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It was a night like any other. Viperion was watching the city from the rooftops when he felt and heard someone land beside him.
Chat Noir had arrived.
They’d been partners for a while now, knowing they worked better together than apart, always having each other’s back.
Despite working together for almost seven years, and knowing each other for a year before that, they had agreed that they’d keep their identities and personal lives a secret. They didn’t want to risk anything, knowing that the police were searching for them. Not only them, but criminal organizations all over the city too. They had made names for themselves and, for better or for worse, people wanted to know who they were. Either because they wanted to work with them, or kill them for putting their guys in prison.
Viperion turned his head to face his partner. “Hi.” Chat Noir smiled at him, saying, “Hello, partner. Ready to go to work?” Viperion nodded and they jumped off the roof, only to land on another, and then another, and then, well, you get it.
They didn’t find much that night, just some assholes trying to rob some old ladies of their purses. That’s why they decided to separate and cover more ground. They’d contact each other if they found something.
After hours of jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Viperion received the emergency signal from Chat Noir. Fortunately, activating it sent the coordinates of the one needing help to the other. Unfortunately though, it was very far from where Viperion currently was.
He started running in that direction, hoping to be able to save his partner from whoever had gotten a hold of him.
When he got there, he heard voices. He activated his power, in case something bad happened in the next fifteen minutes.
When he was sure it was active, he entered the place, following the voices down the dusty corridors of the abandoned building.
Now that he was near, he heard someone talking clearly, they were saying, “If you don’t tell us where your partner is, the next punch is gonna meet your pretty face.”
Without waiting for the punch to land, he stepped inside the room. “I heard you were looking for me.” As soon as those words were out of his mouth, every eye in the room was on him, soon, bullets followed, mean words spat at him right after.
He didn’t hear most of it, but he gets the point: he was the one who - years ago, when he and Chat Noir weren’t partners yet - put their boss in prison, and they blame him for the fall of their group.
Fortunately, he doesn’t need to rewind time, years of experience with the job made him better at knowing where to expect an attack and where to land one.
He gets Chat Noir out of the chair he was tied to, he picks him up and starts running out, not sure if there are more people around, and not wanting to find out.
Nine minutes have passed since Viperion activated his power, six remaining before he needs to detransform and feed Sass. His train of thought was cut off as, as soon as they landed on a rooftop, Chat Noir said, “I used my power before they captured me. I might detransform at any moment.” This can’t be happening, he thought. What he said was, “I live nearby, I’ll take us there so you have cover when you do.”
He barely had time to place Chat Noir on the couch. He saw the telltale sign of the detransformation and turned around so as to not see who was behind the mask. He heard a familiar voice say, “Why are we at Luka Couffaine’s place?” As those words reached his ears, he was helpless to turn around. He couldn’t have stopped himself even if he wanted to, which, right now, he didn’t.
His eyes met Adrien’s ones as he said, “What?” His voice broke with that question, that word alone not being enough for all the things he wanted to ask.
—
Adrien didn’t have time to repeat the question as Viperion’s mask came off, the time limit having passed, and he was facing his closest friend, the owner of the house they were currently in.
“Holy shit, I can’t believe this.” Adrien said as the information of Luka and Viperion being the same person properly reached his brain.
He couldn’t believe the two people he had been crushing on for years were the same person. That thought had to wait as he flinched from the pain he was feeling.
Luka was next to him within seconds. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” Adrien smiled at his friend and partner. “I’m fine, they just beat me up a little.”
He saw the other man look at him skeptically and say, “Well then, take your shirt off.” Adrien blushed at those words, and tried to hide it by saying, “Forward, are you? Buy me a drink first.”
Luka shook his head. “I’ll buy you as many drinks as you want. We’re not talking about that though, don’t change the subject and take it off. Or I’ll do it for you.”
Adrien felt his cheeks grow warmer at the thought of Luka undressing him and brushed it off by taking his shirt off. He instantly regretted it as he hissed at the pull against his sore skin.
—
Luka held back a gasp at the color of Adrien’s torso. It was full of bruises, some purple, some almost black. He reached his hand out but stopped at the last second, not wanting Adrien to feel uncomfortable. “May I?”
Adrien nodded and said, “Knock yourself out.” Luka closed the gap between his hand and Adrien’s chest, searching for broken ribs and other things that might be subcutaneous and not show on the skin.
As he slowly, but surely, ran his hands all over the other’s chest, back, and sides, Luka said, “You might have a bruised rib or two. I can’t be sure, but the swelling and the color over them point in that direction. You shouldn’t have anything else, other than bruises obviously.”
He stands up feeling Adrien’s eyes on him. “I’ll get the first aid kit.” Before he can go and do that, Adrien says, “Thanks, you don’t have to, I can go home.”
Luka turns around, once again facing the blond. “You’re not going anywhere. I’m gonna take care of you, and then, you’ll sleep in my bed and I’ll sleep on the couch.”
After saying that, Luka finally heads to the bathroom. As he’s inside, he finally breathes. And thinks. Adrien and Chat Noir are the same person. He is more shocked over the fact that it makes perfect sense and he didn’t put the pieces together before, rather than the actual fact of them being the same man.
—
Adrien is too shocked to say anything, watching Luka’s back as he goes to get the kit.
Now that they’re not in the same room anymore, he has space to think. And think, he does. He thinks about how Viperion and Luka are the same person. Now that he knows, he sees the similarities between them. They’re both sure of what they do, but not patronizing about it. They’re sweet but stern when there’s the need. They help you through the hard times. They’re there to catch you when you fall, literally and figuratively speaking.
But they are also the same person, and he doesn’t think Luka uses those pronouns to refer to himself. Well, he’s sure he doesn’t, they had a talk about pronouns, gender, and sexuality stuff back in the day. They both knew they could talk about these things to each other.
His train of thought is cut off by Luka walking back to the living room, with the aid kit in hand.
“I’ll just apply some salve and wrap you up in bandages. There’s nothing else to do. Maybe you could take some painkillers before bed. But that’s up to you.” As he’s saying this, he steps closer, kneeling on the ground in front of him and taking the bottle of salve out of the box. He pours some in his hand and warms it up a little.
Luka motions him to spread his legs, so that’s what Adrien does, trying so hard not to think about other situations where Luka could be between his legs.
Once again, his thoughts are cut off by Luka. This time, it’s him beginning to spread the salve on his chest. It’s a little bit cold, but not as cold as it would have been if Luka hadn’t warmed it up a bit.
Adrien finds it soothing, the repeating circles of Luka’s hand on his skin, the effects of the salve slowly starting to kick in.
—
Once he’s done with the salve, Luka takes the bandages in hand.
As he’s wrapping Adrien up, he says, “If they’re a little tight, it’s normal. They’ll ease off with movement, although you should try to move your arms as little as possible, so as to avoid jostling your ribs.” Adrien smiles at him, saying, “Thank you, Luka.”
Luka stands up, smiling back and holding a hand out for him to take. Adrien uses it to stand up from the couch. “I’ll go get some clothes you can change into while you’re in the bathroom. I took out a spare toothbrush for you to use, it’s on the sink.” As their hands disconnect, Adrien heads for the bathroom, and Luka for his room.
As Luka enters the bedroom, he walks to his dresser and opens the drawer where he keeps his home clothes. He takes a pair of comfortable sweatpants and one of his favorite tee-shirts and heads back to the living room, deciding to wait for Adrien there.
—
Adrien has been here before, in this room and Luka's house in general. They hung out a lot in these years they've known each other. It's not common for them to be here - or his apartment - though, they usually meet up in some bar, pub, or some other public space.
Adrien never thought too much about it, but it seems they both like getting out of the house. Be it for fighting crime, or for just a walk in the park with friends.
He brushes his teeth, using the toothbrush Luka was so kind to give to him. Once he's done, he heads back to the living room.
He sees Luka is waiting for him by the couch and walks towards him. “Your turn in the bathroom.”
Luka hands him some clothes, saying, “Here's something for you to wear. I just need to grab some things and the bedroom's all yours.”
Adrien watches him go and decides to follow him.
As he's at the room's doorstep, he says, “Hey, Luka. Don't you think the bed's enough for two? I don't want you to sleep on the couch in your own home.”
Luka turns around from where he was rummaging in the closet. “I don't want you to feel uncomfortable.”
To that, Adrien walks closer and takes Luka's hand in his. “You actually make me feel more comfortable than you could ever know. And, I wouldn't have asked if it made me uncomfortable. So, what do you say?”
Luka smiles, that beautiful, charming, handsome smile of his, and Adrien's done for. But, to be honest, he was gone a long time ago.
As Luka goes to get ready in the bathroom, Adrien puts on the clothes his partner gave him, feeling good in them. The pants are really soft, and the shirt feels like it's been used one too many times. It's perfect.
They're a little too big on him, with Luka being taller and broader than him, but he loves the feeling of it. And if he's honest with himself, he loves the smell even more. It's like being hugged by Luka, what he wouldn't give to feel that...
—
Luka brushes his teeth, and doesn't think before taking his shirt and pants off, putting them in the laundry basket. He's used to sleeping in his boxers. After that, he walks back to the bedroom, momentarily having forgotten about the fact that he and Adrien will be sleeping in the same bed.
He tries to brush that off by saying, “I forgot my pants.” He heads for the dresser, takes a pair of pants, and puts them on.
He was about to take a t-shirt too when Adrien says, “You don't have to put a shirt on if that's what you're used to.” That takes Luka by surprise, even if he tries to hide it.
He rubs the back of his neck with his hand, embarrassed to say, “Are you sure you don't mind?”
Adrien takes a second before rushing out, “Of course, I don't. It's your house, do what makes you feel comfortable.”
He nods and gets in the bed, holding the covers up for Adrien to get in too.
Once they're both tucked in, he says, “Thank you.” Before switching the lights off.
—
Adrien might have a heart attack tonight. Luka is walking in the bedroom in just his boxers, - which, by the way, leave nothing to the imagination - saying something about forgetting pants.
Adrien is so mesmerized by Luka putting them on that he doesn't think before basically saying to keep the shirt off. Luka asks him if he doesn't mind, but Adrien is distracted by his chest- or, dare he say, abs and pecs that he would love to touch and lick- well, that's a thought for another time.
As soon as he realizes he's taking too much to answer, he rushes out some words, hoping they're the right ones.
It looks like they were, because Luka gets in the bed and waits for him.
He thanks him before switching the lights off. But Adrien won't have it. He whispers as to not break the silence the dark seems to drag with her. “No, Luka. You're the one to thank. For saving me, taking care of me, giving me a toothbrush and clothes, for offering your bed for me to sleep in.” He giggles, before adding in an even softer tone, almost imperceptible if they weren't so close. “And thank you for the free show.”
He hears Luka's breath hitch and knows he heard him.
He turns to face him, finding himself face to face with the man of his dreams. This close, now that his eyes adapted to the dark, he can see an underlayer of blush on Luka's cheeks. He looks so cute like this, he'd love to kiss him right now. But he won't do that, not if he's not a hundred percent sure Luka wants that too.
He doesn't have to wait long as Luka's hand softly meets his cheek. He caresses him with his thumb as he brings their faces closer together, closing that last gap between their mouths.
Once their lips connect, they both feel like they belong, like everything they did until now has led to this moment. They don't need to talk, their lips say everything they need to express.