Hey guys! I am SO SORRY! Things have been a little crazy this month, and with MariChat May, I haven't added on to this story. Not to mention the fact that my kids ripped pages out of my notebook, which caused yet ANOTHER re-write. BUT the good news is, I'm already halfway through Chapter 8, so hopefully you won't start picketing my house demanding more (just yet...)

The fact that this story has over 100 followers amazes me! You guys have stuck with me! Thank you! *cries happy tears*

So... without further ado... Chapter 7

Marinette and Adrien wandered together through the festival, stopping at booths that caught their attention. As the came to the one of one street, they came across a stand selling Ladybug and Chat Noir fan items. Sharing a glance, the pair headed straight for the booth. Adrien focused in on the Ladybug merchandise, while Marinette gravitated towards the Chat Noir display.

Marinette picked out a shirt without showing it to Adrien, and a small braided black leather wristband with a green paw print charm. Paying, she slipped the shirt into a bag, and fastened the bracelet around her left wrist. Turning to Adrien she moved to his side, peering at the items he was perusing. He already had a black and red Ladybug shirt draped over one arm. "I really want the sweatshirt," he said, "but my father would never let me wear it. This I can wear under what he can see." He raised the arm with the shirt.

Putting her hand on his uncovered arm, Marinette said to him, "If you want the sweatshirt, get it. You can keep it at my house, and wear it whenever you come over."

Adrien threw his arms around her. "You're brilliant, Marinette! Thank you!" He snatched up the sweatshirt as well as the t-shirt. Putting both in the bag, he paid the vendor and practically floated back out onto the street.

As they approached the busiest part of the fair, Marinette, being the smaller of the two, was bumped and jostled by the crowd, almost losing sight of Adrien at one point. When he waded his way back to her, he grabbed her hand saying, "It took me long enough to find you, I'm not losing you now!" Which caused Marinette to blush pink.

When the crowds thinned out, Marinette expected Adrien to drop her hand. Instead, he continued to hold it, pulling her closer to whisper to her, "Where now, Princess?"

Smiling up at him, she suggested that they start heading back to her house, but take the long route, heading through the park. Adrien indicated his agreement by squeezing her hand. He didn't let go as they turned to walk, unhurriedly, back towards the bakery.

When they were back in Marinette's room, Adrien reached into the bag to pull out his new sweatshirt. Instead his fingers found a royal blue t-shirt. He pulled it out of the bag and handed it to Marinette. "Is this yours? I don't remember you picking it up."

"No Kitty. I bought it for you. Look." She held up the shirt, facing him. On it was a black cat, tangled up in a ball of yarn with the phrase 'Having a ball' on the front, and 'I'm Pawsome!' on the back.

Adrien's eyes grew wide, and his smiled became positively radiant. "For me? Truly?"

He stepped towards her to give her a hug, and Marinette stepped towards him, but her foot caught on the edge of her rug, and she tripped. Adrien reached out to catch her, but the angle was off, and they both ended up on the ground, Adrien on top of Marinette. After a moment of shock, both of them laughed at the familiarly awkward position, although the lack of masks made it feel much more intimate. Their laughter died and their breaths caught. Adrien seriously considered closing the distance between them and kissing her, but insecurity pulled him back. He was still unsure as to how she really felt. It had only been two days since they had talked about what he thought love was, but what he believed so strongly on Friday, he was having some serious doubts about on Sunday. It was then, when Marinette shifted underneath him, that he realized he had been laying on top of her for longer than appropriate.

Quickly rolling to the side, Adrien was about to apologize when Marinette cut him off. "Save the puns, Kitty." She teased. "I don't need to hear that I'm in so much trouble, I'm under Agreste."

Adrien's eyes widened at the pun. "Princess," he breathed. "Was that a pun?"

He felt Marinette's laugh before it rang out through the room. Her laughter was rich and genuine, and him laughing along. They lay on the rug in Marinette's bedroom, laughing and clutching at their stomachs. They were starting to calm down, when Adrien snorted, setting them off again. When their laughter had calmed down again, they rolled onto their sides to face each other. Marinette's hand had fluttered to his chest, smoothing the wrinkles out of Adrien's shirt. His hand came up to cover hers, and this time he didn't think, but leaned forward and kissed her.

Marinette's eyes flew from where his hand covered hers, to his eyes, before they dropped closed, his eyes following suit. When they broke apart, Marinette had a little half-smile on her face, and looked dazedly up at Adrien. "I love you" popped out of her mouth before she could stop it.

Adrien jerked back at her words. "Oh! Marinette. I am so sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He saw the look of hurt flash across her face, and barely restrained himself from hissing her again to make the look go away. He desperately wanted to believe her words, and he almost did. There was a part of him, deep inside, a fear of trusting and a deeper fear of losing that held him back. He jumped to his feet, and gathering up his Ladybug shirt, stammered, "I should go. I'm sorry, Marinette, truly." Marinette stood, also, and handed him his cat pun shirt. "Take this, too, Kitty. I know what you think, and I'm sorry I said the words that I did, but I'm not sorry for how I feel. I'm not going to turn you away or abandon you. I'll be here if you want to visit tonight. If you want to call, I'd like that too. If not, I will see you tomorrow in school. I have no wish to pressure you into more than you're ready for, Adrien. I regret saying words that upset you, but I don't regret feeling what I feel."

Adrien stepped closer to her, and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "Thank you, Marinette. I need to think. I'd talk to Plagg, but he'd just tell me to eat some cheese. I will talk to you tonight. I promise."

Closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, Adrien memorized her scent. Vanilla and cinnamon, cookies and bread. He took one last steadying breath, before releasing Marinette and heading down the stairs, waving to her parents on his way out. Marinette watched him go, her heart breaking for him, knowing he had to fight his demons on his own time and his own terms, but wishing, just a little, that he would hurry it up a little. That kiss had nearly destroyed her willpower to give him the space she knew he needed.