Marinette closed the umbrella and shook it out, studying the house in front of her with curiosity. It was nice, but modest compared to what she knew Adrien must have been able to afford. The welcome mat was stamped with a large pawprint. A few pots sat out on the porch, small blue flowers overflowing from them like foam from a fizzy drink.

Marinette squirmed nervously, looking at the doorbell. "This is crazy," she muttered. What had she been thinking-that she could just show up and fix everything? It wasn't that simple, no matter what Alya might have said.

She propped the folded umbrella against the side of the house and turned to leave, ignoring the downpour. Her foot caught on one of the steps and she tumbled, shrieking.

Inside the house a dog erupted into a barking fit.

"Perfect," Marinette muttered. She hauled herself up and assessed her options. She could scramble to her feet and get away before Adrien came to the door. Or she could grab the umbrella and deliver it to him like she'd planned.

Before she could decide the door swung open. Adrien was restraining a large, overexcited golden retriever by a hold on its collar. It took a moment for him to look down and spot her. His eyes widened. "Marinette?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"Adrien!" Marinette said, trying to sound casual and not like she was sprawled on his front steps, soaked in rainwater. "I, um, came to return your umbrella. From the old days, on Lucky Charm." She pointed.

Adrien smiled, picking up the dripping umbrella. "Oh yeah. I remember."

"It's your dad's but I don't know where he lives, so I thought I'd return it to you...only I ended up needing it on the way over," she said, getting to her feet and gesturing to the rain still falling.

"You didn't have to return it," Adrien said.

"Oh, it's okay. I wanted to." I wanted to see you. Marinette chewed on her lip, trying to think of something else to say. "Who's this guy?" she asked, gesturing to the dog. He was straining against Adrien's grip on his collar so frantically he had risen to his hind legs, tongue lolling, panting profusely.

"Oh, this is Charlie." Adrien released the dog, who immediately barreled straight for Marinette's legs, tail wagging.

Marinette smiled and knelt to pet him. "You never told me you had a dog," she said, looking up at Adrien.

His expression was odd. "Well...we didn't talk much."

Marinette sobered. "Yeah," she said, straightening. "I guess so." She pushed her wet bangs off her forehead. "I, uh, actually wanted to talk to you."

Adrien raised his eyebrows. "Oh, okay. About what?"

Marinette picked at her nails. "I wanted to apologize. For the way I used to treat you."

"Oh." He sounded surprised. "That's okay. It was a long time ago, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Marinette said. "But I never apologized."

"Don't worry about it," Adrien said. "I didn't need you to apologize. It was enough that you forgave me."

Marinette frowned at him. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just assumed that you would be like-like-"

"Chloé Bourgeois?" Adrien asked, raising an eyebrow. Chloé had auditioned for the part of Bridgette years ago, expecting her connections to the Agrestes to get her the role. She'd thrown a fit when Gabriel had cast Marinette instead.

"Yeah," Marinette said. "Sorry, I know she's your friend."

"That's okay," Adrien said. "These days even Chloé acknowledges that she was an entitled brat back then."

Marinette smiled and scratched Charlie's ears. "Anyway, I'm sorry I judged you. I should have known better than that. I liked it better when we were friends."

Adrien brightened. "We were friends?"

Marinette's cheeks warmed. "Oh. I thought so."

"Me too," Adrien said.

"I'm glad."

For a moment they just grinned at each other, cheeks slightly flushed, with the pitter-patter of the rain and the thumping of Charlie's tail the only sound.

"This is kind of familiar, isn't it?" Adrien asked, gesturing to the rain coming down and the two of them standing in the middle of it.

Marinette smiled, pulling her jacket tighter around her. "It is."

"Just a few things missing."

"Mm hmm. No lights, no costumes, no directors."

"Yeah." Adrien turned pink. "Something else missing, too."

Marinette met his eyes and felt a charge go through her-the same one she'd felt every time they'd shot a scene together after he'd given her that umbrella. She'd denied at it first, telling herself that it was only her character's feelings that made her heart leap when the rain would start and they filmed together. Then, later, she'd been certain he couldn't have felt that way in return.

But now she thought she saw it in him-the flush of his cheeks, the doofiness that had been in his smile. She thought she could see both of them hesitantly daring to dig up the feelings they'd tried to bury.

Adrien's Adam's apple bobbed. "Anyway," he said, glancing at the umbrella. "I didn't-"

Marinette stepped forward and took a fistful of his shirt, pulling him close and pressing her lips to his. She felt Adrien tense for just a second before he kissed her back, his hands resting on her waist. She sighed slightly, relaxing. She could feel Adrien smiling into the kiss.

Marinette knew his lips so well, but this was the first time they were his, and meant for her. It was an old rhythm with an entirely new underlying beat. His touch, his hand brushing her face was familiar, but the feeling behind it was new, new, new. They didn't have to hold back anymore. They weren't acting.

Adrien pulled away and rested his forehead on hers.

Marinette laughed softly, her eyes still closed. "What was that, like, our two-thousandth kiss?"

"Probably," Adrien said.

"Pretty weird," Marinette said, opening her eyes.

Adrien took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. He was still blushing. "Why don't we call that one the first?"

"What, just start over?"

"Sure." Adrien leaned in, his lips only a breath away from hers. "Hi, I'm your co star, Adrien. It's nice to meet you."

"Dork," Marinette said, and kissed him softly.

"It's cold out here," Adrien said. "Do you want to come in and have some cocoa?"

"I'd love that," Marinette said, letting him lead her inside. Charlie followed, happily oblivious to his shaggy, dripping-wet fur.

They talked and sipped cocoa in Adrien's kitchen, where through the small window they could see the rain trickle to a gradual stop and the sun shine through the silvery clouds above.

Thanks for reading!

You can find me on tumblr at peggiecarter :)