Happily Ever After

4 - First date

"Do you remember our first date?" Adrien asked, sitting next to Marinette and taking a knife to help her.

"Oh, it was terrible!"

Adrien's hand trembled and he almost cut off his fingers.

"Maybe it would be better to put away the knife, Kitty?" Marinette smiled.

"You've never told me that our first date was a nightmare!"

"Apparently, I also have some secrets left for the future." she replied. "Because I like talking with you too..."

"Don't change the subject, Bugaboo." he reminded her. "What did you mean, saying it was horrible? And why are you still with me?"

"I'm with you because I love you. Don't ask stupid questions. And the date was a nightmare, because I suspected who your father was. I shuddered to think he would use our meeting to take my miraculum. In addition, I was afraid to meet Cat Noir, because if he saw us together, he would immediately figure out that I'd been talking about you after the action with Glaciator."

"You're right, I linked these facts." Adrien grinned at her.

"I had no idea that Cat Noir was you." Marinette reminded him.

"That evening you were everything I'd ever dreamt about." He sighed. "I thought that this evening couldn't be better."

"It could be better, Adrien." Marinette whispered.

"Why?"

"Because everything took place in complete secrecy. In addition, you invited me as Ladybug, not me as Marinette. I didn't mind at the beginning. I was so happy that I'd be on a date with you. But during our date that I realised that it was important to me." She finished quietly.

"So that's why..." he suddenly understood.

"Yes, that's why I broke your heart." she admitted.

***

15 years before the present day

They were to meet in the evening at Adrien's house. Ladybug ran there with mixed feelings. Unlike Cat Noir, she hadn't believed so easily that Gabriel Agreste couldn't be Hawkmoth, since he had been the victim of the akuma. She still wasn't convinced of his innocence, so she felt a slight anxiety going straight to his home. In addition, she was aware that the house was surrounded by security systems, monitoring and full control of the master of the house. On the other hand, she couldn't wait to meet Adrien. Actually, to date Adrien...

She jumped into Adrien's room through the open window. He'd been already waiting for her because he was standing in the middle of the room, holding a red rose in his hand. For a moment, she thought that she had just received a similar rose from Cat Noir and suddenly she felt sorry. If her partner caught her on this date, he would find out who she'd been talking about the other day. And she would break his heart again...

"Hi..." Adrien welcomed her shyly.

"Hey." She smiled. "So, where are we going?"

"I invite you to the private balcony." he returned the smile and approached her. He handed her a rose, which she mechanically accepted.

"The private balcony?" she repeated in amazement.

"Up here." He pointed at the mezzanine. "You asked for a secret meeting, and the only secret place in this house is actually my room. Probably the only place without cameras. At least I don't know about any." he added uncertainly after a moment.