There was a new surfer on her beach. There was a new surfer on her beach! And he was devastatingly attractive as he expertly guided his board out into the churning waves.
Just seeing the sun and water droplets glistening off his taught, muscular arms had Marinette sweating in a way that the heat couldn't. She unconsciously licked her lips as mystery man paddled, stood up, and rode the first big wave that came at him.
What she wouldn't give to be out on the water with him. To see that angled jaw up close. To hear that laugh echoing against the tube of water surrounding him. To be a part of the moment that was shaping up before her eyes.
But she couldn't.
With a start, Marinette remembered what she was supposed to be doing. It was her watch at the top of the Lifeguard Tower this morning and she had spent the last precious few minutes ogling some handsome guy on a board instead of keeping watch of those whom might be in danger.
Doing a quick sweep through her binoculars, her trained eye was able to ascertain that nothing earth shattering had happened while she had been distracted. No one was drowning, no one was wandering too close to the rip tide, and no one had noticed her lapse in concentration.
With a wistful sigh, Marinette took one more quick glance out at the new mystery man and then actively shifted her focus back onto keeping the general populace safe.
Since it was still early in the season, and the water just a few degrees cooler than most people enjoyed, the beach wasn't quite as full as they would become in just a few weeks short time. Marinette's parents had left her and a few trusted lifeguards from past seasons in charge while they conducted interviews for a few empty positions.
She was currently manning the Watch Tower while her second in command, Nino, was out on one of the ATV's driving the beach, enforcing the rules, and helping those who need a little bit of help but not severe enough to walk to the tower. Juleka, Rose, and Kim were all set up on Lifeguard posts spaced equally across the beach, keeping an eye on those around them and swimming in their designated zone.
Max was her second set of eyes in the Tower this morning, but he was down below now tending to a jellyfish sting on a 7-year-old. Marinette could hear the muffled cries of the little girl and the hushed reassurances from her mother as she tried desperately not to search out the blond surfer from earlier.
That was easier said than done.
The morning passed by quickly in a haze of bright sunlight and the white noise of the fan blowing down from the ceiling. Max returned once the little girl was taken care of, but he had been in and out of their first aid bay for a guy who sliced his foot open on the rocks and a couple of other minor injuries.
Nearing midday, Marinette was jolted from her most recent scan of the beach (she was absolutely not looking for the man with blond hair and her heart did not skip a beat each time she thought she caught sight of him) when the door burst open and ricocheted off the wall behind it. A loud boisterous voice calling out for her.
"Mari! My friend is being interview by your parents right now and they won't let me sit in with him!" Nino, who was a full foot taller than her, towered over her before draping himself of the back of her chair and wrapping his arms around her. "I hope they like him as much as I do."
Marinette giggled at his antics and the way his breath tickled her neck before responding.
"Is this the American who answered your craigslist ad for a roommate?" Heat radiated from his skin to hers as he nodded. "Are you sure you don't just want my parents to hire him so that he can actually help you with rent?"
Affronted, Nino pulled away from her with an exaggerated air of secrecy. "Dude. He's been here a week and has had no luck so far. He's been moping around the apartment. I need him out meeting other people." Shrugging his shoulders, he continued. "I wouldn't send him here though if I didn't think he would be a good fit. You should see him swim. He's a monster with a board as well- maybe he can even get you out on the water someday."
Marinette laughed along with his deep resonating chuckles. If only he knew what she could do on a surfboard. Sure, he's seen her paddling out to rescue people before, loads of times, but it was her decision not to practice her real skills in front of anyone.
As far as all her coworkers knew, Marinette was as clumsy on a board as she was on land. She refused each time anyone invited her out to hit the swells, claiming to be no good. Claiming that surfing wasn't the one thing that she lived and breathed. Claiming that she didn't feel comfortable around so many other people on boards.
If only they knew. But she didn't want the fame. She didn't want to be tied to the Ladybug name in front of all her friends. She didn't want them to view her any differently. And to avoid being recognized, she avoided it all together besides her early morning training sessions and the hustle and bustle of competition. No one could know or else every relationship that she had built over the years would crumble. The fame would taint everything until it rotted from within.
"So, have you heard about any of the other possible trainees that we might be stuck with this season?" Nino had shifted into the seat next to her, feet lifted to rest on the desk.
Marinette hunched forward, bringing the binoculars back up to her face to scan the beach once more before responding. "There's a promising girl- name's Alya. She's ex-coast guard and kind of intimidates me but has an impressive list of saves. My parents were excited after meeting with her. She stopped up about an hour ago while they were showing her around and she seemed nice."
"Hmmm, she sounds pretty good. Think she'll fit in? Those coast guard guys can be a little intense and we don't need any more drama around here now that Chloe's finally left."
Shuddering just remembering the torment that was working with Chloe for the past 3 summers, Marinette shrugged it off. "Like I said, she seems nice. I'll have to reserve any other judgements until she gets in here and working with all of us though."
Over the years, the Dupain-Cheng's have been accumulating a tight group of lifeguards to man the beach surrounding them. Each new addition throws a new component into the mix, which can get difficult when they deal with literal life and death situations. Chloe had been a bit of a hazard, not because she wasn't good at the job- she was a very skilled lifeguard and had been a great asset to the team- but she was conceited and unreliable to her fellow coworkers.
In this line of work, everyone needs to be able to trust each other to have their backs. She didn't and so most of the other lifeguards were happy when she decided to leave to pursue a different line of work.
A loud laugh erupted from the floor below them that Marinette recognized as her father's. Both young adults jumped- Nino sat up straight in his chair while she refocused herself back into scanning the beach. Most people were happily sunbathing, but a few were wading into the lapping waves of the ocean and she tried to pay attention to them as she heard the thundering footfalls of her father and his booming voice showing off the tower to Nino's friend.
"And here is our Watch Tower. It seems we found where Nino wandered off to!" Marinette was just lowering her binoculars, listening to Nino call a greeting to the other two men, when her gaze immediately caught a striking blond tuft of hair out of the corner of her eye.
She focused solely on the new man in front of her and was rendered speechless by the sheer familiarity of the mystery man before her. She had been staring at him enough today to recognize the blond even with a shirt on.
Her face colored pink as her father introduced her. "This is my daughter, Marinette, whom I was telling you about. If hired, you will report mostly to her as head lifeguard. If you're falling behind as a trainee, she will be the one to get you up to speed. She's our pride and joy."
"Papa!" Marinette complained in exasperation before facing the new guy again. "It's nice to meet you…?" Trailing off in a question she reached out for a handshake.
Green iridescent eyes met her blue ones. "Adrien. It's nice to meet you, Marinette." If the feel of his hand against hers didn't get her heart rate soring, hearing her name slip from his lips in the most alluring chipper voice she had ever heard was sure to get her.
She could practically feel her tongue tying itself in knots.
Luckily, she was saved from any garbled sputtering by her father clapping Adrien on the back and knocking their hands loose. "Now that that's done, I know you've been on the beach today, but let's take a loop to get you a bit more acquainted with where all of our stations are. Want to join us, Nino?"
The young adult jumped up eagerly agreeing in an instant. Nino and her father could be heard joking as they descended the stairs once more. Marinette was left blushing and staring as Adrien caught her eye once more, gave a small wave and a crooked grin, and followed the other two out of the tower.
It was a moment later, when the crackle of their radio system ripped across the silent room, that Marinette was able to collect herself enough to spin back around and continue her astute watch of that day's beach goers (all while trying not to continuously stare after the blond who was no longer a nameless mystery.)