Adrienne - Miraculous Ladybug

6: An Ice Cream Flavor and A Dance

"Yeah, well come on let's go." He tried dragging her over to Andre's stand.

"Why me though? Why can't you pay?"

Nino stopped dragging her for a few seconds to answer her question. "Well first off you lost the debate and second you have more money than me. I mean come on your family owns a bakery. I'm literally an orphan. Donate to the orphans Mari, they need food too."

She gave him an unamused look. "Fine but your paying next time whether you win or not." She walked up to the stand, hearing Andre's usual ice cream jingle.

"Hey, Andre." She waved with an awkward smile.

"Oh, Miss Marinette are you here for some sweethearts ice cream?"

Marinette shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Uh yeah just for me and my friend over there." She said, pointing with her thumb over her shoulder.

Marinette watched as Andre worked his magic. She had always wondered how this legend worked. In theory, it doesn't make sense but in practice is another story. She'd always had the same flavors, mint chocolate chip, and peach. She'd never meet anyway by that description till Chat Noire. Maybe that's why she was so drawn to her.

The girl took a second to just breathe. She listened to the soft whistles of the warm early fall wind zip by. Feeling hair on her face because of it. She could hear birds chirping softly which was strange but welcomed. She opened her eyes looking down at the Seine. Looking at the slow laps of the waves covering the unknown of the river. The sunset at the time added a nice glow to everything. It kind of reminded her of- 'wait what was it that I was gonna say again? What does this glow remind me of?'

"-nette! Marinette! You alive over?" Andre was waving his hand over, trying to get her attention.

"I'm so sorry Andre. I completely spaced." She went into her bag to get some money her parents had given her earlier for lunch that's she ended up not using. "Um, here you go."

"It looks like you are a few euros short but it's fine. You can take it anyway. I can see love coming your way soon and for your friend over there too. I wish you both the best of luck." He smiled down at her.

"Why thank you, Andre." She smiled back at him before grabbing both cones and making her way over back to Nino. Not before taking a quick glance at his ice cream though. 'Chocolate and pralines?' and odd pair indeed.

--:-:--

Ladybug touched down at their agreed-upon rendezvous spot. It was one of the semi-high levels of the Eiffel Tower. She figured Chat Noire would've been here by now. Checking the time she found it was 10:15. They agreed at 10:00. 'Hopefully, nothing happened' They had set it that late to avoid run-ins with anyone that needed either of them. Ladybug once again was spaced out when a sudden noise behind her startled her.

"Well hello again." Chat Noire said. All Ladybugs wanted to do was hug her.

"Uh Hi. So how are we gonna do this thing." She had her hands in front of her a bit awkwardly.

"I mean I thought you already had a plan. You usually have plans for everything." She explained

In truth, Marinette had been thinking more about her partner than her job. "Okay, this is fine. You take the east side and I'll take the west, easy. Done deal." She gave a thumbs up with her plan, avoiding eye contact.

"Sounds good let's get going." Chat Noire jumped off the tower heading for the east side of Paris. She was slowly getting used to the heights this job requires. Maybe this thing did have some advantages. Truth be told there were a lot more advantages she could think of. Being transformed, having a new friend, and being able to go out. Maybe, just maybe, this wasn't as bad as she thought previously.