I've been given a four day weekend this weekend! I would say I'll do more writing but what is most likely is that I'll dedicate my life to the sesh. I do have chapters ready to upload though so hold onto your hats (real or imaginary)

~BH

The Group Chat and the Flirtatious Chat

Marinette was staring at her phone, in shock, excitement, glee and exasperation, at a group chat between her Alya, Nino and Adrien. Tikki was floating alongside her, an identical expression on her tiny face. Now that Marinette was finally out of the company of her other friends, she didn't have to spend so much time in the cookie jar, although she wasn't complaining about the plentiful supply of treats in there.

Adrien: So sorry I had to dash after your set last night Nino, it truly was brilliant! Hope the rest of you had a good night.

Alya: Yeah, it was great! Shame you couldn't stay but at least you saw Nino.

Nino: Yeah man, s'all cool. Glad you showed up, rly appreciated it :)

Marinette: I think all the teenagers of Paris showed up, you were amazing!

Nino: Aw thanks Mari, if all goes well I should have a lot more events coming up soon! Maybe after a while your Dad will actually let you stay for the whole thing Adrien buddy

Adrien: I wish dude, I wish.

Nino: Buddy don't sweat it, I understand. Don't get your fancy expensive knickers in a twist.

Alya: That's not something I want to be thinking about.

Nino: I'm not taking it back.

Alya: …

Nino: Okay, I take it back. But seriously man everything is cool. Like the vibe last night!

Alya: I forgive you. Maybe you could do a set at the formal coming up?

Nino: The one I'm taking you to? How could I devote my time to my date?

Alya: What date? I haven't been asked.

Marinette: Yeah Nino, I can't make you complimentary outfits if you haven't even ASKED her yet.

Adrien: You're designing their formal outfits?!

Nino: Maybe she'll hook you up too if you ask her as YOUR date.

Adrien: You know what? Maybe I will.

Marinette was still staring at her phone when it rang, and she almost forgot to answer it. Tapping to accept at the last possible second, she was immediately greeted with Alya almost screaming down the phone.

"HE'S BASICALLY ASKED YOU OUT OH MY GOD MARI ALL OF YOUR DREAMS ARE COMING TRUE IN THIS ONE GROUP CHAT I FEEL LIKE A PROUD MOTHER-"

"Alya!" Marinette cut her off quickly before her eardrums burst. "He said maybe, that doesn't mean ANYTHING. He could ask Chloe, anyone, even Lila-"

"MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG HE DEFINITELY FANCIES YOUR LITTLE ASS" Alya continued to exclaim, while Marinette held the phone away from her ear gingerly, still being able to hear Alya rambling. Marinette knew she still had to be eager, so she stifled her laughter and retreated into the Marinette of last week.

"But what if it doesn't happen, or worse, what if it DOES happen? Do I say yes? I'm going to have to make a SUPER impressive dress, and one for him too like there's so much to think about I might just not go at all-" she babbled at top speed.

"Mari. We both know for Nino and Adrien you're just going to get a normal suit and add some complimentary colour to it, and I'll be damned if you don't know all of his measurements." Marinette cringed a little, because she couldn't really deny it. Nino came round for a fitting last weekend with Alya, but she had been making formal dresses for Alya for years. She insisted on buying her materials but Marinette refused, so Alya settled with buying the materials for her on her birthday and Christmas. "Also, don't you have a dress design that you've been working on anyway? You left your sketchbook open yesterday. It looks great, as always." Alya always had faith in her sense of style, but even she wouldn't be afraid to admit it if it didn't look anything less than perfect.

"You're right, but what if it's too much? It's only a rough sketch I don't even know if the colours will suit me-"

"We all know you look fantastic in green and black because of your gloriously pale skin and and dark hair, now stop being a dipshit, get your act together and WIN HIM OVER WITH YOUR NATURAL INNOCENT PRINCESS CHARM! YOU'VE GOT THIS GIRL!" Alya hung up with a resoluteness that only Alya could pull off. Marinette stopped staring at her phone and got to work.

"You do have a natural innocent charm, princess." Chat Noir said, emerging just as she reached for her pencil. She abandoned the task at hand, slammed her sketchbook shut and spun around in her chair to see him sitting on at the top of her ladder.

"I appreciate the compliment, but you do realise you're trespassing on other people's property." Marinette commented mildly, suddenly having a new appreciation for how much he suited black leather.

"It's hardly breaking and entering. The balcony was open, it was basically an invitation." He said, knowing she was the only one he'd ever visit on a Sunday evening by appearing on her rooftop.

"It's still quite invasive, what if you got the wrong house?" She challenged him, getting up and walking towards him.

"I don't think I could ever miss the house of my princess" Chat Noir insisted, shuffling down the ladder until he perched half way.

"I'm not convinced Kitty, what if there was an old lady trying to sleep or a little girl playing with her toys in her room or-" Marinette froze in anticipation when she realised she was face to face with Chat Noir and he was leaning towards her…

…until he leaned forward too far and tumbled forwards, sending Marinette sprawling backwards onto her bedroom floor and her leather-clad crush fell flush against her. Adrien suddenly let go of his transformation and then she felt him flush against her. Leaning on the floor with his forearms, he didn't hesitate to kiss the girl he loved underneath him, and she made a mental note that making out when untransformed was much much much better than while transformed... until she heard a shout from downstairs.

"IS EVERYTHING OKAY MARI-DEAR?" Sabine Dupain-Cheng called up the stairs. Marinette sighed. She extracted herself from underneath a disappointed Adrien, while boldly running her hand up the front of his body as she moved to get up, almost making Adrien fall flat on his face at her sudden burst of confidence. It was thrilling to him.

Marinette poked her head out of the trapdoor which led up to her room. "I just fell over, it's fine." She laughed nervously, and Sabine didn't let her flushed face go unnoticed.

"Do you have someone up there with you?" Her mother pressed, eyeing her daughter.

"Just Adrien." She said as nonchalantly as possible, trying her best to ignore the surprise on Sabine's face. "We have a lab project for school, you know how much I suck at physics."

"Sure. Don't stay up too late, I'll get some fuel for you both." Giving Marinette a look that fully insinuated that they'll have to talk about it later, she left them in peace and headed to the kitchen.

"We're just going to have to hang, chaton. Both my parents are guaranteed to emerge through that trapdoor in the next ten minutes." She pulled him over to her sofa and stroked his hair, flattening it into a look that didn't suggest that they were on the verge of something that could have been very intense.

"I did actually come here to ask you something." Adrien said, throwing his arm across the back of the sofa. "If you didn't know already, there is a formal event happening at our school in a couple of weeks." Marinette giggled, pretending to be completely oblivious like they had been with Alya and Nino about their relationship.

"A formal event?" She asked innocently.

"Indeed. Would you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, do me the honour of being my stylish beautiful date?" Adrien almost cringed himself at the cheesiness, but he was planning on sweeping her off her feet and he had a feeling he was succeeding.

She never got the chance to answer as the trapdoor opened and both Sabine and Tom emerged with a plate of sugared goods. Adrien already had the sense to retract his arm but her parents were very aware of the chemistry between them.

"This is Adrien." Marinette introduced him formally, still unsure as to how to label them in public. She knew he was her boyfriend, but didn't want to label him as that or just as a friend in front of anyone.

"Hi honey, I'm sure we've met before! My name is Sabine and this is my husband Tom. It's a pleasure to see how happy you make our daughter, although you can use the front door, it is fully functional." Marinette stared at her laughing mother in embarrassment and Adrien chuckled.

"I will, don't you worry ma'am." Adrien insisted as Marinette relieved her parents of the plate of cookies.

"Call me Sabine." She insisted. "Enjoy the cookies, but it's getting dark and you both have school tomorrow." Marinette knew that was a hint that he definitely wasn't permitted to stay over, and although she hadn't planned on him doing that, she was still a little embarrassed. They both descended and retreated to the living room, while Adrien was already eating a cookie. Once the trapdoor shut Tikki joined them, feeling completely comfortable in the presence of Adrien. Plagg also emerged, grumbling about a lack of camembert. Adrien produced some from his jacket as if he read his Kwami's mind.

"You never answered my question, which is quite frankly appaw-ling" Adrien said out of the blue, cutting into the comfortable cookie-eating silence.

"Well, it's paw-fectly obvious that I would say yes." Marinette replied.

Adrien didn't think he could love her more.