Sometimes Adrien would doze off into space, and think. Think about things, like gas prices or how do snakes look when they're pregnant. Like, sure, they lay eggs so they aren't pregnant as long as mammals, but they have to develop the eggs, still. Do they look like how they do when they eat an egg? All thin and swollen on the spot where the egg is? How many eggs do they lay? In every picture Adrien ever saw of an egg nest from any other reptiles had like at least five eggs per nest. Did mama snakes just look like they ate five or more eggs? Do they all sit in a row, or are they bunched together? How does that possibly work? How does the mama snake-

"-Don't enjoy the game, y'know!"

Crap.

Adrien nodded quickly, pulling his mind back to the present.

"Yeah, totally," He nodded, pretty oblivious. Well, he knew what she was talking about. She had been ranting about this double-combo thing from this new game of hers for the past ten minutes. He stopped listening a little while in, since he had absolutely no idea how that game worked. But he knew she hated the combo she was talking about.

"Whatever, it's frustrating," She laughed, crossing her arms. Clearly she could tell he was lost, but she didn't really mind.

"It sure sounds like it." He agreed, this time honestly.

Suddenly, his phone beeped, alerting him of his upcoming photoshoot.

"Hey, I got to go, sorry!" He apologized, not wanting to leave, "I had a lot of fun studying with you today, though. Thank you so much for having me over!"

"Of course!" Marinette grinned, helping him get his books, "You can come over whenever!"

He grinned, completely flattered at her offer. For a half of a second, he remembered back to just a year ago, when he was homeschooled with not a single friend in the world. Now he had one who was offering for him to come over whenever he wanted! He knew he was probably a little pink in the cheeks, but he just hoped she didn't notice that part.

After saying goodbye to her parents as well, he got in the car to go to his photoshoot. On the way in, he started to think back to her comment and how he felt. He never really remembered when exactly he started crushing on her, as well as Ladybug. Was it before he figured out that she was almost positively Ladybug? Was it after? Well, whenever it was, at least he finally figured out that he was, in fact, crushing on both of them. At least he didn't really have to decide between two girls, if his suspicion was correct.

But right as the car started to move, he noticed the giant pillar of smoke coming from the library. He almost audibly cheered, but thankfully he held it in. One of the best things about akuma attacks was that for safety purposes, his photoshoots were canceled. So now he was free for the next few hours!

For Adrien's next few 'free hours', he of course spent it beating up an akuma alongside Ladybug.

After the exhausting fight, he sat next to Ladybug against the wall. They both should be leaving soon, since their miraculouses wouldn't last much longer. But they were both so tired, they needed this little break.

"You alright, Ladybug?" He asked, resting his back against the wall.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," She nodded, clearly drawing herself back from space, "You?"

"I'm good. Although a little tired," He laughed with a yawn.

"Me too," Ladybug nodded, exasperation clear in her voice, "That was ridiculous. We need to have some kind of battle plan for the next time someone with that much energy gets turned into an akuma."

"We should make up some kind of fight-combo," He joked, punching the air.

Ladybug looked up, surprised. Her eyes squinted, suspicious.

"I don't know, battle combos seem like a bad idea," She said, shaking her head.

"I think they're a great idea. After all, they work so well in video games."

That's right. I was listening to you.

To any outsider, it was an innocent remark. An addendum to prove his point, nothing more. But judging by her glare, Adrien knew she saw it as was way more than just a little remark.

They stared back at each other for a moment, and it was as it some proverbial 'red tape' was being cut. It was the final straw, the proving point.

And he saw that same old familiarity in her eyes.

For those who are wondering: post/140599496449/recent-excursion-based-on-a-question-i-wrote-on-a