It was the last day of the school year for Françoise-Duponte High. Marinette and her friends filed into Mrs. Bustier's classroom, which was currently being helmed by Mrs. Mendeleiev, as Mrs. Bustier had been on maternity leave for the past month.
"Good morning, class", the science teacher said sternly as she adjusted her glasses, "Seeing as today is the last day of school, I'm not required to give you any sort of assignment..." She trailed off, the long dramatic pause causing some of the students to preemptively cringe in anticipation of something awful, like a pop quiz.
When Mrs. Mendeleiev continued, their fears were proven to be unfounded. "... so I won't!! You're free to have the period to yourselves! Happy summer, everyone!!"
Marinette leaned back in her chair and breathed a heavy sigh of relief, Alya nudging her and snickering. The bluenette raised a confused eyebrow, which her best friend responded to by pointing behind her, towards Adrien. Marinette sheepishly turned around, surprised to find the teenage model's head resting on his palm, his eyes closed, his mouth agape, drooling on the desk.
Adrien was asleep!!
Marinette shrugged as she looked back at Alya, the amateur blogger laughing behind her hand as she and Nino gestured for her to wake him up. Marinette groaned and reached up, lightly tapping Adrien's forehead. Her hand tingled as she made contact with his angelic smooth skin, and she released an audible squeak.
The touch managed to rouse Adrien, and he snorted as he opened his eyes. "H-huh? What happened?" He felt the wetness on his face and touched the corner of his lip, gasping when he realized he had been drooling. "Oh crap." He blushed dark red and quickly dug around for a tissue. "S-sorry, guys", the model said as he wiped the desk and his face, "My dad's been keeping me up late for the past few nights. He's releasing a new line meant to only be worn at nighttime events and has been running me through the ringer with photoshoots."
"Uncool, dude", Nino said as he patted his friend's back, "Must feel like the set of a Kubrick film."
"You have no idea", Adrien groaned, "Anyway, who woke me up?"
Alya and Nino both pointed to Marinette and she froze like a deer in headlights.
Why does my best friend so enjoy torturing me?!?
"Thanks, Marinette, I owe you one. So anyway, did I miss the assignment?"
"Y-yes!! I-I mean no!! I mean yes you missed the announcement but the announcement was that we have no assignment!!", she blurted out in her typical embarassed fashion. Alya and Nino chuckled again as they enjoyed the show. Marinette's love life was the finest soap opera she had ever seen, and it didn't even require a cable hookup.
Adrien smiled. "Well that's nice... so what do you guys have planned for the summer?"
"I've got some DJ gigs lined up for birthday parties", Nino answered, "But I plan to spend most of the time with Als."
He leaned over his desk and gave his girlfriend a peck on the cheek, causing her to smack his chest in retaliation. "Nino!! We're in class!!"
"Doesn't matter where we are, babe, I love you everywhere."
Marinette smiled, happy for the two of them, but she sighed after remembering that her chances of having that same happiness in her own life were slim to none. Being the Guardian of the Miraculous put an even bigger target on her back and on those around her. Even if Adrien liked her back, his life would constantly be in danger.
Her ponderings were interrupted when Adrien's voice wormed its way into her ear again. "What about you, Marinette? Anything special planned for the break?"
"Who? Little ol' me? Nah, I don't have any plans. I'm just gonna spend my summer being plain ol' boring Marinette who definitely doesn't have any secrets", she said while plastering on the fakest fake smile anyone has ever concieved. Adrien chuckled. "Well if you're really not busy, maybe I ask my father to give you an internship. It could help get your designs noticed."
Marinette blushed. "Y-you'd do that?"
"For you? Anything", he said before flashing his signature smile. That perfect, dreamy smile that set Marinette's heart going 800 beats per minute.
The poor lovesick girl was too ecstatic to say anything, her eye twitching as she smiled wide and giggled like a maniac. Adrien laughed again before he and Nino started playing cards to kill time.
Once the school day was over, Marinette and Alya walled across the street to the bakery just as Mrs. Dupain-Cheng was pulling a fresh batch of cookies from the oven. The girls helped themselves and went on up to Marinette's room. Once the trapdoor was sealed, all of the Kwamis came out of hiding.
"So, girl, if Adrien gets you that internship from his dad, you gonna take it?", Alya asked as she scratched Trixx under the chin.
"Of course I'm gonna take it!!", Marinette shouted back, "Are you kidding? Not only do I get to be close to Adrien, I get to work with my absolute favorite fashion designer of all time!! What kind of crazy person would pass this up?!?"
"I don't know, maybe the same crazy person who passed up the opportunity to tell Adrien that she was the one who gave him a scarf for his birthday and not his dad?", the blogger snapped back playfully. Marinette pouted. "Touché."
Meanwhile, at the Agreste mansion, Adrien flopped onto his bed face-first, groaning exhaustedly. Plagg flew out of his backpack and started tapping his holder on the face.
"Kid? Kiiiiiiid? Big Guy?"
Nothing. The poor boy was out cold again.
"ADRIEN!!!", the Kwami screamed with enough energy to shatter bulletproof glass. Adrien shot up and covered his ears, growling in pain.
"Agh!!! What, Plagg?!?"
"I understand you're tired but can you at least feed me first? That way I can have my food coma while you have a nap!!"
Adrien sighed and tossed his loyal Kwami a wedge of camembert before plopping back down onto his pillow, staring up at the ceiling. As he ate, Plagg sat on the boy's chest.
"Penny for your thoughts", the creature mumbled with his mouth full.
"I hope I can get Marinette that job. I know she admires my father's work and getting to work for him is probably her biggest dream", Adrien yawned, "Plus it'll be nice to see her more often. We really don't hang out that much and it would be nice to change that."
Plagg smiled. "Well I'm happy for ya, Big Guy." He gulped down the last chunk of cheese and belched loudly before flying over to his favorite trash can. "Now you officially have my permission to sleep."
Adrien chuckled before letting his heavy eyelids drop, his head filled with visions of the cute pigtailed bluenette.
