Dark Wings Rise

In this Together

"...Thank you, Marinette." He smiled at her with that crazily beautiful smile of his which made her heart melt and butterflies danced in her stomach.

They stared at each other. One with a look of awe and the other with a look full of love.

Neither being able to distinguish the true feelings behind the stares.

"Ahem. We're here too, Agreste." Alya smirked, clearing her throat.

Adrien laughed sheepishly while Marinette looked at Alya with a face that screamed 'You dead.'

Adrien had never been this happy all his life.

The only time Adrien had ever laughed that way, the only time he had smiled like this and the only time he had actually felt what it was like to be loved was when he was with his mother.

And now, the only time he was feeling those slumbering emotions, was with her. 

Marinette. 

A ray of sunshine for all her friends.

She brightened up his day, even though he thought it wasn't possible anymore. She was there. Smiling. Extending her hand out to him, a hint of red on her porcelain cheeks, looking almost unreal. Almost as if she was going to vanish the second he blinked.

As if all the happiness in his life would go away along with her. 

He didn't want that. He took her hand. He let her guide him. He let her be his happiness. Even if that meant for just one day, one hour or even a second.

He'd never let go.

She was that good of a friend to him. (Let's see how many people I piss off today~)

Everyone gave him their gifts. Nino gave Adrien a book on 'How to not be oblivious.'

The gifts were all symbols of how he was not alone.

And that they would never let him be.

He looked at Chloe, a sad smile on her face. She looked at him, smiled widely and turned her eyes away again. She turned to Marinette, whispered something in her which made her flush red, only momentarily, only to make her shocked and look at her with a face bearing sadness. Not for herself, but for the blonde.

"Bro! You've been staring at Marinette AND Chloe for a  while now. You okay?" Nino asked.

"Y-Yes, Nino. I am perfectly fine."

"H-Happy Birthday, Adrien!" She smiled genuinely, a carefully packed gift in her hand. 

"Thank you so much, Marinette!" He breathed.

She held the gift out to him, he accepted it with childish glee.

"HEY! Don't open it now! Open it when you're home! It's not much, that's why..." Marinette flushed as she said those words.

Adrien looked at her in a puzzled manner, then, smiled and agreed.

"Marinette, what you've done for me, is more than anything I could ever ask for." He leaned in.

Marinette's eyes shot wide.

"For that..." He placed a quick loving kiss on her cheek, "Thank you. So, so much." 

Marinette restrained herself from melting. In fact, she restrained herself from doing many things. She restrained herself from blushing, restrained herself from showing him that her heart was beating like crazy, restrained herself from touching the spot he just kissed her. She restrained herself from pulling him in and kissing him again.

She knew she would cross the line. 

He obviously saw her as a friend. 

And she was more than happy with that, for the time being.

*

"Why are you so giddy today, Chat?" Iris asked Chat Noir on one of their 'late night training sessions' that night.

"Well, M'lady, I am really happy today. I had the best day of my life." He said, looking out at the starry sky.

Iris smiled.

"Someone I know had a very special day, today. He is usually so sad, and always trying to put up a front for others. So, for the first time, seeing him so genuinely happy... It made me happy. It made me realize that there's more to being superheroes than just saving Paris. Let's try to make Paris better, Chat." She said.

"Yeah." He smiled at her lovingly.

'I wish I could tell you, M'lady. I really really love you.'

"Chat, you know, today... Darkbug's been inactive." She said.

"Yeah." Chat breathed.

"Makes me fear... What if he's planning something big?" She turned towards him.

He saw her shaking.

She was trembling.

"M-M'lady...?"

"What if I am not good enough, Chat!?"

"What if I let everyone down?"

"What if my chosen don't love me?"

"What if people think I am a coward?"

"What if I am not training too hard?"

"What if I lose everything!?"

"What if-"

"What if I lose him? What if I- What if I lose you, Chat!?"

Chat's breath hitched.

His eyes shot wide open.

His heartbeats came with a quicker motion.

His head throbbed.

He didn't know what to do.

But, right now...

Was that what mattered?

He stepped forward.

She looked up at him, with a tear stroked face.

All that mattered right now...

He hugged her.

Was that they were in this.

Together.

She hugged him back. Trembling. But, comforted, now that she was in his arms.

And no one could do shit about it.