Light streams in the window at the base of the stairway as Marinette's eyes flutter open to start the day. Her kwami, Tikki, lays on the deep, soft pillow next to her, still dozing away. It seems not having to shower meant you're allowed to sleep past the alarm clock.
Stretching her arms over her head, Marinette arches her back, working out the kinks from last night before sitting up and swinging her legs out of bed. Her parents are early birds. Her father is a baker and he's up for hours before she's even thinking about getting out of bed sending warm, soft, delicious baked goods to restaurants, cafes, and even a few private homes all over Paris, and that is before he's even opened the doors to the public. Her mother gets up a bit later than her father, joining him in the bakery. They work together throughout the day, baking and creating amazing confections for the citizens of Paris. Even on the top floor of their row house, she can smell the delicious aromas of croissants that melt in your mouth, cinnamon rolls that ooze and bubble with sweet, syrup beneath a thick coating of decadent fronts, and danish's packed with apple, cherries, cream cheese, and several other mouth watering fillings beneath their flaky crust. It's a good thing she has such an arduous workout regimen to keep her fit.
Slipping from the bed, she heads for the stairs, picking up her robe at the bottom. Living at the top of the house, she has to climb down two flights of stairs to reach the bathroom, located on the second floor with her parent's bedroom. She showers quickly before returning to her room to dress for the day.
Tikki joins her at her vanity, watching her brush her hair. The kwami can't help thinking that Marinette is such a pretty girl; so elegant with her hair down, flowing about her shoulders, glistening in the light with wisps framing her face on the sides. A beautiful girl who's completely oblivious to it; a sweet, modest girl. Tikki adores her. She continue to watch as her charge brushes her hair before combing it back and pulling it into her signature low pigtails. She knows they'll be off to school soon and heads to Marinette's handbag, diving in and getting comfortable in the soft, padded lining Marinette added just for her.
Finishing her hair, Marinette leaves the vanity, no consideration for makeup at all. It just wasn't her. The thought of "improving" her looks with makeup was the farthest thing from her mind. Vanity wasn't in her, yet another reason that Tikki adores her.
Marinette had seen Tikki zip off out of the corner of her eye, a streak of bright pink dashing through the air. Knowing she'd already gotten comfortable, she walks over to her school bag, slotting her books into it before lifting it to her shoulder and finally picking up her handbag, careful to lift it by the long strap or the ends of the metal clasp so as not to collapse the interior on her friend.
Going downstairs, she checks that neither of her parents have come up from the bakery for any reason. Most days her mother comes up to check on her and make sure she's gotten out of bed on time, though she's made progress on that as she's gotten older. Seeing that both parents appear to be in the storefront, she opens her purse, allowing Tikki to drift out.
"Hungry?" she asks.
"Starving" affirms the little goddess. Moving to the counter, she finds three fresh croissants sitting on a plate, waiting for her. Moving to the ice box, she takes out a jar of jam and places it on the counter. Unrolling one of the pastries, she spreads the sweet jelly on the delicate roll. Rolling it once again, she cuts it into several kwami size buns and places the plate on the counter for her friend and mentor.
The remaining two rolls she spreads butter over the top of then a little jam. Going to the ice box again, she returns the jam and takes out the carton of milk, pouring herself a small glass, she returns the carton, closing the door, before taking a seat next to Tikki and beginning her breakfast as well.
Tikki had just finished her breakfast when the two heard the slight creak of the stairs. Zipping to Marinette's purse, Tikki takes cover as Sabine, Marinette's mother, comes into the room.
"Good morning" she greeted.
"Good morning mama."
"All ready for school."
Marinette pats her school bag, "All set," as she pops the last of her breakfast in her mouth.
"I'm glad to see it. You've been doing better getting up in the morning."
"I've been trying."
"Your father and I are proud of you. You've also been doing a good job being where you're supposed to be at school."
"I know school is important and if I'm going to be accepted to a top fashion program, I have to have top marks."
"That is very fore thoughtful of you," complimented Sabine, smiling at her daughter. "If you're already for school, I'm going back to the bakery. We'll see you in a few minutes?"
"Yes, I'm just finishing up breakfast. I'll be down after I put my dishes away."
Smiling, Sabine heads back down the stairs
-/\\\-
For once, they weren't just on time for school, they were actually early. Marinette wanders over to join her best friend Alya and her beat-bopping aspiring DJ boyfriend Nino. They are talking back and forth over something Alya has on her phone. They look up together, nodding to Marinette but going back to the video. There's a comfortable comrade between them, just being together is enough. They don't have to entertain or engage, just be there. It's endearing but also leaves Marinette with a feeling of longing.
She glances up, seeing a dark sedan role up to the curb. Her heart jumps, racing just knowing who the vehicle belongs to. The door cracks open and a young man steps out, standing behind the door for a moment and surveying the sidewalk. His eyes fall on the group Marinette is in and breaks into a wide grin. Marinette's eyes drop to the sidewalk, unable to meet his emerald gaze. He lifts the bag to his shoulder and steps from behind the door, pushing it closed behind him then making a beeline to them but, before he can arrive, a skinny blonde girl comes barreling across the walk, jumping on him and nearly knocking him over. Marinette can feel her distaste for the girl rising as the boy disentangles himself from her, a disgruntled expression on his face, before saying good morning and continuing on his way.
Finally joining their group, he greets everyone with a good morning. Marinette stammers, "Mood gorning… mord goding… good morning."
He doesn't believe he'll ever get used to her nervousness around him. They'd had a rough start but he'd thought they'd been getting better. It's strange, there are times she's assertive and their conversations are smooth but, there are other times… he's just not sure what causes her to be so nervous around him. He smiles at her, she may be awkward around him but she has endeared herself to him in ways even his best friend hasn't. She's kind and easy to talk to, someone he can share his heartache with without concern of judgement. Marinette's heart was big enough for all those willing to accept he affection and he smiled at how lucky he was to be one of those people.
The friends stand together for a while, Nino, Alya, and Adrien chatting about whatever comes to mind. Marinette listens, absorbing any details Adrien might hint or drop in the conversation about his likes, dislikes, interests, life in general. She nods along with the conversation and makes small, quiet comments once in a while but mostly hangs back. When the bell rings for the students to move into the school and prepare for class, Nino and Adrien break off together with Alya and Marinette gravitating towards one and other.
"Girl, you need to be more assertive. Talk to that boy before someone else snatches him up."
"Alya, I just can't. I get near him and I'm completely tongue tied."
"I have seen you talk to that boy, don't tell me you can't. Why is it so hard for you to believe he would be interested in you?"
"He's amazing. He's sweet and kind. He's thoughtful and a complete gentleman."
"Why is that so intimidating to you?" she asks as she opens her locker, putting in the books she took home last night, her bag, and withdrawing her supplies for her first class.
Looking up at her friend from behind the locker door, Marinette pauses for a moment to think about the question before licking her lips and answering, "I'm not intimidated."
"Then what is your deal? Because we seriously have to get you and that boy on the same page."
"Don't do anything. Nothing at all!" cries Marinette. Panic gripping her.
"Chill girl, I'm not going to do anything you don't want."
"Please don't say anything to Adrien. And don't have Nino say anything to him either."
"Tell me why you won't do anything."
Marinette stops, considering her words carefully, "What if … he doesn't like me that way? What if he likes Chloe? Or one of the models his father works with all the time. Some of them are our age or only a little older. They're gorgeous and a part of his world and I'm …. I'm Marinette, a school girl who wants to be a designer some day but doesn't have much else to offer someone who is not only an amazing person but who lives in a world I can only dream about being a part of."
Looking at her friend, Alya is shocked, "You're scared."
Marinette nods.
"So you'd rather hold onto the hope that maybe someday Mr. Amazing will notice you and make the first move than take a chance and find out he's just not interested."
She nods again.
"What if he asks you out?"
"Then I'd go"
"I'm confused."
"If he asks me out then I know he likes me but if I ask him out then... "
"Then he could turn you down?"
"Yes, and I'm not sure I could take that rejection."
Laughing Alya asks, "Do you realize that is exactly how every boy feels and yet we girls expect them to be the ones to take the leap of faith and do the asking. Come on girl, catch up with the time. We're equal opportunity around here." Marinette pauses, realizing Alya is right but she continues before Marinette can comment, "Do you even realize how much you already mean to Adrien?"
Now she just looks confused.
"Adrien sees our whole class as his friends; Rose, Max, Kim, Nathan. We're all his friends but there are only three of us he really considers to be important to him they are Nino, YOU, and me. in that order," she emphasizes.
It takes a moment for that to sink in, "Really?"
"Yes!"
"Then that's even more reason for me not to say anything, I don't want to drive a wedge between us as friends."
Alya face palms due to the sheer ludicrous logic of her dear, dear friend. "Marinette, someone needs to help you before you destroy any chance you have," she murmurs, her words muffled as her hand slides from her forehead down her face.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing at all."
"Let's get to class, we're going to be late if we don't get moving.
Taking a seat behind the two boys, the girls get settled in, ready to start their academic endeavors. Marinette may not be the best student in class but she is one of the top students in her class in addition to being the class representative. The morning classes are slow; writing and grammar, mathematics, history.
Marinette felt like her brain has turned to gelatin by the time Miss. Bustier is preparing to dismiss them for lunch. "Before everyone leaves, we have an announcement. Agreste Fashion is sponsoring a competition open to secondary students of all the schools in Paris. There will be a preliminary review of all submissions. At that point, Agreste Fashion will cut those they don't feel meet their final expectation. All submission remaining will be invited to a ball held by Agreste fashion where Gabriel Agreste will personally review the designs and choose the winner. This winner will receive the opportunity to intern with Agreste Fashion this summer." Marinette's heart is racing though she's not as excited as she might have been before she'd met Adrien. "Each participant must design and produce a formal gown. The first evaluation will be in four months. Applications are available in the office. Are there any questions?" Seeing none, "You are dismissed."
Marinette's creative energy runs wild. She's thankful to have found out about the competition before lunch so she doesn't have to pretend to focus on the lessons of the afternoon, though there's a good chance that may not happen despite having a break to try and purge her creative energy.
Marinette bolts out of her chair as soon as the class is dismissed, sliding by Adrien, their bodies brushing against one and other intimately without realizing it, Alya right behind her smiling at Adrien who's eyes have grown large with shock and a blush has spread across his cheeks at the close proximity of Marinette's body to his own. Marinette is almost sprinting down the hallway without breaking from a walk, handbag held firmly in her hands so it doesn't swing wildly at her gate. Upon reaching her locker, she yanks it open, tossing her books on the shelf and snatching her book bag and lunch. Looking over, Alya is also taking her lunch and smiles at Marinette. Marinette loves her friend more for understanding her urgency and keeping up. Together they make a beeline for the front door then the park beside Marinette's house.
At the park, Marinette plops down on the closest bench, frantically unpacking her lunch and setting it between herself and Alya before reaching into her bag for her drawing tablet, pencil set, and a large eraser. Laying the tablet across her lap, eraser on top, she takes one of her pencils out, sliding the case beneath her tablet and begins to draw.
Her first figure has a fitted, strapless bodice with a full, ballroom style skirt. The bodice fits to just above the hip bones before subtly expanding outward and flowing to the floor in a subtle belle shape. The neckline has a shallow sweetheart dip in the middle. Alya watches the creation come to life on paper, no less amazed at her friend's skill than she was the first time she saw it. Marinette stops, mostly finished with the design and Alya sees her brows knit, an unhappy expression crosses her face moments before she flips the page and starts again.
This creation is a bateau neckline, high and dipping from shoulder to shoulder along the collar bone before tapering down to the waist and flowing over the hips and into a double pleated, A line skirt. It's conservative and stylish but Alya thinks it looks more medieval or appropriate for a office setting than an elegant gown. Marinette's lips are pursed to one side and it seems she agrees because she flips the page again before she's really completed the design.
Entering the park where a number of the students take their lunch, Adrien spots Alya and Marinette on the closest bench, Alya taking a bite of her sandwich and Marinette hunched over a sketch pad. He knows if he approaches them he's going to have a babbling and incommunicable Marinette so instead he turns to Nino, placing a finger over his lips, and Nino nods. Moving to the trees that run between the park benches, they make their way behind Marinette and Alya's bench. Alya has been nudging Marinette as the boys walk, encouraging her to eat her lunch and saving them all from listening to her stomach growl all afternoon. As they near, Alya glances back at them and Adrien quickly places his fingers over his lips, eyes pleading as Alya's mouth, already open to greet them, closes with a pop. Smiling, she turns a bit so as not to block the view from behind the bench. Nino lifts his chin, greeting Alya and Adrien slips in behind Marinette's shoulder, watching her make gorgeous, elegant creation after sensual, sleek, shapely creation. Finally, Nino nudges him gently and moves off to the bench ten feet farther down to sit and eat his lunch. Adrien nods and watches as Alya gets up, going to the trash to throw away her own lunch wrappers, and joins him, easily falling into conversation with Nino.
He's not sure how many designs he's watched flow from Marinette's nimble fingers but this one, this one makes him lean a little farther over her shoulder. It starts as an asymmetric neckline flowing over the curves of the figure, hugging and emphasising. It slides over the hips before flowing outward in many, many folds that looks like a long, billowing godet skirt. She has the rough outline and major lines of the front finished as she starts work on the back. The dress is backless or a very, very low back. The dress sweeps around one side, then drapes from one side of the back to the other, coming up to meet the sleeve on the other. She draws in the long line of the figures back, sweeping and lovely before continuing with the skirt. In the back, the skirt it fitted several inches below the hips before flowing outward in the same godet style.
Once she's finished the general styling of the front and back, she goes back in and starts adding details. She gives the shoulder several folds as the dress flows downward. The bust is fitted but not tight and has several folds and pleats. She takes these pleats down through the waist and over the hips then allows them to flow outward in the fullness of the skirt. Her pencil stops moving and she sits up, tilting her head slightly as she considers the design.
Adrien finally breaks his silence, "I think you have a winner there."
Marinette jumps, startled to hear someone's voice behind her. Turning she sees Adrien and she blushes prettily. Adrien swallows hard before rubbing his neck. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to intrude. I like watching you work. You're very talented."
"Th.. thank you," she stammers.
"I really think you have a winner with that one. I don't think my father's done better." When she doesn't say anything, he's not sure if she's angry at him, again, or her usual shyness has rendered her speechless. "Marinette?"
"I don't know what to say."
"Marinette, even my father recognized your talent. He called your design, and I quote, an 'exquisite creation.' He does not give praise easily and that was high praise from anyone. I know that this creation will make an even greater impression on him."
"You think so?' she asks hesitantly.
"I know so Marinette."
"Thank you Adrien."
"No problem. And if you have any other designs, I'd love to take a look at them. You are amazingly talented." He watches as a smile creeps across her lips though she tucks her head down and tries to hide the look of pleasure, and maybe a slight blush, at his compliment. "I better get my lunch eaten before I don't have time. You should too, or we're going to be listening to your stomach for the rest of the afternoon," he teases, pointing at her barely touched lunch.
"Yeah," she responds.
He hesitates, ready to leave. He'd been planning to sit with Nino for lunch but in his eagerness to watch Marinette work, he'd given up his seat to Alya. He pauses for a moment, looking around for a place to sit. Marinette notices his uncertainty and also looks around. Noticing that most of the benches are occupied she quietly offers, "You could sit with me, if you want."
Relief washes over Adrien at her offer. He wasn't looking forward to wondering the park looking for an open seat to eat at. "That'd be awesome. Thanks!"
Looking once again at her sketch pad, Marinette considered the figure before flipping the pages closed and returning her pencil to its case. Placing it all within her bag, she leans it against the side of the bench before pulling her lunch into her lap. Taking out the turkey sandwich on a crescent, she takes another bite, enjoying the flaky, buttery pastry. Sitting next to her, Adrien opens his roast beef sandwich on a wheat. They sit together, quietly eating their lunches. Nino and Alya watching them from the next bench over.
"Do you think either of them will say anything?" asks Alya.
"My man Adrien can carry on a conversation. Now if you're girl Marinette would just get over her nerves and actually talk the boy, things would go a lot smoother."
"I know. You know what she told me this morning?" Nino shakes his head, "She told me she's happier to keep things the way they are than to talk to him. She'd rather not know than to find out they could only ever be friends."
"Wow, that's…" not knowing what to say, Nino let's his statement trail off.
"Kind of sad?"
Nino looks back at the couple, "It's sad that Marinette has so little confidence in herself. I know that Adrien keeps saying that she's just his friend but I've seen the way he is around her. He's not like that with anyone else. At Chloe's party he really enjoyed dancing with her. He didn't dance with anyone one else that day. And did you see him when Marinette designed the cover for Jagged Stone?"
Alya nodded, "And did you see Marinette when he asked for her autograph?" She giggles.
"I know, they were both stammering messes. I've never seen him nervous around anyone except her."
"So you think he's interested in her?"
"He says there's someone he likes but it's not someone I know."
"Is there something going on there? I don't want this to get complicated."
"He's told me that she hasn't responded to his advances… yet. But they're friends."
Alya paused, thinking.
"Do you think we should intercede on our friends behalfs?" asks Nino.
"If you'd asked me yesterday, I would have told you no but after today… I think we should create an opportunity for them. What happens after that is up to them."
Grinning, Nino nudges his girlfriend, glad she's exactly the girl she is.