Today's the day, so Adrien makes double sure he's ready. He makes sure to wake up early and give the cafe a little sprucing up.
"Oh, is someone special coming in today?" And his mother know, she totally knows because it's been the only topic of conversation since Monday. "You can run upstairs and pick a few of the flowers for the vase." And her smile shines brighter than the sun.
"Mom! I'm not proposing!" Yet. But she doesn't need to know that.
"Oh, sweetie," Adrien lets her fix his hair and kiss him on the cheek but he doesn't let her near the coffee supplies. "Don't want one of Mommy's special drinks?"
He hugs her and shakes his head like a little boy, even though they're basically the same height and that makes putting his head on her shoulder awkward. "Adrien, okay honey, I'll make you a normal drink. Mint hot chocolate with marshmallows." Pulling his head off her shoulder, she pressed her lips to the crown of his head. "Don't worry, I'm sure she's going to love it here."
"Love you Mom."
"Love you too, Adrikins." Adrien made sure she could hear his loud and unimpressed groan the whole time he was getting flowers.
"Hey, dude, we need to talk." Adrien turned from his vigil on the door to Nino who was frowning into the bottom of Adrien's travel mug.
"Don't tell me," dramatic gasp, "you're breaking up with me?" Batting his eyes and folding his hands over his heart, Adrien flopped dramatically onto Nino's shoulder.
"Yes. You and your next romantic drama." Taking hold of Adrien's head, Nino turned it to look at Chloé in the desk beside them. "Remember that one?"
"Look, I didn't really…"
"You wrote her name in the textbook, and tried to write poetry about her."
"That was only one day…"
"Yeah one day where you swore you were in love."
"Look that was before anyone got to know her," Adrien freed his head, "I don't get what this has to do with anything."
Nino poked Adrien's forehead. "Marinette seems like a real cool person right now, but she is one of Chloe's best friends. Who's to say she isn't like," and Nino pointed to Chloé who was very busy with her manicure, "that."
"No, Marinette is a good person. I can feel it." In his heart but Nino doesn't want to hear that.
"Dude, I get that you're 'in love' or whatever, again, but unsubscribe me from your sudden yet inevitable heartbreak." With a poke to Adrien's forehead, Nino turned away.
"But you're still going to lunch today?"
"Uh, duh."
Adrien swears to never let Nino near a limo again. Marinette's limo has all the tricks and gadgets you'd expect from a spy movie and Nino is busy pressing every button and trying to plug his phone into the sound system.
Meanwhile, Alya is busy gawking at Marinette and her partner Alexandre. Marinette had missed school for a photoshoot and she had only bothered to change her clothes. She sparkled, even with the tinted windows filtering the light. Tiny crystals woven into her hair and her eyelashes, glitter dusting her cheeks and eyes and lips and bare skin, she was more dazzling than all the stars in the sky.
Marinette's black rimmed eyes flicked between all the occupants of her limo and Adrien was caught between needing to breathe and trying to talk to her. Alexandre, his arm loose around her shoulders, was busy pointing out new buttons for Nino.
"Hey, is this your shop?" Alexandre nudged Adrien with the hand dangling between him and Marinette.
"Uh, yeah, it is Alexandre." Adrien tried not to notice Marinette's expression staying carefully neutral as she looked at the coffee shop.
"C'mon man, my friends call me Dre, and we're friends now." Dre ran a hand through his dark hair and grinned over his sunglasses. "After all, any friend of my Mari is a friend of mine!"
He stepped out first, offering a hand to Marinette and Alya as they climbed out of the limo. In the sunlight, Marinette and Dre were blinding, light being thrown off in every direction. Alya had to drag Nino and Adrien into the cafe.
Now he was in his element. "Okay guys, what do you want today?" Adrien ducked behind the counter and slapped on an apron and some hand sanitiser.
"Uh dude, my usual, duh." Nino slouched over the counter and grinned.
"Uh, thirty euros, duh," Adrien reminded him, already noting down the order.
Nino scoffed. "You know I'm good for it."
"I'll know that when you give me thirty five euros. Alya?"
"Wait, where did the five come from?"
"Oh, I'll have whatever's good, surprise me."
"I thought we were pals," Nino slumped dramatically over the counter and pouted at Adrien. Alya took a photo.
"Have anything you want, I'm buying." And there's Marinette being so kind and sweet and sparkly and beautiful. If he wasn't already in love with her he sure is now.
"Hey now Beautiful, I can't let you do that." Dre placed a few notes on the counter, "This should cover everything, keep the change." Adrien counted out ninety euros and wondered if he should try giving some back.
"That's very kind Dre but I invited everyone out," Dre placed one finger on Marinette's lips. The crystals on her eyelashes threw off rainbows as she blinked.
"What would you like?" He asked, voice soft and caring.
"Adrien?" Adrien dropped his pen.
"You could just tell me what you like and I'll throw something together?" Marinette still looked unsure so he prompted, "hot or cold?"
"Cold."
"Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or coffee?"
"You really shouldn't be having this kind of thing, Beautiful," Dre interrupted. "Our dietician will have our heads."
"I'm sure just once will be fine." Her phone went off just then, "That will be Mère now, Adrien I'll have whatever you're having." She sent him a glittering wink and his heart stutters.
Dre clicks his fingers in Adrien's face. "Cappuccino. Please." He did a little finger wave at Marinette outside and flashed the rest of them a blinding grin. "Where are we sitting today?"
"That couch with the cat cushion is the best seat here," Adrien rattled off absently. He'd set a small vase with miniature roses from the apartment on that table, just for Marinette. "Go sit, I'll make the drinks."
Nino pulled himself up and flopped immediately into one of the couches next to the cat cushion, then sat up and gently placed his headphones on the table only to flop back. Alya continued taking photos of the shop. Dre went to join Marinette outside. Adrien shook his head and concentrated on not injuring himself while making drinks.
He'd just finished four chocolate frappes, chocolate and caramel sauce squiggled on the inside of the glasses since it was a special occasion, when they came back. Marinette went straight to the counter while Dre sat on the cat cushion. Adrien accidentally added too many sprinkles to one frappe.
"Are these done?" Her head tilted a little to the side, in a super cute and adorable way.
"Yes!" Adrien squeaked. "Yes," he said in a normal voice. "I bean-lieve they are. I'll just grind out that cappuccino and we can take them over together."
She nodded and he tried not to notice that her sparkly lips weren't as sparkly as before.
Right then, his mother burst through the staff door a quiche in her hands. Adrien busied himself with the coffee machine.
"Adrikins! I made you and your friends a quiche for lunch! Oh you must be Marinette! Call me Mom!" Adrien's Mom dropped the quiche onto the counter and took both of Marinette's hands in hers. "You're so beautiful, dear. I bet you'd look fantastic in white, I have the perfect dress in mind. Adrikins, honey, come stand next to her, Mommy wants to see her darlings together."
Obediently, Adrien went and stood next to Marinette, setting the finished coffee next to the quiche. "Oh yes, Mommy knew you two would be perfect together! Here Adrikins, hold her hands like this and yes! Mommy is so proud! Now take these and sit down, Marinette, sweetie, I hope you like salmon and spinach quiche it's my special recipe and very healthy, don't be shy and be sure to eat as much as you'd like!" Adrien and Marinette found themselves juggling their drinks as well as plates and cutlery. Setting it all down on the table Adrien offered the other half of the good couch to Marinette and sat himself across from her. His mom dished out her quiche, kissed Adrien on the cheek and breezed off again. Alya raised one eyebrow.
"She's very energetic," Adrien explained, Nino nodding as best he could while shovelling food in his mouth. Rearranging her meal Alya nodded.
"Oh yeah, I hope you don't mind but I'm writing an article on your coffee shop for the school website." One quick photo later and, "Your Mom makes a good quiche!"
"Yes, she does," Marinette's soft smile made flecks of light around her and Adrien put his straw in his mouth so it wasn't just gaping open.
Dre shrugged, "It's pretty good, but I've been stuck with the places around my university. Those are pretty bad, but a first year can't expect to know where the decent food is." He laughed a little and Adrien tried to laugh too. Slinging an arm along the couch behind Marinette, Dre put down his half finished plate. "It'd be easier if I could go out with the girls when they ask, too bad about my contract."
"Adrien, you made this? It's so good!" Marinette looked at him with her big blue eyes and pink lips pursed around her straw.
"It's just a frappe," running a hand through the back of his hair he looked her in the eyes and put it in a scrapbook this is a beautiful moment right here.
Dre caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger, guiding her face towards his. "So what are you drinking?" He murmured tilting both their faces just so. Her lashes fluttered and cheeks flushed a warm pink, he held the pose for 1… 2… 3 heartbeats then turned his head to the audience, pressing his cheek to her forehead. "She looks at me like that and still wont go out with me," he lamented to the open mouthed silence.
"Dre, it's not like that," she whispered into the space between his collar and his neck. A single crystal winked on her eyelashes.
"I know." Draining the rest of his cup he stood up, "it's been great meeting all of you, but I should be going. Be nice to my Mari, I'll text you later Babe." And just like that he was gone.
"So he's interesting," Alya quickly moved into the space that Dre had vacated. "Any story there Marinette?" Marinette shook her head, the gems in her hair shining with the movement. "Speaking of stories, did you read my article on the new superheroes of Paris? Look I got some really good shots."
Um wow? I didn't expect this to get the kind of support that it did, it's literally my most popular story, so well done everyone; you've unlocked more chapters! And I plan to update every 4-7 days, once the 7th day hits feel free to nag me here or on tumblr under violttepaillette. Not that this is being made up as it goes but it is so idk let's try this thing.