***Happy Single Awareness Day, everyone! Here's another chapter! Look for another update soon!

Chapter 13

-Marinette-

What the heck was she supposed to do now? She'd seen the rose, and she had no doubt Adrien had too. And now she was supposed to spend 3 MORE HOURS IN HIS HOUSE, unable to really bring up the topic. There was no way she was addressing her love life in this crowd, especially not with Chloe hovering around. The daughter of the mayor was in a sparkling gold glittery dress that was scandalously cut in the front and the back and that barely passed the knee. Hardly the dress for a gala. As Marinette took a few hesitant steps into the crowd, she looked up and found her mentor's eyes on her. He gave her a satisfied nod as he looked over her stylish gown, and beckoned her closer with a brief wave. Marinette tried not to gulp as she walked up the stairs to answer Mr. Agreste's call, especially when it meant standing just a few feet away from Adrien after what had just happened. Each step on the staircase brought her closer to Adrien, and that thought alone terrified her to her core.

"Well done, Miss Dupain-Cheng," were Mr. Agreste's first few words. She bowed her head as she murmured thanks, then he offered her his arm.

"Come with me, there are a couple people I would like you to meet." Marinette slowly took his arm and he guided her back down the steps, thankfully away from Adrien, and down into the crowd. But her relief was short lived. As Mr. Agreste introduced her to the first American designer, he beckoned to his son as well, and within a minute, Adrien was standing next to her and talking with the group. Mr. Agreste's presence drew the rest of the guests in nearly a receiving line and Marinette found herself memorizing face after face, although some she already knew from the magazines. She tried to be as literate and in control as possible, but with Adrien only a few feet away and her mentor and guidance directly next to her, words were still a struggle.

As the guests mused and socialized among themselves, the musicians really kicked in, and it was time for the world of fashion to dance. Marinette already knew that Mr. Agreste was not a dancer- this she'd seen in the news since his wife disappeared. She understood why he wouldn't want to dance with anyone but his perfect partner. But her understanding and relief toward him disappeared in an instant as he seemed to realize that music was playing and turned to his son and designer-in-training.

"Well, I won't have my two main representatives embarrassing themselves at my gala. Go and dance. Show the others how I have taught you to behave." Marinette's blood froze faster than Frozer's skates touching the ground, but Adrien still acted functional. He held out his hand to Marinette and she slowly took it, his warm fingers meeting her icy hands.

"Come on, Marinette," he said gently, "We definitely have something to talk about."

-Adrien-

Adrien couldn't find words to say what he knew he wanted to say. Marinette danced with him like they had at Chloe's party long ago, but Marinette didn't seem to really want to look at him. The music was loud but smooth, and Adrien gently spun Marinette in the step, then drew her back to him as the group danced in the circle. He decided to try again.

"Marinette," he said her name again softly, and this time her eyes met his, and when Adrien studied them, he saw all the fear she harbored toward him.

"What do you want to do about this?" he asked, holding up the hand with her tattoo as he spun her again. At first she didn't answer, but just looked away again. They moved into the next step of the dance, and as he guided her around again, she finally met his gaze again.

"It's overwhelming, Adrien. I don't really want to do anything right now." Adrien cocked his head, her answer confusing him.

"But this is right, Marinette." He answered, trying not to sound too forced. But the blue-eyed girl didn't back down from her choice.

"Not here, not now, Adrien." She said firmly, even though the dance step brought her right up next to him.
"I'm just not ready."

The song ended, right along with their conversation. Adrien wanted to take Marinette's hand, to go outside into the garden and talk to her about everything, beg her to change her mind. But as soon as the dance was over, Marinette excused herself and continued visiting with all the various designers, leaving Adrien to the mercy of Chloe. The blonde girl threw herself at him almost immediately, and Adrien didn't try to hide his look of disgust to make it evident to those around him that the girl's affection wasn't his fault. He ended up spending the rest of the evening dodging Chloe as he tried to grow closer to Marinette to try talking to her again, but she avoided him expertly, leaving a conversation just as he wandered over to join it. The gala grew to a close, and Adrien waved goodbye to all the guests at his father's side, said a distant farewell to Marinette before excusing himself to bed.

Adrien flopped onto his bed, trying to hold back all his despair. His tattoo had glowed for no one truly but Marinette, but she didn't want him. His soulmate didn't want him. He groaned in frustration, mashing the pillow into his face and letting out a muffled scream. His kwami zoomed out from where he'd been hiding.

"So I'm guessing that what I knew has finally happened. And what are you going to do about it?" Plagg asked tiredly.

"Well I was going to try to talk to you about it, but you're not being very helpful," Adrien sassed back.

"Then talk to someone else about it," Plagg suggested with a smirk. Adrien looked up at the little cat and threw him a confused look. The black cat sighed in exasperation.

"This kind of common sense isn't in my job description," he muttered to himself before turning back to Adrien.

"Don't you have patrol in like 5 minutes?" He asked, and Adrien leapt off the bed cursing himself.