I wake up from my sleep, gasping for air.

Another nightmare.

I crawl onto the floor and check my fist for the crumpled piece of paper I've been clutching for 2 days.

I re-read it. The only piece of hope I have left.

I'm running out of options.

"What are you doing here?"

I bite down on a scream and stumble over Luka, who's lying on the floor next to me. I didn't even see him.

I notice he's shirtless, causing me to trip over my own foot.

"Marinette?" He doesn't move. His gaze is calm and unbothered.

I quickly stand up. "I... uh.. c-couldn't sleep up there. Yeah! I um... yeah.."

He doesn't ask me why. He struggles to get up. Then I remember he's hurt. I rush over to help him but he waves me off. He grabs my pillow and blanket from the bed and puts them on the floor.

"Lie down." Is all he says. I comply.

"You don't need to scream anymore." He whispers.

With that, I drift off to sleep.

*Time Skip*

When I open my eyes Luka is gone.

I glance at the clock.

6:30.

I wonder what 6:30 in the morning means in this building.

I decide to go to the bathroom, maybe wash my face.

I open the bathroom door and catch Luka's reflection in the mirror.

He pulls down his shirt, but not fast enough for me to ignore the details of his body.

I noticed more than I could see in the dark.

He's covered in bruises.

My legs feel broken. I don't know how to help him. I wish I could though.

"I'm sorry." He says quickly. "I didn't know you were awake." He tugs on the bottom of his shirt.

I nod and look at the marble floor under my feet. I don't know what to say.

"Marinette." His face has so many mixed emotions that I can't read them all. "I'm sorry, It's not." He runs a nervous hand through his hair. "All of this- it's not."

I sigh and show him the crumpled note in my hand. "I know."

Relief washes over his face and suddenly his eyes are the only reassurance I need. Luka did not betray me. I don't know why or how or what or anything at all. But I do know that he is my friend.

I open my mouth to speak but Luka mouths the word 'no.'

I then think of the possibility that even though there are no cameras in the bathroom, there still might be microphones.

Luka looks back and forth.

He pulls open the glass door to the shower and turns on the water.

As I'm watching the mirror fog up, I feel Luka's hands around my waist. He lifts me up into the shower.

I begin to breathe heavy at the thought of what could happen next.

Luka lifts me up inches above him.

His lips are so close to my ears that I can feel his breath.

"I can touch you." He whispers. "I didn't understand until the other night."

His words are going in one ear and out the other. I'm too drunk on the thought of how close his body is to mine.

"Marinette..." He presses his body closer to mine and I start to realize I'm not paying attention to what he's saying.

I gasp. "What are you doing!?"

"Marinette, please-" His voice sounds anxious as he glances behind him, as if he isn't sure if we're alone. "The other night.." He presses his lips together, closes his eyes, and continues.

I notice how wet his hair is. No dye is coming off but I notice the hot droplets of water falling down his neck.

"I finally get it now," he says into my ear. "I know- I know why Agreste wants you."

"Then why are you here?" I whisper. "Why... Why are you touching me?"

"Because I can." He cracks a smile. "I already have."

"What?" I blink. "What do you mean?"

"That first night in the cell," he sighs. He looks down. "You were screaming in your sleep."

I wait for him to continue.

"I touched your face. Your hand. I brushed the length of your arm..."

Jeez LuKa, you know her for a couple of years and all of a sudden rules don't apply to you? tHE aMOunT Of DisResPEct-

His eyes land on my shoulder. Meanwhile I'm suspended in belief.

"I didn't know how to wake you up. So I sat back and watched you. I waited for you to stop screaming."

"That's. Not. Possible." 3 words were all I could manage.

He puts his cheek against mine. Tightens his hold around my waist.

He's holding me like he wants me.

"I'm going to get you out of here." He says, and his mouth moving against my hair and his hand are traveling down my arms and I'm leaning back and he's looking into my eyes and I must be dreaming.

"Wh- why do you- I don't-" I'm shaking my head and shaking because this can't be happening.

His eyes gentle, his smile unhinges my joints, and I wish I had the courage to touch him. "I have to go," he says. "You have to be dressed and downstairs by eight o'clock."

I'm drowning in his eyes and I don't know what else to say.

He takes his shirt off and I don't know where to look.

"You don't have to look away," he says. He says it with a smile the size of Jupiter.

I try my hardest to memorize his body. His arms, his jawline, his collarbone. His torso. The bird on his chest.

The bird on his chest.

A tattoo.

A white bird with streaks of gold like a crown on top of its head. It's flying.

"Luka." I say, but the words don't come out of my mouth.

"Luka." I try saying again.

"Luka." Why can't I say his name?

I look up at him, just to see him staring at me.

He touches my chin with two fingers and raises it up a bit. "I'll find a way to talk to you." He says.

I press my face against his chest and sigh.

He runs his fingers through my hair as I suddenly lose every care in the world.