(Bonus cookies for those who know which anime Adrien's talking about!)

Chapter 21 - Tendencies

Marinette opened her mouth to launch into The Plan, but then she closed it again, glancing at the food, drinks, and movie. If he'd done all this….

"Why don't you tell me what you wanna do first?" she offered, giving him her full attention.

"Well, because I don't think I have all the information," Adrien admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I really do wanna hear what you have to say. You said you were working with Hawkmoth to bring back my mother, right? Something about a wish?"

Marinette nodded. "Ladybug's and Chat Noir's powers can be combined to make any one wish come true."

"Whoa, cool," Adrien breathed. Just imagining the possibilities made him feel giddy.

He really could have his mother back!

Maybe his father wasn't so bad after all!

But… years of working with Chloe made him hesitate. If something sounded too good to be true, it usually was.

"So, why haven't we used this power before?" he asked. "Err—you, I mean. You and Chat Noir."

Marinette sighed and looked away. "Because the universe must always be kept in balance. For everything we gain, something must be taken away."

"Equivalent exchange?" Adrien said eagerly, his eyes shining. "That's in one of my favorite animes! But, wait…." His eyes narrowed. "'Something of equal value must be given—even if we ignore the rules against human transmutation, m'lady, that's still… wait. You're gonna kill someone to bring my mother back?!" he cried, horrified.

"No, no, no," she said, shaking her head and waving her hands for emphasis. "Your dad explained everything. Your mom isn't really dead, Adrien! She let herself be put into stasis until your father could find a cure."

"A cure?"

"For her illness. He didn't say what it was, but it sounded bad if she was wasting away…."

Adrien blinked at her, surprised. "Marinette," he said slowly. "My mother was as healthy as a horse up until the day she disappeared."

They stared at each other for a few moments while Marinette felt her face pale. "I see."

"Also…," he paused, thinking for a moment. "She let herself be put into stasis? That… that can't be right. She always said that I was the most important thing in her life. She never willingly abandon me! Wouldn't she at least tell me if she knew she was going away?"

"Good point," Marinette said.

She'd been lied to! No wonder Marinette had been so willing to work with his father! He'd managed to spin it in such a light that made it look okay! Adrien nearly sighed with relief. His lady wasn't evil. She'd simply been duped! Now he was more thankful than ever that she'd agreed to meet and talk with him.

Especially when she narrowed her eyes and cracked her knuckles. "Looks like I'm gonna need to have another chat with Hawkmoth to find out what really happened."

Nice knowing ya, father, he thought with a chuckle.

"Will you tell me what you find out?" he asked quietly. "My father's been pretty close-lipped about it to me too."

Marinette nodded and stood up, looking determined. A wave of panic rushed over Adrien.

Wait, now? She was going to go now?! He hadn't had time to think about this, to resign himself to the fact that his father was probably going to jail forever soon! At the least!

"Wait!" he caught her hand before she could go. "Do you, umm, have to do it now?" he asked. Call him selfish, or stupid, but he kinda wanted to have a conversation with his father before that last, epic battle.

"I think I've waited long enough, don't you?" Marinette said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's just… uhh… well, I can't eat all this by myself!" he said quickly, indicating the food and drinks still waiting on them. "And… with all the press that's sure to happen after we expose my father, I don't know when we'll be able to just have a quiet night to ourselves again!"

Marinette blinked at him, her eyes owlishly-wide. "Y-y-y-you mean, like-like a date?" she asked.

Adrien felt his own face flush. A date? A DATE? A date with Marinette?!

"Well, sure, I guess," he said slowly. "Unless you're not okay with that!" he added quickly.

"No, no! I mean—yes! I mean, I'm not—YES! A date! A date is fine!" Marinette exclaimed. Adrien laughed lightly at the fact that she was echoing his own thoughts. "Unless, you're not okay with it…," she added timidly.

"ME?!" Adrien's voice did not squeak, thank you very much. He would deny it 'til the day he died. But he cleared his throat, just in case. "I'm fine," he said calmly, turning back to the movie and tossing a cookie into his mouth.

"Yeah, you are…."

"What?" Adrien asked. He hadn't quite heard her mutter.

"Nothing!" she said quickly, sitting beside him on the couch again, this time much closer.

Still, not close enough, Adrien thought privately, now that he had time to think. Not if they were on a date. Marinette had said she loved him, after all, (though neither of them had said anything about it since then,) and Marinette was Ladybug, which cleared up any hesitation he might've had.

I should tell you, he thought as they both focused on the movie. He had so much he wanted to tell her. He was Chat Noir. He loved her too, so much….

But part of him was scared. Would she be mad at him for keeping his identity secret for so long? Would she not believe him if he told her how he felt? She'd already been emotionally manipulated by one member of his family, after all….

Beside him, she sighed happily. Adrien glanced at her to see her smiling at the screen and he quickly focused on what was happening in the movie.

Ah, he'd accidentally put on a romance, and one of the characters was quickly falling in love with the other. He quickly scanned his memory. No steamy scenes (thank God), but there was a cute date scene coming up that she should like.

Hmm…

Now, how did the guys in the movies do this again?

Gotta get closer… reaching for another cookie was a good excuse to move.

Act innocent… let her relax, don't wanna scare her off—hey she didn't move away!

Then it was a kind of… stretch his arms up and…

"You're so warm." Marinette rested her head against his shoulder, or at least she meant to. With Adrien's arms up, she ended up snuggling into his side.

Adrien froze.

Marinette froze.

Neither of them said anything, as Adrien's arms got heavier and heavier.

Okay, think! he screamed inside. This is good! This is a good thing, right? This is exactly what you wanted! Just bring your arms down… slowly….

Marinette tensed up again when his arm finally came down around her shoulders.

OH GOD, OH GOD, I'M GOING TO DIIIIEEE! SHE'S GOING TO THROW ME OFF THE TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER—

"If you wanted to cuddle, Adrien, all you had to do was ask," Marinette murmured.

Adrien gulped, determined not to choke at such an important time in his life.

"Is this… okay, then?" he asked quietly.

"Mm hmm."

Joy blossomed through him as his body finally relaxed against her—taking in her heat, her softness, that familiar, wonderful scent….

A purr rumbled through his chest before he could stop it.

Beside him, Marinette tensed and pulled away from him, eyes wide.

"Whoa!" Adrien said quickly, laughing and grabbing his stomach to try to play it off. "I guess that snack didn't agree with me! I'll—be right back!"

He ran for his bathroom and slammed the door.

End Chapter 21.