The remainder of the weekend had become a blur. Marinette had spent pretty much all the time with Alix being pushed to her max when it came to her skating ability, and she had to admit, the results had been outstanding. Of course, Marinette was nowhere near Alix's standard but she was more than capable now.

"Do you really believe I can do this?"

"Why are you so unsure of yourself?" Alix asked, skating alongside her friend as they made their way to and from the Eiffel Tower.

"I'm not totally unsure, it's just not something I've ever really done, and you know how clumsy I can be. What if I lose this for you?"

Alix laughed, before doing some crazy weaving and turning on her skates. Marinette watched it in awe, Alix was something else. Such a free spirit.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Alix laughed.

"Do that!" Marinette replied, holding her arms out and flapping them around to indicate Alix as a whole. The girl was so free and relaxed. There was something so calm and relaxed about her, and she loved it. Not just loved it. She wanted it too, or at least she wanted to be around it.

Alix was mirroring Marinette in ways she'd only felt with Chat Noir. The whole Yin and Yang feeling. As though Alix was the complimentary part to herself. The two hadn't hung out much with just the two of them and she was beginning to wonder why?

They fit together well, they got on together well, and she pushed Marinette on to do more. To be more. A calm washed over the once nervous girl, and she began to move differently, like she never had before. She felt warm and tranquil. She felt the chaos of her overactive imagination still, and she began to skate.

Just skate.

The wind flew through her hair as she picked up speed and she could hear the hollers and cheers as Alix crept beside her. The speed she suddenly built up encouraged her to take a little more of a chance. She'd got it! Finally, she'd got it. Using the break on the left skate, she came to a stop turning to Alix, a wide smile on her face.

"Oh wow! That was something else." Marinette was exhilarated, the feeling was so touching, allowing her to take her mind away from everything for the few hours she'd been rolling around Paris.

They continued back to where they began, deciding it would be the idle time to break and feast on the snacks both girls had brought along with them. Of course, Marinette had supplied treats from the bakery, including the pain au chocolat which Alix usually preferred, and a mixed box of macarons.

"So have you spoken to Adrien since?" Alix took a macaron from the box and began to study the perfect presentation of the sweet treat.

Marinette's nose scrunched up. She wasn't sure she wanted to discuss Adrien, the argument still playing harshly in her head.

"No, and I think that's about it for us. I need to move on now, enough is enough. It's not fair for me to keep itching away at him only for constant denials."

"So you're ok being just a friend?"

Marinette snorted. "I don't think I'm even that anymore."

The two girls continued eating. The silence between them was soothing and calm, both just being comfortable in each other's company. It was really nice.

"What else do you do for fun?" Marinette asked, passing another macaron to Alix before taking one for herself. She noticed the pain au chocolat was still sitting waiting to be selected. Maybe if Alix didn't want it now she could box it up and take it home with her?

"Humm… I've been learning martial arts recently. My pops thinks I have an anger problem so suggested I do something to calm myself down. My brother took me with him to a class and I fell in love with it. Though don't tell Kim, he'll want a fight." She bashed her shoulder into Marinette's and the girls started giggling.

"So, what kind of thing do you do? I kind of feel stressed out at the moment and would love being able to do something like that. It might help me."

Alix bounced up and onto her knees looking into Marinette's eyes with a sparkle of excitement.

"Come with me."

"That wouldn't be fair. That's your thing-"

"No, no, I'd really like you to be there, Marinette. How about you come and try it with me? Perhaps it'll relax you ready for your competition with Kim."

Marinette laughed. "Or it might give me some moves to beat him up after?"

"There's that two."

The two girls looked at each other before bursting out laughing.

"When do you go?" Marinette asked.

"On a Thursday." Suddenly an idea sparked in Alix's head and she sprung towards Marinette. "I know!" She exclaimed, "we can skate there. What do you say?"

Alix's smile was similar to that of the sun, her eyes sparkling with sheer happiness at the thought.

"It sounds like a plan," the two girls bumped their fists together before continuing with their picnic. The very essence of life is sweet.