How to Adult

by ShySnowWolf

It had been 5 years since Marinette last saw Adrien, her crush having left to America for modeling. Hurt, but motivated to be a fashion designer, Marinette copes with all the difficulties that meet her path in her young-adult life. But what happens when Adrien returns to Paris? And where is Chat Noir and what's he up to? Follow Marinette through her new young-adult life. -AU-

8. Wow…

How to Adult

-X-

Author's Note:

Hello, my dear readers! ~

I'd first like to thank the people who have reviewed my story so far. I recently got a review from a Guest on March 1st, and I felt like this person totally understood what I was going for and understood the story the way I am writing it. Seeing that somebody gets what I am trying to do, makes me so happy and I'd like to thank that person for writing the review. ~

Also, thank you Clarisa for writing your review. It gave me a good perspective and ideas for what I can do to make the story more interesting! So I really appreciate your long review and will definitely see what I can do to make the story more enjoyable for you ~

Anyway, here is chapter 8 for you all. So far, the story has shown the tough road of Marinette as a young adult, coping with everything that comes on her path. Now that Alya knows her secret, will things change for the better? Or for worse? And what about the situation with Adrien? Keep reading to find out!

-X-

Warnings: OOC-ness, AU, adult language/swearing

Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir.

-X-

Chapter Eight: Wow…

-X-

Marinette's P.O.V.

It was Tuesday morning and I was on my way towards work. Yesterday had been one heck of a day and I was still trying to process everything that had happened. A car accident had taken place, where two people sadly didn't overcome their injuries. I went on a lunch date with Adrien, which sadly ended on an awkward note, and Alya found out I was Ladybug, who then informed me Adrien had been having a crush on the superhero during middle school.

But first, I was meeting with my design team to formally start as the head of the team, then meeting up with Gabriel Agreste afterwards to discuss the work that needed to be done in the upcoming weeks. And I had to do all of that, while functioning normally.

I was extremely exhausted and barely managed to get any sleep last night. My mind just wouldn't shut off. So here I was, in my car, on my way towards work, feeling stressed and tired. I barely had time to gulp down some coffee, as I almost overslept again.

I barely made it on time towards the meeting with my design team and I greeted all of them, talking about the latest changes in the company, before getting to work until lunchtime, which I when I was supposed to leave my team behind and make my way over towards the Agreste mansion to speak directly with Gabriel Agreste. It wouldn't be the first time I'd be at Adrien's house, but I still felt nervous, nonetheless. At least I knew Adrien wouldn't be there. He lived on his own now, so chances of running in to him would be slim. I was thankful for that, because this was a big moment for me.

I got into my car and headed over towards the mansion, where I got around 2PM, parking my car in an empty lot close by. I rang the doorbell and the big fences went open, giving me access towards the mansion. Nathalie opened the door and guided me inside, telling me to wait into mister Agreste his study, and that he would be with me, shortly. I followed her advice and took a seat in one of the leather chairs that were standing invitingly in his study, taking a look at the room. I had never been into this study before, and it was quite an impressive room, bookshelves and pictures decorating the walls. I figured this was where Gabriel Agreste liked to meet his clients the most.

''Marinette Dupain-Cheng, thank you for meeting me on such short notice.'' I suddenly heard a familiar voice and I instantly stood up and shook the hand of Adrien's father.

''It wasn't a problem at all.'' I smiled back.

''Please, take a seat.'' Mister Agreste motioned back to the chair I had been sitting on previously, and he took a seat in the chair opposite of mine.

I still had troubles relaxing around this man. He always had a serious air around him, which made me feel tense. His presence alone showed that he was a man of high influence and wealth. Not to mention that I knew in the back of my head that this man used to be Hawkmoth, our enemy back when Paris was victimized by Akuma attacks. I shook my head. This wasn't really the time to be thinking about that.

''So, miss Dupain-Cheng-''

''Please, call me Marinette. I'd feel awkward and old if I would keep getting called by my surname.'' I politely tried to interrupt mister Agreste, to which he nodded.

''Marinette, then. How have you experienced the change in your company so far?''

''I've only managed to get a glimpse on the changes this morning, since yesterday was my day off. Me and my team have been working all morning, discussing the changes and adapting to them, continuing our previous work, which we'll be excited to show you soon.''

''Ah, I see. That sounds promising. And your individual designs?''

''I am currently working on an outfit in my private working space, which I hope to be able to showcase soon, as well.''

''Good. I look forward to seeing it.'' He then leaned back in his seat. ''There's another project I'd like your assistance on.''

My heart-rate sped up and an excited feeling spread over me. The Gabriel Agreste was asking me to collaborate on one of his projects. I tried my best to maintain a professional posture. ''Oh?''

''I'm creating a new line, focusing on formal looks for young adults, such as yourself. Me and a small group of talented designers are already working on the project, but if possible, I'd like for you to see if you're able to create a piece for the line, particularly a design for a female. Of course, only if you have the time and it won't interfere with your current work.''

I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. This was a huge honor. ''Y-Yes, I'll see what I can do. Is there a deadline I should think about?''

''Well, the fashion show where we will be showcasing these designs will be this weekend, so I know it's short notice. It is perfectly fine if you won't be able to make it, but if you do manage to finish a piece, let me know before this Friday, so I can make the arrangements.''

''Yes, of course.''

''That will be all.'' Gabriel Agreste smiled at me. He then went to stand up and extended his hand. ''Please continue your current work with your design team. For now, I don't have any specific orders. I look forward to see what you and your team will present, not to mention your own project. If there's anything you need from me, don't hesitate to make an appointment with Nathalie, who will get in contact with me.''

I gave him a nod. We then said our goodbyes and I left the study, making my way towards the front door, bumping into Adrien on my way out.

''A-Adrien, hi.'' I stammered out a greeting. Flashbacks of our awkward encounter yesterday instantly flooded my mind. I instantly cast my eyes down, too scared to face him. I really thought I wasn't going to bump into him today, yet here he was.

''Marinette! I didn't know you'd come over today.''

''Yeah, I just had a meeting with your dad. I was actually on my way out.'' I shot him an apologetic smile, and I saw he studied my face.

''Do you have to go immediately, or do you still have a moment?'' Adrien asked me.

''I was actually planning on heading towards my workshop to finish I piece I have been working on.'' I tried to come up with an excuse. I felt like Adrien shouldn't waste his time on me, if he was into someone else.

''I can come along, if you want? That way, we can chat and you can still work on your piece.'' Adrien tried to suggest.

I shook my head slowly. ''Sorry, but I really need to focus. There is another piece that I have to design too, for your father's collection of young-adult formal wear, for this weekend's show. I really have no time to be idle.''

''You're designing a piece for this weekend's show? I'm walking in that show.'' Adrien spoke surprised.

''Oh, really? Well, I'm going to make an attempt to make a piece. I'm quite busy as it is.''

''I see…'' Adrien's voice sounded kind of sad and disappointed and I wondered if he felt hurt by me rejecting his invite. ''Well, I won't keep you from doing your work, then. Good luck, Marinette.'' He then stepped aside, so I could walk through the door.

''Thanks… We'll talk soon, okay?''

''Okay. See you later.''

''Bye!''

With those words, I left the mansion and the door closed behind me. Somehow, the encounter with Adrien had made me a little sad. I felt guilty for being so harsh towards him, but I really wanted to be alone for a moment and focus on my work.

-X-

It was late in the evening and I had worked all afternoon and the beginning of the evening on finishing my Chat Noir inspired outfit. And I could finally say that it was done. Looking at my work, I felt quite proud of the design. It looked exactly like how I had imagined it: Tight, leather legging-pants with a black, ruffled crop-top with puffed up, short sleeves. I finished the black choker with a golden cat bell attached to it, and I had also finished the headband with two black cat ears on them. I only needed the black, shiny pumps with a long-inch heel and the thick-framed, black glasses. I knew I had those items at home, so the only thing that was left, was a blonde model to model them.

''It looks amazing, Marinette. I'm proud that you went through with the design, even though I know it was hard for you.'' Tikki smiled at me.

''Thanks, Tikki. I have to say, it looks really cool. I can't wait to see someone model it.'' I then glanced at the clock. ''We really should try to go home. It's 10 PM already.'' It was then that my phone started buzzing. I checked the screen and saw I had received a text from Adrien. ''It's Adrien.'' I told Tikki with a frown.

''Well, open it!'' Tikki ushered me. ''And read it out loud, please.''

I sighed, opening the message. ''Hey, Marinette. Sorry for texting you out of the blue, but I just wanted to mention that I feel like there's something going on, ever since we had that lunch date yesterday. I noticed you seem uncomfortable around me and I wondered what's up. Do you feel like talking about it? We can meet up somewhere if you want?''

Tikki smiled at me. ''See the effort he puts into you? Go talk to him, Marinette!''

''But what if it gets awkward again? I don't want to risk making things worse.''

''Marinette, come on! If you don't do anything, the situation won't get better. This is your chance to fix things.''

I contemplated on the situation, before deciding it might be better to meet with him. I send him a text back, saying I was okay with meeting him, and I quickly got a text back with the address to his apartment.

''Let's go, Tikki. Time to face the situation.'' I spoke to my kwami.

And with that, I let out a deep sigh and left my workshop.

-X-

It didn't take me long to arrive at Adrien's apartment. From the outside, I could already see that he was living in a fancy apartment complex and I was sure the rent couldn't be cheap. I parked my car close to the building and walked up towards the main entrance, ringing the intercom bell towards his apartment, before I heard a click.

''It's me.'' I smiled.

''Come on up.'' I heard Adrien's voice on the other side, before the door buzzed open.

I stepped into the luxurious main lobby and made my way up in an elevator towards the penthouse. Typically Adrien to have the penthouse. I rolled my eyes at the thought, before getting out at the right floor and walking up to the big wooden doors of Adrien's apartment. I rang the bell again and a couple seconds later, Adrien opened the door, smiling at me.

''Come on in.'' He smiled, motioning me inside.

I shot him a quick smile, entering his apartment, while Adrien closed the door behind me. I was stunned by the spacious apartment. It had a modern vibe to it and I saw that Adrien had worked with a strong black-and-white theme, the color green reappearing every now and then in some designs.

''Wow, this looks awesome.'' I praised him.

''Thanks. I really like it here. The apartment gives an amazing view on the Parisian roads and I like to see the people walk by, super small, minding their own business.'' Adrien smiled.

''Sounds like something I would do.''

''We have that in common then.'' He smiled. ''You want anything to drink?''

''Some water?'' I suggested, not wanting to impose too much.

''Sure thing.'' He then disappeared towards the open kitchen.

The kitchen had a kitchen island with a granite top, making it look super luxurious. Compared to this apartment, my little room could be considered his walk-in closet.

''You can take a seat somewhere.'' Adrien smiled at me from the kitchen, and I nodded, heading to one of the large, comfy sofa's against one of the large windows.

I stared at the people outside, until Adrien returned to my side, handing me my glass of water. He then went to sit next to me, following my gaze. We sat next to each in silence like that, for a while, before he finally went to face me.

''So, thanks for coming over.'' He started the topic.

I looked back at him and gave him a small nod. I still wasn't fully comfortable holding his gaze for a long time. Every time I stared into his eyes for too long, I was reminded of the fact that his loving gaze was actually meant for someone else. And that thought stung more than I thought it would.

''I wanted to ask you if I have said anything wrong to you, or did something to upset you. I can clearly see something is wrong, and it is pretty clear to me that I am the reason. Ever since we went out for lunch, I felt like something was up, the moment you left. And when I bumped into you today, you kind of confirmed that suspicion for me. So please, tell me. What's up?''

I let out a small sigh. ''I can't exactly give you the full details. Let me first start with saying that I'm sorry. It isn't really your fault. I'm actually being kind of selfish right now, for acting so hurt. It's just that… Alya told me something interesting, and I just wanted to check if it's true.''

Adrien gave me a nod, encouraging me to go on.

''Well, she told me that, during middle school, you had this crush on Ladybug? I was wondering if that was actually still the case.'' I finally spoke my mind. I quickly checked Adrien's face, to catch his reaction as I said the words. To my surprise, he didn't seem shaken up. In contrary, he started laughing.

''Haha, Alya told you that? I wonder why she brought that up now.'' He smiled. ''It's true. Back in the day, I was fascinated by Ladybug. Maybe I still am, for a little bit. But I've also grown up. The time of falling in love with superheroes is kind of over. I'm 21 now and my view on love and romance has changed quite a bit. It would be silly of me to still pursue Ladybug, considering she has been out of the picture for so long. It is true that she recently has come back in the news, but it hasn't really changed my opinion on the entire situation. So to answer your question: No, I am not crushing on Ladybug.''

A big wave of relief washed over me. It would've been extremely complicated if Adrien had been crushing on Ladybug. But it did spark a new worry in me. ''If it wasn't Ladybug who you were interested in, then who is?''

''Don't you think it's kind of unfair for you to be the only one asking questions?'' Adrien winked at me. ''My turn to ask you something, now.''

I fell silent and gave him a nod, unsure of what he could be asking me.

''Tell me, Marinette. Why are so interested in knowing who I am pursuing, right now?''

A blush instantly crawled up my cheeks and I quickly tried to come up with an excuse. ''B-Because we're friends, right? I figured you'd tell me stuff like that. I might even be able to help you out.''

To my surprise, Adrien started to laugh. ''Is that so?'' He then looked me deep into the eyes. ''Maybe it would help if I started describing her? You might recognize her?''

This is it. I would finally find out who Adrien was having an interest in. The question he had asked me, was a good one, though. Why was I so interested in knowing who Adrien was seeing? Did I have feelings for Adrien? But what about the whole Chat Noir situation? Was I already over that? What was I feeling for Chat Noir? Not that it mattered a lot, since he had blatantly reject me. Why was I so obsessed with all of this? What was I hoping to achieve?

''…Marinette?''

A voice finally snapped me out of my thoughts. I had completely spaced out in front of Adrien. I gave him an apologetic smile. ''A-Ah, sorry.'' I then gave him a small smile. ''You know what? I don't really need to know. I just want you to be happy, no matter who the person ends up being.''

Adrien seemed taken aback by my answer. By the looks of it, he was ready to share with me who he was interested in, and was surprised by my sudden change of heart.

''Sorry for the unnecessary drama I've caused. I didn't mean to come off as pushy or anything like that. It is your life, after all.'' I continued. ''I hope you can forgive me for my behavior earlier. But I think I'm fine now.''

''You sure?'' Adrien asked me.

''Yeah, I'm sure.'' I smiled at him. And I meant it. I didn't want to know. I think I was better off not knowing. Adrien was free to pursue whoever he wanted and it was none of my business. I had other things to focus on.

''So, things are okay between us, again?'' Adrien asked me, to which I nodded.

''For me, they are.'' I smiled.

Adrien smiled back. ''Good.''

Now that I finally let the remainder of my stress go, it was then that I realized how tired I actually was. I barely slept last night and It was past 11 PM and my eyelids started to feel real heavy. Adrien seemed to notice it too.

''You look quite pale, Marinette.'' He spoke in a worried tone. ''Are you okay?''

I shot him a quick smile. ''Yeah. Just extremely tired. I barely slept last night and I think that, now that I am finally taking the time to sit down, it's catching up to me.''

I felt a yawn coming and I did my hardest to suppress it. I didn't want to shamelessly yawn in front of Adrien. He did caught it in the end, though.

''I am worried for you to drive at this point. I don't have my car here, at the moment, so I can't drive you home either. I can either call you a cab, or you can sleep here in the guestroom, if you want?'' Adrien offered.

The thought of having to wait on a cab to arrive, made me even more sleepy. I just wanted to crawl in bed. Still, I didn't want to impose. ''N-No, it's okay. I'll call a cab.'' I smiled at him.

''You sure?'' Adrien asked me, a worried glance in his eyes.

''Yeah, it's fine. Just let me rest for, like, five minutes.'' I spoke, letting my head rest against the soft couch. My eyes closed involuntarily and I felt my body growing heavy. I heard Adrien say something to me, but it didn't register in my mind. All I could think about was how fluffy the couch felt and how heavy my body felt. And before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

-X-

''…nette''

I could hear a voice sounding softly. I knew that voice.

''Marinette…''

I heard it more clearly this time. I started to recognize the voice. Who was that again?

''Marinette!''

This time, I realized someone had been calling my name in real life and I slowly opened my eyes, letting out a tired groan.

''Not now… Five more minutes.'' I spoke, assuming it was Tikki who was trying to wake me up.

The moment my eyes landed upon the person who had been calling my name, I was instantly awake and I shot up. ''A-Adrien?'' It was then that I became aware of my surroundings. I was in a bed, in my everyday clothes, in a room that clearly wasn't my own.

''Good morning, sleepyhead.'' Adrien smiled at me.

''W-What am I doing here? Huh?'' I was extremely confused.

Events of the night before slowly started returning and it was then that I remembered that I had gone to Adrien's place to talk, and that I had been planning on calling a cab, but I couldn't remember what happened afterwards.

''Did I… fall asleep on your couch?'' I spoke, embarrassment hitting me in the face.

Adrien let out a chuckle. ''You were out in less than 5 minutes. I could've called you a cab, but you looked exhausted, so I figured I'd let you sleep. I carried you towards the guest bedroom.''

''Carried, as in, picked me up and carried me all the way through your apartment, while I was asleep?''

Adrien seemed a bit shy, after I put it like that and he started scratching the back of his head. ''Yeah… Bridal style and all. It was the only way to put you in bed without waking you.''

My face instantly heated up and I couldn't bring myself to look Adrien in the eye anymore. ''I-I see. I'm sorry for falling asleep on your couch.''

Adrien quickly waved his hands upon hearing that. ''No, no! Don't apologize. I didn't mind, really.'' He then went to stand up from my bed, where he had been sitting on. ''I made breakfast. You want some?''

It was then that I realized I hadn't eaten dinner yesterday. Food sounded great at this point. ''Lead the way!'' I grinned.

Adrien flashed me a smile, while I climbed out of bed. We both headed towards the kitchen, where I took a seat on one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. Adrien placed a plate with a croissant and a piece of toast with some jam on it, in front of me. He also served me a hot cup of coffee. Upon smelling the different scents, my mouth started to water. I couldn't wait to dig in.

''Thanks for breakfast.'' I smiled at Adrien, as he went to sit beside me with his own plate.

He flashed me a smile. ''Don't worry about it. Dig in.''

We then both started eating in silence. While eating, I tried to process the thought that I had just been crashing at Adrien's place. I fell asleep on his couch! A blush crept on my cheeks, as I thought about it. It was then that something hit me. It was a normal weekday and I was supposed to go to work.

''What time is it?'' I asked with panic in my voice.

Adrien flashed me a reassuring smile. ''It's 8 in the morning. Don't worry. I already contacted father and he told me to tell you to just focus on your personal project and your fashion show piece. You can take your time, today.''

I visibly relaxed and let out a relieved sigh. ''Thank goodness. I would've hate to oversleep. It wouldn't be the first time.''

We then both shared a laugh. ''I see that hasn't changed about you.'' Adrien smiled.

''Nope!'' I giggled back.

We both finished our breakfast and Adrien went to stand up to clean the plates. ''Do you wanna grab a shower before you go?''

My cheeks heated up. Was it really okay to go shower at Adrien's place? I would be naked at a spot where he was always being naked. Wait… Why is that the first thing that comes to mind? What is wrong with me? Did I just become a pervert? It's just a shower at a friend's place! Come on, Marinette! It was then that I realized I still hadn't given Adrien an answer and I was just standing still with a stupid blush on my face, caught up in my thoughts. ''Y-Yeah, sure. If it isn't too much trouble.'' I smiled, speaking the sentence a little too fast, as if to hide my embarrassment.

Adrien then showed me where the big bathroom was, and he gave a short explanation on how the shower worked. He then left the bathroom, leaving me by myself. I stared at my own reflection in the mirror. There was a mix of awkwardness and shyness on my face. My cheeks were slightly rosy and my hair was a mess, due to sleeping.

''Time to freshen up!'' I spoke to myself. I undid myself of my clothing and stepped into the large shower cabin. There were many different valves and for a moment, I was confused about what to do. The shower had many luxurious features, such as massage water beams, mood lighting and even an option for music. Damn, this is fancy! The moment I found the right faucet, the water came from the ceiling in a rain-like manner. I started washing my hair and body with the products I could find, not minding that most of the products I used were meant for males. I might smell a bit masculine after this shower, but I don't care.

After I finished my shower, I headed out of the cabin, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around my body. The towel itself wasn't that long; wrapped around my body, the towel ended at my lower thigh. I walked over to my pile of clothes, and scooped them up in my arms, only to let out a terrified scream as I slipped on the slippery tiles of the shower. With a loud thud, my body connected with the bathroom door, my hands landing on the doorknob, the force enough to push it down, opening the door, since I was stupid enough not to lock it, and I fell into the apartment, towel and all, my clothes flying through the air. With my luck and clumsiness, only I managed to bring myself in the most awkward situation a girl could ever imagine. How in the hell did I manage to open the door with my fall? Just my luck.. There I was, spread out on Adrien's apartment floor, in just a towel. Luckily for me, it was still tightly around my body. Not that it did anything for my embarrassment, for Adrien had come to see what the noise was about, only to find me on his floor.

''M-Marinette…?'' He stammered, his face turning crimson red. He immediately turned his eyes away from me. ''Are you okay? Are you hurt?'' His voice sounded worried,

''I-I'm fine… I'm so sorry. I slipped and for some magical reason, managed to open the door in my fall. I know, it sounds ridiculous.''

''Knowing how clumsy you are, I'd say I can believe you are speaking the truth.'' Adrien chuckled.

''Heh heh…'' I laughed awkwardly.

''Did you hurt yourself, though?'' Adrien asks me, more worried. He still is looking anywhere but at me.

''I think I'm okay.'' I replied, slowly crawling up, making sure the towel stayed in one place.

''G-Good.'' Adrien replied.

An awkward silence followed between us. I let out a cough and flashed him a smile. ''I think I'm going to get dressed now.''

''Y-Yeah, of course. Here are some of your clothes.'' Adrien handed me a bunch of my stuff, still refusing to meet my eyes.

I found it kind of cute how embarrassed he looked. If I would have been in his situation, I would've felt awkward too. This thought led me to imagine Adrien with just a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair wet from the shower and his upper body unclad. My cheeks instantly tinted and I snatched the items from Adrien, quickly making my way back into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I then pressed my back against the door, slowly sliding down, as I tried to comprehend the situation. Adrien just saw me clad in only a towel… Oh my god… I shook my head, trying to forget about it. My cheeks were burning from embarrassment. And what was that thought about Adrien just now? I really need to snap out of it. I quickly dressed into my clothes and then headed out of the bathroom, finding Adrien in the living room, still looking embarrassed.

''S-Sorry again for staring. I wanted to make sure you were okay.''

''I-It's fine, really. It was my fault to begin with.'' I replied, avoiding his gaze, feeling embarrassed myself.

''Anyway, since you are okay, do you mind if I go grab a shower now?''

''No, not at all! It is your apartment after all.'' I smiled, an awkward smile on my lips.

Adrien nodded. ''Make yourself at home, okay? I won't be long.''

I nodded back. ''Sure thing.''

Adrien then headed off into the bathroom, quickly, as if he was trying to get away from me. Not that I took offense in that. I think we both needed some time to cool down after the events that had just taken place. As Adrien disappeared into the bathroom, Tikki flew over towards me from out of my bag.

''Marinette, are you alright? That was quite a fall I heard.'' She spoke on a worried, but hushed tone, as if she was scared Adrien could hear us.

''I'm fine, really. But that was so awkward.'' I whispered back, my face showing it all.

This managed to make Tikki giggle. ''At least know he knows what he is dealing with.'' She laughed.

''H-Hey! There was no reason for him to see all of that.'' I replied back, the red blush returning to my cheeks.

''You have nothing to be ashamed of, Marinette. You are beautiful.'' Tikki smiled.

''That is beside the point here.'' I rolled my eyes at her. ''And I am not pretty.''

''I think Adrien will tell you otherwise.'' Tikki winked at me.

''Oh, hush.''

We bickered and chatted a little bit more, until I heard Adrien turn the water off, at which point I informed Tikki it's best she returns towards my bag. My kwami nodded and flew away and it didn't take Adrien long to re-emerge from the bathroom.

''Missed me?''

''So much.'' I dramatically sigh, the laughing afterwards. I noticed that Adrien seems to crack some more jokes around me. I hoped it was a sign that he was feeling comfortable around me. It even made me think of Chat Noir sometimes. Upon thinking of the black kitty, a sad sigh escaped my lips. Adrien seemed to notice and he made his way over to me.

''Something wrong?'' He asked me, some concern in his voice.

''Just thinking about some stuff. Don't worry about it.'' I replied, flashing a small smile at him.

''Okay… Just know you can talk to me, okay?''

''I know.''

I shot him an apologetic smile, avoiding his gaze.

''If it's about earlier, I apologize. I didn't mean to stare, but you were spread out like that and-'' Adrien started to stammer, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

''No, no, it's not that.'' I interrupted him, shooting him a smile.

''It's just… I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable.'' Adrien sighed, shooting me a small apologetic smile.

''It's okay, really.'' I smiled back. I then gave him a playful shove. ''You owe me one.''

''Or I'll call it even now.'' Adrien spoke, a playful smirk on his lips.

Again, it reminded me of Chat Noir. The two were more similar than I initially thought. I wonder what caused Adrien's sudden change in personality. Could it be the towel scene from before? Did I spark something inside of him? But… why? He has a crush on someone, right? Then what is he hinting at? My thoughts were quickly answered as Adrien grabbed the bottom of his T-shirt and, with one swift motion, undid himself of the garment. My cheeks instantly reddened and it took me a while to fully process what was going on. Before me stood Adrien Agreste, my middle-school crush, famous supermodel and my good friend, shirtless. On his own free will. What was going on? Did I hit my head so hard that I was hallucinating now? I knew I had to break my gaze away from his torso, to make the situation not as awkward, but something stopped me. He really grew up, in a good way. He had a broad torso with defined muscles and his shoulder were well-build. His arms were muscular as well, his biceps and triceps really noticeable. And as my eyes wandered down, I saw Adrien was rocking a good six-pack as well, with a V-line defining his strong lower body. I realized in my head that I was shamelessly checking him out, and that Adrien was fully aware of that. But I just couldn't stop myself. I could no longer deny my feelings for Adrien at this point. It was as if seeing this teasing, confident part of him gave me the final push. My eyes found his again after a while, and I expected him to have a cocky grin on his lips, but instead, his eyes burned with intensity and it was as if he was waiting for a response from me. And there was only one thing I could think about at this point…

In one second, my lips were smashed upon his, and I let out all the feelings I had been holding back for years, since he left; since when he broke my heart. But I also showed him how glad I was to have him back in my life and how I had missed him. It didn't take Adrien long to respond to my kiss. I felt one of his hands snake around my waist, while the other found its way into my hair. I could taste a hint of loneliness in his kiss. And also, desire. It finally clicked in my head that the girl Adrien had been describing all this time, was me. I was his crush. I was the girl he wanted to get to know better. And at this point, I was more than open for that suggestion. Our kiss got more heated and I felt him bite on my lower lip, resulting in a soft moan escaping my lips, causing me to blush. This time, Adrien did grin, but his lips soon found mine again. My hands trailed over his defined chest, exploring all the exposed skin he had willingly shown me. I lost track of time, as our lips kept finding one another's, not getting enough of one another's taste. Our kiss was like a dance, sharing with one another how our time had been without one another, but how we felt now, now that we were back in each other's lives. I had no idea what this would mean for us, but at this point, I didn't care. I wanted to be as close to him as possible. And judging by Adrien's behavior, he felt the same way. I felt a force pushing me backwards and my back soon connected with the wall, Adrien placing his hands beside my head, trapping me in his own little cage. Not that I minded it one bit. It was weird for me, seeing this side from Adrien. I never knew he had this teasing, confident, dominant side to him. Again, it reminded me of Chat Noir. I quickly dismissed those thoughts. I did not want to think about the black cat anymore. Right now, someone had my full attention.

-X-

I had no idea how much time had passed, but at some point, Adrien and me finally separated. We were both panting, our faces flushed, our lips swollen. We both were looking at each other, while catching our breath, before we finally both started grinning at one another.

''Wow…'' Adrien grinned.

I felt too embarrassed to say anything. I was the one who initiated it, so for some reason, I felt extra shy.

''You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that.'' Adrien smiled at me, his words managing to make me look at him.

''F-For real?'' I asked, still feeling shy.

Adrien nodded, a sheepish smile adorning his face. He glanced sideways, while he scratched the back of his head. ''Ever since I came back from America and saw you at that surprise party, I had wanted to spend more time with you. Seeing you made me realize just how much I missed you. And the more time we spent together, the more sure I became of my feelings. I like you, Marinette. You are amazingly talented, beautiful, smart and so much more. I'd love to keep spending more time with you.''

His words caused me to blush shyly, but they made a warmth spread in my chest. Hearing him say all these things to me, made me remember all the reasons why I always liked him so much. I realized Adrien was looking at me expectantly, and I then realized he was waiting for a reaction from me about what he said. I gave him a shy smile, but my eyes didn't move away from his. ''I'd love to keep spending more time with you and see where this goes. I don't know if you know, but I had a crush on you in middle school, and when you left, I felt so devastated. I was so happy when I heard the news that you'd be coming back to Paris and ever since you came back, I've really enjoyed my time with you. So, let's just take things slow and see how things go, okay?''

Adrien nodded, a happy smile spreading over his face. ''I'd love that.'' He then came closer to me and pressed a kiss on my lips. ''Now, come on. You have lots to do at work.'' He teased me.

I groaned. ''Don't remind me. I need to head to my workshop to finish your dads project before the end of this weekend.''

''Want me to drop you off?'' Adrien offered, a cute smile on his lips.

''But what about my car, then?'' I asked him.

''Well, if you want, I can pick you up, once you're done and we can eat dinner at my place?'' Adrien asked me shyly.

I gave him a happy nod. ''That sounds great.''

''Then, let's go!'' Adrien smiled.

''Wait!'' I suddenly stopped him.

Adrien shot me a confused smile, and I then let out a giggle. ''Maybe you should put your shirt back on, first.''

Adrien grinned back, grabbing the garment off of the floor. ''I can stay like this too, if you'd like?''

I gave him a gentle shove. ''Come on, Casanova.''

And with those words, we left Adrien's apartment.

-X-

End of Chapter Eight

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Author Note:

Hello, my love readers.

Let me start off with deeply apologizing for the huge delay with this chapter. I know it took me a while to write this chapter. I apologize for that. My personal life has been requiring a lot of my attention, keeping me away from writing, sadly. I'll try to see if I can write a little more, than I have been able to, ever since the last update, but I'm not making any promises. For now, I just hope I can still count on your support! ~ I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Marinette and Adrien shared their first kiss. I'm sorry if the scene leading towards is was very cheesy and clihché-ish, but I wasn't very inspired enough to write a more original scène, leading towards the moment. For now, this was the best I could do. I'm sorry if it's disappointing. I'll try to be more original in the future chapters, but I struggled a lot to finish this chapter and get this much on paper, so please bear with me. For now, I hope you are content with the chapter and I'd love to see you in the future chapters. Lots of love! ~

ShySnowWolf

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