What do you See?

An Interrupted Moment

Adrien's step was lighter than it had been in memory. He was whole in a way he hadn't known he could be. As Cat Noir there was still a sting. Patrol with his Lady had been good. The pain of finality in their situation was there, but it also gave him enough peace to just appreciate her even more. He soothed himself with the notion that she was troubled by the finality of it too. She had certainly seemed distracted at times, he did his best to bring her back with jokes. He wouldn't be the source of any more pain for her.

It was as Adrien that things blossomed. That first joke, that first drop of Cat Noir in Adrien and Kagami Tsurugi of all people had accepted it. She had accepted it and even acknowledged it.

Adrien stopped dead on his walk up the school steps as that memory played out. It had been so easy, just like one of their fencing matches, strike and counter. Her hand extended, his response. A cat and his cream. Only at touché did a sudden awareness of where they were and what he had done come over him. Two days later and he was still uncertain of everything, and disquieted by the most clear impression.

He had liked it.

The look in those crimson eyes. Surprise, not that he took her up on her offer, but that same surprise he had felt himself. The feelings that doing it had unexpectedly stirred. Seeing Kagami off balance was so rare that it felt like a treat. It had been exciting, comfortable, and natural. Yet that night he felt guilty, uncertain, and wrong. Could you cheat on someone you weren't dating? Adrien had stared at his pictures of Ladybug late into the night, searching. His love was still there, still solid. He could still list off all the reasons he loved her and not even slow down by the time he reached three hundred. Then why-? Adrien sighed and resumed his walk. Maybe he should ask Plagg to teach him Greek.

A package greeted him at his desk. Neatly wrapped in light blue paper. He glanced at Nino who gave him an innocent shrug. Adrien set down his bag and picked up the package. No tag. He held it up out and mused aloud. "It looks like I wasn't present when this present was presented."

"Dude." Nino rolled his eyes, but smiled. A little more of the cat, and no complaints.

Adrien pushed his luck. He shook the gift curiously then asked Nino. "Do you know the best way to open a gift?"

His friend looked skeptical, bracing himself. "No?"

Adrien set it back down and hooked his fingers into the edge of the paper. "Presently."

Adrien opened the gift to a louder groan from Nino. An action figure? Dragon Ball Z. There was something off about the color though. Adrien was puzzling it over when he realized Marinette was standing at his elbow. She was watching intently. Adrien turned the figure toward her. "Do you watch the show too?" he asked.

"What?" Marinette snapped out of her deep state. "Oh no no." she waved her hands. "I think I just might've maybe seen something about it online somewhere. Like, about action figures and how sometimes there are manufacturing defects in a very small number so like one that is supposed to be wearing blue ends up wearing green the same color as your eyes-" She froze, then added hastily. "Do you like it?"

Adrien looked back at the figure. "It's very cool. If it's rare like you say, that's even better. I just wish I knew who-" Some recently freed up part of his mind connected the dots and Adrien asked. "Marinette, did you give me this?"

"What?!" Marinette backed up a step and laughed. "Haha No, no. I mean, no, why would I do that? It was probably just some fangirl who snuck in here before the bell when no one was around and put it on your desk so they wouldn't die from embarrassment." Marinette scooted towards her desk.

Adrien shook his head in amusement. All it took was paying attention. "Maybe you're right." he conceded. "Well, if you see any fangirls lurking around the school, thank them for me."