The second Adrien saw her standing at the top of the stairs, the air was stolen from his lungs in the best way possible. When Marinette said that she was attending the Heroes' Gala last week, he couldn't stop grinning. His father sucked any fun out of these events by stressing the importance of being a good host, no doubt expecting him to plaster on a fake smile and partake in boring small talk for hours. She had offered to keep him company, but he turned her down gracefully. The last thing he wanted was to leave her to fend for herself as he bent over backward to fulfill every request asked of him.
He couldn't deny that disappointment flooded his system at seeing her smile falter. They had grown closer over the past two years; she was one of his best friends, and he didn't want to let her down. When she informed him that Nathaniel agreed to attend with her, Adrien forced a smile, secretly wishing that he was the one who could have her company. Unfortunately, he had other obligations that weren't to her. Just as long as she was happy, that's all that mattered.
But the moment that he saw her, Adrien realized that wanting her to be happy wasn't enough. He wanted to be the one who caused her face to split into a grin. The person that she created joyful memories with that wouldn't fade for months. Late-night talks, strolls through Paris, snuggling close for warmth under a blanket as they watched a movie; all of which described Nino and Alya's relationship, not the kind he had with Marinette.
Adrien's denial couldn't ignore the fact that his heart performed continuous somersaults as he watched her descent down the staircase... and not in a "just friends" kind of way.
He became highly aware of how much sweat his body had produced, especially in his palms. When did it become this uncomfortable in here? Adrien wiped his hands down the side of his pant leg, but even then, it only solved the problem temporarily. They had regained the moisture before she reached the bottom of the stairs.
Adrien found that he could only stare. The red color really complimented her hair. The off-the-shoulder high-low dress showed off her skin to the point he could not tear his eyes away. Of course, her outward appearance only dimmed compared to her inner beauty shining through.
"Adrien!" The way that her face lit up when she caught sight of him made him wish he could stay in that moment forever. His body stiffened when she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. He couldn't hug back; he would be mortified to get his sweat on something so stunning.
"Are you ok?" Her hot breath tickled the outside of his ear, and he resisted the urge to shiver. Every internal alarm started blaring. It would be just his luck that she could tell that something was wrong.
"I feel pretty-I mean, you're pretty. Not that you're not always pretty-you are!" He couldn't stop the word vomit from gushing out no matter how much he willed it. "I hope you have a great night, but Nino needs me!" With that, he bolted through the crowd.
Adrien rushed to his best friend's side, ignoring the fact that he currently preoccupied in a dance. "Nino, I need your help!" The sheer panic in voice earned him both Nino and Alya's gazes.
"What's up, dude?"
Normally, he would go into a speech explaining everything he felt at that exact moment. The only thing that caused hesitation was Alya's presence. Not that she couldn't be trusted. If his news had to do with anything but Marinette, he wouldn't give it a second thought.
"Spill it, Agreste," Alya snipped. "Because I'm not leaving."
Adrien knew better than to fight a losing battle, especially to Alya. The girl was sharp and preceptive; it's what made her such a good journalist. There was no use in trying to hide anything from her.
