Luka reached a hand out and tucked one of the stray hairs behind her ear. Her hair was down, spilling across her shoulders and he couldn’t resist letting his fingers slide slowly through the soft strands as he let go.
“Like what?” He asked, not breaking his gaze.
She chewed her bottom lip, looking down before she finally glanced back up at him. “Like…like you want me to kiss you.”
“And if I did?” The question spilled from his lips before he could stop it. Damn it, Couffaine! His word vomit could have just cost him his friendship with her. Luka heard the little hitch in her voice at his question, her eyes widening. The blush that had been so faint before, now blossomed into a deeper, almost red shade. Maybe…maybe he was wrong and this was his sign. “Would that be so bad?” He asked softly, almost afraid of her answer but unable to keep from asking.
“N-no.” She responded. “It…it wouldn’t.”
Now it was his turn to blush. Okay, he hadn’t been expecting that answer. Luka had expected her to either A) laugh it off and turn it into a joke or B) slap him and demand that she never see him again. His heart began pounding harder in his chest, so loud that Luka was sure she had to hear it.
“Marinette.” He said her name so softly, almost like a prayer. Which she certainly was to him. An answer to every prayer he had sent up to whatever deity would listen.
“It could mess up what we have.” She said. “I don’t want to ruin it. I…I’m afraid to lose you, Luka.”
There. That was his sign. It had to be.
“And you think I’m not?” He said, whispering again. Almost as if he spoke too loud, the spell that had woven around them would be broken. Afraid that if he did, he would wake up in his own bed to find that the whole day had only been just a dream. Slowly, he leaned closer to her, raising his hand again to cup her cheek, giving her a chance to stop him. To tell him that he was reading into this all wrong. Marinette didn’t lean away. She didn’t flinch or shove him off. Instead she stayed, her eyes not leaving his.
“What if you leave? What if…”
“What if I stayed?” He cut her off. The idea that he would ever leave her was almost laughable. Marinette didn’t seem to realize the power she had over him. This woman…this amazing, kind woman had him on his knees, content to worship her the way she deserved. For her, he would do anything. He’d lasso the moon and give it to her if she said she wanted it.
Marinette closed her eyes, leaning her cheek closer into his hands. “Luka.” She whispered.
He brought his mouth to hers, capturing her lips in a kiss. He could hear her sigh as she leaned into it, her lips tasting like the cupcakes they had shared earlier. Luka wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer as Marinette brought her hands to the sides of his face, skimming slowly over his skin until she got to his hair. Her fingers tangled into the strands and she tugged until he rolled over, now looming above her.
She was staring at him as he broke their kiss, both of them breathing just a little harder. Luka knew he had never seen a more beautiful sight right then, as he looked at his best friend, the love of his life with kissed swollen lips, hair fanning out beneath her, and the slight curve of her mouth smiling at him.
“Wow.” She breathed. “Better than I imagined.”
Luka laughed. “Better, huh?” She nodded. “You know…” He grinned at her. “You teased me of sneaking cupcakes before bed, which I did, but I’m pretty sure that was frosting I tasted on your lips.”
Marinette grinned back. “I don’t hear you complaining about it.”
Luka leaned down, pressing small kisses against her cheeks, her eyelids, her forehead, before he finally paused by her lips. Those damn kissable lips. “No, not at all, darning. You know us Couffaines. Give me a cupcake and I’ll just come back for more.”
She grinned. “Good. I’ll just have to keep making them then.” And she closed the distance between their mouths to drag him into another kiss.
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Waking up the next morning, Marinette was overjoyed when she realized that the night before hadn’t been just a dream. Luka was curled up against her, holding her tight against him as he slept. It had been perfect, better than she had ever dreamed.
Smiling, Marinette slipped out of the bed. She had more cupcakes to make.