That’s Just Like... Soulmates? By: Haphira
for: @rierse - lbcs secret admire event 2024
Our blueberries loves soulmate stories- they know all the tropes. But everyone knows they aren't real, right?
Everyone knew that there was no such thing as soulmates, but Luka thought the closest one got was probably his sister and her girlfriend Rose. If you asked Luka, they were the perfect match, the right combination of sweet and dark. Luka never thought that he would run into someone that fit so well with him that it seemed like the Universe was sending blaring signs that this person and him were meant to be together, but after a few times of running into this woman, and the strange occurrences, Luka was starting to question.
It started on a regular day delivering pizza on his bike when he passed by a stunning beauty walking around the Trocadero, she was wearing a long deep red scarf, a stylist coat, carrying a sketch book. Her dark hair and bluebell eyes shined in the fall sunlight. Music was faintly playing in his head; he would need to write it down later.
Luka could admit that he was distracted, so when he passed by her, he didn’t know that his bike had snagged the end of her beautiful long red scarf. So when he heard the shriek of surprise and dread he slowed down, it wasn’t until the pounding of feet on concrete did he turn around to see that beautiful woman was running straight for him, so he stopped and that’s when he notice the red string caught on his bike that traveled a ways back to the woman holding the remains of her red scarf tightly. Instantly he got off his bike to detangle the red string.
The dark-haired woman caught up panting, “You...bike, got...my scarf!” She panted out, and Luka could only apologize.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t notice that my bike had caught your scarf,” Luka said, handing the red string back to her.
“I-” the woman let out a weary sigh, “Thanks,” she said accepting the string back and started to wound up the loose yarn.
“I truly am sorry,” Luka continued.
“It’s alright, just my bad luck coming into play,” The woman waved a red gloved hand that matched the now unraveled scarf.
Luka still felt bad, “Where did you get it?” he asked, hoping he could replace that one that had unraveled.
“I made it,” She replied. Well, there went that plan. Glancing at his watch, Luka realized he was starting to run late and cursed.
“Listen, I'm really sorry and I'd like to make it up to you, but I have to get going or I’ll be late,” Luka pulled out a business card from his pocket, “Here, contact me if you can think up something to replace the scarf, whether that is coffee, a sketch book or whatever, just, let me know.” Luka shoved the card into her hands then hopped onto his bike and road off. Not realizing he left a bewildered beautiful woman behind, staring at him then the card in her hand.
The next time they ran into each other, the following week later, was at a concert by Jagged Stone, he was playing in Paris for a few nights before leaving on tour. Luka was really excited to go see one of his favorite artists, an artist that always inspired him, in person.
Luka had splurged a bit and got a VIP ticket for the show; a chance to talk and take pictures with Jagged himself. After the bouncer stamped his hand, on the meat between his first finger and thumb, the bouncer smearing the stamp on the corner, then he looked around the room and spotted the woman with the red scarf again.
Luka couldn't help but smile, it felt like the Universe was giving him another chance. Walking over to her Luka tapped the woman’s shoulder and said hello.
The woman whirled around to face him, pins in her mouth as she was fixing a tear in a shirt on a mannequin. Her blue eyes got larger in recognition. She took the pins out of her mouth and set them into her wrist pincushion.
“It’s you, from Kitty Section, right?” the woman asked, eyes sparkling.
“Yeah, I’m Luka, the lead guitarist, I’m still really sorry about your scarf.”
The woman laughing lightly, Luka could write symphonies about her laugh, “I looked over your card and found your band, you guys have amazing music!” She gushed, a large smile on her lips.
“Marinette.” she replied.
“I tried to contact you but there was no contact info on the card, just the band name and where to find you online in the music store.” Luka realized he gave her the prototype of the card that he and Juleka were making.
“Oh shoot, here,” Luka dug out another card, this time with the band contact info on it. Marinette giggled and Luka blushed. Offering her the card and glancing down Luka noticed that Marinette had the same stamp on her hand in the same place as his, even with the slightly smudged corner.
“Huh, that almost looks like a soulmate mark.” Luka said absently, Marinette looked up from their hands in surprise.
“Oh! I was thinking the same thing! A friend of mine recently got me into this soulmate romance book series she highly recommends.”
“Yeah? My sister’s girlfriend is obsessed with anything romantic, and soulmates fall into that.” Luka replied.
They talked a little longer before Luka asked her to coffee next week, which Marinette said yes to, then Jagged made his extra loud entrance. Marinette shook her head fondly at Jagged and Luka couldn’t help but steal glances at her all night, music continued to play in his head, but he could wait until later to write it down, but right now, he couldn’t wait to get coffee with her.
The third time it happened, Luka started to get suspicious. Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a pattern.
At their meet up, at a coffee shop in town near a fantastic bakery, Luka walks up to the meeting spot looking at his watch, watching the seconds tick down to 4 o’clock PM. He reaches the entrance at exactly 4 on the dot and bumps into someone, hearing an alarm go off. Looking away from his watch he realizes he bumped into the person he was trying to meet.
Marinette looked up at the same time as he did, hearing the alarm go off on her phone. 4 PM exactly and running into the person she was rushing to meet.
Luka and Marinette stare at each other for a moment.
They blinked at each other again realizing they said the same thing at the same time. Giggling, Marinette tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and gestured to the door.
Luka nodded and opened the door for her as they entered. They order their coffee and find a comfortable spot to sit.
“So, that was weird, right?” Luka asked, thinking over the times they bumped into each other, a pattern was forming.
“The ‘saying the same thing at the same time’ thing? Yeah, a bit weird.” Marinette conceded. She sipped on her coffee and looked Luka over again.
“It’s just, I was also looking at my watch, and it hit 4 PM exactly when we bumped into each other.” Marinette nodded, listening intently to him.
“Kind of like a countdown clock to when you meet your soulmate.” Luka paused, hoping he wasn’t going to scare her off. Thankfully Marinette just looked interested.
“And, there have been other cases too.” Luka continued, staring down at his coffee with a frown. It was weird right? Hitting all these soulmate troupes that Rose always talked about.
“I know there is no such thing as soulmates but...” Luka trailed off, he wasn’t sure if talking about this was a good idea on a first date, if this was a date.
“...It feels kinda like the Universe is waving a flag in our faces?” Marinette concluded.
“Yeah,” Luka agreed, thankful that she wasn’t put off by talking about soulmates. Like they were a real thing.
Marinette laughed, “I was thinking the same thing! Like my scarf being a red string of fate tying us together.” Luka looked back up with a soft gaze.
“And the matching VIP stamps like soulmate tattoos.” Luka added. Marinette laughed again, nodding her head quickly.
“Yes! Lots of different soulmate troupes seem to be happening with us.”
Luka nodded thoughtfully. It was like a lot of different soulmate troupes, and if Luka believed there was such a thing, which he was kind of starting to, then it seemed like Marinette was his soulmate.
“Would you like this to be a date?” Luka asked, Marinette’s eyes went wide, oh no, that didn’t seem good. Did he push her too quickly?
“I was under the impression this was a date?” Marinette cocked her head to the side, Luka blushed.
“Well, yes? When I asked you to coffee it was more to make up for your scarf, but I didn’t want to pressure you or anything.” Marinette smiled at his response.
“No pressure, but thank you for giving the option, you don’t know how much I appreciate that.” Marinette said. She took a sip of her coffee before looking up at Luka again. Luka felt trapped by her beautiful blue eyes.
He watched her lips move again, but he heard no sound over the pounding of his heart. Music seemed to be singing to him now, for the first time that day Luka wished he had his guitar.
“Luka?” Marinette called Luka snapped out of it and the music faded to the background.
“You are an extraordinary girl, Marinette. Clear as a music note, sincere as a melody. You’re the song that’s been playing in my head since we first met.” Luka reached out a hand to place lightly on top of hers. Marinette blushed and shyly looked up at him through her lashes. Oh, the music he could write about her eyes...
“I hope we can go on another date, maybe Wednesday?” Luka asked her, gaze imploring.
“Yes, I would like that very much.” She responded, smiling into her cup as she took another sip. They smiled at each other and continued to talk for the next serval hours.
Their next date would last the entire day, neither wanted to go home and at that point Luka was certain, if soulmates existed then he met his. Marinette was everything and more than he could have ever hoped for. When he told Juleka and Rose they laughed at him, until he started explaining all the events that occurred every time they met. Rose, not surprisingly, busts out in squeals of laughter and happiness. Then later when Luka introduces Marinette to Juleka and Rose, Rose screams about destiny and fate. Apparently, Rose and Marinette knew each other, and it was Rose who recommended to Marinette the book series on soulmate romances. Small world or ties of destiny, Luka wasn’t sure, he was just happy holding Marinette during movie night with Rose and Juleka. And the rest... well the Universe was happy that all their hard work finally got the blueberries they loved together.
