She must have only been walking back for a few minutes when she saw him, carrying her flowers, walking towards her, now coming at her with a slight jog. A sensation, which she normally only felt when Chat teased her folds, shot through her like lightening, but it wasn't Chat. She put it down to his hair being messy, like Chat's, and his masculine figure, like Chat's, and holding the flowers, from Chat. She realised she was biting her bottom lip, as she did when Chat approached her for one of their sessions, she quickly composed herself as he got closer.

He stopped in front of her, slightly out of breath, handing her the flowers.

"Mr Agreste, you have surprised me!" Her eyes looking at the flowers and then to him, wide while taking in the sight in front of her.

"They just seemed to mean a lot to you Marinette," he was slightly out of breath but was not as shy as he had seemed before. "Thought I could just leave them at the bakery for you."

"Th-thank you." She stuttered completely taken aback by his warm gesture. "I believe-" she turned and beckoned him to follow, "-I may have completely misjudged you Agreste." She smiled, "let me get you something from the shop." She wasn't asking, and he noticed, but was happy to oblige, "to say thank you."

They walked for a while in silence but without the awkwardness of before. She was holding the flowers in front of her with both hands and her arms slack, letting the warm breeze rustle through them sending the sweet scent into her nostrils. She sighed into a smile thinking about Chat, he really did make her smile. Adrien noticed and pried.

"Who got you the flowers?" He leaned to look at them, also noticing their placement just under her cleavage.

Marinette blushed again, sighed with a smile and thought about the best way to word it.

My friend who happens to be Chat Noir, who also satisfies my every need while I'm Ladybug... hmm nah.

"A very dear friend of mine, I see him once maybe twice a week, have done for years. Apart from Alya he's my best- what?" She had been gushing about Chat Noir, completely unaware that he was stood right next to her, as his regular self. Adrien was looking at her with a half smile on his face and a cheeky twinkle in his eye. Not blushing this time, just wondering if she could get him to open up to her about him.

"Sounds very special to you-"

"He really is just a friend-"

With benefits.

"-I've known him a long time now," she shot him a side glance, "and I know what the tone in your voice is suggesting!" She chuckled at him, he was taken aback by her confidence. He smiled, he hadn't had a conversation as himself, like this, for a long time. Marinette was not in awe of him, was not falling over herself for him, to her he was a regular person. For so long people have been obsessed with Adrien the model, and not seen the person he actually is. He liked this.

Rounding the corner, they could see the bakery. The street was busy on this warm summer day, people didn't stare, but they noticed Adrien walking with Marinette. He felt uncomfortable and Marinette could feel it. She didn't think it was fair to ask him outright about it, as it would probably make him more uncomfortable in their current surroundings.

They got to the bakery and just as Adrien went to open the door he turned to look at her. "Thanks for this Marinette," he looked genuine, his big green eyes, like Chat's seem to look deep into her big sapphire ones.

Seriously Marinette stop!

She broke the gaze with an awkward smile, "anytime." Then they headed into her parents bakery.

Sabine and Tom were behind the counter when they entered the shop. Sabine had hugged her daughter tightly to congratulate her closely followed by Tom who picked them up in a big embrace. They had admired her flowers and passed comment on the special person who had sent them her, Adrien's blush hand gone undetected, but the amount of people paying him attention did not. Due to this, Marinette suggested they go into the living area to give them some room to breathe, as he had signed several autographs before even reaching the counter.

Sat at the table in Marinette's kitchen, Adrien watched her make some tea for them both. He was curious about what she was thinking, he could remember when he first started visiting her as Chat and how dissimilar this was. When he'd met her as Chat, even at the beginning, she was talkative, very friendly. With him as Adrien though, he noticed she was not as willing, possibly a little cagey. Obviously she was friendly, Marinette had invited him into her home, but she was definitely different.

Elbows resting on the table and his chin perched on his hands Adrien asked "Marinette, why didn't we speak in school?"

"I thought you were a nob head," she replied without turning around to see the shock on his face, completely blasé on the subject. Adrien was a little hurt at the assumption that had been made, as they had never really spoke in school.

Marinette turned around with a slight smile on her face, seeming to read his mind and answering his thoughts, bringing tea and cookies over, she continued. "We never spoke because no one was ever able to get anywhere near you." She bent over, putting the cookies and cups down, sliding into the seat opposite him. "Unfortunately for you," she pointed at at him, "the association you had with Chloè meant that you weren't able to get close to anyone else." Shrugging now she concluded, "eventually, it came across that you were just as much of dick as she was." She took a sip of her tea and was positively matter of fact when delivering this news to him.

Adrien was stunned.

"I'm sorry Adrien but I don't beat around the bush, there's no point." Marinette concluded, taking a sip of tea.

"Marinette, I'm not a dick." He was resentful towards her words. Before he could continue Marinette intercepted him.

"I can see that now Agreste," the smile broadening on her face. "A true nob head would not have apologised so profusely when they soaked someone!" She chuckled and he relaxed.

"Or brought you flowers...from someone else, but..." he placed his had to the back of his neck, rubbing it nervously.

"Well Agreste, we might be seeing a lot more of each other so how about we start over?" She held out her hand over the table gesturing to shake his, "Hi I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng, nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you Marinette Dupain-Chang, I'm Adrien Agreste, I look forward to knowing you!" They dropped their hands, "hopefully I won't live up to being the nob head people think I am!" He chuckled and she laughed with him.

After drinking his tea and enjoying the budding friendship, Marinette walked Adrien out. Waving him off through the back door of the bakery, Marinette was looking forward to patrol. Heading up to get a shower, she reflected on previous encounters they'd had. There weren't many. It was definitely decided that he wasn't a nob head, she looked forward to getting to know him.

Seven in the evening, she had an hour before meeting Chat Noir for patrol. Marinette had a lot of frustration to release after the the busy day, so was waiting in anticipation for the time to leave.

Maybe I've got time-

A knock at her terrace hatch interrupted her train of thought. Knowing who it was, she didn't mind the visit, so opened the door to see two bright green eyes, a big wide toothy smile and that bell. Chat had come to see her.

"How did it go?" He asked her excitedly, jumping down in her room and immediately grabbing her into a tight hug. Marinette loved hugs from Chat, he was so warm and the vibrations in his chest comforted her.

She flung her arms around his shoulders, face rested on his chest, reciprocating his embrace. "It was, fucking amazing!" Now slightly jumping excitedly while still hugging him. "I got offered an internship working directly with Agreste! They're gonna call me on Monday."

He twirled her around, joining in with her excitement. Putting her feet back on the ground he didn't let go, he played with the ends of her hair between his finger tips, which was flowing down her back, still slightly damp after having a shower. His head resting in the top of hers.

"Thank you for my flowers Minou," she whispered into his chest, "they're beautiful," she gushed.

"You're welcome," he replied and squeezed her ever so slightly tighter. His hands reaching around her midriff gently grazing her with his claws. The feeling of excitement shot through her like lightening.

Standing like this for a moment, they swayed slightly, breathing deeply, getting great comfort from this embrace.

"I knew you would get it." He said gently, "you do have great talent."

"Hmm," she pulled away to look at him now with her head to the side in thought, troubling her bottom lip. "Someone else said that to me today too."

She looked into his eyes, not getting lost in them, but looking to actually see them.

The colour is strikingly similar.

He noticed how she was looking at him and tilted his head also, raising an eyebrow.

"What are you looking at?" He wondered with a pleasant suspicious look on his face.

"I'm not sure," Marinette replied slowly, gently playing with the blonde tousled hair which lay at his nape. "I think...I'm just...checking something," she pursed her lips in thought and squinted her eyes before pulling out of the embrace.

If you look for something hard enough you'll make yourself find it, even if it's not there.

Smiling softly, she walked towards her desk to where the flowers had been transferred to a clear cylinder vase, Chat following, staying very close.

"I almost lost them today," she informed him, he rested his chin on her shoulder and looked down at her fiddling with one of the leaves. "Agreste Junior tracked me down with them," Chat blushed but Marinette did not see. Smiling she continued, "it was really strange," she slide glanced at him, "really unexpected that he would go out of his way to get them to me."

"I'm glad he did," he reached his arms around her waist from behind and gave her a squeeze before standing up straight. "I would love to stay and Chat," he winked, "but I've got to do patrol." He grinned and showed his classic two finger salute as he jumped gracefully through the hatch.

Definitely looking forward to tonight!

With a devilish grin and lust in her eyes, Marinette transformed and headed off to find Chat for patrol.