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who needs luck with friends like these
***
It was late and dark; the perfect time of night for brooding, and Adrien was working up a storm. He had come to a sudden realization a few hours earlier and it was consuming his every thought and breath.
Adrien’s conclusion followed thusly: Marinette Dupain-Cheng was in love with Nino Lahiffe.
Adrien had come to this conclusion after a great deal of careful consideration and patient observation. He wasn’t exactly pleased about his findings, but the evidence was compelling.
Exhibit A: The Stuttering.
Marinette always stuttered when she was around Nino. Admittedly, Adrien hadn’t had the opportunity to observe them interacting in isolation, but he assumed she stuttered when she was alone with Nino as well. He knew that whenever he was hanging out with Nino and they ran into Marinette, she started stammering, but when he (as Adrien and as Chat Noir) was alone with Marinette she behaved normally. Like the day she gave him his Marinette Lucky Charm. She’d had no trouble getting her words out then. Not like the time Adrien had asked her to the zoo on Nino’s behalf. So what made the difference? What made Marinette go from happy-calm-blushing to panicked-frazzled-blushing? Clearly it was the presence of his best friend Nino.
Exhibit B: The History.
Marinette and Nino were childhood friends, which meant they were already important to each other. Now, that alone did not add up to much, but it did create a baseline for future relationship developments. A baseline that Adrien, as the new kid in class, couldn’t hope to contend with. Then, one day, Adrien overheard Marinette telling Alya that if she were in a romantic relationship she would want it to be with someone she had history with. That meant someone she had known a long time, right? Nino fit the bill. So did Kim, but Marinette had never stuttered around him. And Adrien knew for a fact that Nino used to have a crush on Marinette (and on some level he probably still did, because who wouldn’t?).
Adrien was no expert, but he was pretty sure that qualified them as “on again off again.”
(Plagg disagreed. Adrien was pretty sure Plagg was wrong.)
Exhibit C: The Heartbreak.
Adrien knew that Marinette had recently suffered a heartbreak, but she wasn’t forthcoming on the details. That was fine. It was obvious to anyone with eyeballs what was bothering her.
Nino was dating Alya.
The guy Marinette had a crush on was dating her best friend. That would be enough to break anyone’s heart. It would explain why she’d been so unhappy the night of the Glaciator attack, and why she sometimes got this sad longing in her eyes when they were all hanging out as a group. It had to be hard for her, seeing how happy they were when the same thing that made them so happy was making her miserable.
And finally, there was Exhibit D, which was the article of compelling evidence that had first brought the Marinette Loves Nino theory to his attention.
Exhibit D: The Headphones Thing
Ahh, the Headphones Thing. He didn’t know how else to explain it. It was this thing they did. Sometimes, when Nino was deeply immersed in his music, Marinette would sneak up on him from behind, slide down next to him cool as a cucumber and pop her face into the gap between his headphone band and his hat so that she could also listen. She’d close her eyes and smile and do a little dance to the music while Nino got all flustered and cross-eyed and worried about her breaking his headphones even though she never did. But before long he’d be laughing and dancing along with her until the song ended and Marinette gave Nino a wink and a grin and continued with her day. And that was it. It wasn’t a big deal. It was just a thing they did.
It was their thing.
Because they had a thing.
As in, they had a thing together.
“For the last time, kid.” Plagg snapped from his nest near the bed. “Nino. Is dating. Alya. And he can barely keep up with her, forget about adding more drama to the situation. He’s not running off for secret trysts with Marinette behind the gym.”
“You don’t understand!” Adrien wailed as he paced his room and pulled at his hair. “Even if Nino isn’t interested, Marinette still loves him!”
“So?”
“So eventually it’s going to destroy my entire friend group!” Adrien howled despairingly. “It’ll drive a wedge between her and Alya which would devastate everyone. And then Nino will have to choose between them and it’ll be a total disaster. And everyone is going to stop talking to each other and I’m going to end up all alone just like before!”
Plagg sighed and closed his eyes, hoping Adrien would get the hint and let him sleep. “It’s not gonna happen kid.”
“It could! That kind of thing happens all the time!”
“Yeah, it does. But trust me. That’s not gonna happen this time.”
“How can you be so sure?” Adrien demanded hotly. He wanted to take the comfort his kwami was offering, but he’d waited so long to make real friends. Sure, he had Chloe, but Nino, Alya and Marinette were the friends he actually liked spending time with. The prospect of losing that kinship was throwing him for a loop.
“I dunno.” Plagg yawned. “Call it a lucky guess.”
Adrien was not convinced.
***
Nino had noticed that something was off about Adrien these last few days. He seemed kind of grouchy, which was out of character for the teen model. But it wasn’t until the end of the school week that he discovered the cause of his friend’s distress.
It was a pretty normal day, as such things went. They studied history and literature in the morning, broke for lunch, spent math and gym class hiding in the bathrooms from a supervillain, then were released half an hour early due to the disruption. As Nino made his way out of the building and down the steps he spotted Adrien and Marinette chatting on the corner. Nino grinned as he hustled over to them. It was time for another rendition of his favorite show, Competitive Blushing, starring his two best buds in the entire world.
“What are you lovebirds talking about?” He chirped as he entered their bubble.
The effect was immediate and immensely satisfying.
Marinette turned tomato red and started waving her arms in denial, unintelligible squawks emerging from her throat at a frenetic speed. She was windmilling so fast she almost knocked herself over. Adrien’s reaction was subtler, but no less extreme. He looked as if he’d been gut-punched—his pallor ashen and his eyes so wide his irises were like pinpricks. But Nino was pleased to see a rosy dusting spreading across his cheekbones.
Good. Marinette had clearly won the first round of Competitive Blushing, but Adrien was still in the game.
Now…how should he set them up for round two?
Deep down, Nino knew it was wrong to tease his friends about their massively unresolved romantic tension. But in his defense, it was really funny and they made it way too easy.
Nino smirked and stuck his hands in his pockets as Marinette calmed down and Adrien started breathing again. When he was sure they were both capable of forming complete sentences, Nino asked:
“So? What’s the word around the water cooler?”
“Oh…uh…” Adrien glanced at Marinette briefly before focusing on Nino. “We were just talking about the akuma today.”
Nino nodded. “Yeah, that was a doozy. Glad Ladybug and Chat Noir came through.”
“Did you think they wouldn’t?” Marinette asked, her voice concerned.
“Nah. Not really.” Nino shrugged. “But you never know, right? I mean, Hawk Moth throws so much random shit at them, stands to reason that sooner or later he’s gonna come up with something they can’t handle, right?”
“Ladybug and Chat Noir can handle anything.” Marinette said firmly. “I trust them.” Adrien glanced at her again before staring at his shoes. Nino noticed that the tips of his ears were ruddier than usual.
Huh. Not what I expected, but round two goes to Adrien.
Then Marinette added, with a twinkle in her eye:
“Plus, they don’t have to handle things alone anymore. With Rena Rouge and Carapace and everyone else on their side, they can’t possibly lose.”
And it was Nino’s turn to blush. As he felt his face burn he thought:
Oh man—round three to me! It’s anyone’s game now.
It was time for the finishing move.
“I’ve noticed that the two of you never hide with the group.” Nino remarked lightly, as if he was making a casual observation about the weather. “Next time an akuma attacks, you should take me and Alya with you. We could make it like a double date.”
That did the trick.
Adrien and Marinette were outright panicking at this point. Not only had Nino accused them of running off together on a near-daily basis, but he’d called it a date. They both started waving their arms and squawking monosyllables. And their faces! Forget red, they were blushing purple. Marinette ended up whacking Adrien in the nose, at which point Nino couldn’t hold it in anymore and doubled over laughing. Marinette dissolved into stammered apologies and incomprehensible excuses. Eventually she decided to cut her losses and run, turning tail and fleeing down the street towards the bakery with scarcely a goodbye. Adrien watched her leave with a tortured expression. Nino’s laughter faded into hiccupping chuckles as Adrien turned on him, a scowl darkening his features.
“What is wrong with you?” Adrien hissed. “Why do you have to be so insensitive?”
Nino was startled. He straightened up and stared at his friend. Was Adrien actually acknowledging that there was something between him and Marinette for Nino to poke fun at? That would be…new.
“What do you mean?” He asked cautiously, not wanting to get his hopes up.
Adrien’s glare was wicked sharp and his voice was dripping with poison as he spat:
“You know what I mean, Nino. You can’t be that oblivious.”
Okay…it kind of sounded like Adrien was talking about his weird will-they-won’t-they thing with Marinette, but Nino was also picking up on a lot of hostility. He didn’t understand where that was coming from, so he asked:
“Dude, I need you to be really super explicit with me here…what exactly do I need to be more sensitive about?”
“Come on, man. It’s so obvious that Marinette has a crush on you!”
Nino began to laugh, and then he realized that Adrien wasn’t joking. His jaw dropped.
“What?”
“Don’t make me say it again.” Adrien growled, crossing his arms and looking excruciatingly uncomfortable.
Nino blinked at his buddy. The dude was dead serious. Nino blinked again and looked up at the sky, trying to collect his thoughts. He took a deep breath and said:
“Okay, to be clear…you think Marinette—our Marinette? Class president, daughter of a baker and a retired martial arts champion, future fashion designer and all-around Parisian sweetheart, that’s the Marinette you are currently referring to?” Nino adjusted his cap and looked back at Adrien. He couldn’t help but notice that his buddy was starting to blush again.
“Yes, Nino. What other Marinettes do we both know?”
“Okay. So you think that Marinette, our Marinette, has a crush on…me?” Nino jabbed his thumb into his chest to be sure.
Adrien rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”
The earliest indications of a smirk twitched at the corners of Nino’s mouth. He struggled to keep his expression under control.
“And how, might I ask, did you arrive at this astounding conclusion?”
“I dunno.” Adrien shrugged, his expression sour. “The way she acts around you, I guess?”
Nino started to chuckle. “The way she acts around me? Dude, are you serious right now?”
“Well…yeah.” Adrien frowned, clearly offended. “She’s always blushing and stammering and freaking out around you, so…”
Nino was more than chuckling now. He was shaking his head and laughing out-right. “Has it occurred to you that might be because you and I are always hanging out together?”
“Right.” Adrien’s frown deepened. “That’s how I know so much about how she acts around you.” He appeared to think it over for a moment, then nodded, utterly convinced of his conclusion.
“I mean…what other possible reason could there be?”
Oh dear…
Nino’s sides were starting to twinge and his eyes were beginning to water. He wanted to keep exploring Adrien’s new theory but he was laughing too hard to form the words.
“She’s my friend too, y’know? All I’m saying is you could be a little more considerate of her feelings.”
Oh man…
Nino’s quaking stomach gave way. He bent over and braced himself on his knees, howling with mirth.
Adrien was not amused.
“What the hell, Nino? This isn’t funny! You know Alya is Marinette’s best friend, right? This is probably killing her and you keep sticking it in her face!”
Oh wow…
Nino couldn’t support his own weight anymore. He slumped sideways onto the sidewalk, curled on the pavement, bawling and squealing with hilarity. Adrien glared down at him with disgust.
“You are being such an asshole, dude.” Adrien snapped as his town car pulled up to the curb. “Here I am, just trying to be a good friend and tell you to be a little more considerate of Marinette’s crush on you, what with you being in a relationship with her best friend and talking about double dates and all, but you went and made it totally weird.”
Nino’s laughter was just hoarse air by now, the sound drying up as his muscles quaked and he banged his fist against the concrete. With great concentration he managed to gasp, “Stop, stop! I’m gonna piss my pants!”
“See? That’s weird, dude.” Adrien grumbled as he got into the car and left Nino crumpled on the sidewalk. “It’s just a really weird reaction.”
It took Nino a few minutes to gather himself as his classmates stepped over him on their way home from school. He flopped onto his back, panting and grinning, and closed his eyes.
The possibilities were mind-boggling…
He opened his eyes when he felt a sneaker nudge his shoulder gently. Alya smiled down at him, her hands on the straps of her backpack.
“Were you playing Competitive Blushing again?” She asked fondly.
“Alya…oh my god, Alya…you have got to hear what Adrien just told me…”
***
Alya and Nino made their way to a nearby park, but it took a long time because they kept having to stop for bouts of hysterical laughter.
“But, like, how does he think that?”
“Who the hell knows how that kid’s thought process works? Half the time I don’t even know where he is.”
“Yeah, but like…how though?”
“Right?!”
By the time they reached the bench nearest the fountain, Alya had collected herself enough to ask:
“So, you think he’s jealous?”
“Oh, yeah. Totally.” Nino nodded. “He’s been glaring at me all week. I wasn’t sure at first, but now that I know that he thinks Marinette likes me…” Nino smirked and shook his head incredulously as Alya chuckled. “He’s definitely jealous.”
“And poor little baby sunshine is trying to cover it up by being a concerned friend.” Alya giggled. “This is too perfect.”
“Do you think Marinette’s picked up on anything?”
“Pfft. No way. But now that you mention it, he has been odd this week.” Alya tapped her chin thoughtfully. “We need to get him to admit that he’s jealous.”
“Can’t we just point it out?”
“No, that won’t work.” Alya shook her head. “I love the guy, but he is so deep in denial that he can’t think clearly.”
“At least he finally noticed her.” Nino sniggered. “Even if he missed, at least he’s swinging.”
Alya laughed along for a minute before straightening up and pushing her glasses up her nose. “Okay, we need to focus. How can we use this—this being Adrien’s hilarious misconception that Marinette has a crush on you and not him—to force him to admit that he likes her?”
“I don’t want to do anything that would hurt them…”
“Neither do I, but desperate times call for desperate measures.” Alya said grimly. “Marinette is one ‘she’s just a friend’ away from giving up entirely.”
Nino immediately sobered. “Has it gotten that bad?”
Alya sighed. “I don’t know. She’s been so discouraged lately. She’s finally learned how to relax when it’s just the two of them but she tenses up whenever they’re in a group. She keeps saying she thinks they’re meant to stay friends, but it’s like, seriously girl? Who the hell do you think you’re fooling?”
Nino nodded sympathetically.
“Also, he keeps doing things that raise her hopes only to squash them like bugs a few seconds later and that needs to stop.”
“You’re talking about the thing with Kagami and Luka at the ice rink?” Nino winced. If he had known about Adrien’s plans beforehand, he might have tried to put a stop to it. Poor Marinette. At least Luka was cool about the whole thing.
“I still think you should have let me beat him up over that.”
“I promised I’d keep a better eye on him.”
“You could at least let me beat him up a little.”
“No.”
“Fine. The point is, if Adrien doesn’t get his act together he’s going to blow it. It’s not like Marinette doesn’t have other options. And she’s almost done waiting. But that would be even worse…” Alya scowled. “Because if Marinette moved on and started dating someone else, we’d end up with this situation where Marinette is in a relationship with someone but she’s also spending a lot of time with this close friend who she used to be in love with and still kind of has feelings for, which is always complicated. Add to that the fact that Adrien has feelings for her as well that he refuses to admit to for some unknown reason, and it’s a recipe for disaster.” Alya straightened her shoulders and stuck out her jaw stubbornly. “It is my sacred duty as Marinette’s best friend to make sure she gets the guy of her dreams and not the overwrought teen drama of my nightmares.”
“Okay, I’m on board. What’s your plan?”
Alya grinned wickedly as she pulled out a pencil and a pad of paper from her backpack and began sketching a map of the park.
***
They knew the plan would fail if Marinette wasn’t in on at least some of the details, so they went to the bakery and joined her on the balcony.
“You want me to help you and Nino recreate famous movie scenes?” She asked skeptically.
“Yup.” Alya nodded.
“What for?”
“School project.”
“Right. And the reason you want to do this tomorrow in the park when Adrien just so happens to be having a photo shoot in the same vicinity would be…?”
“Random happenstance?”
“Alya…” Marinette’s glare sharpened suspiciously. “Is this another harebrained scheme to make Adrien jealous?”
“…maaaaybe.”
“Wait—you’ve been making plans without me?” Nino gasped, shocked and slightly hurt by this betrayal. Marinette laughed.
“Hardly. Remember Juleka’s party a few weeks ago? Alya tried to make Adrien jealous by asking Luka about a song he wrote for me in front of him.”
“And?” Nino asked excitedly.
Marinette rolled her eyes. “And so Adrien asked Luka a follow-up question and then they spent the rest of the party huddled in the corner talking about music.”
“This time will be different!” Alya declared confidently. Marinette looked skeptical so she added: “Because this time I’m going to hide in the bushes and film Adrien’s reaction! Trust me, I’ve got it all figured out.”
Marinette laughed and leaned back against the railing. “It doesn’t matter what the plan is or where your hiding spot is, Alya. You’re never going to catch Adrien acting jealous over me.”
“Why not?” Nino asked.
“Because Adrien doesn’t see me that way.” Marinette answered with unwavering certainty.
Nino and Alya burst out laughing.
“That is incorrect.” Nino guffawed.
“Extremely incorrect.” Alya concurred.
Marinette snorted derisively. “Yeah, right.” Then she shrugged. “Fine, I’ll do it.”
“Really?” They were both a little surprised.
“Yeah. It’s not going to work, but I haven’t got anything better to do tomorrow and it’ll take, what, twenty minutes?” Marinette shook her head and smiled at them fondly. “You’re both sweet for trying, but I think everyone would be better off if you let it go. Adrien and me…we’re friends. Isn’t that enough?”
Alya walked over to Marinette and placed a hand on her shoulder. “But you still love him.”
Marinette blinked away the sudden brightness in her eyes. “Well…yeah.” She croaked. “But he doesn’t love me back, so that’s that.”
“No, Marinette.” Alya said fiercely as she drew her friend into a tight hug. “That’s not that. You’ll see. This is going to work.”
“Don’t worry Marinette!” Nino chimed in as he came over and wrapped his arms around both of them, sandwiching Marinette between him and Alya. “Adrien is just being a dingleberry. We’ll put him right soon enough.”
“Urk!” Marinette’s hands flapped helplessly at her sides. “Air! Need air!”
“Best friend huuuuuuuugs!”
***
Not for the first time, Adrien wondered why all the photographer’s prompts involved spaghetti.
“Now eat the spaghetti! Yes! Like that! Keep eating the spaghetti! Bene, bene! Okay, now stop! You have eaten too much spaghetti and now you have indigestion!”
After several hours of this, Adrien didn’t have to pretend the slightly queasy expression on his face. The photographer was ecstatic.
“Eccelente! Now make love to the spaghetti!”
Adrien had to draw the line somewhere.
“Can we take a break?” He asked. “I think I’m starting to get a cramp.”
The photographer sighed but relented and muttered under his breath as his very relieved assistants stored the delicate equipment before breaking for lunch. Adrien managed to give his bodyguard the slip for a few minutes and take a quiet stroll around the duck pond. The park was beautiful and green this time of year, and thanks to the time of day mostly empty. Adrien was enjoying himself, watching the ducks and swans and turtles paddle around their artificial home, when he heard the sound of happy laughter from across the water. He looked up and saw two familiar figures standing on the dock on the opposite side of the pond. At first he didn’t recognize the young couple across the distance, but there was no mistaking that red cap or those pink pants. Adrien’s jaw dropped as he saw Marinette give Nino a playful push before Nino slipped his hands under her arms and tried to lift her into the air. He wasn’t quite strong enough and he tripped during the attempt, sending them both toppling to the slippery wood in a giggling heap.
What on earth are they doing? Adrien wondered, an uncomfortable stickiness blooming in his gut. His pace quickened as he rounded the pond. He kept hoping to spot Alya with them, but she was nowhere to be seen. They’re spending time together, just the two of them. He realized with horror. It’s worse than I thought.
Unbeknownst to Adrien, Alya was extremely nearby but very much hidden out of sight in some thick hedges. She was currently hissing into her earpiece. “He’s coming! Stop messing around! You’re supposed to be acting all lovey-dovey!”
“You want me to get all cuddly with your boyfriend?” Came Marinette’s skeptical reply.
“No, I want you to get all cuddly with Adrien and if cuddling with Nino is what it takes to get us there, then I am willing to make that sacrifice.” Alya retorted. “So please stop rough housing and get into character.”
“We’re trying to do that scene from Titanic.” Marinette whispered as Nino stretched his arms and prepared for another attempt at lifting her. “What’s more romantic than that?”
“I don’t know! Just hug or something!” Alya snapped as she held her phone at the ready. “He’s almost there!”
Marinette rolled her eyes and grinned mischievously as Adrien appeared from around the path bend and came towards them. Without warning, Marinette spun around and placed her hands on Nino’s waist. She grunted as she hoisted him into the air over the edge of the dock, the soles of his sneakers dangling a few inches above the water. Nino threw out his arms and cheerfully shouted, “I’m king of the world!”
Marinette quickly put him down on the dock before she dropped him into the pond. “Is that the right quote?” She asked.
“I dunno.” Nino shrugged. “Honestly, I’ve never actually seen the movie.”
“Me neither.” She admitted. Then they both turned to face Adrien, as if they had only just noticed his presence.
But to their surprise Adrien was nowhere to be seen.
“Where’d he go?” Marinette asked her earpiece.
“I’m not sure.” Came Alya’s reply. “He stopped at the dock and then as soon as you put Nino down he took off running. Hold on, I’m gonna follow him.”
Marinette sighed. I told them it wouldn’t work.
She brutally shoved aside the spasm of regret and hurt that ran through her chest and looked back at Nino to find him giving her a calculating stare.
“What?” She asked.
“You’re stronger than you look…” He remarked.
Marinette blinked. “Yeah. And?”
“…Do you think you’re strong enough to give me a piggyback ride like when we were little?”
“I don’t know but we’re going to find out.”
***
Adrien’s heart raced as he desperately sought out an appropriate hiding place.
What was Nino thinking?! Was he toying with Marinette? What would Alya say when she found out? Who would she blame? He had to put a stop to this before everything spiraled completely out of control and he lost his friends forever.
Deciding that the park was too exposed, Adrien left and crossed the street. He took shelter in a darkened alleyway and called for his kwami. Plagg appeared out of his jacket pocket, an extremely disgruntled snarl on his face.
“Kid, if you’re about to do what I think you’re about to do, please do us both a favor and don’t, okay?”
“Sorry, Plagg. I can’t just stand by and let this happen. Claws out.”
A moment later, Chat Noir emerged from the alleyway and leapt across the traffic, headed back into the park.
He was moving so fast he didn’t notice Alya plastered against the shop window next to the alleyway, her eyes so wide they swallowed her face, her chest heaving, her jaw gaping, her phone tightly clenched in her hand and still recording.
***
Turned out, not only was Marinette still strong enough to give Nino a piggyback ride even though he was taller than her now, she could also go faster than when they were 7. Nino cheered with delight as she galloped around the park with him clinging to her shoulders and his knees bouncing awkwardly under her elbows, all without even breaking a sweat. She only had to stop because she was laughing too hard to catch her breath. They collapsed on the grass next to the pond, giggling and winded.
“Marinette!”
For a second Marinette thought she heard Adrien’s voice and her heart surged hopefully. It stuttered when she saw the black clad figure calling her name and hurtling towards them at an alarming speed. She immediately climbed to her feet and went to meet him.
“Chat Noir? What’s going on?”
“I need you to come with me right away, Marinette. It’s an emergency.” Chat Noir said as he came to an abrupt halt right in front of her. Marinette could see he was tense. His ears were back and his eyes kept darting between her and Nino, as if he wanted to say more but not in present company. Marinette’s stuttering heart began to sink.
“Is it an akuma?” She asked, before shaking her head. “Never mind. You can explain everything on the way. I’m sorry, Nino, I have to go. Here.” She pulled off her earpiece and handed it to her friend. “Can you make sure Alya gets that back, please?”
“Sure.” Nino agreed. Chat’s arm circled around Marinette’s waist just as Nino’s fingertips brushed against her outstretched hand. Chat flicked his other wrist and extended his baton. “Do you want me to come too?” Nino asked hopefully. “I could help or—”
“Nope.” Chat said in a chipper tone of voice. And then, before Marinette or Nino could bat an eyelash, he swept Nino’s legs out from under him with his foot and knocked the young artist backwards into the pond. Marinette was halfway through inhaling to start shouting at him when he bent his knees and jumped, propelling them into the sky and out of sight.
Nino bobbed to the surface of the water, sputtering bemusedly. Alya walked up as he pulled himself out of the pond, a dazed expression in her eyes.
“What happened to you?” She asked him. “And where’s Marinette?”
“You’re not going to believe this.” Nino shook his head. “Chat Noir showed up, grabbed Marinette and then pushed me into the pond before running off with her.”
“…he did what now.”
“I know! Should…should we call someone? I mean, what if that wasn’t the real Chat Noir? Do you have Ladybug’s phone number?”
“…I…I might have an idea about where he would have taken her…”
***
Marinette was red-faced and spitting mad by the time Chat Noir set her down gently on her balcony. He ducked his head so she wouldn’t see his grin when she took a swipe at him, the blow bouncing ineffectively off his magically-reinforced suit.
“Sorry for startling you, Marinette.” He smiled his brightest most disarmingly charming smile. “Everything’s fine now.”
“What the hell Chat.” Marinette grumbled, calming down despite herself. “Is there even an akuma?”
“I never actually said there was an akuma.” He pointed out. “I only said there was an emergency. I didn’t specify what kind of emergency.”
“And pushing Nino into the pond?”
“I had to do that.” He nodded assuredly, coolly confident in the soundness of his logic. “Because of the emergency.”
“Which is?”
“Sorry?”
“You still haven’t told me what this alleged emergency is supposed to be.” She crossed her arms and pursed her lips, waiting for his explanation.
“Oh! Right…uh…”
Marinette began to tap her foot impatiently and Chat started to sweat.
“Look, Marinette, the truth is…I’m worried about you.”
His admission surprised her but the downward tilt of his mouth and the vulnerable quaver in his voice prevented her from interrupting. Chat Noir so rarely showed this sensitive honest side of his personality and she didn’t want to discourage him.
“I know it’s none of my business, but I hate seeing you push yourself and suffer over a guy who doesn’t even notice your feelings.” Chat flicked his tail and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Sorry if that’s out of line.”
Marinette’s complexion had turned pale and slightly green. Her arms had uncrossed and her hands now hung loosely at her sides. She stared at him for a few long fraught seconds before gulping.
“That is a little out of line, Chat.” She murmured.
Chat winced and turned to hop up on the railing. “I’m sorry. I’ll go. Please forget I said any—”
Marinette cut him off with a gentle hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright, Chat. You are a little out of line, but we’re friends and you’re being sincere, so I’ll give you a pass just this once.”
Chat gradually relaxed and Marinette leaned on the railing next to him.
“Are we friends?” He hated himself for asking, but she wasn’t talking to Adrien right now. She might have a different answer for Chat.
“Of course we are. Don’t get me wrong, ours is a complicated and unusual bond forged under extraordinary circumstances, and we don’t get to talk or hang out much, but it’s always meaningful when we do.” She peeked at him from the corner of her eye and gave him a coy half-smile that set his heart to fluttering. “You’re easy to befriend, Chat Noir.”
“Am I?” He whispered.
“Absolutely.” Marinette turned to face him more fully, her alluring smile replaced by a concerned frown. “What’s up with you today? You seem more all over the place than usual.”
“I don’t know.” He sighed. “I had a difficult week. Sorry if I ended up taking that out on you at all.”
“Nino’s the one you took it out on, not me.” She reminded him and at first he panicked that she was still mad, but then he heard the gentle teasing in her voice and relaxed again.
“Don’t tell Nino I said this…but it was kind of funny when you tripped him into the duck pond.”
Chat stared at Marinette in total awestruck wonderment.
“How are you so strong?” He breathed.
Marinette cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“How do you manage to stay so kind and positive even when things are hard?” He shook his head ruefully. “I don’t think I’d be anywhere near as calm as you are if the person I loved was dating my best friend. You’re amazing.”
“Oh, well, I’m really not anything spe—…wait…sorry…what did you just say?”
“You’re amazing?”
“I heard that part. I meant the other bit. The person I love is dating my best friend?”
“Yeah…”
“My best friend is Alya.”
“I know.”
“Alya is dating Nino.”
“I know…” Chat grimaced sympathetically. “That’s got to be so hard for you.”
Marinette’s jaw fell onto the floor of her balcony.
“You…you think…you think that I’m in love with…Nino?”
“Well…” Chat blinked, confused. “Yeah. Obviously. Aren’t you?”
Marinette burst out laughing and Chat turned red under his mask. The longer she laughed the darker his face became. By the time she had calmed down enough to form words his cheeks were working on a deep plum hue.
“I don’t see what’s so funny.” He muttered petulantly. Why did his friends keep reacting this way?
“Oh my god, please stop!” Marinette gasped, tears of mirth pooling in the corners of her eyes. “Nino? Really? As in Nino Lahiffe? Really, Chat?”
“I take it I’ve missed the mark?”
“Chat, I know you’ve been in my room. You’ve seen my picture collection. The whole city has known I’m in love with Adrien Agreste ever since I convinced my parents to let Jagged Stone shoot that tv show in the bakery.” Marinette chuckled as she wiped her tears away. “Oh wow, I can’t remember the last time I laughed that hard. Thanks, Chat. I really needed that.”
Chat didn’t respond. His brain had temporarily ceased functioning.
“Chat?” Marinette waved a hand in front of his face. “You still with me, buddy?”
“You can’t be in love with Adrien!” The words burst from his lips like a thunderous howl but finished as more of a plaintive wail. Marinette took a step back, perturbed by the force of his denial.
“Excuse me?” She crossed her arms again. “I can’t?”
“No!” Chat pushed past her and began pacing the length of her balcony, his tail lashing furiously behind him. “You can’t be in love with Adrien because if you were then that would mean that I—that he—that we—you just can’t, okay?!”
Marinette gaped at him. “Well, I’ve been in love with Adrien for over a year so it’s a little late for that.” She snapped. “More importantly, where do you get off telling me who I can and cannot have feelings for?”
Chat gripped the railing with both hands and bent his head, trying to get control over his labored breathing and wild emotions. He was one more slip from revealing his identity right there on the balcony, and if he didn’t get a hold of himself he really would ruin everything.
Which had been his primary fear all along, he suddenly realized. His friends were everything to him. And he knew that Marinette loved him, that his friends wanted them to be together, that Marinette mattered more to him than anyone else in the world. But he also knew that he was terrible at all things romance, and he was certain he was going to blow it with Marinette the same way he had blown it with Ladybug. And since he still wasn’t exactly sure where he’d gone wrong with Ladybug, the whole thing with Marinette was doomed from the start.
So she couldn’t like him. Not him. It had to be someone else.
Only here they were, standing on her balcony, and Marinette was telling him that it wasn’t someone else, that it was him, only at this precise moment he was technically someone else so maybe it didn’t really count.
But even if it didn’t really count…Adrien was so happy.
And terrified.
And mortified and really sweaty and more than a little nauseous.
Also, she was still waiting for him to explain himself.
“I’m sorry, Marinette.” That seemed like a good enough place to start. “I really did think you were in love with Nino, and when you told me it was actually Adrien, I…I freaked out. But you’re right, it’s none of my business and…and I won’t mention it again.” Yes, that was a plan. That was a good plan. If they just never ever talked about it, then he couldn’t ruin everything, right?
“Really? You really thought that I loved Nino? I mean, as a friend, sure, but also when we were in second grade I watched him eat 36 boogers in under an hour so, yeah, that is not happening.” Marinette was still irritated with her partner, but she couldn’t hold back a smirk at the reminder of Chat’s theory about her love life. “Where did you even get that from?”
“I dunno…” He shrugged uncomfortably. “Around, I guess?”
“Around?” She repeated skeptically. “What does that even mean? It’s not like you’ve been hanging out with me and Nino so…” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Chat Noir…have you been talking to people about me?”
Chat gulped.
“…No?”
“Oh my god you have.” Marinette stomped up to him and jabbed her forefinger into his chest, pushing him back into the railing. “Who have you been talking to, kitty-cat?”
“N-no one!”
“Who told you I had a crush on Nino?” Marinette hissed. She was glaring so fiercely her eyes were tiny crescents of blue flame. “Why are you talking to people about me? What do you know?”
“N-nothing! No one! I swear!” Chat pleaded. “It was…it was just an impression I got, that’s all. And clearly it was the wrong one and I’m sorry and we don’t have to talk about it again, right?”
His attempt at soothing her was stymied by his refusal to meet her gaze. Marinette’s ire flared higher.
“You’re lying to me.”
“N-no I’m not!”
Smack
Marinette slapped her hands to his cheeks and forced him to turn his head and make eye contact with her. There were only a few inches of space between them, and Chat discovered that his gaze kept dropping to her trembling bottom lip completely without his permission. She searched his masked face for any trace of insincerity or deception.
“Seriously, Chat…what’s up with you today?”
“Marinette…” He breathed her name like a prayer. “Do you really truly love Adrien?”
She squinted up at him, uncertain as to his motivation, but she trusted her partner and so she decided to answer honestly. “Yes.”
When had their faces gotten this close? Why was he looking at her like that? Why was her heart beating so fast? And had his mouth always been so soft and appealing?
“How can you be sure?”
“Un-fricken-believable.”
Marinette and Chat Noir sprung apart at the unexpected exclamation from behind them. They whirled around as one to find Nino standing in the sky light, staring at them in shock. They stared back and for a few seconds no one moved, no one said anything, no one even breathed. Then Nino was pushing himself the rest of the way onto the balcony and shoving himself bodily between his friend and the superhero.
“Why are you bugging Marinette?” Nino asked Chat Noir hotly. “You’re not acting anything like the Chat Noir I know. Who are you, really?”
“Nino, calm down, it’s alright.” Marinette tried to shush him but Nino was focused entirely on the leathered interloper.
“This is none of your business, Nino.” Chat snarled, more annoyed at being interrupted than anything else. “What are you even doing here?”
“You kidnapped my friend so I came to check on her.” Nino replied, trying to angle his body so as to shield Marinette from view—much to the irritation of the girl herself.
“Oh please.” Chat rolled his eyes, but Nino wasn’t having it. He was a pretty chill dude most of the time, but everyone had their limits and one of Nino’s limits was some guy in a magic suit swooping in and snatching his friend away for god-knows-what-kind-of nefarious purposes.
“You should leave.”
“You don’t live here.” Chat bristled. “You don’t make the rules. Marinette wants me here. Right, Marinette?”
Marinette wasn’t entirely sure how to answer that, and now both boys were looking at her expectantly.
“Uh…”
***
Meanwhile, in the room down below, Alya was on a mission.
She had a theory. She’d been working on it for a long time, but had put it on the back burner when she became Rena Rouge. But she had decided to make one last effort to find definitive proof, in light of today’s revelation.
Because if Adrien was Chat Noir…and she knew he was because she had footage of him transforming safely stored in an encrypted video app on her phone…
So if Adrien was Chat Noir…
And if Alya’s theory, based on missing text books and strange coincidences and a litany of laughable excuses, to say nothing of the biometric data she had been collecting and analyzing before deciding to let Ladybug keep her secret in peace…
And, also, and this wasn’t really evidence, she certainly wouldn’t present it as a supporting argument, but while they were on the subject…it was too much of a coincidence for four out of Paris’ five superheroes to be in the same high school class.
If Alya’s theory was correct…
Then that meant…
She opened a drawer as the voices overhead grew louder and her heart stopped when she spotted a tiny wooden box in the back corner. It was a box she instantly recognized, because it was so similar to the box Ladybug handed her whenever she needed her help.
Only, apparently, Marinette was allowed to keep hers.
This… Alya thought as she slowly picked up the box and turned it over in her hands. Is just too perfect.
If Alya had been determined to hook up Marinette and Adrien before, it was nothing compared to the fires of hell-bent conviction that bloomed in her breast in this moment.
Ladybug and Chat Noir were going to admit their love for each other if it was the last thing Alya Cesaire ever did on this good green earth so help her goddess.
***
It had turned into a wrestling match.
As Nino and Chat had grown more frustrated with each other, Marinette had tried to step between them. But Nino was still determined to protect her, despite the fact that she told him repeatedly that she didn’t need him to, and so he braced his feet and gripped her arms and refused to move. Chat snarled and tried to pull Nino off her, so Nino tried to elbow Chat in the stomach only the suit protected him and Nino ended up standing between Marinette and Chat Noir, straining to keep them apart. Chat twisted around and put Nino in a headlock, breaking his grip on Marinette’s arms. This was harder than he thought it would be, for Nino was still soaked from his dip in the duck pond and it was difficult to get a firm grip. Nino immediately gave his hand a large slobby lick and shoved his palm into Chat’s nose. Chat yelped and the two boys fell down on top of each other, both trying to give the other a noogie. At this point, Marinette lost her temper, grabbed a rubber watering can, and began walloping both of them across the shoulders.
“Why! Are boys! So weird!”
“Ow!” They yelped, scrabbling away from her.
“Out! Out! Both of you, leave!” She hollered. “I’m done with both of you for the day, you hear me!”
Nino appeared properly abashed and slunk towards the sky light. “Sorry, Nette.” He muttered as he passed her. “Are we cool?”
“Yeah, we’re cool.” She gritted out, her arms crossed and her shoulders raised. “I’m just done with this for the day.”
“Sorry…” He sighed again before leaving.
Marinette arched a brow at Chat Noir, who was still sitting on her balcony.
“Go.” She snapped at him.
“But…” He hesitated, looking up at her beseechingly. He really wanted to finish their conversation, but there didn’t seem to be any way to recreate the mood.
“Ahem.”
They both turned, startled for the second time by an unexpected voice coming from the sky light. Alya had poked her head through the window, an inscrutable expression on her face.
She gave Chat Noir a pointed look. “Don’t you have something else you need to be doing right now?”
Chat blinked. What was she talking about? But now that she mentioned it…
“Oh shit. What time is it?” He asked as he stood up.
“A little after 3 o’clock.” Alya told him, a touch of amusement shadowing her neutral tone of voice.
Chat swore. He’d been gone from the photo shoot for far too long. People were bound to be looking for him and he was going to get chewed out by Nathalie on his father’s orders later.
With one last glance at Marinette, Chat Noir bounded from the balcony and set off in search for a good hiding place to transform back to Adrien.
Worth it. He thought.
***
“Alya…oh my god, Alya…I’m so tired…” Marinette groaned as she flopped face-down on her bed. The Ladyblogger sat next to her, nodding along and keeping unusually quiet for the time being. Nino had obediently left and it was just the two of them. Or perhaps Alya should say the three of them, though she still hadn’t figured out where Ladybug’s kwami was hiding. “Why are boys so weird? I mean, Nino’s always been weird. And so is Chat Noir. But today they were so much weirder than usual. And you’re weird too, for coming up with this ridiculous plan. And I’m weird for going along with it. And everyone is weird and what is even going on right now…”
Alya let Marinette continue to ramble as she tried to think of a way to bring her friends closer together. They were almost there, they just needed one final push…
“Wait—Alya—did you hear? Chat Noir thought I had a crush on Nino, can you believe it? I mean, where did he even get that from? He said he hadn’t talked to anyone about me, but I dunno…”
Alya smirked. Bingo.
“Marinette…I think I know who told Chat Noir that you have a crush on Nino.”
***
It was dark by the time Adrien collapsed in his bed, exhausted by the day’s misadventures. He groaned and covered his face with his hands as Plagg floated above him, chortling at his Chosen’s misfortune.
“That didn’t go very well, did it?” Adrien asked eventually.
“No, it did not.” Plagg shook his head. “But at least now you know why everyone kept laughing.” He began to snigger. “And at least now you know that you’re not involved in some kind of weird love square with all of your friends.”
Adrien groaned again and rolled over, burying his face in his pillows. “This is so humiliating.”
“Maybe for Chat Noir, but luckily Adrien came out of this squeaky clean.” Plagg shrugged. “Secret identities don’t seem like such a bad thing right now, huh?”
Adrien shuddered. After today, he could never allow Marinette to discover his secret. He’d acted like such a creep—grabbing her out of nowhere, shoving her friend into the pond, interrogating her about her love life, then when said friend showed up because he was justifiably concerned, Adrien responded by physically attacking his best friend.
If Marinette ever found out that he was Chat Noir, Adrien would die.
Also…
She loves me. His face turned red as he shoved it deeper into the pillows. She said so. It’s not just a passing fancy or speculation, she actually really truly does love me…
His heart thundered against his rib cage as another thought appeared from the deepest recesses of his psyche…
She loves me back.
This train of thought was interrupted by a sharp tapping on his window.
Adrien sat up as Plagg darted out of sight. When he spied the red spotted figure at his window, his first impulse was to follow suit and find a safe place to hide. But curiosity overcame his apprehension and he swiftly ran to the window and opened it, allowing Ladybug to step gracefully into his room. He gaped at her as she took a few steps towards the climbing wall and looked around as if she had come to examine the décor. After a few seconds of stunned silence, she placed her hands on her hips and turned to face him.
“So. I hear someone has been gossiping with superheroes.”
Adrien’s blood ran cold. “I-I-I don’t know what you m-mean.” He stammered. It was true, he really didn’t know what she was referring to, but he could hazard a guess.
“Someone told Chat Noir that Marinette Dupain-Cheng had a crush on Nino Lahiffe.” Ladybug drawled. He wished he could read her expression under the mask, but even though he knew her face as well as he knew his own he couldn’t decipher her mood. “And I have it from a very reliable source that you are the only person espousing that particular theory.”
Adrien wanted to deny it. Wanted to say he had no idea what she was talking about. Wanted to say that it was none of her business anyway and how did she even find out about all this? But he couldn’t.
Because it was Ladybug. And he couldn’t lie to Ladybug.
Unfortunately, he also had no idea what to tell her.
“I’m sorry. I did think that Marinette liked…but not anymore. I…I shouldn’t have made such a fuss over nothing…uh…I don’t…I don’t really know what you want me to say…”
Ladybug glared at him for a few seconds as he trailed off, and then she sighed and her shoulders loosened. “So it was you who talked to Chat.”
She didn’t phrase it as a question, so luckily he was not obligated to reply.
Unfortunately, she had a follow up.
“But why, Adrien? Why did you think Marinette liked Nino? And why would you talk about it with Chat Noir?”
Adrien was so screwed.
He walked back to his bed and sat down, resting his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. Ladybug watched him without moving, scared that if she reached out to him he would spook.
“…because I’m scared.” He admitted, his soft voice resonating in the heavy nighttime darkness. Marinette’s breath caught in her throat as the prison bar shadows and stripes of moonshine cast him in sharp contrasts. She’d never seen him look so vulnerable before.
“Why?” She whispered.
“Because…” Adrien didn’t look up as he spoke. “Because people don’t stay. And I don’t want to mess everything up. I’m still figuring out the whole friendship thing and I have no idea how to do…other stuff…Ladybug…” He peeked at her from between his fingers. “Did…did you know that Marinette likes me?”
“Uh…” Ladybug groped for an answer that wouldn’t raise any suspicions. “Kind of?”
“I think I’ve probably known for awhile, but I only admitted it to myself today…” He muttered into his hands. “I’ve been such a jerk to her. She should hate me.”
“No.” Ladybug smiled fondly at him. “She has no reason to.” Then she frowned and took a cautious step towards him. “And it’s okay to mess up sometimes, Adrien. Your friends won’t leave you just because you made a mistake.”
“…Mom did.”
Oh no…
All of a sudden, Marinette could see the problem with absolute clarity. It wasn’t that Adrien was worried about her or jealous of Nino. He was just terrified of being abandoned and wary of change.
In three long strides, Ladybug was at the bed and kneeling on the floor in front of him. She gently moved his hands away from his face and ducked her head so that she could see his eyes. They were wet and huge and the moonlight tinted the green silver.
She didn’t really know what to say. She didn’t have any experience with neglect or absence. Adrien was nursing wounds that she was not equipped to heal.
But there was something else she could offer him…
“You know I’m close with Marinette, right?” Ladybug told him, mentally scrambling to get her story straight so as to avoid revealing her identity. “Sometimes she helps me out when my suit gets ripped. You know, with sewing and stuff?”
Adrien’s brow furrowed ever so slightly. “When has your suit ever gotten ripped? Is that even possible?”
“Uh…also we play Scrabble.”
His eyebrows went up a tick. “Scrabble?”
“Yup. Every third Tuesday of the month. Me and Marinette, we’re Scrabble fanatics. Anyway, the point is we talk. And Adrien?” Ladybug smiled up at him. “Most of the time, all Marinette can talk about is you.”
It was amazing how much confidence the magic suit could lend her.
That, and the way Adrien’s face turned red and his eyes began to sparkle.
“She does?”
She could hear the yearning in his quavering whisper. For the first time in a long, long while, Marinette had reason to hope.
“If Marinette was here right now…she’d tell you that you have nothing to worry about. She’d tell you that she’s not going anywhere.” Ladybug smiled. “And if Nino and Alya were here, they’d tell you that you’re stuck with them whether you like it or not.”
“How can you be sure?” He asked, gazing at her as if she had all the answers in the world.
“I’m a superhero. We can tell these kinds of things.” Ladybug hoped her confident tone and cheerful smile would be convincing enough.
Adrien stared at her for a few seconds and then, quite unexpectedly considering his previously morose attitude, burst out laughing. Huge, loud, belly-rippling laughs that had him keeling over sideways on the bed and clutching his stomach. Ladybug leaned away slightly and watched him, confused but pleased by this sudden turn. As his laughter faded into giggles, he looked at her and grinned.
“That was such bullshit, Ladybug.”
“Yeah, well…” She blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. “You try having a meaningful conversation while maintaining your secret identity. It’s harder than it looks.”
Adrien’s grin turned sardonic as he rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling.
“You have a point, though. Just because I’m scared that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try, right?”
Ladybug’s heart was trying to outrace itself, and she didn’t trust herself to say a single word. Encouraging him any further felt like crossing an ethical line. Luckily he yawned and she saw an opportunity to change the subject.
“You’re exhausted; you need to sleep. Go brush your teeth and put on your pajamas.” She gently pushed him out of the bed.
Adrien protested at first but finally relented when she promised to stay until he fell asleep. Muttering under his breath about how he wasn’t a child, he obediently went into the bathroom, brushed his teeth, washed his face and put on his pajamas. When he came out he found that Ladybug had pulled back the covers for him and was sitting at the foot of his bed, flipping through a fashion magazine.
She tucked him in. He tried not to blush. It was a miserable failure. He tried to memorize the sight of her as she pulled the blankets up to his chin. He wanted to remember every single detail…
He fell asleep too soon.
***
Adrien didn’t see Marinette again until Monday.
She was waiting for him when he arrived at school. His heart did somersaults when he saw her waving him over. He forced himself to smile through his nervousness as he approached her.
“Adrien! You’re never going to believe it!” She cried once he was close, bouncing with excitement. Adrien’s heart beat faster. “Jagged Stone gave me four tickets to his birthday concert! You, me, Alya, Nino, we’re all going! Here’s yours.” She handed him a stub of golden paper. Adrien’s eyes lit up as he accepted the gift.
“This is so awesome Marinette!” He agreed. “Thank you so…much…” He trailed off as he read the writing on the ticket and noticed the date. “Wait…this concert is next year…”
“Yeah.” Marinette nodded. “The concert is to celebrate Jagged Stone’s 50th birthday. It’s kind of a big deal. Penny told me she’s been working on the plans for the last three years.” Her smile spread to the edges of her face as she jumped up and down and squealed, “It’s going to be amazing!”
Adrien looked at Marinette.
He looked at the ticket.
He looked at Marinette and she looked back at him with a patient kindness in her eyes.
“But…a year is a long time…” He heard himself saying, even though he really wished he could learn how to just shut up already. He could almost hear Plagg rolling his eyes in his book bag. “What if…what if you want to go with someone else? You should keep the ticket in case…”
Marinette cocked her head to the side. “I don’t want to go with anyone else. I want to go with you. And I don’t think that’s going to change.”
Adrien looked at the ticket.
He looked at Marinette.
He really looked at Marinette.
And in Marinette, he saw the entire world.
Adrien’s eyes misted over as he reached out and gently wrapped his arms around Marinette’s torso, slowly drawing her closer and closer to him. He moved carefully, so that she could pull free if she wanted to, but she didn’t. Instead, she leaned into him, looping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. He felt all the air go out of her in one mighty sigh of relief, as if a great burden had been lifted. He felt the same way as he rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry for making you wait…” He whispered.
“It’s okay.” She whispered back. “There’s no rush.”
“Marinette?”
“Yeah?”
“Did you know that I’m in love with you?”
“…Honestly?”
“Yes, please.”
“Yeah, I kind of did.”
***
They skipped their classes and ended up wandering around the park, holding hands and sighing happily and stealing kisses amongst the rose bushes and willow trees. Alya slipped out of school during lunch and found them there, cuddling at a picnic table.
There was one last box she needed to check before her plan was complete.
“I told you my plan would work.” Alya said smugly as she sat down across from them.
“Actually, Alya…” Marinette drawled. “Seeing as how your plan resulted in Nino wrestling Chat Noir on my balcony, I don’t think it counts. But…” She smiled at the boy in question and leaned over to kiss him sweetly on the cheek. His face turned red and he ducked his head, but they could all see him smiling happily. “All’s well that ends well.”
Alya stared at the obliviously and somewhat disgustingly happy couple for a few seconds before raising both her eyebrows all the way to her hairline.
“All’s well that ends well? Really? You don’t think there might be something else you two need to talk about?”
“Nope. Everything worked out perfectly.” Adrien sighed, beaming at Marinette with such a sappy smile that it gave Alya a toothache.
“…really.” She repeated in a tone of voice utterly devoid of emotion or inflection. “Is that so…” She pushed her glasses up her nose and reached into her bag. “Hey, Adrien, is this yours?” She asked, pulling out a small object and placing it on the table between them. It was a box; old, wooden, intricately engraved and immediately recognizable to all present. Her two friends stared at the miraculous box as if they thought it was about to pop a mouth and start yodeling. “Only, I found it in Marinette’s room and it seems pretty unique. But you have one a lot like it, right?”
“Alya…did you snoop around in my stuff?” Marinette whispered, as if that would be enough to distract from the unfolding revelation. As if she could make it go away by talking about something else.
“You mean like that time you stole Adrien’s phone?” Alya slung her bag over her shoulder. “And got me to break into it for you? So you could delete a message? Where you called him hot stuff?”
“Excuse me—I’m still processing the first thing but in the meantime—what’s this about Marinette saying I’m hot?”
“Eep!”
“Yeah, so maybe…” Alya drawled as she got to her feet and prepared to leave them to it. “Maybe there are a few things you two still need to work out. If you have any more questions, I’m sure your kwamis can fill you in on the details. See ya later, lovebugs.”
And then she left. She left them to their squawking and their flailing and their panicking and their blushing. She left them to their eventual talking and aching and making up and kissing it better. She left them to figure it out for themselves for once. Because she’d done her job, as a best friend and as a superhero teammate. She’d gotten them over the hurdles and bumps, and whatever happened next…was entirely up to them.