sérendipité douce
The title translates into sweet serendipity- a surprisingly fitting name for the story. I recently got into a few episodes of the Miraculous series and while the plot doesn't really wow me, I especially like Marinette and some of the other characters. Guest starring Dick Grayson/Nightwing from the DC Universe.
" Marinette, could you mind the store until the evening? Your father and I have to go to Mrs. Fontaine's birthday party at her house. I hope that she loves the birthday cake that your father baked for her. After all, he made sure to include as many types of berries possible since she is such an ardent fan of them," Sabine gave the lilac coloured box a light pat as her daughter had a hard time imagining a double layer birthday cake with assorted berries stuffed in every nook and cranny.
" Of course, I'll take of the store, mum. Hopefully, I'll be able to convince some customers to try some of papa's new chocolate mango truffle as well," Marinette grinned and pulled up a chair behind the counter.
" That would be great but don't just limit your marketing to my truffles, Marinette. My other wares would feel rather jealous if only their chocolate counterpart gets taken off the shelves," Tom chuckled and gave his daughter a quick hug before putting on his tweed jacket.
" Don't worry papa; with such an aromatic smell and pretty finishing, I doubt that I would need to convince anyone to take a good look at everything else in the store," she cocked her head and peered at the delectable brownies which were begging to be sampled.
Marinette waved goodbye to them before cracking open her Physics workbook and a rather thick textbook. It was a Friday afternoon, roughly around half past three and the streets of Paris were beginning to be crowded as more people were scurrying around, hoping to finish up the last of their work and close early. She slowly flipped through each illustrated page of her Physics textbook while stifling a yawn as the golden rays of sunlight poured in through the window.
She thought that even the superhero gods and Hawk Moth needed a break, as Ladybug had not made an appearance in the Parisian streets yet. The homogeneous rows of sentences in her workbook were testing her focus and patience. She desperately stole glances at her mobile phone, hoping that her best friend, Alya would give her a ring too aid in her procrastination or even kill her boredom.
" Marinette, you've been staring at the same page for ten minutes," Tikki poked her head out from her bag. Marinette was jolted from her reverie as her kwami decided to play the part of Ms. Mendeleiev and prod her to stop daydreaming.
" This question is rather difficult and I was just thinking of the appropriate formulas to be used. I wouldn't dream of looking at this textbook for an extended period of time," Marinette said quickly before picking up her pencil and scribbling a formula for linear motion.
"Were you daydreaming of Adrien again? Thinking about asking him out for pizza tonight?" Tikki swooned and gave her a little wink, causing the super heroine's cheeks to turn a light shade of pink.
She cleared her throat and let out a wistful sigh. " I really want to ask Adrien to accompany to that new pizza parlour which just opened in Place d'Italie but I don't know how to. I mean I can't just call him on his mobile phone and ask him to have dinner with me? Would he think that I'm impatient for trying to take things to the next level? Or would he reject me and say that he doesn't like cheese? Perhaps he's not even free tonight…." Marinette blurted out to Tikki.
" You never know until you give him a call…." Tikki hummed and wormed her way back into her bag. Marinette eyed her smartphone the same way a mouse would eye a block of cheese in the trap. She slowly picked it up and scrolled through her list of contacts before stopping at Adrien's name. She blushed again before rubbing her thumb on the call button.
" You know what, I'll call Alya and ask for her advice. Maybe she might even suggest a different place to me," she thought and quickly called her best friend.
" Hey girl, what's up? I was just going to go and help my mother buy some provisions from the supermarket," Alya grinned.
Marinette clutched the phone tighter to her ear. " I want to ask Adrien to go out with me to have pizza at that new pizzeria in Place d'Italie tonight but I can't just call and ask him out. It might come across as a date…."she sighed.
" Isn't it a date? I mean, don't you want it to be a date after all? If it isn't a date, then he might as well bring Nino as long too right? Alya smirked through the phone.
Marinette grumbled and agreed. " You have a point but what should I do? Surely, there would be a better way to ask him out? Since it's our first date and all? If I don't impress him from the get –go, there probably wouldn't even be a second date!" she raised her voice in zeal.
" Marinette, just call and ask him out like how you would ask me out for pizza."
" I wouldn't call you. I would just send you a text and be done with it," Marinette joked.
Alya look deadpanned at her mobile phone. " Unless you want me to give him a call…..
" No, no no, it's fine, Alya. I'll call him instead. He wouldn't like cowards," she smiled.
" Thanks for the pep talk, Alya. I'll definitely persuade to join me tonight, right after my parents come back from the party. He and I will enjoy delicious wood fire baked pizza and spend a romantic evening discussing our plans for the weekend," she said excitedly.
" Good on you girl, and tell me how it goes tomorrow. Enjoy yourself and don't be nervous! Show him the fun and flirty Marinette who always tries to impress him in school."
Marinette cut the line and was about to call Adrien when a few customers entered the bakery and began piling pastries on their respective trays. " I guess calling Adrien will have to wait," she gave a wry smile before hopping off her chair and attending to their needs.
" Enjoy the pastries and please come again!" Marinette waved to them as she glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. She perked up as it read half past six. Her parents would be coming home soon and she was free to go out with her crush.
She picked up her mobile phone to call the blonde model but the sound of the bells jingling made it clear that another customer had entered the bakery.
" Hi, welcome to the bakery…" she stopped halfway as she took in the marvelous sight which greeted her.
It was a very handsome young man who looked as if he was in his late teens or so. His short dark hair was neatly combed and his cologne filled the bakery with an intoxicating scent. However, Marinette was captivated by his azure eyes, which reminded her of two swimming pools in Versailles. She was lost in them, heck; she was busy taking a swim in those two sapphire orbs of his. He was tall and very well built as she could see the outline of his arm muscles through his black leather jacket.
" Oh my…This guy is gorgeous!" she squealed to herself as she shot him a coy smile before trying to hide her furious blushing.
The young man studied her face for a while before shooting her a grin. " Nice patisserie you have here. I'm guessing that it belongs to your parents?" he laughed and placed a croissant on his tray.
" Yes, although that's not really a usual way to start a conversation with a girl," she replied cheekily as she looked at herself in horror. " Did I just try to flirt with him?!"
The young man chuckled and walked to the section with the cakes. " Didn't know that I was trying to pick the baker's daughter up. I just thought that it would be unusual for a fifteen-year old girl to be working here full time."
" Wow, you actually got my age right on the first guess. I guess it's my turn now. She stroked her chin thoughtfully before eyeing him up and down. I would say that you're twenty-one!" she exclaimed as the young man winced.
" Not a bad guess but I'm actually only nineteen years of age. What's depressing is that I wasn't even sporting any sort of facial hair," he tutted. Marinette couldn't help but laugh at his comment.
" You're not from around here, aren't you? You don't look or sound like a local," she folded her arms.
" No kidding. I can't even pronounce the name of the hotel that I'm staying at. I'm actually from America. I just arrived today for some business so I'm not a tourist either. Oh, I'm Richard Grayson by the way. Just call me Dick," he smiled and extended his hand.
Marinette tried to contain her excitement as she shook his hand. " I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Marinette will do fine, Dick," she giggled and her eyes gleamed as she steered him towards the tray of truffles.
" You should definitely try my papa's chocolate mango truffles! He just decided to put them on sale this morning and you wouldn't believe the response he got from the customers."
He looked amused at her hopeful visage before emptying half the tray onto his own tray. Marinette looked proud as punch as she managed to keep her word to her father today. " Looks like I did manage to convince someone to pick them up," she thought to herself merrily.
" So Marinette, tell me more about yourself. I'd like to know more about the beauty and brains behind the counter," he bent down to inspect the crème brulee. She tried to hide the grin that was escaping her lips as she nudged Tikki in excitement.
" Tikki! Dick just called me a beauty!No doubt that he's flirting with me," she whispered excitedly.
" That's nice and all but what about Adrien and the pizza date? Tikki looked curiously at her partner. Marinette cursed and picked up her phone to call Adrien when she was met with a curious look from Dick.
" I don't actually work here though. Um…..there isn't much to tell really. I'm just a normal girl who studies at a local school in Paris and aspires to be a fashion designer in the future. I like to read, think of new ideas and sketch during my free time. Pretty boring huh?" She gave an embarrassed smile as Dick placed his tray at the cashier.
"Far from it, Marinette. I think that's a really interesting choice and as long as you're willing to work for it, that dream is within your grasp. I have a good feeling about you," he nodded and handed her a fifty-dollar bill to pay for the stuff.
She swelled with pride as words of encouragement from a handsome stranger were rare and being told that her dream wasn't a quixotic one was delightful. " Thank you so much, Dick and I promise that if you're looking for a nice leather jacket like that one, you know where to look," she smiled and handed him his change.
" It's your turn to tell the whole class about yourself," she joked.
" Well, I just enrolled in a private college in Gotham, the city where I'm from. I'm actually pursuing a career in business and management. As for dream occupation, I don't really have one yet," he apologized .
" Sounds important though. Oh….that's probably what you meant by having business here," she slapped her forehead.
Dick snorted gently before pulling out his phone. " Marinette, I'm free for tonight so would you like to go out with me? It's interesting talking to you and I think that you're one of the prettiest girls that I have ever seen. I have seen drop dead gorgeous girls before but you look unique. If it's alright with you, could I have your number then?"
Marinette was gob smacked as she couldn't believe her ears. This was the first time that she had ever been asked out on a date by any guy. " It's fine if you don't want to, you know. I just thought that maybe you could tell me the things to do in Paris over a cup of coffee," he nodded.
Marinette thought about her date with Adrien and she chewed her lip nervously. It was true that she really wanted to go out with Adrien tonight but how often does she get asked out?
She cleared her throat and laced her fingers together in nervousness. " I would love to, Dick. You were saying something about coffee? I know this great café…." She smiled and exchanged phone numbers with the young hero.
" I'm really excited for uh…..our…."
" Date?" he finished her sentence for her. She blushed again and nodded vigorously.
" Yes, our date. Although I was expecting to be asked in a more romantic setting, I guess my papa's bakery would suffice," she chuckled as Dick gave her hand a quick squeeze before exiting the shop.
" I'll call you later!" She called out to him and did a little pirouette. " I have always wanted to say that!" she told Tikki merrily as the kwami sniffed sadly. " I want Adrien to be your first date."
Marinette remained silent as she packed up her things and prepared to go upstairs. " I know but who am I to reject a hopeful and earnest guy? I mean I'm in a position which involves be begging for dates so I can put myself in Dick's shoes. I'm in love with Adrien but Dick is something else isn't he?" she sighed dreamily as her parents entered the shop.
Little did she know, Adrien managed to catch a glimpse of their little banter from the other side of the window as he walked past the bakery. He paused for a moment as he tried to make out what their conversation was about but to no avail.
" She seems to be as giddy as a school girl," he thought to himself as he scratched his head and continued his way to the recreational park.
Marinette swung open her wardrobe and started picking out a new pair of jeans and a black top when she caught wind that another villain was on the loose in the city.
She wanted to bite her tongue in frustration. " I really don't want to bail on Dick but the city of Paris needs Ladybug to save the day," she said firmly and quickly dashed out of the window to transform.
Dick sat on a bench by the Seine and tucked into his pastries, as he couldn't stop thinking about Marinette. " For someone who dated Starfire, Wonder Girl and Zatanna, I sure am throwing a curveball by crushing on Marinette," he mused to himself. Granted that she wasn't tall, slim and curvaceous or oozed any sort of sex appeal but she was a very pretty girl next door who wasn't above cracking a few lame jokes or even slipping on a dollop of custard in the store. Plus, it had been a while since he had a chat to a girl who wasn't a superhero.
As the lingering light was obliterated by the rapidly falling night, the once salmon and purple sky transformed into a vast expanse of jet-black that engulfed the city. A canopy of luminous stars materialized amongst the ocean of blackness. Some were dull, merely flickering into existence every now and then, but there was an adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the dark, moonless night. All Dick wanted was a snack from the nearest bakery but he got more than he bargained for as he finally found a girl who managed to capture his attention, after a long time.
A/N : This was supposed to be a one shot when I realized that I would probably end up writing another chapter anyway. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and be prepared when Marinette, Dick and Adrien come face to face in the next chapter. Don't forget to leave a review or some feedback or any suggestions! Until next time, readers.