Hey! Sorry for the wait, this prompt took over and gave me a run for my money!
Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! Melty Camembert Hearts! And a special thank you to my amazing beta's SunshineMLB and JuliaFC!
Also, I do not own the characters, just the plot! Enjoy!^-^
Day 28 - Hospital Visits
Chat Noir smiled to himself as he stealthily moved down the dimly lit hallway. He only had one more stop to make. His grip tightened on the stuffed giraffe in his arm as he peeked into the last room.
He slipped inside, seeing the cute little dark haired girl fast asleep. He placed the stuffed giraffe in the crook of her arm, his heart filling with joy as she instantly pulled it closer in her sleep. He whispered it to the giraffe softly, "Take care of her okay?" He patted the giraffe on the head, pulled the blanket up around the little girl a little more, and then made his exit as quickly as he had come.
The second he dropped his transformation back in his room, Plagg told him again, "You are doing a really good thing here Kitten, but if you don't stop you are going to get caught."
"No one has caught me yet Plagg. It's one trip every two weeks. No one is going to link the stuffed animals back to Chat Noir." Adrien said, not the least bit worried as he pulled his shirt over his head and fell face first into bed.
Plagg flew up next to him, patting his cheek, "You have a big heart Kitten. All I'm saying is, be careful."
Adrien turned his head and smiled, patting Plagg on the top of his head the same way he had to the stuffed lion, "I will be. Let's get some sleep."
...
"I'm telling you, something is going on at that hospital." Adrien heard Alya saying sternly from outside the classroom door.
He walked into the room, seeing Marinette shaking her head, "Maybe it's one of the nurses who just doesn't want to come forward. Or one of the doctors."
Alya crossed her arms, "It's been happening every two weeks like clockwork! All of the nurses and doctors have said they have no idea who is doing it or how. They end their shift, the kids all go to sleep, and the next morning, BAM," Alya exclaimed, "all of the kids have a stuffed animal."
Nino hummed, "It is a little weird. I mean, you have to give props to whoever is doing it, but Marinette's right, maybe they aren't doing it to get attention."
Adrien walked over to them, asking a little worried, "Hey, what's going on?"
Alya's eyes lit up as she pointed at him, "Sunshine!"
He felt his body stiffen, "Y-Yes?"
Alya grinned, "You've heard the rumors blowing up online about what's been happening at the children's wing at Memorial hospital right?"
"You mean the rumors on TweetIt about the magically appearing stuffed animals right?" He said casually, taking his seat and giving Nino a silent fist bump in greeting.
"The very same." Alya said, sounding happy that he knew about it, "It happened again. This morning a nurse from the hospital, who had been on the night shift, posted on TweetIt this morning that the Stuffed Animal Giver had struck again."
"Is that right?" He somehow managed to get out calmly, "So, what's the big deal?"
"Aren't you the least bit curious about who's doing it?!" Alya asked loudly, Marinette and Nino both shaking their heads.
He told her the truth, "Honestly, not really."
Alya groaned, burying her face in her arms, "Ugh, I hate all of you."
Marinette patted Alya's shoulder, "There, there. We know you like to solve a good mystery, but don't you think that if they wanted the attention, they'd let people know it? Whoever it is, is doing it to make the kids happy about having to be in the hospital in the first place. They are doing it with kindness and compassion, and love in their heart. Whoever it is, they are an amazing person, and if they don't want that attention on them, then that's okay. We should respect that."
"I agree with you dudette." Nino said with a short nod, holding out his fist to Marinette who instantly fist bumped him back.
Adrien felt a slight blush on his cheeks, hearing Marinette's words. She thought so highly of the giver, of him. It made his heart swell, and he knew that he was doing something good with those secret little hospital visits.
Marinette had a thinking face on as she stared up at the ceiling, "Actually, you know we still need to do something as a class for Volunteer day in two weeks. Maybe we can do a round at the children's ward of the hospital, reading to them, playing with them, keeping them company, things like that."
He told her instantly as he broke out into a bright smile, "That sounds like a great idea Marinette."
Her bluebell eyes instantly moved to his, her face flushed a soft pink as she asked him, "Y-You think so?"
He nodded, "Most definitely. I can probably even get Father to donate a crate of stuffed animals for us to pass out, and give the Stuffed Animal Giver a break."
"That would be wicked my man." Nino told him proudly.
Alya nodded, "Do you think he'd do it though?"
"For charity, without a doubt." Adrien told them, knowing that his father would practically jump at the chance to have Gabriel's name associated with a charity event.
"Then I'll talk to Miss Bustier during lunch break and see what she says." Marinette told them.
Adrien smiled at her in bright anticipation, hoping Miss Bustier gave them the all clear.
...
Two weeks later, they were off from school on a Friday to spend the day at the hospital. Miss Bustier accompanied them of course, splitting them off into teams depending on who wanted to do what. Adrien was more than happy to be paired with Marinette to pass out the giant bundle of toys his father had donated through the company. They were well into passing out toys when he just had to stop and watch her for a minute.
Marinette was bright and full of joy, bringing smiles to the kids' faces with ease. Her laugh mixed with the innocence of the kids' warmed his heart in a way he'd never felt before.
She suddenly looked over at him with that beautiful smile, her bluebell eyes shining. The smile on his face widened as she made her way back over to him, "I think we should take a break, don't you?"
He nodded, "Yeah, we should probably go check in with Miss Bustier anyways." They waved goodbye to the kids and found Miss Bustier in the lobby. Apparently they were the only ones who hadn't taken a break yet.
They decided to get something to eat and as they sat down, Adrien told her, "This really was a great idea Marinette."
Her face flushed slightly, "It wasn't just my idea. We were all talking about the Stuffed Animal Giver. I just jumped on his, or her, train."
He wasn't going to let her get out of taking the compliment, and said it with a sly smirk, "But you put it all together. I'd expect nothing less from my amazing, everyday Ladybug."
Her cheeks went from pink to rouge in seconds, her voice trembling as she smiled nervously, "Th-Thanks Adrien."
Her phone pinged and he watched her eyes widen in horror as she let out a slight squeal before looking around quickly in confusion.
"What's wrong?" He asked, concerned by her reaction.
"N-Nothing, nothing at all." She tried, flipping her phone over and ignoring it as it continued to ping at her.
He asked nervously, "Did, something happen?"
"Nope, nothing. E-Excuse me for a second." She got up quickly and he watched her disappear around the corner of the divider, her food still untouched.
He poked nervously at his salad, wondering if he'd said something to offend her when she quickly came around the corner, looking out of breath.
He started to stand, "Marinette, are you okay?"
She nodded, "Yes, I'm sorry about that." She sat down across from him and he sat back down, asking again, "Are you sure?"
She nodded a little too enthusiastically and his phone pinged in his pocket. He opened the text from Nino, his eyes widening. It was a picture of him and Marinette from just a few minutes ago when they had sat down to eat, smiling at each other. The text that went with it read, 'You guys look cozy ;)'
He instantly looked around and Marinette said it knowingly, "She sent you the picture… didn't she?"
He cleared his throat gently, "Nino did. Alya?"
Marinette nodded and he sighed, "Why did she take a picture of us?"
Marinette reluctantly pulled out her phone and showed him the text that went along with hers, 'GIRL! You guys look like a real couple! Don't spill all over yourself!'
He looked up to see her face flushed red, and he knew his face softened as he smiled at her, "I don't care if you spill on yourself."
"I know you don't." She said quickly as she put her phone down.
He couldn't get the small smile off his face, "I guess from the outside we do look like a couple though. It's not the first time someone has thought it."
She stared at him confused and he reminded her, "The fragrance ad?"
"Oh, that. Y-Yeah, that was a crazy few weeks." She said nervously.
"I am sorry about that,"
"No please don't apologize." She said instantly, "It wasn't your fault." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Any girl would be lucky to really go out with you."
His face flushed, "You think so?"
She nodded with a shy smile, and he felt his heart rate pick up. This was the second time today he was having this sort of reaction around her. She finally started poking at her own salad, and he forced himself to look away from her.
They ate in a semi-awkward silence, glancing up at each other occasionally just to quickly look away.
As they made their way back to Miss Bustier, they heard the ambulance sirens wailing nearby.
Hoping that everything was okay, they went back to work handing out the stuffed animals. The awkwardness lingered around them for a little while, but soon they got back into the comfortable routine they'd had this morning. Their smiles went from shy back to the real joy they'd experienced earlier, and seeing the way her eyes lit up, he knew everything was okay again.
While mostly focused on the task at hand, he couldn't help but let his mind wander a bit as he watched the bluenette's contagious happiness spread. Nino's comment to him, and Alya's to Marinette kept playing over and over again. Marinette's soft voice was more like a loud echo as her words stirred something in him, 'Any girl would be lucky to really go out with you.'
Maybe he was overthinking it, but he was sure it meant something… more? But, Marinette was his friend. It couldn't mean, what he thought it could mean… could it? He handed her a stuffed lion, their hands brushing against each other softly and both of their faces becoming tinged with pink. She turned away to give the little boy the lion, and his stomach fluttered as he stared at her.
He chewed the inside of his cheek as the realization washed over him. The way his heart thundered at her smile, the feelings he got during lunch, and the way he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Marinette wasn't just a friend. He had a crush on her. That's what all these feelings were, he was sure of it.
He smiled to himself, watching her use the lion and roaring with the little boy for some reason.
Their phones went off at the same time and he pulled his out, seeing the text from Alya in the class group chat, 'Time to go peeps, meet back in the first floor lobby in ten!'
"Marinette, time to go." He called out to her. Marinette and the boy both frowned, but Marinette told the boy with a soft smile, "Remember, all you have to do is roar." The boy nodded, clutching the lion to his chest, "And scare the nerves away!"
Marinette tapped the little boy on the end of his nose, making him laugh as she told him, "Everything will be okay. Okay?"
The little boy nodded with a soft smile as Marinette walked away. They left the room, dropping off the last few stuffed animals at the nurses station so they could pass them out if any other children came in.
When they finally approached the elevator to meet up with everyone, they saw the sign that hadn't been there before. 'Closed for Maintenance, please use the stairs. Sorry for the inconvenience.'
Marinette said it with a small sigh, "Well, at least it's only three floors."
"Right." He agreed with a smile. They entered the stairwell, and he couldn't help himself. He grabbed her hand, stopping her before she could move, "Marinette?"
She instantly turned her attention to their hands, her face flushing as her eyes widened.
"I, I know this might be sudden but would you, would you like to do something with me this weekend?" He asked nervously, her eyes darting up to his as her mouth parted slightly.
"M-Me?" She asked stunned, "O-Of course! I'm sure Nino and Alya would love to,"
"We don't have to invite them." He said quickly, feeling his face warm, "It could be just… just you and me."
She blinked a few times, and he squeezed her hand gently before letting go, "Unless, you're not comfortable with that idea then,"
"NO!" She screamed suddenly, "No I mean, that sounds great, hanging out this weekend, with you, just you and me." Her face fell slightly, "Friends, friends hang out…"
He felt Plagg poke him hard in the chest and he corrected her, "I was thinking maybe, more like a… date?"
"A… date… with… you?" She asked slowly, like she wasn't sure she heard him right.
He nodded in silence, his nerves eating away at him. He watched her eyes fill with tears before she smiled so brightly it warmed every part of him.
"I'd love to." She said softly, her voice filled with happiness.
The tears in her eyes fell and he asked, worried by her reaction, "But, you're crying."
She laughed softly, wiping the tears away, "They are happy tears. I really like you Adrien, I really like you a lot."
He closed the small gap between them, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. Her arms wrapped around his middle as he smiled at her lovingly, "I really like you a lot too."
The way she smiled at him drew him in, and before he knew it, his lips met hers in a gentle, featherlight kiss that sent butterflies down to the tips of his toes. It only lasted a few seconds, but he could feel the way his lips tingled, wanting more.
He took her hand, lacing her fingers through hers and asking, "Was that okay?"
She caressed his cheek as her eyes sparkled at him, "Perfect."
He beamed, bringing their entwined hands up. Placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles, he watched as she blushed. They walked down the stairs hand in hand, both of them smiling as happiness radiated out of them in waves.
As they reached the first floor and made their way towards the lobby, Adrien knew this was one hospital visit he was never going to forget.
Thanks for reading! We are close to the end of the prompts, just a few more to go!
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Au Revoir for now! Á demain!