Authors Note: There is no Miraculous in this world. They are getting ready to graduate high school. Luka who is a year older than everyone else is currently touring with Jagged as a backup guitarist. Otherwise, things are the same.  This part of the story however is the how they met. 

Mariette had a secret, and it was a big one at that. She at age eighteen ran a fashion influence blog. And it was decently popular, it wasn't globally well know but it was well known in her area. She was known as Lady Luck. Lady Luck both designed and critique designs, she also promoted new designers. Lady Luck had a 50's retro vibe to her designs and she would make special custom work for her favourite models or young designers, it was how she got her small fame, people loved the mystery that came with her. However, the costume work never fit the way she wanted to be she needed some who knew her secret and that person was MCD Designs. Yep, it was herself. She started MCD Designs in grade ten when she wanted to branch away from the retro vibe. So she sent herself as Lady Luck's assistant to get the model's measurements. She loved everything about it. Little did she know that her lovely Blog would create problems for her grad year. 

But let's back up to last year. Mariette was three months into her grade 11 year. She had started spending her spare in the art room, working on designs for both accounts. The art room also had had practice rooms that music students could use. Her art teacher said it was fine if she used the art room, he didn't have a class and as far as he knew he didn't have any students using the practice rooms. However, after her first day of spending her spare in the art room, she heard the most amazing sounds. In the hour she was there she heard both acoustic and electric guitar. On her second day, she heard a violin. Whoever this was they played beautifully. She never saw who played this lovely music, because she always had an alarm set so she wouldn't be late for her next class. 

However, one day as Marienttes luck would have it her phone was dying during her spare. She, however, didn't notice. She was working on her newest MCD Desing for her post later today. It was a cute sweater vest top. She was so in the zone that she didn't notice the music stop or the door to the practice room open.  "Hey, Little Mouse what ya drawing?"

"Eep!" Marinette jumped and dropped her sketchbook.

The boy who scared her quickly helped her pickup up everything, "Gee I'm sorry, I thought you heard me. Clearly, you're like me and get too lost in your work." He laughed and laughed along with him.

"Wait why did you call me Little Mouse?" She was grateful for Lady Luck's sketchbook was safely in her bag, MCD Designs' sketches were fine to be seen early. 

The boy tapped his head, "Space buns, they always remind me of a mouse. My name Luka Couffaine," he reached out his hand.

She shook his hand in return. "And I'm.."

"MCD Designs." He smiled handing her a monogrammed sketchbook. 

"Which stands for Marinette Dupain-Cheng." She took her sketchbook back. "You play really well. I find it to be very inspiring." 

"You the designer who works closely with the fashion influencer Lady Luck uses my music to be inspired... Wow, I feel honoured." He looked like he meant it.

"You know my work?" She looked him up and down, he wore a Jagged Stone shirt, a complementing blue zippered hoodie, black ripped jeans and back converse. "You don't look like someone who wears my or Lady Luck styles." 

He blushed, "My sister has modelled for you in the past I had to follow you after that, your work is amazing. If I didn't have an image to keep up, I would definitely wear your clothes." 

She giggled, "I don't think you'd look good if pink plants." 

His blush deepened, "I meant your designs." He rubbed the back of his neck. 

"I know. You know Lady Luck's leather denim jacket would look really good on you. It's her fun play on the badboy vibe." She'd taken a step back and looked him up and down again, yes it would be perfect for his style it would also give him more shape and definition.

"I've been looking at it for months now, but I've been spending money on my EP of original music and recording covers for my Youtube Channel." He smiled and looked down. 

"Wait... what's your screen name?" Had she been listing to her favourite youtube in person for weeks and just not known it? It was possible her favourite youtube never showed his face. 

"You have to keep it a secret." He looked away.

"Wait, you don't have to tell me you barely know me, I was just thinking Lady Luck has been talking about giving out a custom work, I thought I could recommend you to her since I love your music so much. That and she might already follow you on her private account." She shrugged and fidgeted with the seams of her blazer.

"Viperion. My screen name for my music is Viperion." He gave her a sweet smile. 

"Woah... I've been following you for years. I will be giving Lady Luck a hint to check you out. Do you got any old classics you could cover I could show her? Might give her a reason to give you something, it might even help your viewings." She smiled a little bit smugly but he didn't notice. 

"Hmmm, I could whip something up. Hey, I've enjoyed talking to you, would you like to hang out in my practice room with me tomorrow, might help us both of us out, you know creativity feeds creativity." He pointed his thumb to the door behind them. 

"I would like that." She smiled. The bell ran and she ran off to class.

***

It had been a month, they spent one hour a day, five days a week together. They had become good friends. Marinette had confined in Luka why she hid in the art room when her friends shared her spare. "In grade 8 I had the biggest crush on a boy in my class, it stuck around in grade 9 but by the end of grade 10, I was just over it. He clearly only saw me as a friend. He's got, three girls who are crazy about him. So I gave up and started focusing on what I wanted to do with my life and that when MCD Designs. And I'm happier. But since his best friend is dating my best friend the shipping game is strong with those two." 

"Ah, Adrien Agreste. Jules said you two were friends." He smiled as he strummed his guitar. She simply nodded. "Hey, I did that video as you suggested. Jules and her girlfriend Rose helped me out, would you like to see it before I post it?" 

"Yes!" She lit up. He handed her his phone. She watched his take on one of her favourite songs, My Boyfriends Back. It was shot in his usual style, no face, just his hands on the guitar. She understood his enjoyment of secrecy. After all, that was the point of Lady Luck. She noticed he painted his nails in Lady Luck red. She kinda loved it. 

Luka's Voice Jule and Rose's Voices
I went away and you hung around
And bothered her, every night
And when she wouldn't go out with you
You said things that weren't very nice

Her boyfriend's back and you're gonna be in trouble
(Hey-la-day-la her boyfriend's back)
You see me comin' better cut out on the double
(Hey-la-day-la her boyfriend's back)
You been spreading lies that she was untrue
(Hey-la-day-la her boyfriend's back)
So look out now cause I'm comin' after you
(Hey-la-day-la her boyfriend's back)
(Hey, he knows that you been tryin')
(And he knows that you been lyin')
I've been gone for such a long time
(Hey-la-day-la my boyfriend's back)
Now I'm back and things'll be fine
(Hey-la-day-la her boyfriend's back)
You're gonna be sorry you were ever born
(Hey-la-day-la her boyfriend's back)
Cause I'm kinda big and I'm awful strong
(Hey-la-day-la her boyfriend's back)

(Hey he knows she wasn't cheatin'!)
(Now you're gonna get a beatin'!)
(What made you think he'd believe all your lies?)
(Wah-ooo, wah-ooo)
(You're a big man now but he'll cut you down to size
(Wah-ooo, wait and see)
Her boyfriend's back I'm gonna save her reputation
(Hey-la-day-la her boyfriend's back)
If I were you I'd take a permanent vacation
(Hey-la, hey-la, her boyfriend's back)
Yeah, her boyfriend's back
(La-day-la, her boyfriend's back)
Look out now, yeah, her boyfriend's back
(La-day-la, her boyfriend's back)
You should see me comin'
(La-day-la, her boyfriend's back)
So you better get a runnin'
(La-day-la, her boyfriend's back)
Alright now
(La-day-la, her boyfriend's back)
(With a little bit of gravel) Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah 
(La-day-la, her boyfriend's back)
Her boyfriend's back now
(La-day-la, her boyfriend's back)

[Fades]
Know I'm comin' after you
(La-day-la, her boyfriend's back)
Because I've know She been true now...

As the video ended she looked at him, "I love it. You need to post that Lady Luck will love it." 

"Alright. I will." He gave her a small smile. 

***

Two weeks later he comes to school rocking a jacket with leather sleeves and a denim center.  On the back, there was an embroidered Viper on the back. Though you only noticed if you happened to catch him without his guitar case on his back.  "Taking a rick aren't you there Vie?"

"Well, Little Mouse, my EP is almost ready, so I'll be giving my name and hopefully dropping a professional music video for one of the songs thanks to Jagged's connections. So the jacket won't be a problem." He slipped his guitar off his back and started playing. 

"I forgot you also work with Jagged. Small world." She smiled.

"Right! Both you and Lady Luck have designed for him, that's so cool, I won a contest and he mentored me for a year, and now we work together very often when it comes to recording and the business side of music." He strummed a sound that made Marinette feel braver. 

"Hey Luka, I made you something to go with your Jacket. Might even help keep your name hidden a bit longer." He stopped playing and she handed him a box. 

"Awe Marinette you really didn't have to." He slowly opens the box. He finds a sleeveless zip-up hoodie that matched his old hoodie. "Oh Mouse this is perfect. I noticed my hoodie didn't fit under this jacket. But with this, I can keep my style while updating my look." He walked over and hugged her. 

"Oh, You're welcome!" She hugged him back and realized how safe she felt. 

"As a thank you, can I take you out to dinner?" he didn't let her go right away, and she felt herself melt into him a bit. 

"Vie are you asking me on a date?" She teased. 

"I am, are you saying yes?" He looked down in an equally teasing tone. 

"Yes, Yes I am." She winked. 

"Dinner and a movie?" He suggested. 

"To traditional, and we can't talk at the movie." She countered. 

"Hot drink and a walk?" He smiled. 

"Pick me up at 7?" She kissed his cheek as her alarm went off and she darted off for class. 

"Deal!" he called after her.