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The music is softly playing from the speaker perched on the bookshelf in Marinette’s appartement. The dishes clink together as she brings them to the sink. Alya and Nino left a few minutes ago, leaving Adrien and Marinette alone in the studio apartment. If he was being honest, Adrien would have gone to his apartment accros the hall way earlier. But spending the evening with his friends, even if he was too tired, was worth the three cups of coffee he’ll need tomorrow morning.
Ever since Adrien’s father died and he learned the truth about himself, the young man had tried to live his life to the fullest, shaping it with his own desires. Although these last seven years had been tough, Adrien was finally somewhere he felt comfortable.
He felt especially comfortable around Marinette.
Marinette who was the one to encouraged him to speak against his father for the first time a few years ago.
Marinette who had been there on the days where the grief had been too painful.
Marinette who had been supportive of all his projects.
‘’What time do you need to be at work tomorrow ?’’ She asks as she puts down the last two glasses on the counter.
‘’I don’t even know’’ Adrien sighs. The young man is slouched over the couch, eyes closed, head spinning. ‘’I’m thinking about calling in sick’’.
She laughs.
A sweet laugh that makes Adrien smile softly.
‘’Here’’ Marinette says, giving him a glass of water.
He opens his eyes and takes a few sips. Instead of sitting on the carpet like she usually does, Marinette moves Adrien’s arm and sits next to him. The young man straightens himself, giving her more space.
A silence crosses the room.
He knows they’re going to talk about it.
He knows even though it happened hours ago.
‘’You know, Adrien…’’
Of course.
‘’Mmmh?’’
‘’Nino was just teasing. With the asking me out question, I mean. I don’t… I know I used to have a crush on you back in collège but that’s, you know, in the past. I don’t like you. Well, well, like that, I mean. I don’t like you like that anymore. And I hope you know that because-‘’
‘’Marinette it’s fine’’
Adrien turns his head and lays his gaze upon her. Her bun is clinging with a last few strands and that damn summer dress strap is sliding again.
That damn fucking strap.
Adrien reaches towards the blue band and takes it between his fingers. ‘’You don’t have to explain anything. Nino was being dumb.’’ He puts it back on her shoulder.
‘’Yeah’’
The silence is back.
It’s comfortable.
Familiar.
Over the years, Marinette’s presence had become comforting. And he surely hoped that his presence was to her.
Of course, Adrien would prefer these silence to be filled with slow kisses and wandering hands, but honestly, just being with her was enough.
Marinette rests her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes, probably too drunk to keep them open.
‘’You’re gonna fall asleep’’ Adrien whispers as he wraps his arm around her.
‘’No, no, I’m just… I’m just resting my eyes’’
He chuckles. He knows she’ll fall asleep, she always does. For a moment, he hesitates. Maybe, just maybe he could kiss the top of her head. He could burry his nose in her hair and just lay his lips there, just so she could know how incredible she is.
God his mind is foggy.
His fingers become numb and he can feel his heart pounding. All this because of a kiss on the head. He is truly fucked.
Slowly, Adrien turns his head towards her. With a last moment of hesitation, the young man kisses the top of her dark hair. He watches as he holds his breath for way too long.
She doesn’t move.
If only he was hidden behind his Cat Noir mask, he could brush his fingers on her cheek and bring her lips to his. He could kiss her so softly.
Just.
So softly.
‘’Hey, have you heard from Cerise recently ?’’ Marinette asks suddenly.
Adrien freezes.
Her eyes are still closed but she is definitely still awake.
‘’Uh… No, why ?’’
‘’I don’t know, I just- I just thought maybe she had written to you… I don’t know she told you she’d keep in touch even after… After you broke up.’’
‘’No, she hasn’t’’.
‘’Oh…’’ Marinette sighs softly. ‘’Maybe her new job at the UN is taking too much of her time ?’’
‘’Probably, yeah’’.
Why would she bring that up ? It’s been months since him and Cerise broke up. She had been working very hard for an internship at the United Nation which she finally got. She broke up with him as soon as she got the news and left within a week, never contacting him again. To be fair, Adrien didn’t hold it against her. She had all the rights to leave like this. For starters, it was her dream but also, he had been a terrible boyfriend to her. Between trying to figure out who he was, his fall out with Nathalie when he learned she had been Mayura and fighting the new Butterfly Miraculous Holder, Adrien had neglected her.
Ironically, when Cerise left, the Akuma attacks suddenly stopped, clearing his schedule.
He had been an awful boyfriend, both to Kagami when he was younger and Cerise not too long ago.
‘’You’re overthinking’’ Marinette says.
‘’What ?’’
‘’I shouldn’t have brought her up, I’m sorry’’
Adrien squeezes her against him before replying ‘’I’m not overthinking’’
‘’You’re thinking about Kagami too, aren’t you ?’’
‘’I’m- I don’t… How ?’’
‘’I’ve known you for nine years, Adrien. You’ve been spending all your free time on this exact couch ever since I moved here’’ Marinette says, opening her eyes. ‘’We’ve discussed this… So many times.’’ The young woman straightens herself and looks at her friend. Marinette’s eyeliner is slowly rubbing away, leaving smudged marks under her eyes. Adrien can see how tired she is, but somehow, she’s still there to comfort him. ‘’With Kagami, you were so young. You just… Did what you thought was right… Or- Or what your father thought was right. And for Cerise, you had so much going on. You couldn’t possibly give to another human when you could barely get out of bed’’.
Adrien bites the inside of his cheek and presses his thumb to the twin rings on his finger. God he wish he could forget those dark days of feeling empty.
‘’So stop feeling bad for… For two girls who couldn’t possibly understand what you were going through.’’ Marinette continues. The young woman brings her hand closer to him and brushed his hair out of his eyes.
‘’Kagami understood’’ he mutters.
‘’You were fourteen, Adrien. Give yourself a break, please’’
‘’Yeah’’ he says, looking away. ‘’I’m sorry for bringing the mood down’’
‘’Jesus, Adrien, I’m the one who brought up Cerise ! Don’t be sorry’’
For a moment, they look at each other. Marinette is sat on her knees, frowning. Adrien smiles softly and presses his finger on the wrinkle between her eyebrows. ‘’Don’t worry for me, Marie, I’m fine’’ he whispers. With his thumb, he tries to erase the marks of her eyeliner. God if only he could just kiss her and put her on his laps.
He doesn’t want to hurt her too.
Adrien removed his hands from her face and touches his rings again.
‘’I should get going… I have a meeting tomorrow morning’’ he says, getting up.
‘’You told me you’d call in sick’’
‘’I lied, I didn’t want to go home yet’’ he smirks
‘’You’re so fucking stupid !’’ Marinette scowls, getting up too.
Of course, she loses balance, which even after nine years, Adrien finds endearing.
‘’Do you want me to carry you up the mezzanine to your bed ?’’ He asks with a smile.
‘’No, I’m fine, shut up.’’
Adrien opens the front door of her apartment and looks back at her. Again, the strap of her dress is off her shoulder, bringing the left side of her dress dangerously down.
‘’By the way, I think you measured something wrong on that dress of yours.’’ He points out.’’The straps are too long, they kept sliding all night.’’
Marinette picks up the blue band and brings it back on her shoulder. She chuckles and shakes her head.
‘’My measures are never wrong’’ She replies. ‘’Good night, Adrien’’.