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Chapter Eight : The sound of thunder

Never a day since Monarch was gone had been so exhausting. She felt as if dozens of Megakumas had passed over her body (or, figuratively, just Adrien Agreste twice in less than 12 hours—or, literally, Chat Noir just a few minutes ago when he jumped on her to save her). The situation she found herself in, stuck between the two men, was time and energy consuming.

Despite her legs barely supporting the weight of her shaking body, Marinette didn't slow down her strut toward the last floor where Adrien's apartment stood. She climbed the stairs two at a time, furiously wiping her damp face with the back of her sleeve. She flung the door open with eyes for only the warmth of her bed—well… Adrien's bed actually. She really needed to sleep. Reaching the bedroom, she went straight for the bed, collapsing on it like a starfish, when the bathroom's door suddenly opened, disturbing her lack-of-sleep induced coma.

Adrien was standing there, in the frame of the sliding door, shirtless with a towel tied around his waist. His hair was as soaked as hers. At least, he had a warm shower, unlike the cold one she had outside with the pouring rain. Her wet hair was hopelessly spread over the pillow, her damp clothes soaking the sheets, making her feel all cold despite the hotness creeping in her lower belly. The sight of her handsome sexfriend half naked often had that effect on her.

"You should take a shower," Adrien stated as he came closer, "or you gonna catch a cold."

"Just five more minutes," Marinette muttered under her breath as she allowed herself to close her eyes for a short moment.

The next moment, the mattress slumped next to her before she felt something smooth gently stroke her hair. Her eyes instantly snapped open, displaying some deep dumbfoundment: Adrien was using his towel to dry her hair. The towel which... Her thought came to a record scratch as her gaze swept over his naked body from north to south and… the towel supposed to act as the last line of defense to preserve her sanity was gone.

"You sobered up," she blurted out, her gaze lingering over his manhood.

Adrien didn't say a thing though he raised an inquisitive brow and a small smirk popped on his lips. It spoke volumes about the way he had read her behavior.

Smooth Marinette.

"Uh, I mean–it's nice to see you're big–clean! I mean clean! I also need to clean myself." A cringe smile stretched Marinette's lips before she quipped and stood up from the bed. "I'd better take my shower now after all!" She rushed straight toward the bathroom and locked herself in in no time.

"Marinette,"Adrien sighed in his bed. Not the long, loving sigh he was used to since he had realized his feelings for her. This one was full of concerns and queries.

Maybe he'd overdone the wine and gone too far with his teasing and bantering during dinner at her parents' earlier? Or had Chat Noir let his feelings for her show or said something he shouldn't? Both? He clutched the sides of his head and sighed. This was getting nowhere near what they had agreed for in the first place. It wasn't supposed to be complicated and it was getting so much more complicated than anything he had ever known before.

Nino was right. Women were complex creatures. Dear Lord! Give him a thousand akumas anyday! Fighting—strike, counter, riposte; it was straightforward, effective and without hassles. But the women...the women! It was just the opposite. Although at the end of the day... He wasn't much better. He was the stubborn one who didn't want to fall in love anymore but fell in love in spite of himself…

That was it. He had to accept and face his feelings. He had to stop lying to himself. He was already under Marinette's spell anyway, there was no getting back at this point—no antidote. He could only yield. Not that he didn't crave to do so since they had shared their first time together.

At some point during his introspective, Marinette left the bathroom, all dressed up in a black tight yoga pants and a green crop top. The way she sported Chat Noir's color didn't do anything to calm down the erratic beating of Adrien's heart. Maybe she really did have a thing for the cat-themed hero? It could only be win-win for him, right?

Right?

Marinette slipped under the sheets and he didn't think twice before scooting closer and hooking an arm around her waist. She instantly yelped and that was when he realized he was still in his birthday suit.

"A-Adrien. I'm sorry but… I'm very… tired."

"Don't be! I'm the one who's sorry. I didn't mean to make it feel like an obligation… I was lost in thoughts and…" he paused and crawled off the bed, grabbing a sweatpants which he hastily put on before lying back next to her. "I don't want to have sex tonight either. Actually, I just want to hold you."

In the dim light of his bedside lamp, Adrien could see Marinette's eyes widening. She looked like a frightened deer caught in the headlights of a truck while trying to hide from a storm. The sound of the raindrops bursting against his windows only broadened the scenario.

"If… if you're okay with that… o-of course?" he stuttered. One hand reached for the back of his head, rubbing it with unease.

"Oh, um, y-yes," Marinette agreed. Although he had the feeling that she wasn't completely sure about it.

One step at time, Adrien. Don't try to cut corners.

"Can you… can you turn around?" Maybe if she had her back to him she would feel more comfortable with the hug.

In the glow of the dim light, he got one last glimpse at her doubtful gaze before she turned around. He gingerly shifted closer, his body nestling against hers like two spoons perfectly stored in a drawer. One of his hands slowly traveled up her arm, sending goosebumps in its wake as he searched for a hold of her own hand. Upon reaching his goal, he gently grasped her fingers and entwined them before laying their joined hands against her chest. His face got closer as well, his nose nuzzling her hair as he settled down in her neck. He breathed in deeply, taking a good sniff of her sweet perfume—violet and wild blackberry with a hint of vanilla.

The way it deeply smelled like home… The way it felt like home… It didn't help him to keep a careful distance so as not to rush her. Quite the opposite actually.

In his eagerness, he placed a soft kiss on the hot skin of her neck.

The unexpected touch startled her and she flinched, hitting the back of her head against his nose.

"Adrien! Oh my god, I'm sorry!" She turned around at a neck breaking speed as he cradled his nose with one hand, his eyes closed and brows furrowed in pain.

His eyes snapped open as Marinette shifted around in the bed. "Is it a payback for kissing you without your permission earlier?"

"What? No!" she yelped.

"You look mad at me. Are you mad at me?"

"No, no! I'm not! I was just surprised that you broke your own rule. I hadn't seen that kiss coming. That's it," she explained in a trembling voice, her hands shaking as much as her pitch.

"Sometimes, some rules need to be broken," Adrien whispered. His fingers gently rubbed the bridge of his nose as he flashed her a soft smile.

A beat of silence.

Marinette deadpanned for a couple of seconds, her eyelids fluttering in utter confusion.

Adrien berated himself. She obviously wasn't ready to break rules yet; he should have known better. After all, he was used to her acting weird around him when she felt overwhelmed. This was her defense mechanism. A mechanism that had taken him a long time to understand, and of which he still didn't have the hand yet. His cataclysm, as dangerous as it could be, was much easier to handle. Marinette on the other hand, real time bomb between his caring hands, could cause more damage than his cataclysm if he wasn't careful. He was fully aware of it.

"You know what, I'll go get you some ice," she eventually said as she crawled backward.

In a swift move, he reached for her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. "Please stay," Adrien whispered.

"But… your nose…" She looked so sheepish.

"You're overdoing it. It was just a little nudge; the pain is already fading. I'm fine," Adrien reassured her despite the concern he could see lasting in her gaze. "C'mere." His arm wrapped around her waist and he resumed their previous position, hugging her back against his torso and holding one of her hands in his.

"Good night," he murmured in her ear, his voice slightly muffled by a thunderbolt clattering outside.

Settling his forehead back in the crook of her neck, he squeezed her hand three times; some kind of secret code for the words he wanted to say but that he stubbornly kept holding back; I love you.

Marinette barely reacted, her own hand giving only one slight press back before turning limp into his. At least, she didn't try to pull away. He knew it wasn't to be taken for granted, yet he couldn't help but let some hope fill and warmth his heart.

"Good night, Adrien."

Another thunderbolt echoed in the now quiet room.

See you next week for another chapter. Until then, I'll be glad to read your reviews.

Miraculous kissed you all.