Adrian groaned. "I should've brought some food with me. Airplane food is expensive... and honestly not very good."

"I have some granola bars if you need anything."

"Oh no. It's fine. it won't be long until we get back to paris. "

"Take one. I insist" Marinette placed one in his hand. " I have plenty of snacks, it's a long flight."

"I really appreciate the food, but" he sighed. "I can't go off my diet."

"Did you eat lunch today?"

"...well no."

"Do you have a plan for dinner?"

"Actually I- no. I don't."

She placed it back in his hand. "Eat. You need the energy."

"Fine." He opened it and took a bite. Then another. He smiled at her. "This is really good."

"Cool, they're my favorite type of granola bad." She ate one too. "I packed like 6 of them, so don't feel bad."

Adrien winks. "You said you had other food?"

"Well yeah. What happened to Mr. 'I need to keep my model diet'?" She chuckled.

"If your other food tastes as good as that, I'm never going to go on a diet again!" He laughed. "The flavor combination was amazing."

"Youve never had a granola bar?"

"The sugar is too high."

She gasped. "Close you eyes and open your mouth."

"What?"

"Trust me."

"Okay." Slowly, he did what she asked.

She placed something in his mouth. "Eat."

He chewed on it. It was chewy and sweet and sticky. And gummy. He couldn't stop chewing. The texture was stranger but the flavor... He swallowed. "That tasted like cherries. What was it?"

"I've been experimenting." She hesitated.

"Oh no! What did you feed me" he cried with mock panic.

"Well, the design isn't great yet, but I made some ladybug and chat noir gummies." She pulled out a plastic bag filled with candy.

"Oh my gosh! Thats so cute. They taste great. Theyre perfect! " Adrien smiled.

"If you think these are good, you should visit my parent's bakery. They make the best treats."

"Only if you're there." Adrien inwardly groaned. Had he just flirted... with her? Mari was cute, but she was just a friend. A great friend, but a friend. Not ladybug.

"I I will be" she stuttered out and blushed. Did Adrien just flirt with her? This plane flight was a dream come true.

...

"I'm glad that i ended up sitting next to you and not some stranger."

"Yeah talking to you was great. I can never sleep on planes, and I always panic about the flight."

"We are almost home."

"Yeah, just an hour left until we land."

"I can't wait to talk to Alya."

"I haven't hung out with Nino in a month."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We have to play some MechaStrike. And MarioCart."

"That sounds awesome. I'm the Queen of Mariocart!"

"You should totally come over and play Mariocart with me sometime!" As friends. Right? Adrien was tired. Mari was cute, not his Lady.

"Or you could play it with me above the bakery" did she invite him to her house? Her parents would see him. Were they at that level if friendship yet?

"Yeah we should totally make plans.

...

Adrien was sleeping. His head was on Marinette's shoulder and her head was on his. Neither if them realized. A quiet sleep. Peaceful. His mind was anything but. His dreams we're violent and fast paced. He squirmed in his seat. He groaned.

She woke up. Clearly he was uncomfortable.

She shook his shoulder. "Adrien, wake up. It's okay. I'm here. Wake up."

He half opened his eyes. "It's always okay when you're here m'lady."

She stiffened. She knew that voice. Almost as well as her own. That was Chat's voice. But Adrien was speaking. Was Adrien? No. He would never flirt like that. He was perfect. She glanced at her watch. Of course. She was tired. Voices blend together at 2 am.

He moved a little and sat up. He rubbed his eyes. "Sorry Mari." Yawn. "How much if that did you hear?"

"You called me your lady" she looked visibly uncomfortable. What did he do?

He stiffened. He couldn't tell her his identity. "I had a dream."

"I could tell. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I was Chat Noir... but I couldn't save ladybug. I couldn't even save myself. I heard her voice, telling me to wake up..."

"That was my voice."

"Huh. I'm my mind, they're similar."

"I had a dream that I was Ladybug."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I didn't know what I was doing and tripped over my yo-yo" at this Adrien chuckled. Mari was cute, but clumsy. Unlike perfect Buggaboo. "Somehow we managed to save Paris."

"We?"

"Me and Chat."

"You know, you kinda look like ladybug."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Youre about the same height. Hair style. Blue eyes. And you both look great in red."

She blushed. "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't be modest. You'd do a great Ladybug cosplay."

She could feel her heart rate accelerate. "You must be tired. I don't really look like her. Not anymore than you look like Chat Noir"

"Yeah. Youre right. I'm nothing like him. Must be. Sleepy." He yawned and stretched his arms.

She yawned back. "You can keep sleeping on my shoulder. I don't mind."

"Really?"

"Yeah I was sleeping on your head."

"Yeah, I'm tired."

They leaned towards each other and fell asleep. Again.

...

"When I squint, I can see Paris."

"Really?" He leaned towards the window, towards her.

She laughed. "No silly, all I can see is clouds. But it's incredible."

"Yeah."

"Its breath taking."

"Yeah. You are"

"It's a whole new perspective on the- WAIT, WHAT?"

Adrien looked away.

Marinette turned towards the window and didn't speak for a moment. "You know, you're pretty breath taking yourself."

It was Adriens turn to be silent. "Thanks."

"Youre welcome..."

"For everything." He took a breath. "The food, the jokes, the smiles. The conversation. Youre a great friend Marinette. Not many people would let me fall asleep on them."

She blushed. "Really, it's no-"

"I had a pretty crappy day, but you made it okay."

"Really? Me?"

"Yeah. Mari. You really cheered me up."

"I'd do it for any friend."

"You're not just any friend." He smiled.

She kissed him again.

He pulled back, gently. He didn't want to hurt her. "Oh Mari."

She was close to tears. "I'm sorry, I misread your body language."

"You're my best friend ."

She gave him a weak smile. "I know." She wiped the tears off her face. "... I know"

"Mari let me explain."

"You don't see me like that. It's fine." She blinked away the tears. "I understand. Really."

"It's not that." He paused. "I look at you and you're beauty. I think I might feel that way about you."

"But?"

"I love Ladybug."

"Of course you do." He loved her, but it wasn't her her.

"Seriously. She's beauty. She's grace."

Marinette laughed a little and interrupted, "she'll punch you in the face!"

"Yeah." He sighed. "You remind me of her too much. It's not fair to you."

She was silent.

...

"Hey Adrien?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

...

The plane hit the ground. Adrien and Marinette briefly hugged before departing the plane.

"Ill see you soon," she called after him.

"Yeah, the baggage claim is only a short distance away."

Oh. The baggage claim. She needed her bag. She couldn't face Adrien. Not when he was so... conflicted. But she had to. Her suitcase was waiting, and tikki had probably eaten through the cookie supply. She walked forward.

"Do all bags look the same?"

...

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