The new restaurant had only opened recently, but it was already gaining notoriety for mixing classical French cuisine with various other cultures. Adrien knew from his lover's diary that she had been dying to go there since it was announced, both for the sake of her best friend and to try the unique dishes. The two of them initially had respected each other's privacy. That started to change shortly after they moved in together, when Marinette accidentally left a diary page open. When she saw Adrien looking at solid proof she was Ladybug, Marinette immediately begun panicking and making up bizarre excuses. Adrien simply responded by tossing a cookie at Tikki.
It was weird to be completely open with somebody about something that was secret for so long.
That moment had been one of the first steps in being open with each other. Adrien had always heard that communication was key in any relationship, and it seemed to be working well for the two of them. It was one of the biggest reasons he was having such difficulty telling Marinette something so important now. For quite a while Adrien hadn't even been certain if he was ready to ask the question. How could he risk lying to the one person he was always honest with?
The delicious smells of the restaurant brought Adrien back to reality. Marinette's eyes were wide with joy. Alya waved the two of them over towards a candlelit table. Adrien felt his arm being tugged out of its socket as Marinette dragged him over to their reserved seats. Being close friends with the waitress certainly helped the two of them get the spot they wanted. The two girls hugged each other, acting as if it had been weeks since they'd last spoken instead of a few hours. After their usual greeting, Alya gestured for the two of them to be seated and pulled out the menus.
"I'll give the two of you some time to decide your orders," she said with a smile. Adrien noticed her smile growing into more of a knowing grin. Her Cheshire impersonation left Adrien with an uneasy feeling. There's no way she would know anything, right? Unless...
That settled it. Adrien was going to kill Nino the next time he saw him.
"So, um, Marinette." Adrien broke into a nervous sweat. "Alya didn't say anything to you about tonight, did she?"
Marinette looked up from the drinks portion of the menu. "No, she was just super excited for us to be here tonight. I think it meant a lot to her that we're supporting her mom's new place."
"But she didn't, for example, mention that we were meeting for dinner to talk about something in particular?"
"Not that I can remember. Why do you ask?"
"No reason."
Evidently Marinette wasn't the only one that rambled on too much when getting nervous. Adrien heard a muffled "smooth man, real smooth" from inside his pocket. Despite everything, a sense of calm washed over Adrien. So Alya knew. That made things awkward, but it didn't look like she had told Marinette.
The two of them went back to browsing the menu. Listening to the romantic melody in the background, his lovers face lit up by a pair of fragrant candles, Adrien could tell that the moment of truth was coming. Working up the courage to confess his feelings, Adrien spun the silver ring around his finger. For some reason it had always helped him focus on difficult tasks. Maybe it was to do with the stronger persona he'd given Chat Noir. Around Marinette especially, the thought of his other life gave Adrien some much needed confidence. He opened his mouth to start-
"HI THERE ADDRYKINS!"
-And was cut off by one of the last things he expected to hear. A few tables over, Adrien's first crush was frantically waving at the two of them. Marinette muttered some very unladylike phrases under her breath, and turned around to face her old rival. "Hi there Chloe," she said with a strained smile. "What brings you to this place?"
Chloe, with her usual levels of social awareness, decided the best thing would be to waltz over to the pair and give Adrien a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Marinette demonstrated her remarkable ability to not strangle somebody in a public setting. "Well, Sabrina and I figured we might as well see what this place was about," the blond explained, oblivious to the murderous glare being sent towards her. "I mean, obviously it's not as good as the restaurant in Daddy's hotel, but it might not be a total waste of time." Chloe took out a small mirror and dabbed some makeup over an imaginary blemish. "After all, a place that focuses on romance can't be entirely bad."
A quick list of all the guys Adrien knew ran through his mind. Who was it that Chloe was trying to date? She'd rejected Kim, although that was a long time ago. He'd seen Nathaniel subtly drawing portraits of her, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. For her part, Chloe had no problems with listening to herself, paying no mind to what others wanted. "I see the two of you are still dating each other. You know most people's high school crushes don't last too long, right?"
Marinette spoke through gritted teeth. "Yes, the two of us have been going steady for quite some time now." Adrien recognized that look as one usually reserved for the most frustrating Akuma's. He tried to think of ways to diffuse the tension.
"So, Chloe. Since you're here to scope out the romantic atmosphere, I'm guessing there's specific you have in mind?"
"Exactly, I need to know the most romantic spot in all of Paris for when I finally get a date with Chat Noir or Ladybug."
"..."
"..."
"I know, people usually have that reaction. You're just left speechless about how bold and daring I am."
Marinette shifted awkwardly, and Adrien could tell she was trying hard not to giggle. "Um, Chloe, you know the two of them are..."
"I know they're dating. But it's only a matter of time before they realize they don't need each other when they could have me instead."
Years of being a model in the fashion industry had taught Adrien to keep a straight face under harsh circumstances, so it was easier for him to pretend he wasn't ready to burst into laughter. "I mean, I think the two of them are fairly public about their relationship. I'm pretty sure neither of them are interested in seeing other people."
Marinette, having composed herself again, had a mischievous smirk. "Nonsense, Adrien. Chloe, I'm sure the two heroes of Paris would love it if you publicly asked."
Chloe pondered this idea for a moment. "You know, a public request might work out well. Daddykins can arrange to have it broadcast across the entire city." The whole situation was starting to get a little surreal for Adrien, but his date was enjoying herself. "Anyway," Chloe continued, "that's why I'm here on a practice date. I need to make sure the location is perfect when the big day actually arrives."
A quiet voice on came from behind Chloe. "Practice date? That's not what you said last night."
The group of them jumped to see Sabrina. She had a confused look on her face, like a child trying to complete a puzzle. Chloe groaned in irritation. "Not another word out of you. Look, I thought we covered the ground rules but-"
"Oh look, our food's arrived. If you'll excuse us for a bit, the two of us have some important things to discuss." Sabrina grabbed her (friend?) and dragged her back to their other table. Neither Adrien nor Marinette was entirely sure how to respond to the whole affair. In some ways Adrien was glad for the distraction though. It gave him a chance to think again. Chloe had struck a bit of a nerve with him. Most high school couples didn't last very long. They weren't in high school anymore, but there was still that level of uncertainty. Just a little while earlier he had felt ready, but now?
Adrien was so lost in his thoughts that he barely noticed Alya coming by with drinks and complimentary appetizers. She was busy gossiping with Marinette about what had just happened with Chloe, while Adrien just smiled and nodded. After a while he ordered some fancy meal he could barely pronounce. Alya left them again, giving him the same grin as before. Thinking back to his earlier conversation with Nino, Adrien realized something very important. Not only had Alya and Nino started dating back in high school, but the two of them genuinely made each other happy. Adrien could tell by looking at them that they had been confident enough to move forward, and neither of them appeared to regret it.
"So are you going to tell me what tonight is really about?" Marinette spoke in a tone that sent shivers down his back. Adrien knew her well enough to discern her exact mood simply by the tone of voice. This tone was reserved for when she was on the verge of getting angry, and not in an adorable way. Even though their actual fights were so few Adrien could count them on one hand, he could remember all of them with intense clarity. Hopefully tonight wouldn't add to that list.
"I'm not sure what you mean" he lied. Even though trust was important to the two of them, she certainly hadn't complained about him hiding a surprise birthday party from her a few months ago. All Adrien had to do was think of it as a romantic gift. That way she couldn't blame him for not spilling the beans earlier.
Marinette narrowed her eyes. "You know exactly what I mean. There's been something off about recently, and I want to know what it is." Despite his racing mind, Adrien knew one solid way to get out of trouble. Whenever his father suspected something, Adrien would confess to a lesser crime, to throw off the scent of trouble. Marinette cleared her throat. "So, what have you got to say?"
Adrien sighed. "Alright, the truth is... I bought you a shirt yesterday, but somehow managed to accidentally get it in the wrong size." He looked down in mock shame. "It's stupid, right? I should easily know what kind of clothes you wear."
Marinette's intense gaze continued to bore into him. "That's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard."
"I know, I know, but I really wanted you to be happy. It's embarrassing to screw up like that, so that's why I asked for tonight-"
"Adrien, we've both spent many years learning how to come up with excuses on the fly. Do you seriously think that I can't tell the difference between your innocent white lies and the important ones?" Adrien was speechless. It was at that moment he realized Marinette could've been a professional interrogator. "So even though we agreed to tell each other everything, not only are you hiding something, but you insist on covering it up?
There are times in a person's life when they know they're making a mistake, yet continue anyway. Adrien was in one of these situations right now. It would be easy to tell the truth, to confess right now and lay his feelings bare. However, there was something about Marinette's line of questioning that irked Adrien. Why didn't she trust him? Weren't couples supposed to have faith in each other?
"Well maybe I was waiting for the right time to bring up a sensitive subject." Adrien could tell his sarcastic tone was turning more toxic. "Sometimes we keep secrets for the sake of others, to ensure their happiness. Did you ever think of that?" In his mind he was trying to stop. This would only end poorly. But Adrien had learned long ago that when he got on a roll, he couldn't hold his tongue.
Marinette was glowering back at him from across the table. "I can't believe you. So now you're saying that I would be better off not knowing the harsh truths, and that I can't deal with the troubles of the real world? " Adrien furrowed his brow. What was she getting at? "I do trust you," Marinette continued, "which is why I've waited so long to confront you. But don't you dare think I haven't noticed the sly glances you're slipping towards my so-called-best friend."
Wait, was she saying she thought he had...
Oh no.
"At first I thought I was overreacting. I mean, we both know how my anxiety gets." Angry tears were starting to streak down Marinette's face. Adrien was in stunned silence that she was thinking this. "But then you not only go and deny the truth, but then you go and lie about it to my face without so much as a second thought. I trust you with many things, but there's a line."
This was not how he'd wanted the night to go.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that, but I swear it's not what it looks like." Adrien was desperately trying to do some damage control. "Yes, I lied to you. Yes, I'm hiding something from you, but not for the reasons you think. And I swear I'll tell you by the end of tonight."
Marinette looked up at him suspiciously. "Do you really mean that?"
This was not the perfect moment. In fact, this was one of the worst moments possible to ask. He needed to prove his loyalty to the woman he loved, and there was only one way to do that. "Marinette, I love you. I only had your best intentions at heart, and I would never cheat on you. I swear it on my mother's name."
The reaction was instantaneous. Marinette's gaze softened and a gentle smile graced her lips. "Very well Mr. Agreste, I believe you." Relief flooded through Adrien's body. His mother was still a sensitive subject for him, and it was only in the direst of circumstances that he invoked her name to prove a point. Marinette knew this as well as he did. The two of them were quiet for a minute, struggling to make eye contact with each other.
Eventually it was Adrien who broke the silence. "I'm sorry for making you feel that way. I never meant for you to take it so personally."
Across the table, Marinette was folding her napkin into a strange shape. "I'm also sorry for jumping to conclusions and not believing in you. I guess our trust is something we take for granted." The two of them finally looked at each other. "We know so much about each other's hidden secrets that I guess I forgot couples can have normal secrets as well." She lifted her hands to reveal an origami cat where her napkin had been. "You did promise to tell me everything by tonight though, and I plan to hold you to it."
Adrien nodded. "I promise everything will make sense. Now we're in a romantic restaurant, let's not spoil the mood with pointless bickering."
"It would be rather embarrassing," Marinette added, "If Ladybug and Chat Noir broke up right after we boasted to Chloe about how solid they were." Adrien couldn't help but laugh at this. A few tables over, his high school crush appeared to be receiving a scolding.
When the dinner arrived, a more relaxed atmosphere came with it. With the rift repaired, Adrien realized that now his lover's expectations for him would be higher than ever. The food was just as phenomenal as they'd expected, and the ambience just added to the whole affair. This place truly earned a spot in the city of love.
The time for stalling was over. Adrien had resolved before to at least propose, and more time would only give him cold feet. Marinette looked beautiful as she always did, even digging into her chicken wings, getting splotches of tartar sauce on her cheek. Adrien smiled, grabbing a napkin to clean her face.
What happened next would haunt his nightmares.
As he gently wiped her face, bits of skin fell off along with the sauce. Marinette looked up in shock, large chunks of her face falling onto the dinner plate. Adrien backed away, seeing his true love's skin turn to rotted flesh. She stared back at him in petrified shock, blood pouring past the table and dripping onto the floor. Various screams arose from the restaurant, drowning out the music.
"Adrien, what's... what's happening to you?" Marinette's voice sounded normal, despite the fact that she was turning into a shrivelled grotesque husk of her former beauty. Adrien backed away, unsure of how to react. Was there an Akuma somewhere, targeting her specifically? And why was Marinette asking about him?
Tikki flew in front of Adrien and frantically waved her arms. "Calm down for a minute, both of you!" He blinked for a second, noticing Plagg was distracting Marinette's shriveled body. "Just close your eyes and listen." Trying not to panic, Adrien took the advice of the Kwami. He closed his eyes and took in the surroundings. There were sounds of screaming, tables being knocked over, and... a flute?
Realization dawned on Adrien as he firmly grasped Marinette's hand. The feeling of her unmarred palm in his reinforced his resolve. Both Marinette and Adrien opened their eyes and said a single name.
"Volpina."