It was a pleasant surprise for Marinette when she heard her phone ring and she saw Kagami's contact photo light up her screen. Answering she felt herself holding her breath, she hadn't talked to Kagami in quite a bit even though they had seen each other at Kitty Section's practice sessions.

"Hey, Kagami, it's been a while." She found herself talking before even thinking about it, what was one supposed to talk about with a girl who knew you had a thing for their boyfriend? It sounded like a recipe for disaster and Marinette was one that wanted to keep as far away from it as possible. But Kagami was her friend.

"Marinette, I want to see you, do you think you'll be free anytime soon?" Odd. Kagami rarely reached out to her like this, however it was a welcome change. A smile spread across her lips as she answered, "I'm actually free this evening, is that okay with you?" She could almost imagine the small awkward smile that most likely graced her friend's features.

"Yes, it's perfect. Let me ask mother." After a short stretch of silence Marinette heard the telltale sign of someone picking up a phone up to their ears. "Mother has approved, only until six however." Marinette looked up at the tie on her phone, it was a quarter to four, it gave the two just plenty of time to hang out. "Sounds great, meet you at the canal Saint-Martin? I think from there we can go to a small café or we can just sit down there."

"Sounds perfect, Marinette. I'll see you in 20." Pocketing her phone, Marinette stood up from her desk, abandoning the design she had been working on the previous half hour. She had been hit with a wave of inspiration, that now laid beautifully across the pages. It still needed some tweaks here and there, but the inspiration for those would come with time, a breath of fresh air with a friend could prove useful.

Making sure she had her purse on her and full of cookies for Tikki to eat, she made her way to their accorded meeting place. She considered transforming as Ladybug to get there as quick as possible, but scratched that plan. It would be difficult to explain to Kagami just how she had gotten there faster than her, whom would no doubt get driven there.

She took to the streets, filled with pedestrians as she weaved the way to the canal. Finally arriving she noticed the fellow bluenette sat down at the edge of the canal, no doubt waiting for her. "Kagami.." At her name she turned around and smiled up at Marinette, before patting at the floor to her side. I have something I would like to speak with you, but I'd prefer if we talked about it at the end of our outing."

Kagami's words sparked both curiosity and anxiety in her. What could it be that she needed to tell her? "That's fine, I trust your judgement."

"Thank you, Marinette."

"For what?" Marinette felt a hand land on top of hers, making her look down at the conjoined hands, before looking up at the brown-eyed girl. "For being my friend." Brown eyes averted blue eyes in a display of nervousness. It seemed odd in the usually confident Japanese girl, but now Marinette couldn't blame her. How could she? She was perhaps one of Kagami's few friends.

"Kagami," Marinette took hold of one of the other girl's hands, "I know we didn't start off with the right foot, but I do like being your friend, genuinely. I'm also sorry for everything I did before we became friends, it was wrong of me."

"I suppose we both have done things we're sorry for, but I must let you know, because I feel like it is only fair of me to do this. I knew of your feelings for Adrien, I don't want to hurt you, but I do believe we're made for each other. Even so, I don't want to lose your friendship, of course only if you're willing to still be my friend."

Had Kagami always felt like this? Of course, she as Ladybug knew somewhat that she had been aware of Marinette's feelings towards the blond model. She understood the difficult situation the two had been placed under. A choice that had to be made, and she couldn't blame Kagami for the one she had made, after all she was sure she would've made the exact same one. Hell, when given the choice Marinette herself had convinced herself that Kagami and Adrien were the equivalent of picture perfect, how could deny their happiness? She didn't have any such right.

"Of course, I know we both had difficult decisions to make. I do want to be your friend, regardless of what happened."

"Thank you, Marinette, I will strive to be the best of a friend as I can be." A small giggle slipped her lips as she laid eyes on the serious expression on Kagami's face. Feeling a surge of courage, Marinette leaned closer and hugged the fencer. She felt her body tense, before she relaxed as she brought her own arms around Marinette. It only lasted a few seconds before Marinette pulled away, not wanting to make her friend too uncomfortable.

"So, what is it that you wanted to tell me?" Kagami turned her head down, to look at the moving water beneath their feet. "Can we go somewhere else?"

"Sure, I think there's a really nice and quiet café around the corner." Kagami lifted herself with ease, offering a hand to Marinette. She took the offered with a smile, lifting herself before the two walked towards the café.

It was quaint little thing that sat at a street that wasn't commonly traveled, it left the café with a certain amount of privacy that the girls would surely be grateful for. Once they crossed the threshold, the sight of tall, round, wooden tables greeted them. The place was relatively empty, only holding an old couple and a young university student. The two girls headed towards the register, glancing up at the menu, before ordering their preferred drink of choice.

Once they had the drink in hand, they walked towards one of the empty tables close to the window, farthest from the door.

Marinette could feel her nerves triple by every passing second. What could it possibly that Kagami wanted to tell her? It had to be serious if she had requested for them to see each other in person.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Kagami as she started to talk, "I suppose you're wondering what I needed to speak with you about. I guess I should just bite the bullet and say it out right."

"Marinette, Adrien wants to invite Luka and you to go on a double date with us." Marinette wasn't sure if she had heard right, or what. Did she just hear the name Adrien, and the word double date in the same sentence? How worse could things go?

"Why?" She wasn't sure she could get any other words out, all the questions plaguing her mind right in that moment made it too hard to process anything else besides the cold seeping through her fingers from her chosen drink, perhaps she should've chosen a warm drink maybe then it would be providing comfort instead of chilling her body even more.

"He said something about how it'll be nice since we know each other better than when we went ice skating and then gave me the excuse that you and me haven't been able to hang out recently." Kagami went to take a sip from her drink, and perhaps it was her wording or her face as she took the drink in hand, but something went off in Marinette's head.

"You think it's an excuse? What other reason would he want to have a double date?" Again, the expression that overtook the Japanese girl's face for just a millisecond made Marinette curious. Was Kagami hiding something from her? No, she wouldn't, right?

"I'm sure he has another reason he hasn't told me of." Why would he hide anything from his girlfriend? Weren't they made for each other, together they were picture perfect, so much it even hurt her a bit to reminisce back to that day she had realized the painful truth.

Maybe it was her silence that had stretched for far too long, perhaps it had been her expression or her iced coffee that was melting after remaining untouched since the conversation had started, but she hadn't expected to feel a hand on her shoulder. She looked up before she could barely register the touch, the slight warmth dissipating almost as quickly as it came. Kagami leaned back as she brought her arm back, seemingly stunned by her action perhaps even more than Marinette.

"You don't have to agree if you don't want to, Marinette." She looked up at brown eyes full of apprehension. She hadn't known Kagami could be so expressive. It was a nice, welcome change. Marinette felt her hand reach up to hold the other girl's hand, embracing it to express her desire and how strongly she stood by her decision.

"Is it foolish if I do?" A small smile, that still tinged a little too much on the ridiculous, graced Kagami's lips. "It would be; however, I think I understand your reasoning and I will be supportive of whatever decision you make."

"Okay, I'm sure Luka will agree to whatever I decide, but I'll ask him and let you know." Kagami pointed to her phone, "Why don't you ask him now?"

"I'm here with you right here right now, it can wait." Marinette could've sworn the smile Kagami gave her was the brightest she had seen the girl sport.

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Adrien had spent most of the day waiting for Kagami to tell him what Marinette had said regarding the double date. Of course, she had never told him when she would ask Mari, but that didn't stop him from wanting to know as soon as possible. Every time his phone pinged with the promise of news from the bluenette his body almost jumped as he reached out from his couch to the table that sat just a few feet from him.

"Why don't you just keep your phone on you instead of jumping up everything that annoying thing chimes?" Plagg's voice was followed by his presence as he downed a cartwheel of camembert. "I can't keep it on me, it makes me anxious, and although it also makes me anxious not having it on me, I think I prefer not opening the phone ever five seconds."

"Instead you jump almost as high as the ceiling every time that thing makes a noise? Gosh, I don't understand humans, it would be so much easier if you yourself had asked pigtails."

"Marinette, Plagg. Her name is Marinette, and Kagami wanted to talk with her, I can't exactly tell her no."

"Without telling her the reason why, you mean." The kwami snickered as he started to fly away, his snickering getting even louder after Adrien threw a shoe at the teasing god.

Plagg knows why Adrien couldn't really outright tell Kagami his real intentions behind staging the double date. It was odd to say the least, 'Oh, Kagami, I just want to go on a double date because I think Marinette was feeling left out when we started dating and now that she has Luka it's perfect that we can go on double dates!' It didn't even make sense in his head, honestly. He bet kagami would just question him on why he thought Marinette felt left out. 'Oh, I don't know. She acts completely different towards me recently, and I'm too used to how she is when she's with Chat that it hurts me when she acts distant with me…'

Yeah, that'd end splendid.

Should he just go and visit his friend? He couldn't ask outright, but he was sure something of this measure would surely come up in conversation, right?

"Plagg, would it be a good idea if I went to Marinette's house?" Adrien could hear some rummaging near his closet, a muffled voice answer back. "As Adrien?"

"Of course not, I meant as Chat." The tiny god entered his periphery vision, head stuck on a sock. "What's up with you and my socks?"

"Don't ask, Kid. Now, my question is what's up with you? You've never thought before whether it was a good idea to visit that classmate of yours." Why had he asked? Did he just want more reassurance that him continuing to visit Marinette as Chat was justified and totally not wrong?

"Plagg, promise me you won't get mad at me for the question I'm about to make." With his hands on the sides of his body and his head still covered with a sock, Plagg grunted in exasperation, "I promise no such thing."

"Plagg, come on."

"I just know it'll be one of those stupid questions that you already know the answer to."

"Will you at least answer me without making a show out of it?" the tiny god struggled with getting the sock out of his head, as Adrien stretched out his hand to help the struggling kwami. Once the sock laid to the side, Plagg's head sock free, he scowled at his holder.

"I'll try, considering that now I'm curious what it is that you're so adamant on talking with me about." Adrien sighed, why had he been stuck with the grumpy kwami? He was sure Ladybug didn't have to suffer so much with Tikki.

"Okay, do you think I'll ever have to reveal myself to Marinette? I don't know how I feel about lying to her for so long, I don't want to lie to her for so long."

"What the HELL do you think you're talking about? Adrien, you know your identity must remain a secret."

"Yeah, I know but I want Marinette to know I'm her friend that's been visiting her when she's down, and that I've been the one that's been there for her."

"And how do you think she'll take it, Kid?" How she would take it? Surely she'd be happy to know it isn't some complete stranger that she's been inviting into her room. He had thought about teaching Marinette about stranger danger because in hindsight, she had been perhaps a bit too welcoming towards the hero, but he couldn't complain. Her openness towards Chat was the very thing that had pushed their friendship to where it was now.

"Wouldn't she be happy? I mean, we're already friends as my civilian self, right?"

"Is that what you truly think?" No. he wouldn't ever tell his kwami that. "Or is it what you want to believe?"

"What's up with you? You're never into this, introspective thing."

"I just don't want you to get hurt, nor do I want you to hurt Pigtails."

"Why would me telling her ever hurt her?" Plagg lifted an eyebrow in disbelief as Adrien kept staring at him, genuinely looking for the answer that kept slipping from his fingers. "Do you really think a civilian knowing your identity wouldn't hurt them?" There we're few things Adrien hated, and one of them was when his usually reckless kwami was right about something that contradicted Adrien's desire. This moment was one of those.

"Fine, I get it. I'll somehow deal with the pressure of not being able to have Marinette as both of me."

"I'm sure you'll handle it just fine." As the kwami flew away, Adrien wasn't sure if he had imagined the bitterness that dripped from those last words.

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Marinette wasn't sure if she had hoped Luka to not agree with the double date, but she should've known better that her supporting boyfriend would agree with whatever she chose. Wasn't that what she had told Kagami just a few hours ago? She knew she was totally chickening out, but she wanted to see what would happen. Call it foolishness, call it stupidity, but she was going to go through it.

Which was also the reason as to why she had yet to tell anything to Alya. There was absolutely no doubt the brunette would be totally against her reasoning, she would never understand it. How could she? It wasn't often that Marinette felt bitter about her best friend having a successful relationship out of the get-go, but their difference in experiences when it came to love left her with the stark reality that her friend couldn't fully understand her broken heart.

So what if she agreed to go on this double date because she wants all of her, heart included, to once and for all understand that Adrien wasn't meant to be with her. If a part of her didn't understand nicely, then perhaps it's time she took things in her hands and go at it facing forward. Will it hurt? Hell yeah.

Marinette had been dwelling in her thoughts when she heard the all too familiar thud on her balcony, followed by a tap on her trapdoor. Peeling away from her homework, she stood up as she made her way to open the door to let her friend in.

"Chat, just the person I wanted to see." He looked down at her, confusion and curiosity brimming in his expression. "Really? You wanted to see me?" He grinned widely as he let himself into her room. "What for?"

"Not really, but now that you're here it's great either way."

"Oh, I really thought you really had been waiting for me, all sad because you didn't know when this knight in leather armor would show up to head you in whatever you would need." He dramatically leaned back, hand on his chest as though the thought of her not waiting for him hurt him. Dramatic cat.

"Oh, shut up." She got down from her loft, followed closely by Chat, before taking residence in front of her computer. Grabbing one of the controllers for herself, she handed the other one to a waiting Chat that had settled himself next to her. "Make yourself useful, and actually try your best, please?"

They had been playing for approximately an hour when she could start hearing chat's stomach rumble over the noise of the fighting robots on the screen. Turning towards the obviously starving hero, she laid down her controller once the match was finished. "Chat, did you not eat before coming here?"

"I may or may not have skipped dinner to come here." With a sheepish grin, he laid down the controller he had been using, bringing a hand to his stomach that seemed to want to communicate with a freaking whale.

"Chat…" Maybe it was the warning in her voice, or perhaps the look on her face as she stared at him, but he quickly scrambled up as he made an excuse to his not so great eating habits. "Princess, I swear I didn't mean to. I'm used to skipping meals, and I didn't even think I'd be hungry while coming over here."

"Chat," her demeanor visibly softened at her partner's actions, "I'm not mad at you for coming over here hungry, but if you haven't eaten I want you to always tell me, okay?"

"I just don't want to be even more of a burden."

"It's not a burden at all. Anyways, that's what friends are for, right?" She went downstairs to go look for some leftover food from dinner, and a few snacks for later. Hoping that a fed Chat would be a happy Chat.

"Ugh, Chat." It had been an hour of ignorant bliss when the sudden reminder of her double date came to her foremind.

"What is it, Princess?" She turned to look at him as she shoved another bite of a chocolate croissant, hoping the chocolate would offer some form of comfort. "I have a double date tomorrow." She said it with such finality that it made her face pull into a slight grimace as she turned away from him, making sure he couldn't see how grave the situation was for her. "What? My princess is going on a double date without me? How outrageous!" She turned around to look at him pointedly, a glare quickly settling itself in her eyes. "You want to go on a double date with me?"

"Yeah, wouldn't it be fun?" She would never admit her cocky friend, but she knew that she would enjoy a double date with Chat, but best to keep that to herself.

"I doubt we'd be able to go on a double date either way, your girlfriend doesn't know you're Chat Noir, and I can't know your identity. Sorry to burst your bubble Kitty, but it's impossible." He grinned with mirth at her words, looking like the cat that just got the cream, annoying her possibly to new heights. He took a croissant from their shared plate before biting into it. He swayed in his seat in what she could best describe as a happy dance, the tail of his suit swaying softly as it lifted from where it had been resting.

"Besides, I don't think double dates are all that great." He turned around to look at her, a question on the tip of his tongue as he wondered whether he should ask or not. "Why do you think that?"

She shrugged as she scrambled to find an excuse, "Isn't it awkward to go on one, specially for new couples. You usually don't know yet how to act around your partner, and on a double date you also have to wonder how you should act in front of the other couple."

"Oh, like whether you should hold back on affections and that kind of stuff?" She nodded as Chat seemed to take the bait. "Yeah, like should I hold my boyfriend's hand, would it be uncomfortable for me or for the other couple? How would I feel if they seem more affectionate than my own relationship because we've dated for less time? I know it's overthinking a lot of things but I feel like it's best to figure out such things beforehand."

"No, you're right. I hadn't thought how it could make each person uncomfortable, I'll talk over with her, see if we can get to an agreement on that." What?

"What do you mean, Chat? Talk with who? And for what?"

"Oh, umm. No-nothing important, I had heard my girlfriend mention wanting to have a double date with her friend and I think what you said was important, so yeah… Want to continue playing? You know, to help you forget about all that's worrying you." She had wanted to speak a bit longer with him, specifically because her biggest dilemma was that the double date was with her crush, yeah, definitely not how she imagined their first date to be.

In which I'm a sucker for friendships and I really want for Marinette and Kagami to be good friends, but oh well… we'll see later what'll happen with these two.

I didn't write the actual double date in this chapter because I kept going with the flow and ended up writing things that weren't in my scheduled plans but that ended up moving the plot the way I've been wanting it to move, but I'll be posting the next part sometime during the week once I finish it, so stay tuned for that! Also if Chat had just let Marinette keep talking he would've found out she has a crush on him, aka Adrien! Dang it.

So, I didn't post last week because final's week was creeping up for me and I had a huge assignment that I couldn't escape from and since I write these weekly I had no completed chapter to post :/ but after this I hope to be able to continue posting weekly! :)

Thanks for all your reviews! They genuinely make me smile, and some of you have quite interesting theories I hadn't even considered while writing! hahah