Adrien dreamed of Marinette all night, and Marinette couldn't sleep at all! They were in uncharted waters now, and more than just their hearts were at stake.
Adrien buzzed with anticipation for the day ahead. He raced through his morning routine, to try to make it to school early. He couldn't wait to see Marinette again! True it was too dangerous right now to spend time with her as Chat Noir, but as Adrien he could spend the whole day with her! He would be cool and confident, and she would notice how great they could be together. She had a crush on him from before, now he just had to make sure she noticed him again. All of his plans of how to win over Marinette were useless though when the girl at the center of the plans never showed up for homeroom!
Adrien kept turning around in his seat, staring wistfully at her empty chair. Finally Alya leaned over and whispered that Marinette had texted her that she hadn't been feeling well, but might come later on in the afternoon. Adrien nodded to Alya, and then spun around in his chair, wondering if Alya thought it was strange that he had been so distracted by Marinette's absence. (Alya, on the other hand, was internally giddy with Adrien's interest in her BFF's whereabouts, and planed to inform Marinette just how much he had missed her throughout the morning).
It was nearly noon when Marinette finally dragged herself to school, not wanting to let her art class partners down for a project they had been working on. She had promised Nathaniel and Marc that she would help them work on their latest costume design ideas for some of the new villians they wanted to introduce into their comic book. She was so late, and had already missed her morning classes, so had gone straight to the art room. Marc had left Marinette the rough script describing each of the characters, while Nathaniel had already drawn up a few sketches. After brainstorming, the guys had decided to grab some lunch from the cafeteria before lunch was over, and Marinette stayed back to draw up some designs for them to consider.
Marinette was staring off into the general direction of the window, idly doodling little paw prints traipsing around her notebook. She paused with a deep sigh, and brushed the eraser of her pencil against her bottom lip.
That is how Adrien found her, bathed in a afternoon sunbeam. Every golden highlight of her face, every stray glossy raven hair, the tilt of her body toward the warmth of the sun...all of her made his heart accelerate. She was so beautiful in every way, and he admired how utterly unaware of this fact she was. His Lady, just out of reach...and yet so tantalizingly close. He readjusted his shoulder bag, and strode forward, attempting to appear casual.
"Hey Mari!" Adrien greeted with a unnecessarily enthusiastic little wave. (Why did I wave? he berated himself internally. Just be cool!) Adrien tucked his hands behind his back, and rocked on his heels waiting for her response. Surprisingly, her gaze was locked on something out the window, and she didn't even blink.
"Enjoying the view?" Adrien tried again in his smoothest tone, putting his hand out to try to lean on the side of the desk...only to miss the desk entirely, knock over the nearest chair, and fall to Marinette's feet with a crash.
"Oh no! Adrien? Are you okay?" Marinette was jarred from her daydream, and immediately jumping to Adrien's aide.
"Oh yeah, yep, totally good...all fine...soooo fine," Adrien rubbed his shoulder embarrassedly, looking up from the ground up at Marinette's outstretched hand towards him. He put his hand into her's, and he couldn't help but quiver at the softness of her skin, and the concerned expression on her angelic face.
He just froze like that, gazing at her, until the extended pause made her start blushing and darting her eyes around the room awkwardly. "Umm...are you sure you didn't hit your head or something? You seem a little dazed?"
Adrien checked himself, and quickly let her help him to his feet. "Don't worry, I'm alright!" he rushed trying to reassure her, and then instantly regretted brushing it all off, when she took her hand from his, and stepped to one side. "Although," he rushed, pressing his hand to his head, "it might be good if I sit down for a moment...just to make sure."
True to her nature, Marinette immediately sank back down beside him with concern, and pulled a chair next to his. "You're not okay are you! You look totally flushed!" Marinette cooed in concern. Adrien adored the way she brushed back the fringe of his blonde hair, to get a closer look, and he smiled at her warmly. It was the smile that startled her, and made her pull her hand back. "Sorry, I uh...I just hope you're not hurt," she mumbled, and crossed her hands firmly in front of her chest.
"I'm not hurt...maybe just my pride...but I do feel pretty lucky to have you looking out for me," Adrien smiled at her again.
That smile did funny things to her heart. It flip flopped, and her limbs felt like jello. How dare her heart flitter around like that! she scorned her heart. All Adrien-type thoughts were to be clearly labeled 'just a friend,' and free of those blush-inducing emotions. All these residual Adrien-induced reactions were just out of habit she told herself. Luckily, she thought, he was just as oblivious as always to what he did to her, and she could just brush it off, and make casual conversation with her 'very good friend.'
...That was...if she could think of something to say to him.
"Did I interrupt you sketching one of your designs?" Adrien's gaze shifted to the notebook she had been doodling in, to avoid the awkward void in conversation.
"Oh, naw. Not any more...I wasn't...I was just...I was just thinking about someone," Marinette flipped the notebook closed, and nudged it away.
"Ah," Adrien acknowledged, resisting the curiosity within himself to find out what she had been drawing in that notebook. "Were you waiting for someone?"
"It seems like I'll always be waiting," she huffed under her breath, but she didn't notice the way Adrien's eyebrows raised slightly at her comment.
"You know, I'm a pretty good listener," Adrien edged a little closer to her, so that his shoulder brushed hers. "You can tell me anything!"
Marinette glanced up at him, and then back down again, and then she slowly looked up, studying his eager face. "It feels awkward to talk about this with you," Marinette admitted.
"Marinette, you mean the world to me, and I care about you! I hope you know you can trust me too!" Adrien said softly, never wavering in his gaze.
What a truly sincere guy! Marinette thought to herself. He always knew just how to come alongside her when she was unsure. His voice had so much reassurance in it, that it made her feel brave! There was a tug at her mind that coaxed her to remember the way Chat Noir had such a similar tone when he knew she was doubting herself. This comparison only strengthened her resolve to isolate the two great loves of her life into two separate camps.
"What if there is something that you shouldn't know...but knowing it could mean being with the one you love? Would you take that chance? Marinette twirled her pencil around in her hands.
Adrien watched her closely, and tried to decide what to say. Afterall he knew something he shouldn't know about her, and yet here he was trying to get her to notice him in his civilian form. Was that too much of a risk? "I guessed I'd do almost anything to be with the one I love," he responded slowly.
"Have you ever been in love?" Marinette asked in such a quiet voice, that he barely heard her.
"Yes," he replied, wondering with baited breathe where this was going.
"What happens when you are in love with someone, but something keeps separating you...keeping you a part? Can a love like that last?" Marinette looked out of the window again.
"I guess it depends," Adrien said carefully.
"Depends on what?" she looked back at him.
"On if you are willing to fight for the one you love," he said.
She paused, thinking about this. Then she nodded her head resolutely. "That is exactly what I plan to do!" she declared, jumping to her feet. Then she patted Adrien on the shoulder, and said "Thanks Adrien! You're a really great friend!" Then she pulled her purse over her shoulder, and marched out the door leaving a stunned Adrien watching as she disappeared.
"A really great friend?!" Adrien moaned looking after her.
"Why didn't you just tell her she was the one you've been in love with this whole time! It was right there! She asked you and everything! Aragghhhhhh!" Plagg flew into his face, throwing up his little paws to the heavens in frustration. "You two are driving me crazy! When will the torment end?!"
"I didn't want to freak her out...she just kissed Chat Noir last night...and Chat Noir found out about...well, you know! How would that look if Adrien suddenly came on strong and declare his eternal love for her?" Adrien protested.
"You know what is going to happen now don't you," Plagg glared at him, hovering above his nose.
"Uh...I'm going to win her over as Adrien, and then we can be together?" Adrien guessed hopefully.
"No! Now that you've made her fall in love with you as Chat Noir, and KISSED HER you have effectively stolen her heart away from Adrien...who is YOU!" Plagg shouted.
"But I...I just..." Adrien tried to reason, before he realized how much of a mess he had made with his whole plan to effectively separate a relationship with Marinette as Adrien, from the partnership he would have with her as Shadowcat. Plagg was right, if she picked Chat Noir (a form he could no longer safely use around her) over Adrien, he was going to loose her! "Plagg! What do I do?!" Adrien pleaded with his kwami.
"Don't ask me! You want something to implode...splinter into a million pieces...wipe out an entire continent, I'm your kwami...but this messed up, twisted love pretzel you have going on...nope! I'm out!" Plagg held up his paws, floating away.
"Please Plagg! You've got to help me!" Adrien begged.
"Seriously, the kitten-eyes!" Plagg frowned at Adrien. "I invented the kitten-eyes!" Then Plagg suddenly brightened up, and smiled with fangs gleaming. "You know who can't resist those big green eyes of yours...Ponytails herself! That girl has been nuts about you this whole time...maybe it is not too late!"
"You think so?" Adrien asked is a bit of surprise.
"It is worth a shot. At least it will be entertaining!" Plagg shrugged aloofly.
"Hey!" Adrien protested. "This is isn't a game!"
"You're right!" Plagg poked Adrien in the chest. "Take your own advance kid! Get after her, and fight for the one you love!"
