Past

"What do you think?" Marinette peered sheepishly over the rim of her book binder, staring into her own reflection's eyes.

Tikki became a small red blur in the mirror, dashing over to Marinette's shoulder. "I think it's a great speech!"

Marinette unclasped one hand from her binder, reaching up to stroke the kwami's forehead. Tikki was sweet as the macaroons Marinette fed her, but that also meant Tikki was terrible at lying to her face. She tended to get hyper and in-your-face when she was trying to feign honesty, banking on overwhelming her holder with warm nuzzling and heart melting stares.

And it would have completely worked on Marinette if Alya wasn't standing right there, brows knitted together in pain like a train crash was unfolding before her eyes. "The speech isn't your problem." Alya adjusted her glasses in a manner Marinette had come to dread. It was an excuse to pause, an excuse she was using to find the 'diplomatic' way of verbally socking Marinette across the jaw. "You could do with a little less 'I have a gun to my head. Please help.' energy."

Marinette fell back, slumping down against her mirror. "Oh, it's hopeless. I'm hopeless!" She spat out, heaving a short-lived breath between nervously chewing on the end of her bind. "I should have never been made class president!"

Alya sighed at Marinette's antics. She loved the girl to death, but there was a limit to how much one girl could worry herself ragged before it started to come off as over-dramatic. "Geez girl, you're making a speech to celebrate our class's achievements not addressing the nation." She crouched beside Marinette, watching Tikki curled up on her shoulder with a supportive smile. "No one's gonna remember it anyway. Everyone's just waiting for the speech to end so they can get out of the stuffy robes and criminally tiny chairs."

Marinette showed off her pout a second before she buried it in Alya's arm. "But what if I mess it up so colossally bad that it becomes memorable?"

Alya shrugged, patting Marinette on the head. "Then we'll tease you mercilessly about it for years to come and you'll become numb to it."

Alya couldn't help but laugh as Marinette tilted her head to send a childish glare Alya's way. "You're horrible."

Tikki zipped up, perching herself atop the tip of Alya's nose. Alya had long since accepted that Tikki did not understand personal boundaries. "Cheer up, Marinette!" She squeaked out, "You can do this, just put on your warrior face." The Kwami puffed out her cheeks and narrowed her over-sized eyes as a 'fierce' example. "This can't be worse than facing down akumas as Ladybug."

"Everything's worse as Marinette." Marinette groaned, sliding down to lie beside Alya. She stretched her arms out above her, reaching any distance she could use to quantify how 'different' Ladybug and Marinette were. "Ladybug's a mask with super everything, she can take the hit. If she gets humiliated, I can just change her costume. Marinette only has one."

Alya rolled her eyes, lightly poking the prone girl with her heel. "Yeah, like the city's #1 hero doesn't have a reputation to uphold. Truly, society would crumble if the baker girl down the street flubbed a graduation speech."

Marinette didn't reply with anything more than a soft sigh. What could she reply with? She couldn't tell Alya the real root issue, could she? Just like she wasn't supposed to be keeping any more important secrets from Chat Noir, she wasn't supposed to keep personal things bottled up from Alya.

That was why she revealed herself to Alya in the first place, because having so much to process and only having a centuries old God who struggled to understand humans as the only person you could talk to about it was terrible. It was a pressure building up in her stomach, squeezing her insides until she felt her body might burst open, but the relief, the release, never comes.

Alya's foot prodded her side again, "Come on Marinette, what's really eating you?"

She could tell Alya, she was tempted to tell Alya, but she shouldn't tell Alya and not tell Chat Noir. And she shouldn't tell Chat Noir and not tell Adrien. It wouldn't be fair to them, and it would be an even bigger mockery of the trust they put in her. A trust they gave freely despite how many times she proved she didn't deserve it.

She couldn't tell Alya, so she'd have to settle with hitting close to home.

"Things have been getting serious with Adrien." She said carefully, "We've been discussing plans for after the break." It wasn't a lie. The closer she and Adrien got, the more that self-doubt bubbled into guilt in the face of an uncertain future. Adrien didn't want a repeat of her finding out his plans last minute, despite how a tearful confession on an airport runway spoiled her inner romcom fangirl. Unlike her, he'd been plenty transparent.

"Oh right, I hear he and Nino are looking at taking some advanced education in London." Alya said, talking about her own boyfriend moving away with a tone of maturity and support Marinette could only envy. "It's not that far away, you know. Especially when you alter-ego has macaroons that make you fly."

Marinette rubbed her chin, feeling an itch developing under her skin. "I know. And I'm happy for him, don't get me wrong."

Knowing her boyfriend would be moving to another country entirely for a while sucked. She wanted every excuse to be by his side, but god was she happy that spending most of his life bound to a gilded cage didn't take away Adrien's ability to enjoy some damn freedom. She'd accept limiting their cuddles and kisses to every few weeks or months if it meant that boy got to spread his wings and find his place.

It would be hard, of course, but she accepted it.

"So, the problem?" Alya pursed her lips together, letting her inquisitive tone stretch out the annunciation of her words.

"I've read," Marinette paused, turning her head away as she continued in a quiet voice, "Way too much on how strained long-distance relationships can be."

She wasn't as confident in her next words as she thought she was. She couldn't blurt them out quick, she had to stop herself, scrunch up her face in cautious thought, asking herself over and over if she really wants to put this idea out there. The moment she says it, she knows the thought will never leave her and drive her to do something stupid.

With a sigh, she looked back up at Alya. "And I'm worried that having to lie to him is going to strain it even more."

The instant realization lightened Alya's features, her eyes growing wide with a soft 'oh' slipping from her loose lips. "You want to tell him about Ladybug?"

"There's a lot I haven't told him, Alya." Said Marinette, "There's a lot I haven't told you."

Alya's eyes softened. Her voice became gentle and soothing, washing over Marinette with a subtle warmth as she spoke. "You shouldn't blame yourself for not being able to save Gabriel. And I know Adrien wouldn't blame you either."

If only she knew that Marinette worried about quite the opposite, that Adrien would blame her for not doing more to damn Gabriel, for helping Gabriel. Would Alya be so understanding if she knew what Marinette had done? Marinette couldn't help but picture it in the darker parts of her mind, the disgusted and betrayed face that would dawn upon Alya, perhaps she'd even scurry away as if Marinette was diseased.

Marinette sat up to cough, pulling her knees up to her chest. She struggled to steady her voice. "You make it sound so simple."

Alya shrugged, "Some things are. You can't tackle everything with a convoluted scheme." She inclined her head towards the back of the room where Marinette's whiteboard of Adrien-centred plots used to be detailed. The memory still made Marinette flush bright red, cringing at her old antics. "Are you gonna tell him today?"

She's asking for a time. Ha. Marinette stifled a pathetic, bitter chuckle; she didn't even know what she was going to tell him. Would she start off with Ladybug and work her way up? Or just jump straight into 'I just so happened to overhear that Ladybug had no idea what she was talking about and everything you know is wrong'? And how the hell do you approach 'you're not actually human' with grace and dignity? How could such a complicated matter not call for a convoluted plan fit with a conspiracy board?

"At the ceremony. Maybe." Marinette bit down on her lip, her brain screaming at her that she cannot handle that kind of pressure, but her heart was easily convinced by Alya's kind eyes. She scratched the back of her neck, a nervous tick of Chat Noir's she often found herself emulating lately. "Figure if I leave it any longer, I'll lose my nerve."

Alya paused, looking over Marinette one more time. A lifetime of Marinette's social highlights flashing before her eyes before she nodded vigorously. "…Yeah, that's a good idea."

Marinette slapped Alya's knee with a mock-offended expression. "Hey, you're supposed to be supporting me!"

"I'm a reporter, Mari; I only tell the truth."

Marinette couldn't even bring herself to be offended, the two just broke out into giggles right then and there. At least until Alya's phone went off with a cheerful tune, an adorable smile lighting up her face as she mouthed 'Nino' before excusing herself to the other end of the room. Alya can tease me all she wants, Marinette thought with a smirk, but we both know Nino turns her to mush inside. To think, they might not have even gotten together if I hadn't panicked and locked them in them in a zoo cage.

As she watched her best friend retreat into a separate conversation, Marinette could only stare at Alya's back, content. She may not have been able to give Alya all the information she needed, but somehow Alya still managed to alleviate the pain a little bit; Alya was good at keeping Marinette's head on straight.

But only a little bit.

Right on time, Tikki flew past Marinette's nose, pushing aside the dark bangs that had become twisted and unkempt during her time on the floor. She wore a hopeful gaze, lighting up the room with a gentle smile. It reminded Marinette of a similar look her mother would give her in the midst of a hug, trying to show support without insult or doubt. "You have nothing to worry about, Marinette."

Marinette presented an open hand to the kwami, prompting Tikki to gently set herself down on her holder's palm. Marinette took this opportunity to stroke the back of Tikki's head with the tip of her thumb, the warm fuzz of Tikki's fur as soft as cotton against her skin.

"Tikki, I know Adrien's a very forgiving guy," Holding Tikki closer to avoid breathing on her, Marinette felt her words stumble in the face of the little creature's wide-eyed, innocent and hopeful features. "But I think even he has his limits."

Tikki sighed, "It won't be easy on him, and it'll hurt him a lot." It was blunter than Marinette was used to from Tikki, but that only made the point hit harder. Any part of the truth would hurt Adrien, she knew that, that's why Marinette lied in the first place; but some part of her still needed to accept that there was no clean solution where everyone gets out unscathed.

"Maybe it'll take a few months, but I think he'll come around eventually." In moments like these, where Tikki's voice dropped to a raw octave and her gaze melted into resigned acceptance, that the curtain raised on the adorable, stuffed animal-esc surface. And below that surface Marinette got a glimpse of a being who was much older than her, who had gone through many other Ladybugs who faced many other threats, who had quarrelled with many other loved ones.

Tikki was a god, and no matter your grievance; when she spoke, truly spoke, you listened. Even if it were for something as lowly as relationship advice, you heeded. "Just be understanding, take your time and be ready to support his decision, okay?"

Marinette sighed, "Do you think I made the right decision back then?"

The moment she asked the question she felt foolish. On the day that Monarch fell, and Marinette disclosed her plan to Nathalie and the kwamis, she already knew they didn't approve. Tikki might not have been vocal about her disagreement, but Plagg had no such qualms about speaking his mind, and it was obvious Tikki didn't disagree with her counterpart. She did, however, step in the warn Plagg when he was close to making some rather ungenerous remarks about Marinette's plan.

Plagg had surprised Marinette with his discontent. While it was naturally fitting for the kwami of destruction to bring the fire and brimstone, and she understood him being protective of his holder being kept out of the loop yet again, he had also seemed oddly protective of Adrien's right to the truth as well.

"I'm not being fair to him, I know." She remembered arguing that faithful night, "But I think-"

"Think what?" Plagg had spat with venom she didn't know the usually laid-back and careless kwami was capable of. "That this is what's 'good' for him, right? Well maybe the kid's tired of other people deciding what's best for him!"

"I think you did what you thought was right." Tikki said quickly and firmly.

That's a cop-out, Marinette sighed, "Everyone thinks they're doing what's right."

Tikki reached out, patting down the bridge of Marinette's nose with her tiny paw. "I can't tell you that it's the choice I would have taken." Tikki said slowly, and for a moment Marinette could practically feel the endeavours of past heroes over Tikki's long lifespan passing them by in an instant. "I can tell you that I've had Ladybugs who've done much worse and still managed to come back from it."

Next to the Ladybug and Chat Noir champions who had to fight each other on opposite sides of a holy war, Marinette's problems did feel almost juvenile. But maybe that was a silver lining in of itself.

Tikki rested her head on Marinette's nose, clamping her eyes shut and breathing in the moment with the closest thing to a hug something so small could muster. "Take it from me; the power of love is stronger than any other force in the world. It can overcome anything if you're willing to let it." Despite Tikki's arms only being able to reach Marinette's nostrils, for a moment Marinette swore she could feel arms around her shoulders, ethereal limbs pulling her into the warmest embrace of her life.

A minute later, Alya switched off her phone and watched the two's embrace with a small 'aww' at the sight. When Tikki pulled back, Marinette let a stronger smile come to the forefront, gesturing to Alya she was fine. "So, are you ready for the speech or not?" Alya asked.

Marinette shrugged, "Ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

"Good, 'cus I think quitting at the last minute would be terrible timing."

"At the last min-" Marinette came to a dead stop, a multitude of complex calculations and mental calendars overtaking her brain. In one sharp move, Marinette snatched her phone from her nightstand, clicking it on and gazing at today's date in abject horror. She thought it was still yesterday. "We're gonna be late!"

Both Alya and Tikki could do nothing more but watch with restrained bemusement as Marinette shot to her feet at inhuman speeds, morphing into a blur as she rushed around the room, picking up various little asides, in a blind panic.

Alya didn't turn her head, keeping her eyes on Marinette even as she talked to the kwami, "Tikki, do you think we could get the Rooster miraculous to fix Marinette's sense of time?"

Tikki held back a small laugh, "Trust me, there's no miraculous in existence that could stop Marinette from being late."

The first thing Marinette heard when she burst through the doors was Kim yelling "And… Time!". The first thing she saw was Nino holding a stopwatch. The first thing she registered was her classmates begrudgingly passing along their money to Max and Adrien.

Embarrassment and rage so easily mixed, so she didn't know what order those feelings came in.

"Seriously, guys? Bets?" Marinette said in-between breaths.

The class of 2019 had all gathered in the school's entrance hall, spread out between old tables hiding under fresh sheets, colourful banners bringing the room together and bulky boards displaying various art projects and signed messages to the soon-to-be ex-students.

Off to the side Nino has carved out his own little space, erecting his set of DJ tools and instruments which he currently hovered over like he was afraid someone was gonna knock it all over. Luka, despite not being a classmate, sat down in front of Nino's setup with Juleka and Rose, his guitar resting in his lap. Mylene was stood atop Ivan's shoulders, readjusting the vibrant collection of balloons attached to the stairs, looking like a tiny mouse atop a massive ox.

Max, Kim and Adrien had sat themselves at the table closest to the entrance. Well, Max and Adrien sat down, Kim had decided to stand atop the table so everyone could witness his 'victory dance'.

A perfect place to celebrate before and after today's graduation ceremony.

Alix had perched herself on the railing overlooking everything, precariously dangling over the edge just to grin down at the group. "Hey, if you ever showed up on time, this wouldn't happen."

Marinette narrowed her eyes, cheeks puffing out in a huff. Instead of responding to Alix in a debate she knew she'd lose, she decided to play cheaply and look to her boyfriend, the overly dramatic betrayal evident on her face. "I can't believe you took part in this."

Adrien clasped his hands together, pleading with that perfect smile of his. "Hey, I bet that you'd be almost on time."

With a scoff, Marinette crossed her arms over her chest. Aghast, offended even. "Is Alya the only one who had any faith in me?"

The devil in question chose that moment to clap a hand on Marinette's shoulder, leaning past her to scold Adrien with a judgemental wagging finger. "She's right, Sunshine. How could you do this to your girl?" Only for that finger to be joined by an open palm, which Alya curled back-and-forth to make a 'gimme gimme' gesture. "Hey, Max, where's my cut?"

Max pushed his glasses up his nose with one finger. Marinette used to think Max's glasses were too big, but lately she started to suspect it was Max's interpretation of giving people the finger; Alya's frown certainly supported that theory. "You were ejected from the betting pool for trying to tamper with the results by fetching Marinette yourself."

"Alya!" Marinette squealed. Was there anyone she could trust to blindly deny her shortcomings for her?

Alya had the gall to look innocently surprised by Marinette's reaction, moving her hand to tap Marinette's nose. "What? Adrien's your boyfriend, I'm the best friend. We have different responsibilities."

Marinette shook her head, grumbling. "You're all despicable."

Nino made his way over, arms loosely slung behind his back and pushing out that dopey smile. He stopped his journey to kiss Alya on the cheek, before joining her on Marinette's other shoulder. "Don't be like that, Dudette. You love us really."

Oh, if I didn't have to keep my identity a secret, Marinette thought, I would so remind everyone that Carapace was a bunny last week. In her opinion, that was way funnier than her continual struggle against the oppressive and uncooperative march of time.

With a face on all sides, she tilted her head back to escape everyone's peppy, positive, delightful gazes. To make sure they didn't see her smiling at her own private joke, because otherwise they might think she was laughing with them. Which she wasn't! No matter how endearing her pack of friends were, she would not give them the satisfaction. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was an adult now. A fully matured, serious woman. "Against my better judgement."

She lasted about four seconds before she started giggling, setting off a chain of laughter that enveloped the entire hall with its echoes. Maybe it was a little funny.

Marinette didn't realize that Alya and Nino had untangled themselves from her until Adrien took their place, his warm fingers melting into her cold wrist and making her see steam. Her body naturally sunk into his embrace like it had done many times before, like two puzzle pieces slotting together, the two just fit.

Maybe that was why it was the one-way Adrien could touch her without making her blush, without causing a mental short circuit. Being in his arms was just natural, it was right, it was where she was supposed to be.

It should have made it harder to do what she set out to do, to tell him a truth that could possibly make this embrace their last. However, it only strengthened her resolve to do right by Adrien, even if it hurt like hell to do.

She drew her head back against his torso, gazing up into his loving smile. When she finally spoke, it was quiet. "Adrien, can we go somewhere… Alone?"

Adrien's touch didn't make her blush. The loud wolf whistle from Kim, accompanied by a legion of 'ooo's and 'whoop's, had her entire body turning into a tomato roasting under a desert sun.

Alix's teasing tone didn't help matters, "Damn, Mari. On school grounds? What would Mr. Damocles say?"

Suddenly, Marinette roughly pushed Adrien away with an inhuman squeal, "What? No! I would never." Turning back mid-splutter, she spotted her poor boyfriend literally on the back foot – waving his arms in a desperate attempt to keep his balance after she practically shoved him.

A strangled cry escaped her before she rushed over to Adrien to desperately grab his arm and pull it tight against her chest. "N-not that Adrien isn't attractive, but I'd never be interested. I mean! I would definitely be interested, which is to say I'm not a-" She looked to Adrien, who had joined her in blushing bright red, then she looked back to her peers, who looked back with a mix of encouragement, indifference and worry. "S-Shut up!"

Satisfied with that detailed and scathing retort, Marinette took off like a panicking chicken desperate for their wings to finally work. Adrien, who had impressively managed to keep hold of her hand throughout all of her antics, had no choice but to be pulled along with her. The duo fled through the closest door and down the hall, throwing themselves into the first abandoned classroom that crossed their path and slamming the door behind them.

Marinette's breathing was loud and raspy, as if she just got back from a marathon. It was enough to make Adrien frown with worry, squeezing her hand firmly to stop her from scurrying to the other side of the room. He kept her close, moving his free hand down her back, rubbing comforting circles into her skin. She couldn't help but groan in his embrace, feeling the rapid squeal of her lungs drop to a steady breath as his gentle gestures undid the tense knots of her muscles.

"Is everything good, Mari?" He asked softly, his warm breath beating against her forehead. "Still nervous about the speech, right? Because I already know you'll do great."

Both his concern and confidence made her heart sigh and blossomed a fresh wave of confidence. It was enough to coax out a small smile directed back up at him. "Oh really?"

He nodded. No pity, no contractual politeness, no need to please; none of that model citizen mask Adrien had crafted under his family expectations. It was just him, his voice overflowing with excited gusto, launching into his rambling explanation without an ounce of shame.

"Yeah, you have the makings of all great speakers." He pulled his hand up in front of her eyes, counting off the rationalizations with his fingers. "You have a voice I could listen to for hours, there's never a dull look on your face and I can't take my eyes off of you no matter what you're saying."

She giggled, "You're not the only one I'm talking to."

"Oh, right…" He paused. The downtrodden frown coupled with the downright indignant tightening of his brow – as if Adrien for a moment simply couldn't understand the idea that someone else wouldn't share his view of how naturally captivating she could be – was enough to steal Marinette's breath away.

Adrien's frown wobbled, a desperate debate of tactics firing up in his eyes. Eventually he snapped his fingers, apparently coming to a consensus, before reaching out towards her. He held his fingers out in a pinching motion, 'reaching' for the empty space in front of her nose. "Well, a friend of mine gave me some good advice about stuff like this. He said that when you're scared, you should imagine a big wheel of cheese floating just out of reach."

Scrutinising him with an incredulous gaze, Marinette mentally reminded herself how she noticed Adrien having a distinctly cheesy smell recently. "Cheese, huh?"

"He likes cheese." Adrien said sheepishly, his fingers aimlessly pinching as he tried to find a kernel of wisdom in his 'advice'. "I think what he meant was that you need to visualize what you want, or what you're working for. Y'know?"

Marinette tapped her forefinger against her chin thoughtfully. "Good advice, but that isn't what's bugging me." With a sigh, she pulled herself out of his arms, making her way over to a big table at the centre of the room. She'd love nothing more than to remain in the safety and comfort of his embrace, but something so important, so heavy in her heart, needed more space for her to breathe. And she knew that the combined might of Adrien's loving gaze and his overwhelming touch would drain her resolve, making it even harder to retain the courage to say what she needs to. She needed to be focused on anything other than curling up against his chest and drifting away.

She sighed, propping herself up on the end of the table. "You remember how I mentioned that I had some… Secrets I'd like to get off my chest?"

He stood in perpetual confusion for a second, eyes boring into hers, searching for elaboration in her face. There was a flash of worry due to the distant tone she used, something she had come to recognise easily in his eyes when he's asking himself if he's at all making it feel like he's pressuring her into something. Then came the tension manifesting in his hands, finger curving forward into a fist and his lip tightening into a thin line. Often this was when he was debating whether she needed him to get in close to comfort her or keep a respectful distance.

Then, finally, his eyes widened and a familiar 'ah' left his throat. Adrien's expression hardened immediately. It was almost scary for Marinette to see his face grow so serious, flooding the room with a sudden atmosphere thick with tension. "Are you sure about this?"

She held her breath, feeling it tremble in the base of her throat, thick with anxiety and doubt. She could back out right now. He'd let her, he'd understand, he'd wait. When he said he didn't care how long it'd take her to tell him her secrets, she knew he would never waver from that. There was always an out here, which her panicking brain saw prudent to keep reminding her.

She looked into his eyes, his soft, gentle, understanding eyes. The eyes of the man she loved, the man she could very well see herself spending the rest of her life with, the man she was willing to sacrifice nights of sleep for; the man she had been willing to lie to. She looked into his eyes and found only love reflected back at her. And when she exhaled, it was if she were breathing for the first time in years, expelling not just the pressure of her stalled breath, but every nagging doubt that bloated her stomach.

"I… I think so." She nodded, gesturing for him to come closer. "If I put this off any longer, you're gonna be heading off to London by the time I get the courage."

"Hey, I'm not gonna be 'gone' gone." He said firmly, "You'll still be in my heart and my phone."

He soon loomed over her, his hands clasping hers to his chest so she could feel the passionate thumping of his heart. Somehow, she manged a smile and he smiled in return. It was hard to frown when Adrien Agreste was looking so serious about being able to talk to you. "There's a lot I want to tell you about, and I don't think I can handle doing it over the phone."

Adrien's dropped her hands back in her lap, trading them in to instead take hold of her still blushing cheeks. He tilted her head up, leering ever loser, fixing her eyes on his lips. "For the record: I'm honoured that you'd trust me with this."

This was never a matter of trust, she quickly told herself. Not in regards to her trust in Adrien at least. Her faith in her boyfriend was more faith than she ever had in herself, and staring into his eyes, watching the subtle twitch of his nose as he awaited her response, only cemented that.

"Adrien, I'd trust you with my life." Her voice cracked under the stress she put on his name, desperately hoping he could hear just how sincere the sentiment was.

She took hold of his jaw, her determination unyielding in the face of his adorable concern. Of course, words alone could not accurately communicate the depths of her love for this man and how much he's impacted her life. Only action could come close to letting her pour out her heart's desire, bare for him to see in all its glory, unblemished by her hesitation and low self-of-esteem. Nothing could be more clear cut than a kiss.

Drawing him closer, she was satisfied to note that he made no effort to resist her advance, his fingers stretching past her cheeks to dig into the back of her head and prepare to stabilize her for what was to come. He loomed over her, his hips trapping her legs against the table and his smell wrapping around her like a throat. He could so easily bare down upon her, push her down flat on the table and crush her with his overwhelming kisses. And she'd let him. She'd follow his touch no matter where it led, drawn to it like an addict.

'Alert! Alert! Alert!'

His lips had barely brushed over hers before their phones went off.

"An akuma alert?" She half asked and half growled.

Adrien slipped his phone from his pocket, looked down upon and sighed. "An akuma alert." He practically hissed, his glare screaming annoyance. Which was either a testament to how normal and casual the akuma affairs had become after all these years, or evidence that he wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him.

A little red something lightly punched Marinette's leg from within her pocket, silently telling her that there were more important things to focus on.

Right. Akuma. Gotta go, but I need an excuse… No way Adrien's going to let me walk around alone. She wracked her brain for an excuse, any excuse to pop out and transform without drawing suspicion. I need to use the bathroom… In the middle of an akuma attack? Maybe I pretend to follow him, but get lost along the way? No, no, I can't imagine how much he'd blame himself if I did that. Maybe I could just knock him-

After a moment of swears grumbled under their breath, Adrien suddenly cleared his throat. "Listen, Mari, why don't you stay here while I go and get the others, so we can all hide somewhere safe."

Or Adrien could just offer her an opportunity on a silver platter, that works. She wanted to tell Adrien that it was a terrible idea to stay inside a possible danger zone by herself, but her logical half of the mind managed to shut herself down before she talked her way out of a perfect opportunity. "Uh, alright? I mean, right! Brilliant plan. Great plan. I'll stay right here until you all get back."

He winked at her before turning away, rushing to the lone door. "I'll be back for that kiss." He called back to her with a smile that could charm the clothes off the strictest of teachers.

However, just before he left, he said one more thing. And Marinette didn't think she was intended to hear it as it was spoken so quietly, with such nervous excitement, as if he were waiting to unveil a surprise.

Honestly, she couldn't think much after that. The words simply made no sense. They couldn't make sense. "Stay safe, Milady."