Hey, pretty people.
So, I got this random idea after a friend got me a souvenir from a renaissance fair and I thought it was a cute prompt. Besides, I love writing friends to lovers, one of the best tropes out there idc
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Enjoy!
The day was too warm to be early May, but Adrien didn't mind. He was joyful and giddy, although most of his state was because of the many pints he'd drunk so far. Nino warned him about the honey beer and to not trust the sweetness, however, he didn't listen. Adrien tried to, but it was hot, the beer was cool, and his father and Nathalie were away for a couple of weeks. It would've been heaven, if only his other friends were there too.
It was only he and Nino at the renaissance fair. Alya had no interest in that sort of thing and was too busy working on the new site for the Ladyblog; and Marinette, Adrien sighed as he thought of her, was stuck helping her parents. He missed the bluenette despite that he had just seen her on Friday at Lycée.
Adrien knew for a fact that Marinette wanted to come, she told him as much last night over the phone, but today was the last day of the fair and she had to help her parents. Her bluebell eyes looked at him filled with disappointment as she turned down his invitation. Adrien sighed again, this time catching Nino's attention who looked at him with an arched brown and a bemused look, but refrained from saying anything. The young DJ could make an educated guess about what, or rather who, was haunting the blond's mind.
They kept walking down the improvised road as they looked at the artisans' stands. Adrien bought a package of different kinds of beers and pastries. As they stepped away he got a bite of one of the treats, he didn't remember the name, but the dough was buttery and filled with jam. It was good, but he was sure that Marinette could do better.
Thinking about her, Adrien stopped at a stand that sold quills, diaries and jewelry. There was a bracelet that immediately caught his eye, it was an opal doublet. It was silver and quite simple compared to some other pieces that tried to capture the regal pomposity of six centuries ago, like the golden cuff Nino was eyeing.
"Do you think Alya would like it?" His friend asked, unconvinced.
"Uh I've never seen her wear something like that", noted Adrien.
Nino agreed, putting down the cuff. As he moved to look through the notebooks, grabbing one with a golden fox on the leathered cover. "Yeah. I think she'd like one of these better".
Adrien hummed in agreement and kept looking at the bracelet. The opal was the lightest shade of lilac in the shadow, but as he lifted it away from the cover of the tent the stone changed to a bluebell color. Without a second thought he walked up to where a tall bearded salesman was finishing up another sale. Nino followed suit with the fox notebook in his hand.
As Adrien watched the man put the bracelet in a box filled with dried flowers, he wondered what Mari would say. Would she like it? Would she wear it everywhere like she carried the lucky charm he made her almost five years ago.
"Who's that for?" Asked Nino once they stepped away and continued walking down the faire.
"Marinette", Adrien said with that soft smile before drinking the last of his beer.
"Are you finally going to tell her that you like her, dude?" Nino asked like it was the most ordinary thing to say.
"What? I don't like Mari, not like that at least". Adrien answered like he usually did whenever someone asked him about his feelings for the bluenette.
Nino stopped and turned around, yielding his eyes from the sun to look at his very dumbfriend. He had never felt the urge to punch Adrien, but he was now. Nino rubbed his forehead, trying to understand how he could be so oblivious. Shaking his head he moved out of the sun towards one of the picnic tables that were set up under the shade of the trees. If it was needed, Nino would spell it out for him.
"So, you got her a bracelet because you don't like her?" He began after they sat down.
"Of course I like her. She's my best friend", Adrien said, getting a dirty look from Nino. "One of my best friends", he corrected.
"Nice save, dude. But for real, why aren't you getting jewelry for Chloe? Isn't she one of your best friends too?"
It was true, they grew apart for a couple of years when Adrien realized how awful she could be to other people, but since then the blonde heiress changed for the better. And he'd always have a soft spot for Chloe, she was his only childhood friend after all.
"She's in the States". Adrien said as an excuse.
Nino rolled his eyes and reminded himself to be patient with the less intellectually gifted in the common sense department.
"If Mari were in the states you would have it mailed to her, wouldn't you?" He knew the answer and Adrien did too, because he blushed.
"And Kagami? How come you didn't think of getting her something?"
The DJ usually didn't approve when his girlfriend meddled in other people's lives, but he was tired of watching the pair dance around each other. Besides he had a good source to know that Adrien might be running out of time to get the girl. Nino didn't know if Marinette told Adrienn about her new crush.
"Marinette and I are friends". The confidence in Adrien's voice was crumbling, which made his friend smile.
"And is that all you want? Friendship?" Nino pushed a little more as Adrien didn't respond "My dude I'm just looking at the facts here. You are always thinking about her and don't try to deny it, I recognise the dumb look you get. You talk about her constantly. You get her presents all the time". The bracelet wasn't the first gift. "And I also found out that apparently you two talk every night", Nino said the last part like it was more of a question than a statement. "She's one of my best friends too and we don't do that, but you know with whom I talk before bed? With Alya", Nino changed his tone to one more appropriate for a toddler. It was almost a sing-song voice. "And Alya is my girlfriend".
Adrien stayed silent and Nino went for the kill.
"Do you ever think about kissing or touching Marinette, Adrien?"
The redness in Adrien's cheeks spread to his ears and nose. Nino laughed, but didn't say anything else for a couple of minutes and just handed what was left of his beer to the poor guy. His friend seemed to need a moment. So, Nino waited, watching the wheels turning slowly in his head as the expression on his face changed from one of confusion to one of a drunken epiphany.
"I'm in love with Marinette, aren't I?" Adrien choked out.
"Finally!" Nino cried.
"I need a drink", said the blond.
"Come dude, there's brandy at the tavern".
Adrien followed Nino, his mind was in a fog that only thickened once the liquor hit his bloodstream. Without really knowing how he ended up in the backseat of the car with a grumpy Gorilla, who then helped him up to his room. As he laid down on his bed the boldness of the alcohol got to him, picking up his phone and swiped on Marinette's number. It rang four times before she picked up.
"Hi", she said.
"Hello there, princess".
"Princess?"
"Oops", Adrien laughed. "So do you want to know something funny?" His words sounded weird even to his ears. He laughed some more.
"Are you drunk?" There was something in her voice that made him giggle. "Oh, you definitely are". Marinette chuckled.
"Maaaaybe".
"Must have been some fair, uh?"
"It really was. But no…. You're distracting me. You're very distracting, did you know that, bluebell?" Adrien tried, but couldn't help how slurred his speech was.
Marinette laughed. "Sure", she said, sounding confused and amused at the same time.
"Stop distracting me. I have to tell you something".
"I'm all ears drunk Adrien".
"I love you". Despite all odds those three words came out crystal clear.
There was a long pause before she dared to speak. "You're just talking nonsense because you're drunk", Mari sighed.
"I'm not", he defended himself.
"I'm sure you'll regret this call tomorrow".
"No, I won't… I wanted to tell you and I will tell you again when I'm sober". He sat on his bed, waiting for the room to stop spinning before continuing. "I love you, Marinette".
She gasped on the other side of the line.
"Okay", Marinette whispered. "Come over tomorrow and we'll talk about this".
That wasn't exactly the response Adrien was waiting for. "I'll be there", he said. His disappointment was palpable.
"Adrien?" She called after a moment of silence. Her voice was as soft as velvet when she said his name. He relished in the warmth her tone held.
"Yes?"
"You better not regret this in the morning", Marinette said before hanging up.
It took him a minute in his state to fully grasp what her parting sentence entailed, but as soon as he did he grinned from ear to ear, buzzing with excitement. Tomorrow, he whispered to himself. Adrien just had to wait until tomorrow and he would be holding her in his arms.