Chapter Text
Adrien got into the car in a state of euphoria, and told the Gorilla Nino's address. He still couldn't believe that his father had changed his mind and had let him to spend the afternoon at his friend's place.
In any case, the things leading to this had been rather strange. Adrien had been lying on the sofa, moping about Ladybug turning down his invitation to go out the evening before, when Gabriel had entered the room upset, saying that Adrien's negative thoughts had been interfering with his work. The boy had been confused by this comment - how could his mood affect his father's work? But he had not questioned it; instead he jumped at the chance when Gabriel had finally allowed him to go hang out with his friend.
Nino lived in an old but elegant apartment building in the western part of the 21st district. They were progressing slowly through the crowded Parisian boulevards because of the afternoon rush hour and the rain, but eventually they arrived, and Adrien took the steps two by two to his friend's third-floor apartment.
"Dude!" Nino high-fived him. "So your dad really let you come in the end."
"Yeah, who'd have thought. Too bad it's raining." The rain had started around noon, while they were still at school, and washed away lights and colours from the autumn Paris.
"Yeah. Well, we'll find something to pass the time with." They had originally planned to go skateboarding on the République, but the weather thwarted their plans. "My parents and my brother won't be back until late at night."
Adrien kicked off his shoes and followed his friend into the living room. It was cosily furnished; it had intimacy and homeliness, in contrast to the cold impersonality of the Agreste mansion. There was a fireplace, bookcases, and a wide sofa with dark green covers opposite a TV, which could seat four or five people.
The blond boy looked at the bric-a-brac hung above the sofa. "This is a dreamcatcher, isn't it?" he poked at one.
"Yeah. It used to be in my room when I was younger. I had really bad dreams back then, and my mom got me one of these."
"Did it help?"
"It really did! It made all the nightmares go away."
"Hmph. I think you just outgrew them," Adrien said as he leaned back on the sofa.
Nino looked at him. "You don't really believe in that sort of thing, do you?"
"Well... no, not really."
"Come on, don't be so sceptical. We have the supernatural around us practically every day. Superheroes, supervillains, miraculouses. Much more special than a dreamcatcher."
Adrien thought about what Nino had said. If it really works, he could use one too. Ever since he had become a superhero, he had been plagued by bad dreams. Nightmares in which Ladybug and he failed, or got injured, or even died. He decided to look into it.
"Oh, and concerning superheroes," Nino continued talking, without noticing that his friend was daydreaming about whatever, "how about watching the newest Ladybug the Chat Noir movie?"
"Um... but we saw that last week with the entire class at the movies." Adrien had hoped they were going to play some video game, maybe a tabletop game.
"I think Alya would watch it a hundred times. They should arrive any minute."
"Arrive? Who?"
"Alya and Marinette. I invited them, too. Didn't you listen to what I said?"
"Um... of course I did," Adrien pulled himself together. "I'm glad they're coming."
"I bet you are," they other boy grinned. "You and Marinette are so cute together."
"Me... what? Together? There's nothing between us."
"Pity. You'd make a really good couple. And I think Marinette likes you."
"I don't think so." Adrien sighed. This wasn't the first time his classmates had made comments like that, but Adrien had always dismissed them. "I think highly of her, but it seems she cannot stand me. She keeps avoiding me, acts awkwardly, and can't put a sentence together when I happen to be near her... Most likely she's still mad at me for the bubblegum affair."
"Nah, I don't think so. Who knows, she's acting like that because she likes you."
Adrien considered the matter briefly, then shook his head. "Sorry, I just won't believe that. Then why doesn't Chloe behave like that with me? Or Alya with you?"
"You are thinking too much, dude," Nino grinned. "Believe me that..."
At that moment, there was a knock on the door and the bespectacled boy got up and headed for the hall.
---
Marinette wished she could have slept through the afternoon. The akuma battles of the previous days had exhausted her to the limit, not only physically but also emotionally, and if Chat Noir hadn't been there to support her, she would have surely abandoned her superhero career. And of course, on top of that she had had to cope with school, homework, and work in the bakery. So when Alya had invited her to watch a movie at Nino's place, she had declined instantly. However, when her friend had informed her that Adrien would also be there, she had decided after a short time to accept it. Even if she still couldn't get close to him, she wouldn't have missed the opportunity to spend an afternoon in the company of her prince.
So in the end, the two girls were climbing the steps in the dimly lit staircase, with folded umbrellas dripping with water in their hands. After they had knocked, they soon heard footsteps and Nino opened the door. Marinette followed Alya into the hall.
"Such bad weather," Alya said as Nino helped her out of her coat.
"And we had to come on foot, as the traffic is completely blocked," Marinette added as she took off her shoes.
"If I'd known you were coming, I would have brought you by car," a voice said.
Startled, the black-haired girl looked up to find herself face to face with Adrien. She stepped forward, stunned, and as a result she tripped over the threshold, but before falling, Adrien stepped in and caught her.
"Marinette, are you all right?" he asked anxiously.
"No... I mean, yes," Marinette replied, while her heart was beating at a frantic pace. This is off to a good start, she thought to herself as she entered the living room alongside her classmate.
Alya and Nino had already taken over one half of the sofa, leaving Marinette no choice but to settle down next to Adrien. She was feeling tense; she envied Adrien who leaned back comfortably, like a lazy cat. In the end, Marinette too leaned back and turned her face upwards, gazing at the objects decorating the wall. Blue and brown feathers and beads filled her field of vision: she and Adrien were sitting under a dreamcatcher.
She shuddered. It was really cold. She was about to go back to the hall to get her coat when Alya guessed her thoughts. "Didn't they fix the heating?"
"They told they would do it tomorrow," Nino said. "I'll get some blankets."
Soon he returned from the bedroom with two dark green blankets, and gave one of them to Marinette and Adrien. The girl had no choice but to move closer to her classmate. As she caught his gaze, her tension slowly began to ease.
"Which movie should we watch?" Nino asked. "Is The Jungle Book okay? The live-action version."
"I'd rather watch be the new Ladybug and Chat Noir movie. The fourth one, where the two of them finally end up as a couple."
"We've already seen that!"
"So what, we can watch it again," Alya said as if it had already been decided. "That movie is so cute."
"Do you think they will end up as a couple in real life?" Adrien asked dreamily.
"I think they already are a couple," Alya observed. "Just watch any video footage of them. There is more between them than simple friendship."
"I don't think so," Marinette sighed. Her friend was starting the matchmaking again. In fact, but half of Paris saw the two superheroes as a couple.
"Really? Then you should read the Ladyblog. Or watch the news."
"I do watch the news. And Ladybug always points out that there is nothing between them."
"Well, yeah. But they are so concerned for each other, they are always on the same wavelength... it would be strange if they were still just friends after all the things they went through. Maybe she just doesn't want to admit it."
"Remember that supervillain called Oblivio?" added Nino. "If they had been just friends, the walls between them wouldn't have come down right away."
"I don't think so," Marinette snapped. "And it's pathetic that after Ladybug sacrifices herself each day for Paris, people have nothing better to do than to gossip about her. I don't think she's happy about it."
Alya wanted to say something, but in the end she didn't press it, and Nino tactfully started The Jungle Book.
At that moment, Marinette felt Adrien taking her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers. "Most famous people are exposed to this thing," he reassured her. "Musicians, actors, sportsmen... even myself. But they are still loved by everyone, and their work is appreciated."
"I guess." Marinette squeezed gratefully her classmate's hand. "Still, she deserves more respect. And Chat Noir sometimes only makes things worse, instead of standing by her."
"I'm sorry... I mean, you're right," said Adrien.
Marinette didn't know what to make of the guilty look on Adrien's face.
The conversation stalled. Marinette tried to focus on the movie, but her mind kept wandering. As she was watched the raindrops hitting the windows, she thought about what her friends had said. It would be strange if they were still just friends after all the things they went through. The walls between them wouldn't have come down right away. Maybe she just doesn't want to admit it.
She wondered what her partner was doing now. Maybe he's hanging out with his friends. Maybe he's doing homework for tomorrow. Maybe he's on patrol in the bad weather.
Yes, she had to admit that maybe Chat Noir was not just a friend. If it wasn't for Adrien, she would have fallen into love with him long ago. But there is Adrien. Sitting right next to her, holding her hand, and someone who she could count on.
And who sees her only as a friend. Why do things have to be so complicated?
Sleep had taken hold of her without her noticing. Fragments of images rushed through her mind, of her and Chat Noir on various adventures... but none of them were terrifying, rather filled her with pleasant feelings. They raced across rooftops in the twilight, visited ancient cities, danced together in a castle ballroom... and in a strange way, she often saw herself from outside, as if she were in someone else's dream. Soon, the images disappeared and were replaced by darkness.
She was woken up by rhe ringing of a phone. It was dark outside, and movie was nearing its end. Blushing, she noticed that her head was resting on Adrien's shoulder. Yawning, the boy took out his phone and unlocked the screen. "The gorilla has been waiting for ten minutes. I must go," he sighed.
Nino escorted his friend out into the hall, and the blond boy waved back before going through the front door. "See you tomorrow at school."
"So, how was it to sleep in your prince's arms?" Alya grinned, once she was alone with her friend.
"We didn't sleep." The black-haired girl blushed even more.
"You both did. Adrien even purred in his sleep like a cat."
"Well, you can only have good dreams when sleeping under a dreamcatcher," Nino said, who had just returned to the room. "Maybe he dreamed about you."
"I don't think so" Marinette muttered. Maybe this afternoon had brought them closer... but she didn't want to get her hopes up.