Chapter 4: Diamonds Are Forever

The dark theater was fairly crowded, but they had managed to find space toward the back of the audience. Adrien's bodyguard sat intimidatingly behind them and gave menacing glances to any fans who happened to spot Adrien. Meanwhile, Marinette felt like the entire room was being electrified. Adrien, who was sitting on her left, was smiling peacefully, unaware of the fire Marinette felt on her skin when she occasionally brushed his arm. She was utterly unaware of the trailers playing on the screen. The only thought consuming her was the fact that her arm was currently millimeters away from Adrien Agreste. If she moved just barely, their arms would be touching. If she inched her hand slightly to the left, they would be holding hands. The originally chilly theater suddenly felt very hot. She peeked over to look at his face. His current affect revealed not a care in the world. To escape her mental combustion, she moved her arm and nervously tugged on her pigtail.

Adrien glanced over to his right. He was disappointed that Nino and Alya couldn't come along, but he was very excited to see Marinette outside of school. Ever since their rocky start with the gum-on-the-seat debacle, he was worried that he would never be friends with the girl, but since then they had become really close. He couldn't help but admire her; she was a natural-born leader, could create anything in terms of designs, kicked his butt in video games, and everyone seemed to love her. In fact, he was slightly intimidated by her. When he had been Chat Noir, she had revealed to him on the rooftop he prepared for Ladybug that she was recovering from heartache. He wondered who had managed to break Marinette's heart. It was hard to believe she couldn't have anyone she wanted. In some ways she reminded him of his Ladybug. Adrien sighed and gazed up at the ceiling. Ladybug was the most amazing person he had ever met, so when she didn't show up for his romantic rooftop evening, it confirmed Adrien's worst fears. He wasn't good enough for the famous Parisian super hero, even if he was her partner. Ladybug had said there was a boy. Who on Earth was he? Images of a tall, tan, muscular man flashed through his mind, riding a motorcycle with Ladybug giggling on the back. Annoyance flitted across his face.

"Hey, Adrien, I like your ring. Where did you get it?" Marinette asked, peering at his right hand.

"What? Oh, this? Um, my Chinese tutor gave it to me?" He replied in what sounded more like a question than an answer.

"Are you…that close to your Chinese tutor?" Marinette asked, confusion abundant on her face.

Adrien silently cursed. That was a stupid thing to say. Master Fu had only just arrived at his house the other day after Paris flooded, and after learning about the Guardian of the Miraculous, it was the only explanation that popped into his mind.

"Uhh….Yep! We go way back."

"Oh. That's cool."

Marinette seemed to accept the answer. Adrien sighed in relief and turned to look at her.

"I like your earrings! You wear them a lot; were they a gift?" He complimented back.

Marinette's cheeks flushed, and her eyes widened as she returned his stare. Adrien couldn't help but notice how blue her eyes were, even in the dim theater.

'How could she have a broken heart?' He thought.

"Oh thanks! They… were… a gift! Yes. Gift. That."

"Who are they from?" Adrien asked, genuinely curious. Perhaps they were from the boy that seemingly brought her grief.

"They are a gift? From… my dad! Yes. My dad gave these to me. These are a gift from my dad."

"Well, your dad has good taste!" Adrien beamed. Marinette reddened in response, and he suddenly could feel butterflies in his stomach. He paused.

'Huh.' He thought.

That was a feeling he had only felt around Ladybug. Why was he feeling it here, when Marinette was just a friend?

He watched her nervously tug on her hair. He completely understood why everyone liked her. Even Nino had a crush on her before Ladybug trapped Alya and him in a cage together at the zoo. She was cute and wonderful and-he abruptly stopped his train of thought when the theater further darkened and the movie's theme song signaled the start of the movie.

Two-and-a-half hours later, the movie ended and the audience filtered out into the evening streets of Paris. Street lights had already flickered on and the sidewalk shone with a yellow glow that could make any cold night feel warmer. Marinette and Adrien, followed by his bodyguard of course, made their way down the few blocks to the restaurant that Alya had so kindly reserved for them.

"I still think they need more female superheroes in the franchise," Adrien reflected, "We've all seen how much everyone loves Ladybug, so why can't the ladies get their own movies?"

Marinette laughed at his resolve, appreciating his passion for the subject.

"I don't know. The people of Paris may love Ladybug, but they can't seem to get over the charm of Chat Noir."

Adrien smiled. "Are you a Chat Noir fan?" He could help but think of the times he had been with her as Chat Noir. She seemed so different around him then. She didn't stumble over her words, she was confident, and so endearing. He wondered what was so special about Chat Noir that seemed to put Marinette at ease.

"I wouldn't say a fan…" Marinette trailed off, thinking through her answer. Adrien frowned.

"I would say he's a friend. Someone I trust."

"I didn't realize you two were so close."

"Well, not really. We've only met a few times. I think the only person close to him is Ladybug. Maybe Rena Rouge, too."

"Looks like we're here!" Adrien said suddenly, pointing up at the restaurant. Adrien turned back to his bodyguard, who nodded, and took up his post just outside of the restaurant. He held the door open and gestured for Marinette to lead the way.

"Hi, we had a reservation for four under the name Alya Césaire, but there's only two of us." Adrien greeted the hostess.

"Bienvenue! We have a table listed here for two under that name, not four. Is that correct?"

"Of course the reservation is for two." Marinette muttered under her breath.

"Oh, yeah, that works. Thanks." Adrien replied. They were led to a table in the corner of the restaurant. Marinette took a moment to appreciate the ambiance Alya had selected for the night. Candles were stationed at every table in the restaurant, with beautiful flowers adorning the walls. The lighting was dim and romantic, and lovers were dotted around the restaurant sharing wine and kisses alike. It smelled wonderful, like fresh seafood seasoned with Meyer lemon and rosemary sauce sautéed to perfection. She could already feel her mouthwatering.

Adrien glanced out the window where he could see his bodyguard's unwavering eye contact. He smirked when he thought of the reports his father would receive on the night's events.

"I feel a bit underdressed." Adrien admitted.

"Same," Marinette agreed, "I think Alya undersold this place just a bit."

They both fell into a comfortable silence as they glanced through the menu, until unexpectedly an accordion broke the gentle murmurs filling the restaurant. A violinist joined, and music filled the restaurant with traditional French songs to accompany their dining experience. Marinette rolled her eyes. Alya was not holding back in her choice of dinner venue.

"Wow. This is really nice." Adrien commented.

Both Adrien and Marinette decided upon pasta dishes, which they looked forward to with empty stomachs. Marinette was relatively impressed with herself; they were having completely normal conversation without any nervous sweating. It was truly an accomplishment. When their food arrived, they both eagerly devoured their meals and chatted about their plans for the next day.

Just as Marinette started her favorite macaron-related anecdote, gasps followed by silence from across the room caught the attention of the restaurant. A handsome man dressed in a dark navy suit was down on one knee, with a glistening engagement ring on display to a shocked, beautiful red-headed woman.

"Will you do me the honors, mon amour, and marry me?" He asked, loudly enough for the restaurant to hear. Couples "aww"ed around the room.

"How romantic!" Marinette professed, leaning her face onto her hand as she gazed on at the couple. Adrien chuckled.

"I don't know. I'm not sure I'd want to ask in such a public space," he noted, tilting his head over at someone who had taken out their phone and started filming, "What if she says no?"

As if on cue, the woman burst into tears and ran out the restaurant shaking her head. Marinette's jaw dropped and she looked over accusingly at Adrien.

"Look what you did! You jinxed it!" she whispered. The restaurant fell into an awkward silence as the man solemnly got up off his knee, refusing help from a nearby waiter, and sat down at his table with his head held in his hands.

"I did no such thing." Adrien defended himself. They both returned their gaze to their pasta and avoided staring at the miserable man across the room. What they didn't notice was a small, dark butterfly floating in silently though a window, making its way to the rejected man.

They did notice, however, when abruptly, the man was swarmed in a purple light and transformed into a massive diamond akuma hovering over the frightened diners.

"There is nothing dear in this world! Say goodbye to the ones you love!" the akuma yelled over the screams of couples ducking under their tables.

Marinette and Adrien quickly turned to look at each other with wide eyes.

They both froze in place for a moment.

"Run!" They screamed in unison.