An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Rating: G
Summary: While Luka is throwing out his Jagged Stone merch, he and XY have a heart-to-heart in a dumpster. Takes place after the episode "Truth." For @luxyweek 2021
Word Count: 1,594
XXX
Rebuilding a whole personality wasn’t fun, to say the least.
No. No, he was sick of saying the least. Rebuilding his personality sucked.
This whole freaking week sucked.
Luka swept his guitar pick collection into a plastic trashbag. He tried not to flinch as Jagged’s face seemed to wink at him as it tumbled in. He grit his teeth, but kept going. This was no time to lose his nerve.
The old Luka took what everyone gave him. The old Luka kept waiting. Waiting, waiting, waiting for things to change.
For Marinette to love him back.
For Mom to tell him the truth.
For Jagged to follow through on his promise.
Jagged wasn’t going to call. They weren’t going to make a song together. Luka didn’t want to, not anymore. He didn’t want to be his dad’s—his backup guitarist.
He squeezed the neck of his guitar, but set it back on his bed. Maybe he’d never pick it up again, but it wouldn’t go in the dumpster. Jules would kill him if he threw out a perfectly good instrument like that.
Jules. She was taking all this in stride—she said that she was used to being forgotten. Expected it, really. Knowing the name of the man who’d forgotten her didn’t change anything.
Then again, Jagged hadn’t looked her in the face and chosen Adrien instead.
That was months ago now, but Luka still seethed at the memory. Jagged had taken Marinette’s guitarist recommendation like it was gospel—he visited her bakery, praised her sunglasses—but he couldn’t even spare a phone call for his son?
He wasn’t jealous of Marinette and Adrien. Not really. But the way Marinette effortlessly connected with his dad… that pain dug in its painted nails, and wouldn’t let go.
Posters crumpled and tossed in the bag. Vinyls followed. CD cases, t-shirts… man, he was going to have to get some new clothes. How had Mom let him fill over half of his closet with Jagged Stone merch, knowing what she did?
He clenched his fists so hard his palms hurt.
This was so, so screwed up.
In the end it took three trash bags. He hauled them over his shoulders like some kind of grunge Santa Claus. Mom and Jules weren’t around to comment as he walked the plank back to the street. Jules was probably at Rose’s house, and Mom… who knew where Mom went when she wasn’t home? Maybe she was off with some other famous loser, like Bob Roth, or—
Luka paused a few meters from the dumpster.
“XY?”
He’d recognize that tall troll-doll hair anywhere, even covered in… substances that Luka was better off not knowing. It also helped that his name was on the giant necklace over his bare chest.
XY slung his arm over the edge of the dumpster.
“Look, if you want an autograph, you’re gonna have to wait like—oh.” He blinked at Luka. “It’s just you. Well, you can get your own dumpster. This one’s taken.”
“I—I’m not here for the dumpster?” He blinked back. The sight of a shirtless XY dumpster diving… it was enough to shock him out of his spiral of rage. “I mean, I’m here for the dumpster, but I was—just taking out the trash. What are you doing here? ...And where’s your shirt?”
“Didn’t want it to get slimy. And you know what they say, homeslice. One man’s trash is another man’s next hit single.” XY held up a stained pigeon plush before dropping it again.
“Uh… no. No one says that.”
“Whatever, breadslice! Just gimme your garbage if you’re gonna be such a hater about it.”
Luka sighed. What was he supposed to do? Actually find another dumpster?
“You’ll be disappointed.” He tossed the first of the trash bags up to XY. “I know I was.”
XY ripped open the thin plastic and scowled.
“What the heck, man? This really is garbage.” He held one of the Jagged Stone shirts up to his chest.
“That’s what I told you.”
“No, I mean—this is the kinda garbage you like, though, right?”
“How would you know?” Luka frowned.
“Stalked your YouTube after ripping off your music.” XY shrugged. “Don’t worry, I didn’t steal anything else. Dad doesn’t need my help with that anymore.”
Luka shook his head. He was never going to escape Jagged Stone. It wasn’t like he could take down all Kitty Section’s music videos, videos where he wore Jagged’s merch, covered his songs…
“You got anything else down there?” XY called.
“See for yourself.” Luka tossed the other two bags. They were both met with groans of disappointment.
“I can’t rip off Jagged Stone. I already tried that.”
“Don’t bother. He’s not worth ripping off.” Luka crossed his arms and leaned against the dumpster. He was probably getting his hoodie—one of the few pieces of clothing he still owned—dirty, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.
“Huh. You’re a weird guy, Lu.”
“Says the one who’s waist-deep in a dumpster.”
“Nowhere to go but up then, right?” XY gave a nasal laugh.
What was wrong with him? He was a famous popstar; he shouldn’t be out here sounding happy to dig in the trash. What else had he said? His dad didn’t need his help?
“Did you get fired or something?” Luka asked bluntly. He might not have Truth’s powers anymore, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t get answers.
“Eh. Or something, I guess.” XY shrugged. “Does it count as getting fired if you get permanently replaced with a hologram?”
Luka grimaced. “Probably.”
“Oh.” XY was quiet for a moment. “Then yeah. I’m fired… but only until I find some real inspiration and show Dad I’m not useless!”
Luka snorted. He wished he could be surprised, but apparently that was just what fathers in the music industry did. Threw away their kids as soon as they were inconvenient.
“What! You saw my cardboard costume! I made that all by myself, y’know, and I can do it again!”
“Sorry. I wasn’t laughing at you.” Luka climbed up onto the lip of the dumpster and perched there. It smelled horrid, but it felt easier to talk to XY face-to-face. “I just don’t see the point. Of trying to prove you’re not useless.”
XY snapped one of the Jagged Stone records in half. Stupidly, Luka still flinched at the sound.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” XY scowled.
“Sorry. I’m still… everything comes out wrong.”
“No it doesn’t.” XY pouted. “Not for you.”
“Now it’s my turn to ask what that means.”
“You can—you just—your music is real!” XY threw his arms in the air. “My dad would kill to have a kid like you.”
Luka couldn’t help laughing. The irony was just too rich.
“Shut up!” XY threw half of the record at him. Luka didn’t even have to lean to dodge it.
“Sorry! I—my dad pretended I didn’t exist!”
XY paused with the other half of the record still poised to throw. Slowly his arm lowered, until he dropped the broken vinyl to the pile of trash.
“Oh. Uh. That’s rough, dude.”
Luka shrugged. Man, this was awkward. XY was probably the only one who was too self-absorbed to have seen the news, but Luka took that as a mercy. It was nice that someone saw him for him, and not as Jagged’s reject.
“It’s fine. I didn’t know he existed, either. Sort of.” He wasn’t about to explain the situation in detail.
“Huh.” XY rubbed the back of his already-messy hair. “We could always swap places. Parent Trap-style. You can have my crappy dad, and I’ll beat yours up for you.”
He flexed a bicep, which was surprisingly defined. Climbing in and out of dumpsters must have done something for XY’s physique.
“Heh. I’d almost take you up on that, but I can’t stand Bob Roth either.”
XY pursed his lips and nodded. “Fair, cheeseslice.”
“I preferred ‘breadslice.’” Luka smiled a little.
“Really? I’m trying to pick up some new slang. Y’know, since I’ll probably have to rebrand.” He flashed his hand sign, then mimed it blowing up. Complete with dramatic explosion noises. “You think I’d look good in your old t-shirts?”
Luka’s brow furrowed. “I thought you said they were garbage.”
“Eh, Dad says I’m an awful judge of quality.”
“Your dad sucks,” Luka said bluntly. “And so do those clothes. But, speaking of rebranding… that’s why I’m throwing all this out. I’m looking for a fresh start, too.”
He couldn’t believe he was saying this to XY of all people, but maybe the popstar was exactly who he needed. Someone the old Luka would’ve never spoken too. Someone who, despite everything, understood some of Luka’s pain.
“So if you want to get out of this dumpster… we could go shopping. If you want. Get some new stuff.” He shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal. As if he had plenty of friends he could go shopping with if XY said no.
A friend. Did XY even count as a friend? All they’d done was have one conversation in a dumpster.
“That sounds dope!” XY beamed. “I’ve never gone shopping with a real breadslice before!”
Luka blinked before letting out a genuine laugh. Who would’ve known XY could be so funny? Maybe this was the real him, the one that wasn’t tied down by his dad’s expectations. That’s what Luka hoped, anyway.
He held out a hand to pull XY out of the garbage, and into a new chapter in their lives.
Hello! I’m starting planning for Luxy week 2021. No official dates have been set, but I am taking prompt requests! So please feel free to send them to this blog!
