The happy adoption party eventually ended early afternoon.

He got sent away when the cleaning was beginning.

It was probably for the best.

That happened to be about the time he got a text.

Hi. Thought a lot about it and have realised I really like you. When do you want to meet for a second date? / Marinette

He wasn't equipped to handle this alone.

He knocked on the door.

Light footsteps made their way to the other side of the door and opened it.

It was Azalea's mother.

One look at his face was apparently enough. "Azalea! It's for you."

Then she ushered him to the kitchen.

Azalea came out of her room.

"Are we friends?"

The girl stopped and blinked. "I like to think so."

Good.

That was good.

"Then I'm in dire need of your assistance."

The red head took a few steps closer and looked him over. "Are you feeling alright? You never ask for help."

"That may normally be true, but I'm afraid I'm a bit in over my head." He started pacing back and forth slowly. "I met this girl."

"Sorry to tell you, but you've done that before. I am a girl and you've met me."

"Let me finish." It disappointed him that his glare did nothing on her. "I met a girl and we went on a date."

"And you need my help understanding what you did to make her run away."

"No." He growled. "I need your female expertise to figure out the hidden intricacies of the text she sent to ask me out on another date."

Azalea stared.

She ended up taking a seat at one of the bar stools. "Correct me if I'm getting this wrong, but you went on a date. You managed to, in some mysterious way, not scare the girl enough to need therapy for life and now she's asked you through text to a second date?" He nodded. "And you want me to explain the text for you?"

"Yes. I thought we'd established that already."

"I have to know the situation if I'm going to help you."

He opened up his phone and put it in front of her with the text he'd gotten from Marinette on display.

Azalea read it and her eyes widened.

"What does the 'thought a lot about it' part mean? Does she not want to go on a date again, but feels the need to be polite or is it her way of saying it was a tough decision? Or does it mean she's nervous about it?" He'd started pacing. "And she wrote that she likes me! How do I respond to that? I like her. I like her a lot. It's impossible not to. She's really amazing. Is it too early to tell her that and what if she means it in a different way? What if she meant like a friend? But she's asking to schedule in another date. Is that cue for me to give her options or should I let her decide right off what suits her?"

Azalea was staring at him again, but snapped out of it when he snapped his fingers in front of her face.

She shook her head. "Something tells me she's just as much of a mess about this as you are."

"I'm not a mess."

It was insulting for anyone to say otherwise.

"No, you just like a girl for the first time ever and you've got it bad."

He looked at her. "Is it that obvious?"

She nodded "If it helps I think you should marry that girl. You'll never find someone else that won't run for the hills."

He chuckled quietly.

It was something he would have been a lot more reserved about doing before meeting Marinette.

"I'd love to, but we're both a bit too young as of now. Doubt someone as wonderful as her would marry me though." Cue dying sounds from Azalea's bedroom. "Is your cat alright?"

She shrugged. "I haven't seen Albert since I got home. He might have fallen asleep in my wardrobe again."

"Don't think I've forgotten that you haven't answered any of my questions yet."

"Would never dream of it." The smirk somehow suited her. "In my expert opinion-"

He couldn't help himself. "Since when are you an expert?"

She punched him in the shoulder. "Since I'm the only one in the room that isn't socially awkward."

"Well, do go on then."

"As I was saying. The girl probably has it just as bad as you and have been thinking of you constantly and worrying just as much. She might have been asking similar questions to yourself. The 'I really like you' part is definitely romantic. Trust me. You should discuss a time that suits both of you. Give her a frame for when your free or something like that."

"So I have nothing to worry about?"

"Nope."

He breathed out in relief.

What would he do without Azalea?

But she had that glint in her eye that always spelled trouble.

"So..." He already didn't like where this was going. "Do you love her?"

Thankfully he wasn't drinking anything or he might as well have choked.

His first instinct was to give a straight no, but Azalea had said they were friends.

He didn't want to lie to her if he didn't have to.

"No." She looked so disappointed. "This girl. She's this angelic girl with so much good in her heart, but I'm pretty sure she's still able to take down someone bigger than her. The things she can come out with when she forgets herself are either brilliant or hilarious depending on what she says. When she smiles she lights up the room and I'd do anything to see it. She's smart, and creative and competitive. But, no. I don't love her." He let himself smile. "But I can see myself getting there a lot faster than it should be possible."

Azalea had just a touch of a smile on her lips.

"I expect a thank you at your wedding for making this happen a lot earlier than it would if I left you two to your bumbling." What? "Turn around."

He did.

Marinette was in the doorway to Azalea's room.