Thump, Thump.
The sound of Marinette's heart was pounding loudly against her chest. She couldn't believe that she was going to be alone with Adrien in the library! Marinette had her notebook and writing utensils at her grasps as she prepared to enter the library. When she entered, she saw Adrien from the distance waiting for her. Marinette took a large deep breath and let it out. She began to perk herself up and try to act casual. She had to treat this like no big deal, even if it was a big deal.
'You can do this, Marinette, all you have to do is plan things out and then casually, ask Adrien to the dance!' Marinette said to herself.
"H-Hey Adrien!" Marinette stammered.
"Hey, Marinette!" Adrien smiled at her.
He was so dreamy, that Marinette brains were always like mash potatoes when she was near him. Marinette tried to force herself to focus on her two goals. Marinette had taken her seat next to Adrien before she opened her notebook with her pencil in her hand. Her heart continued to pound against her chest. She cleared her throat as she fiddled with her pencil avoiding his gaze. Adrien felt as awkward and he also played his own pencil before taking a glance at Marinette with a sheepish smile.
"So..um… let's get to planning this!" Marinette finally managed to get out.
"O-Of course!" Adrien answered.
"Well, I think we should come up with a good theme that everyone will enjoy, something that is exciting!" Marinette suggested.
"Hm, you got any suggestions?" Adrien asked.
"Well, I might have a few ideas in mind," Marinette said.
Marinette began to jot down the ideas for their dance theme. Marinette had shown Adrien the ideas she had written. Adrien looked them over and smiled as his emerald eyes had shown he was impressed. Marinette was always creative with these sort of things. She was amazing, almost as amazing as Ladybug. He went down the ideas she had written down once more before pointing to the one he really liked.
"I really like the mask thing, it reminds me of the time we all did the video together with Clara," Adrien smiled.
"I thought the same thing," Marinette nodded. "I think I can help design and create some of the masks for everyone."
"Great idea and Nino can DJ at the dance for a bit," Adrien suggested. "I know he wants to dance with Alya, but he is always great with music."
"I think so too, so as far as flyers and decorations, I can ask the others for help. I can make the flyers on my own and have them printed out."
"These are all great ideas, I can't wait for the dance!" Adrien smiled.
"Thank you, Adrien!" Marinette smiled back.
Her cheeks were flushed from his compliments and she was glad he really loved her ideas. Marinette was glad she was able to plan this with Adrien. Marinette decided that she would take this chance to ask him to the dance.
"Hey, Adrien, I would like to ask you something…"
Marinette was pulling out something out her school bag when the charm that he gave her for her birthday had fallen out of it. Adrien's eyes wandered over it as they both reached for it and their hands touched. Both of their eyes widen before they turned away with the heat filled their cheeks and turned them red.
"Oh, I see you still have the charm I gave you!" Adrien sheepishly said.
"O-Of course," Marinette answered.
"I still have mines, too!" Adrien said.
He dug into his pocket and pulled out the charm that Marinette gave him and gave her a soft smile. He would turn his gaze at the charm with the smile never fading from his face. Marinette returned a softer smile in return, as she looked at her own charm and brought it to her chest.
"Well, your gift is really precious to me," Marinette told him. "I always keep with me, it's like my new lucky charm."
"I'm happy to hear that Marinette," Adrien told her. "Whenever I look at this, I always think how lucky I am to meet someone as amazing, kind, and considerate as you Marinette."
"R-Really?" Marinette's eyes brighten at his words.
He made her blush, but she couldn't get out of head that Adrien said he thought of her whenever he sees it. Marinette felt her hopes getting high, maybe he does like her more than a friend. Marinette turned her gaze back to him as Adrien had given her the warmest smile that made her heart flutter more.
"Yes, really," Adrien smiled. "It reminds that I made such an amazing friend since I came to this school!"
That's when Marinette's heart sank at his words. Just a friend. Her heart tightened with the mere thought that no matter how close she tried to get to him, he'll only see her as just a friend. Marinette tried to hide her disappointment and had given him a false smile as she tried to cover it.
"Thanks, I'm glad we're friends too, Adrien…" Marinette told him.
Marinette put her charm away and began to gather her things and put them in her bag. Adrien began to do the same thing, but he noticed Marinette seemed a little more down than earlier. That's when he remembered she said she had something to ask him.
"Oh that's right," Adrien began. "What is that you wanted to ask me, Marinette?"
Marinette paused as she wondered if she should still ask him to the dance or not. Marinette opened her mouth as she began to speak, as she did not want to leave him waiting. Her thoughts filled with the idea to ask him to the dance or not, despite how he only viewed their relationship as a mere friendship.
"Well, actually, I wanted to ask if…" Marinette began.
Adrien waited patiently for Marinette to speak. Marinette bit her bottom lip as she still wondered if she should ask him to the dance anyway. Her bluebell eyes locked on his as she stared at his soft expression. She lost her courage as she was reminded that she was just a friend, it caused her resolve to weaken all together.
"Ah, nevermind, actually, I already had answered my own question," Marinette told him.
"Oh, I see…" Adrien replied.
He seemed disappointed since he felt that maybe her question was something he could have helped her with. But, he smiled as he lightly patted her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Well, it's getting late, why don't I give you a ride home?" Adrien smiled.
"Oh, um, thank you, but I don't mind walking." Marinette declined.
"Okay, see you tomorrow Marinette!" Adrien smiled.
"Yeah, sure…" Marinette answered.
She turned away so he wouldn't catch her expression that was filled with rejection. Marinette left the library as she headed out the doors of the school. As soon as she left, Plagg emerged from his hiding space in Adrien's school bag.
"Wow, Adrien, you can be really blind at times," Plagg yawned.
"What do you mean, Plagg?" Adrien asked with confusion.
"Oh, nothing," Plagg crossed his tiny arms and turned away. "So, who are you going to the dance with Romeo?"
"Well, I wish I can go with Ladybug," Adrien sighed. "But I know she's a superhero and she wouldn't want to go to the dance with me as Cat Noir."
"You're right," Plagg agreed. "Why don't you ask Marinette?"
"I can't ask Marinette," Adrien shook his head. "She's a good friend, besides I doubt she's interested with going with a friend."
Plagg had given Adrien a disappointed look as he made a 'tsk' sound from his mouth. He already knew Ladybug and Marinette was the same person, but because kwamis have to keep other owners a secret from their owners and each other, he couldn't reveal the woman of his dreams was next to him every day. He tried pushing Adrien in the right direction, but he knew how stubborn Adrien could be when it came to Ladybug.
"Oh, well, you'll figure it out eventually," Plagg told him.
As Marinette headed home, she walked with a down expression on her face. As soon as she arrived home, she threw herself onto the bed and began to mope. Tikki had gone to Marinette to comfort her, seeing that Marinette was really upset. Her small blue eyes held both concern and sympathy towards how Marinette was feeling.
"What's wrong, Marinette?" Tikki asked. "Why didn't you ask Adrien to the dance?"
"Because Tikki, he probably wouldn't go with me, after all, I'm just a really good friend to him," Marinette replied.
Tikki's antennas had flopped down as she moved closer besides Marinette and tried to cheer her up. Tikki knew that Adrien was special to Marinette, even though she never had met him. Tikki was careful to find the right words to not upset Marinette more.
"But, you don't know that Marinette," Tikki told her. "You didn't try."
"Even if I did, he'd never look at me more than a friend and I really want to be more than that, Tikki."
Marinette picked up her pillow as she hugged it close. Marinette decided maybe getting some fresh air and the view of the city could had given her some time to clear her head. Tikki wanted to give her more advice, but she known for now it was best to leave Marinette alone with her thoughts and sort it out on her own.
Adrien arrived home after his bodyguard picked him up from school. Nathalie was waiting for him at the stairs near the entrance. Her expression was as stoic as usual and her voice carried the same monotoned, professional tone as always.
"Welcome home, Adrien." Nathalie greeted.
"Hey, Nathalie," Adrien greeted. "Is my father busy? I would like him to ask him something."
"Not at the moment, you may see him," Nathalie told him.
"Thanks, Nathalie," he answered.
Adrien had went up the stairs to the room his father normally stayed in. His office where he had a large portrait of Emilie Agreste, his mother. As usual, his father was staring at the portrait as he always did ever since she disappeared. Adrien knocked on the door, before he waited to enter the room with his father's permission.
"Come in," Gabriel answered.
"Um…dad?" Adrien asked.
"Yes, my son?" Gabriel answered.
"My school is having a dance in two weeks, I was wondering if I can attend?" Adrien asked.
Gabriel didn't look at Adrien as he pondered the requests. He didn't want his son at such a public event, but he knew it would make him happy. Gabriel decided to make a compromise with him before he gave the final decision.
"I need time to think about it," Gabriel answered. "If you practice your piano and I see some improvement, I may permit you to go to this dance."
"Really? Thank you, father, I'll practice hard!" Adrien said.
Adrien left his father back to his solitude before heading up to his room. Adrien had taken a seat at the piano as his finger glazed over a few keys as he began to practice. Plagg had come out of his pocket and hovered over by Adrien as he played the piano with a disinterest expressed on his tiny frame.
"Ugh, piano, how boooring…" Plagg said.
"I have to practice, Plagg," Adrien told him. "If my dad let me go the dance, then maybe I can ask Ladybug."
"You're still planning on asking Ladybug to the dance?" Plagg asked.
Plagg knew Adrien was crazy over Ladybug, but he never knew it was this crazy. Plagg shook his head at his owner's delusional chase for Ladybug even though Ladybug didn't love him. Adrien continued to play the piano as he turned to Plagg with his eyes holding a serious expression.
"Of course I am, but I'm not going to ask her as Chat Noir," Adrien told him.
"Come again?" Plagg asked confused.
"I'm going to ask Ladybug as myself and see if she'll come to the dance with me," Adrien responded.
"W-What?!" Plagg was in disbelief with what he was hearing. "How are you going to ask Ladybug to the dance as Adrien? She'll probably reject you like she does as Chat Noir."
"I don't know that Plagg," Adrien told him. "Maybe if Ladybug doesn't love me as Chat Noir, maybe she'll love me as Adrien Agreste."
"I knew you were crazy, but not this crazy Adrien!" Plagg protested.
"Well, how else will I get her to love me?" Adrien told her. "Besides, if she gets to know the real me, when she realize that I'm someone she special to her, we can finally be together. Then maybe when we reveal our identities, she'd realize that the sweet guy behind the mask is the man of her dreams."
"Maybe you should forget the whole thing and go with someone normal," Plagg suggested. "Besides how can you even get Ladybug to meet you?"
"I'll figure it out…" Adrien sighed.
Adrien didn't think of plan yet, maybe if he gets some fresh air as Cat Noir, he might think of something. He turned to the kwami who was finishing up his Camembert, he rolled his eyes at how easily he was please eating stinky cheese. He places his mp3 on its stand before he played the usual piano music as if he was practicing.
"I'll get some air as Cat Noir and come up with a plan," Adrien told.
"Oh no, Adrien why don't we-" Plagg tried to reason.
"Plagg, Claws out!" Adrien said.
It was too late for the kwami to plead his way out of the transformation, but he was already sucked into the silver Cat Miraculous Ring, as Adrien began his transformation. Adrien moved his two fingers before his face as the black mask appeared and his green eyes turned more cat-like. His hand grazed his head as the cat ears formed on his head. The black bodysuit magically appeared on his frame and his belt that was like a tail had popped out behind him. He did his usual clawing motion and posed once he finished his transformation.
Cat Noir had escaped from Adrien's bedroom and began to run through the city. He wondered if Ladybug had taken random strolls through the city like he did. His thoughts of his dream lady filled his head as he continued to move across Paris. He saw from bird's eye view that small figure on the roof of the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. A familiar a girl he already knew very well was gazing off in the distance. He decided to pay his friend a visit as he jumped over and perched on the railing of the fence on the top of the building.
"Well, it's good to see you Marinette," Cat Noir told her.
"Oh… Hey Cat Noir," Marinette sighed.
"You seem kind of down," Cat Noir said with concern. "You want to talk about it?"
"Well…" Marinette began.
Cat Noir maybe be annoying when he's flirting with her as Ladybug, but as Marinette, he was a good friend and a sweet guy. She gave small smile as she looked back off into the city. Her bluebell eyes reflected loneliness as was lost in her own thoughts. Cat Noir moved besides her to gaze at the city with her as he patiently waited for her to speak.
"Well, there is this boy that I like at school," Marinette told him. "I try my best to talk to him and ask him to our school dance, but he only sees me as a really good friend."
"I know the feeling," Cat Noir answered. "No matter how much I am in love with Ladybug and show her my affection, she rejects me because she's in love with someone else and sees me as a partner and a good friend."
Marinette felt bad since she was Ladybug and was always turning him down. She finally knew what it felt like to be rejected and treated like a friend, but only with Adrien. Marinette sighed as she turned around with her back facing the city and she leaned against the fence.
"But, I really want him to like me more than a friend," Marinette told him. "I'm really shy and not good at expressing how I feel about him. So, I'm wondering if you can me some advice."
"Me? Give you advice?" Cat Noir asked surprised.
He never expected Marinette of all people to ask him for advice. He wasn't sure what to tell her since his own luck with love was failing. He thought long and hard to what he can tell her as far giving advice. But he was a superhero and couldn't say no to anyone who needed his help. Especially his friend, Marinette, who always helped him as Adrien.
"Yeah, what can I do make the boy I like to see me more as a friend?" Marinette asked.
"Hm…well…" Cat Noir pondered.
He placed his hand under his chin as he was thinking. He looked over at Marinette and found it hard to believe that any guy wouldn't fall for her. She's sweet, generous, and always thinking of others. Not only that, she was funny and even though she was clumsy and weird at time, she was very inspirational to their classmates and creative with her own designs. Cat Noir felt his chest tightened as he felt bad he turned down her love confession before. After all, Marinette is a really awesome girl in his eyes.
"I think you should keep being yourself and just be honest with how you feel about him," Cat Noir told her. "Don't give up on him, maybe eventually he'd see how amazing you are and fall in love with you. You're a really special girl, Marinette. I think you should give it your all and ask him to the dance. Maybe he'll accept your invitation and when he gets to know more about you, he'll open his eyes."
"Wow, you really think he'd go if I ask him?" Marinette asked.
He had seen the uncertainty in her eyes, he gently placed both of his arms on her shoulders as he looked down at her and had given her a warm smile. Marinette smiled back softly, a little surprised how encouraging and kind Cat Noir's words are. Even as Ladybug, she always found him dependable and there for her when she needed him, well most of the time.
"Well, if he rejects you, then he's a fool," Cat Noir told her.
"Thank you, Cat Noir, you really helped me feel better," Marinette smiled.
"Anytime, Marinette," Cat Noir responded.
He would take her hand before placing a small kiss on the back of her palm. He had stood on top of the rails of the fence, to take his leave. Since he had to be back home before his father noticed he was gone. He cleared his head enough and managed to help out a good friend of his cheer up once more.
"I guess this is why I'm one of your biggest fans!" Marinette teased him.
"Biggest fan, huh?" Cat Noir pondered.
His eyes twinkled when it dawned on him with a plan to meet Ladybug as Adrien and ask her to the dance! Cat Noir smiled before giving her a final wave before he disappeared off into the city. Marinette gave a soft, warm smile as she watched him as he vanished into the night, before heading back down to her bedroom. When Cat Noir arrived back into Adrien's room, he decided it was time to detransform and start up with the brilliant plan he had to ask Ladybug to the dance.
"Claws in," Adrien commanded.
His transformation quickly reverted him back to Adrien Agreste and Plagg stood before him. He gave Adrien a suspicious look as he wondered what exactly what he was up to. Adrien rushed over to his desk as he took out a piece of paper and a pen as he began to jolt down words on it.
"What are you up to, Adrien?" Plagg asked.
"I found a way to for Ladybug to meet with me as Adrien!" Adrien told him.
"Ugh, why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Plagg whined.
To be continued…