"Don't be amused, it's just the news! Agent Roger has reported investigations into local Judge Roncomp. Current suspicions is that the judge has received payments from the mayor to deny law enforcement forces the warrant to arrest Chloe. Chloe herself has been spotted briefly on a balcony, before heading back inside."

Marinette

She woke to her alarm regretfully, hating the fact that despite no school she still had to wake up. Naturally after Adrien left for dinner, she got into a grind working on her website. She had finished late at two in the morning, finally going to sleep. Then she remembered today was another day she would be hanging with Adrien while all their friends were too busy to interfere. Pulling out her phone, she eagerly texted Adrien.

Marinette: Good morning sunshine!

Adrien: Good morning!

Marinette: I was thinking of showing you one of my favourite hide-away places. Unless you want to hang out at the bakery again?

Adrien: That sounds awesome! I'm guessing not a lot of people know about it?

Marinette: You will be there first, I attached a link to the address. Meet nine thirty?

Adrien: Works for me, see you there!

Marinette smiled, excited to spend some time with Adrien, even if they had to stay low in order to avoid his over eager fanbase. Turning to her closet, she went through various clothes, before finding one outfit that will make him blush. No, she would save that one for the first date. Moving on, she found an outfit and set it aside. Heading down she made herself breakfast, cooking some extra for Adrien. She frowned at the thought of him not receiving enough food. Luckily for him, she would be willing to feed him as much as she can.

Alya

Nino glanced behind him at his girlfriend. He wasn't sure what to think of her attitude lately, sure Marinette was a bit over the top but that's Marinette. Harshly making her change targets was a bit too much. Marinette has been ignoring them since, clearly upset.

She was calmly sorting through comments on the Ladyblog when Lila approached, a bit of a spring in her step. "Someone must have had a good date. How did it go?"

Lila beamed, "It was wonderful! We went and saw a movies!" Alix walked by, a little too slow for subtle. "Hey Alix! What's up?" Alix glanced at them like a deer caught in headlights before rushing off. "What's up with her?"

Alya shrugged, "She was definitely not acting as she usually does. Probably just an off day." She went back to moderating comments while Lila rambled on about her 'wonderful' date, neither noticing Alix glaring at them from the back row.

Adrien and Marinette

He nearly dropped to the sidewalk when she came into view. Continuing the Chat Noir theme, she wore a light green t-shirt with a black kitten staring at a ladybug sitting on it's nose, wearing black jeans to complete it. Her hair was done in a single braid hanging over her right shoulder, a green hair tie on the end. As she smiled at him, he felt himself get tongue tied. He was not going to survive today.

"Hi Adrien!"

"H-hi Mari! What's in the box?"

"Your breakfast," he opened his mouth to object, but she held a finger up, continuing, "You clearly aren't getting fed enough, so I brought you food and you will eat it."

Adrien accepted the box, knowing she won't take no for an answer. "So where is this secret hide-a-away?"

"It's nearby, but first," her expression became serious instantly, "you have to swear not to tell anyone about this place. Not Nino, not Alya, not Kagami, no one. Understand?"

Adrien swallowed hard. He rarely seen this side of Marinette, the scary side. "I swear it will remain secret."

She instantly smiled at him, "Good, let's go, it's just this way." She grabbed his hand and led him down the way she came.

Alix

Ms. Bustier had split them into study groups and assigned them areas to study in peace. Alix was grouped with Nathniel, Rose and Juleka, placed at a table in the library. To her frustration, Kim was placed in the same group as Lila, Alya and Nino. Despite her best efforts to contain her anger, it must have been visible some how. "Alix, is something wrong?" Rose looked at her in concern.

"Yeah, everything is fine," Alix muttered, "As long Lila is happy there is no wrong. Sunshine and rainbows."

"Okay, something is wrong." Nathniel spoke up, looking at Alix in concern, "And it has something to do with Lila."

"Ooh," Rose put her hands together in excitement, "She and Kim went on a date last night. I heard her tell Alya, she seemed so excited and happy." Alix dropped her head to the table, groaning loudly. "Oh, it's about Kim."

Ms. Bustier poked her head in the corner area that they were seated at, "Alix, try to use the time to study." With that she left immediately.

They turned their attention back to Alix. "What is so bad about Kim dating Lila?"

"Isn't she supposed to be in love with Adrien?" Juleka looked confused.

"Isn't that Marinette?" Nathniel asked.

"Not anymore, Alya demanded to stop supporting that. Lila has a crush on Adrien and Alya decided Marinette should let Lila have Adrien. Besides, Luka likes Marinette, so she will be fine," Rose reasoned.

"Actually Marinette turned down Luka. He took it really hard." Juleka spoke quietly, "I don't think they are going to be hanging out any time soon. And I think Alya is a bit out of line lately. I mean who is she to decide who dates who?"

Alix groaned, "None of this is helping me, Kim is literally just dating her because of a dare. Yet now both of them are acting like it's something meaningful."

"What's got you so worked up?"

"Nat, she clearly has a secret crush on Kim!" Rose giggled with glee.

"Shut up, no I don't," Alix muttered.

"Awesome," Juleka let out a small smile.

"I said I don't," Alix growled, "Now drop it."

"Look it must hard watching Kim with Lila, but she is honest and means well. If you want to talk about it, just let us know." Alix simply rested her head in her arms. Was Lila actually being honest? Didn't Marinette say something about Lila being a liar? Everyone wrote her off as being jealous, but what if she was onto something?

Marinette and Adrien

"Here we are!" Here was a bookstore with a little cafe attached, hidden in between a pair of office parks thirteen blocks from the bakery. It was a two story building, old, but seemed to be in good condition. "I found it a few years back and I come here for occasionally some quiet time and when I don't want people to find me."

Adrien laughed, "Except now I will be able to find you."

"Good thing you are the only one I will share this place with." She smiled brightly at him. Between bringing him breakfast and showing him a place she didn't even share with Alya, he was starting to see more proof that she liked him. She pulled him inside over to the bookshop side, guiding him to a small, cozy corner. "I like to just sit here in the back and either read a book or work on a sketch. It's like a secret hideout for when I want to be alone."

Going back into the library, they went around the teen section, each picking a book before settling back in the lounge, sharing a couch. Adrien found a fantasy novel about a group of kids who were mutated by a virus and given superpowers, while Marinette held the sixth book in a private investigator series. He was soon distracted by the novel, captivated by the story. When he took a brief moment to check the time, he noticed Marinette leaning against him, eyes half as she read her book.

Marinette's lack of sleep had finally caught up to her, drifting off unaware that she was more or less laying on her crush. Adrien blushed as she gave in to sleep, her head resting on his shoulder. He realized he could count her freckles when he was this close, as the sweet scent of the bakery hit him. Part of him wanted to wrap his arms around her, to keep his princess protected and safe. He started to move his arm around her without thinking, trying his best not to wake her. Fortunately, his luck was in today and he now had his princess safely secure in his arms, and continued to read his book over her shoulder. Plagg briefly flew out of the hiding spot he and Tikki had made into a cozy nest, looking at the guardian before giving Adrien the kwami version of a thumbs up.

Half an hour had passed before Marinette started to stir, causing Adrien to hyperventilate, now realizing the position he put himself in. As he attempted to remove his arms before she fully awoke, Marinette muttered something he was unable to understand, then snuggled closer up against him. Her head rested against his chest, breathing lightly. Adrien wrapped his arms around her again. Something about the way she snuggled on top of him felt right, her scent filling his nostrils and overwhelming him. He managed to stay like that for another hour before Marinette woke up. She was not at all shocked or surprised by the fact that they were snuggling.

"Sorry, late night last night. Wanna grab some lunch?"

His shoulders sagged in relief, though he wished she brought it up and talked about their feelings. No, he was not ready for that. "Yeah, let's do that." The pair headed off the cafe part of the bookstore, holding hands without a thought about it.

Kagami

She sighed in frustration. Her attempt to reach out to Luka had failed brutally, with him shrugging her off as he biked off to his home. She now sat in her school's cafeteria, debating a new way to confront him. Luka was one of the best people she knew and it pained her to see someone as creative as him hurt so much as to stop being creative. Interrogating Juleka revealed Luka rarely played his guitar, only practicing as to not lose the skill. Something had to be done and she will resolve it.

Lila the (insert rude name that a gentleman should never use)

She smiled as Kim boasted about the next date he had planned out for them. Alya and Nino listened, though Nino didn't seem on board with everything that has been happening. He had voiced his skepticism of her and Kim dating and had frowned on Alya's one eighty with Marinette. She would need to keep an eye on him.

What she still didn't realize was the real threat glaring at her from across the cafeteria. Alix casually broke her spoon, not at all okay with what she saw.

Adrien and his purrincess

As they ordered, he insisted on paying, giving the cashier his money before Marinette could voice her protest. Adrien loved the pout she gave him when he refused to let her pay for herself yet again, it was adorable. So when she complained that he wasn't letting her pay, he told her, "Because you look adorable when you pout like that. So I figured the more I pay for you, the more I get to see it." She blushed and turned into a stuttering mess to his delight.

Collecting their food, they grabbed a table along the back wall, still rebooting. Adrien smiled at her flustered expression, making her blush his new favourite thing to do and he was going to do it as much as he could. She took a bit of her sub sandwich, eyeing him shyly. His compliment caught her off guard. Confidence boost or no confidence boost, she was still Marinette and could only handle so many compliments from Adrien in a single day. "So have you talked to Nino?"

"Briefly, he wanted to see if I was free later, but it seemed like an Alya trap so I said I was busy."

"Sooner or later, we have to see them again. I'm still not happy with Alya and she hasn't exactly tried to apologize or make amends. Still, we should be somewhat honest with them about what we are doing."

Adrien winced, "But then in their blind trust for Lila, they will tell her. And I will not put it past her to leak it onto my fanbase's page. That will either end with us getting trampled or my father locking me in my room."

Marinette frowned at the thought, "That would be horrible. Though I would break into your house if you ever need the company." Adrien stared at her, blinking and then burst out laughing. Marinette glared at him, "What?"

"The thought of you breaking into my house, it's just a little ridiculous."

"Well been there, done that."

Adrien stopped laughing, "What?"

Marinette blinked, "What?"

"You broke into my house?"

"Maybe." Marinette's brain scrambled for a reasonable excuse, coming up with nothing.

"Why?"

"Embarrassing reasons."

"So nothing criminal?"

"Nope."

"Good," he smiled reassuringly at her, "though someday I am going to get the embarrassing reason out of you."

"Remember, curiosity killed the cat. And I prefer you to stay alive."

"Don't worry, purrincess. This cat has nine lives and will survive." He froze as she blushed. Did he just call her the name Chat calls her while he was Adrien? He glanced at her, looking for a sign of recognition. Her eyes were looking away, her cheeks bright red.

Marinette prayed he bought her act, she wasn't ready for an identity reveal. If she showed no recognition, maybe he won't go into the mess of a reveal and they could enjoy their afternoon. "If I'm a princess, does that make you my knight?"

"Does this mean I have to save you from being locked up in a tower?"

"I feel like the roles are backwards, since I am hiding you from your father who wants to lock you up." She smiled at him, guesting around them, "And now we are safely hidden away where you won't be recaptured."

"So how am I supposed to thank my hero?"

It took all her effort not to blurt out 'give me a kiss' right there and then. "Maybe let your knight pay for herself."

"How is that thanking you? I want to show my gratitude."

"Oh shut up and kiss already!" An annoyed lady sitting a few tables away clearly heard them, muttering loudly enough for them to hear her, "Flippen teenage lovebirds can't find a room." Both of them lit up like a stop light, stuttering out denials. Denials that neither of them actually meant of course. Too embarrassed to speak, both of them started stuffing their faces to avoid making it worse.

Adrien glanced at Marinette as they finished, "Back to the shelves?" he asked hopefully, remembering how it felt to hold her. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. They settled down with their books again, though he noticed she instantly went to lean against him like before. He shifted to let her be a bit more comfortable, but didn't move his arm around her again. Adrien couldn't see the disappointment on her face as he didn't hold her again, though he himself wish he was.

Alix

As Ms. Mendeleiev droned for their chemistry review, Alix glared at the back of Lila's head. Sure she never made a claim on Kim, but that didn't mean she didn't want him. Pulling out her phone, she googled up Lila's latest claim that she would be spending the summer with Prince Ali in Germany working with sick kids. This was false, as Prince Ali was to stay in his home country all summer long, assisting in fundraising for the poor. Before she could shout an accusation, Mylene passed her a note.

Confused, Alix unfolded the note, reading the message from the quiet girl. "Alix, Lila is horrible, but if you accuse her in the open like Marinette, she will put on the tears and Alya will jump to her defence. Please wait until after school and talk to Ivan and I about it." Alix hesitated, then nodded an acknowledgement. Whatever Mylene and Ivan knew, apparently they had been keeping it to themselves.

After the class ended, she found the perfect couple waiting outside for her. "What do you have?"

Mylene glanced at Ivan before speaking, "Remember Startrain?" Alix nodded, after all who couldn't forget going to space on a class trip? "Well when Adrien and Marinette fell asleep, everyone thought it was sweet, except Lila. Before Alya intercepted her, she had this look of disgust as she headed for them, but put on a smile when Alya caught her. And then later when we got free croissants, she didn't eat hers, but threw it out."

"After that we looked into her other claims, all of them were clearly false. We think she isn't actually traveling and just skipping school," Ivan added. He quieted as Lila walked past, holding hands with Kim, chatting about whatever airheads like her do.

"So what are you saying?"

"Cool it until we have a plan to expose her lies without anyone getting hurt if backfires."

"Fine, no promises." With that Alix skated off, not caring of a direction. She didn't know how long she was out, but as she rounded another corner, she spotted Adrien and Marinette, holding hands and laughing as they strode down the street. Alix snapped a photo and was about to send to the girls group chat when she hesitated. Alya usually would fangirl over Adrienette, but lately Alya had not been herself. She decided to keep it to herself, hiding the photo in a hidden folder.