start notes—
Marinette briefly wonders how many chance encounters she can have with someone before it finally counts as stalking.
my tellonym: milkisande
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best friends
your whispers and sunlight,
cold hands feeling for mine.
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"WE'RE not dating," Marinette only repeats, for what seems to be the hundredth time that afternoon.
She looks outside the building, irritatedly watching as the rain continues to pour outside.
(If not for the weather, she'd have long-since escaped the conversation already.)
Alya doesn't look like she believes her— nothing new, and shakes her head. "Okay, but you went on a date yesterday," she continues. "Seems to me like even if you're not dating right now, you're definitely on the way to it."
Marinette has to scoff. "Please, we just had dinner together. You're just reading too much into it."
"So what?" Alya only asks, continuing the conversation. "How'd you end it then? No goodnight kiss? No longing glance before he ran after and confessed his undying love for you?"
"Absolutely not," the mermaid shakes her head. "I told you, we're just friends. And that's all we're going to be." She pauses, and her expression sours. "Besides, we had to end the date early because some wonderful little fanclub decided to attack their idol with a water balloon."
"Actually, I think that was meant for y—," Alya starts, then nods. "And you know that… okay."
"Come on, you're telling me that you felt nothing?" She only argues, shaking her head. "Not even a skip in that little heart of yours?"
"Mermaids don't have hearts," Marinette only answers automatically, before placing a hand on her chest. "Not like you humans do, at least. Because if my heart so much as skipped a beat, I'd be dead."
"It's just a form of expres—," Alya pinches her forehead. "Look, whatever the difference between our species is, I know you still feel things. Like how much you love me. And how much you're in love with Adrien Agreste. Don't you think you'll become something more?"
Why does the conversation keep coming back to this? It's like they're swimming in circles.
"Now that you mention it…," Marinette pauses, as if in thought. "You might be right. We won't just be friends anymore…"
"I knew it! I just know that you're going to be adorable and cute and have little half-merperson babies—"
"We'll be best friends!" The unamused look on Alya's face is evident. "I mean, the spot's open now since the original holder of that position wouldn't shut up and was therefore demoted."
The girl only rolls her eyes, then dramatically looks away. "Can't believe that you're dropping your first ever human friend just because of some cute boy," Alya fake-sobs, sighing loudly. "I can be just as cute, you know."
Marinette rolls her eyes. "Believe me, you don't even compare."
"I think she's pretty cute, though," a third voice suddenly chimes in, smiling.
Alya beams at the sudden visitor as he comes to view, and the mermaid can only watch as she jumps over to hug him.
(Marinette can't quite place it, but he seems strangely familiar.)
"Oh my god!" She says, eyes bright. "What are you doing here? I thought you weren't gonna be home for another week!"
"Decided to come back early," the figure responds easily. "It was fun, but it's good to be back. Were you surprised?"
She gives him another hard squeeze, before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "Absolutely," Alya says, revelling in the bright red that floods the boy's cheeks.
As if recalling the situation, Alya turns to face Marinette, who offers a strained smile at the stranger.
Ah, another human.
How wonderful.
"This is Nino," she introduces him, as he throws a friendly wave her way. "He's also from the mythology department, but he conducts field research a lot so he's barely here," Alya explains, before huffing. "Which sucks."
Nino laughs nervously, You know I have to go," he argues back. "It's not like they can work without me." At that, he turns and tips his hat in the mermaid's direction. "Hey, it's cool to meet you. Thanks for keeping Alya company while I've been gone."
Marinette only nods curtly, not making any effort to introduce herself.
(For all she knows, he could be some other mermaid-hater or water-balloon-thrower. He seems the type.)
Alya rolls her eyes at the icy greeting, then speaks up. "And that's Marinette," she finally states. "Remember the one I told you about?"
Told him about?
What exactly has she been telling him?
Nino's eyes light up in recognition. "Ah," he echoes back. "The mermaid."
"Yeah…," Marinette only responds, before cautiously wrapping the jacket around her tighter. "What's it to you, land mammal?"
"No need to get so defensive," Nino explains, raising his hands up in an apparent bout for peace. "I'm a friend."
"I don't make friends with humans that easily."
"Well, that's fine," Nino starts, then smiles at her. "Doesn't bother me, after all."
Noticing her confused stare, he only smiles, before rolling up one of his raincoat's sleeves to showcase damp scales, glittering in the artificial light of the building. "Was not prepared for the rain today."
"Wait, you—?"
"Well, not fully," he's quick to say, before she can finish her question. He pats the scales in his arm, before putting the coat back on. "I'm a halfie," Nino explains. "Dad's a merman, mom was human."
Marinette stares at him in wonder. So that's why he isn't completely transforming, then?
"Wow…"
"This is the first time you've met someone like me, huh?"
She nods slowly, before realizing how rude such a thing might come off. "I mean, I think it's amazing."
"I think a pure-blooded mermaid is a lot more amazing, but I'm not one to turn down a compliment," Nino replies coolly. "Has Alya not told you about me?"
Marinette pauses, as if in thought. "I don't think she ever—"
"Hey, no. That's because you never wanted to listen!" Alya protests, shaking her head. "Whenever I want to talk about relationships, you always zone out."
"But you never told me he was half-mermaid!" Marinette argues back. "Now he's a lot cooler and more interesting."
"Aw, thank you Marinette."
"You're welcome, Nino."
The two stare at each other for a moment, then laugh.
"Glad to see that you two are getting along," Alya only says drily.
"Of course," Marinette responds easily. "He's my best friend, after all."
Catching on quickly, Nino nods solemnly. "Yeah, sorry babe. It was best friendship at first sight."
"So you're replacing me too, then?"
The three of them are surprised to see the entry of a fourth party, and Marinette briefly wonders how many chance encounters she can have with someone before it finally counts as stalking.
"Dude!" Nino's only too quick to say, wrapping a hand to give the speaker a hug. "It's been way too long."
"I rushed over as soon as Mme. Mendeleiev said you were back," he responds brightly. "Can't believe you didn't even tell me," he continues, giving a light punch on the shoulder. "Am I really not your best friend anymore?"
As if noticing the others, Adrien grins as his eyes land on one girl. "Fansea meeting you here, Marinette," he greets, jokingly bowing down to her.
It's extremely dorky.
Almost painfully so.
But as usual, she finds it just as painfully adorable.
"You really just have a habit of apiering out of thin water, huh?"
(At that moment, Alya telepathically sends her three messages.
You just punned. And not just any pun— an objectively terrible one. You're falling head over fins for this boy, aren't you?
Understandably, she chooses to ignore all of them.)
Nino only looks on in confusion, and Marinette almost doesn't notice the telling nudge that Alya gives him.
Almost.
The couple only stares at each other for a moment, before Nino connects the puzzle pieces together, and grins.
They subtly fist bump, and the mermaid can already feel the oncoming headache she's about to have.
Great. Now there are two of them.
"So…," Nino starts, wrapping an arm around Adrien— with Alya doing the exact same to her. No escape.
"I happen to have three backstage passes to Jagged's show tomorrow," he continues, "since I'll be opening for him. "Any of you up for it? Consider it my welcome-back gift."
Adrien's only too enthusiastic to agree, but Marinette stares at the two of them in suspicion. They're hatching something, she knows. And from the pits of her stomach, she knows she won't enjoy it.
"You know, I actually have a lot of work to finish by this week, so…"
"Come on, make an exception?" Nino pleads, "I don't know how long I'll be here. You wouldn't leave your best friend hanging, right?"
"And your real best friend, too," Alya points out, wagging a finger in her direction.
Marinette holds back the urge to sigh in exasperation, watching as they both look at her with pleading eyes.
She bites the need to scream, but finally, begrudgingly, nods. "Fine!"
Adrien grins as the mermaid agrees. "You know," he starts, "I can't help but feel a little left out of this best friends club of yours."
Alya looks at him innocently (which is really just code for she's going to do something absolutely evil). "Oh, don't worry about that," she says easily. "Marinette said she'd be absolutely open to taking the next step in your relationsh— MMF!"
"Aand that's our cue to leave!" Marinette finally says, acting calm as she places a strict hand over her best friend's lips and basically drags her to the exit of the building. "You know, we have a lot to finish by tonight if we want to go tomorrow."
"Right…," Adrien says, evidently confused with the situation, but deciding against asking with his better judgment. Nino's really only holding back the need to burst into laughter.
"We'll meet up again then!"
(As Marinette opens the door to the exit, she catches Adrien ask, "what was that all about?"
"You still have a lot to understand about women, my dear Adrien, Nino only responds. "So… Marinette's cute, huh?")
The mermaid makes a note of adding Nino to her people-to-drown list.
Half-merman heritage be damned.
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end notes—
this chapter is dedicated to luna for the inspiration to include nino in this fic: i think he'll make things a lot more amusing ! (adrinette is no match for djwifi and everyone knows it3)
a semblance of a plot is foaming now, but expect a lot of random and cute little adventures with them from now on :D classes are coming back tomorrow, so the real struggle starts for the weeks to follow ;u;
as always, comments are appreciated ! those who come at this fic with their own puns i hope you know you're all the coolest ppl i've ever met online : as always :
thank you for reading! ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～