"So.." Marinette awkwardly paced, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"So.." Adrien sighed. He was getting nowhere being this reserved. He needed to channel his inner Chat Noir if he was ever going to get past a regular conversation with Marinette. "You look beautiful with your hair down." He nodded to her and she reached up to feel her hair, shock on her face.

"I forgot I had it down. I was showering earlier..forgot to put it back up." She reached for a hair tie and he shook his head, grabbing her hand.

"Don't. Please. I like it this way." He smirked and she blushed a deep red. He met her eyes, then glanced down to her lips. Leaning in, ever so slowly, he smiled at the sound of Marinette catching her breath. His lips met hers and she tensed, then relaxed, melting against him as he brought his other hand up to cup her jaw. He pulled away after a moment and she sighed, blinking up at him. The sight made him lean back in and they kissed for a moment more before separating. She was silent, staring up at him and he smirked.

"Cat got your tongue?" He watched as her eyes widened then narrowed. Maybe he shouldn't have said that. Was she suspicious?

"Adrien I.."

"Yes?" He answered all too quickly and she smiled, looking down at the floor.

"I just wanted to clarify..to make sure. This..hook up. Should I keep it on the down low or.."

"What do you mean?" He frowned, his eyebrows creasing in confusion.

"I mean..you're a model. And your dad is really famous..if word got out that you were seeing me in any way it'd be in all the papers. Not to mention our friends.."

"You can tell anyone you want." He smiled. "I'm not ashamed. Are you?"

"No, not at all."

"Good. I want you to be completely sure about this, M'..Mari." He sighed, remembering again that they were the same person. How could he have gotten so lucky?

"I'm sure." Marinette smiled up at him and he felt as if she was seeing him, all of him, Adrien and Chat Noir, though it couldn't be possible. Now that he knew her identity he was imagining things. If she knew he was Chat she would never have agreed to this.

Did that mean he was manipulating her by not revealing his identity? Surely not. Surely as the guardian she'd understand he'd kept his identity secret. Though maybe not when she found out he was aware of hers. This was all too confusing. And he was tired of waiting.

He reached for her, pulling her against his chest, and he heard her gulp.

"Afraid?"

"No. Not at all!" She blushed and began to nervously play with the hem of her shirt. "It's just that I've never.."

"Me either." He confessed, kissing her cheek then down to her jaw. "I think we'll figure it out as we go." He kissed her neck. "Sound good?"

"Wonderful."

~•••••~

"Shoot! I've got to get home!" Adrien hurried to pull his pants on and Marinette giggled.

"If I knew you'd run away so fast after I would have tried harder."

"Marinette!" Adrien groaned, leaning over to kiss her on the forehead. "You were perfect. But if Natalie comes to check on me and I'm missing…"

Marinette sobered in an instant.

"I definitely don't want to be the target of Gabriel's wrath."

"Especially if you plan to work with him some day. Though, to be honest, I think you should reconsider." Adrien pulled on his shirt then began looking for his socks.

"What do you mean?" Marinette handed him a sock and a shoe out from under her bed as he considered his words.

"My dad is not the easiest to work with. And sure, he could get your designs out there but always under the Gabriel name. Not to mention if you work for my dad you'll be under a no compete clause. You won't be able to put any of your work out under your own name while you work for him, plus ten years after. You should open your own design house, your own lines."

"The kind of money that would take to start up is way more than I'll ever be able to afford."

"Not if you start now." Adrien pulled on his socks then each shoe and kissed her cheek. "Start small. From here. Post your pieces online. See what happens. Maybe nothing. Maybe something great."

"That's a great idea! I could do custom pieces and themed lines and-" She stopped suddenly. "I'd need a model-it would be really hard to get good shots of the clothes without one. Do you know anyone that could..?"

Adrien smirked, ideas already coming to him at top speed.

"Well I couldn't because I work for my dad..but I know the perfect model for the job."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah! She'd be perfect!"

"She?" Marinette frowned and Adrien smiled.

"I can set something up, a photo shoot. I know a photographer who owes me a favor. How about Saturday at 10?"

"Okay..that's fine I guess, but who-"

"It'll be amazing, Marinette! Just you wait! I gotta go!" Adrien kissed her lips then instinctively headed for her balcony. "Oh uh- better use the door, huh?" He gave Marinette a sheepish grin and she nodded, wondering how she'd never noticed just how Chat-like he was before now.

Adrien bounded down the stairs, excitement coursing through his veins. When Marinette found out what he had planned she'd be amazed. She'd be-

"Goodbye Adrien!" Sabine called from the couch where she sat with a cup of tea.

Adrien blanched, suddenly motionless on the last step. He glanced at the clock- 3am. He gulped then awkwardly waved.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Cheng."

"Goodnight Adrien." Tom laughed from the kitchen.

Adrien hid his blush as he hurried out the door and found a place to transform.

"Plagg,that was the most embarrassing I've ever done."

"Don't worry, kid. You'll do worse."

"That's not helpful."

"You didn't ask me to be!" Plagg shrugged and Adrien sighed.

"Plagg, claws out."