Edit: Okay, so I already posted this chapter but only half of it was posted and not the full one ((at least for me)) so I reposted this
Four hours of playing video games and embarrassing dares later was time for a snack. The kids sat on Adrien's sofa happily munching on the sandwiches Felix made them with much appreciation. Said man stood up and stretched his arms and legs, sighing as a satisfying crack echoed through the room. Marinette groaned and cringed at the sound as she threw a pillow at him. Felix grabbed the pillow with ease and tossed it back onto the couch before walking to the other side.
"We have two hours until dinner time so I'll be in kitchen if you need me," Felix reached over and grabbed the vest he was wearing most of the time.
"Yeah, we will," Adrien sighed as he leaned into the couch.
Felix waved them off as he walked out the door with his vest over his shoulder. His back wasn't as straight as before and he seemed to drag his feet more often than not, a change his family noticed. Adrien watched as his older brother walked off into the corridor with this almost swing and confident swagger in his step. Adrien felt like his older brother was getting cooler the older he got and he most certainly had the fan base to prove it. Before Adrien, Felix used to do the modeling and contracts and the big parties. Felix seemed to enjoy the attention he got from the spotlight.
"What do you say, Adrien?" Nino's voice snapped him out of his trance.
"Hm? Oh, sorry I wasn't paying attention,"
"Yeah, we know and we were talking going outside to play around. I brought my football dude," Nino picked out his ball from his duffel bag.
"Yeah, let's go!"
Adrien was off the couch in seconds as the trio behind him chuckled. Alya jumped over Nino with a challenge in her shout at him. The two raced out of the door and their feet could be heard pounding against the marble floor. Marinette and Adrien laughed before running off towards their friends before Felix got them and chatised them for running around the stairs. Felix was almost a second mother to Adrien, though he wouldn't admit or else he'd hurt his brothers pride, next to Nathalie. Marinette would definitely be a nice addition to the odd family they already had. Adrien's face flushed from the tip of his ears to his neck at the thought.
Marinette Agreste...definitely a nice ring to it
"Come on slow pokes!" Alya's shout burst his little daydream bubble.
"You're just too eager, Alya!"
"And you're not?"
"You're on!"
Marinette ran down the stairs which sent a protective shiver down Adrien spine to keep her from harming herself. Marinette was graceful when she wanted to be but most of the time it was like gravity had a personal grudge against her. She always tripped and fell, usually into Adrien's chest and arms. That was when Adrien began to notice how strong and built she was despite her frame. Her hands would grip his biceps firmly before he helped her up. Then it went from her arms to her waist and hips. Slowly he found himself falling for the girl.
He noticed her large, bluebell eyes that stared him down and her black hair that was kept into it's cute pigtails. As Chat, Adrien slowly began seeing Marinette in His Lady and soon he found himself completely wrapped around her little finger. Her laugh was a soft melody he loved and her smile, even if it was stiff, was still lovely. He became entranced and enraptured by her beauty and then how much of a dork she was. He was truly in love with her.
In love with...
"Marinette...," Adrien sighed happily
"Y-yes, Adrien?" A small squeak came from in front him.
"Eh?"
He looked in front of him to see Marinette's face slowly doing it's magic trick, turning red. Alya and Nino were biting their lips to keep from erupting into a howling laughter. They could see the comical black dots above his head and then the lightbulb going off. His face soon matched Marinette's as he stumbled to apologize for whatever he said. She waved him off and said it was fine. Alya was holding onto Nino by now trying to muffle her amusement in his arms.
They were so innocently pure!
Huffing, Adrien walked past Marinette before heading towards his back door. The trio, one very embarrassed and two very amused, followed the blond. Marinette kept thinking and thinking back to it, to his face. His eyes were filled with warmth as she turned around sure she had heard him say something to her. He was lost in thought, that much she could tell certainly and she seemed to be the topic of his thoughts. Those warm, loving eyes stared so deep into her she could feel the mansion growing warmer despite its freezing temperatures. A small smiled danced on his lips as they let out a small chuckle. She felt like she was staring upon some other worldly being with how much light he seemed to be emitting. Then he said it, he said her name! So softly and gently too. Yet, her own name coming from his lips sent a cold shiver down her spine when he did.
The snickering couple beside her didn't faze as they taunted down the base of the stairs. All she could see was Adrien and that love he held. No more Akuma's, no more Hawkmoth, no more fighting. Okay, now she was over thinking things a bit. She shook her head and let out a prominent whine when the cool air was replaced by a hot sting. The mansions cool lights replaced the sun's glaring rays that would be sure to blind them. She hung her head and her shoulders at the blasted thing. Alya and Nino scrambled to find some shade in the many tree's the Agreste household had in their little garden.
"Come on you guys, where is that fighting spirit from earlier?"
Adrien placed his hand on his hips as he cocked his head to the side with an eyebrow raised. The trio groaned in response as they plopped into the shaded tables and benches. Nino took his hat off and fanned himself with it. Alya had brought two plates with her for the hot walk to the mansion and handed one to her overheated best friend. Marinette took the plate gratefully as she could feel the sun beating down on her despite the shade.
"Dude, it died the second the hot air breathed on us," Nino groaned.
"Adrien, it is rather hot outside," Marinette smiled softly at him.
"Yeah, it is and so much for that rain we were going to get," Alya grumbled.
"Rain does seem more appealing than this heat wave," Nino nodded.
"Why the rain?"
"Well, you can play in the rain and the puddles," Alya smiled with victory.
"And get sick as well," Marinette piped up.
"Whose side are you on?" Alya gave her an offeneded stare.
"No one, just stating facts Alya," Marinette held her hand up to show her surrender.
"You think if you call Felix he'll make some lemonade?" Nino stared at Marinette.
"Why me?" Marinette narrowed her eyes as did Adrien.
"Yeah, I could ask for some as well," Adrien pouted.
"Because, Felix loves her," Alya teased which earned her a groan.
"For the last time, he doesn't! Maybe as a sibling not romantically!" Marinette whacked her friend with the plate.
"No one said anything about it being romantic," If he could, Nino would be sipping that very lemonade mentioned from earlier.
"Oh, don't you get technical on me mister!" Marinette threw her plate down on the bench before pointing her finger.
"I will, and I shall!" Nino grinned.
"Oh, it's on, Nino!"
"Bring it, Marinette!"
"No, no, no, no"
Adrien wedged himself between the two before a plate or a hat went flying into the hedges. He didn't think his father would appreciate the new addition in decorations neither would Jean, their gardener. The two settled down and oddly enough so did the heat. It was noticeable enough to not want to stick your body in a tub of ice before melting. They were thankful for the gusts of wind that helped them cool as Nino bounced his football on his foot. Adrien had a sly smirk crawl onto his face as he ran towards Nino and kicked the ball away.
"Adrien, a little warning next time!"
Nino grumbled as he went to retrieve his ball from the hedges nearby. He gave this stare to Adrien when an idea suddenly popped into his head. He kicked the ball around a bit before Adrien turned around with enough satisfaction that he caught he his best friend off guard. Nino grinned before he kicked the ball towards Adrien. Adrien let out a yelp as he saw the ball coming towards him and effectively hitting his side.
"Nino!" Adrien groaned and shouted.
"You started the battle my friend!" Nino grinned as he crossed his arms.
"Oh, come on you two!" Alya sighed.
"Let them have their fun, Alya,"
Marinette smiled sweetly before getting up. She marched over to Adrien before picking up the ball herself and setting onto the ground. Nino positioned himself opposite of her and in a flash the ball came hurtling towards him. He caught the ball with ease and winced and the impact. Marinette had a strong kick as well. Said girl frowned when her kick didn't do its job of knocking her friend over. Adrien stood by her side as Alya ran to Nino's side, a two against two match.
It was a simple game, either person could block or kick but no one could really run towards the ball. So it was really just a game of kicking it back and forth without it going off into the hedges. Adrien and Marinette worked together so perfectly and in sync. It shocked Alya and Nino when either would kick or block so quickly before throwing back at them. One would cover while the other attacked, they flowed so smoothly together.
Marinette and Adrien didn't know why either, it was like they worked before. Marinette felt like she was with Chat during their night patrols when they swung in the open Parisian skies. A grin spread on her face as it did on Adrien's face as well. Adrien became a little daring when the next ball came at them and towards Marinette quite rapidly. Whether it was the adrenaline or the worry he didn't know, but all he did know was he had to get that hit. He placed his hands on the grads below him and lifted his leg up as he blocked the ball.
That hit set the game as the ball went into the hedges for the third time on Alya and Nino's part. Marinette and Adrien let out a joyous cheer at their victory. Alya and Nino roll their eyes and go to retrieve the ball from it's thorny prison of leaves. Marinette looks over at Adrien before they both stick out their fists. Their fists collide together as they grin.
"Good job!"
The response felt so natural and so did the action with each other that it took them a minute. A minute to figure out what was wrong with that gesture and then it hit them. They only used that gesture with their partners as their superhero counterparts. A silence rolled by as the shock came over them when they realized it. His now messy blond hair and her large, bluebell eyes suddenly connected the dots. Marinette stepped away from Adrien as he did the same.
It can't be... A million thoughts ran through their heads.
I finally found her... My Lady...