Adrien was casually flipping through channels, lounging on the emerald green couch of their London loft. Marinette peaked out of her bedroom at him. She couldn't help but stare as the mid morning sun illuminated his blond hair, and softened the angles of his face. He looked back, over his shoulder at her and flashed an easy-going smile that reduced her legs to jelly.
"What do you have in mind?" He asked.
Marinette snapped to attention, gripping the doorframe. "Well, I..." her mouth went dry.
"...I was thinking a comedy, but if you're in the mood for something else..." Adrien offered.
"No, that sounds great!" Marinette nodded, ducking into her room to retrieve the fuzzy blue blanket that was thrown across her bed.
Tiki peeked out from the head of the bed, and gave Marinette a wink.
Marinete quickly returned to the living room, holding the blanket in front of her. She kicked herself for allowing her brain to over think the smallest details... but even the matter of where to sit made her freeze up. Too far and Adrien would think she didn't want to be near him. Too close and she might be invading his space, making him uncomfortable around her. In the end though, Adrien helped make it all so much simpler.
"Here, Sorry about taking up the whole couch! I will make room for you," Adrien said, scooting to the left arm of the couch and patting the space next to him.
Marinette found her feet moving, and tucked her toes neatly underneath her once she reached the couch.
Adrien unfurled her blanket over them both, and made sure to tuck the edge around Marinette's shoulder. Then he snuggled down under the blanket with a sigh.
The movie was good enough to induce a few laughs from both of them at the beginning. Although it was not quite able to maintain the attention of two very exhausted teens till the credits. Between the warm sun bathing the room, the comfortable plush blanket they were burritoed up in, and the hum of the ceiling fan, they didn't stand a chance of making it through the movie awake.
Adrien was veigly aware of Marinette's even rhythmic breathing as her head finally dropped heavily to his shoulder. It reminded him of their first trip to London together on Startrain (...before everything got turned upside down). It had been nice to have that closeness with someone. Just a pure trust and ease with them. He wondered if she felt that same content completeness with him...or maybe she was unaware that when she nuzzled against his shoulder it made his heart quicken with happiness. He didn't dive too deep into that possibility. Soon his tired body dragged his tumble of thoughts into blissful, oblivious sleep.
Meanwhile Marinette dreamt that she was on the edge of the Seine, with the blond haired boy of her dreams (literally). They held hands walking along under the starlight. Their shoulders brushed against each other the way she leaned against him. But when he turned back to look at her, it wasn't Adrien, but Chat Noir in front of her.
"Forever won't be long enough," he whispered taking her into his arms.
"Maybe we can just start with today," she heard herself murmur back, and drew her hands up the sleek arch of his back, and pressed towards him, drawing his face to hers. Their lips came so close to each other, she could almost feel the warmth from his breath.
Suddenly, without warning she fell from his grasp, and began falling down a dark abyss. Her heart leapt, but she was not afraid. Chat Noir dove down above her, reaching out to her. The strange thing is that he had two massive wings attached to his back. The wings were drawn in close to his body allowing him to propel himself to reach her. All she had to do was to reach out her hand to him, and she would be saved. His eyes implored her to give him her hand, but she held back. Together they fell.
With a jolt Marinette's eyes snapped open, flinging her out of the dream world. She didn't quite register where she was, or why her arm was tingling like pricks of pins and needles. She went to slowly raise herself, when a moan of protest from beneath her made her freeze in her tracks. A strong arm draped around her waist, pulled her closer. Her eyes widened as she realized her head now rested of the chest of a very sound asleep and unaware Adrien.
Her mind raced through the haze of a mid morning nap, trying to piece together how they had ended up quite like this. They must have fallen asleep during the movie she reasoned, and shifted until they ended up cuddled up together. While innocently unconscious there was no ounce of awkwardness, but now that she was fully aware of the closeness they shared...it was another story.
Adrien really must have been nearly as tired as she had been judging by the deepness of his sleep. Marinette considered for a blissful moment that to prevent waking him, she could just lay her head back against him, and soak up this moment. Yet, the possibly of embarrassing scenarios that ran through her head of Adrien waking up to find her wrapped up next to him, made her attempt a stealthy escape instead.
Moving as slowly as if she was defusing a bomb, she peeled herself out from his arm. Then she edged further to the other side of the couch, and cringed when Adrien shifted. Then he mumbled something indiscernible, and smiled in his sleep, making Marinette immediately regret her decision to have left her previous position.
She gazed helplessly smitten at Adrien, before suddenly coming to the realization that is would be an even worse situation if Adrien suddenly woke up. He would find her creepily watching him sleep! No, nope...she had left her stalkerish tendencies in the past...well most of them...but Adrien would never see the scrapbook of photos she had of him. She had to avoid the potential awkwardness at all costs. She needed to stop staring at his perfect angelic face!
Forcing herself into action, she decided to flee the scene and busy herself with packing. Returning hastily to her room, with only the tiniest wistful lingering look back at the young man draped over the couch, she unzipped her bag and started stuffing her things in.
Tiki buzzed to the top of the bag supervising the haphazard packing endeavor. "You know Marinette, there will still be plenty of time to pack your few things later," Tiki chirped.
"Nope! I have to do it now! I've got to do something now!" Marinette whispered more to herself than Tiki, diving under her bed looking for her left shoe.
With a gleam of amusement Tiki held the left shoe up, which had already been shoved into her bag under her socks.
"Marinette, is this where you really want to be?" Tiki asked.
"No," Marinette burst squishing the side of her bag down. "The only place on earth I want to be is with him!" She whispered frustratedly.
"Then go be with him," Tiki smiled, with a soft shove in the direction of the door.
Marinette edged back to the couch and perched on the edge near his knees. That was when Adrien stretched out (much like a cat in a sunbeam), and accidentally kicked Marinette off the couch.
With a thud she was on the floor, and Adrien's eye flew open. In a flash he was scrambling over the tangled blue blanket to make sure he hadn't hurt Marinette. But the blanket was wound awkwardly around his leg, and his sudden movement sent him falling over Marinette's shoulder and he landed right at her feet.
"I'm so sorry Mari! Are you okay?!"
He asked worriedly.
Marinette couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles. In trying to make everything less awkward, it had just ended up more awkward than she could possibly have predicted...and yet here they were in a heap on the floor together, and she found it wasn't half bad! "Don't worry, I'm fine," she said between giggles, "but how about you?! You flew right across the living room?!"
Adrien shook his head and laughed too, tilting his head up to her. "I would fly across a million living rooms to ensure the safety of the fair Marinette!" He pronounced dramatically.
"Especially when she has been launched from her perch by your very foot!" She shot back playfully, in mock scorn.
"I really am sorry!" Adrien insisted again "I must have been more out of it than I thought! I didn't realize..."
"Don't worry! I will just be on my guard for your ninja kick next time I wake you up," she said trying to help him unwind the blanket.
"Next time, huh?!" Adrien gave her a distinctly Chat-like smirk.
They both came face to face, which caused Marinette face to blush apricot pink, and Adrien's hand shot to his neck. In the same moment they each scrambled out of their jumble of limbs and twisted blankets, to find their feet on either end of the coffee table.
"Hey, as an apology for poor couch-sharing decorum, how about I take you out for lunch?!" Adrien ventured. "I mean it is nearly supper now," Adrien glanced up at the clock, "but we could grab something before Alya and Nino get back?!"
"My father always said the best way to forgiveness is through a full stomach," Marinette smiled, straightening her shirt.
"I will keep that in mind...not that I ever want to be on Marinette Dupain-Cheng's bad side!" Adrien smiled back, offering his arm.
"Impossible," Marinette assures him, taking his arm, and grabbing her purse on the way out the door.
Thank you again readers for following and liking my story, it means so much that there are those out there who are enjoying it! Also a special thanks to all those who have been leaving new future destinations in reviews (India, Whales, South Africa, Mexico, USA (New York) to come)! Chat Noir and Ladybug will be off to Canada next!