Luka was relieved that Kagami hadn't noticed his presence yet. He didn't want to be a distraction and cause her to make a mistake. He could see that her fencing skills were improving every day. He watched as she thrust her fencing sword into the dummy, hitting its chest. He realized he needed to be careful not to accidentally harm her, as she was quite skilled and dangerous. He thought she was intelligent, lovely, and someone he would do anything for, but he could also sense that she held back. Was it because of her past with the Agreste boy?

        An hour later, he finally spoke, "Kagami."  She looked up surprised to see him, but smiled. "Luka, how long have you been standing there?" She asked. "Long enough to admire your hard work," He said. "Oh, I see, well it is very flattering that you can enjoy my skill so much. I have noticed your guitar playing and I must say it is good," Kagami remarked. "You think so?" He asked. "Think nothing,  I know so," She replied. "I have grown to look forward to your being here," She said. "You have?" He inquired. He was thrilled she enjoyed his friendship but wondered if there could ever be more between them. 

           Kagami saw him looking at her lips and blushed. She felt the growing attraction between them too. She did not know how to respond to it because she had never felt this way with anyone. Not even with Adrien her ex-boyfriend.  She stood closer dropping the fencing stuff and let her helmet fall to her side. She reached out and grabbed hold of one of his hands. 

           "Luka, I am not sure where we stand," She said. "It is alright, I feel the same," He confessed. He saw the look in her eyes and smiled. He leaned in but stopped. "I want to kiss you, but I..." He began. "Then, why don't you?" She inquired.  "I beg your pardon," He stated. "Why don't you go ahead, and kiss me?" She asked. Luka was stunned at her words. He saw the seriousness in her eyes and could hear it in her voice. He closed the gap and kissed her. He did not stop at her cheeks, no, he kissed her lips. He felt her return the kiss. He sighed. Could it be that she loved him as he had grown to love her?  

             Kagami pulled away. "Luka, I know it is crazy. These last few months I have enjoyed having you here with me. I think I am ready to move on. I love you," She confessed. Luka held her close, "You don't know how much I longed to hear you say those words. I love you too, Kagami," He said. Then, he kissed her again.

           Back to Felinette...

        Marinette stood there feeling flustered. She could not believe it. Felix had admitted he liked her. She could not say anything. She did not know what to say, to be honest. She wept. She was not sure why she reacted this way, but she did.

          Felix pulled her to him with her head resting against his chest. He did not care what anyone else thought. He only cared how she felt about him. He wanted her to care. He knew she was hurt and he hated it. He hated the pain he had caused her in the past. He hated the pain Adrien had given her. But mostly he hated that he loved her. He loved her and he could not tell her. 

         He wanted her to know he was the new cat holder, but that was something he could not say either. He could not because Plagg insisted it was too dangerous for her to know. He hated that he felt he was lying to her. He hated that it was partially his fault that Adrien had married another girl. He had been the one to introduce them. He never thought the boy would be foolish enough to fall in love with her. He always thought Adrien loved Marinette. How could he have been so wrong?

        "I like you. I will prove it to you. I have to tell you something else. I know you will hate me even more. Adrien and I were on the same trip. I met the other girl first, but she was not my type, and I did not think much of it. I introduced her to Adrien. I never meant to hurt you. So, if you want to hate someone don't hate him. It is all my fault. I never should have introduced her to him. I feel like I ruined your chances with him." Felix said. He was shocked when she did not pull away from his arms. 

         "F-Felix, I don't hate you. I thought I did, but  I don't. Not anymore," Marinette said. "How can you say that woman? I introduced Adrien Agreste to the woman he left you for," Felix shouted. He felt so guilty.

       "Look, I knew Adrien did not love me. Even before I left for Shanghai, I could tell things were bad between us, because all he could say was how he felt he owed it to be to give me a chance. After all, Alya had told him that I liked him. Only, he never felt anything towards me but friendship. I know, because he never kissed me. He did not even try to. He always talked about how he hoped I would have a nice life, and settle down, but he never said he wanted to be the one I settled for," Marinette stated. "I found out that he was all wrong for me. What use was it for me to go on caring for him when clearly he could not love me? At least not in the way I needed him to," she said.   "

       "Marinette, what are you saying?" Felix asked. "I am saying that it is not your fault, Adrien moved on to someone else. " Marinette answered.  She looked into his eyes. She could see love, pain, and much more in his eyes. She saw tears in his eyes that matched hers. 

        "Blue Raven, Don't cry. Please, do not cry, at least not for him. Not for what the others said. I know you don't get it, but I care about you more than I can say," Felix said. His tears dripped across his cheeks. Marinette reached up and placed a hand on his face. "I could say the same for you, Dashing Finch, don't you dare cry," She stated.  Felix let go of her. He sat on the floor unsure what else to do.  Marinette sat beside him. She saw the far-off look in his eyes. She kissed his cheek. 

        "D-Don't..." He protested. "Don't what?" She asked. "Don't kiss me unless you mean it," He whispered. He saw her pout. "What? What is it?" He wanted to know. "How could you doubt me?"  She asked. "Blue Raven?" He said. He saw her lick her lips. He knew then he could not stop himself from kissing her even if he tried. He cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips against hers. He enjoyed the way her mouth fit under his. He heard her soft groan. He kissed her more. He was delighted when she kissed him too. He could not believe it. Marinette was kissing him. 

      Marinette smiled into the kiss. When they stopped, she nudged him gently, "Who says I don't mean it?" She winked at him. "F-Felix, don't ever leave me for another girl, because if you do I swear I will..." She began. Felix pulled her to him and kissed her again. He never wanted to let her go. "Blue Raven, I will never leave you, you are the one I want," He said. "you mean it?" She asked. "You better believe it, you are stuck with me for life," He said.

 Time skip!

Eight months later, Luka and Kagami are now officially dating. Meanwhile, Marinette and Felix started dating the day after he took her to the work party, which also happened to be the day after their first kiss. 

     Luka wants to propose, but he is not sure if it is too soon, or not. Felix wants to do the same but with Marinette. He has already picked out a ring. "What will I do if she turns me  away?" Felix asked. "I am crazy about her, "He said. "Felix, I don't think you have a thing to worry about here, man," Luka said.

            Luka goes to see Kagami. He gave her a bracelet.  He decided to wait a few more months, so she would not feel pressured.  Felix approached  Marinette feeling nervous. He could not tell what her response might be like at all. "Marinette will you marry me?" Felix asked. He held out the ring unsure what she might say. "F-Felix, I c-can't," Marinette said. "What? Why not?" He asked.  "It is too soon, I am sorry." She said. Felix stood up. He closed the box. He felt his heart had been crushed inside with the ring. He put the box back into his pocket. "I see. You didn't meet someone?" He stated.  "No, I love you, I'm just not ready to get married," She said.

      Felix shook his head, "Marinette, I don't understand. I thought you would be happy," He said. He wept. "You know what, maybe we need time apart," He said. "Wh-what?  No, I don't want to break up. I need more time, that is all," Marinette said. "I will give you all the time, you need," Felix said. He walked away. He did not turn back when she called after him.

       Marinette stood there tears falling down her cheeks. She hated to see him go. She had caused him pain. She only hoped that when the time came she would still have a second chance with him and that she would not blow it.

     As time went on, Felix refused to see her. It was too painful. It reminded him how he had gotten his hopes up. Only for her to bash his dreams apart. Why had she said "no?" He shook his head. Maybe, she was only toying with him all along. He sobbed. "Marinette, why? Why couldn't you say yes?" He put the ring box away for now. He did not have the guts to get rid of it.

       Kagami and Luka could tell Marinette was miserable without Felix. They did not ask her what happened. They already knew because they had witnessed the whole thing and both felt sorry for Felinette's broken relationship with broken hearts. "I am sad, Luka," Kagami said one day. "Oh, and why is that muffin?" He asked. "Well, Felinette was good together, but they drifted apart ever since the day Marinette turned down Felix's proposal," Kagami explained. "You know you are right, but we can't fix this. It is only something those two can fix," Luka replied.

    Luka and Kagami had secretly gotten engaged and had not told anyone.

       A year went by, and there was never a day that Felix did not think about Marrinette and the engagement which never happened. He sighed. He wished he could forget about her, but he could not. He went to her and asked to start over. The two dated again as if nothing were amiss. He held onto the ring, but never said a word about it.

      Kagami and Luka got eloped. They decided it was best since only a few relatives agreed to their relationship. This helped them to remain happy.

         Three months later, Felix proposed to Marinette all over again. This time, he had given her a love poem, and some flowers, and taken her to dinner before he asked. She shook her head. She did not have to say it. He knew she had turned him down again. He knew it was crazy, but he would wait for her. He could not stop loving her even if he tried.

          He tried to propose again in a more private-like setting on his deck an entire three years six months later. This time there were lighted candles, flowers, and a ring. To his horror, Marinette wept, and said, "I love you, Felix. I do, but I can't marry you." Felix held her close without another word and kissed her. She kissed him. "Why not?" He finally had the guts to ask her the question he had not the previous times. He had to know why the woman he loved had refused his marriage proposal not once, but three times.  He could not understand it. Did not she want to marry him?

     "Felix, I can't because the doctor told me before the first time that I am dying. I don't know how much time I have left. I could not burden you by making you a widower soon after we married, so you see it is why I can't marry you," Marinette confessed. Felix sobbed right with her.

       Felix kissed her. "I would do anything to be with you," He said. "I know," She said. She laid her head on his shoulder.

     Time skip!
      Six months after the third proposal she turned down and her confession, Felix felt like something was wrong. Did Marinette die? Is that it? He hoped not. He went to see her, and she stood staring off into space. "Marinette,Blue Raven?" He asked. "Y-yes, Felix?" She asked. "How much time do we have left?" He asked. 

      "Felix, I went to the doctor and he ran some tests," Marinette said. "And?" He asked. "He said he could not find it," Marinette answered. "The doctor could not find what?" He asked. "The tumor, it was gone," She confessed. "You mean?" Felix asked. "Yes, I mean I am not going to die after all," Marinette said. Felix smiled. She did as well.

    They went on a walk to celebrate her good news. Felix and her ended up at Andres's ice cream stand. They shared an ice cream.

     This time when Felix got on one knee, Marinette smiled. She winked at him, "Yes, I will marry you, Felix!" She said. Felix was thrilled she had finally agreed after all this time to marry him. The two were married shortly, after this, they had spent too much time unmarried as it was.

      Lukagami attended the wedding so did Alyno, aka Dijiwifi, Axil, or  Maxil (Alix and Max), Smiles (Sabrina and Miles), and Kim and Odine.  The others were too busy to come. That was okay, they were happy anyway!

 The end

Until the next Miraculous short-story

bye-bye, 

little owlets!

Summer out!