When Adrien and Marinette discovered each others' identities, there was an awkwardness between them for a few weeks. It wasn't that they were avoiding each other by any means, they just had no idea how to act around each other. After all, Marinette and Adrien had become close over the years and had come to consider each other best friends with— though neither had ever mentioned it out loud— the obvious potential for more, but that friendship was quite a bit different from Cat Noir and Ladybug's competitive, comfortable partnership.
So, naturally, it took them a while to readjust their interactions to now fit in the full picture of their relationship. And although it could be seen from a mile away how much they cared about each other, they didn't dive straight into a romantic relationship. They didn't label themselves as anything more or less than what they were: partners. Because with all of the extra drama surrounding them, they didn't want to navigate a relationship with that. They were perfectly fine to let their feelings be known and take it slow. They agreed that they would keep hanging out as they always had and let things happen when they did. They didn't deny their feelings to their eagle-eyed friends, nor to each other, but they both agreed that they would take their time and let things run their course on it own. And when one of them took a step forward to close the distance just a bit more, neither would take a step back, not like they always had before, not now that they knew all of each other in a way that perhaps no one else ever really would.
After all, when they (and anyone who spent more than five seconds with the two together) knew in their hearts they'd always be side by side, who could even acknowledge the notion that either of them would so much as consider a relationship with someone else? Or even have a chance of developing feelings for somebody else? Or wouldn't realize that, with their fondness for each other, Adrien and Marinette would step up for the other every single time without hesitation?
It was too bad that some of those idiotic people did exist after all.
~~~~~~
Adrien tried not to grimace. He had been at a photoshoot in the park, had just been finishing up and started heading towards the Dupain-Cheng bakery. But before he could take more than two feet towards his haven, tired after a long day and looking forward to relaxing with Marinette and playing (read: being absolutely demolished at) video games, there was a loud screech and he was suddenly accosted by at least a dozen people, cameras flashing while he blinked in surprise.
A bunch of his fangirls (and a few guys) seemed to have decided to meet up and crash his photoshoot, and unfortunately he had already sent Nathalie home, concerned after she kept coughing. Gorilla was also absent after recently having come down with the flu, and for once couldn't save his ass from the over-eager fans that grabbed his arms tight enough for their nails to dig into his skin and leave marks, especially one clingy girl that had a type of fake nail on that was sort of pointy and long and rather uncomfortably reminded Adrien of his alter-ego's claws.
The girls demanded his attention, taking selfies with him, shrieking loudly in his ears, and invading his personal space. And although he was trying to move away and push himself past them, they clung on until he would have had to physically push them, which he did not. As much as he hated these types of fangirls and their intrusiveness, he couldn't get violent or overly angry, or the media would undoubtedly be all over it within a couple of hours. The tabloids would be delighted, making accusations against Adrien's of his supposed 'violent nature' and, despite maybe a few articles in his support, the overall response would be very bad. Then the paparazzi would end up camped outside the school or his shoots for a few days, hassling him at every opportunity. But Adrien didn't see a way out of this situation, and although he was known for being rather patient, he was quickly starting to lose his temper.
He could already see some bystander taking a video on their phone, no doubt sensing his rising anger and realizing that something might go down that they could post on social media. The fact that the person started taking a video that captured the inappropriate behavior of the people surrounding him but didn't bother to help him just irked Adrien a bit more, and he ground his teeth together to keep from yelling.
"What the hell do you all think you're doing!"
As one, the fans crowding around him startled and turned towards the source of the indignant demand, and Adrien used his handlers' momentary surprise to wrench himself out of their grasp. He stumbled forward, huffing, relieved when he saw Marinette standing in front of him, Alya a few feet behind her, the both of them looking furious on his behalf. He stepped forward and grabbed Marinette's shoulder, struggling with his desire to vocalize his relief and frustration, and she reached towards his hand to squeeze his fingers reassuringly. Some of the girls whined and stepped forward again, looking irritated.
"But Adrien, you didn't give me an autograph!" One exclaimed, reaching for him again.
"And he isn't required to!" Marinette snapped, stepping in front of him and glancing back at Alya, who immediately guided Adrien back a bit to put a bit of space between him and his fangirls while Marinette kept them at bay.
"But we've been waiting forever! I just want to take a few pictures, he can do that much! If he has time to hang out at that stupid bakery all the time then I'm sure he has time to spare for us!" An annoyed looking red-head spoke up.
"It doesn't matter if he can or can't! What matters is that Adrien is a human being, and he has the right to say no! And as for that matter, did any of you ask him for his permission before you started grabbing him and shoving him around and demanding pictures and for him to entertain you?"
"And who are you to speak for him?" The one with the claw-like nails glowered, scoffing at Marinette rather than answering the question, and Adrien struggled to keep himself punching something. Alya hissed quietly next to him, but didn't say anything just yet, not when Marinette was still standing there.
Marinette went really mad at that, dropping her voice to a quiet, deadly tone. "I'm a good human being looking out for someone that I genuinely care about— not because he's famous or pretty but because he's an amazing person. I don't have to explain myself to you. Adrien should not have to deal with a bunch of people that are being vain enough to care more about getting a selfie than a legitimate actual human being and his feelings and comfort, to the point that you were all literally harassing him. So you know what, you can all go to hell." A couple of girls squawked angrily at that but the dirty look Marinette flashed them had them backing up. Alya, sensing Marinette no longer wanted to so much as look at the idiots any longer, stomped forward, letting her rage lose on the obsessive fans by loudly ranting about their ridiculous behavior and chewing them out without giving them an opening to cut in.
Marinette stepped back towards him and he could see her face struggling to contort itself out of her fury. Adrien couldn't help the sense of gratitude that swelled up in his chest for this wonderful woman at that second and just wordlessly pulled her into a tight embrace. It was partly to release all of his anger and negativity by converting it into gratitude and relief for Marinette instead, putting all of his emotions into the way he held her tenderly, his nose against her neck, breathing in her scent. It helped Marinette relax too as she hugged him back. He could tell she hated the way he was being objectified, but opted to calm her down. He knew his lady didn't like the negativity and restlessness that came with anger.
And he couldn't deny that part of it was in spite of the girls he knew were definitely still sneaking glances at him and were clearly irritated to see the two of them content to just embrace for a couple of minutes. Alya noticed their gaze and started making fun of the girls for ever thinking they had a chance when he was already so smitten for his girlfriend.
"Oh," Adrien murmured. "Did you hear that, bugaboo? Apparently, you're my girlfriend now."
"Yeah, yeah. Might as well make it official if it means I get to make it clear that you're mine and that they have to keep their hands off of you." Marinette grumbled against him, muttering darkly.
Adrien bit his lip, grinning softly, and nuzzled her closer, rubbing her back to release the pent-up tension. "More like their claws but whatever. Although, if you really want to let everyone know so they'll back off, I have no complaints against happily shouting the news from all the rooftops of Paris."
"What if I throw you off first?"
"Feel free to throw me around any time you'd like Princess, I promise I won't mind."
Marinette tried to hide her smile, flushing a bit and pulling back slightly to glare at him in the eye. "You're lucky you're pretty or I might have punched your face by now."
"You think I'm pretty?"
"You won't be anymore if you keep talking."
Adrien burst into laughter.
In the end, one of the girls got akumatized but Adrien didn't care. They had what was coming to them. And if the resident superheroes were just a bit more aggressive than usual in their takedown then, well, that was nobody's business, was it?
~~~~~
There's going to be more parts to this by the way. It was originally going to be one long story including multiple incidents but it's taking me forever to write now that school's back up again, so I decided to go ahead and post the first bit.
:) ~HK