Adrien led Marinette through the winding paths of the park, the moonlight casting a gentle glow around them. Her presence seemed to shimmer in this ethereal light, her dark hair catching hints of silver and her eyes reflecting the serene beauty of the night sky. He couldn't help but notice how the soft illumination highlighted her delicate features, making her appear almost otherworldly. His heart failed to keep steady.
They reached the fountain, its cascading water creating a soothing melody in the background. Adrien settled on the edge, gesturing for Marinette to come and join him. She gracefully took a seat beside him, the moonlight bathing her in a soft radiance that seemed to enhance her every movement. She didn't need the costume to say she was a goddess, she oozed it constantly, his heart soaring with love and devotion.
Taking a deep breath, he knew the moment had come. They'd been playing this game long enough, and he just couldn't continue pretending when everything he wanted was so close for his taking. All it would take was a little confidence and belief.
He turned towards Marinette, his heart racing with anticipation. "Marinette," he began, his voice steady yet filled with emotion, "there's something I need to tell you."
But just as he was about to lay his heart on the line, a flash of light disrupted the tranquillity from near the carousel. They turned towards the unexpected interruption, their conversation momentarily derailed.
"What was that?" Marinette asked, her brow furrowing with curiosity.
Adrien glanced back at her, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "I think it's a sign," he said playfully, his eyes twinkling. "Let's continue this conversation somewhere a bit more private. Do you think your parents would mind me coming in?"
For a moment, he'd forgotten who he was and what they really were. The conversation they were about to have out in the open would have been incredibly stupid considering they were meant to be head over heels in love and engaged. He'd almost lost himself, forgetting that this could all be destroyed if the wrong people had the wrong information.
Even though he was now being seen once again as Adrien Agreste, not Monarch's son, he didn't need anything that could turn all this positivity into negativity. Marinette had done this for him. She'd made him feel worthy again, and shown it to the rest of the world. She'd never stopped believing and her support was more than anything.
Together, they rose from the fountain's edge, the lingering magic of the moonlight still dancing around them — along with more flashes from behind. Adrien offered Marinette his hand, and she accepted it with a nod and a warm smile.
They strolled out of the park, the night air filled with a sense of anticipation, only to increase as his fingers slid between hers. In a way, their hearts were already one.
Soon, they reached the bakery, Marinette digging around for her keys and opening the door. She placed her finger to her lips before nodding at Adrien. They stepped inside, greeted by the lingering aroma of freshly baked bread and delicious treats. Marinette waited for Adrien to pass, before locking the door and leading him up the staircase and into the main apartment.
They crept through as silently as possible, Marinette only stumbling twice as they headed up to her room — her old room. The place was now full of partially packed boxes, and their discarded clothing from earlier that evening.
"Do you mind if I just change into something more comfortable?" She was stalling for time, a usual Marinette deflection from serious matters.
His lips turned up compassionately. "Of course. I'll get changed here too...if that's okay?"
She nodded, grabbed a pile of clothes, and ran down the staircase, leaving him alone. Wandering around, he peered into the boxes, checking what she had packed so far and how much of her life she was willing to put into this relationship. One box contained books, another drawing supplies, then another which contained...
He reached in, noticing a selection of paper, something on them catching his eye. Delicately, he lifted the paper out of the box and studied it. The drawings were old. Marinette's most recent ones were more refined than when she was in her teens. But as he studied each and every one, the lump in his throat grew, the realisation taking his breath away and causing him trouble to continue to breathe - because this was the sign he was waiting for. The signal he needed to jump in with two feet and know she would be there to catch him.
There were sketches of him. Doodles of them – of their future family. Of a pretty girl and two toothless boys. Of Tikki and Plagg playing with a hamster, and her marital name scrawled around it.
Marinette Agreste.
Mrs Marinette Agreste.
Mrs Adrien Agreste.
Mrs M. Agreste.
His heart picked up speed and every nerve caught on fire as he waited for her to return. They needed to talk...now! They had waited long enough.
If she'd kept these, she obviously still felt this way. If she'd kept these, she still wanted him.
"Okay, I'm all.... What are you doing?"
Dropping the drawings in the box, Adrien turned around abruptly at the sound of her voice and knocked over another box filled with cuddly toys...each one gifted from him.
She scurried past him, picking up the box and putting everything back in. She was frantic, and he was worried she was going to turn around and tell him to get out. She dropped down onto her knees, scooping up the fallen items and pushing them back into the box.
"Marinette, I'm sorry, I just saw it and..."
"And what, Adrien? You realised how pathetic I am?"
He heard the emotion in her voice and felt his own building with it. He watched her, unable to answer as the light reflected off a tear escaping down her now plain face – if you could call her plain. She was more stunning naturally than with the dark, smoky eyes she'd been given earlier, and with her hair back in her signature pigtails, all he wanted to do was scoop her in his arms and kiss her senseless.
"Marinette, I –"
She sniffed and his heart broke. He hated seeing her cry. He just wanted to scoop her in his arms, take her to their bed and hold her until there was no sorrow left in sight.
He closed his eyes, opening them with a newfound solidity. "I'll be right back."
He grabbed his clothing and headed down into the bathroom, swapping his outfit for his day clothes and his fear for his strength. He wouldn't allow Marinette to cry anymore...not over him.
In record time, he was changed and making his way back up the staircase into her room.
He lingered at the trapdoor, his gaze fixed on Marinette sitting on the chaise lounge, bathed in the ethereal glow of moonlight and looking more defeated than he'd ever seen her.
He watched as Tikki hovered nearby, a silent guardian to her quiet sorrow. In Marinette's arms was the small mouse plushie he had won for her years ago, a cherished relic of their shared past.
His heart clenched as he observed her wiping tears from her cheeks.
Slowly, he continued up into her room, the floorboards creaking under foot as he lifted to his full height. Marinette's eyes widened as she noticed him, a mix of surprise and apprehension flickering across her features.
"Adrien?" she murmured, her voice tinged with uncertainty. Did she think he wouldn't come back?
He approached cautiously, his gaze never leaving hers. Sitting down beside her, he couldn't ignore the surge of possessiveness that washed over him at the sight of her wearing his lacrosse shirt — one he now realised was her favourite, as a kind of protection. The fabric seemed to cling to her in all the right places, igniting a primal desire to claim what was his—what he longed to be truly his.
"Marinette," Adrien began, his voice soft but absolute. "I've been thinking...about us."
Her eyes searched his, a hint of confusion mingling with hope.
"This whole fake engagement... I don't want it to be just a façade anymore," Adrien confessed, his words carefully chosen. "I want us to be real—to take it slow and date like any normal couple would. And before you overthink this, it's something I've wanted for quite a while, even before the whole fake engagement thing."
Marinette's breath caught, her expression a mixture of astonishment and relief.
Adrien continued, his gaze unwavering. "I've come to realise that what I feel for you has never changed. If anything, it's...deeper than I ever imagined."
He reached out, gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, his touch feather-light yet meaningful as it made a slow, deliberate trail across her face.
"I would love to explore this, Nettie," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "No rush, no pressure. Just us, being together, and seeing where it leads."
Marinette's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her lips parting as she reached to grab one of his hands, bringing it down into her lap and covering it with the other.
"Adrien," she breathed, her voice filled with emotion. "This is all I've ever wanted."
Relief washed over him as he heard her words. In that moment, beneath the moonlight that bathed them in its soft embrace, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders—a weight he hadn't fully realised he carried until now.
They sat together, hands entwined, hearts open to the possibilities ahead.
"Really?" He couldn't help the enthusiasm as it radiated off him like a nuclear explosion. She wanted this. She wanted him.
She nodded. "I just thought, after the reveal..."
Her voice trailed off, but that didn't matter because he knew every unspoken word.
After the reveal, you didn't seem to want me.
"It was hard," Adrien admitted. "Knowing who you were and how close we were... I just didn't want to overstep my boundaries on either side of the mask, knowing the extent of how it could affect our relationship 'in real life'. I've never stopped adoring you, though, M'Lady. You have always been the kickass fireball I've wanted on my side. You're everything - and more."
And I am hopelessly, entirely, unquestionably, would-die-for-you, head-over-heels in love with you. Words which would remain unspoken – for now, at least.
He couldn't believe the turn of events. Marinette's shocked expression had given way to a smile that melted his heart. He watched her with a mix of excitement and nervousness, his mind racing with thoughts of what this moment could mean.
"You...you want to take it slow?" Marinette's voice was soft, her eyes searching his for reassurance.
Adrien's heart swelled with affection. "Yes. We can take it as slow as you need. We'll test the waters together, before we dive in."
As he waited for her response, he felt every nerve in his body on edge. The seconds stretched out, each one filled with anticipation. He wanted nothing more than for Marinette to feel comfortable, to know that he was there for her, ready to support her in whatever way she needed.
"Okay," Marinette finally said, a small but genuine smile playing on her lips.
With a prang, his chest loosened, a rush of relief flooding through him. He couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face. In that moment, he felt a surge of love for Marinette and a profound sense of hope for their future together. He vowed silently to treasure every step of this journey, to make her feel cherished and loved beyond measure. And as their eyes locked, he could see the unspoken promise of their newfound connection, filling him with a warmth that he knew would stay with him for a long time to come.
He stood up, a joyful leap in his heart as Marinette rose beside him, positively glowing in the dim light. His chest swelled with an overwhelming affection for her, but he needed to keep it together. It was all a matter of time now, and he'd already waited this long. A few more weeks, or months, wouldn't kill him.
"Well...I should go. I have an early train in the morning...which you knew, so I don't know why I'm telling you again." Adrien rubbed a hand over his face, unable to keep everything functioning normally when he just wanted to run down the street screaming he was in love.
"Oh...yeah, okay. I forgot. Actually I didn't, but yeah...you probably need your beauty sleep. Not that you need it, just because..." She trailed off and once again they stood facing each other. "I'll walk you out."
She led him downstairs, pausing just before the exit to bid him goodnight. Adrien's mind raced, longing to kiss her lips, to feel the delicate touch of her mouth against his own. But he hesitated, opting instead for a tender kiss on her cheek.
"Goodnight, Marinette," he murmured, his voice filled with a mixture of longing and affection.
"Goodnight, Adrien," Marinette replied, her eyes twinkling with unspoken emotion.
She stretched a hand up, cupping his cheek in the most tender way he'd ever been touched. She lifted up onto her toes, pressing her lips to his cheek, before pulling away, allowing her nose to gently brush against his.
"Thank you for tonight," she whispered.
"Always."
Turning away, his heart felt as though it might burst with delight. As he stepped out onto the quiet street, he was overcome with the need to sing, to express the elation swirling within him.
Every step was light, his thoughts consumed by Marinette's radiant smile and the warmth of her lips against his cheek. The night air seemed to dance around him, echoing the exhilaration in his soul.
He couldn't stop smiling, the memory of her presence filling him with a deep sense of happiness. As he began to make his way home, the stars above seemed to shine brighter, as if reflecting the warmth and excitement that he carried within.
Time. All it took now was time.