Chapter Text
She’d grown up in and around the bakery, and it wasn’t unusual to spend a large part of her weekend with Alya there, both inside helping and sitting at the tables outside, working on whatever their respective projects happened to be. It was rather unusual for Alya to insist on a different café terrace, but far be it from Marinette to argue when her parents had such a massive order coming up. Too many cooks in the kitchen was a recipe for disaster.
So they sat on the terrace of a small café, Marinette laughing as Alya elaborated on her most recent blog post. Marinette got up for a new coffee, leaving Alya at the table alone for a few minutes.
“Nino said he and Adrien are out for a run, mind if they swing by?” Alya winked, smiling slyly.
Marinette sighed. “You told them we’re here, didn’t you?”
Alya giggled. “I might have.”
Marinette slumped in her seat. “Whyyyy?”
“Why not?” She gave her friend a gentle kick under the table.
“Alya? There she is, hey Alya!” The voice beyond the terrace wasn’t unexpected, but Marinette flinched nonetheless. She turned to find Nino and Adrien, hair sweat-slicked and…
She nearly squeaked and turned back to Alya with a desperate expression. While Nino wore a cutoff shirt and strapped his glasses on with a sport tie, Adrien had opted to wear a loose tank top, one that showed the planes of his chest. Sweat made it cling to him, he might as well have not been wearing a shirt at all.
Nino elbowed him and made a face. “Man, wipe your face, you’re gross.” Adrien laughed and pulled his shirt up to wipe the sweat dripping from his face. The flash of skin, toned stomach, the lines of muscle whipcording along the side of his ribs, her mind went straight to the gutter.
Marinette looked away, her face suddenly on fire. Not figuratively on fire. Actually on fire. It had to be. The heat in her face was bad enough, she felt like she must have spontaneously combusted.
Nino and Alya went back and forth in a verbal dance that had become typical for them. “Can’t stop long, thought I might swing by though. Any chance you’re available tonight?”
“Oh no! Speaking of tonight, I told my parents I’d help with an order they have tonight, catering!” Marinette rose, hurriedly packing her notebook. “Sorry, but I’ve got to dash!”
She made an escape, but stopped two blocks away to whine under her breath. “Oh nooo…”