·Collège Françoise Dupont·
Talk about Dads.
Ever since the music festival, Marinette hadn't been able to get Luka off her mind. She tried not to think about him but in doing so, he came to her mind more. She was trying to convince herself that Luka was just a crush and that Adrien was still the one for her. However, her heart knew what she didn't want to accept; both boys were equally right for her. As she made her way out of the school, she heard someone call out from behind.
"Marinette!"
She didn't even need to turn around to know who had called her, Adrien. She spun around to answer him. "H-hey Adrien," she said, only stuttering a little.
Adrien gave her a great big grin, "Hey! The band is meeting up at Juleka's place later, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with?"
"Sure!" Marinette replied a little too enthusiastically.
Adrien chuckled. "Great, Alya and Nino are coming too. I'm picking them up on the way. Would you like to ride with us or just meet us there?"
Marinette was internally screaming. Not only had Adrien personally asked her to come watch the practice, but he was also offering to pick her up. Sure, Alya and Nino would be there, but that didn't matter to her.
"A ride would be great."
"Awesome, I will stop by the bakery in say, an hour and a half?" Adrien inquired.
Marinette grinned, "I'll be ready."
"See you later then," Adrien replied before he ran off and climbed into his car before Gorilla got too angry at him for making him wait.
"See you," Marinette called after him since he had already taken off.
Marinette watched as the familiar silver car drove off with Adrien inside.
Did he really just ask me to come to his band practice?!
Alya passed by her, and Marinette grabbed her arm, "Alya!"
"What's up, girl?" Alya inquired as she was yanked backward.
Marinette was still slightly in shock. "Adrien just asked me to come to his band practice!"
"Girl, you're not the only one you know. He invited Nino and me too," Alya replied trying to bring Marinette back down to earth.
Marinette barely heard her, "Yeah, but he asked me specifically. Do you think it means something?" Marinette's mind was running wild with outrageous ideas again. The look on her face made it clear that she was in her own little fantasyland.
Alya shook her head. "Marinette... Marinette!"
"Huh?"
"You were doing it again," Alya replied.
Marinette blushed, "Oops. I can't help it. He's just so perfect."
"Marinette, you have got to start living in reality. The one where you still need to talk to Adrien if you want to actually see something happen between the two of you." Alya explained in vain once again.
"I just don't know how."
"Well, you better figure it out and fast. If you don't step up your game, sooner or later someone else will ask him out and eventually, he will say yes." Alya replied seriously as she turned to leave.
Marinette frowned and her heart sped up at the thought. It infuriated her to think of Adrien with someone else. "I know," Marinette groaned.
·Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie·
When there was a knock at the door Marinette rushed to it. "Hey!"
"Hey, ready to go?" Adrien inquired.
Marinette nodded, holding up a finger letting him know she needed one more second. She quickly ran into the kitchen and grabbed her bag.
"Have a good time, sweetie," Tom said as his daughter rushed past.
Marinette threw him a smile over her shoulder as she hurried back to the door, placing her bag on her shoulder. "I will see you later, papa," she replied.
She hadn't realized how far she had gone when she turned back around and crashed right into Adrien in the doorway. "Sorry, sorry!" Marinette mumbled as Adrien held tightly to her arm, making sure she didn't rebound and fall on her butt.
"Don't worry, I'm used to it. Honestly, if you didn't find a way to trip or run into me, I would have to wonder what happened to the real Marinette," Adrien teased with a giant grin.
Marinette couldn't help the blush that crept onto her cheeks. Her mind was quickly lost in thought as she gazed up into his eyes.
He doesn't mind that I'm clumsy?
It wasn't until he let go of her arm that she regained her mind.
"Shall we?" he asked.
She nodded dramatically as she stepped out the door and pulled it shut behind her. There was a short awkward silence between them as they made their way down the stairs.
"Your dad seems pretty amazing," Adrien remarked as they stepped into the bakery.
She nodded. "Papa is the best. I wouldn't give him up for any other dad in the whole world."
"I wish I could say the same, but my father hardly even talks to me," Adrien said as if it was common knowledge.
Marinette stopped in the middle of the bakery.
He turned around to look at her. "Is something wrong?"
"Your dad doesn't even talk to you?" She repeated his words as a question.
Adrien's gaze dropped to the floor. "He's busy working a lot."
Marinette moved closer to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. She couldn't imagine what that must be like. She told her father everything - almost everything. "That's no excuse! He should at least find time to spend with his son."
"It's no big deal. That's what I have friends like you for, right?" he asked as he looked up at her with a grin.
Marinette blushed a few shades darker than before, even if she wasn't excited about the use of the word friend. Adrien patted her hand, letting her knew he would be fine before he nodded towards the door. Marinette smiled, and they quickly headed out to his car.
"What took you guys so long? We were wondering if you two started making out in the stairwell," Alya teased once they climbed into the car, causing Marinette to blush. Lucky for Marinette, she was seated up front.
"No. She decided to run head first into me and needed a minute to recover," he replied as if he'd been thinking about how to cover for their long wait all along.
·Collège Françoise Dupont·
I'm allergic to feathers.
During band practice, Adrien couldn't stop smiling at Marinette. He was having a great time with all of his friends. He tried to keep the others from noticing his attentions on Marinette since he wasn't really ready to admit he had a crush on her. When they finished, Adrien and Luka approached the group and joined in, standing next to Marinette. Adrien didn't really think anything about Luka standing on the other side of her as well.
"So, do you guys like the new setlist? We have been working on it since the music festival," Luka asked.
"I think it's fantastic! It really displays everyone's strong points with all the solos." Marinette replied to him before glancing over at Adrien with a smile.
"I agree. It sounds awesome!" Alya chipped in.
"Where did you get those songs?" Nino inquired.
"They are just songs we like listening to or things the some of us have written," Luka replied.
Adrien was gazing at Marinette with a grin on his face barely listening to the conversation. When a light breeze picked up suddenly, a hand full of feathers were blown towards the group. Marinette pointed them out to Adrien who quickly moved away till they were gone. When he came back, Luka gave him a confused look.
"What was that about?" Luka inquired.
"I'm allergic to feathers," Adrien replied as if nothing had bothered him in the first place. Luka nodded. Suddenly, Adrien's phone vibrated. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked down at it. When he saw what was written, he frowned.
"What's wrong?" Marinette asked with a worried expression.
Adrien glanced up at her, "My father just scheduled a last minute shoot for me in an hour." The group of friends groaned.
"Why would they do it so last minute?" Luka asked curiously.
Adrien shrugged, frustrated and angry that he wouldn't be able to stay with his friends for long before Gorilla came to get him.
Luka could tell how sad everyone was. "Why don't we all come with? I've never been to a photoshoot. It would be interesting to see what they are like."
"Trust me, it's nothing special," Adrien replied.
Luka shook his head. "Nonsense, it's something you do a lot right? Which means it's part of who you are. I think it's important to embrace the things that make us who we are."
Adrien couldn't help a smile. He'd never thought of modeling like that. Even if it wasn't his favorite thing, it was still part of who he was.
"Alright, I guess. If you want to come along, you can, but I'm not too sure my bodyguard and my photographer will like it."
"As long as no one's babysitting, I'm sure they won't mind," Alya teased.
"That wasn't Manon's fault. I shouldn't have brought her to the park when I had other things on my mind," Marinette blushed.
"Once Vincent noticed little Manon though, he seemed to really adore her, and those photos are some of my favorites." Adrien remarked, remembering the time Manon crashed one of his photoshoots because Marinette was distracted. "That never would have happened if you hadn't brought her to the park that day."
The group continued talking for a short while before Adrien's car arrived. Alya and Nino decided to walk home since it was such a nice day, which left Adrien, Luka and Marinette to go to the photoshoot.
Unexpected Photoshoot.
When they arrived, Adrien was whisked off to get ready, leaving Marinette and Luka alone to wait for the shoot to begin. Luka was a bit shocked by all the work that went into the shoot.
"Wow, I never knew how elaborate these things really were. I figured the movies were just exaggerating with all the lights and glamour." Luka remarked to Marinette as they watched Vincent run this way and that setting things up.
Marinette chuckled. "Yeah, I hadn't realized it either. When we crashed his shoot in the park, there wasn't this much equipment. I guess it has to do with being inside versus the natural light from being outside."
Just then, Adrien came out in a brand-new outfit and climbed the stairs to the platform in the middle of the room. Luka looked closely at the smile Adrien had on. He was certain it was different than the one he'd had during practice and while they had been chatting earlier.
"He really doesn't look too happy to be doing this," Luka said as Vincent began shooting picture after picture.
Marinette didn't reply, and Luka looked over at her to see why. Her mouth hung open, and Luka chuckled softly, shaking his head. He gently shut her mouth and watched as it dropped back open.
She really has it bad for this kid. I wonder if he knows.
Luka put an arm around Marinette's shoulders and turned his attention back to the shoot. When Vincent nearly tripped over Marinette and Luka, he was sure they were about to get kicked out.
"You two are the most adorable couple!" Vincent cried as he looked them over. "I have the most brilliant idea!" He grabbed hold of both of them and pulled them onto the stage.
"What! No! We're not a couple!" Marinette tried to explain to Vincent's deaf ears as she glanced in Adrien's direction.
"Perhaps we should be if Vincent thinks we look that much like one." Luka teased.
Marinette blushed brightly while Adrien looked confused. Luka chuckled at the chaos that had ensued from something as simple as putting his arm around Marinette.
Vincent grinned. "Yes! That blush is perfect!" He cried as he positioned Marinette and Luka. "Now, what are your names? Adrien, get over here!"
"I'm Luka, and this is Marinette," Luka told Vincent as Adrien made his way over with a look of complete confusion written on his face.
"Right Luka, Marinette," Vincent repeated. "I want you two to look at each other as if you are out on a date. Luka, if she stops blushing, find a way to make her blush again. Whisper something in her ear; I don't care. Just do whatever it takes. Got it?"
"Yes, sir," Luka replied as his mind filled with all kinds of ideas on how to make Marinette blush.
Luka glanced over at Adrien, who looked a little uncomfortable with the situation. He wondered if that had more to do with Marinette or Vincent's wild idea.
"Adrien! I want you to do your best to look like you just happened to see these two, and you're upset that they are together. Jealous." Vincent instructed as he backed up with his camera getting them into view.
Considering the way Adrien had been looking at Marinette all day, Luka was guessing it wouldn't be too hard for Adrien to conjure up some jealousy. After all, he was getting to pose as Marinette's boyfriend while Adrien got to stand in the wings.
Each time Vincent paused to consider the photos, Luka made sure to whisper something in Marinette's ear. 'You're so beautiful. I can't believe I get to pose as your boyfriend,' were just a few of the things he whispered to her. When Vincent complained that none of the photos were good enough, Luka had an idea. He leaned down and planted a kiss right on Marinette's cheek, causing her to go bright red.
"That's it!" Vincent cried as he snapped more photos of Marinette and Luka.
Luka was grinning down at her; she really did look so beautiful. In the back of his mind, he was worried he had crossed the line but for the moment, he didn't care. He was enjoying how brightly he had made her blush. He was so distracted with Marinette that he didn't see how upset Adrien seemed to be.