The auditorium was filled with the low hum of voices and the clatter of last-minute costume adjustments. Cast members were pacing, standing by the set, running through lines.
But in the midst of the final rehearsal, there was one thing everyone felt — the electricity.
Adrien stood in his costume, sword prop secured at his hip, his hair swept dramatically to the side. His mind? Spinning.
Luka had been too close all afternoon.
It was like the lines between reality and performance were blurring. Their rehearsed rivalry on stage felt… real. The stolen glances between takes. The subtle brush of Luka's fingers when they were close enough to pass props. And the guitar strumming. God, that guitar.
Adrien couldn't keep his mind off Luka's hands. The way they moved over the strings, fluid and sure. How Luka's gaze would flicker up to meet his, full of soft challenges. It was all too much.
Marinette, standing in the wings with her headset on, wasn't helping either. She kept staring at them from behind the curtain — her breath caught in her throat every time Adrien and Luka shared a look.
The stage manager, flustered from the growing chaos of last-minute prep, clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.
"Alright, final run-through, folks! Let's make this count. Adrien, Luka, this is your scene — try to sell it like it's the real thing."
Luka gave Adrien a slow, teasing grin. "Don't worry, I will."
The line hit Adrien like a shockwave.
Adrien took his place. The battle scene — rehearsed a hundred times, yet never felt quite the same.
Luka stood across from him, looking every bit the rival. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes? Like fire.
And then it happened.
The first "attack."
Luka lunged forward, but Adrien was ready — they'd choreographed it so many times, it should've been automatic.
Instead?
Luka's hand brushed Adrien's shoulder in a way that wasn't part of the script.
Adrien stumbled.
And then Luka was right there, too close. Too close, and Adrien's heart hammered in his chest.
The next move was planned—Luka was supposed to grab Adrien's wrist, twist it. But instead?
Luka pulled him in.
Adrien's breath hitched. It wasn't an acting move anymore. It was something else.
Something real.
Luka's lips were just a breath away from his. Adrien's face was hot, his body frozen as Luka's eyes locked onto his — dark, daring.
Adrien wanted to pull away. He wanted to push Luka off. But his body betrayed him. His hand fisted in Luka's costume, pulling him even closer.
Luka smirked, leaning in just a little more — like he was going to kiss him.
But then—
"CUT! You're both on the wrong side of the stage!" the director screamed.
Adrien pulled away, red in the face, heart pounding like it was about to burst out of his chest.
Luka stepped back, looking unbothered, but the glint in his eye said it all. "Guess I got carried away," Luka murmured, eyes twinkling with mischief.
Adrien's pulse raced.
They were so close, so damn close that Adrien couldn't breathe properly. Every word Luka said sent electric shocks to his skin.
But when Luka winked at him, it felt like the world had paused. Adrien's throat went dry. It was like Luka was teasing him — pulling at the strings of his mind in a way no one else could.
"Are you okay?" Luka asked, voice low, genuine concern hidden beneath the playful tone.
Adrien cleared his throat, trying to steady his breath. "Yeah. I'm fine. It's just… the scene. I didn't expect it to feel so real."
Luka's grin softened, and his voice dropped lower. "That's the point, right? To make the audience feel like it's real."
Adrien swallowed hard. His heart was still racing, adrenaline and something else making his chest ache.
Marinette's hands were trembling. She couldn't look away as she peeked through the curtains, watching the entire scene unfold.
She knew she should be focused on the stage, making sure everything was in order, but her attention kept drifting to them. To Adrien and Luka. To that electric moment that had taken over everything.
And then it hit her.
The realization.
She wasn't just watching a scene unfold between two actors. She was watching something real happen. Something she didn't expect. Something that sent butterflies through her stomach — and not in the usual way.
Was it jealousy?
No.
It was more like… confusion. Like she was witnessing Adrien in a way that wasn't her Adrien.
This was a new side of him, and it was intense. Too intense. She looked away, heart hammering in her chest, her breath a little too fast.