•••
"I'm so sorry Marinette! I was caught up in a surprise photoshoot yesterday. I'm sorry that I couldn't make it!", Adrien apologised over and over again.
A furiously blushing Marinette assured him that it was okay, again and again, but it seems that Adrien took in every opportunity to apologise.
"It's okay, Adrien, really."
The boy just nodded before he opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by the bluenette.
"S-Seriously Adrien, it's okay."
"Oh..okay. Anyway I wanted to ask if I could have your phone number?"
"M-My what?"
"Your number. So that we can talk to each other apart from the school and we can contact each other in case of any change of plans."
"Oh-Oh right. Heh. S-Sure."
Marinette was trying hard to mask her emotions which was getting harder by the second. Whereas, Adrien was trying hard to convince himself that asking her this had nothing to do with the butterflies in his stomach.
Spending time with her yesterday as Chat was amazing. Even though it was time spent on a project, they both had a lot of fun. Goofing around and playing childish tricks on each other, they didn't even realise how late it was. Finally, Marinette had to literally kick him out as he showed no signs of leaving, despite the late hour.
Adrien remembered hissing like a cat and whining like a child when he was asked to leave. Reflexively, he let out a short chuckle, which caught Marinette's attention.
"Oh-Um..remembered something. Hehe."
Marinette smiled and they both walked out the school gates together.
Gabriel Agreste just had to mess up Adrien's day. Another surprise photoshoot was in the way for the blond model. He really didn't want to do it, because it meant cancelling plans with Marinette again, but he knew better than to do it, as disobeying his father had consequences.
Grudgingly, he posed for the sessions, after he texted Marinette, apologising profusely.
She replied with a simple 'okay' but it set a great amount of guilt in Adrien's heart.
Vincent was busy, so a substitute photographer was in his place. To say that Adrien didn't like him would be an understatement. He was nothing like Vincent. He was rude and arrogant and continuously yelled at the staff.
He somehow made it through the obnoxious yells and orders of the photographer. While everyone was buys packing up, he sneaked out, in desperate need to clear his head.
He strolled around aimlessly, in a bad mood. The sky was a beautiful shade of aping and the setting sun added on to the gorgeous sight. The wonderful sight however, had little to no good effect on his bad mood.
He was walking on the Love Lock Bridge, when..
"Adrien?"
A voice whispered behind him and he turned around to face his friend.
"Marinette? Fancy seeing you here."
"H-Hi. I-I thought that you had a ph-photoshoot."
Hearing this Adrien's face immediately fell. It was like a punch in his gut. He snuck out, only to aimlessly roam around, when he should've been helping Marinette.
Meanwhile Marinette was cursing herself for becoming a stuttering mess in front of him. But when she noticed his sad expression, she couldn't help but ask.
"Hey, i-is something w—"
"I'm sorry!", Adrien quickly cut her off with his apology. "I know I should've been helping you but I've not been able to. Even worse, I'm here, roaming aimlessly while you do all the work."
"O-Oh-Oh. Y-You don't have to apologise. I-It's okay. I-I totally understand. I-"
"No Marinette, it's not okay. You've been doing all the work alone. I should've been helping as well. God I feel like a jerk!"
Marinette looking down and extremely red looked down and muttered something along the lines of 'not all by myself'.
They stood in a silence, until Marinette broke it.
"Y-You know, I don't blame you. You do need a b-break once in a while."
"But-"
"So, I have an idea! Y-You can still help me, y'know? I was just heading to the f-fabric store. W-Would come along you? Wait-"
Her face scrunched up in confusion as she pondered over what she just said.
Adrien gave a short chuckle, making her even more red.
"I don't know why but I love it when you do that."
Her bluebell eyes widened and she gave a short, embarrassed laugh.
"Well then off to the store we go!", he exclaimed happily, taking her hand with his.
Both the teens had a lot of fun while shopping for the fabrics. Adrien pretended to be surprised when he saw the design, as he has helped her finish it as Chat.
They were heading back, each carrying a big bag of fabrics. Unknown to him, Marinette was secretly building up the courage to ask him out for ice-cream.
An encouraging pressure on her thigh from Tikki, gave her the strength she needed. She is Ladybug after all, asking her crush, no love, to the ice-cream should be easy.
Deciding to stall no more, she gathered up all the courage she could muster. She was going to do it. She was going to make the first move.
"Umm..Adrien? Would you..would you—"
BANG!
Everything around was a ruckus as people frantically begin to run around the streets, in search for a safe place. It was enough to tip off both the superheroes about the akuma.
"Uhm..gotta go..uh bi..", they both said in chorus.
Not even waiting to see the other's reaction, they sprinted off in opposite directions, completely forgetting about the fabrics.
"Tikki, Spots On!"
"Plagg, Claws Out!"
"Pound it!", the superhero duo exclaimed after they defeated the newest villain. Ladybug's miraculous powers set everything back in order, and everything was at peace again. Just like it should be.
"Great work Chat Noir!"
Chat bowed and kissed her hand.
"Same goes for you bugaboo~"
Ladybug withdrew we hand and flicked his head away, smiling.
"Stop it with your childish charms Chat Noir. Now, we gotta split up before our miraculous run out."
"See you soon m'lady."
"Not too soon I hope, Chaton. Bug out!"
The street lamps illuminated the darkening streets of Paris. Marinette hastily ran back to where she and Adrien were before the attack.
"Oh there it is! Thank god it's okay!"
"Good thing that they aren't soiled or stolen."
"You're right Tikki. Some of them were only the last pieces available. I'm glad they are okay. But.."
"But what Marinette?"
"I couldn't ask him Tikki. Again.", she replied sadly.
"Oh Marinette, you-"
Tikki was cut off by a beep. Marinette's phone screen lit up with an incoming text. One glance at it was enough to make the girl squeal in excitement.
"What is it?"
"Adrien texted me! Oh My God, he texted me! He's asking if I'm okay! He cares! This is no doubt, the best day of my life!"
All Tikki did was watch her holder dance around in joy, clutching the phone to her chest as if it were the most precious thing in the world. It made her so happy to see Marinette like this.
Adrien nervously fiddled with his ring as his father seemingly worked on his designs. Every second weighted down on him, crushing him as he waited in anticipation.
"Where did you run off to?"
"I went for a walk."
"And who gave you the permission to do so. You were to directly come home after the shoot. Why did you disobey me Adrien. As a result you are-"
"Father, please! What do you expect me to do? I had to clear my head. The surprise photoshoots apart from the schedule is stressing. Also I have to work on a group project with my friends! It constitutes for my practical grade! I can't take out the time for it and also Anderson is very rude."
Gabriel looked at him intently, silently observing him. Adrien expected the worst. He cut his father off. He is sure to be punished for that.
"Very well. I see that you have been stressed and overburdened lately. I'll make sure to stop the surprise photoshoots. You would be told about any changes in your schedule beforehand. I'll make sure to talk to Anderson and make sure that Vincent returns timely. Is that all?"
When Adrien got a favourable answer in place of his father's expected wrath, he couldn't help but gape at him in disbelief. He stared, speechless at his father's emotionless face.
"T-Thank you father."
"You may go now son. Bonne Nuit."
"Bonne Nuit, father."
Adrien left his father's office, with a confused yet wide smile on his face, while a ghost of a smile reflected upon the fashion designer's face as well.
