A/N: This chapter may not be as edited as the previous ones, but life's been crazy demanding as of late and I haven't had as much time as before to devote to this story. Hope it's still good! =)

Take care, everyone!

~The HG

Chapter 8

An incessant buzzing cut into the normal hum of the bakery and activity of last minute customers. Tom looked around, thinking any second whoever owned the phone making that noise would pick it up, yet no one moved to do so. The noise grew louder as Marinette walked past him with a tray of chocolate chip cookies hot from the oven. His big hands slipped on a pair of oven mitts and pulled the tray from the girl's hands before she could place the sweets on some cooling wire racks. This shook her out of her hyper focused work mode and got her attention. He then gestured toward her apron with his chin, aware she was oblivious that the sound was coming from her.

"Oh, sorry," Marinette cringed and fished her phone from her pocket. "I'll take this in the back." Slinking away to the bakery's pantry, she remembered the text she sent before she became busy with the bakery. She had been so intent on working as much as possible so as to help her mother who was set to leave in the next morning. But the buzzing sound of her phone brought her attention back to something she didn't want distracting her, and amazingly she hadn't, at least not until now.

The short text she had sent as she got home read, "Can I see you?" Slipping her mitts off, she saw his reply was in the form of his own question.

"Do you want to come over for dinner around 7?"

Her hands shook as she read it and nearly dropped her phone, especially when realizing 7PM was a little more than a half an hour away. Even though she was still staring at her phone she started walking. Actually, it was more of a run that was stopped cold as she slammed straight into her father's back. Thankfully he wasn't carrying anything or else he would have dropped it.

"What's the hurry, Marinette?" he asked, surprised.

"This…," she said, rubbing her sore nose as she held up her phone for her father to read. "I know it is short notice, but can I?"

He nodded, but she paused as he fixed her with a serious look. "Your mother has last say, though."

Marinette stood on the tip of her toes to kiss the man's cheek. "Thank you, Papa!" It didn't take her long to run up the stairs and burst into the apartment, startling her mother as she did so.

"I'm sorry, Mom, but this!" She held her phone up just as she did for her father, earning a laugh and shake of the head from her mother.

"You can go. I have a delivery to make so I'll give you a ride. Be ready in 15 minutes."

With a squeak of joy, Marinette gave her mother a quick hug before dashing up to her room.

Her fingers were shaking as she sent Adrien her answer. "I'll be there."

It wasn't long before Adrien wrote back. "Great! See you soon."

Before Tikki could say anything, her master was looking through the closet, shuffling through her clothes in a rush.

Marinette stepped back, wringing her hands. "I'm such a mess right now… Tikki, help me!"

Her kwami giggled, and disappeared into the clothes, phasing through them and emerging with a skirt and blouse. Marinette stared, impressed with how quickly the little fairy was able to find the perfect outfit.

"Breathe, and be your normal, amazing self," Tikki chirped, laying the clothes on the chaise.

Taking a deep breathe, Marinette changed her clothes and walked to her small bathroom to wash up. As she finished drying her hands, she paused to take in her reflection for a second. Her fingers undid her hair from her usual pigtails, allowing it to drape down her the top of her back. Brushing it, she thought about the events of the past week. It came over her in a bittersweet wave, burning in her eyes as tears of joy and grief fought to be released. Shaking her head, she breathed in deep and let it out slowly, regaining composure.

After stepping back into her room, Marinette twirled. "Tikki, what do you think?"

"My pretty Marinette," the kwami answered, snuggling up against the girl's cheek before disappearing into the little pink purse.

Marinette couldn't stop from shaking her legs, making the box she held on her lap squeak with every movement as they drove to Adrien's house.

Sabine smirked at seeing how adorably nervous her daughter was. She reached over one hand and patted Marinette's shoulder, distracting the girl out of her nerves.

Blue eyes met calm grey and were immediately comforted. Marinette touched her mother's hand and turned her eyes back to the road, immediately recognizing the tall walls surrounding a mansion just ahead. Soon, they pulled up to the curb and stopped.

With a quick wave to her mother, Marinette exited the car and walked up to the security gate, her hands firmly gripping the box of cupcakes. Pressing the red doorbell on the intercom, she rocked back and forth on her heels as she waited for a response.

A camera popped out of the wall, adjusting toward the girl as a familiar female voice spoke. "Agreste residence. State your name and business."

Marinette remembered hearing this voice before. It was the same woman who answered the day she came to deliver Adrien's birthday present.

Swallowing at the dryness in her throat, she spoke up. "Hi, um… I'm Marinette. Adrien invited me over...?"

A few seconds of pause stretched on before the woman responded, "You may come in." There was a click noise and Marinette noticed a man-door nearby.

"Thank you," she shot back at the camera before she walked to the door, opening it and stepping in. She wanted to run up the steps leading to front doors, but also didn't want to seem overly excited. Deciding on playing it as cool as she could, she walked up carefully, praying her sandaled feet wouldn't slip on the slick concrete steps.

With a deep breath, she lifted a fist to knock, but before she made contact the large oak wood door was swung open, revealing an out of breath Adrien on the other side. He stood there smiling, his green eyes large and excited. He was bare foot and clothed in a pair of un-hemmed black slacks and an unbuttoned light teal dress-shirt. He must have rushed to get the door, Marinette noted, as she saw his bare chest heaving from the effort. Her blushing cheeks and slightly gaping mouth must have made Adrien aware of his state of dress, something that completely escaped him the second he heard his guest had arrived. He pinched his shirt closed in a quick motion, his face tinged with pink under the girl's gaze.

"Hi, come on in," he moved and motioned her inside. His fingers hiked up his pant legs so as to not step on them or the pins already set in the fabric. He followed Marinette into the sparsely decorated foyer but stopped just as she bent down to place the box she carried on the floor.

Without time for him to question her actions, Marinette swept her skirt neatly under her as she sat on it, her legs demurely set off to one side. Taking the bottom of one of the slacks in her hands, she laughed, "Seems like you were in the middle of something… sorry if I'm early." Her eyes were fixed on what she was doing as her nimble hands expertly tucked and weaved the pins in the material.

Adrien was silent as he watched her, his heart swelling at how thoughtful and skilled she was as she worked. He also noticed what a vision of incredible cuteness she was in her black knee-length pleated skirt and sheer mint green long sleeved blouse. There was a fitted black tank-top under it, allowing for modesty with a small glimpse of her cream skin. It was such a beautiful contrast to her thick, midnight blue locks, one side pinned with a silver flower clip while the rest flowed loose around her shoulders. It was the first time he'd seen her hair like this, and his fingers itched to run through it to see if it was really as soft as it looked. What would her reaction be if he tested his theory? He glanced away, opting for discipline, but it didn't last. His eyes fell to her legs and the thin straps of her sandals, their criss-crossing pattern starting at her lithe ankles and moving up the length up her toned calf muscles…

Squeezing his eyes shut for a second, he tried to clear his head. "It's good to see you," Adrien voiced, gaining control of his thoughts.

Pausing in her work, she looked up with a couple pins between her lips, offering an adorable smile in response, making his heart jump. She was a beautiful and rather intimidating force to behold. This girl had more pure talent than most of the people he worked with in the fashion industry, and she was unequalled in humility and kindness.

When she was done, she got up, dusted her skirt with her hands before picking up her box. She graced him with another sweet smile, completely oblivious to the impression she made on him.

"About your timing, it's perfect, actually," he said after he composed himself and buttoned up his shirt. "We're almost done with the fitting. Here," he reached out when he was done with his shirt and took her hand in his. "I'm sure my dad wouldn't mind if you came up and took a look at it."

Marinette simply went along and took a few steps with him before remembering something. "Hold on, I brought dessert."

Just then, Gabriel Agreste's assistant Nathalie descended the stairs, her face stoic as she addressed Adrien and ignored Marinette, even though the teens were hand in hand.

"Your father wants you to hurry back and finish your work before you entertain your guest," the stiff, yet fashionable woman mentioned.

"It's alright, Nathalie, I'll be done in a flash. And Marinette isn't an ordinary guest." He gave the girl's hand a squeeze. "She's special."

Blushing, Marinette looked to the ground when the woman finally looked her way.

"And can you please take this to the kitchen?" Adrien took the box from Marinette and handed it to the woman as she walked up to them.

"Of course," Nathalie answered, her expression surprised at seeing Adrien's assertiveness. Her tone softened as well, her voice kinder than before. "Dinner will be ready soon."

After giving the woman a nod and a smile, Adrien turned to Marinette. He appeared to be glowing with how happy he was, and Marinette's heart matched his mood completely. She wasn't numb to the fact that her dream guy was there in his near perfect glory holding her hand tightly in his as he led her to another yet another dream… she was going to be one of the first people to see her favorite designer's newest collection.

Adrien opened a door to a room and as they stepped in they were met with the frenzied air of a designer's workplace. Some were sewing while others adjusted the designs on mannequins or fixed clothes already on a handful of male and female models, each one as beautiful as can be expected of the profession and the designs of their clothes equally striking. The clothes were beautiful light hues of blue, green, and rose pink offset by monochromatic tones. The women were in sleeveless couture dresses of differing lengths, each marked by fine lines of silver thread and hand-beaded embroidered flowers woven elegantly through fine silks and linens.

Marinette's blue eyes were wide with wonder as she followed after her friend, oblivious to the snooty looks the female models were giving her since her eyes were on what they wore, not them. There were tables lining the walls of what looked to be a large guest room, cut off in different sections with small partitions, each spot full of various items for creating clothing. Sewing machines were whirring away, each one ticking at its own pace and filling the room with so much noise that it forced those working to yell over it when talking to each other. It was essentially her bedroom's workplace on steroids and she loved it!

"Adrien, get over here," came a woman's irritated voice. "You ran off before I got a chance to fix your…" the blonde women, who looked to be in her twenties, paused and pulled out the pencil she had stuck in her messy bun to point it at the boy's already pinned slacks. "How'd that happen?"

With a laugh, Adrien threw his arm around Marinette's shoulders. "This talented young lady beside me, that's how."

Marinette smiled sheepishly at the lady who lifted a skeptical eyebrow at her.

"I didn't want him to get pricked by the pins," she offered, unsure of what else to say.

The blonde boy's hand shifted to cradle the back of Marinette's head as he turned and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Thanks for that, by the way." He stepped away to his own small area in the room where he had a rack filled with clothes designed specifically for him to model.

Marinette's eyes followed him without saying a word, watching as the woman adjusted the boy's clothes and stepped back to take a better look at the fit. The blue-eyed girl continued her observation even when the woman asked Adrien for his shirt. As he unbuttoned it, he paused to glance over his shoulder at the raven haired girl, giving her a very Chat-like wink when he noticed she was staring at him.

Marinette folded her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes in feigned annoyance. However, her smile gave away her amusement. She could hear him laugh softly as he walked behind one of the partitions, causing her smile to grow even more. Closing her eyes, she was happy to feel less nervous around him, even with him changing his clothes just a few feet away. Though his flirtations gave her butterflies they also made her feel a little more at ease in the busy room. She opened her eyes to take in the sight of what she hoped her future would look like, stopping only when she spotted someone who wasn't there when she and Adrien entered. And before she could register it completely, the imposing figure was walking straight for her.

"And you are?" Gabriel Agreste asked coldly, one of his fair grey eyebrows rising in question.

"I-I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Um, I'm Adrien's-," Marinette started, a bit flustered.

"Very important friend." Adrien cut in, putting his arm around her like before. He smiled, lifting his chin in pride as he introduced her further. "You've met her before, father. She was the designer who won the derby hat competition last year."

"Yes," the older man stroked his chin as he recalled it. "Your design was impressive, young lady."

Amazed and humbled to be complimented by the famous designer, she bowed slightly. "Thank you very much, Mr. Agreste. And thank you for having me over."

Gabriel glanced at his son for a brief second before answering, "Of course." He clasped his hands behind his back and turned away, exiting the room without another word.

Marinette felt something more behind the man's curt, yet polite words, causing her to unconsciously lean closer to Adrien. She turned and saw Adrien's green eyes still fixed to the door his father had just gone through, his handsome brow slightly furrowed. Before she knew it she was cupping his cheek with her hand, drawing his eyes to the unspoken concern in hers.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "He's not one for many words, and those he does use aren't usually that kind. I think you met him on one of his better days." He started to move with his arm still settled contentedly around Marinette's shoulders, leading her away. "See ya, Simone." He shot over his shoulder, getting a dismissive wave from the woman who was busy organizing the finished clothes.

Whispers followed them as they left, making the boy hug Marinette tighter. He knew the other models his father hired could be unpleasant and he felt the urge to protect his friend from them just as he had in front of his father.

"So… what's for dinner?" Marinette asked, choosing to change the subject once they entered the hallway.

"It's fettuccine arrabiata, one of my favorites. But first, a quick detour."

Having been here as Ladybug a couple of times, Marinette knew where they were going. This was the way to Adrien's room.

"I want you to meet someone," Adrien said, opening the door for her like a gentleman.

Blue eyes took in the sight of the boy's enormous room again, this time without any hurry or suspense behind it to rush her. It was quite the room. The skateboard ramp and climbing wall looked like they'd be so much fun that she was already looking forward to coming back with more appropriate clothing to try them out. Her eyes then fell to the white couch that appeared soft and inviting. Without another thought she walked over and sunk in a little, confirming her guesses to be right as she sat. Adrien didn't come join her, but instead was walking around the room picking up random objects and whispering his kwami's name.

"We've got company, Plagg. Get your cheese-loving butt out here."

Tikki phased through Marinette's purse and touched her master's hand for a second before zipping off into the room.

Adrien was slightly startled as he was looking for his black fairy when a red one appeared right in front of him.

"Hello, I'm Tikki, Marinette's kwami. It's nice to meet you, Adrien," she chirped kindly, her smile just as cute as she was.

"Well, the pleasure is all mine, Tikki," the boy reached out and took the kwami's tiny hand between his thumb and forefinger, giving it a quick peck before returning a smile. The girl kwami giggled, understanding better why her master was so enamored with this human boy.

"I'll go and find Plagg for you," Tikki volunteered, zooming off before Adrien could respond.

Adrien suddenly jumped over the back of the couch and landed right beside Marinette, causing the girl to jump a little. "Your kwami is sweet," he admitted wistfully.

He stretched out his arms and legs out much like a cat would, offering Marinette a good view of his current wardrobe. His black henley t-shirt had two black buttons and was short sleeved, revealing the muscled definition of his arms as he reached above his head and settled his hands on his lap, his legs clad in a darker wash of denim than Marinette was used to seeing him in. All in all, the contrast of his dark colored clothing set against his fair features made his blonde hair more golden and his green eyes as bright as new grass emerging from a winter's snow. It was a different side of Adrien and more akin to what she'd see of Chat Noir.

The quirks and charms of both of Adrien's identities were mere brushstrokes that painted the whole picture of who he was. His carefree smile right now was more like Chat yet as he looked out the window the way the dwindling twilight caressed his perfect complexion was all Adrien.

Marinette loved him, all of him, and only now did she begin to understand how much.

"Tikki's amazing," Marinette agreed, "I don't know what my life would be without her. Probably not as interesting, that's for sure."

"If I didn't have Plagg I would smell less like cheese and I would be spared his endless complaining. But I wouldn't have gotten to know you as well if it weren't for him also, and for that I'm grateful," he turned and caught her looking at him again, his smile increasing at the sign of her blush. Adrien turned toward her, though a little nervous from the way he shied away from her gaze for a second, unconsciously licking his lips.

Marinette could feel her face heat up, her timidity manifested in her biting her lower lip.

Seeing her reaction stirred up his courage. He reached out and gingerly held her chin, using his thumb to gently stroke her soft, pink lips one time. His breath hitched at how they parted ever so slightly under his touch.

"May we pick up from where we left off, m' lady?" he asked, voice low in a whisper.

"Do you have to ask?" Marinette breathed, unable to hear her own voice over the pounding of her heart.

Adrien smiled briefly before he lightly grazed his lips against hers only to pull away with a groan as someone knocked on his door, entering the room without awaiting invitation. Instantly, the mood was shattered, causing him to dejectedly drop his forehead to Marinette's shoulder. The girl echoed his disappointment with a quiet, tired sigh, but she couldn't help but smile at their bad luck.

Nathalie cleared her throat behind her fist. "Adrien, your father wanted me to inform you and Ms. Dupain-Cheng that dinner is ready and to not keep him waiting."

Adrien's annoyance turned to confusion as he looked up at the woman. "Since when does my father eat with me?"

"He said that this was a special occasion," the woman replied indifferently, but Adrien noticed a smirk on her lips before she closed the door.

"So, we're having dinner with my father…" Adrien repeated the news, earning an inquisitive look from the girl.

"Is that strange?" she asked, confused by the short conversation she just heard. "I was prepared for that."

Running his hand through his hair, Adrien met Marinette's gaze with slight unease. "That makes one of us."