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Everyone knew Marinette Dupain-Cheng was clumsy as can be. No one would be surprised when she collided with walls, smacked against poles, face-planted with the ground or tripped over her own feet (sometimes even nothing at all). Whenever she was holding something, those also scattered around and littered the floor but she would always be quick to apologize and pick up everything with a shy smile.
It shouldn’t draw him to her but it did. Adrien didn’t find this irritating or a waste of time or anything. In fact, he found her habit rather endearing and more often than not he would be surprised at himself, feeling his lips and getting a shock that he was smiling.
Fascinating that such a simple thing would be enough to make him smile.
Currently he was in the classroom, chatting with Nino and waiting for the rest of his classmates to pile in with the lunch hour coming to a close. Adrien had been fortunate enough to make it in time after an akuma struck during lunch so he wasn’t able to eat much but at least he got to see his lady.
Alya walked in alone, which Adrien didn’t find too strange since Marinette had a streak of tardiness but he did hope she could get in time before Mme. Bustier arrived.
Just before the bell rang a whirl of color passed through the open door frame, Adrien recognizing Marinette’s colors of a dark jacket and pink pants but she went in at a sprint, screeching to a halt too late as she tripped over nothing and released a high-pitched shriek, stumbling and hitting the ground in a tangle of limbs.
Everyone turned away, wincing and knowing that whatever Marinette went through was painful.
When they were sure everything had passed Adrien and the rest looked back toward their class representative who had managed to tumble over the teacher’s desk – moving it a few inches – and topple over the trash bin which had littered all their trash.
Upon closer inspection, Adrien saw that she had also successfully destroyed the bin since it had a clean split in the middle, her foot resting atop its bodice as she rubbed her head, some paper balls around her and a few candy wraps and cotton stuck in her hair.
She didn’t look anything presentable at all, rubbing her behind and sucking in a breath but frankly that was all Adrien could see.
Bluebell eyes, hair tied into twin pigtails, a budding personality and with a strong sense of justice that could rival Ladybug’s were some of the things that he admired and liked about this particular classmate.
So really it shouldn’t have come as a shock to him when he rested his cheek on his hand, heart melting, and sighed dreamily, “Marinette, you are the most perfect person ever.”
Adrien saw through his peripheral vision how the class zipped their heads toward him to look at him in a mix of emotions (mostly curiosity, alarm, and surprise) but he couldn’t bring it in himself to care, only focusing on the reaction of one certain pigtailed-girl.
Marinette stopped rubbing her head and blinked owlishly twice. He heard her gasping slightly and then he was gazing at those blue, blue eyes, pupils seeming to dilate the more she stared back at him. Honestly, Adrien wouldn’t ever grow tired of gazing into those eyes forever if given the chance.
He was such a sap, wasn’t he?
She was still on the floor and she wasn’t in the best of positions – trash in her hair and right foot resting on a broken trash bin – but she smiled anyway, her eyes shutting and her head tilting slightly, as she said, “Aww thank you.”
Adrien chuckled before standing and crouching next to Marinette, smiling kindly at her and offering her a hand.
“Here.”
Marinette took a moment to stare at the offered hand before locking eyes with him again and smiling.
“Thank you, Adrien,” she said, taking his hand. Adrien then took it as cue to hoist her back to her feet.
“My pleasure.”
And by all means, it was.
There was a clear of the throat and as if burned Adrien and Marinette sprang apart and turned to the source of the noise, the class filled with raucous laughter at their priceless reactions.
There at the door stood Mme. Bustier with an amused look on her face, giving away the fact that she saw the interaction of her two students.
“I – I – he – “ Marinette blundered, arms waving about as the class laughed harder.
For some reason, Adrien found himself in a similar predicament as Marinette, words failing him.
“I was just helping her – “
“I fell on the floor – “
“She had a bad fall – “
“And I broke the trash bin – “
“And – “
Mme. Bustier only laughed, their classmates grinning and sharing looks and exchanging bets.
“Calm down Marinette and Adrien. There’s no harm done although I have to ask –” she turned to Marinette – “are you okay? Hurt in any way? Because if so then I am telling Adrien to accompany you to the clinic."
Marinette gaped for a moment and then a few seconds more. Adrien thought she must have zoned out so he nudged her arm with his elbow lightly. It seemed enough since Marinette stuttered unintelligible words before saying with conviction, “No I’m okay Mme. Bustier but thank you for your concern.”
Their teacher nodded before sending them on their way, Adrien and Marinette trudging up to their seats with matching blushes.
As he sidled in his seat, there was a nudge from Nino and when Adrien turned to look, there was a knowing smirk on his face and a glint in his eye that only spelled trouble.
“Soo…” he said casually as Mme. Bustier began writing on the board, “Marinette, huh?”
This only served to make Adrien’s cheeks flare with a renewed blush, Nino chuckling under his breath before elbowing him twice and focusing on the lesson, Adrien ducking further into his seat and wishing he could disappear.
Behind him the girls were having a whispered heated conversation, no doubt Alya teasing Marinette and the latter trying to shush the brunette. He could easily imagine Marinette’s face flaming and somehow it only made Adrien want to squish her cheeks or run far away. Or both, depending on the case.
Gah this was too much to think about in the span of a few minutes. Hopefully Adrien would be able to get some alone time and vocalize about this to Plagg, who he felt was also snickering inside his blazer pocket. Oh geez… now Plagg will relentlessly tease him afterward.
But… and a big but... Marinette, huh?
It wasn’t bad… come to think of it.