We're coming up on the home stretch guys! Plot's getting thicc from here on out

Day 23 – Banana Suit Reveal

Adrien was nervous. Yesterday during lunch, he danced with Marinette in her room until their alarms went off. He didn't get the chance to ask her about Luka. He barely had time to ask her to come to lunch with him today. He was glad his father finally found time to eat a meal with him even if he was required to bring a guest.

Speaking of guest, he was wondering how uncomfortable Marinette was feeling in the large dining room. Unlike the last time they had lunch together, Marinette's place was made in the center of the table in between him and his father. She was so far away, he felt like he wasn't able to talk to her.

Several silent minutes passed, and Adrien was starting to get impatient. It was one thing for his father to cancel plans with just Adrien, but it was another thing entirely for him to request Marinette and not show up. The squeaks from his chair as he pushed back from the table echoed in the room.

"Where-where are you going?" Marinette asked.

"I'll be right back," he said harshly. He hoped she understood his frustration was not directed at her.

He stormed out of the dining hall and marched up to Natalie's desk.

"Where is he?" he demanded.

Natalie didn't look up from her computer screen. "He has important business to attend to. He will have to reschedule."

"You were just going to let us sit in there waiting for him?"

"M. Agreste is a very busy man, Adrien," Natalie adjusted her glasses when she met his eyes. "He requested I wait another few minutes before notifying you of the situation."

Adrien fumed, but he honestly wasn't surprised. He took a deep breath, calming his anger. "Please let my chef know we will be up in my room for lunch."

Natalie nodded once before turning her attention to her tablet, no doubt punching in his request.

Adrien spun on his heel and headed back to the dining room.

"Is everything ok?" Marinette asked timidly as he walked towards her with furious intent.

"He's not coming." He took her hand in his and made his way up the stairs to his bedroom.

He didn't release her until he had shut the door behind them and plopped himself on his couch.

"Adrien?" He looked over to find Marinette staring questioningly at him.

"Sorry about that," he rubbed his face trying to wipe away the bad mood he was suddenly in. "I'm used to my father cancelling on me, but I thought since I had a guest, he would've made time. Guess I was wrong."

She flinched at the bitterness in his tone. He took a few deep breaths and tried his best to quell his anger. He heard her shift on the couch. Great. He had made her uncomfortable again. He shut his eyes. He couldn't bear to see her face right now. Not when he was so emotional.

Next thing he knew, his hand was in both of hers. She was squeezing it as tightly as she could. He opened his eyes to see her place a barely there kiss to his knuckles.

"I told you I'd be here for you, Adrien," she said, her voice shaking. "I'm here if you want to talk about it, or if you don't. I want to help, so let me know how I can."

His heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in her voice. For the first time in a long time, he felt truly cared for. He surged forward without thinking and wrapped his arms around her. She hesitated for the briefest of moments before returning the hug, burying her fingers in his hair and scratching lightly where his Chat ears would be.

"Thank you, Marinette," he breathed as he regrettably pulled back. "But I think I'm going to be ok."

They were both startled by the knock on the door signaling the arrival of their food.

He smiled at her. "Make yourself comfortable."

Adrien got up and made his way to the door, thanking his personal chef for the meal.

"What in the world is this?" She was peering underneath his couch at something.

"What is what?" He asked, setting the tray on his coffee table.

She pulled it out and his stomach dropped. "Is this a banana suit?"

He thought back on the day he borrowed the suit from the TVi station. The day Plagg was stolen and Multimouse – well, he now knew she was actually the stunningly beautiful and creative Marinette – had shown up and asked him for his miraculous.

"Oh, that?" he rubbed the back of his neck, desperately trying to think up a lie. "I, uh, I've been meaning to get rid of that, actually."

She raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Why do you have it anyway?"

He chuckled and tried to feign indifference. "You like to dress up like a princess, I like to dress up like a banana. I told you playing dress up was fun sometimes."

She burst into a fit of giggles and he couldn't help but join her. Her laugh was as contagious as her smile.

"I thought you meant –" she struggled to say, "I thought you meant you dress up when you're modeling."

He wiped a tear from his eye. "Nope! Modeling isn't as ap-peel-ing to me."

She rolled her eyes, but didn't stop laughing.

They exchanged more banana puns while they ate lunch after the initial laugh attacks. Eventually, he found himself at a conversation lull.

He steeled himself. "Marinette, can I ask you something?"

"If you're about to tell me another banana joke, no," she teased. "Otherwise, go ahead."

"No, its…" He took another deep breath trying to still his racing heart. "I heard you've been hanging out with Luka lately and I was wondering if you guys were… you know…" He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"No, he's just a friend," she said quickly. "He delivers food so he stops by the bakery a lot to help us." She paused for a second before looking at him hopefully. "Why?"

"No reason," he said before kicking himself. "I was by your house the other day and I saw you kiss him so I thought maybe…"

"I've never kissed him!" She nearly shouted. "What are you talking about?"

"You kissed his cheek."

She gaped at him. "His cheek?"

"Yeah."

"And you thought…"

"Yeah." He suddenly felt very dumb.

"And the bananoir…"

"What?"

"Nothing!" she shouted, her face bright red. "Just… thinking out loud."

"Okay?" His feeling of stupidity melted into concern for his friend.

"Anyway," she shook her head. "I'm not dating Luka."

"That's good."

"Why is that good?" she whispered.

"Uh," His eyes widened. Was he actually going to do this right now? "It just is?" Come on, Agreste. Man up and ask her out. Chat Noir would've asked for her hand in marriage already.

"Okay," she paused for a while studying her hands. "Can I ask you something, too?"

"Yes, please," he said eager to change the subject.

She took a deep breath. "Do you like Kagami?"

"What?" He blinked in surprise. "No. She's one of my best friends."

"Oh," her voice was small.

He studied her expression, but wasn't able to figure out what she was thinking. He wanted to reach out and grab her hand, pressing his lips to each of her knuckles. He wanted to pull her into his arms and never let go. He wanted to grab her face and kiss her until they both passed out from lack of oxygen.

However, he knew he couldn't do those things until she agreed to be his. And to get her to agree, he had to ask her. And to ask her, he had to open his mouth and make the words come out. But right now he was frozen, stuck staring at his twiddling thumbs, unable to do anything. He opened and closed his mouth a few times like a fish gasping for air, trying to force out the question he so desperately wanted to ask her.

Beep, beep, beep.

They both jumped in unison.

"We have to go–"

"Don't want to be late–"

Adrien ran over to grab his school bag, checking to make sure Plagg was inside. He was, and he made a kissy face at Adrien causing his face to turn several shades of red.

Yep. Adrien was never going to live this down.

three guesses on what our favorite father of the year was doing instead of lunch
also who's up for some reveals? whoop whoop