Stuck In A Bakery (With You), Chapter 15


Adrien watched Marinette roll onto her side on the lounge chair next to his, now fully facing him instead of the stars that they'd allegedly come up to view. Well, we DID view them... for a little bit, he laughed to himself. That counts, right?

Her happy smile was contagious, and her high comfort level with him was obvious. That alone sent a little thrill through his body.

"Tell me something about yourself. Something true that I wouldn't know," she requested.

"Secrets, huh? I might ask the same in return," Adrien bantered.

"And if you're honest with me... I'll be honest with you," said Marinette. "I promise."

"When are you ever not honest with me, Marinette?" asked Adrien. "It's hard to imagine that you're even capable of that."

"Oh..." she mumbled, nervously. Only when it comes to what we might be about to talk about! she thought. "Anyway... something small to start."

Adrien thought for a moment. "I have five middle names," he ventured. "Did you know that?"

"I don't think that I did," mused Marinette. Ladybug heard that from you once... but I shouldn't know that, she giggled to herself. "Why so many?"

"It's just a thing in our family. I think that they think they're aristocrats, or something," he snarked. "What's yours?"

"All right, then, my secret is... I don't have one," Marinette smiled. "My parents thought having a combined last name was enough for me."

"You can borrow one of mine, if you like. I'm not really using 'Athanase' all that much," grinned Adrien.

"Don't take it the wrong way... but I'll pass on that, thanks," she replied, with a bit of mock horror. "I used to imagine that if I had one, maybe it would be something floral. Like 'Laurel' or 'Iris,' maybe."

"Marinette Daffodil Dupain-Cheng," Adrien quipped.

"You're going to be wearing some of this popcorn, Mister," Marinette mock-threatened him.

"Oh, no. That's stuck in my head now," he teased her.

"Careful. You have four more middle names that I can make up," she giggled back.


"Okay... getting away from that subject before it gets me into trouble," Adrien grinned. "Let's see... can I ask something instead of revealing something?"

That way I can get closer to the things I would _really_ like to know about you, he reasoned... though I'll still try to go slowly.

Marinette paused, but only briefly. "If I can ask something in return, sure," she allowed.

"All right, then, thank you! How about... you and Alya are very close, but she joined your class the same time that I did. So she wasn't your BFF last year, right?" he asked, to which Marinette nodded. "Who were you closest to at school before that?" he continued.

"That's... actually a tough call," pondered Marinette. "I guess... probably Rose or Juleka? They were in my class last year, too. And they weren't... Rose and Juleka yet, so we spent a little more time all together."

"These days you'd need a crowbar to separate them, most of the time," agreed Adrien.

"Oh, but they are so cute together! Meant for each other," sighed Marinette, happily. "So I don't feel bad about that. They always have time for me when we need each other."

"But you have to guess at that?" Adrien wondered. "You didn't have, like, one person who jumped out as your best friend then?"

Marinette thought out her response, briefly. "Something that you might not have known about me is that... well... I didn't have a lot of close friends before this year. I got along with almost everyone just fine... with certain exceptions..."

"She Who Shall Not Be Named Tonight," agreed Adrien.

"...but, I don't know... I guess that I kind of always... held part of myself back a little," Marinette said. "Maybe I was too afraid of getting hurt. That's one reason why I was so surprised that they elected me Class Representative this year; those things are basically popularity contests, you know? And I'd never won one of those before."

"I find that hard to believe," argued Adrien. "You are the easiest person to like that I've ever met."

"Not always the bravest, though," she admitted. "You aren't the only one who came out of their shell this year, a little bit."

And some things, no matter how much you want them... are difficult to reach out for.


After a moment, Marinette said, "Okay, my turn. Adrien... I know that your father has penciled you in as the heir to the Agreste Fashions throne. You're the lead model, you'll be the CEO some day, you're expected to be the Face of Agreste all your life. That's not a secret; it's in every bit of advertising they put you into."

Adrien's face clouded slightly for a moment, but he nodded. "I'd say that's accurate," he confirmed.

"If you could do your own thing in life, if you could make your own choices... what would you want to do?" asked Marinette. "Would you roll with that, or do something completely different?"

"A very good question. Hmmm..." pondered Adrien. "If you'd asked me that a year or so ago, I don't know what I would have said. But things have changed enough in my life that I think my answer has changed, too."

"So what would it be now?" she prodded.

"Something that helps other people. I don't know exactly what... but maybe something like a fireman or an EMT. Trying to save lives, trying to help the helpless. Maybe something not quite as direct; inventing something useful that improves others' lives, perhaps, or being a scientist and making some big discovery, like a potent new antibiotic."

"A hero, in other words," Marinette surmised.

"Kind of! Not for the glory or the fame, though... just to be able to look back at my life and think 'I did something good. I made a difference,'" said Adrien. "And I know just how clichéd that sounds..."

"No... not as much as you might think," mused Marinette. "But why would your goal have changed to that?"

"Certain role models," Adrien replied, looking a bit nervous. "One in particular. A young woman who goes out and risks everything again and again for our city, for other people. Not because she wants to be a celebrity or get paid or be famous... but simply because she can."

"Oh."

Marinette let that sink in, and Adrien saw her become rather flushed. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah... just... thinking about something," she managed. "Can I tell you a pretty big secret? One that you can't share with anybody else?"

"Gladly," said Adrien.

"I had a Miraculous once," she told him. "The Mouse. Ladybug asked me to join her on a mission, but then I had to give it back."

"You are exactly the kind of person she would pick," Adrien smiled. "And my own secret... I've had one, too. The Snake."

"You did?" asked Marinette, feigning ignorance of that.

"Only on one mission, like you," he replied, his smile fading. "And I didn't... I didn't do a good enough job with it."

"You did your absolute best. I know you did," declared Marinette. "I mean... you would never have given anything but your best! Maybe it just wasn't... the right Miraculous for you."

"Maybe," said Adrien, leaving it at that.

I don't care what Tikki thinks, Marinette told herself. It won't be the Snake this time. But at some point, Adrien... you ARE going to get another chance.


Marinette shivered again, catching Adrien's notice. "We can go inside now, if you want," he offered.

"No! I'm... I'll be fine," she smiled. "It's a little cooler now, but I'm still warm enough."

"I don't think that you are," said Adrien. "But if you don't want to go inside yet... and I can't blame you, it is a gorgeous night out..."

His heart pounding as he did so, he scooted backwards on his lounge chair, still facing her, making room in front of him. "...I can share a little warmth," he breathed. "But only if you'd be comfortable with that."

"I..."


I... thought Marinette.

I... am getting up out of my chair.

I am walking right now. Walking towards him.

I didn't tell my legs to do that, did I?

I am right in front of Adrien now.

I am...

oh god...


Adrien watched, wide-eyed, as Marinette slowly approached him. Her face was smiling, but he could clearly see her nerves jangling, and she was biting her bottom lip slightly.

"It's okay," he half-whispered. "You don't have to..."

Without a word, Marinette closed her eyes, then lowered herself onto the chair in front of him. She turned her back towards him, then slowly snuggled backwards until she felt herself make contact.

Adrien held back a gasp. Instinctively, his left arm reached out to her, but he waited until her other hand touched it to let it slide gently across her waist.

"Are you okay with this?" he whispered.

"I am," he heard her say, very quietly. "I'm just fine now."

It only took another few moments for him to feel her trembling stop and her body relax.

"Good," he said, soaking in the moment.

Kagami, Marinette pleaded silently, I tried so hard... and I'm so sorry. I came into this with good intentions, I swear, and I'm still trying...

...but nothing else has ever felt this RIGHT to me in my WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE...


It took about another minute for the conversation to revive.

"So much for social distancing," Adrien noted in a light tone, getting a chuckle out of Marinette.

"It's your turn to ask something," said Marinette, steadily calming herself down. I need a clear head right now, and to take my mind off of... this. Somehow.

"I did ask something. I asked 'Are you okay with this?'" Adrien replied, which drew a giggle and a small slap to his left arm.

"You know what I mean, silly," Marinette grinned.

"There is something else that I would really like to know... but I'm hesitating," he told her. "It's a little bit heavy, I'll warn you."

"Adrien," Marinette replied, "right this minute, there is very little on this Earth that could disturb me. I trust you. You can ask me anything."

"Okay..."

May I kiss you, Marinette? jumped straight to Adrien's lips.


...but something else came out.

"Marinette... the whole time we've known each other, we have gotten along really, really well," he asked. "But there have been three times so far that I've felt like I made you very uncomfortable. I'm sorry about that, and I am praying that this won't be the fourth when I ask my question."

And not just because I don't want this spooning with you to end... ever, he thought.

"Go ahead," Marinette breathed.

"All three times, a question came up whether... if you had any... feelings for me. Like, romantic or flirty or... those kinds of feelings," he gulped. "I am not suggesting right now that you do, okay? I am not making assumptions right now. I mean, while I have never seen you feeling... this cuddly before... with anyone..."

He felt Marinette stir against him, moving very slightly closer still, and swallowed hard.

"...there is also the distinct possibility that you are just very cold right now."

"I feel a lot warmer, a lot better now, Adrien. But you still haven't gotten to your actual question," Marinette said, leaving the implication unaddressed for now.

"There was the day after the Akuma attacked your house, the day at the wax museum when I was an idiot and pretended to be a statue... and then on that group chat the other night. It seemed to really bother you that either I, or our friends would think that you... um... had strong feelings for me."

Marinette rolled very slightly, looking up and back at him... and Adrien found her expression very difficult to read.

"Again, I'm not saying that... exactly, okay?" he ventured, nervously. "What I do know for sure... is that what there is between the two of us has gotten a million times stronger this week. That I have had one of the best weeks of my life getting to know you, spending time with you, watching... barriers between us start to fade away. And I am loving that, whatever we want to call it. It doesn't have to go any farther than this... ever, if you don't want it to. But my question is..."

Their eyes locked, and Adrien wasn't sure that he could ever look away.

"...why does that idea, that people think that you're interested in me... bother you so much? Is it something about me, or something that I've done? Something that you're afraid that I will do?"


Marinette heard his words, and felt perhaps the greatest contradiction of her young life. Much of her felt absolutely glorious cradled in Adrien's arms, hearing his soft tone, hearing the obvious affection in his words.

And part of her wanted to shrink, dissolve, disintegrate, sprout wings and fly away, teleport... to do anything other than confess her second-biggest secret to the boy that she secretly loved.

"That is... quite the question," she managed to say...

...and here's where I have to answer it.