Claire: Hey everyone! We're back!

LadyoftheBirds: And under a new name!

Claire: Sorry we've been a little erratic with posts. We haven't had much time this holiday season, but we are working on it, alright?

LadyoftheBirds: *coughs*

Claire: You catchin a cold over there birdie?

LadyoftheBirds: Yeah, it's just these lies are making it incredibly hard to breathe!

Claire: *Elbows Birdie* SHHH They are supposed to have faith in us!

Claire: Don't worry guys! Things may start getting a lot busier for me because I'm getting a job on top of my school work. But things will be ok! We aren't abandoning I swear it!

Claire: Sky-RoseX: GOOF! I totally feel you on that one! We work really hard when we write to make sure you get the best experience possible!

LadyoftheBirds: Sky-RoseX: Goof, glad you like it!

Claire: DORKALICIOUS Fan007: Hopefully this was soon enough! See you next week spidey!

LadyoftheBirds: DORKALICIOUS Fan007: Glad you missed us, and enjoy some of our great lines!

Claire: Rose Tiger: I TOTALLY AGREE! We tried our best to make him a jerk.

LadyoftheBirds: Rose Tiger: I actually don't hate canon Gabriel. He has a good reason behind his attitude, but he's just going about it wrong. Even Lila has her reasons (Anti Personality Disorder)!

Claire: ChristiRose13: HEY GURL! GOOD TO SEE YOU! GET RECCED GABRIEL YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A FATHER! AT LEAST MARI LETS HIM EAT! #LETADRIENEAT!

LadyoftheBirds: ChristiRose13: GLAD YOU'RE BACK, AND I THINK YOUR THIRST FOR DJWIFI IS ABOUT TO BE QUENCHED!

Claire: coolbeans04: Heyoo! How R U? I totally agree. Worst dad ever!

Ladyofthebirds: coolbeans04: Audrey is the worst person ever...

Claire: DwemerSteelBlade: I like the Idea, It'd make a great crack fic! Btw, does your nick have anything to do with the ancient Dwemer race of inventors in skyrim? Because I love that game!

LadyoftheBirds: DwemerSteelBlade: In which our story is spun off into a click-baity vlog entry title.

LadyoftheBirds: Think that's all, Claire. Bug Out, mon Bugheads!

Claire: *cough cough* I think you mean Bug Out mes Bugheads… Pronounced may. It's the plural french translation for my. Personally I would have gone for Bug Out vous BugHeads. Because vous is the formal or plural way of saying you in french.

Claire: If you actually are fluent in french please correct me if I'm wrong it's been a year since I took a french class and I'm getting a bit rusty.

Claire: Bonne journée et à plus tard

Adrien's POV

My phone chimes in my pocket.

LadyBug?

My heart races in my chest and I nearly drop my phone on the cement sidewalk on my way home.

-6:32pm-

MiracuLadybug: Bonjour Chaton! I'm sorry I've been a little distant recently. Got caught up in a few affairs.

-6:34pm-

CataclysmChatNoir: No worries, M'Ladybug! I've been keeping myself busy with some good ol' catnip! How have you been?

-6:35pm-

MiracuLadyBug: Catnip? You know I'm not sure that's healthy… I've been fine. About to go on a date actually.

-6:37pm-

CataclysmChatNoir: A date? And here I thought I was the only one fit for my Bugaboo!

-6:40pm-

MiracuLadybug: Stop calling me Bugaboo… unless you want to become a stray.

I sigh. She's clearly trying to avoid the 'date' part of our conversation.

-6:43pm-

CataclysmChatNoir: Oh, how you wound me! But no worries, M'lady, I'll respect your wishes.

I walk past a small flower shop and do a quick double take. I have a wonderful Idea.

I pull out my wallet and buy a couple of white carnations for Marinette.

-6:49pm-

CataclysmChatNoir: Do you like flowers, M'lady?

-6:50pm-

MiracuLadybug: Who doesn't? Why do you ask?

-6:52pm-

CataclysmChatNoir: No reason. What are your favorites?

-6:54pm-

MiracuLadybug: Tulips, roses, and I'm a sucker for carnations.

-6:56pm-

CataclysmChatNoir: What a coincidence. I happen to have some of those on hand for a very special friend of mine.

-6:57pm-

MiracuLadybug: Wow! That's great! I'd love to hear more about that special someone, but I have to get going.

-6:58pm-

CataclysmChatNoir: Might I ask where you're off to? Who knows? Maybe we could run into each other!

-6:59pm-

MiracuLadybug: A very slim chance. Au revoir, Chaton!

I sigh as I knock on the apartment door, holding the carnations behind my back. Marinette opens the door, and smiles.

"Hey Adrien! I was wondering where you were. We've gotta get going, we're already late!"

I smile and hold out the flowers.

"For you, Princess Flour Power."

"Aww! That's so sweet! Thanks!" She grins, taking the flowers and sniffing them. "Carnations are my favorite! How'd you guess?"

Sounds familiar…

"Pure luck, I guess." I shrug, before holding out my elbow. "Shall we go greet our blind datees?"

She smiles, locking her arm around mine. "We shall."

When we get to the fairgrounds we're the second to arrive at the ticket booths. Nino, dressed in a simple flannel and jeans. He lacks his usual headphones and his hair is oddly tidy.

"Hey Nino!" I call out. I see him visibly relax in front of us and I laugh and his obvious anxieties about tonight.

"Thank God you're here! I thought you set me up with Alya and decided not to show up!"

"Pssh." I wave off. "When have I ever done that?

"That time in 9th grade?" Alya answers, walking over to hug Marinette. "You two really are made for each other. Mari has done the same thing more times than I can count."

"Um, do I need to remind you two that you brought Adrien of all people to my house out of nowhere? I was covered in flour and I broke my phone!" Mari hollars in frustration.

"I don't recall that ever happening…" Alya laughs.

"It was last week!"

"Maybe it was a dream?" I shrug, despite Mari's sideway glance.

"You're supposed to be on my side!"

"Ladies, ladies, you're all pretty. Can we actually go to the fair now?" Nino asks.

I shoot Nino a glare before taking the Mari's hand and walking up to the ticket booth and paying for several tickets to get us into the rides and games.

"Where would you like to go first, Princess Flour Power?"

"Princess Flour Power?" Nino questions from behind me. "Did your father finally drive you insane or are you just high?"

"Neither!" Marinette chirps. "He lost a bet."

"Skip-Bo?" Alya questions.

"Of course." Marinette laughs.

"I don't even know why you tried man." Nino admits glumly. "I lost a hundred euros once because of that game."

"And we can't forget that time you had to walk around with rubber chickens taped to your shoes for a whole day." Alya laughs.

"Better than when you had to say 'up my ass' after every sentence." Nino argues.

"Well, at least I learned my lesson." I say glumly. "Never bet against Princess Flour Power."

Marinette just giggles at my side. I suddenly get the great idea to wrap my hands around her waist and tickle the maniacal bluenette. Surprised, she tries to wrestle free, before she soon succumbs to my grasp. Soon enough, she began to start laughing.

"A-Adrien! Stop that!" she beckons in between laughs.

"Not a chance!" I grin.

"Okay, you guys have known each other for what? A week? Exactly what happened during those seven days?" Alya questions.

"Uh… Stuff?" Mari wheezes between laughs.

Alya sighs, shaking her head. "I swear to God…"

"You shouldn't swear Alya, that's not very nice…"

"Be quiet Nino." Alya huffs.

"Yes ma'am."

We explore the fair in awe. The bright colors and lights, make even the darkest nights feel blinding.

"Since we're in an amusement fair, I propose a bet." Marinette grins mischievously.

"Oh boy…" Alya sighs.

"How about we see who wins the most prizes; Nino or Adrien."

"What's do we get if we win?" Nino asks.

"Winner gets a kiss from their date… On the lips." Marinette smirks.

"WHAT?!" Alya shrieks.

"I'M IN! Wait, I uh… I mean sure whatever…" A deep blush covers Nino's cheeks and Marinette and I laugh.

"Sure." Adrien agrees with a smirk.

And so the games begin. Opening her phone, Alya opens her memo app as she begins to take score. Starting with the ring toss, Nino grins as he lands three to my two. His victory was short-lived as I beat him by ten seconds in that weird clown squirter game. Marinette marvels at my strength as I totally demolish Nino at the strength hammer game, while Alya laughs when Nino wins the bowling round. As the night goes on and we play a plethora of games, both teams find themselves tied with only one game to go: the corn maze race.

Face etched with determination and dates cheering for our victory, I wink at Nino as Alya's phone beeps as a starting signal.

It. Is. On.

Alya's POV

When I agreed to come to the fair, I had anticipated Mari would try to hook me up with Nino in some way or form. What I didn't expect, is for my sanity to be betted on. There is no way I'm kissing Nino… without a good reason.

As Adrien and Nino race into the corn maze, I turn to Marinette, who was holding several prizes.

"Can you believe Adrien won me this hamster plush? I love hamsters!" she swoons.

"Yeah, I know you do. You totally don't go around mentioning it every three seconds…" I sigh. "I gotta admit, though, this fox is pretty awesome."

"What'cha gonna name it?"

"Mari, we're college students. We're not little kids who name every single stuffed animal. But I'd totally name mine Rena."

Marinette snorts, before turning to the hedges of corn. "Who do you think will win?"

"Uhm… I'm betting on Adrien actually."

"What? You don't want to kiss Nino?"

My cheeks flush and I focus on stroking the fur of my fox.

"No?"

"Is that a question or an answer, Alya?" Marinette asks.

"I mean he's cute, and nice, and sweet, not to mention really funny. He's kinda weird, but in a good way… Wait where was I going with this?"

"You were just about to mention how you have a big ol' crush on Nino."

"WAS NOT!" I shriek.

"Liar." Mari mumbles.

"What did you just say?"

"Ohh nothing. So have you noticed how competitive Nino's being right now? I think he's pretty hell bent on getting that kiss if you ask me."

"Hm, I wonder why…" she shrugs. Like perfect timing, the ears of corn rustle as the champion emerges from the maze.

"Adrien!" Marinette grins, running over to him. As she hugs him, I couldn't help but feel sad as Nino didn't win. A few seconds later, Nino runs out of the maze, before his face drops at the sight of his competitor.

"Good game, Adrien." he mumbles sadly.

Despite the look of concern, Adrien focuses his attention on Mari, who says, "And now I present to you the winner of the carnival bet: Adrien Agreste!"

As Marinette plants a ridiculously long tender kiss on Adrien's lips, I notice Nino looking away, defeated.

"Hey," I smile, grasping his shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

"I was so close…" He whispers so quietly I'm not sure if I was even meant to hear it.

Without hesitation, I plant a quick kiss on his cheek. "I think you were right on time."

Nino stops, before staring at me. I could only grin. "Good game anyway, Nino."