Uncovered Mask
"If "I love you" was a promise
Would you break it, if you're honest
Tell the mirror what you know she's heard before
I don't wanna be you anymore"
Chapter Four
She bit her lip, then suddenly enveloped him in her arms. "Chat… Adrien…"
"Mari?" His hands laid at her waist, and his chest filled with warmth and anticipation.
Marinette looked up at him, she gulped at the anticipation in his green orbs and finally spoke:
"Adrien… kitty... I'm... I think I'm in love with you." Her hands went up to wrap around his neck, slightly hesitant. She got on her tiptoes, pressing her lips close to his. It was the perfect moment... Which was why he couldn't do this. Chat Noir pulled away, and Marinette's eyes opened and looked up in confusion. "Chat?"
"I'm sorry, Mari. Not while I'm like this..." He turned, stepping onto the railing and about to leave.
She grabbed his shoulder and made him face her, "Then do it as Adrien Agreste, the normal boy at school."
"But I'm still in love with-"
"I'm okay with that!" The raise of her voice startled him, she almost seemed angry, but her eyes softened at his slight flinch.
"Chat... Adrien. You're both one in the same. Either way, I'm still in love with you, Adrien."
"Mari..." Adrien didn't know if he could ever love her... Her desperation made him sad for her, he knew her feelings... After all, it's what he felt for Ladybug.
"I've been falling in love with you since the first day of high school. And, just one kiss wouldn't hurt. Right?" Her eyes started to tear up as they stared at the floor, the possibility of rejection running shivers down her spine. Her gaze shifted up at the sight of a green light and she gasped as Adrien Agreste now stood before her. He jumped off the railing, towards her, and placed his hand on her cheek.
"Just one..." His hand trailed her cheek down to her lips, and her breath hitched. He slowly leaned in, his lips inching closer and closed her eyes, waiting ever-so-eagerly. Both of their hearts started to beat like never before, the cold weather of the night fading away in their little bubble of heat. Their lips lightly grazed upon one another, and as he was about to devour her lips into his-
-The balcony trap door opened suddenly, revealing the sight of the two teenagers in an embrace to a bewildered Alya. "Marinette? Adrien?! Oh my God!"
Marinette pulled away from her crush suddenly, almost tripping on her own two feet, but Adrien caught her quickly. "Careful!"
Hanging onto Adrien's shoulders for balance, Marinette stuttered. "Alya! W-What are you doing here?"
Alya, now standing in front of the two blushing teenagers as Adrien held her arms in his hands, keeping her balanced, scoffed. Not to mention that Marinette was obviously wearing Adrien's clothes. "What I'd like to know is what you two are doing here? You haven't called or texted me since Friday, Marinette, and I can clearly see why."
"We- Well, we were-" She stuttered, she still didn't know exactly what they were. Was this just a hangout, were we on a date? We almost kissed... Her mind was racing, and her brain could barely form a coherent thought.
"We were just on a date. I had asked her out." She looked up at his crush in surprise, and blushed as he smiled in an innocent manner towards Alya.
Marinette's best friend raised an eyebrow towards her, "Is that right?"
Only being able to release a squeak from her lips, she just nodded frantically. "Mmhm!"
The tan girl smirked at the two, "Oh wow, and I thought you two would never date. It's about time."
Marinette blushed even harder, almost her whole face turned as red as a tomato. Adrien slightly smiled to himself, she's really liked me for that long? The thought alone almost made his cheeks turn warm. Almost.
"Sorry, I didn't text you for a while, Alya. I was-"
"Busy? Yeah, I can see that." She chuckled and shook her head with a grin plastered on her face. "Just come inside when you two are done. I want all the details." With that, she went back inside and closed the hatch.
Marinette immediately turned to him, "I would never tell-"
"I know, I can trust you." His hands held hers and briefly smiled.
"But what will we-"
"Don't worry, I'll be the one doing the talking, Mari. She'll never suspect a thing."
Marinette nodded, and as he started to walk away from her, she suddenly pulled him back and planted a kiss to his cheek in a hurry. Smirking at his dazed look, she slightly giggled and opened the hatch, running down the stairs.
Adrien blinked, "M-Marinette..."
"So you're telling me, you guys have been hanging out ever since yesterday, and Adrien spontaneously just decided to ask you out of nowhere to go out with him?"
"Well, in a sense, yeah..." Adrien and Marinette nodded in sync, and Alya laughed.
"Listen, I know I don't know the full story... And I probably won't ever will. But whatever happened, I'm glad it did. Cause finally you two are going out, right?"
"Oh, well, not yet- I mean-"
"We're still just testing the waters a little." His hand slipped into hers, and his thumb gently massaged back and forth, reassuring the raven-haired girl he held so dear.
Alya smirked, noticing then suddenly turned serious and narrowed her eyes at the young boy. "You hurt her, I'll hurt you."
"I understa-"
"Really bad. I'm so serious, I will hurt you like there is no tomorrow."
"Alya-"
"I know how to make things look like an accident, Adrien. I'm serious about-"
"I would never dream of hurting her, Alya. I'm serious about this too, trust me." Adrien's hand gripped around hers, and Marinette bit her lip as she glanced at him and then to Alya.
"Alya, we just started. Maybe you shouldn't lay so much pressure on him. Besides, it's really late at night, you guys should really start heading home."
"No, no, no. You don't get to blow me off any longer. Adrien can go home, I'm going to stay the night. With you." Both blue and green eyes widened as the boy was rushed out of the bakery, and Alya smirked at Marinette as they were finally alone in her room.
"Tell me everything."
Sunday came in minutes, but it was only midnight. Marinette and Alya laid on her bed, talking about the boys in their mind.
"He's just so charming, and witty, and so, so-"
"Perfect?"
"No." Surprised by her answer, Alya looked at her best friend confused.
"What do you mean? He's Adrien Agreste... the boy of your dreams."
"Nobody's perfect, Alya, but that's exactly what I love about him."
"It's nice to know he's cleared more of your perspective about him..."
Marinette smiled blissfully, "It feels nice too, heh."
"So, what're your plans for today? You two meeting today?"
"Actually, I don't know. But we text a lot, so..."
"Well, you guys should! That's the basis for any relationship."
Marinette giggled, "No duh, Alya. What about you and Nino? Anything juicy?"
"Ugh, sadly, no. I mean, I'm in love with him of course, and I know he loves me too, but… he hasn't kissed me."
The raven-haired girl gasped, sitting up and looking at her friend incredulously, "Wait! You're kidding, right?"
"Dude, I wish. We've only kissed a couple times, but even then it's like small pecks or close-lipped. I want something more… you know? I'm almost 18, and I'm pretty sure I'm one of the only kids in college that hasn't done anything remotely sexual."
"Well, to be fair, our college is weird in general, so trust. You're not the only one, and of course you have me, the most extra virgin olive oil ever."
Alya laughed, "I know right? I still can't believe Gabriel Agreste turned our high school into a small college just so his son couldn't go out of the country. Dude is super paranoid."
Marinette shrugged, "To be honest, I'm kinda glad we didn't really have to move away from our families and all. Plus, as long as our attendance sheet isn't too bad, it's free."
"Crazy how rich someone can be."
"Imagine I marry Adrien, and then maybe we could start our own little fashion business, and travel the world-"
Alya's phone beeped, and it showed that Alya's mom was calling, "Sorry, it's my mom. I'll see if she wants me to go home, but we can talk more about this later, okay?"
Marinette's friend left the room, and she was left to her own thoughts. Chat... Adrien... We almost kissed. And Alya caught us. Would I really have been okay with him kissing me, even without any feelings? I seemed morbid, and even a little desperate.
Alya strolled in a couple minutes later, and gave her friend a hug. "I gotta go home, but we can talk more in the morning, okay?"
"Sounds good, Alya."
Her friend left, and she sat down in the bed. "God, talk about a tiring day."
Tikki stirred from her coin purse, and flew out, collapsing on Marinette's pillow. "Yeah, can't wait to sleep." Now a minute later, the two dozed off.
Suddenly, Marinette heard a huge commotion outside and immediately sprang up, "What's going on..."
She turned on her TV and gasped when she saw yet another villain smashing the famous Eiffel Tower. "Tikki!"
The kwami flew next to her in a rush, waking up from her small nap, "Marinette?"
"Sorry, no time to explain. Tikki, spot's on!"
Half an hour earlier...
The couple sat together, he smiled down at her and she smiled back. "So babe, what did you want to tell me?"
The woman, took a deep breath, and stood up, nervous and slowly kneeled before him. "I know we've only known each other for a little, and some people would say its a bit unorthodox for me to propose to you as a girl, but..."
Out of her box, came a small silver box with a golden ring inside it. "I really love you, with all my heart. And I'd like to know if you would marry me, and be with me for as long as we live?"
For a second, everything was still in the chill brisk of the early morning. She smiled, her palms sweaty as he sat speechless.
"Well, my love? What do you say?"
"I love you." They grinned at each other, and he stood embracing her as she giggled.
"So you'll marry me?"
"Of course!" He slipped the ring on, and kissed her deeply. The joy in their chests was indescribable, but was it was that the fear in their chests also increased as she was suddenly ripped out of his arms.
"Laura!" He screamed, his throat sore now and tears spilling down. It was an akuma, and all he could do was wait for the heroes to retrieve his fiance.
Adrien gulped as the villain smirked deviously from the top of the tower. The reporter had zoomed in on his face as he screamed, and even from the confinement in his room, he felt the menacing vibrations of his chaos
"Bring your miraculous here, Ladybug and Chat Noir! Or she will turn into nothing!"
He shook his head, his mouth turning into a snarl, and extended his arm. "Plagg, claws out!"
"Wha- AH!"
Chat landed next to Ladybug, the two of them staring up at the minion of their malicious enemy.
"Let her go!" Ladybug, in her fighting stance, growled up at the captor as he dangled the victim from the top. Chat glanced her way, his chest aching at the sight of her, but he remained his gaze on the task at hand.
"I am Retriever. And whatever HawkMoth desires, I shall do!"
Ladybug scoffed, and the two superheroes proceeded to go towards him. Using Chat as a distraction, Ladybug grabbed the woman escorting her to her fiance. Returning, she was hurdled against the wall suddenly. She stood up, running back to help her superhero ally. She saw Chat Noir look to her as she returned, and she screamed when she saw the villain smirk as he raised his sword.
"Chat Noir, look out!"
The superhero didn't even grunt in pain as he was thrown through a building, and the world seemed to pause for Ladybug as she heard nothing from her partner.
"NO!" A lump had seemed to grow in her throat, and she glared back at the akumatized civilian. Grabbing Chat, she placed him on the roof of a random building, and quickly assessed him for injuries. Luckily, it was just a few scrapes and bruises, but he was still out cold. She kissed his forehead, "I'll come back for you, Adrien..."
She frowned as she returned to the battlefield and the villain merely laughed at her, "Lucky Charm!"
A wrench fell in her hands, and she huffed. "God, who decides these things…"
She ran at the akuma, and screamed.
Getting the job done using the help of the wrench, she de-evilized the akuma and set it free. With the task at hand over, she ran over to Chat Noir. "Chat? Chat! Wake up..."
His eyes, barely open, saw a worried Ladybug on top of him. "My... M'Lady..." His eyes closed, his brain going in and out of consciousness.
He heard beeping, and opened his eyes once again only to see Marinette standing over him. "Marinette... Where is she? Where is my lady?"
Chat tried to sit up, but groaned, his eyes looking around for his love.
"Chat..."
"Did she... She left me..." He let his head fall back to the ground, and faded into sleep once again., her voice fading away into an echo.
"Chat, stay with me... Please."
Hawk Moth smirked to himself in his lair, seeing the spectacle of Marinette dragging Chat Noir to her home and smirked to himself, "Chat Noir... and Marinette Dupein-Cheng? Oh, this will be fun..."
"Nathalie!" After transforming back, he went downstairs, looking for his assistant. "Nathalie, come this instant!"
Nathalie came rushing in, slightly flushed, "Yes, Mr. Agreste?!"
"I have plans. First, call my son and get his whereabouts. Second, we're throwing a masquerade party." He walked down the stairs towards the area by the front door as Nathalie followed him, and he smirked. "Also, invite everyone from my son's school, especially Marinette Dupain-Cheng. We already know that Ladybug and Chat Noir are in that age range since they fraternize with teenagers, all we need to do is find them and corner them at the party. Perhaps even an akuma could force them to reveal themselves."
Nathalie smiled, "As always, a brilliant plan, sir."
Gabriel stopped, a small smile on his lips as he turned to glance at his assistant. "Of course."
"Sir?" Nathalie grabbed his shoulder, looking down. "If I may…"
He turned around fully, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her close. "I love Emilie, and I always will. But for the time being, Nathalie…" His hand grazed her cheek, and she smirked.
"Of course, sir."
"Call me Gabriel."
Ladybug grunted as she laid her partner on her bed-like futon at the center of her room. "God, you're so heavy, kitty."
He lay unconscious and sprawled across her furniture. Ladybug frowned. "Tikki, spots off."
"Marinette?" Tikki sat on her shoulder, worried about her miraculous holder.
Marinette walked downstairs, rushing towards her parent's bathroom, "I need something to cool him down, his temperature is a little too high."
"Marinette, are you okay?" Tikki flew by her, concerned for her emotional well-being.
"I'm fine, I just need to make sure he's okay." She ran inside, grabbed a towel, soaked a folded towel, and ran upstairs. She walked in, running to his side quickly. She pressed the towel against his forehead, and sighed in relief. "You'll be okay…"
Adrien Agreste opened his eyes to Marinette's face as she wiped his forehead with a cool towel. Still dazed, he seemed confused. "What the..."
She pulled away, blushing. "Sorry, I just- You had a fever..." She went to wipe his forehead again when he gripped her arm suddenly and threw it away from her, staring intensely into her eyes.
"How did I get here?" When she didn't answer right away, he tried to sit up. He groaned, his back was sore. She placed her hand on his shirtless chest, gently pushing him down again. His leather suit was zipped down slightly, allowing him to cool down from his earlier temperature.
"Just lay down, you were hurt earlier... You need to rest." They looked into each other's eyes, her hand still on his hot- in both temperature and looks- abdomen. She swallowed, the tension so thick in the air. What is he thinking?
"How did I get here?"
Without hesitation, she responded, "Ladybug helped me get you here. You were hurt in battle…"
"You're hiding something from me... Tell me."
"I don't know what you're talking about-"
"I can tell by the way you won't even look at me... So don't play dumb."
"I seriously don't know-"
He sat up, angry, and she looked up, slightly scared yet not. "Tell me..." Adrien rested his cool forehead against hers, his lips now inches from her, and Marinette's lungs felt as if they were dying. "Please."
"I want to, trust me, but I can't!"
"Well, why not?!"
"Because I love you, and if I tell you, it won't be safe for you anymore!"
"Just tell me, Marinette!"
"Adrien, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you!"
"You're holding back from me Marinette..." The tears welled up in his eyes and she struggled to hold back her words. "I know it, don't lie to me. Don't hold back from me. Don't be like her..."
The words were like knives to her core, but she looked up at him desperately. "Why can't you just trust me? Just trust that whatever I'm not telling you is for your best interest, Adrien..."
It seemed forever that they stared in each others eyes, but everything seemed to fall apart with what he uttered next.
"I can't..." He pulled away, getting up off the bed, saddened, feeling his heart break as he did this.
She sat up and looked up at him as he headed for the hatch in her room, confused, "But I-"
"I'm sorry." He turned, bending down to open the hatchet and leave her.
"No." She stood up and grabbed him by the shoulder, turning him around rudely to face her in anger. "Believe it or not, it's harder for me than it is for you."
"How so? You couldn't possibly feel anything close to what I feel." She scoffed at his statement, and let him go as she glared at him.
"I know what it feels like to have the one you love never even give you a chance, to never be able the have them look you in the eye with the love you look at them..."
Adrien cast his gaze to the floor, almost as if ashamed.
"And for them to love someone else? That really hurts, but you don't know what that feels like, do you? You only know rejection..."
"I love you Adrien, but you already know that." She raised an eyebrow, "So leave if you want, but don't make it seem like you're the only one who got hurt here."
He chuckled to himself sarcastically, "Can't believe I'm doing this..."
"What-" She looked up at him confused, and in a split second, the tension had shifted to something more. The way he looked at her, and now the way he walked over to her, and the way he grabbed her face with one hand and pulled her closer by the waist with the other was all part of it. Something had changed between the two...
But everything changed when his lips met hers.
Okay, let's keep in mind, even though I didn't announce it during the first chapter, EVEN THOUGH IT WON'T BE **THAT* TYPE OF FANFICTION, anything like kissing or sexual tension is because I imagine them to be older. At least seventeen, or at the most, eighteen.
Now that we have that aside, IT GOT STEAMY. Ooh I'm excited for the next chapter!
Hope you liked it! That took forever...
Asylum 3