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Hello Stranger - 1

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I Think of You Sometimes When the Day is Clear

Marinette was waiting for the elevator when her phone chimed. She reached into her bag and the device settled into her palm as if it had been placed there. She smiled down, knowing Tikki would see and recognize the gratitude sent her way.

LatS: Be sure to watch our website for the international debut of the first song off our upcoming album! We'll be live at 19:30 Paris time to share with our most devoted fans!

As if she would miss it. The messaging service and public relations team couldn't possibly know she'd had it on her calendar for weeks, before it had even gone up on the band's calendar. She was being spammed along with all the rest of the fans; she'd signed up for all the updates, knowing full well what would happen. Luke and the Stones weren't just any clients of MDC Designs. They were led by a brilliant musician and the one guy she'd never quite been able to get over. She'd read that most people had one or two big loves in their life, and it was okay to look back with bittersweet fondness. He'd been the right person, but at the most wrong time. Although she didn't cling to unfounded expectations, it wasn't uncommon for her to wonder what seeing him in person would be like now that the supernatural chaos had been resolved and they were both settled into who they really were.

She attended every online debut and launch party. She'd been to quite a few local events in person, all held by venues Luka had performed at during his early days and upward trajectory. There'd been a couple streamed events she'd had to attend from her office in the first year of running MDC Designs and a few she'd had to watch from her cell phone in hospital waiting rooms and Adrien's guest room before he'd finally moved away from the bad memories of Paris.

Her phone chimed again.

Jules: Rose is going to beg U to come to the watch party.

Of course she would. Marinette was happy to be with Luka's family and friends celebrating his success most of the time, but Juleka had advised against it in the same breath she'd shared the details for this event.

Jules: I've seen the lyrics. I promise you want hear it without all the Xtra we'll have going on.

Marinette: Thanks for the heads up. I'll heed your warning.

As a model and a designer, Juleka and Marinette regularly crossed paths. Her once-goth classmate had grown into a willowy and elegant model, outshining the young women with the industry standard blonde hair and light eyes. They'd never fallen out, unlike other old classmates, but it wasn't until they were really on their own that their friendship took on a mature and balanced nature. Juleka had become one of her best friends, and it helped that they could relate to each others' situations when either of them needed to vent.

Her phone chimed again, showing the warning to be perfectly timed.

Rosie: We'd love to C U 2night 4 the LatS release party!

Marinette: Thanks for thinking of me!

Marinette: Had a super crazy day and not up for company. But I'll be watching.

Rosie: If U change UR mind just stop by!

Marinette hadn't seen Luka in person in at least five years, and it had been even longer since she'd really had the opportunity to connect with him personally. He'd been busy touring the world, first with his father and then with his own band. At the same time, she'd been building her fashion empire while simultaneously protecting Paris from the world's most emotionally constipated super-villain. She and her team had been victorious nearly three years back, upending the fashion world and one of her best friends' lives in the process. Unfortunately, every time he'd been back to to Paris, she'd been in New York or London showcasing MDC Designs.

Through it all, she'd continued receiving measurements and commissions from Luke and the Stones for the band's stage apparel. They hadn't had a private conversation in all that time, meeting only in teleconferences with the rest of his design team or when she was surrounded by her own. But they hadn't lost touch, even without Juleka's less-than-subtle assistance. She knew she was on his mind as much as he was on hers, and they communicated that in their own way.

For her part, she designed things that were suitable for his high-profile presence while accommodating his personal preferences. He performed sold-out shows in increasingly larger venues in her snug-fitting jeans made of a stretch denim that felt as comfortable as pajama pants. Her signature was concealed on the left side of all his shirts, where it would drape over his heart. Again, these tops showed off his toned arms and just enough chest to appease the audience and the band's manager, without compromising for Luka's comfort. The rest of the band received a similar marriage of their preferences with their manager's insistence on visual appeal. In addition to Luka's performance and event apparel, her shows all included pieces inspired by him and his music; they stood out from the rest enough to catch the eye, without ever feeling out of place. She often used singles from Luke and the Stones rather than bowing to the latest runway motifs, setting her apart as someone who made trends rather than following them. MDC Designs had done well enough, and she would be releasing a new line to accommodate her numerous Luka-inspired designs.

For his part, he wrote her songs. It wasn't conceit that led her to believe anything he penned could be for her. She knew how he worked, how he thought. They'd spent more than enough time feeding off each others' creativity before he'd gone off to get famous. More than a few videos featured elements that had nothing to do with the lyrics but could easily be tied to Marinette by anyone who knew her. The settings were often Paris, in places with meaning to the both of them. Magazines featuring her and her designs always made it into the sets, used as props or décor.

Now that dust in her life had settled, she was due a vacation. If it happened to be in the same location as one of Luka's tour stops, that would be perfect. She was finally ready to move into a new stage of her life, and no one would hold her back this time.

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So the initial idea for this came from Hello Stranger off The Fratellis' new album Half Drunk Under a Full Moon. This chapter title and the song referenced here comes from Hello Stranger. As the idea has developed, more of the band's catalogue nudged its way into my brain to enhance the story further, so you can expect additional music videos in future chapters.

If you’re so inclined, feel free to support me over on Ko-Fi

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Check out Part 2 >>>

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