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"Hey, Adrien?"
"Yeah?" Adrien looked up from fastening his shoe strap to come eye-to-eye with one of his teammates. Kagami was standing in front of him, helmet nestled under her armpit and her free arm holding her fencing blade, pointing it towards the ground. The two were getting ready for the first session of their Saturday fencing practice. The two fencers were, much to Adrien's relief, not the only two members of the club upset by Monsieur D'Argencourt's decision to implement a weekend practice, although Kagami asserted that it was a good plan to continue practicing hard. Regardless of her assertion, though, Adrien could see through her that she didn't want to be here any more than he did.
"What is it?"
"I wanted to tell you I asked Laurent if I could switch with him today - I hope you don’t mind the change.”
“Of course not, it’s always a treat to practice against you - any reason why this week though?” Adrien ran a hand through his hair, eyebrow raised in confusion, “We’re scheduled to be partners next week, aren’t we?”
Kagami nodded, now averting his gaze. Adrien could’ve sworn he saw a light blush dusting her cheeks. “I have my reasons, and, well,” Kagami looked around as if making sure no one was listening in to their conversation before leaning forward. “If I asked you a favor would you be discrete about it?”
The blond nodded.
“Please give it your all during our match today - there’s someone watching today that I’m hoping to impress.”
Adrien blinked and turned to the crowd. There was Nino, Marinette, Alya, Kim, Max, Mylène and Ivan that he recognized from his class - there were around twenty or thirty students from other years and classes as well. Part of him wanted to ask Kagami who it was, curious about who would be the lucky person who had caught Kagami's eye, but he straightened up on the bench, a grin on his face. "Of course! I’ll take it seriously if you are.”
A small smirk stretched on Kagami’s lips. “I always do.”
“Then let’s see if we can put on a believable show for your special someone,” Adrien felt his inner Chat Noir bringing out his confidence as he rose from the bench.
“We’ll see how well it works after I win, Agreste,” Kagami said before turning away, waving her blade as she walked away.
“I’ll make you work for it!” Adrien shouted after her.
“Kagami wins first round!”
The good thing about weekend practice, Adrien realized after the first round, was the fact that his friends could be there to cheer him on. With Nino, Marinette and Alya encouraging him, he felt more confident on the fencing floor, even if he intended to give a show of losing. The trio had worked together into making a surprise green banner for Adrien, which said "Go Adrien!" in white letters. The blond recognized two fencing blade designs decorating the edges of the banner, undoubtedly being Marinette's design. The ends of his lips curved up and he smiled, his heart warming at the work his friends had put into making that banner and being there for him.
“Go, Adrien!” Alya and Marinette shouted out, and Adrien’s smile widened. Marinette, his Lady, his partner, was here, cheering him on. The two had learned of each other’s identities a couple months earlier after an intense battle had shook them both to their core. Worrisome questions of who would tell their families in the worst case scenario were reason enough for them both to tell one another. Adrien couldn’t have been more relieved to see Marinette, wonderful, clever, brave Marinette, staring at him wide-eyed, where Ladybug was standing just moments before, bringing her into a tight hug the minute his own mask was removed.
Although his feelings for her were the same - and only intensifying from there, he noted one night when he woke up from a dream where he felt Marinette’s lips brushing against his own - her former attitude as Ladybug made Adrien back off. Marinette began to come out of her shell when they hung out at school, even more once they entered lycée, joking along with him or rolling her eyes with his puns - but Adrien didn’t want to make her uncomfortable at all. After all, he had declared his love for her numerous times as Chat Noir - now that they knew each other’s identities, he knew Ladybug - and as a result, Marinette - would continue only seeing him as a friend, and that wouldn’t change. Just as Ladybug did.
His heart sank a little at the reminder before he shook his head, concentrating on the battle before him. Fencing now, years worth of amorable feelings towards his best friend later. He glanced back at Marinette once again - her hair was down, he noted, his heart beating faster than usual - her warm smile firing him back up, before he turned back to the match.
“Rouuuuuund two! Begin!”
Kagami wasn’t afraid of showing what she was made of, either. She seemed to be moving with such intensity and speed that Adrien thanked his stars for being used to such ferocity from akuma encounters. He was able to dodge or block most of her moves, but he found himself incapable of striking her himself because of how fast she was moving. Adrien noticed over the years that she had become more sharper in her skills since collège, and today she was showcasing them for everyone watching.
The fierceness with which she was fighting… “Is her mother coming to watch today?” Adrien wondered as he crossed his blade across his chest to come into contact with Kagami, who was pressing against him, her blade across his. Adrien shot a quick glance at the crowd. No one new caught his eye in the microsecond he looked away and he lunged forward, pushing Kagami away from him. She leapt back for a moment before charging towards him again, and before he knew it, the tip of her blade was touching his shoulder.
"Kagami wins second round!" M. D'Argencourt's voice rang throughout the courtyard, and the two fencers lowered their blades before bowing to one another. Adrien pulled up the flap of his helmet, meeting his partner's gaze as she did the same, the two of them both sweaty and panting. Kagami gave a small smile and wiped her arm across her forehead, nodding at Adrien before turning to the crowd and raising her arm. The crowd erupted into cheers and Adrien grinned, wiping off the sweat off his own brow.
“You really are giving it your all today!” Adrien exclaimed as he passed by her, bending his blade against his palm.
“Of course,” Kagami glanced back at the crowd, bending her own blade in her hand, “I really want to impress Mari-- erm, the person I want to i-impress.”
Adrien’s blade flipped forward, nearly smacking him in the face as he almost lost his grip on it, his eyes wide.
“W-What?” he choked out.
“Rouuuuuund three!”
Adrien blinked a few times as Kagami pulled her helmet flap back over her face, walking back to her side of the courtyard, before he did the same, glancing back at the crowd. Marinette was now talking to Nino while Alya was holding up her phone, most likely recording their match. Heat rose to his already-flushed cheeks when Marinette caught him staring at her and waved at him, giving a thumbs up as encouragement. They weren’t together , but. . .numerous years of being partners would count for something, right?
“No, ” he shook his head, focusing back and raising his blade to Kagami to begin the match, “Marinette’s free to date whoever she chooses to, to be with--”
“Begin!”
Adrien’s face snapped up and crossed his blade across his chest, leaping forward. Kagami was already running towards him, blade ready to strike as she ran forward. Adrien blocked her first move, trying to regain his footwork from the shock he had experienced moments ago, but quickly moved to the side, avoiding her blade.
“Do I fight back?” Adrien thought, ducking just in time as Kagami’s blade went for his shoulder, “I promised her I’d help her today, even if it is Marinette, but--”
Adrien’s thoughts were interrupted by his opponent’s blade swiping towards him; he parried the blow and pushed her blade away, blocking her next attack.
“But it’s Marinette!” he thought, biting his lip, “It’s wonderful, amazing Marinette, I can’t--”
“Kagami wins the third round!”
Adrien froze, ready to ask how on Earth that happened when he glanced to his side, where the end of her blade was pressing against his hip.
How did--
“Kagami wins first match! End match!”
The crowd erupted into a roar as Kagami pulled off her helmet and grinned, waving at the applauding spectators. Adrien pulled his helmet off and ran a hand through his hair, glancing at his friends who were clapping along with everyone else. He sighed but offered his hand as he stepped forward, shaking her hand as he smiled at his opponent.
"Break!" M. D'Argencourt announced, and the remaining fencing club members began to disperse along the courtyard. A few of the students had run down to the court from where they were watching the practices, either marveling at the club members or running off to grab some lunch before the matches started up again. Adrien sat down on the lowest bench and soon spotted his own friends coming down the stairs as he put away his blade and helmet in his fencing bag.
"Losing your spark, today, Agreste?" Alya asked, smirk in place, but there was a feeling of gentle mirth as she raised her hand to high-five Adrien.
Adrien laughed and high-fived her back, shrugging simply as Nino sat down next to him. "I guess I'm just tired,” he lied, “I had a photoshoot last night that went longer than expected."
"Dude, you should never underestimate how important a good night's sleep is," Nino added, slinging his arm around Adrien’s shoulder as Alya sat on his other side, "I mean, you and Marinette never seem to get enough sleep. You two are inconsolable."
Marinette, who was standing and holding the rolled up banner in one hand and a large green bag in the other, raised an eyebrow. "There are designs out there that need to be made, Nino," she retorted, frowning at the taller boy.
Adrien gave a knowing smile at her before he placed his hand over his heart. "You get me, Marinette! Save me from Nino's judgement, we’re a team."
“As if,” Nino interjected before Marinette could respond, now getting up, “Alya and I are gonna get some drinks from the machine, good luck persuading Marinette in the meantime.”
“Mari’s on our side,” Alya said, winking at the fencer before she turned to walk with Nino, “Face it, model boy.”
“Am I just being ignored here today?” Marinette asked, eyebrows furrowed.
“Never, princess,” Adrien said, grinning, “But you are on my team.”
“You wish,” Marinette put the banner down next to Adrien’s fencing bag, opening her green bag and pulling out two red tupperware containers, “I brought lunch today.”
Adrien could barely contain his delight as he took the container from her hands, eyes bright with excitement. “Yes!! What did your father make for me this time?”
“A-Actually, I made your lunch this time,” Marinette’s cheeks tinged a bright pink, “I know it’s not as professional as my dad’s, but I made some quiche. I know it’s your favorite.”
Adrien felt his heart flutter slightly as he took one of the containers, looking down to see a few slices of his favorite food inside. He immediately took a bite, letting out a groan at how good it was. “Marinette, how do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Steal my heart with food?”
Marinette’s cheeks flushed further but she rolled her eyes, poking his nose. “You’re ridiculous.”
“What’s ridiculous?” Nino asked, sitting down beside Adrien, drinks in hand.
“Adrien is.”
“Oh, well that’s a given,” Alya laughed, twisting her bottle open next to Marinette, “With his schedule? It’s a wonder--”
“Hello!”
The gang turned to Kagami, who was now jogging towards them, helmet in place. "Hey guys,” her muffled voice came from behind the flap. She pushed it back, revealing a sweaty face and a polite smile which widened once she turned to Marinette. “Hi Marinette."
"Hey, Kagami! Great job out there!" Marinette said, thumbs up in place,
"Yeah, you were awesome," Nino raised his drink, grinning at her, "Now we have to make a banner for you too, right?"
Kagami shook her head, a small smile on her face, "That won't be necessary, but thank you."
"Oh c'mon," Alya pointed at Marinette, "our girl here can make an amazing cheering banner for anyone - she made one for Alix' birthday," she pointed at the one in Marinette's hands, "she made those amazing designs on the one we made for Adrien - she could make you one too."
"Sure!" Marinette smiled brightly at the female fencer, "You were amazing during the tournament, it was like watching a graceful bird."
Kagami's face flushed a bright red, her mouth a small "o" before Marinette leaned in slightly, her expression worried. "Are you alright?"
"Y-Yes!" Kagami nodded, blinking out of her stance, "I-I meant to say, if you don't think it would be too much trouble."
"Of course," Marinette's smile widened, "You're really talented, I'd love to make one for you."
Adrien noticed that Kagami's face was now the color of her fencing suit, before she laughed nervously, shaking her head and managing out a "Well I'm glad I impressed you enough to think I'm worthy of a Marinette banner".
Marinette blushed lightly, her expression now flattered. "Of course," she repeated, her voice a little higher pitched than before, “I-I mean, I know that you’re busy with fencing quite often, and, I’d make the banner the same red as your outfit--” she gestured to Kagami’s outfit, nearly dropping the rolled banner in her hands, “That isn’t to say red is your favorite color, I’d obviously ask you first, erm--” Marinette gave a nervous smile. “W-What is your favorite color?”
“Dark blue,” Kagami sat down between Marinette and Adrien, pointing at the designer’s hair, “A little bit like your hair, in fact. It looks good down, by the way.”
It was now Marinette’s turn to flush the color of Kagami’s fencing outfit. Adrien noticed Alya poke her hand behind her, and she dissolved into a fit of nervous giggles, waving her hands and discussing how she could make Kagami a banner.
Adrien blinked. Oh shit.