So, this will be my last update on Skipping Beats, I'll see you guys in about 2-3 weeks! Thank you for your patience! You guys are awesome!
"ADRIHONEY!"
Adrien grunted as Chloe slammed into him, nearly sending them both toppling out of the hotel. Thankfully the doorman caught him just in time before he hit the hard ground below. "Hey Chloe," Adrien managed out, giving the doorman a quick nod of thanks before he was ripped outside, Chloe prattling the plans for today.
"It's been forever since we hung out!"
"Technically a week," he mumbled out as she started to prattle on.
"Oh we're going to have so much fun today! I've been wanting to hit this new store for such a long time now, and now that we're both finally free we can go and-"
"Um," he cut in, trying to tug his hand free.
Chloe stopped, raising a brow as she spared him a glance. "Um?" she echoed, lip curling down as she demanded, "You don't want to hang out with me today?"
"I did have plans," he confessed sheepishly.
She narrowed her blue eyes. "What plans?"
"To see Jagged Stone." And Marinette.
But Chloe didn't need to know that detail.
The blonde scoffed across from him, rolling her eyes. "Don't bother Adrihoney," Chloe said. "He's rude and doens't want to see either of us. Did you know he blew a raspberry after me? A raspberry!"
He had to bite his lip to stop the giggles.
That was kinda funny.
"And Marinette," she huffed, "you stay away from that weirdo! She keeps inviting the strangest characters into the hotel! The strangest dressed pizza guy that comes every day! I'll point him out to you. And now, she's invited this weirdo that dresses up like a cat into the lobby!"
Personally he thought Chat Noir was cool, not a weirdo.
"So stay away from that Marinette! She rubs me wrong and is just, weird!"
"Alright," he eased. "I'll try. But seriously, I'm here to see Jagged Stone."
She wrinkled her nose at him. "Why?" she demanded.
"Uh, well, there was mention about Père wanting to make the rockstar a jacket, or Jagged Stone wanted Père to make him one, I'm just here to check on that, get details..." Adrien trailed, eyeing Chloe warily waiting for her to catch on his fib.
She didn't.
With a loud huff, she said, "Fine. But we need to hang out soon now that your allowed back at the hotel."
"For sure!" he agreed.
"Well, see ya Adrihoney! Me and Sabrina are off!" Turning just in time to see the red head rushing to her, she snapped, "What took you so long?!" and leaving Adrien to quickly slip into the hotel. Sighing in relief, he hurried to the elevator and headed straight towards the rockstar's room.
And was met with no one.
Blinking curiously, Adrien slipped into, calling out, "Helloooo? Anyone here?"
A rumbling growl answered him.
Perking to attention, Adrien watched as Fang slid out into view, orange eyes locked on him.
No Marinette and Jagged Stone in sight.
Gulping warily, he waved to the large reptile. "Hey Fang!"
Jaws dropping down into a toothy grin, Adrien jerking in alarm when Fang charged. With a great sense of déjà vu, Adrien quickly jumped up onto the couch, evading the excited croc. "E-easy," he pleaded. Despite Marinette's insistence that Fang wasn't going to hurt, Adrien was still very nervous with him.
Better safe than sorry.
Especially when there wasn't anyone to manage the croc.
And that croc was set on coming after him.
Like now.
"Fang!" Adrien stressed out, a nervous edge in his tone as Fang started to climb the couch. "No!" Adrien ordered, waving his hand about as he tried to shoo the reptile away. "No kisses! I don't want any kisses!"
Fang clacked his jaw, trailing after the blond as he scrambled away, going far enough that Adrien fell off the couch with a loud "Oof!".
And landed right at Jagged Stone's feet.
He raised a dark brow at the blond.
Adrien gaped up at him, surprised.
Fang rumbled humorously on the couch.
"What are you doing?" Jagged asked.
"Ah," was all Adrien could emit.
Jagged Stone shook his head and sighed. "If you're here for Mari, she's working right now. And I wouldn't go see her, if you think Fang is scary, you know nothing."
"Ok," Adrien uttered.
So, no Marinette today.
Unless he was up to see just how scary she could be-
Adrien jumped when there was a pressure on his foot. Looking up, he gave a fearful gasp to see that his dear orange shoe was in Fang's jaws, and was being chewed on. "Oh shit!" Adrien swore, jerking about as he tried to get his foot free from croc's jaws. "No kisses! Bad Fang! Let me go!" Reaching up, Adrien persistently patted on the croc's snout, and trying to push it open.
Fang rumbled, and tried to pull Adrien back onto the couch.
Only to pause when there was a snap of fingers above him. Both looked up to Jagged Stone, who was giving the croc a scolding pout. "Fang, let him go," Jagged Stone ordered, pointing a finger at the croc.
Fang stared up at him.
Jagged peered back, unmoving.
Adrien waited anxiously on the ground, trying to resist the urge to tug his foot free.
Finally, Fang dropped him.
Adrien quickly scuttled away, checking his orange shoe for any damage. There were no holes thankfully, just drool. He could mostly live with a little drool on his shoe.
"That's a good Fang!" Jagged gushed in the background, cooing about how his pet was such a good croc.
Turning back to them, watching Jagged cuddle with the croc, scratching him along his jaw and making the tail thump happily, Adrien asked, "So, what are your plans today M Stone?"
"Jagged's fine Sunshine."
"O-ok!" Adrien hurried, eyes widening.
Jagged Stone had a nickname for him.
Jagged Stone called him Sunshine.
Jagged Stone had a nickname for him.
And it was Sunshine!
Oh shiiiiiiiit.
This was a big and exciting day!
"Anyway," Jagged cuts in, sharply tugging Adrien out of the clouds and snapping the blond to attention. "Not much going on today outside getting ready for a concert." He narrowed his eyes at Adrien. "You better be there," he growled.
"I plan too," Adrien rushed out, voice filled with excited wonder.
"Good."
Just as Jagged turned to leave the room, Adrien jumped up, pressing after him nervously. "Uh M-I'm mean! Jagged! Uh, could I help? Get ready for the concert?!"
The rock star paused, turning to him and raising a dark bushy brow.
"Help how?" he asked.
"Uh," Adrien stammered, shuffling his feet. He didn't really know how off the top of his head... help him pose? No, he already had that down. Think Adrien! Marinette was busy, and he didn't want to spend his free time shopping with Chloe... how could he help the rock star?!
Jagged looked over him while Adrien tried to think of something. Tapping his chin as he mulled it over, Jagged nod and bid Adrien to follow him.
Adrien jumped to the opportunity, eager to see what the rock star had in mind.
"Mari mentioned you played piano?" Jagged Stone asked.
"I do!" Adrien confirmed, "She said you also played?"
He hummed an affirmative, waving to the piano that was placed in his room to practice on. "Play with me and help me develop some tunes, going to play piano this concert."
Wiggling in anticipation, Adrien eagerly sat down beside Jagged, happily pressing on the cool keys and filling the air with melodious notes. Flashing him an encouraging grin, the two filled the air in a variety of chimes, testing notes and having fun as they played unmatching tunes.
It was probably the most fun Adrien ever had at the piano in a long time.
Marinette huffed as she slipped out of her room, her growling stomach and shaking hands insisting that she meet her basic human needs and eat. More than half the day spent working on costumes and designs, she was happy to say that she got a lot done today.
And after a quick meal, she could get even more done.
She gave a start when she felt a hard nudge at her ankle.
Looking down, she flashed a warm smile down at the croc, greeting, "Hey Fang, didn't miss me too much, did you?"
Fang rumbled, tongue rolling out.
Then she frowned down at the reptile, considering him. Shouldn't he and Jagged be hogging the pool right now?
Looking up when she heard the music flare in the main part of the room, with an echo of, "No you gotta swing your arms a little more!" she left the croc's side to investigate.
She stopped at what she saw.
Adrien was doing a moonwalk across the room while Jagged blasted music and shouted critiques. He only stopped it show Adrien how to properly swing his arms. "You gotta make them, smooth likes waves in the ocean Sunshine."
"So like this?" Adrien asked, rolling his shoulder with the motion, trying to get his arms to swing loosely. He blinked when he moonwalked past Marinette and beamed. "Hey Mari! Done with the project today? Jagged's teaching me some of dance moves!"
"We're going to do Gang Nam style next," Jagged tempted with a cheeky smile.
"Nope," Marinette said, turning away and quickly leaving the room before she got dragged in to dance with them. Cause her Uncle Jag would try. Best to avoid that.
And accept that there were now two dancing weirdos in her life.