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It was one of those perfect winter nights, the kind you read about in good books and see in cheesy holiday movies. It was Christmas Eve, and the city was decked out in lights and ribbons and boughs of evergreen. Snow from a recent storm blanketed the rooftops, and heavy gray clouds covered the moon and promised more. It was just cold enough to be freezing, but in an invigorating way.
A way that caused your blood to pump a little harder, especially when you were decked out in your super suit and racing along those snow-covered rooftops with joyful holiday abandon.
Ladybug tossed her yoyo and gave a loud whoop as she swung across the sky. The holidays were always a tense time for Paris – emotions always ran high, and holiday akumas were an almost daily occurrence. Tonight had been quiet so far, and she was grateful for that, but you still couldn’t be too cautious. She had waited for her parents to fall asleep before taking to the streets for one last patrol.
So far all had been quiet, and she was maybe letting herself enjoy that. Just a little bit.
Her feet touched down on the Eiffel, and she began making her way up to Team Miraculous’s usual rendezvous point. She had given them the night off, of course, so she wasn’t really expecting to find anyone else up there. After all, they all had families, and why shouldn’t they enjoy the time with them? As their leader, she could make that sacrifice for them. A little Christmas gift she could give the friends that had helped her save the city more times than she could count. They all deserved it, and so she would call on them only if needed, and so far it had been quiet. They could all enjoy their holiday, instead of…
…she paused when she reached the top and found a teal-clad figure looking out over the city, his fingers idly strumming at his lyre.
“Viperion?” she called, taking a few nervous steps towards him. “What are you doing here?”
He turned and gave her a warm smile. He hooked his lyre onto his back as she approached.
“I thought patrol might go quicker if you had some help,” he said easily. He winced a little, but he was still smiling at her. “I tried to get away sooner, but…a friend came over for dinner. It was kind of hard to ditch him.”
Her own smile softened. She was sure. Dingo had been whining for weeks about the ‘business trip’ his parents would be taking through the holiday – the one he was explicitly excluded from. Something about previous holidays, angry diplomats, and restraining orders. Ladybug wasn’t supposed to know that, though, so she just tipped her head in curiosity.
“Which is why I gave you the night off,” she reminded him as she came to a stop by his side. “You know. To spend time with your family and friends. I would have called if I needed you.”
“And what about you, Mlle. Bug?” he asked, turning towards her. “No family or friends to spend your Christmas with? Someone like you, I’m sure there’s something better you could be doing tonight.”
“I was with my family earlier, and I’ll see my friends tomorrow,” she said, shrugging. “Hawkmoth is still at large. Someone has to keep the city safe.”
“Someone does,” he sighed, “but that someone still deserves a little happiness of her own. Amazing girl like you? You should be snuggled up with some cocoa and a boyfriend watching old Christmas movies. Waiting up for Santa or something.”
“That got specific,” she laughed. He shrugged and looked away. She couldn’t be sure – it could have just been the lights from the city, or the winter chill – but she would have sworn there was a light blush dusting his cheeks. “Seriously, Viperion. I’m fine. I’m almost done, anyway. I got out here kinda early. I appreciate the offer, but…patrol’s pretty much over.”
“Sorry,” he said with another little wince. “I really did try to get here earlier.”
“You would’ve missed me anyway,” she laughed. “I didn’t start at the tower, you know.”
“Two ships passing,” he sighed, tipping his head towards her and offering her a wistful smile. “Story of my life, it seems.”
“Vi?” she asked, frowning. He shook his head and looked back out to the city.
“Sorry,” he said. “Ignore me. Just…feeling a little…moody, I guess. Melancholic.”
“Well, I definitely can’t ignore you now,” she teased. “Holiday blues lead to akumas, Vi. I’m not fighting you on Christmas.”
“Hardy har,” he quipped. He shook his head and drummed his fingers against his arm. “Really, Ladybug. I’m fine. You should get back to your family.”
“They’re sleeping,” she said. She took a step closer and bumped their shoulders together. Or…she bumped hers against his arm, at least. He was so much taller than she was… “Besides, I like spending time with you. And if you’re bluesy, that gives me even more reason to. I like cheering up my friends.” She looked up at him with a soft smile. “I’m not going to leave you alone on Christmas, Luka. No one should ever be alone on Christmas, but especially you.”
He hummed at that, and she reached out to squeeze his arm.
“But I’m not alone,” he said, his lips quirking in a smile as he glanced down at her. “You’re here, aren’t you?”
“But you’re trying to convince me to go home,” she reminded him. She stuck her tongue out as he chuckled.
“Consider it my Christmas present to Paris’s most beloved heroine,” he said. “One night off. Just for you.”
“Luka…” she sighed. The wind picked up, swirling around them and making her shiver. She hugged her arms around her middle and stepped closer. “Come on. It’s been quiet. We can both go home.”
“It’s a nice night out, and I just got here,” he said. He shrugged. “And, admittedly, I’m not looking forward to going home to an empty boat.”
“Empty?” she asked. He shrugged.
“Ma picked up that delivery job, remember? She’s making a few last-minute stops tonight, and Jules is spending the night with Rose’s family,” he said. She lifted her eyebrows above her mask.
“You said Ding…your friend came over,” she said. He snorted.
“Believe me, you’re much better company,” he said. He sighed and tipped his head, resting his cheek on her hair. “You should get going. It’s getting late, and cold, and even with super powers you have a long run home.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said, turning her face to press against his arm. “It’s not that…wait. How do you know where I live?”
It was subtle. If she wasn’t standing so close to him – leaning right against him – she might not have noticed. But he definitely tensed, if just for a moment, before shrugging a little.
“I don’t,” he said glibly. “Who said I did?”
“You just did,” she said, turning her head to look up at him. It forced him to lift his head, but he looked out at the city lights instead of at her. She reached over to pinch his arm, but it wasn’t that effective through the suit. “Vi. You just said I have a long run home. How do you know that?”
“I don’t,” he insisted. “I just figured…I mean, I have a long run home, too. Most people do from here. We’re in the middle of a park, and the nearest buildings aren’t exactly residential, so…educated guess?”
“You’re not that educated,” she said. He snorted and finally looked at her, humor dancing in his eyes. She could still see a flash of something beneath that humor, though. Something like fear. Or guilt.
Something that reminded her of something she’d suspected for a long time, something that Viperion – that Luka – was always too good to confirm.
He’d always been so careful around certain rules. For everyone, but especially for her. He’d always been careful with her. With…
“Gee, thanks,” he chuckled, bringing her back to the moment. “I’m educated enough. I take my bac in a few months.”
“I know,” she said, giggling. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…stop trying to distract me.”
“I’d never,” he laughed. She lightly punched his arm, since the pinching hadn’t worked, and he turned to face her. “Ladybug, please. I don’t want to worry about you getting home safe. I mean. I will anyway, but…can we just drop it and go?”
“No,” she said. “Luka, you…”
She didn’t want to say it. She had suspected it for a while, but he had never said and she had never pressed. She’d been scared to. Because if he knew what she feared he knew…she didn’t know what that would mean. For them. For him. If Su Han found out and got it in his head that Luka was a problem that would need to be dealt with…
It would change everything.
With them.
It had to.
She was so distracted she never even heard the beeping. Viperion had, though, and he braced his hands against her arms and tried to push her back.
“Ladybug, you need to go,” he said firmly. She rolled her eyes and stepped closer, but he held fast.
“Vi –” she started, but he shook his head.
“No, Bug, you need to go,” he said. “Get home. Make some cocoa and call a friend. Warm up while you watch the Muppet’s Christmas Carol or something.”
“Oh my God, not that again,” she laughed. “Viperion, you –”
“Ladybug, please,” he said. She took another step towards him, until their chests were practically pressed together, and he sucked in a breath.
“Viperion, stop avoiding me,” she insisted. “Answer –”
But her earrings gave out a final beep – not that she noticed, because the next thing she knew his mouth was on hers and she was frozen for an entirely different reason.
But only for a moment.
Because then he moved his lips, just the slightest, and her eyes fluttered shut just as a pink glow sparkled around her feet. She melted against him, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck as his wrapped around her middle and tugged her closer, and it was the best kiss they’d never got to have. Before. She made an embarrassing little noise when his teeth grazed against her lip, and then another one when his tongue tentatively reached out to touch her own. He made his own little noise when her hands slid up to tangle in his hair, tugging slightly, and oh how she wanted to hear that again. He pulled away entirely too soon for her liking, but he was smiling as he stared down at her dazed eyes.
“The only person I want to spend my Christmas with is you, Marinette,” he said, his voice low and shooting straight through her. She shivered and huddled closer, and she knew it wasn’t because of the wind or the pajamas she suddenly found herself wearing. “But it’s late, and it’s cold, and your timer just ran out. And I really think you need to get home.”
“…you know,” she said, peeking up at him. He swallowed and nodded, that something flashing in his eyes again.
“I know,” he said.
“How long?” she asked. He swallowed again.
“Does that really matter?” he asked. She laughed weakly, shaking her head.
“No, I suppose it doesn’t,” she said.
“You should go,” he said again. She rolled her eyes and tapped her fingers against his chest.
“Are you trying to get rid of me, Luka?” she asked. He chuckled and shook his head before pressing his forehead against hers.
“…no, but if you don’t go I’m going to be tempted to keep you up here all night, and I think we’ll both get in trouble if I do that,” he said.
“You…you said the boat’s empty,” she said, shrugging. He lifted his eyebrows and looked at her, and she shrugged. “My parents went to bed early. I could always say you called and I didn’t want you alone on Christmas Eve. Or…you could come over. Because the boat was too empty and cold for Christmas.”
“Marinette…” he said. She raised a hand to his cheek, tilting his face back to hers so she could kiss him again. It was softer this time, just a quick pressing of their lips together. Barely a kiss, really, but it felt just as heady as the first one to her.
“You told me to go home and call a friend,” she said, smiling shyly. “Something about cocoa and bad Christmas movies?”
“Hey, the Muppets are not bad,” he chuckled, squeezing her hip. “They’re classic.”
“There’s a singing rat,” she said.
“For your information, Rizzo does not actually sing in that one,” he said. “He does, however, provide some much-needed comic relief.”
“Dork,” she giggled. He kissed her again. She thought she could get used to that.
“I can carry you home,” he said. “And we can drink cocoa and watch good Christmas movies.”
She smiled and kissed him again, one last…well. She hoped it wasn’t one last time. It would be for now, at least. She hoped there would be more, once they got home.
Because she was right, in the end: the bakery was worlds warmer than the boat, and nobody deserved to be alone on Christmas.
Especially Luka.
“I think I’d like that,” she said, and she laughed as he suddenly scooped her up. From her collar, she could hear Tikki giggling, too. “I think I’d like that a lot.”
– V –
“It’s really coming down out there.”
Luka hummed from somewhere behind her, and she turned to look over her shoulder to find him sprawled out on the couch. He looked like he was falling asleep. She bit down on her smile, shaking her head as she turned back to the window.
“It’s weird, right?” she continued. “It snowing this much? It never snows at Christmas, but especially like this. I would say it was an akuma, if not for…”
“It’s been three years, darning,” he said. She jumped when his arms were suddenly around her, his chin resting on her shoulder as he wrapped a blanket around them both. He bent his head to kiss her shoulder, nosing at her neck when she sighed and dropped her head back against him. “I think it’s just bad weather. Global warming, or the Mayor’s latest hairbrained not-so-environmentally-friendly plan that’ll probably piss Mylène off.”
She giggled and nudged her elbow back into his stomach, but he just chuckled and dropped another kiss against her neck. She sighed and snuggled back against him.
“Papa sounded so disappointed when I called,” she said. “He was really looking forward to see us.”
“He just wants to see the ring,” Luka snorted. He found her left hand under the blanket and threaded their fingers together, rubbing against said ring resting on a certain finger as he did. He’d been doing that a lot lately – even before he’d finally given it to her a few days ago. The poor thing had actually been nervous she’d say no. She smiled at the thought, turning her head to rest her ear over his heart. “Even though he’s already seen it. He insisted on seeing it before he’d give us his blessing.”
She snorted, bringing her hands up to cover the sound.
“Please,” she giggled. “You had his blessing before the first time you even asked me out. He just wants to see me wearing the ring. Make sure it’s actually, finally happening.”
“Are you saying I drug my feet on proposing?” he asked, feigning a hurt look. “And here I was afraid I was moving too fast.”
“I’m saying he’s been planning our wedding longer than I have,” she said, rolling her eyes. “He adores you. You know that. And now he won’t be able to see you until the snow clears.”
“I’m ok with that,” he said, chuckling. “It’s Christmas, Mari. Technically our first Christmas.”
“We’ve spent the past five Christmases together,” she snorted. He tipped her head up and kissed her.
“Not living together,” he insisted. “Not engaged. It doesn’t feel different to you?”
“…it feels like it’s freezing by this window and I need you to warm me up,” she quipped. He laughed and took a few steps back towards the couch, tugging her with him. “I suppose it is different, huh? It’s just us. No parents or siblings or nosy friends or…”
“Just us,” he said, kissing her again. A little deeper, a little slower, a little longer. A little more perfect. “Thank God for freak blizzards.”
“We could put a movie in,” she suggested. “Make some cocoa. Eat some cookies.”
“Cocoa, no movie, and watch the snow fall,” he said. “I’m not very interested in movies right now, darning. There’s better ways to spend our time.”
“We’re snowed in,” she laughed. “What else can we do but watch movies?”
She squealed as his arm was suddenly behind her knees, scooping her up and holding her close to his chest. The blanket fell to the floor around them, but he didn’t seem bothered by that.
…there were better blankets on their bed, anyway, and that was exactly where he was taking her.
“I can think of a few things,” he said, his voice low and raspy and shooting straight to her core. Her arms came up to wrap around his neck, and he paused to kiss her again. He could spend the rest of his life doing that, and it was still somewhat surreal that he actually could. She had given him that when she’d accepted his ring.
“What happened to cocoa?” she asked, giving him a teasing pout. “I’m cold, Luka, and you left our blanket on the floor.”
“We don’t need it,” he said, smiling as he laid her down on their bed. He crawled in after her, covering her body with his own before leaning in for another kiss. She hummed, her fingers slipping under his shirt to tease along the waistband of his pants. He moved away from her mouth, peppering kisses along her jaw and down her neck. “I can warm you up, darning…”
In the end, the snow didn’t stop until well into the next day. She made sure they set some time aside to call their families on Christmas Day, but for the most part they spent the next three days hunkered under their blankets getting lost in the other.
Marinette couldn’t help but think, as she laid there on Luka’s bare chest, drawing lazy patterns over his heart as she watched him sleep, that it was the perfect way to spend the holiday.
She couldn’t wait to spend every Christmas – the rest of her life – just like this. With him.
– V –
“I know, Jay,” Luka sighed. He glanced at the mirror, looking over his shoulder to make sure Marinette hadn’t woken yet. The bundle of blankets had moved over to his side of the bed, and his pillow had disappeared under it, but she still appeared to be sleeping.
That was good.
She hadn’t been getting enough sleep lately.
She certainly hadn’t last night, but not for any fun reasons.
“I know it’s a big ask, but…Jay, you won’t be able to get a flight out anyway,” he sighed. “It’s Christmas. You can wait one more day.”
He grit his teeth as his father made some more lame excuses – something about needing to be back in Queens for Hanukkah, and you should know they overlap this year, and what will your bubbe say – and Luka turned to glance at his sleeping wife – his wife! – before he closed the ensuite door. He leaned against it and glared at his reflection in the mirror, pretending it was Jagged he was staring at.
“Jay, it is what it is. If you can’t work it into your schedule, you don’t get to see us this Christmas,” he said, a note of finality in his tone. “She’s so stressed trying to make everyone happy, and it’s our first Christmas together.”
He paused as Jagged squawked at him. He rolled his eyes.
“Fine. Our first married Christmas,” he conceded. “That’s still a big deal to some people. Can you just…give us this? Please? We still want to see you. We’ll just see you with everyone else. On Christmas.”
Jagged grumbled a bit more, but ultimately he conceded. Luka sighed once they’d hung up, tipping his head back to smack it against the door.
He loved their family – he did – but damn it all if family didn’t make the holidays hard sometimes.
And this holiday had just seemed harder than usual. He hadn’t lied to Jagged: Marinette had been super stressed lately. Part of it had been work, where she was still busy trying to get her boutique off the ground. Part of it had been their families, what with so many people who loved them wanting to spend time with them. Part of it was also Tom, who had slipped on some ice a few weeks back and was (mostly) laid up with a broken ankle. (He should be more laid up than he was, but it was Tom and like hell he was going to let something as trivial as a broken ankle stop him.)
Marinette had been helping where she could, but Luka was the one who had taken a step back from recording to help his in-laws around the bakery, much to his own father’s annoyance.
…and then there was the other matter. Their Christmas news, the news they were still debating if they should even share yet because it was still early and she was so stressed and…
He turned his phone to silent, laid it down by the sink, and cracked the door open to look back at the bed. She was still sleeping.
They hadn’t even been trying, not really. They had discussed it, sure, but more in hypotheticals and somedays, because they were both busy, and they hadn’t even been married a full year yet, and was it really the best time? But she had looked so happy as she had stood there with her little box of tests, once the shock had worn off. The little box he had sent scattering when he’d swooped her up, laughing as he spun her and kissed her stupid and asked her if she was sure, really, how many tests did you even take, darning…?
And he loved their family. He did. But he wasn’t about to jeopardize anything running her around the city over the next two days, stressing her out even more as they tried to fit everyone who was demanding to see them into the schedule. Sabine had been more than happy to agree to hosting on the actual day of Christmas, and most everyone else (most everyone, Jay’s temper tantrums and Only Child Syndrome aside) was fine gathering together, and he wanted this day with her, damn it.
Next Christmas would be chaos – the best kind of chaos, but chaos all the same. Was it too much to ask for one Christmas Eve together, just them, before it was never Just Them again?
The blanket bundle stirred, and he smiled as he crossed the room to the bed and climbed in, slipping under the covers to curl up behind her. His hand quickly found her belly – still flat, still unnoticeable – as he dropped a kiss against her neck. She groaned and squirmed, pressing back into him as she flopped her head onto the pillows.
“Mr’ning,” she mumbled with a sleepy smile. He kissed her shoulder, and she hummed as she laid a hand on his cheek. “You missed.”
“Just making sure you’re not gonna shove me off the bed again if the morning sickness decides to make an appearance,” he chuckled, pecking a kiss against her lips. Her eyes still weren’t fully open, but he could see her roll them all the same.
“One time, Couffaine,” she huffed. He kissed her a bit deeper, a bit slower, his hand rubbing gently over where their little one was growing.
“Aren’t you the one who’s always saying we can’t be too careful, Couffaine?” he teased. She giggled, and his smile grew as he kissed her again.
“Not when it gets in the way of my smoochies,” she insisted. One more kiss – one more smoochie – and she sank back into the bed with a contented hum. “Better. I thought part of becoming your wife was a lifetime of good morning kisses? Don’t tell me you’re getting tired of them after only six months.”
“Seven,” he corrected, because their June Wedding had become a Late May Wedding due to a last-minute Fashion Emergency at Style Queen that Audrey simply could not spare Marinette for. She hummed as he reached for her hand and kissed her again. “And never. I promised you an unlimited supply of smoochies, and I fully intend to deliver. Any time, darning. Not just morning.”
“Good,” she said, grinning. “I like your smoochies too much.”
He chuckled as she pulled his mouth back to hers, and she sighed as he settled beside her and laid his head on her shoulder. She turned her head and pressed a kiss against his forehead.
“…even if I’m gonna have to share them soon,” she murmured. He could feel her smile against his skin as she lowered a hand to her belly, and he couldn’t stop his grin even if he wanted to. He moved his hand back to cover hers, his thumb tapping against her belly.
“That’s how we got into this mess in the first place, isn’t it?” he chuckled. “Liking the smoochies too much?”
“Stop it,” she laughed. She groaned and ducked her head against his, trying to pull him closer. “What time is it, anyway?”
“Early,” he said.
“How early? We have to be at Juleka and Rose’s by ten, and I wanted to make sure my parents didn’t need any help this – mmf!” she squeaked when he leaned up to kiss her again, cutting her off. “Luka!”
“Relax, Marinette,” he said. “We don’t have to be anywhere just yet. You can rest.”
“…I don’t want to rest,” she said, a strange note to her voice that he was becoming very familiar with lately. It wasn’t quite a whine, but it was hitched with embarrassment or nerves or something that made him think she still wasn’t sure she could actually ask for what she wanted. Even when – especially when – what she wanted was him. “I want…I don’t want to rest.”
Somehow her fingers had found their way to the waistband of his sleep pants, and he had to laugh as she tugged on them. She was looking up at him with a small smile, her teeth pressing into her bottom lip and that Look in her eyes, and all he could do was smile as his lips found hers again. Her fingers curled over his waistband, and a shiver raced through him as her nails scratched at his skin.
“I’m game for not resting,” he murmured against her lips. “You sure?”
“I’m pregnant, not porcelain,” she huffed, tugging on his pants again. “And extra horny because of all these stupid baby hormones you gave me. So yes, I’m sure. Stop treating me like I’m going to break, Luka.”
“Ok, ok,” he chuckled. “Forgive me for worrying about you. Both of you.”
“Luka…” she sighed, scratching a nail above his hip. She turned her head when his lips returned to her neck, and her next sigh came out more of a moan. “You’re sure we have time?”
“We have time,” he said, nudging her ear with his nose. “We don’t have to be anywhere today, darning. Everyone’s going to your parents tomorrow, and that way we’ll all be together when we tell them…or not. If you’re not ready yet.”
“I want to,” she said. “I just…”
“I know,” he said. “We can take our time. Whenever you’re ready.”
“I want to,” she finally said. She sounded more confident that time, and it made him smile as he reached for her mouth. She was smiling when he pulled back. “So…we’ll tell them? Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow,” he breathed, kissing her again. He moved lower, until he was crouched above her and could press a kiss to her belly. “Tomorrow. Happy Christmas, Marinette.”
Her smile when he looked back up at her made everything worth it. Her hands sunk into his hair, and he closed his eyes as he rested his ear above her stomach. It was still too early, and he knew he couldn’t actually hear or feel anything, but if he listened really close…
“Happy Christmas, Luka,” she said, scratching her nails along his scalp. “I love you.”