Plagg flew out from his cheese cabinet after Adrien had been making enough noise, "why are you so loud in the mornings?"
"I'm not loud," Adrien said in denial. He had been playing his dancing game and thinking about the fun he and Marinette had last night. Then reviewing what she had said about her date with him when he visited her as Chat Noir.
"That game is literally the loudest thing in this room," Plagg said flying to see his score.
"My surround sound speakers get way louder," Adrien finished the song and turned to Plagg.
"Well, lover boy, if you're going to be this loud this early in the morning I'm going to bring my stinkiest cheese to your party."
"Hey! Don't do that!"
"It's what you deserve for not bringing home any food again last night. Seriously? What is the point of dating baker girl?"
"The point is to marry her!" He expected Plagg to have a shocked reaction or something.
"Can you at least do that as Adrien and not Chat Noir so I can sneak some baked goods while she's busy?"
"I think there are a few more things I need to tell her before I ask her to marry me, Plagg. We haven't even said we love each other yet."
"You told her that last night."
"No, Adrien told her, and since she doesn't know about me yet she wouldn't know that I love her." Yet again, such a confusing and complicated situation.
"I don't see why you're waiting so long. The plan you and Nino talked about seemed to go great yesterday."
"Well not exactly to plan. I wasn't supposed to confess my love as Adrien and try to kiss her. She was just so beautiful...and now I don't know how she feels about Adrien. Except that we're friends."
"You always call her just a friend," Plagg pointed out.
Adrien gave him a look, "don't remind me how thick I was for saying that a million times."
"I still don't see the issue."
"Weren't you listening when Nino and I talked? Let me try to explain in cheese terms for you. Marinette was known to love Camembert cheese, instead of eating it she ate a cheddar cheese not knowing that it was also the Camembert underneath."
"Makes perfect sense."
"I was trying to make sure she is going to be happy knowing the cheese she actually loved was underneath and not mad for lying about not being what she expected."
"If you ask me, she would be so happy to get the Camembert that she wouldn't be mad at all!"
"Let's hope she feels the same, but I'm already in love with her, I don't want to scare her off by moving too fast. We just started dating and she obviously wants to be with Chat Noir." His spiraling thoughts were starting to surface. She wants to date Chat Noir enough to turn me down. Was she just being honorable and trying not to be a cheater? She was happy to see me when I visited her afterward though. I need to tell her I love her!
Plagg had left the conversation when the magic cheese word had been spoken three times and he was currently savoring some Camembert.
"I'll tell her tonight!" He pronounced to the room then looked around and found Plagg in his cheese cabinet, "I'll be able to see her for our graduation party as Adrien and show her I'm still the same as always. I'm trustworthy and reliable. Then tonight I need to tell her I love her."
"Will she give you any treats?"
"Doubtful, and I'm not going to ask. This is serious, Plagg. I am leaving tomorrow morning and she has to know before I go," he said starting to come up with a plan.
"Hopefully she won't go on any more dates while you're gone," Plagg teased.
"I want to be able to talk to her. I know! I'm going to buy another phone so I can talk to her while I'm gone!" Brilliant!
Having a goal now, he went to shower and get ready for the graduation party with his friends. He worked through in his head how he would act as Adrien while he was around her. If she doesn't bring up the date, I won't bring it up. I'll only ask her for one dance, hopefully, she'll ask me for one, too. I will not stare at her! The only thing I can say about how she looks is that she is beautiful, I've said that before, it won't be too much...
He dressed and had enough time to make sure Plagg wasn't going to bring any stinky cheese before it was time to go. He drove up arriving at the same time as Kim and Alix who were matching and holding hands.
"Hey, guys!" He greeted them.
"You ready to party!" Kim said pumping his fist in the air.
"I'm pretty sure we are just planning on dancing to Nino's playlist and hanging out," Adrien said.
"Well I looked up American parties and I heard they sometimes spike the punch," he said with a wink.
"That's because they don't get to legally drink until their 21. Not even Chloe could convince her dad to bend the rules and get some for this party since not everyone is 18 yet," Alix said stepping through the door Kim had opened.
As they walked in they saw the decorations that made the room look elegant. Nino was already up near the speakers working the music and Alya was there talking with him. Kim and Alix headed toward the group talking in front of the snack table and Adrien headed towards Nino.
"Wow, you guys look great!" Looks like you found a hat to wear," Adrien said to the couple who had coordinated their coloring.
"Thanks, man," Nino said straightening his fedora.
"He does dress up nicely," Alya added.
"Goes well with your dress too Alya, it's awesome!" He said enthusiastically.
"Isn't it just," she said checking out his color curiously, "didn't see you as a guy to wear pink."
"Oh, this? Its-I was just trying something new," he stammered blushing.
"Not trying to match anyone?" She said suggestively, then quickly added, "how was the date with Marinette?"
"It was, uh...fun," he said scratching his head.
"That's all? 'Uh fun' is all I get? Are you guys a couple now? What happened? She hasn't texted me back at all!"
"No she's seeing...someone else," he said glancing at Nino.
Alya sputtered, "but...what...did she tell you that!?"
"It came up, so we just continued the date as friends," Adrien explained.
Nino was frantic to not talk about this and looked at the time hoping he could start the songs and distract Alya with a dance. Close enough!
Music began pumping through the speakers and everyone who was gathered in the room turned. Nino grabbed Alya's hand and led her to the middle to start everyone dancing. Adrien noticed the absence of Marinette and tried to distract himself by scanning the rest of the friends.
His eyes were drawn to the door as it burst open but his heart fell when it was just Chloe arriving. Lila was behind her looking pissed off and stayed near the door glaring after her. There were a few pleasant waves to welcome the pair, but they were unacknowledged. Chloe seemed to be on a mission and marched up to Nino and Alya. Adrien didn't hear because he was conspicuously making his way closer to the door hoping to be the first one to greet Marinette.
Chloe had grabbed everyone's attention and could be heard as the first song was ending, "and everyone in here is utterly useless! Who would come to a lame party with no queen!"
She was now walking towards the door with all eyes following her. Her eyes met Adrien as she walked by, "as for you Adrien Agreste. You can forget about ever being with me, you belong with these losers!"
The door suddenly opened again and Adrien's heart skipped a beat and quickly looked. It's her.
Marinette was breathing a little heavy and looked like she had rushed over. Her hair was partially braided in a halo with flowers and was flowing around her shoulders. The dress she had made was light pink covered in flowery white lace. The scoop neckline accented her delicate collarbone and her dress fanned out in a bell shape. She had met his eyes and there was a faint blush on her cheeks.
"Running late, as usual, Maritrash! You will never amount to anything," Chloe said popping the happy bubble that Adrien had created as he stared at Marinette.
It was like he was suddenly seeing red when he turned to look at Chloe. He had never felt the rage that he was feeling towards anyone. "Get. Out."
"Wha..." Chloe looked at him and seemed to cower in fear at his gaze and menacing tone.
"Leave. NOW." Everyone who was close enough to see his look noticed and Marinette quickly came to his side. She wrapped her arm through his elbow and felt his tension. Adrien's fist that was balled up relaxed when he felt her hand and his whole countenance soften when they laced together.
Chloe quickly turned and motioned for Lila to follow. They were forgotten as soon as the door closed, and Adrien looked to Marinette who had a worried look on her face. Seeing that he seemed to be better she simply said, "hey."
"Hey," he answered hoping she would never let him go. There was a slow song being ignored because of the scene that had played out and he pulled her towards the dance floor. She was studying his face to make sure he was alright and saw the hurt in his eyes. Her instincts pulled her into an embrace as they swayed to the music as he rested his head against her.
Everyone was watching but broke off into their own dancing after there was nothing else to see. When the song ended Adrien didn't move to separate and they stayed in position until the next song began and they continued to sway to another slow song. It wasn't until that song ended and a more upbeat song started that they finally separated.
"You look beautiful in that dress," Adrien said before letting her go.
"Thank you," she said stepping back and finally getting to see his suit. She blushed to notice how closely their pink colors matched, "you look very handsome in your suit. And the pink..."
"Thanks. I like pink, but my favorite color is purrple," he said wanting to get back to the comfortable way they had talked yesterday. Before I ruined it by trying to kiss her.
She hesitated, but then laughed as she studied him. There's something about him...
"You look amazing!" Alya danced up next to them and gave Marinette a big hug and whispered, "why haven't you texted me back?"
"Thanks, Alya, you look great in your dress too!"
Adrien was berating himself as he observed the girls. Stupid stupid stupid! No cat puns as Adrien and definitely none in front of her! I'll just use that joke in front of someone else and say I only wore pink so I could pun...that'll work. Here's my chance.
"Hey, you guys look awesome!" Rose said coming up to them with Juleka.
"I love pink, but purrrple is even better!" Adrien said with tension in his voice causing all four of them to look over at him.
Marinette looked more baffled than ever, but Rose giggled and said, "good one Adrien."
"I wore pink just so I could use that," he said hoping he covered his blunder from before.
"I thought you were matching Marinette, didn't you guys go on a date last night?" Juleka asked.
"Yeah, we hung out! It was like a friend hang out, you know, friends hang out all the time," Marinette stuttered out looking at the group that was starting to gather. Aren't people supposed to be dancing?
"Do friends also dance two songs in a row right when they get to a party?" Zoe asked playfully. She was part of the friend group and had been invited to their party despite being in another class all year. She had also been accompanied by Luka who didn't even go to this school.
"Wait are you two officially dating now?" Alya intruded on the current conversation to ask about Zoe and Luka who were holding hands.
"Yes, we've been waiting until she graduated to make it more official," Luka said raising their hands and placing a kiss on hers.
Thankful for the attention to be away from herself, Marinette slowly scooted herself out of the center of the circle and ended up standing next to Max. It was easy to spend time together with all of her friends and she danced with Max during the next song. Nino never again placed two slow songs together and there was only 5 total the rest of the time. Everyone was able to enjoy their time together and afterward, they all helped clean up.
Rose wasn't the only one to shed some tears as they said more goodbyes. Max was leaving in two weeks for his summer internship. Kagami, another invited guest who didn't attend their school but was close friends with everyone, only had one month before she left. No matter how many times people said they would still get to see each other, Rose still cried.
Adrien thought he followed his rules pretty well besides those first two dances. He was able to keep busy talking to all his friends and only had to forcibly stop looking at her a few times. I used to be able to hang out with everyone and not be so distracted by her.
They all were able to part ways eventually and say goodbyes. Many of them had some kind of family summer vacation before their university studies. They all promised to keep in touch and see each other often.