The gentle hum of the city filled the air as Marinette and Felix strolled hand in hand down the cobblestone streets. It was one of those rare, perfect days where nothing needed to be done, no one needed saving, and they could just be. Marinette had declared it a "coffee shop kind of day," and Felix, while initially indifferent, couldn't deny that spending a quiet day with her sounded nice.

The midday sun filtered through the trees, dappled light dancing across the sidewalk as Marinette swung their joined hands lightly.

"You know," she said with a smile, "we really don't do this enough."

Felix glanced at her, brow arching. "Do what?"

"This," she said, gesturing vaguely around them. "Regular couple stuff. Walking around, going to coffee shops, people-watching... It's nice to feel like normal people for once."

Felix smirked. "You mean you don't count dodging lasers and infiltration missions as 'regular couple activities'? Shocking."

Marinette rolled her eyes and gave his arm a playful nudge. "You know what I mean. I want to sit in a cute café, sip my latte, and pretend our lives are simple."

"Fine," Felix replied, though the corner of his mouth twitched in amusement. "But if we're ambushed by rogue coffee enthusiasts, I'm letting you handle it."

The café she led him to was one of those hidden gems that only someone like Marinette could find. Mismatched chairs, cozy nooks, and shelves overflowing with books and plants gave it a quirky charm, while the scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries made the place feel like a hug in building form.

Marinette let out a contented sigh as they stepped inside, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the pastry display. "Oh, Felix, look at the croissants! And the tarts! They have macarons too!"

Felix smirked, watching her with amusement. "I see your priorities are firmly in place."

"Don't judge me," she said, sticking her tongue out at him. "You know I'm here for the coffee and the snacks."

"Of course," Felix said dryly, his lips curving into a soft smile. "What would you like, madame?"

Marinette tapped her chin, looking far more serious than the situation warranted. "Hmm... a caramel latte, extra foam, and one of those almond croissants."

Felix nodded, mentally filing away her exact order as if it were classified information. "Could you grab a table while I get the order?"

Marinette smiled, her eyes warm. "Sure. Thanks, Felix."

As he headed to the counter, she scanned the room for a spot, quickly spotting a small table near the window. Sliding into the chair, she let herself relax, soaking in the cheerful chatter of the other patrons and the soft hum of jazz music in the background.

It was peaceful.

Until someone slid into the chair across from her.

"Is that Marinette Dupain-Cheng I see?"

Her head snapped up in surprise, her wide eyes meeting familiar teal ones.

"Luka?" she said, her voice tinged with both surprise and delight.

There he was, his signature calm smile firmly in place, his ever-present guitar case leaning against his chair. Luka Couffaine looked exactly as she remembered—soft-spoken, kind, and radiating that effortless coolness that always made people feel at ease.

"What are you doing here?" Marinette asked, her smile brightening.

"I could ask you the same thing," Luka replied, resting his arms on the table casually. "It's not every day I run into you in the middle of the city."

Marinette was about to respond when another voice cut in, smooth and polite but laced with unmistakable sharpness.

"Actually," Felix said as he approached the table, carrying a tray with their drinks and her croissant, "she's Marinette Graham de Vanily. And I'm her husband."

The word husband hung in the air like a neon sign, bold and glaring.

Marinette's cheeks flushed as Felix slid into the chair beside her, setting her coffee and pastry in front of her with a practiced ease that belied the tension radiating from him.

Luka blinked, his smile faltering for the briefest of moments. "Oh," he said, recovering quickly. "Congratulations. That's wonderful news."

Felix offered a tight smile, extending a hand. "Felix Graham de Vanily."

Luka shook his hand, his grip firm but not overly aggressive. "Luka Couffaine. An old friend of Marinette's."

Felix's sharp green eyes flickered briefly toward Marinette before returning to Luka. "An old friend, you say?"

Marinette cleared her throat, shooting Felix a subtle warning look. "Yes, Luka and I go way back. He's... well, we've been friends for years."

Felix's gaze didn't waver from Luka. "How nice. It's always fascinating to learn about Marinette's history."

The smile on Felix's face didn't quite reach his eyes, and Marinette could practically feel the waves of territorial energy rolling off him.

Luka, ever the picture of calm, seemed unfazed. "She's an incredible person," he said, his tone warm and genuine. "It's good to see her so happy."

Felix tilted his head slightly, his smile tightening. "She is. And she's even happier now, aren't you, darling?"

Marinette, who had been attempting to drink her latte in peace, nearly choked on her sip. She set the cup down quickly and forced a smile. "Of course. Very happy."

Luka glanced between the two of them, his expression unreadable. "I'll leave you two to your coffee. It was good to see you again, Marinette."

Marinette nodded, her smile a bit strained. "You too, Luka. Take care."

As Luka stood and walked away, Felix leaned back in his chair, watching him leave with a calculated expression. He didn't speak until Luka was completely out of sight.

"Who was that?" Felix asked, his voice deceptively calm.

Marinette raised an eyebrow at him. "What was that?"

"What?" Felix asked innocently.

"You know what. The whole 'husband' thing. You sounded like you were about to brand it on your forehead."

Felix smirked, his green eyes gleaming mischievously. "I was simply clarifying. He seemed confused about your marital status."

Marinette laughed, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous."

"Ridiculously devoted," Felix corrected, taking another sip of his coffee.

Felix crossed his arms, his sharp features set in an expression of skepticism. "So, old friend, or old something else?"

Marinette blinked, startled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You seemed awfully... familiar," Felix said, his tone casual but his eyes narrowing slightly. "And he called you by your maiden name. How close were you, exactly?"

Marinette groaned, rubbing her temples. "Felix, you're being ridiculous. Luka is just a friend."

Felix didn't look convinced. "Just a friend? He didn't seem particularly neutral when he spoke to you. There was a... tone."

"A tone?" Marinette repeated, exasperated.

"Yes, a tone," Felix said, leaning forward slightly. "One that suggested he might have been more than just a casual acquaintance at some point."

Marinette couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Felix, are you jealous?"

Felix straightened, his expression turning defensive. "Of course not. I'm simply... curious."

"Curious," Marinette echoed, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Yes," Felix said firmly. "It's not jealousy. It's... vigilance. A husband should be aware of his wife's past connections, after all."

Marinette shook her head, still smiling. "Felix, you have nothing to worry about. Luka is a friend. That's all he's ever been."

Felix's eyes softened slightly, but his pride wouldn't let him back down completely. "Well, I'm just making sure. You never know when someone might try to... rekindle something."

Marinette reached across the table and took his hand, squeezing it gently. "Felix Graham de Vanily, you are my presentand my future. Luka is my past. So stop brooding and eat your croissant before I steal it."

Felix's lips twitched into a reluctant smile. "You're lucky you're charming."

"And you're lucky I love you," Marinette shot back, taking a triumphant bite of her almond croissant.

Felix watched her with a mixture of fondness and exasperation, finally relaxing as the tension melted away. He might not have liked the unexpected appearance of Luka Couffaine, but one thing was certain—Marinette was his, and he wasn't about to let anyone forget it.

So sorry about the late posting, I just going through some stressful things rn, so I just need some time to relax. I am trying to get better about posting regularly. Thank you guys so much for putting up with me this whole time!

I LOVE YALL- Nattie!