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He just had to pretend he was totally normal about being partners with Adrien for their Literature project. He just had to act like an amazing bro, which he already is! This is like, what? The fifth time they were paired together for a project just for this first semester? Sure, certain feelings had been discovered (turns out daydreaming about making out with your new friend in class was not normal, haha! How could Nino have known?!), but that wouldn't change a thing between them… right?
Right now, they were in the library, making a literature criticism presentation about some book they discussed this afternoon. Right now, Adrien is writing some notes and skimming through said book. Right now, he was sitting beside Adrien, and he was getting an amazing view of his beautiful lush eyelashes. And their elbows were touching!!
“Soo, uhmm…. woo! Literature, am I right?“
Oh, for goodness sake! Nino mentally imagined Alya slapping him across the room for being a total weirdo about this whole debacle.
“You’re not a big fan of it, huh?” Adrien responded with a chuckle.
“Whattt? Of course, I am! Shakespeare’s like my best bro!” That was a lie. He had never taken interest in books, not the ones they read in class anyways. Music, however, was a different story.
Adrien gave him a tiny giggle. “Pfft, you sleep for like half the class, are you sure?”
Of course Adrien would notice that! “Heh, you got me! It's not particularly my cup of tea. I know you're a big fan. Sorry to let you down, dude.”
Adrien looked at him bewildered. “You’re not letting me down. You're allowed your own interests, y’know?”
“Well… I’m interested in your interests. Shoot me!”
“Shoot you!?” Adrien looked at him with a horrified expression.
“No! Like shoot! Like uhm… tell me about like your favorite genre of books or something!”
“Oh… you know I ramble though.” Adrien stared at the floor, fingers fiddling with a page. Nino hated when he was like this, he deserves all the love and confidence in the world!
Nino placed a hand on his shoulder - as naturally as he possibly can without freaking out over the normal display of physical affection. “Hey, no worries, I love you - IT ! I love IT … wh-when you ramble!! I’d love to learn about my brand new FRIEND more!!” Nino mentally slapped himself across the room, for Alya’s sake.
“Well, I… inherited most of my mother's books, and I read all of them when I was homeschooled. My favorite genre is romance from books and poems set or written centuries ago. I love it they speak through a metaphor. There's always some grand words to describe their affection for one another. Never just as simple as ‘i love you’, which certainly describes love enough, but something like ‘you pierce my soul’ or ‘I would not wish any companion in the world but you’ just hits differently, you know? It's easy for someone to say that they love you, but it’s beyond special when someone constructs a sentence so perfectly to display their affection!”
This. Nino loved this so so much. When Adrien spoke with such passion and understanding about something. When his eyes sparked and twinkled, and he would get lost in his own thoughts while glancing at the person he was speaking to to make sure they were still listening. Nino will listen for ages. He wanted to listen to him speak about the things he loved forever. Maybe someday he would be the subject of his rants. Like that's going to happen.
“Sounds like you're a big fan of those fancy love declarations, huh?” And then, an idea sparked in Nino’s head. “H-How would you like for someone to describe their love for you, theoretically?”
He heard Adrien hum, and then out of nowhere, he held his hands. Suddenly, all of Nino’s brain cells and every breath he took are all consumed by his friend’s gentle hands. He looked into those marvelous green eyes that were looking back at him - a mistake.
“When I am with you, my body moves in a way it shouldn't. My heartbeat speeds up in a way that borders abnormality. My words start to blur into the reflection of me in your eyes. It is against my better judgment to love you, but it is against my every being to not love you . My mind and body yearns for you… ” voices around him turned muffled, as if he was underwater. “...ermm...something like that, but not necessarily, not everyone is a romantic so to say and that's okay! Heh… ” he was so entranced, hypnotized by those green eyes… those shining lips, he wanted a taste - “Nino?”
“W-wow! You really are so overdramatic, heh! Just… woo, dude! Had to hold my hand and all… ” he hastily released their hand holding, realizing how weird it was. Awkwardly, he pretended to adjust his cap. Then, he noticed his headphones had this really cool thing on it. Next, the floor started to look so interesting.
Nino feels this might be it. He was already head over heels with this dude! He has fallen in love, and yet Adrien still had to shower him - no, full on throw a thunderstorm with a tornado and some tsunami, maybe even an earthquake - with more affection and bury him in it! At least, he was going to die from too much affection and not the lack thereof.
“I’m the son of an actress and a fashion designer, can’t expect any less from me,” Adrien simply shrugged off. As if he didn't just give a declaration of love straight from those books they read in their Literature class! Seriously, how dare he? Making Nino feel like he would melt onto the bench they were sitting on! “Anyway, what about you? I know you're interested in music, but tell me what your favorite music are! U-uhm, shoot me!”
They did not get anything finished that day.
Nino couldn't take his head off of Adrien anymore. He couldn't handle this! He's all he ever thinks about and it does not help that they're seatmates in all of their shared classes. His eardrums blocked off his teachers’ lectures and all he could hear in his head is Adrien's voice! All he could see is Adrien's cute little giggles, and his gorgeous eyes, and the way his nose goes red when he blushes!
He complained to Alya and Marinette about it. Alya just told him to get his head off his ass. Marinette, on the other hand, advised him to write a poem to confess since he was interested in reading.
It was the perfect way to confess to Adrien! The only problem was… Nino himself. He couldn't write a thing . All he did was scribble chibi versions of Adrien in his notes and giggling about it like a teenaged girl.
He messaged Marinette about it. Telling her he couldn't write anything. He watched as three dots formed on her chat bubble.
“maybe make music for him instead? if that makes it easier for u”
A strike of inspiration and Nino worked on it immediately. Motivation and ideas flowed through him smoothly as he worked. With his favorite pair of headphones in his ears and Adrien in mind, he could do anything!
Nino invited Adrien to the park after school to finally, finally confess. The park wasn't private by any means, but it was unfortunately the most romantic place Nino could think of that wouldn't be too weird a place to invite Adrien to.
They sat on a bench awkwardly. Nino was reluctant to make conversation, so he let Adrien fill the awkward space with his chatting. Most of their conversation flowed naturally, however, Nino was still occupied with his anxiousness. A hundred different, awful, scenarios ran through his mind as Adrien talked and he nodded.
What if Adrien walked out? What if he cried or yelled at him!? They were in a public space and Adrien was a public figure, it would surely make it to the news and people would gossip about it, and then Adrien's father would forbid him to speak to Adrien forever! He'll grow up sad and lonely, never really moving on from the loss of his first love.
“Nino?”
Just take the chance, Nino! “New song! Try?” he offered Adrien his headphones with an awkward smile. Sweat was pouring through every part of his body. He was an absolute bloody idiot!! This is so romantic, Adrien would surely like him back now!
“I’d love to!” Adrien took his headphones and placed it on his ears. He then looked at Nino, expecting him to play the track. Nino did not want to do it. Every part of his being was telling him not to do it. He couldn't do it! “Nino, you can play it. Don't be nervous, it's just me.”
It’s the fact that it's you, Adrien, that makes Nino absolutely nervous out of his mind!
Nino pressed play like it was Sleeping Beauty touching the spindle, not knowing her impending doom.
The music started off with a synth, and then a beat after a beat. As if they're racing onto the musical arrangement. Every rhythm feels like they're battling one another for dominance. The harmony is there, but it sounded like it was still finding its footing. The tempo goes faster, and faster, and faster - until, a release. Adrien recognized Clair De Lune as the dominant sound. There was a heavenly effect put on it. It was as if each press of the key were echoing in his ears. A synth accompanies it in the background. It dances with the piano, sharing a slow waltz. The piano fades off, and soon, the synth does a final performance before fading away too.
Adrien simply stared at him agape. Nino took his headphones off his head. With a deep breath, he opened his mouth and finally released the words that were stored in his heart for so long. No turning back now. “I-I made this to confess my feelings for you…I like you Adrien, I-I think I always have since the day we first met. I know you're a huge fan of poems and stuff, and I tried to write you one because I thought it would be romantic for you. B-But I just couldn't,” he hated how his voice wavered. “So I decided to confess on my own terms. Through means that I’m familiar with… like music. I added Clair De Lune because I knew it was your favorite piece to play on the piano… so, yeah.. “
Nino dared to look at Adrien. And he looked back at him with the most gentle eyes, lips quivering a bit. Maybe he was disappointed, maybe he was embarrassed. Maybe he actually wanted to just be friends. Hell, maybe he didn't even like boys! This was all a mistake, a big big mistake - “Nino, I - wow. I - I… heh! From someone that loves literature I sure am out of words right now,” he nervously chuckled. Nino simply stayed quiet, looking at the ground.
“This… “ Adrien started. “This was amazing, the music is amazing! You're amazing, Nino! I just c-can’t believe -”
“Listen, I’d understand if you didn't want this. I’m sorry I caught you off guard, I should have at least signaled you or something!”
“Nino, it's okay.” Adrien inhaled heavily. “Truth is, I’m working on this piano composition. It's new, a little more playful than what I normally play. I’ve actually added a bit of Clair De Lune because you're right, it is my favorite! It's actually inspired by your music, at least some that I’ve listened to from your Soundcloud, and -”
“Adrien…”
“- I was going to use it to confess my feelings for you.”
“... Oh.”
“Y-yeah! So this is a weird - well, amazing coincidence!” Adrien chuckled.
“So you like me.” Bewildered was an understatement. In all of his daydreaming before the events of today, only one of them was about Adrien liking him back. His imagination ran wild and it gave him enough happiness to get through the day. He never imagined reality would be even better. Even his wildest imaginations couldn't have predicted this!
“I like you… and you like me…?”
“I could practically kiss you!” Nino went in for a hug, and Adrien immediately wrapped his arms around him. Both of them shared a few giggles, a few replays of Nino’s work, and more giggles!
Needless to say, Alya and Marinette were not well-rested that night, with Nino and Adrien's ramblings in their chat inbox. Turns out Nino was always a subject of Adrien's rants after all, much to Marinette's exasperation.