Another chapter, yaaay
It's a little earlier than usual but I just couldn't resist ;)
On another note, I read all your kind comments. I'm sorry I didn't answer to all of them but I assure you I read them all and squealed and grinned the entire time. Thank you all for taking the time and commenting on Cola Date, that's so sweet of all of you 3
That being said, let's get into the story!
Enjoy~

About fifteen minutes later, he heard someone unlocking the door and light footsteps sneaking into the apartment, pausing as the door silently clicked back in its lock. Marinette had arrived.

Suddenly, he felt his heart beating to his chest. Should he have sat up with Alya? But she could have woken up. Should he sit up?

He tried propping himself up on his elbow but she firmly held him down. He'd just have to greet her friend like this…

Marinette called out where they were and Nino replied softly, not wanting to startle Alya out of her sleep. She had had an exhausting day, he didn't want to wake her.

The first thing he saw of Alya's friend was that she had radiant blue eyes. Eyes that immediately narrowed as she stepped in, seeing them both still horizontally. Nino was just grateful he wasn't in a weirder position. But much to his surprise, the girl in the doorframe began smirking.

"Oh, this is gold.", she whispered, an amused twinkle in her eyes.

"Uhm…", he intelligently responded but she waved him to keep quiet and pulled out her phone, snapping a picture of them.

"For safety reasons.", she didn't even try to cover up the lie in her voice. He chuckled nervously, then tried to sit up more to maybe greet her a little more properly but Alya huffed and pulled him back down, resulting in a giggle from Marinette. She stretched out her hand as she kneeled down in front of the couch, grinning at him.

"Hi Nino, I'm Marinette."

He took the hand, relieved that she apparently didn't mind his kinda blocked manners.

"Hi Marinette. Sorry for this situation but, uhm-… She said she didn't want to be alone."

The girl nodded as she leant over her best friend, softly brushing a strand of hair out of her face and smiling warmly when Alya scrunched her eyebrows together, trying to hide in his shirt.

"Yeah… She's never been good with storms. We met in tenth grade, been best friends since then. Being alone during storms always drove her half crazy. I'm glad she had someone with her."

Nino sighed, shifting a little so his arm wouldn't go to sleep beneath him.

"I'd-… Rather had it if it had been you…"

Marinette looked up to him, lifting one eyebrow.

"Why, you don't like her?"

He quickly shook his head at her defensive stance, waving his free hand.

"Oh, no, no! I do like her. But, uhm-… I'm a stranger. I'm a waiter in the restaurant she had a date in. We've known each other for-", he threw a glance to the clock in her bookshelf, "… About five hours. I-… I'm just not sure, I mean, I could've been anybody. She could've been in trouble by now if she had trusted someone else with bad intentions."

Marinette nodded slowly, then she stood up and smiled.

"I think it's best if we talked about this over a cup of tea. Just let me take off my shoes and I'll be right back to help you get her in bed."

He nodded gratefully, watching her vanish through the door to get rid of her shoes and jacket. He also heard her putting away her bag so he looked down to Alya, a small smile playing around his lips.

She looked so peaceful after all the fear he had seen in her expressions earlier. Especially how she buried her nose in his shirt and snuggled closer, not wanting to let go. He imitated Marinette's gesture from before and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face, smirking when she lightly wrinkled her nose since it tickled. He watched her relax again and rested his hand on her back, his warm smile heating up his entire face.

By the time Marinette returned he rested his head in his hand, his elbow still on the couch, and thoughtlessly twirling one of Alya's long locks between his fingers. She couldn't help but snicker as she cleared her throat and made him blush deeply, a shock surging through his body since he was startled by her sudden presence.

She knelt down next to them again and covered her laugh with the cough, then waited until he was calm enough.

"I'll help you sit up?", she suggested and he nodded, still deep red from before. So, Marinette gently slid her hand beneath Alya and nodded at him, minding her best friend's head as Nino sat up, taking her with him in his tight embrace. Alya stirred but didn't wake up, both of them holding their breath until she breathed evenly again.

Nino nodded for her to adjust Alya's head on his shoulder, then he hooked his arms beneath her knee bends and back and leant forward, slowly standing up not to jostle her. With both looking out for her they managed to carry the girl into her bedroom, Nino softly letting her down on the broad mattress while Marinette closed the curtains and pulled back the sheets for him to tuck her in.

But before they could even come to this he stilled, the blush becoming more evident on his cheeks as he stayed bending over the girl.

"Uhm-…"

"What's up?", Marinette questioned.

"She won't let go…"

They both laughed nervously as Marinette came around the bed, standing next to Nino and trying to gently pry Alya's hands from his shirt but she just wouldn't let go. She sighed and shook her head, straightening up again.

"Got a problem with taking that shirt off?"

He turned his head to look at her with wide eyes, furrowing his eyebrows.

"What?"

"Taking that shirt off.", she shrugged, gesturing to Alya, "I mean she won't let go for sure. And I think since your scent is calming to her she wants to keep you with her. So?"

He gulped but then sighed, ducking his head down.

"Alright. Help me pull it up?"

Marinette took the hem of his shirt and carefully pulled it up over his head for him to have enough room to slip out of the sleeves and straighten up. Alya huffed and frowned for a bit but then held his shirt close, burying her nose in it. He smiled but soon was ripped out of his trance by Marinette who poked his bare shoulder.

"Out.", she demanded.

"Huh?"

"Out. Alya won't sleep in that jeans and bra under my watch, so out. That's a girl's thing, shoo."

He chuckled and nodded, ducking his head to trot out.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm gone."

Nino walked back into the living room, smiling to himself as he saw the slight indents where Alya and he had laid in the soft cushions. His smile faded a little as he once again thought back to his worries but with a shake of his head he banned them again and reached for the blanket to cover his upper body, sitting down on the couch again. He leant back and dozed for a bit before Marinette returned again, snickering at his appearance.

"Here, I got you a shirt. Come to the kitchen with me?", with a swift movement he caught the thrown ball of fabric which unfolded into a big shirt in his hands, "I took her biggest, she usually sleeps in that. I hope it fits, though."

A grin formed on his face and he pulled the shirt over, following her into the kitchen of Alya's small apartment. There, Marinette set up water to boil and grabbed a tea pot, looking at him.

"Tea or coffee?", she asked and he gestured to the boiling water, still flustered that the shirt was just a little form fitting for Alya. She had slept in it more often, apparently, so naturally it had formed after her figure. Which he felt.

Marinette smirked and turned back to the water, absentmindedly putting two tea bags into the tea pot, then she filled the now boiling water into the pot, grabbed two cups and offered him to sit down on Alya's little table.

"Sooo…", she drawled while getting a small bowl of sugar from one of the cupboards, "What a situation, hm?"

He chuckled and shrugged, already giving them both tea in their cups before she returned to sit with him.

"Yeah… What a situation…"

The girl huffed, looking into her tea, then she caught his gaze and propped her elbows up on the counter.

"And now tell.", she demanded, "From the beginning."

Marinette sipped on her tea as he finished with the situation they were in now, nodding thoughtfully.

"So, you're worried she's like this to everyone?"

He nodded, ducking his head.

"I-… I know I shouldn't judge without really knowing her but, uh-… Well, I just worried…"

"So, you thought you should ask me since I know her better?", Marinette questioned, making him uncomfortable. This girl just had a gift to see right through him.

"Well, yeah. I thought you might be in a better position to, uhm-… Maybe talk to her."

Marinette snorted a little, looking down to her tea. Nino didn't really know what to do with himself until she looked up again, making eye contact.

"I've known Alya since we were kids and-… It's always astounded me how well she can judge people on first glance. She has a good taste.", she winked at him and he felt the blush rising in his cheeks, "That's why I trusted you so quickly, Nino. If I had known her as naïve I would've run down her door and dragged you out immediately. And that's also why I was so surprised. That she kept the profile I jokingly set up for her on that dating platform is a miracle in itself because I've known Alya to be skeptical to everything at first. Spontaneous, sure, but skeptical. Spontaneous as in 'Let's explore the world, like, now. I'll be in front of your door in an hour with my bags packed', but always skeptical towards new people."

Nino chuckled at that, remembering how she had been down for a shower at his place as long as she wouldn't get him into trouble with that. Then he nodded, sighing in relief.

"So, this guy she was originally out with was just an unlucky pick?"

Marinette winked once again and Nino cleared his throat as she replied, trying to cover up his coughing.

"Well, I'd say she was lucky to find you."

"I just, uhm-… Well, she had cola all over her and-… It was the right thing to do."

"To offer her to take a shower at your place? I dunno, if I had been a waiter I probably would've given her a ride home, at most. After all she's not my problem. Except if-…", she grinned smugly, "If I really liked her."

Nino felt his cheeks flaming up but tried his best not to let her notice. According to her eyebrows she had, though, so he just ignored it.

"W-Well, she was soaking wet with sticky cola… I just-… I didn't even think about it as I offered her to take a shower."

"And after that? When you gave her your clothes, offered her a drink, invited her to stay? Immediately brought her home when she asked for it? And stayed with her to calm her and let her sleep on you?"

Nino frowned at the girl across from him, his golden eyes narrowing.

"What're you trying to say?"

"Oh nothing.", Marinette teased, "I just think her date was a success after all."

She laughed as he coughed, setting down his cup of tea again to calm his breathing. She still snickered as he recovered, leaning back with a smug expression on her face.

Though, he never got to retort something.

Alya appeared in the doorframe, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she saw Nino and Marinette sitting in her kitchen. He saw that Marinette had exchanged his jeans for a pair of jogging pants but she still wore his old shirt. With a small gulp he noticed that she didn't wear a bra anymore as well so he looked away, his face feeling like flames erupted from his skin.

"Evening, sleepy head.", Marinette greeted her best friend, turning around to face her, "Slept well?"

He still didn't dare looking up again but heard on Alya's tone that she was probably frowning, even if her voice sounded sleepy.

"What're you doing here, Mari? And why're you drinking tea with Nino?"

"Oh, I'm just interrogating him a little.", he heard her saying, probably shrugging.

Alya apparently wasn't as amused as Marinette was, since she just gave her a big sigh, pulling another chair close to join them on the table. She carefully placed a hand on his arm, causing him to look up to her again. Much to his relief, sitting apparently helped the shirt adjust.

"Don't listen to her, Nino. She's just trying to get bribing material.", she smiled as his shoulders relaxed, "Was she very hard on you?"

"No, all good. I'm really just glad you have her as a friend."

Right on cue Marinette cracked her knuckles, causing Alya's head to whirl around to her.

"You're lucky I love you, girl, otherwise I would've thrown you out into the rain by now.", she spluttered, the embarrassment openly evident in her voice.

Marinette chuckled at their matching blushes, then stood up and leaned forward to kiss Alya's cheek, smirking.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Anyway, I got places to be now that you're awake again.", she winked and walked out the door, her snicker sounding from the hallway. Alya rolled her eyes as Nino just lowered his gaze again, feeling like he shouldn't be here.

"At least try to hide it?", Alya asked but Marinette just laughed louder.

"Later, Lovebirds!"

With that the front door clicked into its lock again and Alya and Nino were alone, both blushing and awkwardly staring at the table for a moment before she broke the silence.

"Uhm, well yes, that happened…"

He slowly began chuckling, then his laughter got louder and louder until he roared of laughter, tears building in his eyes. He heard Alya joining into his laughter, still a slight giggle at first but it soon got just as loud as his.

After a few minutes they slowly calmed down, constantly breaking out into laughter again and again when they made eye contact.

Nino brushed a tear out of his eye, then sighed and leant back, crossing his arms behind his head.

"What a first date, huh?"

Her bewildered gaze caused him to laugh again and her blush was priceless.

"Wa-Wait, first date?!"