Prompt: Adrien is on a date with a girl model who is a bitch and Marinette just so happens to be their waitress for the evening. Inserting overprotective (or overpossessive if that's how you want to look at it) "best friend".
For all those who wanted overprotective Marinette! More of these will probably come up, just an FYI.
Oh and this is a Late!College AU. Like Senors and stuff.
Too be honest, Adrien wasn't sure how he got mixed in with this. Seriously, he wasn't. One minute, he's modeling with a girl (was her name Sophie?) and the next he was going on a date with her. She was taking him to a restaurant called Le Stella. When he walked in, surprise! Nino was dressed in a white dress shirt with a black vest over it. His hair grew out a bit and he wasn't wearing his normal hat. Adrien let out a loud laugh making his best friend jump before grinning.
"Adrien, my man! What are you doing here?"
"Taking ME on our first date!" Sophie (just gonna stick with that...) said, clutching his arm, reminding him too much of Chloe. Nino raised an eyebrow and wrinkled his nose.
"That sucks man." Adrien frowned and looked at him confused, talking before Sophie could comment after her indigent squawk.
"What do you mean?"
"Well me and Alya always thought you were going to end up with Marinette."
Wait what?!
"Yeah dude! She had the biggest crush on you in high school." Adrien flushed and felt a bit of shame flood to his cheeks. He was so obsessed with Ladybug that he never noticed. Maybe something could of happened... He admitted to himself that he liked the shy girl after their graduation. Marinette was as nervous as always around him (guess it makes more sense now) and had shyly gotten his attention. When he turned, she gave him a small kiss. On the cheek but still a kiss. His cheek had burned and he was confused before looking at her and reciprocated the small action. She was red with a flush but a small smile on her face.
Then he never saw her again.
All four of them went to college to follow their dreams. Marinette was going to be the youngest fashion designer in good graces with the Gabriel Agreste (and not because of him!). Nino was becoming a professional musician, not just DJing anymore. Sometimes, he, Marinette and Alya would help him with his pieces. The girls turned out to have lovely voices (I-I'm not that good Adrien! Shut up and accept the compliment girl! ALYA!) and he could serenade them with the piano. And Alya became the youngest reporter of France's newspaper, though he could see her leaning into investigations and not just stories now. She had a knack for that sort of thing anyway. Then him. Adrien was going into Physics major and kept up modeling for his dad. It paid good and he had a bit more free time.
He patrolled the night alone or sometimes Ladybug makes an appearance. Ever since the defeat of Hawkmoth, they don't see each other very much. It was around the same time he kept hanging out with Marinette over the summer before college, and his crush on the hero dwindled and another formed on the, now, non-stuttering, sarcastic, beautiful Marinette.
But they just don't talk!
Now Adrien was a slightly stuttering mess when he tried talking to her and ended up erasing messages he wanted to send. Sometimes she would text to say hi and he would get so freaked out that he wouldn't respond before typing the excuse, "Sorry! Maybe next time," or "I was busy and didn't see it." Soon she stopped texting and he felt like an idiot.
"Well enough about that, Alya can show you too your table!" Nino said as a familiar red and brunette haired girl walked up with her thick framed glasses on her face and a knowing smirk.
"Hey blondie, good to see you again."
"Alya! What are you guys doing here? I forgot to ask."
"Summer jobs, gotta pay tuition and such." Alya winked before narrowing her eyes at his date. He realized Sophie had an annoyed look on her face and was playing on her phone before looking up.
"Oh, your done talking with Commoners? Let's go already." She strutted passed them and directed herself to the table. Alya visibly elbowed him and gave a 'what the hell?!' look at him. He flushed again and sighed with a shrug. He didn't know how it happened either.
"Here you go guys," Alya handed them their menus, "Your waitress will be here shortly to get your drinks." Alya smirked at Adrien before walking off.
Now Adrien attempted to be nice through out the wait but this girl was a flirt! He winced, wondering if this is what Ladybug felt like when he flirted with her. He sighed and placed a fake smile on his face and tried to pay attention but she was just blabbing about her and her new hairdresser. He had never been happier when the waitress showed up.
"Hi, I'm Marinette and I'm going to be your waitress tonight! Can i take your drinks orders?"
Shit.
Adrien was looking firmly at the menu's, silently cursing Nino and Alya. They just so happened to leave out that Marinette worked there too.
"I will have your house red." Sophie sighed.
"A uh a coke please." Adrien heard her scribble down her answer an hesitantly glanced up. He wished he didn't. He can't stop looking at her now. Marinette had grown. Her hair was longer and no longer held into pigtails. She was wearing a messy bun that had two pencils sticking out of it. Her eyes, oh god, her eyes. He thought they were blue before, nothing compares to how they are now. Her lips were a light pink and pulled fuller then in highschool. She grew into her figure and had perfect curves that the female models he knew would kill for. She had a bright smile and a natural flush on her face.
"Your drinks will be right out!" Her cheery voice hummed. She started walking away before pausing and looking back, eyes twinkling. "Oh and, hi Adrien!"
Adrien jumped and flushed a red, smiling frantically.
"Hey, Hi, Hey Marinette!" She giggled at him and continued to walk away. Adrien groaned softly to himself and ran a hand through his hair. This was worse then when Ladybug actually flirted back at him. Sophie have him a narrowed eye look and a glare toward Marinette's direction and felt a protective urge run through him. She isn't going to be Chloe, Marinette didn't need that, especially not now when her life was beginning! Adrien sent a glare at Sophie and straightened up, Marinette walked back carrying a tray with drinks and another tray for another table. He only caught a glance at Sophie's smirk hen she knocked over one of Marinette's tray's. She yelped and he feared that he clumsiness that followed her through highschool wouldn't show up when she arched a bit and caught everything.
"Sorry! I am a bit clumsy." Marinette smirked. "Now i know your name," She pointed at him, "But i don't know yours..."
"Sophie Collins."
"That doesn't sound french."
"I'm a visiting model from America. This is just a side job, I'm thinking of time off. I'm going to get a role for a new movie! Maybe I can get some tips sometime." She winked suggestively at Adrien which made him wrinkle his nose and give a weak smile at Marinette. She frowned and rested a hand on is shoulder. Adrien felt the heat flush to his cheeks and stiffened under her.
"Hey are you alright?" She asked softly, her breath tickling his ear. He nearly shuddered and responded with a raspy voice,
"I-I'm fine Marinette."
"Your daddy hasn't pushed you too hard...has he?" They way she spoke was innocent for sure but he couldnt help but flush harder and nod jerkily. Sophie clenched her fist and slammed it on the table.
"Hey waitress! Hands off him!"
"I'm just comforting a friend!" Marinette teased back, a smirk on her face.
"Your a minimum waged waitress! You think Adrien Agreste would ever go for the likes of you? He wouldnt waste his breath. He's mine."
"Sound familiar?" Marinette asked with a giggle. Adrien nodded, face hardening. Before he could say anything Marinette slid closer to Sophie and gave a smile.
"One, he isnt property, Adrien is a human being. Two, listen closely and tell me if this story sounds familiar. Naive little hick with good looks and great hair decides 'Hey look at me, I'm going to move to Paris! Where love and happiness happens everywhere and I will have everything i ever wanted.' Only to find -Whoopsie- we dont all get what we want. And that dream of being a movie star? Double whoopsie, She's a secondary model. And whoopsie number threesie nobody cares about her or her dreams. And soon enough those dreams die and our model sinks into emotional and literal squalor, living in a run down apartment. Till, finally, she has no choice but to go back home with those big brown eyes and pretty hair to become... You're from America, is that what you said? So how about a diner waitress? That sound about right?" Marinette put the food down and put a hand on her hip. Adrien could feel Plagg snickering and Adrien just looked at her confused. Where did the attitude come from?
"It's on the house."
"Hey! No one tells me what I can or cant be. Especially not some bitch who never had the guts to try to be anything more then a stupid slutty waitress!" Sophie slammed her hand down and glared at Marinette who leaned over with that famous 'Ladybug Smirk.'
"Alright, look. Everyone comes to Paris thinking that they can be anything they want. Well you cant. I've tried. You can only be what you are. Sly fox," She pointed to herself, "Dumb bunny." She pointed at Sophie who stood and glared into Marinette's eyes.
"I'm not a dumb bunny."
"Right. And thats not Spaghetti Marinara." Sophie jerked her hand out of the dish and hissed, wiping it on a napkin. "You'll never be a real actress. Start with working on t.v shows first and work your way up." A hint of the old Marinette was there before smirking back down at her. "You're a hot model though. Maybe even a top model like your boyfriend, one day! Hang in there!" And walked off and up to Alya who was talking rapidly with her phone out. Sophie let out what sounded like a feral growl and stood with a glare.
"Sophie..."
"NO NO NO! I'm done! If that's the kind of people you hang out with then I'm out of here!" She took off with a rough shove to Marinette who waved bye sarcastically.
"Bye Bye Little Butterfly!" Adrien paused and looked back at Marinette with wide eyes. Only one person ever said that.
"Ladybug?" Adrien shook his head and called over Marinette again. She hesitantly made her way over before placing that fake smirk on her face. Adrien couldnt help but think, what happened to you?
"Can i have the check?"
"Sure...and sorry, i didnt mean to ruin your date."
Adrien nodded and grabbed her wrist before she left. "Can i talk to you after?"
"My shift is almost over."
It was about twenty minutes later and Marinette punched out, waving to Alya and Nino. She put on a small jacket over her uniform and let out a small breath into the night of Paris. They walked down the street in silence, though not the awkward kind like in highschool. Marinette was the one who broke it though.
"Look I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at her. She just reminded me of Chloe and...myself that i sort of...well snapped."
"Why did you snap. You usually dont let things like that get to you."
"You dont really know me that well then."
"So things do get to you."
Marinette paused and sighed, amending her statement. "Not anymore. I remember having big dreams like she did."
"To be a fashion designer, right?" She nodded and sighed, rubbing her arms.
"I think it was in the middle of college and i was finally accepted into the fashion program. I saved enough money with the bit of help from my parents and made it in with big dreams and big ideas. I was so excited. Everyone was so nice and i actually felt like i belonged somewhere. But then the professor walked in. We had an assignment and it was to make a small coat. Simple. I added my own designs and thought just like we were supposed to. I was so proud of what i did and when i showed it to her, she simply picked it up and grabbed my scissors. I thought she was going to alter a bit, it might have been a bit long. Instead...she cut it all up. Everything i worked on to impress this women, put into shreds. She told me that I would never be a real designer. I didnt have the talent for it."
"But-but your designs are amazing! You never believed what they said before!"
"I guess i was just tired of being told i cant. And the next day, i dropped the class."
Adrien stared at Marinette with sad eyes and she turned her head away and sighed. "I learned two things that day. One, i was never going to let anyone see they got to me."
"And two?" Adrien asked quietly.
"If all anyone is ever going to see me as untalented and worthless, then why should i keep trying."
Adrien stopped Marinette and held her upper arm. She looked up at him and he could see the sadness in her eyes but she was so strong. She had been strong for so long. Adrien gave a small grin and she returned it.
"I'm proud of you." She blinked and tilted her head confused. "Your not untalented or worthless. But I'm proud of you. You are so much more then that. Also, thank you."
"For what?"
"Putting Sophie in her place...though it could have been down much nicer." Marinette flushed with a groan and crossed her arms, walking again.
"I'm sorry. Seriously."
"It's fine. I get that you were jealous!"
"JEALOUS? Why would i be jealous?!" Marinette yelled as he teased her.
"You weren't on the date with me." Marinette flushed again and shoved him with a smirk.
"Maybe. But i wasn't the one blushing at every fleeting touch, now was i Agreste?" She brushed his shoulder with a smirk and walked ahead. Sure enough, Adrien was red and a small smile on his face.
"That's not fair! Wait for me!"
A/N: And done! This is sorta like Zootopia and stuff with a little bit of Protective!Marinette but not at the same time. I have a completely different one for like full on protective Marinette. Thank you so much for reading and i hope you enjoyed it!