"Where have you been dude?" Nino asked as Adrien nudged the door open (to the London flat they were all staying in) with his knee.
Adrien raised a tray of four cups of coffee in response. "Coffee?" He asked innocently.
"Thanks!" Nino's eyes lit up and eagerly took a cup. Taking a satisfying sip, he looked around Adrien who was closing the door and asked, "Wait! Where is Marinette?"
"Marinette?" Adrien repeated confused.
"Weren't you two together?" Nino asked with rising concern.
"Well, no," Adrien answered "I couldn't sleep, got up early, and thought I'd grab these for everyone. Are you sure she's not just sleeping in?"
Alya rushed into the room hearing Adrien's voice, taking her phone from her ear, "Where have you two been?!" She asked excitedly, and then she surveyed the room, and said in a frantic voice "Adrien...What did you do with Marinette?!"
"Do...did I...with Mari...no nothing. I mean she hasn't been with me. Are you serious that she's not just in her room?!" Adrien started to panic crossing the floor to Marinettes closed door and rapping quickly, calling "Mari?! Mari are you okay?"
"How do you think we figured you were both together? Marinette hasn't been in her room all morning, plus we find nothing but a few folded blankets on the couch, with you off out and about somewhere!" Alya met Adrien at the door frame, flinging her hands around her head.
Unwilling to believe his friend was missing Adrien swung her door open and folded back the blankets on the bed. "Mari..." he let his voice drop, seriously distressed that it was true...she had vanished. He thought back and knew he hadn't seen her leave her bedroom before he had left, but what could have happened to her?!
"What are you all looking for?" a voice said behind them, looking over their shoulders.
They all let out shout of surprise, when they turned around to find Marinette standing right behind them.
"Girl!" Alya grabbed her in a hug so tight, she lifted Marinette right off the ground. "Alya!" Marinette squeaked, "I can't breathe! Plus you're crushing breakfast!"
The crumbled brown paper bag between them did look a little worse for wear, but Alya gave her another squeeze anyway.
"You scared us half to death!" She scolded her bff! "We were fine when we thought you had both gone off together, but when Adrien came back without you..."
"Wait?! Adrien was missing?" Marinette looked concerned, turning to the wide green eyes coming straight at her. Before she could register what was happening Adrien had grabbed her in a hug too!
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Adrien said, bending his head into the curve of her neck. "I thought you had gone out looking for me and got lost!" He whispered.
"Umm yeah... I wasn't sure where you were either," Marinette mumbled in a bit of a daze from Adrien pressed up against her. She breathed in the light scent of cologne hanging on his shoulder, when she suddenly registered that she was still standing in front of her friends clinging to Adrien Agreste. She stepped back abruptly, giggling self consciously, and raising the paper bag above her head as evidence. "I just thought I'd get breakfast to start off our last day in London together!" She exclaimed. Then looked apologetically back to Alya, and said a bit quieter, "sorry I had you worried this whole time!"
"She wasn't worried the whole time," Nino replied offhandedly, digging into the bag of breakfast sandwiches Marinette had returned with, and unwrapped one. "She was pretty thrilled when she thought you and Adrien...Gomtoember..mmmh!" Nino was cut short by his sandwich being forcefully shoved into his mouth by his annoyed looking girlfriend.
"We are all just glad you're both okay," Alya cut in, shooting a warning glance to Nino and smiling innocently at Marinette and Adrien. "Now had me a coffee Agreste, and let's pack up and decide what to do on our day of freedom!"
"Yes Mam," Adrien surrendered a cup to Alya, and held one under Marinettes nose. When Marinette just stared sleepily ahead in a fog, he asked, "Coffee Mi'lady?"
"What did you just say?!" Marinette's head swung up like a slingshot.
"Did you want coffee?" Adrien asked, with a slight crease grazing his forehead, looking at her with concern. "You okay Mari? No offence, but you look pretty tired...Did you have a rough night?"
"Yeah...yeah I guess you could say that...sorry...I guess I'm still pretty tired," she responded shaking her head, and accepting the warm paper cup from his hands. "I feel like all I really want to do is just crawl under the blankets! She sighed, taking a sip.
"Hey, I've got an idea," Adrien said, with his eyes lighting up. "Just wait a sec!"
Adrien crosses the floor to where Nino and Alya were dragging their packed bags to the door. He slipped his arm around Nino's shoulder and whispered something in his friend's ear. Nino then leaned over and whispered something to Alya. She looked surprised, looked over at Marinette, then to Adrien, and then whispered something back to Nino, who nodded.
Adrien bounded back over to a very confused Marinette, who hoped that the coffee would kick in soon.
"If you were serious, and you are really not feeling up to seeing the sites again today..." Adrien said, "Alya and Nino said they would be cool with us hanging back, while they head out together. Then they will meet us back here to go catch the train to Paris tonight."
"Well, I don't...you...wait did you say 'us!" As in you and me?!" Marinette sputtered, wishing desperately that her coffee had been an espresso so she could possibly comprehend what was just happening.
"Yeah...I mean, that is, if you don't mind if we just have a quiet day here together," Adrien smiled awkwardly. "I didn't get much sleep either, and as lame as it might seem, a chance to snuggle up on the couch and just watch some movies sounds better than fitting in everything on Alya and Ninos itinerary for the day."
"Oh yeah...sure, that would be great," Marinette answered trying to sound nonchalant about the fact the Adrien frickin Agreste had just carved out a whole day to snuggle up on the couch with her! No, no, no, she scolded herself inwardly...don't let yourself go there. You are just two friends needing to have a quiet day...a quiet day, alone together, wrapped up under a blanket...
"Bye Mari!" Sang Alya mischievously from the door "have fun!"
"Thanks! You both have a great day too!" Adrien smiled obliviously to the gleeful raised eyebrows and glance exchanged by the girls.
"Good luck!" Nino grinned slipping out the door together, and dragging Alya out with him.
Some lovable fluff for you readers, as our heroes rest up for their continuing trek around the world!