"What do you think you're doing?" Alya shot. Her gaze was fiercely locked at Marinette's hands, half in and half out of her bag.

Sheepishly, complete with a nervous giggle, she retracted. "Your zipper was undone!" She tried.

"No, it was not." Alya crossed her arms defiantly. "What's up with you? I keep catching you stealing glances at my backpack and now you're snooping. Seriously, Marinette, what gives?"

"Don't be so suspicious of me, Alya!"

The other girl raised a not-so-amused eyebrow. "Whatever. Are you coming with me for lunch or nah?"

Nodding a bit too enthusiastically, she stepped forward to follow her out the door when suddenly a hand tapped her arm. Adrien looked up at her and motioned for her to bend down. Marinette's blood erupted into her head in gushes, making the room spin. Rather impatient, he tugged her down. "Listen, I need your help." He whispered in her ear.

"Adrien… so close…guhh..."

He raised an eyebrow before snapping his fingers in front of her crossed eyes. She gasped. "You okay?" He asked.

"Oh!" She straightened her posture and fumbled with one of her pigtails. "I'm sorry, I wasn't focusing! You were just so hot and─ ah, no, I mean your breath was so hot, b-but not that you're not hot or anything, you are!" She bit the inside of her cheek to prevent any more nonsense to sputter out. She saw Alya waiting for her by the door. Her eyes darted from her, Adrien, and back again. "Alya's in a hurry so I'd better─"

"Rain check it!"

Her eyes snapped to him in surprise. "Why?"

His green eyes examined their surroundings, like he was making sure no one was listening in, and said, "It's really important. Can you please cancel your plans and come with me?"

Baffled, Marinette looked to her best friend again. She tapped her watch and made a gesture that they needed to go. "Alright. Just a sec."

Bouncing over, Marinette made an apologetic face. "You go on without me, Alya. I um… have an emergency to attend."

"Is this emergency related to Adrien, by any chance?"

She gulped audibly. "No?"

Alya shook her head and laugh. "Finally! Gurl, go get your man. It's about time you two go out for lunch together." Alya hugged her with one arm. "It's totally fine. I can totally get this thing repaired on my own. This is your day. Just don't forget to give me the juicy details afterwards, 'kay?"

Marinette couldn't help the blush coming. Did Adrien really ask her out to lunch? After hearing Alya, it did sound like it. She tried a glance over her shoulder and caught Adrien smiling at her. She quietly squealed. "Alya, wait, I might need you!" She stopped her from leaving. The happiness in her faded to panic. "You know how I am with him! I'll ruin my chances and he'll never ask me out again and we'll never get married and have babies and we'll never─"

"Whoa there, Marinette. Ya got this in the bag. Just chill out and be yourself. Or, uhh, not too much of yourself. Be the cool, smooth version of yourself. Besides, I have to go fix this yoyo and give it back as soon as possible, remember?"

"Oh… yeah…"

Wishing her luck, Alya disappeared through the door.

Marinette sucked in a long breath before marching back to Adrien's seat. She hoped that her movements weren't too much like a robot gone haywire. "So!" She squeaked. Clearing her throat, she tried again. "Um, how about that lunch?"

If she had thought that his car was cool from the outside, the inside of it was wicked. The black leather was comfortable and soft, and she could stretch her legs completely out in front of her. The back seat was so spacious that even her papa could fit in there. And more importantly, Adrien was sitting next to her! He was casually looking out the window, with that golden blond hair shining with the sunlight and his green eyes─

Marinette stopped and looked closer and noticed from his reflection in the glass that his eyes were a bit sad. It held no sparkle. In class, he would always have this glint in them as if he was excited about everything, and his smile would make it light up even more. But it was gone then.

She hesitated for awhile before she had the courage to clear her throat. He looked back at her, seeming to remember that she was there. "Uh, so, where are we eating?" She croaked.

"I haven't really decided yet, actually." He chuckled in embarrassment. After they pulled out from the school and into the next street, he continued, "Where do you usually eat?"

"I don't eat out much. I mostly eat at home, but I brought money so we can go wherever you want."

"Oh, that reminds me! I loved your dad's pie from my last visit. Eating at your place sounds pretty 'sweet' to me." He winked.

Marinette deadpanned. "Did you just make a pun?"

"I don't know 'pie' you're asking that."

She rolled her eyes and elbowed him, and he elbowed her back. "That was horrible."

"Was it? I thought it was pun-tastic."

She held back her laugh and took a moment to read his expression. He was grinning, and his eyes shone with genuine amusement. Was she just imagining things a minute ago? She reasoned with herself that it was probably a play of light and the real him was this cheerful boy she knew and loved. It must've been it. "My parents are gonna bombard us with treats once we get there."

"Hey, I work out weekly, so a few extra pounds wouldn't kill me."

She fought the urge to daydream about the working out bit. When the familiar bakery appeared in her sights, they hopped off the vehicle and entered, the little jingle of the bell welcoming them. There were a few customers inside and her mother was busying herself with the cash register. Marinette went over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm home, mom."

"Hello, dear." She said with a smile. "Your father is in the kitchen if you need lunch. Where's Alya?"

"She had an errand to run. But, errr…" She pointed her thumb at the boy behind her.

Sabine's entire face lit up in delight. "Oh! Yes, yes, do come in! I'll be with you in a minute after I finish up."

"Can I help you with anything?" Adrien offered politely.

"Such a good young man! After you join the family, you can certainly help."

"MOM!" Marinette blanched. Adrien furrowed his brows in return. "C-Come on, Adrien! Let's get some food!"

The kitchen was full of noise. Tom was rolling up some dough when he noticed his daughter coming. "Hey, papa." She waved.

"Hi, sweetheart. Lunch is in the microwave." He inclined his head and beamed much like Sabine had done when he saw Adrien. "Ah, Adrien my boy, welcome!"

"Hello, sir. I'm sorry for intruding." Adrien took a seat at one of the stools.

"Ridiculous! You're a guest. Please, make yourself at home."

With her hands in mittens, she placed the hot tray on the counter and sat next to the blond. While she was scooping the food onto her plate, she felt a light kick on her ankle. Adrien was pointing up towards the ceiling. From the corner of her eye, she made sure that her father wasn't looking and bobbed her head, not really getting his signal. He pointed again and indicated the stairs with a flick of his eyes.

Alarm seized her like a tight glove. Her posters! Her posters of him! And all those photos hanging on her walls! She couldn't let him see them. She couldn't bring them upstairs.

Silently grabbing a sticky note and a pen, she wrote down a message and dragged it to him. "What's the matter?"

He quickly scribbled something and handed it to her from below and away from Tom's sight. Marinette grinned nervously at him. Tom continued applying cream on some cupcakes. Sighing in relief, she read his note. "We need to talk privately."

Still, they couldn't do that in her room. When he had come over to play video games, she'd had a head start and cleaned everything up (mostly) and even then she had to be careful. She racked her brain for an idea.

Grabbing the food, she said, "Papa, Adrien and I have some school stuff to do. We're just gonna eat upstairs and do them, okay?"

"Sure! I'll bring some snacks later on!"

"That'd be great, sir!" Adrien called and bounded up the stairs after her.

Opening the attic door, they were greeted with Marinette's pink bedroom. Not as he was expecting, Marinette ushered him to follow her through another flight of stairs. They emerged out into her balcony, a cold air blowing through but still crisp with the promise of spring. Marinette placed their food on a small table and sat, Adrien copying her actions. "Wouldn't it be better if we talked in your room instead?" Adrien asked as he rubbed his upper arms.

"Uh, my room's a complete mess! I mean, a tornado practically hit it a few hours ago!"

"But we just passed it and it looked pretty fine to me."

"Right. Well. I just thought that it'd be a lot nicer to talk with a view of the city!"

Adrien frowned and pulled his collar up to block the wind.

Marinette felt bad for making them eat in the cold. Really, she did. Asking him to wait, she went back down and searched around her closet for something to wear. "Marinette, Adrien's right." Tikki said, floating around her. "You're gonna freeze! Just invite him down!"

"And let him see all those pictures? Absolutely not! He'd never talk to me again!"

"Who are you talking to?" Adrien's voice drifted from the top of the stairs. Tikki took cover in Marinette's jacket.

"Um, I-I was just uhh… just… t-talking to errr… myself?"

Adrien descended and looked at something at a distance. Following his gaze, Marinette's color drained out of her. He was looking at her photos! "Is that me?" He squinted and walked forward.

Marinette interjected his path and put herself between him and the far wall. "You? What? No! Of course not! Let's go up!"

"It's really cold, Marinette. We'd catch the flu." He brushed past her and gazed at the dozens of pictures. "What the…?"

"It's not what you think! I-I uhh… I just… ahh…"

He fingered the edge of one. With his back still to her, he said, "Are you a fan or something?"

"Adrien, don't get the wrong idea. I admire… your work." She felt Tikki move. The kwami was probably slapping her head in frustration. "I love how you… p-pose? Yeah, and the clothes you wear. I mean, they're so stylish and I've always wanted to be a designer so… they're just up there… as inspiration?"

With every passing heartbeat, she could feel her heart tumbling lower and lower. Was he freaked out? Did he find her creepy now? Oh God, was he going to report her to the police for stalking? Was he going to turn to Chloe and have her be his girlfriend? Was he─

Adrien followed the heart-shaped line with his finger. "You sure this stuff is for inspiration?"

"Marinette!" Tikki whispered frantically, her head low and well-hidden. "Now's your chance to tell him how you feel! Tell him!"

"Are you nuts? I can't say that!" Marinette was a tad bit too loud.

"So, they aren't just for inspiration?"

"No! I mean, yes? I mean…"

A loud explosion erupted.

The floor shook and the walls shuddered violently, making some of her pencils fall off the desk and into Adrien's nimble hands. Marinette's feet caught on something and she collapsed and held the carpet for dear life. Adrien ducked and held her to prevent the oncoming dust and pebbles from hitting her. A rather large portion of the ceiling broke and struck him between his shoulder blades. He yelled out, followed by Marinette.

And it all stopped.

The world was steady again as if the earthquake never happened. Her picture frames stopped swaying. Her pens stopped rolling about the floor. But the damage still remained. Their tipped-over mugs were lying in shards. Her books were scattered. Her dolls and cushions were out of place, some had even fallen from the second level. Dazed, Marinette looked up. The roof held spider webs of cracks and at a couple of sections it had missing pieces of cement.

Adrien grunted. "Oh my God," Marinette gasped. She grabbed his shoulders and watched him wince. "Are you alright?"

"Just a bruise." He hissed through gritted teeth. "What about you? Okay there?"

She gaped at him. He was the one who got injured. He took the blow for her. He shielded her. And he was asking her if she was fine? She abruptly stood up and pointed, anger flowing through her veins. "How dare you!"

He staggered back in shock. "Wha…?"

"I am perfectly okay! I. Am. Okay. And do you know why? It's because an idiot goofball of a model just saved me! And you know what else? He is hurt! The love of my life protected me after he found out that I'm some kind of fanatic and now he's asking me if I'm okay?!"

"Wait, I never said─" He halted, blinking several times. "The love of… Marinette…"

"You shouldn't have done that!" She went on. "I absolutely hate it when other people get hurt in my place! And you… especially you…" She fought the tears from releasing. Standing high and looking down at him, her bottom lip quivered, her fists shaking vigorously at her sides. She barely heard her attic door bursting open.

"Kids!" Her papa shouted. He hoisted himself up and ran up to engulf his daughter in a tight hug. She returned the gesture with equal force. "Come on, we need to get out. We have no idea when another wave hits us." His sights fell on Adrien, kneeling and holding his shoulder. "Goodness, Adrien, are you─"

"Debris got him on the back." Marinette drawled. "Papa, please, help him."

When they were going to pass her, Adrien brushed her fingers. Blue and green met for a second before she pulled away. "Marinette, the yoyo." He called out. "You have to get the yoyo from Alya. Right now."

"Yoyo? Son, surely it's not the right time to think about a child's toy! You have a badly swollen back─" Marinette bit back a whimper, "─and you need a hospital!"

At the front door, Sabine heaved a sigh of relief. "Hurry! We mustn't be inside a building when─"

Another rough shake knocked them off their feet. The displays of donuts danced around them, a chorus of breaking glass sliced the air, and multiple car alarms blasted from afar. People ran across the street in terror, screaming and yelling for salvation. And in the midst of chaos, a figure clad in brown emerged. He stomped the ground and cracks formed along the pavement. It zigzagged and slithered like a snake, swallowing up motorcycles and bikes. "I am Rumble! The world will buzz at the sound of my name!"

"An akumatized man?" Adrien attempted to move but his wound limited his actions. Sabine balanced him back up. He whirled his head and repeated, "Get the yoyo, Marinette! Ladybug can't fight this guy without it!"

"What about Chat Noir?" She fired.

"Stop being so stubborn and go, damn it!"

Clicking her tongue, she darted out the door and leaped into the fog of grime ahead.

Not gonna lie, your reactions to my first chapter were off the hook! And coincidentally, my inspiration has been flowing for the past couple of days and I decided to gift you a quick update! The next chapter will be a lot of fun to write indeed. (Evil cackle)