Nino slowly walked up to the old public Library, man I can't remember the last time I was here. He looked around, it really hadn't changed much, maybe a new coat of paint or two, but otherwise it was his childhood Library. He looked down at the book in his hand, Probably was when I checked out this book ten years ago. He still couldn't believe his mom had but this book on their shelves, think he and Chris would by choice own the "Completed works of William Shacksper" by choice. If he remembered right he'd talked it out for a school project in high school, he'd been 17 then, man how different the world had been. He has been planning on marrying Alya, and they would freelance for a bit and hopefully, he'd make a name for himself and put her through school. But alas something only workout in our dreams.
He pushed open the old wooden door, man this place still smells the same, wonder if Old Mrs. H still runs this place. He smiled at the thought of the sweet little old lady who had run the library, she had to be one of the few people of Paris who never was akumatized or a target of Shadowmoths bad guys. He was grateful by the time he came back from his adventuring and touring LB and Chat had taken down Shadowmoth, he was sad he missed the final battle though, it couldn't be helped he took a year to travel after high school and in Spain at the time. He'd also wished he'd gotten to say goodbye to Wazz but maybe one day.
He walked up to the Library's desk and tapped the bell. He heard some heels clicking coming up behind him, he turned to see who the new lady in charge of the Library was. He was shocked to find, "Marinette? Is that really you?" He looked her up and down, she hadn't gotten a whole lot taller, she was below his chin now, but she looked amazing, she'd glasses now or else she was wearing for them for style. Her hair was up in a typical librarian bun, and she no longer wore her black studs, but have some classy hoops in instead.
"Nino? Oh my! I thought it was you, but I doubted, I hadn't heard you'd moved back yet from your mom. She's still an active member of the book club." She quickly hugged him. "Come sit in my office, Katherine can handle the front if anyone comes in." She took his hand and pulled him into her office. "When did you get back?"
"Well I've been touring and gigging off and on since high school, the life of DJing you know, nothing is consistent, but well Mar we are 28 now and life on the road isn't for me anymore, so using the money I've made and saved I bought the club you know the one where were never allowed in? I'm gonna make it a fun place again, gonna have ladies nights, date night, maybe a youth night if I can find a way to lock up the alcohol." He was smiling so much his face hurt.
She smiled back at him, "I missed you, Nino, I was so sad when you just left without a word that summer, not that I blamed you, Alya was cruel to you."
"I should have reached out to Nettie... We were best friends before those to come into our lives.: He shook his head, "Think you can find room in your lovely heart for me again?"
"I think I can Ninny." She shot him a smile and pointed to the wall behind him. He turned and saw a photo of the two of them from their days at story corner. They couldn't have been more than three when they met, best friends ever since. "I keep there so on days when I just wanna quit, I remember what this place can do." Her smile is so warm and soft Nino almost forgets he has a question burning in his mind.
"Mar? I hope you don't mind me asking but why are you here? Like I know it's been ten years but I never remember you mentioning wanting to be a librarian." he leaned forward giving her his full attention.
"Oh, you don't know. You haven't heard..." Her face fell and he instantly wanted to take his question back. "You really didn't follow up with us, did you? She giggled, he felt a little better. "Well the short answer that I give everyone is I offended Gabrial Agreste and he black-listed me." She said it so casually as if it didn't hurt anyone. "Luckily I still had people who wanted me to work for them, Jagged, Kitty Section, Clara, Luka as a solo act and Adrien. So I created a fake name and work as a freelancer and work here full time. I was able to go to school for it easily enough. School was always easy for me, so I went for it. When I graduated three years ago Mrs. H was getting ready to retire so I took over from her." She shrugged.
"What's the long story?" He watched as she fidgeted with a necklace as she looked at him, she got up and closed the door and locked it.
"Look, there are only two other people who know the full story, as far as anyone else knows, Gabrial wrecked my career, and I settled." She put air quotes around settled applying she wasn't really settling. "But here's what happened, and yes I know you don't have to tell you, but you will understand." She took a deep breath, "I was Ladybug."
"Really, that... that makes a lot of sense, other than your clumsiness." He chuckled.
"That is a surprisingly chill reaction. Adrien fainted, and well I don't really know Lukas reaction was he was Viperon at the time. So I can't remember. Anyways so Chat and I beat Shadowmoth. But the big battle everyone saw, was fake. The other Guardians and I faked it because well the cops couldn't touch the real ShadowMoth. Because he was Gabrial Agreste, he was trying to bring his wife back with Chats and I's miraculous. Anyway, after we got his miraculous back Chat and I couldn't get out of his lair fast enough. And he saw who we are. So he blacklisted Adrien and I's both. Fortunately for Adrien, he wanted out of modelling anyway. He's a teacher in America now, thank's to his mom's sister's help. Adrien was too scared to were Plag's ring anymore, but with the help of Kalki, I can let them talk every now and then. The box is now safe in the temple but I am still the Guardian of that box, so I created this necklace to have access to everyone if I need it. So I still see Tiki every once in and while." She waited and watched for his reaction.
"Wow. That is crazy. So Adrien really was Chat Noir, I always wondered after working with him as Carapace. Wait you only graduated three years ago? We've been out of school for ten?"
"I love that this is your biggest concern not that two of your best friends were superheroes, or that your best friend threw you into a battle that would mess up your life." she shook her head and chuckled.
Nino just shrugged, if he was a superhero in his youth, why couldn't his best friends? "Well alright, you know how we beat Hawkmoth the first year out of high school? Well that was internal on Chat and I's part, we'd both been able to convince our parents that we wanted to take a year off. So by the time we beat him, I couldn't get into fashion school, I was blacklisted. So I got my undergrad and then my Masters in Library Sciences and six years later, here I am." Her smile was still so Mari, even though her life had fallen apart.
"Your happy right Mar?" Nino leaned back waiting.
"Oh yes, Nino! Very much so! Sure I may never be a famous designer in my own name, but I still get to design for my friends. I made Jule and Roses wedding dresses, Nath and Marc's suits for their interviews for their new comic book reveal and well lots of our friends. It makes me happy. And this place" she gestures to the space around her, "Makes me happier than I thought possible. Adrien and I chat often to help him find books for his class, so that's nice."
"Weren't you to dating when I left?" He assumed they weren't now but still he always wondered.
"I mean kinda? I was his press girlfriend, nothing real, and after his dad was revealed, he couldn't look at anything from Pairs again, both Ladybug me and normal me, were too much for a while and when he finally reached back out, my feelings had faded." She shrugged, "Anyway enough about my life, why are you here like the Library, not Paris?"
"Oh, this book. I need to return it." He slid the book across her desk.
"We already have this book in the Library are you sure you got it from here?" She looked at it and started typing things into her computer. Then she stopped. "Ninny, this book has been out for ten years!"
He winced, "Ya, I know. Mom and I were making sure I moved all of my into my new apartment, closer to my club." He couldn't help but smile at that My Club huh "And ya she thought I bought it, didn't realize it was a Library book. So ya I figured I'd bring it back." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"You're on the ban list from the Library," she giggled.
"Oh... Think you can change that?" He blushed. Sure would he use the Library again? Probably not, but then again... if Mari was here maybe...
"Ya, but it will cost you," She smirked. "I need some help with a program we've been running called Books and Boogie, it to help kids get into books and also build the convinced through movement. We've been running for just under a year and it actually a good program, we run it for the 3 to 5 group. And let's just say my youtube music skills aren't great." She blushed.
Mari had always been surrounded by people who did music, but the mixing was never her thing. "Alright so how do I come in?"
"It's on Tuesdays, come and play music for me? At least till Christmas then maybe you could teach me how?" She fidgeted with her necklace. Does she really think I'll say no? I guess it's been years...
"Count me in. If you tell me what book or books you'll be reading I'll try to mix up a setlist that matches the theme of the book. What time?" "Group one is 10 to 11 and Group to 1 to 2, I normally go home for lunch between 11:30 and 12:30, I only live a few blocks from here so you'd be welcome to join me." He would love that, he refused to tell his mother how much instant noodles he ate. It couldn't be helped though he'd spent the better part of ten years on the road, so cooking wasn't something he'd really learned. But hey he could make most breakfast foods.
"That sounds great. It would be nice to spend time with my oldest friend." with a handshake the deal was set.
Fall gave way to Winter and by mid-November snow was falling and Nino loved the days he spent with Mari. She was a regular attendee of Ladies night at girls night, and would often come to his house to teach him how to cook some new food he remembered from his travels, before Ladies night and honestly she was the highlight of his week. Sure he'd made new friends and even reunited with some old ones, but Mari was the best of them all. But today wasn't Book and Boogie or Ladies Night it was their day off, Sunday and they were walking in the park. Nino stopped to tie his shoe and Mari kept walking so he made a snowball and throw it to the center of her back. She turned and he knew he was doomed Mari was still Miss. Competitive. As they played like they were kids again, Nino realized he wanted this to be more than just two friends hanging out. So as she hurled more snowballs at him, he tackled her into the snow.
"Okay, enough." He laughed holding her for a second. She looked at him and blushed, "Hey Nette, come on a date with me?"
"I thought you'd never ask." She kissed his cheek. And she got up and helped him up. "Tonight?"
"Ya, I'll cook dinner and see what show I can get tickets for." He blushed again.
"I'll bring dessert," she pointed to her parent's bakery. See you at six?" She started to walk away.
"I'll be ready." He headed back to his place.
He stood in his kitchen, he desperately needed to go grocery shopping, but he really didn't have time. But he could make breakfast, he had enough for that. So he made eggs, pancakes and found some leftover ham he found fired up. with everything warming, he quickly changed into a dress shirt and some clean jeans. He managed to find tickets for a jazz concert, it wasn't his favourite but he knew Marinette liked it, and it beat a movie.
When she knocked on his door he was amazed to find her dressed in a lovely long black dress, that made her look beautiful and sexy, he loved it. "Come in." She started to giggle.
"You made breakfast for dinner I love it!" The two enjoyed their date and started to go on more but never gave it a label.
As Christmas got closer Mari and Nino sat cuddling on her couch with Tiki and Wazz visiting. "I guess your time of service at the Library comes to an end in a few weeks." Mari curled into him closer. "I'll miss spending Tuesday with you."
"Mar who said I was quicking, I love seeing those kids. I'm definitely gonna keep coming if you'll let me." he leaned down and kissed her neck making her giggle.
"Of course I'll have you!" She hugged him close.
"How about for more than just the Library?" He leaned into her.
"What do you mean?" She turned and locked eyes with him.
"I mean what if you had me exclusively?" he reached into his pocket, "I know we never gave this a label, but I want to be with you, for the rest of my life." He opened the box and there sat to wedding rings. "I know we'd need to sort out lease agreements and all that, and if you wanna wait we could but I was just thinking why to have a dating and engagement period when we could just elope or have a small ceremony with our family and good friends in like three months?"
"Yes! Thousand times yes." She kissed him and he never want to leave her embrace, some might call them crazy but he was in love with this girl and their love took them by surprise so why shouldn't they surprise the world?