Mirrored Secrets: A Miraculous Tale

Friday Night

Marinette was feeling the pressure of being alone with Adrien. They weren't the only ones at the rink, but they only had each other instead of their normal group of friends. She thought having something to do together would be best, "we could go to the arcade."

"That's a great idea!"

They finished one last lap around and turned in their skates. After being driven to the arcade with some more small talk Adrien turned some cash into coins and motioned for her to pick the first game. She walked down an aisle and picked a racing game.

"Hope you're not too tire-d from skating to put up a good race," Adrien said putting on his best charming Chat Noir.

"I'm not tired," Marinette looking a little confused.

Adrien deflated and tried to pick up the pieces of his terrible pun, "you know like a 'tire,' as in a wheel?"

Marinette's face brightened in understanding and laughed, "are you trying to pun? That's too cute.  I've got one. Why should you always check your tires for punctures?"

She said I'm cute! "Uh, so they don't go flat?"

"No," she giggled at her own punchline, "because there are forks in the road."

Adrien laughed along with her, "that was a wheel-y great joke!"

They had broken the tension that had been between them and started to enjoy themselves. Marinette might have been the best at Mega Strike III but there were throwing games that Adrien was able to win against her. He doubled the high score at the hoops game and let his full Chat Noir show as he flexed his arm right in front of her.

"Go ahead, feel that pure muscle," he said half teased but fully flexing and hoping she would feel him up, just a little.

Resist, resist! "Wow you are really strong," she said timidly putting just one hand on his flexed bicep.

"Hard to resist my animal magnetism," he grinned.

Through her blushing and giggling, she managed to say, "animal magnetism? Is that what you say to all the fangirls?"

He dropped his act and straightened up, "I don't think I've ever said that before in my life to be honest."

"Well maybe don't again," she teased.

"You don't think I can pull off animal magnetism?" He leaned in with a grin that looked too much like Chat Noir.

"I guess it depends on the animal," she had never remembered Adrien acting so open and teasing with her, but she couldn't help but play along.

They had a few coins left and it was her turn to choose a game so he said, "your game choice next. What do you think my spirit animal is?"

"Well, you're usually so calm and put together, maybe a cat?" She said starting down towards another game.

Adrien was following behind and his face was cycling through shocked to thoughtful to worried. She knows! Wait, I don't think so...she is really smart and probably just guessed. She's going to figure out I'm Chat Noir and I can't let that happen yet. Quick think of something!

'No way, I'm definitely an owl, I remember from the quiz," Adrien said working to make his voice even and playful again.

"Well I remember getting the wolf, but it never seemed like it was right. Alya said I was actually a dolphin, but that can't be right either!"

"Mlle Bustier did say that sometimes we perceive ourselves differently than others, maybe that was why she did that assignment in the first place," Adrien said relaxing in the direction of the conversation.