"It. Looks. AMAZING!" Lila gawked at every detail of the stadium: where the large stage was, where the lights hung, and where they would be soon standing amongst the rest of the crowd. "And at last our group is together! I so don't want to end up on my own."

Marinette and Alya chuckled as Nino, Nathanael and Sabrina verified the tickets. Chloe was on a ramble to Adrien about how hard her father had worked to get her the V.I.P ticket, and how they should frame both of theirs on their walls as keepsakes.

"I'm going to head up that way," Alya grabbed Nino by the arm and tugged him along, "let's go, director."

"Chill, Alya, we got plenty of time!"

"We should keep to the front of the crowds," Sabrina explained the game plan while Chloe fixed her pigtail for the umpteenth time, "I got these glow in the dark bracelets for all of us. Chloe, of course, gets the gold one, and I'll take the bronze."

"Here, Adrien," Chloe did up another bracelet around his wrist, "you can have the silver."

"Thanks, Chloe."

"Here," Sabrina gave Marinette the pink, Lila the red and Nathanael the blue, "Nino has green and Alya has white. Once the show begins, we won't be able to lose each other."

"Unless we aren't the only ones wearing bracelets."

Chloe sniggered. "Don't worry, Marinette, we'll hear your terrible dancing and come find you."

"Gee, Chloe," Lila wrapped the bracelet around her arm, "I didn't know you were an expert."

"O-Of course I am! I'll have you know that I-"

"It'll be great watching you for reference in gym next week. After all, the dance unit is next."

Chloe fell silent, and Marinette could see Adrien suppressing a snort.

I wish we had more moments like these…

"Adrien," Mr. Agreste's assistant walked up with a clipboard in her hands, "your father has arranged for you and your chosen friend to be allowed back stage to meet and greet with Eye of Hera once the show is over; you are to be home directly after."

"Thanks, Natalie, and don't worry, I won't dawdle."

As Natalie returned to the back of the stadium to talk with the security guards, Nathanael brought out his sketchbook and pencil. "I should start looking for inspiration before it gets too dark."

Lila gave Marinette another nudge. "Time for put my plan into action." She stepped between Adrien and Nathanael and sighed. "It's too bad you won't be meeting the real Eye of Hera, Nathan."

"I knew it," Chloe laughed and walked off, Sabrina close behind, "only the best of the best are allowed such fantastic meetings."

Marinette gave him a sad glance. "I'm sorry to hear that, Nathanael."

"Oh, I never planned to meet him."

"Uh…oh."

"Nino and I are going back to meet the coordinators and the DJ, but Graham will be in his private room. I'm sorry that you can't see him, either, Marinette."

"It's fine, really. I'm just honoured you decided to let me come."

"Too bad," Lila wiped away a nonexistent tear, "and Mari has such amazing designs that even Graham would have found divine. I don't know if I could ever do them justice. Oh, well, I guess me and Adrien will have to do our best."

Adrien looked from Lila to Marinette to Nathanael, then back to Lila. "…Say, uh, Lila?"

"Yes, Adrien?"

"I was wondering," he twiddled his fingers, "I don't want to hurt your feelings, but…do you think that maybe I could…"

"Take Marinette with you to meet Graham? Adrien," she gave him a quick squeeze, "you're a genius! You two should definitely be together for this. What do you think, Nathanael?" She leaned over close to him. "Mind if I join you? And Nino, of course."

Nathanael's cheek went rose, and the gears in Marinette's brain clicked together. "S-sure, Lila. You don't mind missing the chance to meet your idol?"

"If I get to spend time watching you work…well," it was Lila's turn to fumble, "I think that's more than enough."

…Oh. My. Gosh…Alya's gotta know about this.


"Five minutes, people, five minutes!" A loud spokesperson called out to the bustling crowd from the stage. "Please keep together, the show's about to start!"

The sky had taken a beautiful purple shade as evening came, and Marinette was too busy keeping it together to feel the chill. Inches to her left was Adrien, swaying to the music. He had clearly not been too one too many dances, but the way he grinning and looking around as though the world was before him made her heart skip at least five beats.

"No matter where I go," Alya admitted from her right, "up front with my friends is the only place to shoot this thing."

"Totally," Lila and Sabrina were making the most of the room up front by swinging around each other, "we've got the best place in all of Paris right now!"

Chloe bumped her hip against Adrien's, but he was far too enthralled in the noise of everyone around them to notice. Nino and Nathanael were waving their arms around as the spokesperson had the spotlights around them switch off, one by one.

My first sort of date, Marinette shared a long look of excitement with Adrien, his eyes wide and ready to take everything in, with Adrien…does he…does he think it's a date, too? I might be alone in this, and if he finds out he's going to think I'm weird, and he's going to avoid me, and I'm going to have to change my name and grow a moustache and leave the country and buy a ticket to space and-

"Marinette?"

"Uh, y-yes, Adrien?"

He gave her and her alone his most proud smile. "I'm glad I'm here with you."

"…"

Ohgoshohgoshohgoshohgoshohgoshohgoshohgoshohgosh-

"Ladies and gentlemen," the spokesperson's bright orange jacket glimmered under the last light, "are you ready?"

"YEEESSS!"

"I said, are you ready?!"

"YYEEEEEESSSSS!"

"Then let us begin! I introduce you, Paris, to the one, the only…EYE. OF. HERAAAAAAA!"