When the sky outside had grown dark and the bakery had closed, the Dupain-Cheng family crowded around the coffee table and displayed upon it a feast of cheese, bread, cold meats, and wine. Adrien was delighted. It was nothing compared to the fancy meals he had at home, but there was such gentle humbleness to it. He'd pulled his feet up to let Marinette sit on the other side and so he was curled up in his blanket with a plate of tasties, enjoying the playful conversation flowing around him. He was especially amused by the juxtaposition of Marinette's parents; the big hulking man next to the petite woman.
"So, Adrien." Adrien startled at the booming voice, biting his tongue. "Since you're staying here for a while we'd best get to know you. What hobbies do you have?"
"O-oh, um. I like reading I guess, and, well, I play a few video games."
"Games!" He grinned. "We like games here, don't we Marinette?" Marinette laughed slightly, looking hesitantly towards Adrien.
"W-what sorts of games do you like? Well, apart from Mecha Strike." She asked.
"I like adventurey kinds of things, stuff where you run around being a hero." Just like real life… "Fable is one of my favourites." Marinette pulled an odd expression.
"I like Fable too…have you played all of th-them?" Her voice became squeaky at the end. Her parents shot her what seemed like a sympathetic look.
"Only the first and second."
"Well that settles it then!" Tom's voice reverberated. "Tomorrow you two can play Fable Three, that'll keep our bedbound guest entertained."
"I'd like that." Adrien smiled at Marinette, who had become a fabulous shade of red. She was giving her father an annoyed look. Doesn't she want to play with me? He felt himself suddenly saddened. "N-not that we have to, I don't want to for-"
"No! No, it's okay. I'd…like that too." She looked down at her hands, still red, before abruptly standing. "I'll clean up." After shuffling all the dishes into her arms and taking Adrien's plate from him meekly, she sped out of the room. A crashing sound was heard. Sabine sighed.
"I'll make sure she's okay."
Marinette gathered the broken plate pieces in shame, hoping that Adrien hadn't heard. When her mother came in with a concerned frown, she knew that he must have, and groaned at her misfortune. "Are you all right, dear?"
"Yes. I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Sabine stroked her daughter's cheek, and began helping clean. "You only dropped one, it's okay." Marinette sighed.
"How am I meant to cope with him here for days? I'll go mad!" She drooped her head. Sabine laughed.
"My dear, this is a good opportunity! He's a lovely young man, do try to talk to him."
"But mum…he's…" She struggled with her words, failing to find sufficient words to describe Adrien, and settled for a strangled noise, which her mother seemed to understand.
"I felt the same about Tom. You'll find a way to make it work." They finished clearing the broken plate pieces up, and moved onto washing, Sabine poking soft fun at her daughter's infatuation, to Marinette's ever increasing embarrassment.
Once the two had left and it was just Adrien and Big Man in the room, he was at rather a loss of what to say. Tom was sitting wringing his hands, occasionally opening his mouth as if to say something, then deciding better of it and closing it again. Fortunately, Adrien began to feel tired; the fever weighing on him, which gave him an excuse to be mute. He settled back into the cushions and closed his eyes, the fullness of his stomach and the warmth pulling him into slumber. As he was about to drop off Tom touched his shoulder gently, and his eyes slid open drowsily.
"Come on lad, let's get you to a bed." Adrien mumbled an affirmative, and emerged from his blanket, shivering in the comparably cold air. A gentle hand on his back guided him through the small house to a little room with a bed dressed all in white. Tom put his bag of things on the bed and smiled at the young boy. "Put some pyjamas on, get cosy. There's a loo through that door if you need it." Adrien covered his mouth as a yawn took him, trying to nod at the same time. Tom laughed gently. "Goodnight."
"Night." The Big Man left and shut the door quietly, leaving Adrien to rustle through the bag to find his pyjamas. "Oh no." He drew some pyjama bottoms out of the bag and displayed them in all their black and red regality. "Oh no oh no." He didn't want them to know. It was embarrassing! He didn't want them to think he was mooning after Paris's unattainable superhero, it was weird, and they didn't know that he was Chat Noir and did actually have a chance…or so he convinced himself. Although it might actually be weirder if they did. Chat Noir wearing trousers themed with his partner seemed…very odd now that he thought about it. Tragically, there were no other pyjama options, so he was forced to don the ladybug trousers, but thankfully the shirt was just plain white. He moved into the adjacent room with his wash bag, and after brushing his teeth he snuggled under the white covers, pleased with how soft and smooth they were. He drifted easily into sleep, where his illness did not disturb him.
Alya Alya Alya!
What's up Mari?
Guess who's staying at my house!
Jagged Stone?
No! : ( Adrien!
What? You sure do move fast.
Don't be silly : ( He collapsed in the bakery so we're looking after him! J
This is your chance!
I know, I know…but I'm so nervous!
You'll do it gurl! I believe in you! Sorry I have to read my sister a story I'll speak later! ;)
Marinette collapsed on her bed with a sigh. Like this could get any better. Or worse. What was she supposed to say to him? She could barely speak to him at the best of times but when he was snuggled up so cutely in the blanket with droopy eyes it was like her awkwardness went into overdrive and she couldn't even speak. She remembered the way the sunlight caressed his face as he dozed off on the sofa next to her when she was doing her homework, and squealed into the pillow. His soft but playful demeanour and his kindness combined with his gorgeous face incapacitated her, and she had no idea how she was going to remain alive while he stayed in her house.
"Tikki…I can't do this." Tikki giggled and hugged Marinette's face.
"This is what you've always wanted! Get to know him and tell him how you feel!"
"Tikki!" Marinette sat up suddenly and the kwami slid off her face and landed on the bed with an 'oof'. "You know I can't do that…"
"We'll see!" Tikki floated onto her shelf and settled herself among the blanket, giving Marinette a smile from her perch. Marinette threw herself down again with a groan. If there is any force out there, please please let me talk to him normally and not look like an idiot…again.
Adrien awoke to the sound of heavy rainfall. He stretched out and sighed in pleasure as he alleviated the stiffness of sleep, then peered out the window above the bed to see a dark sky and torrential downpour. Making a face of disgust, he pushed the curtain back. Not that I was going out anyway he thought, as his flu made itself known by pulling his body back into the bed. He was about to drift off again when he heard a faint cry, and bolted upright as fast as his body would let him.
"Let me out let me out let me out! I know you're awake you airhead! Let. Me. Out!"
"Uh oh." He knew that voice. He crawled across the mattress to his schoolbag, and unzipped it hesitantly. Immediately a black shape sped out and flew right towards his head.
"You had me trapped in there all evening and all night! With no cheese!"
"I'm sorry Plagg, really I am. I'll get you some cheese later…if I can."
"No ifs! No buts! If you don't pay me back for this I'll take revenge." Adrien sighed and pressed his hand to his face. Plagg's voice was very loud for someone so small, especially straight after waking up with flu.
"Was it really that bad? My scarf's in there so-"
"Yes! It was awful! I had to try and sleep on books, Adrien! And your smelly trainers."
"I don't want to hear that from someone who forces me to carry camembert around." Plagg harrumpfd, and zipped onto the bed where he pushed himself under the covers.
"I'm staying here, bring me cheese." Adrien pushed himself onto his feet, and after wobbling slightly managed to keep himself upright. He made it to the door slowly, leaning against the wall. He was exhausted by the time he found his way back to the living room, and decided Plagg could forget his stupid cheese, and so he wrapped the blanket on the sofa around him and settled down.
"Marinette? Is that you?" Sabine walked in from the shop wielding a fish slice and wrapped in an apron. "Oh! Adrien. I thought you'd sleep longer. Let me get you something to eat and drink." She bustled away before he could mumble a thank you. He could hear the radio coming from the other room, and Marinette's dad humming along as Sabine clattered about, all against the backdrop of the rain. Closing his eyes to listen to the hustle, he heard a new noise, footsteps on stairs. Marinette. A moment later she came into view, her hair down from its usual buns and wearing baggy pyjamas with the Eiffel tower in repeat print. She stopped in the doorway to yawn, then jumped and had to clutch the door frame to stay upright. Her face was bright red.
"I-I didn't th-think you'd be up yet? I would've…I mean, I would've worn something else…" She turned her face away. Adrien grinned.
"That's alright, I'm wearing pyjamas too. See?" He pulled back the blanket to expose his white top and his…He quickly pulled the blanket back over.
"Were…were those ladybug themed?" Marinette asked incredulously, her mouth hanging open.
"No? …Maybe…" Hanging his head in defeat, he sighed. "I just think she's cool…" There was a moment of silence where Adrien hung his head and Marinette stared, then she laughed loudly, doubling over and wheezing. "What? What's so funny…?" He asked quietly, picking at his trousers.
"Nothing, nothing, I just didn't…" she giggled again "I didn't think you'd be that interested in her."
"Of course I am!" He exclaimed vehemently, which only made her laugh more. "Don't you?"
"Oh, I think she's very cool. She's so lovely too."
"Yes!" Marinette snorted, then flushed and looked away.
"I'll um, I'm going to get some - do you want anything?"
"Your mum's getting me something." She nodded, then scuttled off after staring at him a little longer. Once she'd left him a big grin spread across her face. He liked Ladybug! Or, at least he thought she was cool. She could work with that.
'I think I can cope with him now'. She typed out to Alya. Sabine smiled when Marinette entered the kitchen, and Marinette hugged her mum good morning. Then her mum winked and left with an omelette, leaving her aghast.
Once Marinette had left, Adrien buried his head in his blanket and groaned. At least he didn't bring all of the- oh god. He suddenly realised that Marinette's dad had been in his room and had seen everything…his ladybug themed pillows, his posters…everything. He blushed beetroot. Sabine chose that moment to arrive back with his breakfast. She set some water and an omelette on the table and smiled at the boy huddled in his blanket.
"Are you feeling okay, Adrien?"
"Huh? Oh, yes. Thank you for the food."
"Oh my, you are quite red. Let me take your temperature." The thermometer descended upon him. "You're still quite high. Take it easy today, okay?" He nodded mutely, then smiled at Marinette as she entered.
"Do you…maybe want to play Fable 3? We don't have to I just…"
"I'd love to, I've been wanting to play the sequel for ages." Marinette beamed at him, and began to bustle about setting up the game. She passed a controller to him, and their eyes made quick, shy contact before she looked away and sat on the other side of the sofa. Sabine had watched all this with an amused air, but when the game started she left them with a "have fun!"
The introduction cinematic played when Adrien started a new game, the grit of the industrial city turning the room dark, as they'd turned the lights down to play. As they followed one chicken's hopeful story, Adrien remarked on the cruelty of its fate, and pouted when it met its end. Marinette couldn't help but smile at his endearing expressiveness, and wished she could shuffle closer to him, cuddle him and give him all the affection he deserved. Just this was more than enough though. Watching his expressions, hearing him become more confident around her as he made amusing quips, though she hadn't the courage to respond to him in kind. It was different to the first time he came to play a game, more fun and genuine. She could only hope that she would get a friend out of this, not that she could hope for anything more. Adrien was Adrien. But if she could talk to him during their time together then maybe, just maybe, they could become closer. Marinette thought she would like that quite a bit.