Day 2 - "Can I pick princess?"

"I don't like the sound of that," Chat said suspiciously from his spot on Marinette's chaise, "It sounds like she knows something and just wants you to admit you're keeping something from her."

"I know, " Marinette said as she spun back and forth in her desk chair, hands buried in her hair, "and you know Alya, she'll never leave me alone until she gets what she wants one way or another."

He frowned and watched as she tugged at the locks her fingers were locked on, wincing in sympathy whenever a few stray hairs were pulled loose. Quickly making his way over to her, he placed his own hands over hers, encouraging her with gentle strokes across the backs of her hands to let go and surrender her hair. As soon as she relaxed and released her grip, he pulled her fingers towards his mouth so that he could place sweet little kisses on the tips. He dropped to his knees between her legs to avoid towering over her, but held onto her hands, determined to stop her from hurting herself any more.

"Do you want to tell her? That we're together?" he asked. He watched as her eyes widened with a touch of panic and she shook her head for a moment before she hesitated instead and scrunched her eyebrows together.

"I don't want to put her in any danger. What if she ever slipped up and said to somebody that she knew your girlfriend? Hawkmoth could target her. And we only just started dating. It's still new to me, to us. I wouldn't really know where to start if I did tell her," she sighed, "But I hate lying to her, and I'm sure she knows I'm lying. Why else would I be refusing to let her set me up or avoiding talking about dating at all?"

He snickered a little at that. "Because not everyone is desperate for a boyfriend or a girlfriend?" he said, "Just because Alya's got Nino doesn't mean you need someone. You can be perfectly happy without obsessing over some guy."

"Yeah, but-" she glanced at him before her eyes fluttered away in obvious embarrassment, "-it's kinda...out of character for me."

It took him several seconds to realise his jaw was hanging open and he snapped it closed and squeezed her hands unconsciously, clearing his throat in order to buy him some more time to think about what to say.

As Chat, he wasn't supposed to know much about Marinette's life when he didn't see her other than what she told him herself. So, as Chat, it made perfect sense for him to be surprised that his girlfriend had apparently been a little boy-crazy around her best friend in the past. But he was pretty sure he didn't seem a little vaguely surprised like she would expect from him. Because honestly, he was outright shocked.

Adrien had never noticed Marinette being caught up over anyone at school before, or during any of the times he'd seen her outside of the building for that matter. She never seemed to be following after someone or blushing when any names were mentioned. So to think she'd been secretly fawning over someone. Or even multiple someones...

He didn't really want to think about it.

"S-so, unless you're trying to get someone to date you, or you admit that you have a boyfriend-"

"Which would not work out well either-"

"-She's gonna know something's up?"

Marinette's head dropped forward and she refused to make eye contact with him as her face slowly grew a darker and darker shade of red. She was clearly embarrassed to be telling him this, but at least she was telling him. That was something, right?

"Should I be jealous?" he asked, an uncomfortable squirming sensation building in his stomach, "Was there just one person or-"

"There was just one guy I had a major crush on!" she burst in suddenly, her hands leaving his own to softly caress the sides of his face instead, her attempt at reassurance, "And another I had a minor thing for, but it was mostly this one guy. Alya used to spend a lot of her time trying to help me catch his attention, so for me to suddenly drop all interest...that's what she's latching onto."

"Huh," he said, his eyes moving back and forth as his mind suddenly started flitting from one thing to the next. Thoughts started to shape and take form, swirling mists starting to solidify as things he'd been fretting about for weeks came to mind. Which started to formulate an idea. One he was pretty certain she wouldn't like. "Maybe," he said, licking his lips in anticipation, "maybe you should ask someone out."

"What!?"

"Hear me out. Ask out someone. If they say no, you can claim being turned down put you off dating, if he says yes, go on one date, then claim you just weren't clicking. Either way, Alya's off your case."

"Let me get this straight, you –my boyfriend– want me to date someone else?"

"On one condition."

She narrowed her eyes at him, her suspicion evident. "What condition?" she asked.

"Can I pick, Princess? Can I choose who you ask out?"

She looked him in disbelief, eyebrows lost in her hairline in surprise. She looked like she was considering whether he was drunk or not. "You cannot be serious. Why would you want to do that?"

"Trust me," he said, teeth gleaming as he smirked at her confused features. If this played out properly, he'd get something out of it other than making Alya back off. Something he'd been hoping for as Adrien before he'd taken the same leap as Chat.

"Who?"

"The boy in your class. Adrien Agreste." There was a beat of silence for a moment as Marinette stared at him, her face a complete mask to her emotions until-

"How did you know!?" Marinette's face was suddenly the sheer personification of anger and as he eyed her ears to ensure steam wasn't erupting from them he started to consider his escape options. She could be truly terrifying when she wanted. "Who told you I have a crush on Adrien!?"

"Crush? So Adrien's the boy you like? Wait- like not liked? As in still like?"

"Don't you dare try to change the subject, Kitty. I can't believe you set me up to make fun of me like this. It's so- mmph!"

Chat quickly cut her off with a smooch that was significantly more giggling than actual kissing on his part.