CHAPTER CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
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Marinette couldn't believe herself. She had never been so careless in her entire life She couldn't tell when she had started this reckless behavior, but it needed to end immediately.
Her blue eyes glanced at herself in the bedroom mirror. The bikini hugged her body the way it did when she tried it on, and Marinette liked the way it looked. However, she only liked it if it meant she was the only one who got to see it.
Her eyes hurt.
She had legitimately cried throughout her entire time out. She cried during the waxing session. She cried during the bus ride home, and she most certainly hauled ass back into her home whilst hiding behind Alya. She didn't want Adrien to see her after she had sent that message. It was going to be super awkward! She just couldn't bear it.
"I have to wear it! If I don't then he's gonna think that I sent him that to be sexual, or he'll know it's a mistake," her voice quivered, feeling completely naked. "It feels like this should be underwear." she groaned, throwing herself onto the bed.
Alya crossed her arms, her very own white bikini contrasting perfectly with her tan skin. Her bikini top tied perfectly behind her back, accentuating the curvaceous glory that was her body. It made Marinette quite envious.
"I don't understand. It's just a bikini. If you didn't want to wear it in front of the guys; why are you wearing it?" The brunette asked, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
Marinette felt her bottom lip quiver. Her blue eyes locked on to the ceiling above her. Her heart began to race erratically against her chest, and Marinette even contemplated changing her name after she had left the country forever.
"Because, if I don't wear it, he'll know that it was an accident, or he'll assume it was meant to be a secret between the two of us!" Marinette replied, panic immediately etching into her voice as she sat up and glanced at Alya.
The girls could faintly hear music playing in the yard outside of the bedroom balcony. Marinette knew both the guys were out there waiting for them to join. She had began to shake at that thought.
"It was an accident. I don't think Adrien's the type of guy to judge you, even if it was a secret," Alya replied, sitting on the edge of the bed. "If you just tell him you meant to send it to me and got the contacts mixed up, I'm sure there wouldn't be any issues."
Marinette ran her hands through her hair. She reached up, tying her hair up into a neat bun on the top of her head.
"I'm just worried that it'll be awkward. That he's going to know that in secret I'm a naughty person, or that I do dirty things, or that my chest is flat." She pouted.
Alya shook her head, all too aware of how dramatic and overthinking that Marinette could be. It had always been that way since they first met. Alya was always there to keep Marinette with a cool head, otherwise she'd be bouncing off the walls.
"Why do you care what he thinks?" Alya asked, shifting her eyes down to Marinette who had began to blush immensely. "Just a few weeks ago you told me that you wanted to lie and claim you were a stripper in hopes that he'd want to divorce you."
Marinette paused, cringing at that memory. It wasn't even that long ago that she wanted nothing to do with Adrien, and yet here she was, worried about him seeing her in a swimsuit or thinking something horrible about her.
They had come up to this point on such shaking ground, it was important to Marinette that they kept what they had. She was going to marry him in a few days, and she wasn't going to go through with this with someone she couldn't be around. Especially because she had to be around him. The blunette reached over, nervously picking at her elbow before she then reached up to rub her chest. Marinette sighed, feeling the ache in her chest rising, but unsure what to make of it.
"Y-Yeah," Marinette breathed, her fingertips pressing harder against her skin until it had become raw. "But things are different now."
Alya perked a brow inquisitively. She turned her head to face her friend, who appeared to have been rubbing her chest plate raw. She furrowed her brow, concern etching onto her features. This seemed like a new anxious habit forming.
Alya reached over, very gently capturing her hand and moving it away before she could do anymore damage to herself.
"Marinette, do you like Adrien?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. "Like, are you starting to grow feelings for him?" She asked, snaking a hand over around Marinette's waist and tugging her closer.
Marinette's eyes widened, her blood immediately running cold at the sudden question.
Adrien loved someone else. He was in love with her for years. Marinette couldn't possibly have feelings for someone like that.
She had barely got to know him, and in strange circumstances, she found it in herself to trust him; but she was sure that the feelings she had for Adrien was strictly appreciative and platonic.
"M-Me?" She sputtered out, her heart beginning to pick up the pace again as she worried she might look compromised.
"No! I don't like Adrien like that. We're just friends, you know he has a girlfriend," Marinette immediately replied. "Just because we've been friendly with one another doesn't mean it's anything more than that." she explained, leaning into Alya and resting her head on her comrade's shoulder.
"It was like you said, we were to get along for this whole wedding thing. It was better to be friends than strangers, and I definitely don't want a nasty rumor like that getting around to his girlfriend."
Alya pursed her lips in contemplation. The female relaxed more so into Marinette as she allowed Marinette's explanation to sink in.
"Let me give you a few pieces of advice. I understand you're inexperienced, even after you've been with Felix for so long," The brunette shifted, her hand lightly running up and down Marinette's upper arm as she tried her best to formulate this well.
"There's no such thing as a prince charming. Anyone could be great with words and can be drop dead gorgeous, but it takes a real person to have a real heart. You want someone to accept you for who you are, who loves you for all of your flaws, and will go out of their way to keep you safe or to make you happy." She explained, her eyes moving to glance out the window. "After all, you can't make someone love you."
Marinette closed her eyes, a heavy feeling in her chest brewing at her choice of words. The blunette reached up to nervously rub her cheek. Alya was right, she couldn't make someone love her. It may have taken some time for her to finally realise it, but the idea was implemented.
It didn't matter how much effort you put in for a person, it was ultimately up to them to return those feelings.
Marinette couldn't understand if it was because of her different living styles as opposed to how she was before, but she was finally beginning to understand. All that was left was: Why did he do it? Was there something she did?
"You mean like how Felix doesn't love me?" Marinette asked, her heart dropping the hope that the two could ever pick up where they left off.
Alya pressed her lips together. She didn't want to exactly say it outright, but she believed that her point was there.
"All I can say is that someone who loves you would never do something like that."
Marinette frowned, her blue eyes shifting down at her bare lap. She closed them, her heart feeling heavy.
"I guess I just have to kiss a couple of frogs until I find my one true frog." Marinette sighed, pulling back to look at her friend. Perhaps she was thinking too much. Adrien wouldn't judge her for sending him a sexy photo, even if it was by accident.
Marinette decided that if they ever did come across it, she'd just explain to him that it was an accident.
"Kissing is fine," Alya prompted, shifting her eyes back to Marinette who fiddled with the straps of her top.
"And I know you're not really experienced, it can be easy to just give yourself to someone you think you feel a connection with." Alya grinned, leaning against Marinette once more.
"Just don't suck anyone's dick unless you're married."
Marinette slumped forward, her lips pursed at her friend's advice.
"That's a shame. This whole time I thought you and I were gonna end up together." She chuckled. Her blue eyes remained on the ceiling once more.
"Couldn't you be my prince, Alya? I think you've been at my side for a really long time. You know me better than anyone." The blunette sighed, turning her head to glance at her friend who hummed, plopping on the bed beside her.
"It's too bad I don't have a dick." Alya joked, a small snort escaping her lips before the female tensed in a small fit of giggles.
Marinette grinned, reaching over to playfully smack her friend on the shoulder.
"Then that would mean, I'd have to marry you." Alya hummed in response, closing her eyes. "Isn't that the point of marriage?To marry your best friend?" She asked, turning her head to glance at the ceiling.
"A partnership between you and your best friend working as a team and willing to spend the rest of your lives with one another and make it work."
Marinette rested her hands against her stomach, her blue eyes moving to a random corner of the master bedroom as she thought. If the purpose of marriage was to be a team with your best friend for the remainder of your lives, then perhaps marrying Adrien wouldn't be as bad.
She had considered Adrien one of her good friends, and overtime Marinette started to see him as something more than just a normal friend. Marinette couldn't admit that perhaps she'd feel more comfortable marrying Adrien rather than Felix. She still had a lot to figure out.
"That's too bad you don't have one, but if you did, you'd probably fuck Nino with it." Marinette teased, immediately changing the subject as she knew that she had become an open book to Alya.
Alya was able to tell what Marinette was thinking in a matter of moments. Her conflicting regarding Adrien was the last thing she wanted her to pick up. Alya groaned, reaching up to facepalm herself.
"Marinette, I'm not fucking Nino." Alya replied, a blush slowly dusting against her cheeks and ears.
Marinette sat up, sarcastically humming as she stood up on her feet.
"Mhm. Sure you aren't." she bit her lip, fiddling with the strap on her bikini. She remained quiet, listening to Alya as she climbed off the bed and stood beside her.
As usual, Alya was able to read Marinette's expression like an open page. The brunette placed her hand on to Marinette's shoulder gently. The two girls glanced at their reflections in the mirror, and Marinette leaned into her friend.
"You know," Alya prompted, wrapping her arm around Marinette's shoulder. "If you don't feel comfortable going out there wearing that, you really don't have to. If it helps, I can explain to Adrien the situation. I'll be sure that he won't say anything to you or make a fuss."
Marinette hummed briefly, listening to her friends words. A small smile formed on her face, the gears in her head turning. She pulled back, glancing up at Alya.
"I think I'm alright wearing this..." she replied, her eyes veering back to her reflection in the mirror. She chewed her bottom lip, her mind reverting back to what Alya had said about friendship.
"I trust Adrien will understand if I just explained it to him..."
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Marinette clutched on to her towel as she stepped out onto the pool side. The breeze was warm, and the sun rays peaked through the trees in ways that Marinette was grateful for.
If she wasn't planning on jumping into the pool, she'd at least have some room to sunbathe. She could use with a little tan. The music was loud, and Marinette spotted Alya joining Nino's side almost immediately.
The blunette narrowed her eyes. Alya denied over and over again that her and Nino had something going on, but Marinette couldn't help but feel a bit skeptical of that theory.
With a riveting exhale, Marinette removed her towel- feeling completely naked to the world her in her brand new ladybug spotted bikini. She folded the towel, placing it on one of the chairs that faced the pool. Marinette reached up to rub the back of her neck.
Her heart began to pound erratically as she glanced around for Adrien. She was never really skilled at confrontation, her multitudinous execrable encounters with Kagami was sufficient to substantiate that idea. The female sat awkwardly next to her towel, glancing down at the clear pool water.
"Do you want something to drink?" A voice asked, utterly startling the female as she didn't initially hear someone approach the patio chair from behind.
Marinette tried not to ogle. But the task appeared to be more difficult than she initially anticipated. She had seen Adrien wear a swimsuit before in catalogues. She even saw him in one at his last photoshoot only briefly before Kaagmi rudely had her ejected.
Nothing compared to the real sight up close and personal. There was nothing special about his solid black swimming trunks, his golden neat hair or the blue towel that he had hung over his shoulder.
His skin was a nice even tan color, and Marinette couldn't help but to get swept up in his eyes. She hadn't realised just how defined his muscles were. His arms were very nicely toned, and his chest appeared immaculate. It took everything in her not to just reach up and run her hands across his chest. She wanted very badly to allow her fingers to fall into ever dip and curve of every lean muscle he had to offer.
She only ever craved to feel his smooth tan skin underneath her palms at that very moment.
"E-erm... y-yeah! Sure!" Marinette stuttered under a shaky breath. Her heart continued to pound in her chest as Adrien handed her a can of soda. Marinette held on to the soda with both hands, her eyes watching as Adrien sat on the chair beside her.
She pressed her lips together, the courage she had to talk to him about the photo all but washed away. Marinette couldn't help but to feel awkward. The thought of her being in the same bikini that she wore in the provocative photo she had accidentally sent almost made her want to run for the hills.
She shifted her gaze, staring at the unopened can of soda in her hand. She felt a heavy feeling in her stomach, and for a moment she was concerned that her anxiety was going to make her sick. She didn't know why, but everytime Adrien was around, she felt as if she had lost her breath.
She had started to grow a little nervous around him. Marinette knew she was a klutz, but it never escalated to this level before.
"Do you need any help?" Adrien asked, noticing Marinette's stiff posture.
"You kind of seem like you're thinking about something." It was unknown that Adrien didn't think anything of the photo she had sent.
Granted, he thought she looked good in it, but he only assumed that she just wanted him to see what she was planning to wear. Friends did that, didn't they?
On the other hand, Adrien chose not to respond to the photo. He did have a small hunch that it could have been sent by accident.
On that note, he didn't want to be the one to bring it up in fear that he'd make her uncomfortable. The circumstances of them being married in a couple of days didn't seem to help them either.
Marinette glanced up at him, her stomach doing flips as he seemed to notice her odd behaviour. A bit of guilt began to tug at her heart as she wondered if the photo made him uncomfortable.
"A-Actually," the blunette prompted, uncomfortably shifting as the rubber chair she sat on began to uncomfortably stick to her skin. "There's something I want to talk with you about." Marinette glanced up at him, tucking a loose strand of hair from her fringe behind her ear. "Do you mind?"
Adrien perked a brow, sitting forward as if to listen in to Marinette better, as the music Nino played on his speaker grew louder.
"Yeah we can talk." the blonde assured. Judging by her posture, he worried that it was really important.
"Is everything alright?"
Marinette blushed deeply, her heart jumping within her chest at the way he leaned in close to her. She inwardly scolded herself, reprimanding herself for being the way she was. Marinette could only assume that she had felt this way because he was attractive. It was only natural enough for her to be this star struck around a model.
She immediately shifted her gaze back down to the sealed soda can she held in both her hands. She blinked, exhaling as the sight of his eyes had become utterly distracting.
"I-I'm alright." Marinette chuckled nervously, taking her bottom lip between her teeth.
"There was something that-"
"Nino, stop!" Alya screamed, her voice causing both Marinette and Adrien to jump out of their seats. Nino held Alya by the waist, threatening to throw her over into the pool. Alya attempted to push the inflatable beach ball into his face in visible hopes to pry him off of her.
Marinette sighed, placing a hand to her chest as she tried to catch her breath at the sudden startle. She turned to face Adrien, capturing his attention the moment she shifted back towards him.
"Like I was saying," Marinette started again, her eyes reverting back to Adrien's eyes as he looked at her. "I really needed to talk to you about-"
"Marinette!" Alya screamed, the inflatable beach ball being smacked out of her hand and into the pool. "Help me!" The brunette screamed, attempting to pry herself away from Nino, who still began to shove her towards the pool water.
Marinette sighed, offering Adrien an apologetic glance. So much for Alya being an awesome wing woman.
"Sorry. I'll be back." she very gently placed her soda can on to the ground and spun on her heels. Marinette couldn't be mad at her friend. In fact, the smile on Alya's face warmed Marinette's heart.
It had been awhile since Marinette had seen her friend so happy. She couldn't remember the last time she had met someone she was interested in that made her this happy. Granted, Alya denied that her relationship with Nino was nothing other than friendship.
Whatever the relationship was to them, Marinette was happy that the two of them found each other.
Marinette ducked under Nino's arm, her fingers digging into his sides as she came to her friend's rescue.
"Hey! Leave her alone!" Marinette joked, her fingers moving up and down his sides with the intention to tickle him.
Nino gasped, immediately lifting his arm and shoving it into her chest, unintentionally knocking Marinette off her natural equilibrium. Marinette's eyes widened, her heart racing as she fell backwards. Nino immediately released Alya, the female now able to scurry beside him.
Marinette screamed, drawing Adrien's attention as she fell backwards into the pool. She was immediately enveloped in the cold water. She immediately began to kick her feet, swimming back up to surface.
Marinette shivered, the water incredibly cold against her skin. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed when Nino hunched over and began laughing.
Alya giggled, pointing to the inflatable beach ball that began to float around Marinette's shoulders inside the pool.
"Quickly! Grab it and throw it to me!" Alya called out before Nino could get a hold of her again.
Marinette frowned, her hands shivering as she reached for the ball. She had just gotten hold of the ball when she heard someone plummet in the water beside her. Marinette gasped, flinching away from the splash.
Nino coughed as he came up to the service. He shook his head, whipping the water from his eyes before he pinched his nose.
"Ack! The water got in my nose!" He cried out with a soft laugh.
Alya snorted, glancing over to Adrien who stood beside her on the ledge.
"You got him good!" She exclaimed, propping her hand up for a high five to which Adrien immediately replied.
"That's what you get for pushing my Ladybug!" Adrien teased, shifting his gaze back to Nino who swam to the edge of the pool.
"You think its funny?" He asked, his gaze moving to Alya who stepped away from the edge of the pool with a giggle.
"It sure was." She replied. "I hope he pushes you again. Why don't you step out so I can watch?" She asked, sticking her tongue out.
Marinette held on to the ball, watching her friends towards the edge of the pool with a blush. She tried not to think that Adrien pushed Nino into the pool in retribution of her falling in.
Aside from that, she was sure he heard her call her a nickname, possibly because of the spots on her swimsuit. The water she was submerged in was extremely cold, but her body continued to heat up. The warmth only grew stronger the moment she witnessed Adrien jumping into the pool.
His tan abs now glistened towards her as they were soaked in the water. Marinette was too busy ogling his body, she didn't even realise that he was walking over towards her.
"You alright, my Ladybug?" He asked, his arms drawing around her waist, pulling her away from the beach ball and more closer to his body.
Marinette could have sworn her head was about ready to fall off her shoulders and fall right into the pool. She was suddenly feeling super super hot.
"Y-yeah. Mhm. I'm fine!" She breathed, her hand lightly touching his forearms as they remained around her. She could faintly feel his warmth on her back and she blinked, her heart refusing to remain still as he rested his chin on the top of her head.
Nino and Alya glanced back at the two, Nino shaking his head.
"Looks like it's two against two." He replied, his eyes shifting to Alya who chuckled.
"Oh. I see how it is," Alya playfully muttered as she paced the ledge of the pool. "Marinette seems to have replaced me."
Marinette widened her eyes, the blush rushing to her chest and her lips as the poor bluenette worried that her friend was going to get the wrong idea.
"A-Alya-" the female breathed, about ready to reply with a rebuttal, when Adrien tightened his arms around her.
"Yep!" The blonde interject, before his little Ladybug could reply. "We've agreed to be the best of friends last night. We weren't going to tell you at first, but then we noticed that you and Nino have replaced us anyway." He grinned, slightly swaying Marinette against his figure.
"So now me and Marinette are a new team."
Alya dramatically gasped, her eyes watching as Marinette let go of the inflatable ball.
"I'll fight you. I'll get my Marinette back!" She replied. The brunette walked to the ledge, hesitating at first but she inhaled and leapt into the pool.
"Hey- Hey!" Nino called, his eyes fixated on Alya as she swam up to the surface. The female quickly grabbed the beach ball, moving away from Marinette.
"We're still a team, right?" He asked.
Alya lifted the ball from the water, her toes just barely touched the pool ground as she attempted to stay above water. Adrien coward away, shielding Marinette the moment the ball came flying towards them.
Marinette squeaked, her eyes wide, and face remaining hot even when Adrien released her to retrieve the ball.
"That hardly seems fair," Adrien laughed, swirling the ball in his hands. "You're still a small pinto bean. You don't stand a chance!"
Alya gasped, immediately flinching with a small scream as Adrien spiked the ball back at her. The ball smacked the water in front of her, immediately splashing pool water into her face. Nino swam over to Alya, reaching for the ball and scooping it up into his arms.
"Then pick on someone your own size!" He replied, retaliating with a hard spike of his own. Adrien leapt forward, attempting to hit the ball back but missed just by his fingertips. Alya giggled, bouncing inside the water and holding on to Nino's shoulders.
"He smacks it too high," Alya retorted, her arms wrapping around Nino with a subtle blush. "Let me climb on your shoulders, we can tower him and hit him right in the face, and while he's not looking we can kidnap Marinette!"
Marinette shivered, hugging herself as what she really wanted to do was climb out of the pool as soon as possible, away from a shirtless Adrien and into the sun so she could warm up, drink her soda and tan.
"H-How about I just order a pizza instead?" Marinette suggested timidly. "We can all eat instead of swimming so you won't catch a cramp-"
"That won't scare us," Adrien interjected, completely unphased as Alya climbed up on Nino's shoulders. Alya's legs playfully tightened around Nino's neck and she reached down to lightly running her fingers through his hair.
Adrien grabbed the ball, immediately spiking it back towards Nino and Alya, to which Alya effortlessly spiked it back.
Adrien leapt, smacking his hand against the water as he missed. He grunted in frustration, turning just as he watched Marinette struggling to climb out of the pool.
"Marinette," He called out to her, casually swimming towards her. "You can't leave." He whispered, his hands lightly grabbing her waist and tugging her back into the water. "If you do, we lose."
"The princess is leaving the castle. That's an automatic win for team Nino and Alya!" Nino called out to them, a wide grin on his face as his hands rested on Alya's thighs. The female on top his shoulders managed to grab the beach ball. She twirled it between her palms, ready to spike it at her own benefit.
"Hm? Losing?" Marinette blinked, her eyes briefly shifting over to Alya and Nino. "I'm okay with losing. That sounds fine, as long as we can lose somewhere warm--" Marinette squeaked, her sentence cut short the moment Adrien lifted her.
Her heart began to pound painfully as the blonde guided her onto his shoulders. The blunette pressed her lips together, her breath quivering from between her plump lips the moment she felt his toned shoulders beneath her thighs.
Marinette never thought provocatively, but the feeling of his neck between her thighs was completely noticeable. Marinette placed her hands into his hair and she blushed even deeper. His hair was just as soft as it looked. If Marinette could play with it all night, she sure as hell would.
Marinette awkwardly sat up, feeling too conscious of the possibility of her breasts sitting on top of Adrien's head. She could just die.
Adrien reached up, placing his hands on her upper thighs, bracing for Alya's retaliation. Marinette gulped, feeling his hands on her thighs, unfamiliar to a man's touch since her last encounter with Felix, even if the touch wasn't meant to be more than it was.
The blunette glanced up, just in time to see the inflatable beach ball fly towards her. Instinctively, Marinette leaned forward, reaching out and smacking the ball back towards Alya. Nino's grip on Alya's legs tightened as he maneuvered into the trajectory of the ball.
The male may have struggled a bit to do so as the pool water slowed down his movements, but he managed to do so in time.
Alya grunted, not caring if her breasts bounced on top of Nino's head as she smacked the ball back in Marinette's way. Marinette awkwardly positioned herself on top of Adrien's shoulders. Her face became visibly red, the moment she felt Adrien's hands tighten on her upper thighs.
Marinette gasped, nearly toppling backwards. Marinette whimpered, accidentally smacking the ball backwards before she fell off of Adrien's shoulders and back into the water.
Marinette inwardly screamed, her chest tightening at the unpleasant feeling of water filling in her airways. She splashed to the surface, coughing as she nearly panicked.
"The ball is out," Alya called, shimmying her hips against Nino's shoulders. "Game over!" Nino lowered himself, allowing Alya to climb off her shoulders.
Marinette bobbed in the water, struggling to keep her head up as the ground of the pool was just below her toes. Her heart squeezed in her chest, relaxing as she felt Adrien take her hand and guide her to the edge of the pool.
"I guess we can say that was fortunate. It doesn't look like Marinette enjoyed nearly drowning about two or three times." The blonde joked, watching Marinette climb out of the pool.
Marinette shivered and stomped over to the other side of the pool to retrieve her towel. She had suffered enough humiliation for the day. She grabbed her towel, immediately wiping her face before she wrapped it around her body as if it were a blanket.
"That just means we have to take the game outside the pool," Nino proclaimed. "If she isn't up for it, we'll just have to drag her." The male teased, moving to the edge of the pool. "We all split up, and the first one who gets dragged back to the pool owes the whole group a steak dinner."
Marinette rolled her eyes, reaching for her phone that sat beside her soda can. She paused, her brow furrowing as she recalled she meant to talk to Adrien about the photo she had sent. She sighed, figuring that it would have been forgotten by now, until he looked at his messages again. She tugged her towel tighter around her shoulders.
"Fuck that. You guys have fun dragging each other into the pool and nearly drowning. I'm going to order us a pizza." Marinette muttered, turning her back towards them before she went back inside and into the kitchen to look for the nearest pizza shop on her phone.
Nino chuckled, turning back towards his other friends who reluctantly exited the pool.
"I guess what she doesn't know won't hurt her." the male sneered, hoisting himself off the edge of the pool.
"Do you think that's a good idea?" Adrien asked, returning to his poolside chair and retrieving his towel.
"She seems pissed enough as it is."
Nino snorted, reaching into the cooler to grab another beer. "All the more reason to drag her into the pool." The male shrugged.
Adrien threw his hands up in a flustered fashion. He glanced over towards Alya with a dry smile.
"Aren't you going to control your boyfriend?" The blonde asked, jolting his thumb in Nino's direction.
Alya rolled her eyes, ignoring Adrien's comment and grabbing her towel.
"You're really going in on Marinette today." Adrien commented, leaning more so into his chair with narrowed eyes. "You know that I won't let you drag her back into the pool. She seems more comfortable inside for right now.
Nino rolled his eyes, opening the can and taking a quick swig.
"I know she's your wife, but that doesn't mean you can hide her from me. I quite like picking on Alya's friends. It isn't fun picking on Alya anymore. She just bites back."
Adrien shook his head, resting his hands behind his head. "Yeah, no. This bug you aren't going to mess with." The blonde shifted his eyes, watching as Alya disappeared around the front. He sat up, craning his neck to have a better look through the back slider doors to see Marinette scrolling through her phone.
"I think you just let Alya escape. If we're doing this thing, we'd better do it now before the pizza gets here. Marinette will not let anyone in the pool after we eat." Adrien informed, watching his friend perk up in his seat and search around for Alya.
"Fuck," Nino hissed. "That's fine." he muttered, standing up and glancing around as he wandered towards the other side of the pool. "Alya wasn't my target anyway."
Adrien sighed, his green eyes remained on his friend even up until Nino disappeared from view.
Marinette shivered underneath her towel. She just wanted a hot shower and something to eat. She was glad that Nino was having fun, but for some reason Marinette wasn't really feeling up to the task of entertaining. It was one of the many reasons why she never invited guests to her apartment.
The trembling female stood up, attempting to wrap the towel tighter against her. Marinette had just place an order for pizza, and kept the app open so she could track the delivery. In the meantime, Marinette had hoped to clean herself up and hide under the blankets.
The blunette set her phone on the table and she began to wander down into the hallway where she spotted the steps to the second floor. Marinette ignored the slider doors from behind opening. She rubbed her eyes, nearly to the steps when she felt someone lightly grab her hand.
She whipped her head around, ready to glare at the person who was keeping her from her hot shower and warm blanket. The female paused, the moment her eyes connected with a pair of green ones.
Marinette parted her lips, about ready to say something but was cut short the moment Adrien pressed his fingers to his lips.
"Shhh." he hushed, lightly tugging her and bringing her alongside of him.
Marinette whimpered, dropping her towel as Adrien began to tug her into the closet in the hallway. Marinette felt her heart squeeze inside of her chest. A deep blush covered her face the moment she was trapped in a dark closet with him. She had questions. She had many many questions.
Marinette didn't have the slightest idea of why they were both bunched into the closet together, but she couldn't find it in her to move. Her heart hammered erratically against her chest as her body was pressed flush against his. Marinette thought about turning over, but then that would compromise their position much more. She wasn't sure how she felt about her backside pushing up on his crotch.
She swore she could die. Her face grew a bright red and Marinette kept her face away from him as the two stood in the dark. His skin was warm against hers and Marinette could smell the aroma of pool water. She tried to calm her breathing, even as she heard someone step in front of the closet outside.
At that moment, Marinette swore her head was spinning. Her heart only grew faster once she felt his arms slowly wrap around her, almost as if he was ready to protect her from someone, or something.
"Nino is after you. He wants to throw you into the pool. He claims that picking on Alya isn't so fun anymore. She's gotten used to it," Adrien whispered into her ear with a small smile. "But don't worry. I have you covered."
Marinette shivered at the sensation of his lips right by her ear. It took everything in her not to curl into him and ask him to carry her to bed. That wouldn't be too much to ask- Would it?
"Why me?" Marinette replied in a hasty whisper.
"I didn't do anything to him, he should be bothering you. You knew him longer."
Adrien kept his arms around her, remaining quiet as the two waited for the footsteps to fade.
"If it ever comes to that, I'll put myself in front of you." He replied, he stepped back, his hand gripping on to the doorknob and opening the closet. The blonde poked his head out, making sure the coast was clear before he stepped out, tugging Marinette alongside him by the hand.
Marinette breathed out, calming down the moment she wasn't crammed up against him in a confined space.
"Can't I just jump into the shower," Marinette asked, nearly breathless. "He can't catch me in there."
Adrien subtly nodded.
"Alright, let's get you there first." his hand held tighter on to hers.
Marinette pressed her lips together, her breathing rigid as she tried to follow him to their bathroom upstairs. She tiptoed against the tiled floor, wondering if leaving her phone on her table was a good idea. She glanced up at him, her hand holding on tightly to his.
"Adrien, there was something I wanted to talk to you about." Marinette whispered as they climbed up the stairs.
"Is everything alright?" He asked, letting go of her hand and allowing her to hide inside of the master bedroom.
She stood by the bed awkwardly, watching Adrien as he closed the door behind him and locked it. Marinette pressed her lips together and nodded. She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling self conscious about what she was wearing and what she was going to discuss.
"That photo that I sent you," she began, her face growing red. "I... I didn't mean to send it. I meant to send it to Alya. I wasn't even looking at the name, I just saw A and clicked send. I wasn't even going to wear it today. I felt completely naked and I was worried that you guys would think stuff of me. I thought that if you didn't see me wearing it, you'd think I was coming on to you or that I was promiscuous so I put it on and we actually went swimming and I-"
"Marinette," Adrien chuckled softly, his green eyes capturing hers. "It's alright. I figured it was an accident. Don't sweat it okay?"
Marinette breathed out, her cheeks still aflame as she tried to be relieved but was already anxious.
"S-So... you don't think that I sleep around, or that I'm trying to steal you from your girlfriend, or that I'm promiscuous?"
Adrien awkwardly wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head as he tugged her close. A small gasp emitted from her lips, the moment her face was pressed against his chest once again.
"Of course I don't! I've never felt that way about you," The blonde assured, his arms lightly squeezing her. "Even if you did, it won't change how I feel about you, and it won't ruin our friendship." He pulled back to look at her with a soft smile. "Besides, to me I just saw a girl in a swimsuit. It wasn't sexual at all."
Marinette parted her lips, her heart squeezing at how gentle he was with her. She had hoped it wasn't noticeable, but her face had ignited once more.
"T-Thanks," she reached up to rub her cheek shyly, suddenly forgetting the fact that she was in a swimsuit. "And thanks for hiding me from Nino." She chuckled.
Adrien grinned, ready to respond but was cut short the moment the heard Alya's playful scream and a splash of water.
"Speaking of Nino, I think he decided to go for Alya instead." The blonde murmured, moving over towards the balcony to draw back the curtain.
Marinette sighed, turning over to the closet to grab some warm clothes and some shampoo.
"Well, I guess that means someone owes all of us a steak dinner!" Marinette sang with a grin, before disappearing into the bathroom.
Adrien laughed softly, unlocking the balcony door. The model pointed to Alya who swam to the ledge of the pool.
"YOU OWE US A DINNER!"
_________________________________________
Marinette breathed in as the warm water from the shower head began to coat her skin. She had been shivering throughout most of the day, and the warm water acted as if it was a hot blanket that eased all of her tense muscles.
She was glad that Adrien didn't think much of the photo, or at least didn't think she was coming on to him. She feared that it would make things awkward between the two of them, but was pleasantly surprised at how well he took it.
Granted, Marinette was flustered by all the compromising positions she had found them getting into, especially when they ended up in the closet. Marinette usually kept walls around herself. She had not been that close with a man since Felix had given her a hug a few weeks before he took off.
Part of her wondered if Adrien had deleted the photo. The last thing she wanted was for Kagami to come across it. Having experienced the terrible encounters and the sharp words of her tongue, Marinette had no doubt that either her or Adrien would get the backlash of it.
Marinette ran a hand through her hair before she reached for her shampoo bottle. She poured the substance into her palm before meticulously lathering it into her dark locks. Marinette tried to keep herself focused on cleaning up and enjoying some pizza, but her mind continued to wander back to Adrien. As much as the young woman hated to admit it, she was attracted to him.
Of course it was only natural to be attracted to someone with handsome features like Adrien and with the same gentle touch. But it was wrong. He had a girlfriend, he belonged to someone else. They were just friends.
The female reached up to touch her cheek with a lathered hand, still faintly feeling Adrien's chest. Her heart squeezed in her chest as she had started to feel things she wasn't sure she had felt before. She turned over, rinsing out her hair with shut eyes. She ran her fingers through her hair, rinsing out the suds with ease.
Why did sex have so much stigma around it?
Why did being inexperienced matter so much to her?
Her blue eyes opened as she fixated on the corner of a wall, her chest feeling heavy.
Was Adrien experienced?
Was Adrien often intimate with Kagami?
The thought was mind boggling. Marinette could nearly picture Kagami wrapped around Adrien, their hands roaming one another eagerly. She could hear Adrien moaning, holding on to her tightly with an aching thrust and for a moment, Marinette pictured herself in that position.
Marinette bit her lip, her right hand sliding down the length of her body, before eventually sinking between her blushing thighs. Her digits lightly caressed the front of her sex, her heart racing as Marinette was curious of what it felt like to be touched deep inside, but she was afraid.
She was afraid of pain. She was afraid of the potential shame she'd feel afterwards. She couldn't even tell herself what her fingers felt like, let alone the desire of feeling Adrien inside of her. The young woman shivered at the thought.
Her hand very carefully retracted from between her legs, leaving them to bunch at her sides with contemplation.
Yet, the thought of him being that way with Kagami hurt her in unimaginable ways. Marinette worried that she had a crush, or simply enjoyed the attention that he gave her. Whatever it was, it had become conflicting.
The female groaned in frustration, her hands reaching up to tug at her hair lightly. She inhaled, allowing the heat to drain from her measure by measure. She wasn't going to let this get to her.
Adrien loved his girlfriend, Marinette only liked him as a friend, and she surely wasn't going to destroy anyone's relationship over a speculation.
Whether or not her first time would be with Felix in the future, or Adrien in the present, it wasn't her job to rush or inquire. Things always fall where they may, and when they did fall into place, Marinette wanted to give herself to someone she loved and someone that loved her. But she was convinced that it wasn't Adrien.
Even though Felix treated her so poorly, Marinette had still hoped that he'd give her that experience. She hated herself for hanging on. Perhaps Felix didn't love her now, but she had hoped he would in the future.
_________________________________________
"Ugh. Today was a good day!" Adrien moaned. The young male plopped on to the bed, his muscles easing against the soft clean sheets. His hair was still damp from the shower, and Marinette was sure to get a good whiff of his shampoo.
The shy female nodded, climbing into the bed. She was so stuffed on pizza, she wasn't sure if she was going to sleep comfortably that night.
Marinette was grateful that Nino enjoyed the gathering that Alya had planned for him, but she couldn't be happier to see them go. She was constantly watching her back, worried that Nino would somehow grab her and toss her back into the pool again.
Marinette was grateful the day came to a close. She was scheduled to work at the bar the next night and she was incredibly tired. She leaned into the pillows, nuzzling her face into hers with a shy smile.
Her blue eyes latched on to Adrien and she breathed out. She was quite relieved to see him with a shirt. She wasn't sure if she could sleep, had it not been for that.
Marinette wasn't completely ignorant when it came to the subject of sex. She was a grown woman, and of course learned about it vicariously through erotica novels, manga, hentai and research.
It also helped to have had friends who shared their experiences, although Marinette had to admit that some of the hentai she curiously read was too over the top. Marinette was well aware of her sexuality, and she knew when she was attracted to someone, and when someone made her crave that sort of carnal desire.
Adrien happened to be one of those people who unwillingly challenged her. Marinette despised him for that.
The blonde turned his head to face her. The lines under his eyes deepened with fatigue as Adrien was sure he was going to succumb to it at any moment.
"I'm really glad Alya had the idea to set up the pool. It should be fun to use it ourselves," he murmured under a stifled yawn. "I'm sure Kagami wouldn't mind going swimming with me at night." The male smiled dreamily at the thought.
Marinette nodded, glancing down at the patterns in the sheet.
"Y-Yeah," She breathed, feeling a strange twinge within her chest. "I'm sure that'll be nice. Everyone loves a good moonlight swim." her voice trailed off slightly.
"Obviously not anytime soon though," Adrien interjected, slowly shifting himself up further on the bed so that his head touched the pillow and his gaze was finally able to reach the female beside him. "We have to sign that license soon. I know you must be busy, but that's something we both have to squeeze into our schedules. I hope my father isn't too abrasive when you meet him."
Marinette flinched at that thought. She didn't know much about Gabriel Agreste, but from the stories told to her by Adrien, Marinette was almost too worried that he wouldn't like her.
She wasn't sure if she could handle two entities hating her at once. According to Alya's account, Gabriel Agreste rarely leaves his home.
It put immense pressure on her, especially because he's bearing witness to their legal marriage. Marinette was worried about the possibility of him being a creep as well. She didn't want to marry into a family of creeps.
"You know," Marinette prompted, keeping her eyes on the blanket beneath her. "Since I was young I always fantasized about my wedding. I was obsessed with this movie called 'Spirited Away'. There's this song from it that played throughout the movie."
She shifted her gaze to Adrien with a shy smile. "'The name of life' was something I wanted to play at my wedding. The piano piece was so serene yet sad at the same time. I'd be sad that my father gave me away, and I'd be officially separate or indifferent from my parents, but I'd be so happy to start my new life with the man of my dreams."
Adrien frowned, her words stringing at his heart in unfathomable ways. He ached for her. Adrien knew that he wasn't the man of her dreams, and if he could have stopped this wedding without any of the sour consequences, he would have.
Divorce was beginning to look like their only option.
"I'm sorry that this turned out the way it did. I know you can have only one special day like this, and it's truly heartbreaking that you're experiencing it in this way. If there was a way to stop this, you know that I would..." The male whispered, his hand reaching to capture hers.
Marinette glanced down at their hands, her heart sinking the moment their skin made contact. She slowly closed her eyes, the two remaining silent as they lay next to each other. Adrien watched her, his mind racing as he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say next. He worried that everything he said just made everything worse.
"When I was younger, I played piano for my mom. My father packed on the lessons after she disappeared, but it was fun while I played. I got to learn a lot of new songs and keys."
Marinette slowly opened her eyes, a small smile on her lips as she glanced at him.
"You enjoyed playing piano?" She asked, reaching back to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Adrien hummed briefly, his hands lightly playing with her fingertips.
"I did. I mean, not so much the lessons, but I enjoyed the feeling of playing on my own, by my own free will, not because my father wanted me to practice and learn," the blonde shrugged. "My mom loved when I played her music. Playing the piano is one of the few memories I have with my mother. It was so long ago."
Marinette frowned, her heart sinking once more at his expression. She could tell how much he had missed his mother. He had spent so much time making things up to her when she was unhappy, she never really realised that she hadn't had the chance to return the favor.
"I'd have at least a keyboard in my apartment back home, but I wouldn't be able to afford it. Musical instruments are expensive," Marinette sighed. "Especially with how much I'm taking off of work for our wedding events. It's all been happening very quickly." Marinette turned on to her back, her blue eyes staring straight into the ceiling above them.
Adrien watched her as she shifted away from him. The blonde propped himself up on his elbow to have a better view of the young woman beside him.
"I really think you should move here. I mean, it technically belongs to us both. It's completely paid off and owned, and you spend most of your time here anyway. You could save so much money." Adrien suggested, reaching over to tug the blanket over her.
Marinette relaxed under his touch. Moving in would definitely save her some money. She could start saving for next semester. She wouldn't have to pay her rent, she could afford new clothes for her internship, some more food, and she could actually see where she could put the furniture she had at home. It was definitely something she would consider, but she was still a bit hesitant.
Marinette couldn't stop thinking about the what ifs. She never imagined that she'd move into Felix's old home, it was an odd thought.
"It's something to think about, I guess." Marinette replied, nearly hiding her face into her pillow.
Adrien glanced at Marinette, a small smile remaining on his lips at her hesitation. He'd gladly admit at how adorable she was.
"My mom used to say the same things like that," he murmured, immediately catching her attention. "She was just like you. She had a tendency to overthink things."
Marinette blushed deeply, squeezing her eyes shut as she recalled how she reacted to accidentally sending him the swimsuit photo and how much she panicked when she tried to explain to him that it was a mistake.
"But I loved that about her," Adrien finished. "She always kept me safe, and sure it was a little frustrating when she would constantly bug me when I was in a math lesson, but she showed she cared. She showed me she loved me, and I couldn't have asked for a better mom."
Marinette watched Adrien as he reminisced the times with his mother. The blunette reached over to him, lacing her hands into his hand.
"Are these jewels that your father wants really the biggest thing your father could remember your mother by?" Marinette asked curiously.
Adrien pressed his lips together, thinking of a response. It was true that his mother loved the story of the jewels, but there was something else that meant a lot more to his mother before Adrien was even born. It was something that held sentimental value to both he and his father.
"When my father got engaged, my grandfather gave him a rare diamond ring that he gave to my grandmother before she passed away. It was said that the person you give it to, will remain by your side forever. Apparently the person you give it to is the person you were meant to be with. When my mother disappeared, I've dreamt of gifting it to Kagami when we were ready to take the first step into solidifying our relationship into a marriage."
Marinette blinked, her blue eyes wide and in awe at the story that Adrien told.
"Your mother left that ring behind?" Marinette asked curiously, her hand tightening in his as her curiosity began to peak.
Adrien offered her a weak smile, a small chortle emitted from his chest at how inquisitive she seemed to be at the story of his mother's ring.
"Of course she did." Adrien replied. "I was supposed to be the next one to gift it to my one true soulmate so that we'll remain by each other's side no matter what."
"Oh..." Marinette breathed, her heart squeezing. She had never heard something so romantic. Marinette smiled at him, pushing her thoughts about Kagami aside.
"So does Kagami have the ring then? I hope she's cherishing it. If she doesn't know that it belonged to your mother, perhaps you should tell her. It'll make the gift mean so much more."
Adrien chuckled, bringing her hand closer to his chest. The blonde rested his head on to her head, and his digits began to play with hers.
Marinette widened her eyes, blushing as the two were moved together. She felt his hand in hers and Marinette attempted to relax into him. She had began to tremble, her heart racing in her chest once more at their close proximity.
"Kagami doesn't have the ring, and it's no longer at my home with my father either." Adrien explained, his voice low.
Marinette gulped slightly, feeling his breath on her cheek. She inhaled, attempting to calm herself as the two remained close. She glanced up at him shyly, her cheek lightly brushing against his.
"If it's not with Kagami, and if it's not back at your old home with your father, then where is it?" She asked, her brow furrowing.
Adrien pulled back subtly, his eyes holding on to hers as his finger slipped between hers. His digit very lightly pressed on to the ring on her hand, and he had began to fiddle with it. His eyes shifted to his mother's ring that was wrapped around Marinette's finger.
The diamond glistened in the moonlight and, despite the age of the jewelry, it still remained as immaculate as ever. Marinette blinked, her heart squeezing as she followed his gaze. Her blue eyes latched on to the ring on her finger and then it finally clicked. She was wearing his mother's ring. The ring that was meant to be for Kagami, the ring that Adrien believed belonged to his soulmate. She immediately pulled her hand away, now truly understanding the significance of the ring she was wearing.
"O-oh!" She stuttered, her hand trembling at the realization. She had begun to feel like she didn't deserve to wear something as valuable as this. "Here!" Marinette pulled back, ready to pull the ring off and return it to him when Adrien stopped her.
"Marinette, it's fine. It's a gift to you because we are getting married." He interjected, placing her hand back onto the duvet.
Marinette frowned, the ring suddenly feeling heavy on her hand.
"But-But... this was for your soulmate..." Marinette refuted.
Adrien continued to run his thumb across the back of her hand. A teasing smile spread across his face at Marinette's clueless expression. She was just so cute, he couldn't take it anymore.
"Who knows? Maybe you were meant to be my soulmate all along." Adrien murmured, his green eyes capturing hers in a strong gaze.
Marinette froze, her heart leaping in her chest. She blushed deeply, her hand immediately sliding out of his.
"Adrien! You're not funny!" The young woman whined, her other hand playfully shoving his face and moving him away from her.
Adrien laughed softly, playfully smacking her hand away. He grabbed the pillow underneath his head, bunching it comfortably.
"What? You didn't like that joke?" The male asked, his eyes half lidded as he was beginning to feel increasingly tired.
Marinette clutched her hands closer to her chest and hid under her blanket
"No. I didn't like it," She playfully pouted. "I feel weird having this ring now. Like I stole it or made a joke out of it."
Adrien yawned, reaching over to grab Marinette and tug her closer, almost as if she was a pillow he needed to cuddle in order to sleep comfortably.
"Don't be silly," the model slurred. "You deserve to wear beautiful things, just like anyone else. I'm sure my mother would have loved you to have it. You're a really sweet girl with a genuine heart." his voice trailed off, his body slowly relaxing into hers as he had finally succumbed to his fatigue.
Marinette blushed deeply, her eyes wide as her face was yet again pressed against his chest. She shivered, smelling the soap and shampoo he had used moments before.
The words Adrien told her continued to swim in her head, and it was only then that Marinette realised that Adrien was completely spent and sleeping right above her.
Marinette sighed, pulling back slightly to glance at the ring on her finger. She could have only began to wonder if Adrien's mother would have liked her if they had the chance to meet.
Marinette leaned into him, closing her eyes as she felt the ring on her finger for the first time since Adrien put it on her that day they met and announced that they were getting married.