"Details, girl!" Alya began without any warning.
"What?" Marinette almost dropped a piece of pizza.
"Oh, come on! A handsome superhero rescued you from the rooftop of a collapsing house and carried you in his arms through the city..."
At that moment both Marinette and Adrien choked with pizza. Nino looked at his girlfriend with reproach.
"Hello? Haven't you forgotten about someone?"
"My heart will always belong to you, Nino..." Alya smiled tenderly. "But you have to admit that Cat Noir gained in strength and became more handsome."
"Hell will freeze over before I say something like that!" Nino replied, and Adrien laughed out loud, giving up eating. Listening to his friends' talk could end up dead by choking.
"So?" Alya asked Marinette in a demanding tone.
"I haven't noticed, Al." her friend confessed. "I was worrying about my house."
"Oh, come on! You had to notice that Cat Noir has changed. He's hot..."
"Alya!" Nino and Marinette yelled at the same moment, and Adrien looked a bit panicked at his bedroom's door as if he wanted to escape.
"You're single. You can date him." Alya continued.
"Dating a superhero?" Marinette replied sarcastically. "Seriously? How do you think it would look like? He will be visiting me through the window and leaving before dawn? I don't even know if his costume can be taken off..." she added under her breath, then she realised what she'd just said and she blushed terribly. "God, what are we talking about here?"
"That someone is interested in some cat..."
"Nonsense! I'd like to remind you that I've just broken up with my boyfriend. Can we wait with marrying another one?"
"I haven't planned to match you two to get married." Alya denied with mischievous smile. "All I suggest is making a few kittens. That's all."
"Alya!" Marinette exclaimed as red as a beetroot, while Adrien appreciated the fact that no one was looking at him, because he felt his face was burning, although – officially! – he had no reason to be embarrassed.
"I don't get it, Mari." Alya sighed theatrically. "You're not in mourning. Your boyfriend didn't die. You dumped him. You definitely can and should date someone. Fight fire with fire, girl."
"So, your advice is to start dating a super-hot-hero, right? Because he rescued me like a prince rescues his pri-princess..." Marinette's voice faded when she remembered what Cat Noir used to call her many years ago.
"What do you think about it, Adrien?" Alya suddenly changed the target of her cross-questioning.
"Ab-About what?" he asked, looking away.
"Do you think Marinette should ask Cat Noir out or not?" Alya specified trying to figure out what were Adrien's current feelings to her best friend.
"Er... To thank him for the rescue?"
"Oh, you both are hopeless!" Alya exclaimed irritably.
"I-I think..." Adrien began, smiling shyly. "I think that if she wanted she could date him. Why not? It's up to her, don't you think?"
"Thank you!" Marinette replied emphatically and smiled triumphantly to her friend, then took a next piece of pizza.
Alya frowned. She couldn't fail. Since the beginning she had been directing the conversation to make Adrien jealous. He had to realise that this girl was perfect for him, but someone else could win her heart before him. Someone super special. Someone, who could rescue from falling building, who – if only he wanted – could give her the whole world. Someone, who would be a tough rival to her heart.
Meanwhile Adrien supported Marinette and looked like he was happy she could date someone new. He was unchangeable! So, she decided to play higher.
"Wouldn't you mind?" she asked directly, observing with satisfaction that Adrien's cheeks became flushed and Marinette choked with food again.
"Wh-Why would I?" he stuttered.
Oh, it seemed there was still hope for them! Alya continued with an innocent smile:
"Marinette is our best friend. Wouldn't you be worried a bit that a secret seducer dates her? We don't know even his real name, anything about his family..."
"I think that he'll tell me his name before wedding..." Marinette joked, and Adrien laughed. "Stop exaggerating, Al. Even my dad wouldn't mind if only I was happy. Besides only you could suggest dating Cat Noir, producing kittens and then cavil that we don't know his identity. Personally, I have completely different objections to him."
"Ahem..." Adrien cleared his throat. "Like what?"
"First of all, he risks his life every day. How would I know that he'd come back home after the fight? Secondly, I'd be in danger myself. Every supervillain would like to kidnap me to reach Cat Noir. And thirdly, there's still Ladybug..."
"You seem to think that over..." Alya commented.
"What's to think over, Al?" Marinette was surprised. "Every reasonable girl would take it into account."
"In my opinion you took it quite seriously..." Alya began, but was stopped by Nino, who put his hand on her shoulder and pointed at Adrien.
"Leave it, Al..." he whispered.
Alya looked at Adrien and became silent immediately.
Adrien was staring fascinated at Marinette. There was only one thought in his mind right now. All her objections to Cat Noir concerned his duties, not personality. Why? He didn't know.