Hi everyone - I just wanted to say I'm grateful for the support this story has received so far! Just a small notice, I have changed the rating to M as this story will be steaming up as it goes along. I love hearing your thoughts, so please feel free to review the story or message me.
Marinette loved her best friend. She really did, and for a moment she wondered if Alya knew how cool she really was. She always had the best advice and was willing to dole it out in copious amounts, which Marinette was more often than not in dire need of, not to mention thankful for. On top of that, she had a wicked sense of humour, she always had the latest news and she never let anything anyone said get to her, even anything rotten that fell out of Chloe's mouth. But it was that last little trait, her apparent imperviousness to the looks and words of others that was posing Marinette a problem right now.
Because right now, she was trying to convey her deepest, most intense feelings of simmering fury by staring daggers into the side of Alya's face.
Because right now Adrien Agreste was leaning on her shoulders as they hid behind some gym equipment, peering round her head, mere millimetres away from her face. He was trying to assess the situation between Nino and Alya, who were sitting a very safe distance away on a bench. Too far away, Marinette thought, as her daggers seemed to be falling short of their intended target. Either that, or Nino and Alya were secretly enjoying the mess they had created.
"Do you think he's asked her yet?" Adrien asked her, eyes still trained on the couple who were chatting animatedly.
No, they're planning their next treacherous move… she thought.
Adrien had cornered her by her locker at lunch, all smiles and glittering eyes, waiting to let her in on his little plan to set up Nino and Alya. Admittedly, most of it seemed to have bypassed her somewhat, as she had been distracted by, well, just the fact that he was talking to her. Though, that was before she had caught site of Alya and Nino's traitorous grins and thumbs ups through the window behind him. The two had hightailed it to safety before she could even say 'double-crossers', leaving her with her reddening face and Adrien, who was thankfully too caught up in his magnificent plan to notice her dilemma.
Marinette sighed. It would have been a magnificent plan if those two had actually needed help, which they didn't, and if she was capable of speaking to Adrien without imploding, which she wasn't. They meant well, but she was no good at talking to Adrien by herself-
"Marinette?" he prompted, interrupting her thoughts, and she realised she had left his question hanging, proving her point.
But it was so hard to talk when he was so close that his hair tickled her cheek and she could feel his breath against her neck. His hands on her shoulders were so warm and the thought of sinking back into his chest was terribly tempting.
"A-are you sure they need our help?" Marinette finally managed, squinting at the traitors who looked like they didn't have a care in the world, trying to ignore the blush creeping up her face.
"Yeah, he's got it pretty bad for her!" he laughed. "It's kind of sweet. But don't tell him I told you that. He probably wants to keep it cool, you know?"
She knew. But he had lost his 'cool' status when he had passed Alya the knife which she had used to stab Marinette in the back. He didn't even have the decency to pretend to be asking her out! Or look nervous for that matter.
"He looks like he's doing pretty well by himself," she muttered.
"Oh, don't be fooled," Adrien murmured. "He might be doing alright now, but that's because we're in school and it all feels normal and comfortable. But it's when he gets the date with her – he's going to need our help."
"Our help?" Marinette repeated.
"I was actually going to ask you…"
Adrien tugged gently at her shoulders, pulling her behind the gym equipment, just enough to be blocked from any prying eyes. Marinette was a little thankful, as she suspected she might not have looked as composed or elegant as she would have hoped, so an audience was unwelcome right now. Especially the two pairs of eyes that were sitting on the bench, whom she was pretty sure were watching her and Adrien as much as they had been watching them. Just the thought of it made her cringe.
However, at this time it was Adrien Agreste's attention she had, and it was solely focused on her. As much as that sent a thrill up her spine, it also left her on the verge of breathlessness and barely able to speak. He gave her a coy smile, one hand remaining on her shoulder while the other one rubbed the back of his neck as he worked out how to explain the strange situation Marinette found herself in.
"I said to Nino that we'd both go with him and Alya when they go on their date. You know, so he's not on his own. He's a bit hapless and I think he might flounder without us," he said, unable to quite meet her eyes. "I hope you don't mind."
Marinette barely caught his words, completely sidetracked by how she was close enough to count his eyelashes if she had cared to, if she even could. Then, just as his eyes found hers, his words began to sink in. She found herself lost to the world as she tried to process what he was asking.
Is he asking me out?
She willed words to form, but they hung in the air as he watched her reaction. All she could do was stare helplessly back at him and that is when she caught the flicker of some unknown emotion within the green of his eyes. It had only been fleeting, but she could have sworn it had happened, even if only for a fraction of a second, before they returned to their expectant gaze on her. It was enough to bring her back to reality
"I-I do, I mean, I, I d-don't mind," Marinette stammered, blinking at him.
Good enough Marinette told herself. At least actual words had come out and formed an appropriate answer. She could work adding the charm and basic grammar later. Adrien paused, his eyes curiously scanning her face, though free of that sparkle she had caught moments earlier. But whatever he was looking for in her face, Marinette couldn't tell whether he had found it or not. He finally stepped back, a victorious expression gracing his face as he beamed at her.
Marinette released a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding.
"That's great," he said, sounding utterly ecstatic at what she thought had been a relatively underwhelming answer. "Looks like we're going to the arcade then! Thank you Marinette, you're amazing."
Marinette smirked, feeling a lot more relaxed all of a sudden.
"So amazing that I'm going to beat you at every game in the arcade with my hands tied."
Her answer had caught him off guard, and even herself a little bit. How she had even said that, let alone blurt it out was beyond her. Marinette had never been able to be so quick with her wit out of her Ladybug mask, so she couldn't help but revel in her minor triumph as he stared and sputtered at her instinctive reply. It was short lived though, as he was able to compose himself quickly, his reply following swiftly.
"Your hands tied? Now that is something I would like to see."
The little confidence Marinette had salvaged in the last few seconds now collapsed under her when he gave her a smouldering smile, followed by a deliberate wink. Marinette was certain she must be dreaming, and half expected her alarm to interrupt them at any moment.
Adrien's expression melted back into his normal friendly smile, and he laughed.
"I'm already looking forward to it," he said, picking up his school bag slowly. "See you then."
Marinette raised a hand in a feeble attempt at a wave goodbye before he turned to walk away, not trusting herself to actually say anything in case she ruined the moment. The second he had rounded the corner out of sight, she let out a mangled groan, clutching her head.
"Sooo…. That seemed to go well!" chirped a traitorous voice just seconds later. Marinette forget her own awkwardness and glared at her supposed friend.
"How could you do such a thing!" she hissed at Alya, fingers clawing at the air in a gesture of complete frustration. "You know I can't talk to him-"
"Did he ask you?" Nino interrupted, head poking out from behind the gym equipment, flinching when Marinette's head whirled round to aim her scowl hit him.
"Not you too Nino…" Marinette groaned, sliding to the floor and burying her head in her knees. "Why can't you two just leave me alone to admire him from a distance?"
The last bit had been a bit muffled, but she knew that they had heard her from the knowing chuckles they gave in response.
"Because that's boring! I've been waiting so long for you two kiddos to get together!" Alya said cheerfully. "Thought I better step in and give my girl a helping hand!"
Marinette turned her head slightly to allow one eye to stare fiercely at her. "Did you even see how close he was? I nearly fainted! Is that what you wanted? Can you even imagine that? He would then think I was some weird fainting girl, ruining my chances with him forever –"
"I don't know", Nino said thoughtfully. "If you did that, he could catch you in his arms. That's kind of romantic, right?"
Marinette blushed at the thought, whilst Alya gave the now grinning Nino a hearty thumbs up.
"Ahh the student is learning!" she said proudly. "I have taught you well!"
"I do try," he replied, pleased with the reaction he had provoked before he turned his attention back to Marinette. "So, did he ask you out?"
Marinette bobbed her head slightly in reply, causing Alya to shriek out loud at the success of her plan. Marinette winced at the sound.
"Stop that!" Marinette sighed. "It's not a real date – he thinks we're there to make sure Nino doesn't mess up on taking you out for a date."
Nino and Alya exchanged meaningful glances with each other. "It's a date," they replied in unison.
"It's not!"
"It is," they replied.
A thought struck Marinette that suddenly sent a chill through her. They had already stabbed her in the back once, but was it possible that they were planning to do it again?
"You two aren't going to show up for the date, are you?"
Alya bit her lip and Nino allowed himself to look a little ashamed. Their answer couldn't have been clearer. Marinette forgot her fury and felt panic creeping up in her chest.
"Please don't bail out on the date! That's what you were going to do, weren't you?" she wailed, standing suddenly. "I really can't do it! I'll look like an idiot!"
Alya took pity on the pleading look on her friend's face, her face forming a soft expression when faced with Marinette's one of sheer desperation. She put a comforting arm around Marinette's shoulders.
"Okay, okay! I promise that we will be there," she said, glancing at Nino who nodded. "I am willing to bend my plan just for you I think."
Marinette sighed, the panic subsiding to be replaced with a feeling of weariness. The day was only halfway through, and she was already craving the sanctuary of her own room.
"Thank you," she murmured, managing a wobbly smile. Alya gave her a sympathetic, but satisfied smile in return.
"I know what will make you feel better," Alya sang, giving Marinette's shoulders a gentle shake. "Look what I have here…"
She took out her beloved phone from her back pocket and waved it in front of Marinette, who blinked at it before realising what was on the screen. Marinette felt her breath leave her for the umpteenth time that day when she saw a picture of her and Adrien shine from the small screen. It was of them, just barely minutes ago, when his eyes had locked onto hers, waiting for her answer to his question. Marinette's cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink. She should have suspected that Alya would have been capturing all of her ordeal on her phone! She had often thought Alya could have an amazing career as a spy, if she hadn't been running the Ladyblog, of course.
"That's not all – wait for it," Alya said, swiping the picture to the side, revealing a shot of Adrien giving Marinette that piercing, smouldering smile of his. It was enough to unstitch Marinette and Alya knew it.
"Do you forgive me?" Alya asked her with a smug expression.
"Only if you send me those photos", Marinette mumbled pitifully, grabbing the phone to have a closer look. She knew when she had been beaten.
"Looks like this turned out well then!" Nino announced, throwing his arm round Marinette's other shoulder, sandwiching her between them. "By the way, what is he saying to you in that last photo?"
Marinette gave him an exasperated look. There was no way she could reveal that she had teased Adrien Agreste. But it was something she knew she wouldn't be able to keep from Alya, who would hound her until she broke, so she turned to whisper a hurried explanation to Alya, trying her best not to sink into the ground when she recalled Adrien's response to the thought of her hands being tied. Marinette felt just a little bit satisfied at the slight flustered look on Alya's face when she had finished, knowing that it usually took something monumental to bother her. At least she hadn't been completely beaten and could walk away from the battle with this minor victory.
"Our cute innocent Adrien said that?" Alya exclaimed, dramatically placing her hand to her mouth in an exaggerated expression of surprise.
"What?" Nino asked impatiently, clearly feeling left out. "What did Adrien say to her?"
Alya simply answered him with a wag of her finger in front of his nose.
"I don't think you're ready for the sheer awesomeness of it. Plus, I have to keep some secrets for my Marinette, don't I?"
With that, Alya steered Marinette away from a confused looking Nino before he could ask any more questions. It was at that moment Marinette knew that Alya hadn't really betrayed her, and that she never would. Alya was always going to have her back, even if she had some sneaky and slightly questionable tactics tucked up her sleeve. Marinette couldn't complain though, for those sneaky and slightly questionable tactics meant that she was going on a sort-of-date with Adrien Agreste. Her friend was nothing short of incredible.
"Hey Alya, have I ever told you that you're the best friend ever?"
Adrien stood in front of the mirror in his room, shirt slung over his bed as he carefully unravelled Marinette's handiwork from the previous night. The bruises were magnificent in their vividness, and he couldn't help but find the way that they splotched and splattered their way across his skin almost beautiful. Though, the way the sunlight dappled through the window and onto his body made it difficult to tell where some of the grazes and bruises started and finished. He picked up the new roll of bandage and began working to replace it.
These moments of dusk were usually the only moments Adrien would have to himself. Well, Plagg and himself, he noted, glancing at the kwami who was currently taking a cap nap on his pillow. It was an unusual time where the sunlight softly illuminated the dust that floated lazily in his room, as if time was standing still, a time where he both relished and wished the minutes away.
On the one hand, he liked the chance to relax and collect his thoughts in peace. His life was pretty hectic with schoolwork and photo shoots, so this small window of time when he was free of those duties was precious. It was his time to let his mind relax, though he inevitably always found that his thoughts would drift to Ladybug. When that happened, more often sooner than later, the calm of his bedroom would feel stifling, and he would wish for the night to come so he could wind his way across the rooftops to be by her side. Yet, no matter how strong the urge was, he would settle for these precious moments alone, knowing that the time for Ladybug was close.
It wasn't that he was bored, not at all. He had become remarkably good at keeping himself entertained. It wasn't difficult after all, when he was able to indulge his imagination and daydream about his Lady. He rather enjoyed it, actually. He would simply recall his favourite memories of her, and replay them over and over again. They never dulled in their accuracy, never faded in their stunning detail and always brought a smile to his face.
Other times, if he was feeling particularly indulgent, he would conjure up entire stories about her. These were his guilty pleasure, the things he saved for when even Plagg was not going to disturb him, often when night had fallen and he was alone in his bed. These stories were tapestries of memories, things she had said, expressions she had made, woven in with his personal fantasies.
Adrien liked to consider himself a gentleman, so the stories would start off quite politely, with scenes of dates at the cinema, the two of them linking hands, or the sound of Ladybug's laugh in the air as he told her a joke. But it was so easy to slip into the more sordid thoughts. Too easy when he thought about the way she would gaze at him with quiet determination, the way her body moved and flexed as she leapt and twirled through the air, checking over her shoulder to see if he was still chasing her, or the way her rose coloured lips curled into competitive smile when facing the enemy. She was just so irresistible, and he really wanted to know what would happen if one day he managed to take her down mid-leap, pin her to a wall and kiss her senseless. Would she run her hands through his hair? Pull him closer? Moan his name against his lips?
With that last thought, Adrien jolted himself out of his daydream, blushing profusely and dropping the new bandage so that it rolled away from him and underneath his bed. He sighed. Just there mere thought of Ladybug left him feeling more than a little hot and bothered. Just the thought of them together was utterly dizzying…
Adrien slowly crouched to retrieve the roll of bandage, the muscles his in chest and sides protesting as he did. He really hoped that his transformation would help a little with the aching and soreness that was plaguing him at the moment, otherwise he was going to be slightly useless tonight. Part of him also hope that his body would also calm down before he found himself wrapped in the figure hugging leather that was his suit. He was sure his Lady would find it difficult to take him seriously if he tried to complete their patrol with a very noticeable bulge lurking just below his belt.
Though it might not be that bad, his mind whispered, unhelpfully offering him an array of images featuring Ladybug pressed against his-
Adrien let out a strangled growl, hips inadvertently bucking as he tried to shake the imagery out of his mind. He really had to get his mind out the gutter.
Not now. I have to get ready… I have to make sure I can support her. I have to be her Chat.
Reminding himself that he had to be serious, that he had a responsibility to her and to Paris, he managed to sober up and carry on with his first aid, albeit messier and more haphazardly then before.
It would be at a point like this where he found it rather difficult to stop himself from immediately leaping through the window as Chat Noir, feet driven by his suddenly wish to be by her side, to relish in her trust, her respect, her friendship. Although he was always hopeful that she would make one of his fantasises come true, but in the end when she didn't, it didn't actually matter. For him, it was enough to be with her, just to enjoy the small touches, the shared looks, her witty comebacks. And sometimes it was even just enough to sit on the rooftops and talk with her about everything and nothing.
It was easy to talk when it was with Ladybug. Words and laughter effortlessly rolled of his tongue when he was with her. It was never as easy with other girls. Girls were difficult. How on earth was he supposed to know what they were thinking?
Take Marinette for example. Adrien was sure that he had spooked her today when he had been executing his master plan. But even though she had been a bit strange with him, her demeanour had suddenly changed and he had managed to get a glimpse of her cunning wit and playfulness. Adrien in his surprise, had found himself accidentally letting a little of Chat slip into his reply which had sent an unexpected jolt into his stomach, which hadn't been all that unpleasant. And then she had sunk back into her usual awkwardness. Adrien could only reason for it was that she didn't like people being in her personal space. He had gotten quite close to her, now that he thought back.
The fault hadn't been his though, it had been those eyes. They had got him again, drawn him in with their open and kind appearance. They reminded him so much of Ladybug. Maybe he had been daydreaming about her too much? But after seeing those striking eyes, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about Ladybug's own captivating eyes. It was always a wonderful pleasure to gaze into them, however short the opportunity. He had learnt a little while ago that the night lights of Paris were always especially wonderful reflected in her eyes.
Adrien felt his skin flush again at the thought, and he decided to give up on the bandages. He flung them to the side, narrowly missing Plagg who was still gently snoring. Instead, he slunk into his bathroom and opted for a cool shower to dampen his swelling excitement.
He swore softly when the icy water hit his bare skin, stinging at the grazes and cuts. He shuddered and steeled himself, but couldn't suppress the chattering of his teeth. This wasn't the way he thought he would have been spending his time this evening.
If only Ladybug knew the trouble she caused him.