True Love's Kiss - A Miraculous Ladybug & Chat Noir Fanfic

Chapter 23 - So Close/See The Light

"Monsieur Agreste, please, attention. The sooner we finish this shoot, the sooner you can go visit that little girlfriend you keep daydreaming about" Vincent rolled his eyes as he readjusted his camera. 

Adrien blushed furiously "Wh-WHAT!? I... I-I don't have a girlfriend" 

Vincent looked up from his camera, one eyebrow raised in disbelief "Really? Then perhaps that is the problem. You're lacking focus Adrien, your face reads more like 'this spaghetti is too good for my presence' when in fact what I need is 'I'm going to devour this spaghetti all in one bite'." 

Adrien's jaw dropped as his face grew more red... stupid teenage emotions 

"Now, look alive. We are going to finish this shoot and then YOU are going to go home and find yourself a nice girlfriend, m'kay?"

"V-Vincent, while I appreciate the... encouragement, I'm afraid I won't be going home right after this, in fact, I may not be home till around midnight, at the earliest" Adrien stated as he held his pose

"And why, Monsieur, is that?"

"Because I'm obligated to attend the Royal Ball, so as soon as the shoot is over, the dressers are going to help me get ready, then Nathalie and Mari should be here, then we'll head-"

"Mari? As in the beautiful Chinese girl I'm constantly seeing in my peripherals whenever we shoot at the park?" Vincent asked with a smirk

"Well... yeah" Adrien glanced to the ground without moving, embarrassed at how red his cheeks must be now from Vincent reminding him of her fully "and she's only half Chinese, the other half is French"

"Does that really matter?"

"... No."

"So why will she be coming along with Miss Nathalie?"

"She's my plus-one for the dance tonight" 

Vincent looked up from the camera, a devilish look on his face... oh no "Well then, Monsieur Agreste, here is what I suggest... One, Woo her at the Ball. Two, ask her to be your girlfriend. Three, convince her to come at least ONCE with you to a shoot... your contrasts would go so perfectly well together. And four, I am to be the ONLY Photographer at your wedding"

"VINCENT!" 

The older man couldn't help but to laugh at the boy before him. He had been Adrien's main photographer for years. He watched him grow into the man he was becoming, and he couldn't help but tease the boy even just a little bit... it wasn't often he found a way to make the kid flustered after all (he'd take what he could get) 

"I-i-it's not like that... W-we're just friends, classmates, that's all, th-there's nothing going on between us."

"Ah, but you face says otherwise... Finito. There, done. I do believe we got at least a few usable shots. Now, go. Get ready for your date, I do believe you only have about twenty minutes until your ride arrives." 

Still blushing, Adrien runs off to change into his party suit.

---

Twenty minutes later Adrien heads to the waiting car. "Where's Marinette?"

"Unfortunately she forgot to grab her portfolio to be able to present examples of her work should she happen upon a possible employer tonight, so she asked that she be dropped off while we picked you up, and then we can pick her up again and head straight to the party."

"Oh" was all the boy could say, to be completely honest, he was dying to see how they did her up... not that they'd have to do very much, she's already drop-dead gorgeous, actually... IS there even a way for her to be anymore lovely?