Chapter 3: crazy

Marinette liked to think that after high school she had gotten over her crush on Adrien Agreste. She was a big girl now, and that meant college, work, stress, and…boys. Lots and lots of boys. Once she had long forgotten about those luscious blond locks she was quite proud of how fast she had dipped in to the dating pool. Unfortunately the dating pool was more like a tsunami of terror. Boy after boy was a constant disappointment. She even tried a few girls but the night usually ended with a fight about her lack of homosexuality. Although it was true she wasn't explicitly in to girls, she still liked them to some degree. It got to the point where she was denying more dates than she was asking. Perhaps she should focus on work instead…

Needless to say seeing Adrien Agreste again was a refreshing and sparkling sight. She hadn't even noticed the bags under his eyes or the boniness of his fingers. All she could focus on was his bright smile and sparkling eyes. He seemed genuinely excited to see her once she (re)introduced herself to him. She could tell he was quite underfed when she hugged him back. No matter how warm the embrace was she couldn't help but feel like he should've been a little more meaty. Her worries were confirmed when he told her he had been cut off and he had been out of a job for a while. Of course she couldn't get him a job anytime soon, but she could definitely buy him an oversized meal with guaranteed leftovers.

Adrien protested for the first five minutes inside the restaurant, but quickly shut his mouth once the appetizers arrived…or more like he stopped talking and started eating. He mumbled between each bite about how kind she was and how she really didn't need to do this. Over ten years of being in a model diet followed by cheap college student meals had really taken a toll on his tastes and eating habits. Marinette couldn't help but smile as she watched him stuff his face and stain his navy sweater.

"God…this is so good," he mumbled as he shoved onion rings in his mouth. Marinette laughed and picked up a napkin before handing it to him.

"Thanks." He accepted the napkin and wiped his face.

"No problem," she said.

"No really, thank you so much. I didn't realize how hungry I was," he emphasized and wiped his hands too.

"Seriously, Adrien, there's no need to thank me. I'm not about to let you starve," she assured him. He grinned.

"You're still way too nice," he said. Her eyebrows knit.

"What do you mean?"

"In middle school you were always so kind to everyone and you were always there to stand up to Chloé whenever she was out of line. I always admired you for that," he explained. She blushed.

"Oh…doing the right thing is b-barely admirable," she stuttered.

"But it is. I wish I would've spoken out as much as you did…it felt like all I did was tell Chloé she wasn't nice and then watch everything happen…"

"Well…some people didn't even have the guts to tell her she wasn't nice, so at least you did that," she pointed out. He chuckled and picked up another onion ring.

"See? Too nice."

"Good evening you two. How's those appetizers treating you?" Their waitress asked.

"Absolutely amazing," Adrien said with a smile as he took another bite.

"Well that's good! Have you guys decided on what you want?" She inquired. Adrien nodded and pulled up the menu again.

"I'd like a bowl of clam chowder," Marinette said politely as she handed the waitress her menu.

"Absolutely, and you sir?"

"I'll take a sal-"

"Don't you dare say salad, Agreste. I will kick your bony ass if you do," Marinette threatened. He blinked at her.

"Agreste? As in…Adrien Agreste?" The girl asked with wide eyes. Shit.

"Um…"

"Oh my gosh, I had no idea! The last time I saw you was in a magazine when you were 17!" She squealed.

"Uh, c-can you keep it down please? It's…been a long time and I don't really model anymore," he said with red cheeks.

"Oh…sorry," she apologized with even redder cheeks.

"A-anyways, your order?"

"Yes, a sala-"

"Nope, you're having something with more substance than grass and leaves," Mari interrupted again.

"Mari-"

"You don't need fiber. You need protein," she said sternly. He blinked and then smiled.

"Okay, mom. I'll have a burger," he replied and handed his menu to the waitress. Marinette's eyes bulged and she blushed. Adrien laughed so hard he had to clutch his stomach.

"Oh god…y-you're face!" He cackled. She then frowned as she held in her laughter. Goddamn he was cute when he was laughing.

"S-shut up, and don't call me mom," she said.

"Alright, I promise I won't do that again," he grinned and leaned his elbows on the table. Marinette couldn't help but smile back.

"So you say you're out of a job. Did you get fired?" She asked.

"Yup."

"What for?"

"I was literally too handsome. I drew in more broke teenagers than actual customers," he told her. She giggled.

"Oh Adrien, you have the most un-relatable problems."

"Aside from the mountains of student debt and struggling to keep the electricity running, yeah I really do," he joked. She frowned.

"Have you applied for any more jobs?"

"Yeah…like six places, but no one seems to be hiring these days," he said and looked down at his empty plate.

"Wow. Surely your résumé is impressive."

"Unfortunately not impressive enough," he sighed. Marinette reached out and comfortingly patted his arm.

"Hey, you'll be okay. I'm sure once the market gets back up again you'll find a job," she assured him. He chuckled.

"Thanks. I like your response a lot more than Nino's," he smiled.

"What was Nino's response?"

"He told me this was a sign that I should become a webcam boy," he told her. She lifted a brow.

"Webcam boy?"

"It's basically an online sex worker," he explained vaguely. Mari was silent for a while. Oh no…

"It's a ridiculous idea, right?" He said. She shrugged.

"I dunno. If you have no other option…"

"You don't seriously agree with him, do you?" He questioned.

"Hey, it's not a terrible idea. I mean it's getting rather popular and some people make serious bank off of it," she pointed out. He sighed.

"I dunno…it sounds…ugh. My father wouldn't approve," he said simply.

"Well your father doesn't support you anymore. If he doesn't want you to be a cam model he shouldn't have cut you off. Simple as that."

He chuckled.

"You make it sound like he wanted me to strip for a living," he teased. She giggled.

"Y'know if you're not gonna model you might as well put your good looks to use some other way," she said. Adrien smirked. He looked down at the table and then back up at her coyly.

"You think I'm good looking?" He asked in a low voice. Mari blushed.

"W-well…doesn't everybody?" She stuttered looking away. She tucked her loose hair behind her ear glanced back to see Adrien biting his lip. Her blush deepened. It was embarrassing how long she's been waiting for him to look at her that way. It wasn't sexual. It was actually really really cute. Right as she was going to say something else the waitress showed up with their food.

"Here's your clam chowder and your burger," she announced with a smiled. Adrien nodded and Marinette stared at her soup with red cheeks. God this was so much like middle school.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

"Thanks," he smiled.

"Ugh. Why did you ever stop modeling? That smile is sickening," she fawned.

"Uh…yeah."

"I had every magazine you modeled in when I was in middle school! I would even kiss them and-"

"That's nice. I'd like to talk privately with my friend here," he interrupted. Marinette blinked up at Adrien, who appeared to have yet to look away, and then to the blushing waitress.

"O-oh…sorry," she muttered before scampering off. He picked up his burger and took a big healthy bite out of it. She took the crackers on her plate and crumbled them in her soup.

"How good looking?" Adrien spoke after his first bite. Marinette froze with he hand on her spoon.

"P-pardon?"

"How good looking do you think I am?" He spelled out. Just when she thought she couldn't blush any deeper.

"Uh…enough," she murmured. He grinned and took another bite. She savored the time he took to chew and started on her warm clam chowder.

"Enough for what?"

"S-shouldn't you be stuffing your face trying to satisfy your starvation?" She shot back. He laughed.

"I already did that with the onion rings," he replied. She shook her head and had a staring contest with her chowder.

"I'm still curious what I'm good looking enough for," he said. She shook her head.

"You're too pretty for your own good."

"So you think I'm pretty too?"

"S-shut up-"

"Mari," he reached out and lifted her chin so she would look at him.

"Good looking enough for what?" He repeated.

Marinette stared at him with wide eyes. His fingers felt so warm and so gentle against her skin. Her heart was starting to race. Fuck. This was exactly like middle school.

"Enough to drive me crazy."