There Was Never A Moment
She laughs at something Alya says, and he wishes she'd laugh like that with him. She always seems to get so nervous, and he doesn't know why, but he knows he wishes to see her act that free with him. He remembers when he first met her, and he grimaces, wishing that day had gone differently.
He sees the fire in her eyes, the passion, integrity, her true self hidden behind her shyness; he knows there's a magnificent human shining brightly behind it all. She was one of the rare ones, so effortlessly herself, and he loved her for it.
She catches his stare, and they both turn scarlet, turning away and Adrien hears Nino laugh, and he shoots his friend a stare. "Dude, you are so head over heels for her."
He knew better than to argue with Nino, as he knew his friend never misses a beat, both figuratively, and.. physically. "Have you ever met a person who at first glance you weren't attracted to?" He watches Nino nod and he knows he's talking about Alya, and Adrien feels the need to explain the difference.
"Then you two talk, and with every word, every smile, every laugh, that person becomes more beautiful until you can't think there was a moment you didn't think they were?" Nino this time doesn't answer, and Adrien looks to his friend, who has a brow cocked up and a smog grin on his face.
He flushes, and nudges his smugly grinning friend, "shut up. You know who I'm talking about and you can stop giving me that grin." He internally thought that he's worse than Plagg, and he stifles a snicker.
"Dude, if you don't ask her out, I will for you. I mean, me and Alya already have a pool on who's going to ask each other first." He gives Nino a wide eyed stare, "what?"
Nino laughs, "nothing bro. Just know that if you don't swipe her up first, someone else will." And Adrien turns on his seat, watching Marinette laugh and grin, and he inhales, gets up, and goes over to the two girls, telling Nino internally how he'd never let someone steal her from him.
