The smell of frying eggs woke Adrien first. At some point during the night his arm had gone fuzzy, and now it was completely numb. He tugged it, and he heard a soft protesting groan. Adrien frowned and rolled his head to look at his arm. Marinette was still curled up against him, using his arm as a pillow. Adrien lifted his heavy head in surprise. It took him a moment or two to remember where he was.
Gently, he raised his other arm to push her off, carefully. He tried his best not to wake her up. He failed. She rolled over, groaned, and pulled herself into sitting up. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. Marinette's arms dropped into her lap. The Chat Noir doll fell with them. She had been holding onto his arm all night by the look of it. And she had a crick in her neck from sleeping funny. Marinette hated mornings.
Adrien watched her from where he laid in the duvet. Now she sat up the duvet was pulled away from him. He couldn't remember at what point Marinette had dragged the duvet over them both, which was funny, because Marinette couldn't remember at which point Adrien had done it. Neither of them actually had. Tikki and Plagg had. They didn't want their idiots to be cold.
It was a misty, chilly autumn morning. The sky was grey, the ground was clogged with puddles, and an icy wind from the North brought shivers with them. It was a little warmer inside their blanket fort thanks to the insulation, but it was still cold. The only heat in the room was the heat radiating from the pair of sleepy idiots bundled up in their duvet.
It was a kind of slow and groggy morning, since they had just woken up. Their reactions and emotions were taking a few minutes to catch up with them. It took him a moment or two of watching her to find his voice.
"Morning princess," he yawned.
His voice was croaky, and his breath was lethal, but the words slipped out easily. Marinette turned her head, looking a little surprised. As if she had forgotten he was there. She realised that they had been sleeping side by side, and the red mark on his shoulder matched the red park on her cheek where she'd peeled herself away, but with her morning brain, it took her a while to put two and two together. And her emotions were lagging, so she didn't have a chance to feel the embarrassment that would hit her like a bus later. Right now she gave a sleepy smile, delighted to see him. she'd dreamed of them dancing all night, and how she wasn't hurting anymore. She was genuinely pleased to see him, with his hair messy like that.
"Morning."
He gave a sleepy smile back. It was a strangely lovely moment. They were just tired and happy not to be alone. Marinette yanked her hair out of the bun it was trapped in all night. It tumbled down around her shoulders, full of frizz. She shook it out, and laid back down on the pillow. It was more comfortable now. she pulled the duvet up to her chin.
"It's cold," she muttered.
Adrien chuckled and rolled to lay his arm around her shoulder and squeeze her closer. Then his mind kicked into gear and he remembered Ladybug. Adrien's hand snatched back, guiltily. He laid his hand up by his head. She rolled over to face him. He forced a smile.
"Do you smell that?" She asked.
Adrien frowned and sniffed. The frying egg had transformed into sizzling bacon. His stomach rumbled loud enough that she heard. She chuckled.
"Come on, let's eat," she said.
It was chillier outside of their blanket. Adrien shivered. Marinette didn't notice. She wandered over to the hatch and pulled it open. A breath of warm air curled from downstairs.
"Hot air rises, and mum and dad are constantly baking," Marinette explained.
"And the convection currents from the window keeps the hot air low," Adrien agreed, "I've got physics in the bag."
Marinette smirked. She wandered down the ladder first. Adrien stretched, and followed. Plagg and Tikki didn't enter their minds. Tom glanced up as the two of them wandered in. They were still dressed like they were before the concert, but so much blurrier and messier now. He chuckled at their dishevelled appearance.
"Good morning you two," he said.
"Morning papa," Marinette yawned.
She wandered over to the side to pick up a plate and paused so her father could kiss her head. Adrien felt a spark of jealousy. Tom laid a couple of eggs and slices of bacon on her plate. Marinette grinned as he adjusted the bacon into a smile and eyebrows. Adrien moved forward to take a plate of his own as Marinette wandered over to the table. Tom winked at him, and laid the same face on his plate. Adrien's private chef had created him thousands of meals, snacks and feasts over the years, each one perfect and delicious, and yet not one of them captured the kind of pure love that filled every nook of Adrien with warmth, as this greasy smiling breakfast man.
"A bag came for you Adrien. From your body guard. He's a very big man, isn't he?" Tom said.
The way his voice went sounded as if he were intimidated by his body guard. Adrien was going to joke that they were as big as each other, but then he thought back to yesterday. Tom had said if Adrien ever hurt Marinette Tom would have to fight that gorilla. He must have been thinking about which of them would win in a fight.
"He said I had to show him where you were sleeping so he knew you were safe," Tom wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I told him you were, and he's not welcome inside my house. As long as you're here he can't get to you. Anyway, I think the bag has a change of clothes for you."
Adrien smiled up at him, gratefully. "Thank you."
Tom winked again, and dried his hands on a tea towel, before heading down into the bakery. Marinette kicked her legs playfully, swinging them freely over the bar between the chair legs. She hid behind her hair as she sipped on her orange juice and tried not to stare at him. Adrien sat at the other end of the table, cutting up his greasy bacon with his knife and fork and a rumble in his belly. As he bit into the bacon, an image of his father and his mother sitting at each end of the breakfast table before he came running in wearing pyjamas, ready to eat all the toast he could, came into his mind. He glanced down at Marinette. She was hiding behind her hair still, trying not to look directly at him. He could image it. This. As their future.
Waking up early in the morning and wandering into their kitchen together in their pyjamas, with their cat weaving through their feet. Then they'd sit at either end of the table to eat. It would be a smaller table than he had at home. One big enough for the family to crowd around, but stretched out for everyone to gather at for Christmas. He'd pour himself some coffee and yawn, and she'd link her arms under his and up around his chest, to make sure he knew she loved him. Then she'd pick up her mug, as if the hug was just a ploy for coffee and nothing more. Their son would come bounding in as Adrien placed the cat's food on the floor. Plagg would be sitting in their son's wild yellow hair, super protective of their blue-eyed boy. Adrien would kiss his head, like Tom, and then he'd hurry over to Marinette. Marinette would place two fried eggs for eyes and a croissant for a smile, and run her hand across his cheek, gazing at him as if he were a miracle. They would sit at breakfast in their pyjamas, chatting and joking and laughing, or relaxing quietly as they tried to wake up ready for work and the school rush. They'd do that every day, apart from three. Every single year, on their anniversary, or on her birthdays, Adrien would set up a tray, with a plate with fried eggs for eyes, and a bacon smile, a flower, and orange juice, and he would carry it upstairs to have breakfast in bed. On his birthday, she'd do the same for him. Or maybe they'd skip breakfast all together, and their son and Plagg and their cat would gather up on their double bed, and snooze in some kind of messy bundle together. Christmas breakfast they'd gather on the bed where their son could tear open his presents, beaming and laughing with delight at everything he opened. Marinette would lay her head against him as she bit into the chocolate bar, (because you always have chocolate for breakfast at Christmas) and she would be warm against the chill of the December day, and he would kiss her forehead, because he could. Because she was his. Because they were happy.
All the while Adrien was daydreaming he had been staring at Marinette. She glanced over at him, accidentally meeting his gaze, and blushed.
"What?" She smiled.
Marinette looked so cute like that. Hiding behind her hair, smiling awkwardly, with the pale morning sun crowning her. Really if she didn't already have a hold on his heart, she would have grabbed it then. It was getting harder - damn near impossible in fact - to pretend he didn't have a crush on Marinette.
"Nothing," he mumbled.
"It's a good thing we do have school," Marinette said, yawning again, "I'm exhausted."
Adrien nodded, "last night was pretty intense."
She laughed gently, "yeah..."
"I still can't believe I left the tickets at home," Adrien said.
"Don't worry, it can happen to anyone," Marinette shrugged.
"I was trying hard to remember, I had a reminder on my phone, and I still forgot!" He complained.
She leaned a hand across the table towards him, "Adrien, it's really alright. We still got in."
Adrien grinned and nodded. "My ears are still ringing!"
Marinette leaned back and laughed. "It was loud."
"Yeah..."
There was a lull in the conversation. They weren't really sure what to say to one another anymore. They felt like they should be feeling awkward, but it just wasn't. Even with the detour the night had taken, and sleeping together in their blanket fort, and waking up in each other's arms, it wasn't awkward. Marinette didn't fumble or anything. There was something about this situation that felt familiar. Easy. Like they'd woken up and eaten together a million times before. Or, kinda like they were in a bubble. A bubble of their own. A shared dream that they just couldn't quite shake off yet.
"Hey, um, I'm... I'm sorry about, y'know, telling Jagged that we were dating. I should have run it by you. Sorry," he said.
Marinette groaned, "I forgot about that. Chloe was filming."
"Do you think she'll show anyone?"
"I think she'll show everyone. If Alya sees it she's going to flip."
"Why?"
Marinette wasn't awake enough to be worried about this situation yet, but she knew she couldn't let anything slip about what she and Alya were up to. Fortunately she didn't have to think of a lie, because they were interrupted by her phone ringing.
"Speak of the devil," she muttered. She answered and pressed her phone to her ear. "Morning Alya."
"So? How did it go?" Alya asked eagerly.
There was no beating around the bush when Alya wanted to know something. No pleasantries, not even to be polite. She was a journalist. When she had questions she got answers. Marinette cleared her throat. The bubble was being poked. The awkwardness was beginning to edge in. She turned away from Adrien, in her chair.
"Um, yeah, it was awesome! Shame you couldn't come, you'd have enjoyed it!" Marinette said.
"Yeah girl probably, but what happened?! Come on I want details!" Alya said.
Alya's voice glistened in the greedy way that it did when she clenched her fist and that fire came into her eyes. Marinette saw it whenever ladybug gossip came to Alya. She knew it well.
"Alya, it's really early. I'm still having breakfast," she said, pointedly.
"What? That's never stopped you before. Who's there, your parents? Tell them I said hi!" Alya grinned.
Marinette glanced back over at Adrien. He was eating again. If he was listening to her conversation (which was possible, Alya wasn't the quietest person around) he didn't show it.
"Um... my parents are in the bakery," Marinette said.
Alya's voice crumpled with confusion, "Then who are you with?"
Marinette wasn't sure what to say. There were a lot of lies she could have said, but they just weren't good enough. She cleared her throat nervously.
"It's a long story..."
"Who?"
"How's Nino feeling?"
"ADRIEN?!"
The yell was so loud it made Marinette throw the phone away from her. She grappled with it like a wet bar of soap for a moment and pushed her phone back to her ear. Adrien chuckled when she managed to catch it again. Honestly, he was so smitten with that girl he wasn't sure how she hadn't noticed yet.
"Last night went really well then!"
Alya's tone became that one. Y'know, that one. Like she knew something even before the others told her. a little smug, a little knowing, a little proud, and a lot teasing. It made Marinette squirm.
"Alya," she whined.
"I'm coming over. Now. Immediately. I want gossip!" Alya declared.
"Alya!" Marinette squeaked desperately.
"There's no stopping me, I'm getting dressed right now! See you in an hour!"
Alya hung up, her voice tingling with delight, and Marinette felt the bubble pop. The shimmering, soapy simplicity vanished. Now Alya was going to come over, probably with Nino, just to tease them. probably before they got the whole story. That would be horrible enough for her, but then Adrien would be forced to tell them the truth. That would be horrible for him. that would be terrible for her. but there was no going back now.
Marinette took a deep breath, and turned back to face Adrien. There was no peaceful breakfast anymore. There was a time limit before Alya came just to embarrass her. although she didn't need anyone's help for that.
"Are you going to shower before you get dressed, or after?" Marinette asked.
"I don't usually wear clothes in the shower," Adrien smirked.
Pink cheeks again. "Yes I know. Um - I mean - no, I know, that, um, you don't wear clothes in the shower! I mean, err, do you want to shower, or do you want to get dressed?"
He chuckled affectionately. She was easily flustered. It was adorable. "I guess I'll shower first. I've been in these clothes for two days. It's time for a wash."
"Alright, Alya's gonna be here in about an hour, so you might wanna get dressed pretty quickly," Marinette warned.
Adrien nodded. He felt another spark of envy. Marinette's life was so free she could twist her plan in seconds from a lazy morning to a day with her friends. At home Adrien's time table was all laid out, and there was no room for interruptions. It must have been freeing, to have that space. Adrien stood up.
"Let me just grab something from my jacket in your room."
Plagg. That's what he wanted to get, privately, but Marinette stood up too. She wanted to get Tikki before he could risk seeing her. They wandered over to the ladder, insisting to the other that it was really ok, they can fetch it for the other, it's no hassle! Neither went for it. Once both of them were inside it was a race to find their kwami first and get out of there before the other one became suspicious. Adrien took the left, near his jacket hanging on the back of the chair, and Marinette went straight for the blanket fort. Tikki liked soft spaces.
"What are you looking for, maybe I can keep an eye out," Adrien suggested eagerly.
Marinette shook her head urgently. "No, no, it's ok, I'll find it."
Adrien couldn't bring himself to argue. After all, she and her family had taken him in when he needed them. He didn't want to offend her now by prying where it wasn't his business. Adrien glanced around. The only cheese he had was in his jacket pocket, but it wasn't there anymore, so clearly Plagg had dragged it out to eat.
Where was the strongest smell?
Adrien sniffed the air like a blood hound, searching eagerly for the cheese he hated. He sniffed along the centre of the room, and caught a faint whiff of the cheese. Plagg was in the blanket fort. With Marinette. Adrien licked his lips anxiously. He'd have to lie to her again.
"It's not over here, maybe I left it in there," he said, loud enough for her to hear, but quiet enough that it wasn't suspicious.
Marinette's heart dropped. What if he found Tikki before her? Marinette sat up and glanced around. There was one place she hadn't checked yet. A stray sock was laying on the ground. It was easily big enough to hide Tikki. She had to be under there.
Adrien's gaze fell immediately on his sock. Plagg was annoying but he wasn't stupid. He'd know to mask the smell. This was mildly offensive too. Just Plagg's style. That had to be where he was hiding. Adrien reached for it.
Adrien's hand hit against Marinette's. Both of them snatched their hands back sharply. They glanced at each other and gave an awkward laugh each. Marinette could not think of a single reason how she could stop him picking up his sock. It was his dirty sock. What would she want with it? Even so she desperately willed him not to pick up the sock. As did Adrien.
There was a tense and awkwardly lingering few moments where they stared at each other, and back at the sock. One of them would have to make the first move. The doll of Ladybug and Chat Noir watched on, slumped against each other as they had been thrown aside in the search. Adrien lifted his hand, and reached slowly for the sock.
Marinette's heart beat faster. She screwed her hands into fists, balled tightly against her knees. Her jaw clenched. The closer he got the clammier her palms went. Adrien felt his stomach turning circles. Marinette's eyes were locked on the sock. She wouldn't look away. There was no chance she wouldn't see Plagg. Already his mind was whirling with potential lies.
He gripped the edge of the sock…
He took a deep breath…
This was it. This was how his secret got out. Ladybug would never forgive him.
Adrien ripped back the sock like tearing off a plaster, and Marinette gasped like she'd been shot. Adrien's gaze flicked from Plagg, to her, and then immediately back to Plagg. His eyes bulged. Marinette's went wider.
Plagg hadn't wanted to risk Tikki getting cold in the night, even with the sock, so he had curled around her. literally. He was wrapped around her like a boa constrictor. But she was nuzzled against his fur, warm and safe, and feeling fuzzy inside. More importantly she was sound asleep. They both were. Completely out of it. until now anyway. Tikki yawned and stretched as she sat up. her movement rocked Plagg, so he woke up too. He uncurled himself, and stretched, like cats do when they wake from a long sleep. Then they looked up. the colourless, gawping faces of their charges were above them, staring.
"Plagg," Tikki whispered, "Plagg we made a mistake…"
Plagg yawned and followed her gaze. "oh."
The colour that edged back into their cheeks was crimson. Adrien couldn't bring himself to look directly at her for a moment or two, but she stared at him in some kind of cross between shock and horror. Her mind was whirling. Adrien was Chat Noir? HER Adrien?! Alya was going to kill her twice.
Adrien turned his head, and stared at her. it seemed so obvious now. they had the same fire in their eyes. fire he had mistaken for passion in Marinette. She didn't even change her hair! Ladybug, HIS Ladybug, had been his Marinette the entire time?! No wonder she liked when he called her his Princess. That explained the sudden and uncontrollable crush. Not that he could put that into words. When he opened his mouth, it flapped like a gold fish as he searched for words.
Only two escaped his mouth, shocked and breathless. At the same time, she squeaked, timid and alarmed, one word.
"My lady?"
"Kitty?"
