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“Oh, that's the song we danced to at Chloe’s birthday party, remember?”
“O-oh yeah!”
“So, will you?” With a welcoming arm stretched out, Adrien caught Marinette’s hand before she floated away. “Here…” After a reassuring smile and a sign that all was okay Marinette lunged at Adrien, surrounding him with her dainty arms as he engulfed her waist.
With the power of the magic hot dogs; the two friends were hovering blissfully in the air in the middle of a New York vacation. This was the first time they had been this close since the sunset on the plane, but they hadn’t danced together like this since that party. This was even better. Considering how they regularly swung, and pole vaulted around the buildings of Paris, not to mention they could fly as well, being here like this was really miraculous.
Adrien sadly thought of Ladybug and how he left without telling her; she would be mad if she had found out. It was bad enough that he was always in relentless pursuit of her affection only to face constant rejection, but Adrien would never want to upset Ladybug or betray her trust. Logically he knew that he should give up and let her be, she made it blatantly clear that she wasn’t interested in him like that, but his heart wouldn’t let him. Something deep down inside his soul told him that it was meant to be. Hoping that one day his -bad luck- would run out and that they’ll know each other outside of the costumes and be together.
However, when would he ever have another chance to not only get out of Paris, but out of the country? As long as nothing major happened he’d be able to continue his trip without having to transform and travel back.
At the same time Adrien was having so much fun so far, he got to ride in a plane and see American superheroes; he got to go to his very first rooftop party, eat something he knew his father and Nathalie would never approve of and now he was literally floating in the air dancing under the moonlight with-
‘Marinette…’
On the other hand, Adrien was thinking less about Ladybug and more about Marinette; something about her was different, although he was unclear to what it could’ve been. Her hair was shinier, her eyes were clearer, and she was more Marinette-y. He couldn’t put it together on why she just seemed more awesome then normal, probably her stubbornness and her willingness to step up to his father and demand that he could come with everyone on the school trip. She was just so cool.
Adrien nuzzled Marinette’s hair, getting comfortable laying his head down against her head, he was rather enjoying himself. Her small frame made it easier to hold her closer, allowing him to smell the -pastries- from her parent’s bakery. He loved her scent of croissants in the morning when she passed by him at school. Sometimes he’d wish that Ladybug’s good luck would rub off on him, that way Marinette and Ladybug could be the same person.
Don’t get him wrong Marinette was very cute -beautiful even- he discovered that the day they escaped from their authority figures with Kagami, before Heart Hurter attacked. When he was playing the -piano-; Kagami brought up how pretty she looked when Marinette’s hair was down, he totally agreed.
Marinette didn’t realize while they were still on the plane that besides Adrien’s brand of cologne that he always wore there was also a hint of something else, was it his breath from the hot dog? No, but it was a sort of food. As his former stalker Marinette knew that he was on a strict diet because of his modeling, however she would often smell this scent when they were hanging out together. Camembert came to mind, although she didn’t have much experience; it was an expensive delicacy and very stinky. Not that she was a model herself, but she was pretty sure that an all dairy diet wasn’t that healthy. Marinette was also sure she'd seen him get -milk wasted- one day at a school when they were having a cookies and chocolate milk snack day, personally brought in by yours truly.
With a mixer of his body odor, cologne and whatever this was Marinette had deduced that maybe he was just a -cheese- condenser? It did, however, remind her of-
‘Chat Noir…’
From Plagg Marinette knew that he loved camembert to death and that it was his food of choice for refueling. Her thoughts wandered a bit of the time he presented her with the first of many -flowers- he would present to her over the years.
‘Chat Blanc…’
Marinette had seen the future and she couldn’t let that happen, that’s why they could be no more than just -partners-. Many times she had wanted to let go of her feelings for Adrien and date her sweet kitty, but she could never let go of what she witnessed. The bleak desolate layout of Paris, oceanic nothingness as far as the eyes could see and white, pure unadulterated white. The coldness of his inhuman stare, the rage he carried all because they went out and fell in love.
No. Even if she did love Chat, even if she could change fate, she would not let that happen. He meant everything to her and it's for that reason that she could never be with him. A sudden pang of regret trickled into her heart as she remembered that she lifted him alone to take care of all of Paris and didn’t leave him much help with other Miraculous.
A single tear ran down the face of the young designer’s face, she felt great sorrow about her friend and couldn’t help but wonder what happened in that timeline. Marinette squeezed Adrien as her way to reach out to Chat, to let him know that he’s not alone and even though they’re not a couple that she’s always there for him.
“Marinette?” She was deep in thought that she hadn’t realized that she had been squeezing Adrien to death, not that he minded or cared. Marinette was actually quite strong for a tiny as she was. Being in the air dancing under the moonlight with Adrien is no less than magical. It was all like a dream; but unfortunately, all dreams must come to an end.
“Adrien, I want to tell you something…”
“Sure Marinette, wha-” He began to pull away to see her face, but she grabbed him quickly forcing them closer again.
“No, don’t please. This is the only way I can talk to you…” Adrien looked at the side of Marinette’s ear but went back to his previous position of their head being together.
“Wh-what do you mean? Why can’t you talk to me?”
“Because every time I look into your eyes, my brain just brakes, and I can’t form words. I feel nervous around you…”
Adrien sighed sadly, “Yeah I know. Well I mean I’ve noticed that you don’t always say things clearly when you’re around me, I was thinking that you didn’t like me much or that I made you uncomfortable for some reason. After a while I guess I just got used to it.”
“No! That’s not the reason at all!” Marinette lifted her head to protest but dare not look at him, she let her head drop back on Adrien's shoulders, she sighed. “The reason that I act like a total spaz around you is because I have feelings for you. I like you, like; like-like you…”
“What? Really?” All became clear in that moment, when clarity hit him it was like a mirror broke in his head. The fidgeting; all the stuttering how her hands flared about, it all made sense. “Since wh-?”
“Since the first day we met, after that whole gum in the seat fiasco. When we were standing outside -in the rain- and-“
“I gave you my -umbrella-? Wow…” Adrien suddenly remembered the shrine of -photographs- she had in her room, the blatant dismissal of any feelings she might have had for him. But what about Luka?
“Yes, I know. I’m sorry!” Marinette clutched down on his shirt hard, feeling tears stinging the edge of her eyes again. “I’ve been wanting to confess to you for so long and because when are we ever going to be literally floating in the air dancing on clouds ever again and it was such a romantic thing that I didn’t want to waste it...”
“No wait, why are you sorry?” He asked, squeezing her tighter.
“Because I know that you have someone else that you’re in love with, and I’ve been trying to get over you ever since you told me, but I can’t! I thought that maybe this trip would help me, but it hasn’t been going so well.
So I went for a long shot hoping that if I confessed it’ll change your mind; which now that I say it out loud sound completely stupid!” The longer she rambled on the more her tears escaped, taking her hand away to wipe them.
“Marinette, I don’t know what to say… I think the world of you, you’re funny and sweet and a great baker and an amazing seamstress. I’d hope to one day model all of your clothes, but I can’t- I don’t- I mean-” Marinette could feel Adrien clenched on the back of her shirt, catching her bra strap in his fingers. “Marinette-“
“There’s nothing to say… I understand, I just didn’t want things to be ruined between us…” She squeezed Adrien’s shirts as she felt her tears appear in her eyes, she sniffed a few times before taking one of her arms from around his neck and wiped her nose.
He tightened his grip around her waist, “No of course not, we will always be friends, no matter what…” He hesitated for a second but cupped Marinette’s head in his hand and the other at the small of her back; he caressed her hair to calm down her sniffling.
Marinette continued to face away from Adrien as she allowed her tears to continue to fall, being caught in the cool New York air, as the song began to end down below the pair were also commencing their descent. They pulled apart briefly to look down as the ground began to make an appearance, neither one of them paid much attention about how long they were dancing.
“Well it was fun while it lasted…” Marinette wiped the last of her tears away as she shook her head to get rid of her jetlag.
“Yeah, it looks like we're coming in for a landing…” Adrien smiled shyly at Marinette, trying to get her smile with a purposeful -pun-, but she only returned with a small grin in the corner of her lips.
Looking around Adrien had noticed that the rooftop party was also coming to an; both sets of students were making their way to the ladder to head back inside; as well as Hot Dog Dan. As feet finally touched down the wind blew lightly through clothes and hair making this beautiful evening come to an end. “This will be buried into my mind for the rest of my life, thank you for dancing with me Adrien. I really appreciate it.”
“Wait!”
Marinette stopped when she was lightly yanked back, they’re arms were stretched out, staring at one another. Adrien watched their connected hands before staring into Marinette’s bluebell eyes, he slowly intertwined their digits together drawing himself to her.
“Just because I’m not in love with you, doesn’t mean I don’t love you…” All of Marinette’s questions were swallowed up by Adrien's mouth on hers. They resumed their previous position with Adrien’s fingers buried into Mari’s hair and her arms wrapped around his neck. He dipped her back slightly causing her to yelp out loud, just enough to allow Adrien’s tongue to come visit.
Even though they were now fully on the ground Marinette still felt light-headed, probably more so then when she was just levitating. Releasing each other when breaths were needed Marinette barely
caught the string of saliva that was left behind. Adrien's eyes were
half-lidded when he grabbed Marinette’s face and brought their foreheads together.
“Ad-Adrien, what was th-that for?”
“I didn’t want you to be sad over me anymore, it kills me when you’re sad! You mean everything to me, you’re such an amazing girl! I owe you so much for helping me get here and I wouldn’t want to lose you as a friend...” He took a hold of his -lucky charm- in his pocket and presented it to Marinette, “…And honestly; if I hadn’t met her first, it would be you…”
Marinette became teary eyed again, she placed her hand on top of Adrien’s, smiled and nodded. He brought her face to his and kissed her forehead sweetly. Adrien pulled away from her; smiling before retreating towards the ladder, he took one last look, waving; given off that “-stay peachy-” send off before he disappeared behind the ladder.
She brought her fingers up to lips, updating her brain to the newest greatest thing that’s ever happened to her; this moment right now. Mari soon draped her arm down at her side, dropping her hand down into her purse to retrieve her own lucky charm. “And if it wasn’t for you, it would've been him…”
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What did you think? It’s my own little interpretation of what they were talking about while they were up there. We don’t in fact know how long they were up there for nor do we know if they talked at all. I like to think they did, I mean do you honestly think they were silent the whole time? I feel like it was different from when they were at Chloe’s party because they weren’t floating in the air!
Anyway, please like, comment, and subscribe! I mean you know what I mean...