You know when people say there are moments you'll never forget? Marinette was almost certain this was one, and not because of the broken phone, or the fact Adrien's sneeze could have broken the all-time record for the loudest sneeze ever heard, but because she was certain he had seen her screen. He had seen her admitting she was in love with him – to him. Well, not exactly to him, but...oh, who was she kidding! He'd so seen it, and now she would need to crawl into a hole and bury herself alive.
She'd taken her phone from him with the most cringeworthy smile and wondered why the famed Adrien Agreste still hung around with her. She really was pitiful.
They walked side by side to the metro station in silence, then rode side by side to the La Défense train station before heading into the shopping centre, also in silence. It was like a game of truth or dare where neither were willing to speak in case they lost. She would look at him, he would look back. Her cheeks would fluster and she couldn't help but wonder if there was any excuse she could think of which would make her look less like a weirdo. She didn't need to think though, as Adrien spoke first.
"I'm sorry for breaking your phone. I really didn't mean to frighten you with the sneeze. I didn't even know I was going to sneeze. It just happened, and then you threw the phone... I swear I wasn't sneaking up on you. I learnt my lesson years ago about doing that."
Oh, sweet cherry pie! He thought she was angry at him for the phone! Maybe he hadn't seen the love declaration. Heaven knew he'd never seen any of the real ones in their past, so who was to say he'd seen the obvious one right in front of his nose?
"Sorry," she said with a smile. "I was in a world of my own. It's this date tonight. I'm just stressing out. It's not you, I promise."
He pulled his cap further down as they headed into the shopping centre and straight for the phone store. "Maybe you need to go out and meet people the real way, rather than through a dating app."
Marinette snorted. "When do I have the time to go out and meet people, Mr Hot Shot Movie Star? I'm not always attending galas and parties with the famous and fabulous like someone I know."
The words stirred her gut. She didn't mean to sound so defensive. He'd been actively dating for years, ever since he'd started getting 'bit' roles in movies. He would always tell her it was just for publicity and that he didn't actively go out of his way to date or find girlfriends, but she wasn't stupid. They were all gorgeous, the prime of fashion and film, each of them looking like a treasure on his arm. Not a 22-year-old wannabe designer and ex-superheroine who struggled to go through with an online date without spilling her drink all over them, or setting the table on fire. Both very real stories, she might add.
"Make time, Marinette. You deserve more than just the weirdos on Sparkr...which, by the way, is one hundred percent the worst of the dating apps."
She laughed. "Well, I've gone through them all on the other apps. This is my last hope."
"And that's why you need to meet a tall, strapping stranger at a bar or something. I'm surprised you haven't got a queue forming behind you."
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him if he would be first in said 'queue' but she held herself back. She wasn't doing this anymore. She'd moved on (or was at least trying) and he was her best friend. Their relationship was unique and special...and she still possessed a major crush on him! Maybe even more than ever. But this wasn't ever going to happen and she was slowly getting over it...very, very slowly. Like a snail...with a limp.
She sighed. "We'll see! But right now, you are going to help me look fabulous...or at least try to."
"After we've got you a new phone. I'm not letting you go out with a stranger and not have a way for you to call for help if you need it."
Heading into the phone store, Adrien took it upon himself to choose, buy and then set up her new phone – making sure his number was firmly in her favourites, complete with the cat heart-eyed emoji. How could she not swoon over his stupidity?
They continued on into the depths of the shopping centre, and made a beeline for her favourite store. She loved that Adrien hadn't even asked. He knew exactly where she wanted to go and why. She was one of those awkward, in-between sizes, which was why she tended to make her own clothing. However, she'd worn everything she owned and each and every dress was a reflection of her lack of dating skills. She hadn't the effort or the want to make one for tonight. After all, it would just end up in the washing basket again. Such a waste of valuable time she could be using to rewatch One Tree Hill. The Leyton Love Story would never grow old.
Walking into the store, it was always the same. Women stopped to look at them, not in a wow, look at that couple! kind of way, but a woah, look at that couple... kind of way. People couldn't believe they were an item, and to be honest she completely understood. Adrien's work had made a massive impact on his body, going from slightly buff to 'I wanna cover you in chocolate and lick it off', a dream of hers which filled the lonely nights way too often.
After a couple of tilted eyebrows from a gaggle of girls, Marinette pulled her phone from her bag, snapping a picture of Adrien and pulling up the group chat.
A group chat called: SSSHH with: LB, CN, RR, C...
Received Message from: Félix
I already told him. LBD!
Received Message from: Nino
Yeah, we already know he looks good in black 😏😉
Laughing to herself, she placed the phone back in her bag and gave Tikki a quick wink, the kwami giggling herself in response.
With a quick side step, Marinette hid behind a clothing rack, watching as Adrien pulled his phone from his pocket and hooted out a guffaw. "Really, Mari? You're so immature!"
She giggled back and stepped out from where she was hiding. "Who posted the picture of me drooling the other night?" She placed her hands on her hips, extremely Ladybug like, and raised an eyebrow at him.
"You looked cute! Everyone needed to see it." He smiled brightly and she felt her bones wobble. Smiles like that could turn her to jelly, especially when he called her cute. Oh, Lord...
"How about this one?" Adrien held up the most beautiful, short bodycon red dress, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he did so.
"Good try, Bozo!" she said, ripping it from his hands and placing it back on the rack.
"What? You always look so super in red. Come on, I dare you to try it on!"
They started laughing, only to be interrupted by a sales assistant, one she was certain was looking at Adrien like a piece of high quality meat. Everything inside her was screaming at the woman to back off.
"I was wondering if I could help you at all?" she said, her voice like honey as she looked directly at Adrien (a man) instead of her (the woman) as she messed with a couple of dresses on the rack.
"Just looking, at the moment," Marinette responded, slotting an arm through Adrien's and moving herself close to him. She smiled at the woman in a territorial back off, bitch kind of way – one which the assistant wasn't really getting.
"Well, if you need any help just let me know. Though, a little bit of advice...with your colouring, I'd stay away from red."
How either of them held it together as the woman turned and stalked away was anyone's guess. The woman had just told Ladybug, the greatest wearer of red (Style Queen's words, not hers), that her colour didn't suit her.
Adrien bent down to whisper in Marinette's ear, his warm breath tickling her neck and only intensifying the jelly bones within her body. "Yeah, Nettie, stay away from red! Only national icons, who wear it coated in black dots, are worthy of such colour."
Marinette pushed his shoulder and sent him tumbling into a rack of bras, the double G from the top hanger falling down and covering his head.
Unable to hold herself together, and knowing full well she was about to be escorted out of the shop and most likely the building, she did what any best friend would do. She grabbed her phone from her back pocket and snapped a picture, before turning and running out of the store like she'd just partaken in a bank robbery.
She rounded the corner and looked for any security chasing her, before placing her hands to her knees and breaking down in loud, obnoxious laughter.
Finding the group chat once more, she posted the photo and captioned it, only causing her laughter to grow louder and more manic.
A group chat called: SSSHH with: LB, CN, RR, C...
Sent Message: Adrien's once again being a tit! Please send help!
Closing the app and swapping to her phone book, she selected Adrien's name and held the phone to her ear.
"You'll pay for making me feel like a boob!" His voice rang loud and clear through the speaker.
She had to hold back the snicker before responding to him. "I'm in front of Chicken Stop. Did you want wings or should I get you a breast?" She couldn't hold it back any longer, letting out a rather loud guffaw followed by a loud, uncontrollable and extremely unattractive laugh.
She ended the call as the sight of his Kitty Section hat rounded the corner and entered her field of vision, her laughter restarting as the mental image of him with a bra on his head filled her thoughts.
"You're a pain in the ass! Did you know that?" he stated as a brown paper bag with the store's logo smacked her square in the chest.
"What's this?" Marinette said, frowning into the bag.
"I happen to think you look incredible in red, and this dress would be perfect for you."
She opened the top and peered in. There it was. The red dress.
Her stomach looped round as she thought about why he would have done that. Did he really want her to succeed? Obviously he did, and the message suddenly became extremely loud, and very clear. She needed to move on. He didn't want her anymore and she had to get over it. It had been seven years. Seven whole years, the seven-year itch coming to its conclusion and proving anything more than friendship was not on the cards for Paris' most famous duo.
Lifting onto her toes, she pressed a slow, deliberate kiss to his cheek. The kiss of a final goodbye as well as a thank you. He wouldn't have bought the dress without reason and he must believe the guy on the date was the one...and that he wasn't.
She still kicked herself for being such an idiot at her young age, even more so by not jumping him when they'd finally revealed. She could still remember that most special, yet infuriating day, finally knowing exactly who was beneath the mask. Her most cherished person.
They'd had the most perfect night atop the Eiffel Tower before the countdown began and they'd finally revealed themselves. She'd really thought it would be all rainbows and daisies. Instead, it was more rain clouds and thunder...literally.
Right after the masks dropped, and she took Adrien into the most wonderful, warm embrace, the heavens opened and soaked them, before turning vicious and sending in the thunder and lightning too. Whatever would have happened, or whatever could have happened, was instead replaced by a sudden need to get to shelter. Unfortunately, as the rain grew heavier, they went in completely opposite directions.
Six years later, her rainbows and daisies still didn't exist. Instead she was positioned in a field of weeds.
He throws her one of his heart breaking smiles before linking her arm through his. "So, Little Lady, I have about an hour before I need to leave. What do you want to do with me?"
If only he knew what was running through her mind — chocolate and his body a key part of the plan. An hour certainly would be more than enough.
But instead, she went with her second choice.
"Let's get some cake."