Work Text
Marinette had a bad day. Waking up late, tripping on Adrien and stuttering as much as it was humanly possible, forgetting an important test in physic, which is her worst topic, coping with Chloé’s tantrum all day because the mayor’s daughter was being her freaking self, fighting a nerves wrecking akuma that almost drown Paris, burning her fingers while cooking and being unable to draw at least one proper design… all in the same hell of a day took a toll on the young designer. How have I managed to do all that in 24 hours anyway? she asked herself. Nothing new, really… Stuttering, tripping and coping with Chloé were usual problems she already went through on a regular basis, just like the akuma or the lack of inspiration….But all together, that was enough for Marinette to wish that she could just forget everything for a while and sleep dreams free. There would probably not be any other akuma tonight, and she needed her mind to stop replaying non-stop her stupid failures of the day that just ended… The best way to do so was to get drunk fast and sleep until the end of the world, which was dumb, but she didn’t really care at the moment this idea came to mind, so she decided to indulge herself and be pleased with it at least. The girl took many bottles of alcohol to her room, put on a pajama and begun.The first step of her plan was easy, just like the other things she had tried to do that day, but just like the rest of her plans for the day, it seems this one was not bound to happen as she wanted it. The only thing Marinette wasn’t expecting was that someone would drop by while she was totally not sober anymore. The bubbly laugh she was sharing with her room got interrupted by the sight of the silhouette she recognized as Alya opening her room’s door. Apparently, seeing your best-friend getting drunk when you least expect it is a good enough reason to let out a high pitched noise right in their ears… Marinette was strongly disagreeing. She really does love Alya, heck, the girl was awesome! But not when her scandalized little noises and sermons were on the program because her friend was drunk… Just like right now, entering her room and trying to tell her to quit drinking…— Holy shit, Mari! You’ll be a mess tomorrow! Why don’t you quit drinking already, at least for tonight?The thing that Alya still needed to work with was that a drunk Marinette was a no filters Marinette that was surprisingly good to remember each time each of her other friends had been drunk and funny… — Nha, I feel soooooo fucking awesomely good right now!!!! A few drinks can’t hurt, right, miss tequila shots?Yeah…like that time…Well fuck! Alya would just need to distract her attention enough to call for help. Only one person against this situation was an impossible mission. At least, while the drunk girl was embarrassing the one of them that would try to put her to bed as gently as possible, the other could take away all the bottles and make sure she was having a bottle of water for the next day, that her alarm was settled and that she was asleep before they could both go to sleep. — Oh gosh you’ll never let me live it down…I just got drunk on tequila once, okay?— Yeah, and that was the time when you…Alya was patient, but she didn’t need a remember of how that particular night had ended, so she tried to change Marinette’s focus for a few seconds, just enough to make a call for help ASAP!!!— Ok, ok, enough with that. Why don’t you try to remember that time when Nino was drunk enough to see me twice? Just let me make a quick call. — If you call the tequila bottle, ask her to take the vodka with her, pleaseeeee….Yes, Alya truly was patient, but right now, she needed her boyfriend to come to the rescue, so she dialed his number and waited for an answer, which was not very long, but as soon as she heard another familiar voice politely greeting her, she knew that by the end of the night, she was the one who would have fun.—Oh, I see, the dj is working again. Well, Mari is kinda…drunk and I really need help to…yeah… Oh ok great, thanks. She ended the call and looked at Marinette with a smile that would have alerted the designer if she had been in her normal state. -- Well well, Mari, look like help is on its way.— Help for what? I don’t need help to drink!— No, but you do need support to stop drinking. A pitiful whine answered her before a cranky Marinette decided to explain herself with a shaky voice.— But I had a shitty day, Alya and I don’t have school tomorrow and there will be no akuma attack so I had no reasons not to get drunk before going to bed…Oh no, her best friend had become a pouting little girl… Alya had younger sisters, so she knew what it was like to face that and to deal with aftermaths. She was not up for babysitting, so she was glad when her helper arrived after a few minutes of Marinette's babbling and ranting speech, his tall frame appearing at the door like a brave knight who was going, with a bit of luck, to land a capable hand.— Hey, Alya! I did as fast as I could and here I…am… Marinette? Jeez, Alya, you weren’t joking about her intoxicated state…Say intoxicated person was offended: there was a boy in her room and he was making wrong assumptions about her on...on what basis?— I’m not intoxicated… I’m perfectly able to handle my alcohol, you… You? Wait a second! She looked at the boy in her room, wondering what was the freaking deal. This boy...man.. was familiar….a black leather….no, black cotton-cladded boy…no cat ears and his mop of blond hair were styled differently, but his intense green eyes and the shape of a fireman on a calendar were not lying…It was a rare combination that could be found in only one person she knew...— Chat? — WHAT?!Alya and Adrien were looking at each other with confusion. Or more likely in total shock. — Wait a minute, girl! Where do you see a cat?Trying to no avail to be subtle, Marinette weakly put her hands on her best friend’s shoulder and drunkenly whispered screamed in her ears.— Don’t look behind your shoulders, but there’s Chat Noir in a black cotton t-shirt. Which is nothing out of the usual, but he usually comes with his mask, tho…— Since when do you see Chat Noir in your house?— This is the first time you guys both drop here at the same time, but Chat already came to my room. —Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Chat Noir used to drop by your room… AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME?Oh no…she was in so much trouble! But telling your ladyblogger best friend you’re hanging out with a superhero would result in a huge mess of three-hundred dictionary worth questionary, so she clumsily tried to find something to say before her friend begin to question her, but her drunk brain was not a really good helper and Alya had always been a fast starter. — Alya…I…— If I need to get you drunk to have all the dets, than be it. Spill out everything!Determined to get everything she could, the reporter sat on the floor beside her friend.— Nope. Don’t give me that look, Alya. It’s not like if the kitty cat is my dirty little secret. He’s my friend, that’s all. Right, kitty?Say kitty looked a bit uneasy. — Hum…Marinette?— Yes, Chat without the mask?Ladybug would have to kiss…no kick! stupid brain, kick his ass when Marinette would be sober again, which was funny because for now, she was feeling really good…too good to do anything else than to share her happiness. She had two friends with her and a few bottles left, so…— I’m…I’m just Adrien you know.Her indignant cry was short, but intense.— No way!
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Oh Alya was having fun, so much fun, right now! It was a shame she couldn’t film it…. Marinette taking Adrien for Chat Noir truly was one of the best drinking story Alya would be able to acknowledge in her life, she was sure of it. And now, each time that her Mari was going to call her miss tequila shot, she would be able to rub that story in her face!The boy in question was still looking at them, heart beating so fast that he was sure that a cardiac arrest was on the program…. Mouth agape and seemingly paralyzed by their friend’s affirmation, he knew that if his heart was not the one to kill him, no matter if it was Marinette being extra perceptive because she was drunk, that was it; Adrien would die. If not of fears tonight, it would be when Ladybug would learn about this. The cat would need to tell her eventually and to deal with the aftermaths of the revelations. His princess recognized him, it was not a small thing! His hands became clammy and the more he was thinking about it, the more nervous he was feeling himself become. What would his princess think of him now? Would she still trust him, want to have time with him and calling him her friend? But again, she was drunk and Alya was not convinced by her friend’s theory, so…Would Marinette even remember it tomorrow? How could his secret identity have not been at stake for a few years and suddenly be unveiled by a drunk friend? That was looking like his bad luck and poorly timed destiny... At least, Alya was still not convinced, so that was that. For the said girl, a confused Adrien and a slightly natural Marinette was a sight to be enjoyed. Normally, it was the contrary. It was as if a switch had been made. Let’s see how much time we could make it last, was thinking Alya. With a predatory grin, she approached her drunk friend and asked the evident question. — Hummm… girl? If this is not Adrien who is it? Her friend’s eyes became wide open and she looked at her as if the ladybloger had insulted her while Adrien was seriously considering to slowly disappear from the face of the earth if it was helping him to stop his panic level from rising higher. — I told you, Alya, it’s Chat without the mask and I can prove it!Marinette, drunk or not, was a stubborn person. Once she was setting her mind on something, it was almost impossible to make her change her mind and sometimes, it was giving the chance to a few funny things to happen, like it was doing tonight. — How come? You will ask him to transform or you’ll take a leather cat suit of your closet?A skeptical Alya was to be expected. After all, what was the odd chance of Mari being right? Yeah…more than Alya was sure of…Luckily, Adrien knew, to have investigated say closet before, that there was no catsuit there. His princess had a piece or two of leather in there for what she had called « a super secret project »!, but he was sure that there was not enough fabric to do an entire suit…— Alyaaaaa…Your solutions are always so complicated!The smug face Marinette made was not a reassuring one, but as she confidently approached both of them, gesturing for her friends to sit with her, she was looking a little bit… less lost? Until she opened her mouth again.—I only need to make him purr. Come here kitty kitty. Before he could say a word, she grabs him by the collar and was petting him, playing in his hairs, gently rubbing his back and touching his face like she was doing when he was in the suit and needed cuddles and pettings… Ho god no… — I know he can purr, because this kitty is a cat, she told Alya before looking at the stunned and uncomfortable boy that she had literally crashed on her laps. Now, don’t you dare tell me you can’t purr because we both know it would be a lie. Now be a good kitty cat and purr…While poor Adrien was trying to find an escape, Alya let out an exasperated sigh. — Cats don’t purr when you scare them to death, Mari. That stopped Marinette for a moment, but she was a creative person, which mean that she was always having a solution to everything, no matter how original the situation was or how gone she was in her deliriums. —That’s true… if he’s stressed or freaking out, I won’t get any purr from that cat. Alya? Do you have catnip?— What?!Ok…Marinette having a thing for cats and assaulting Adrien this way was definitely not what Alya was thinking when she had asked Adrien to help her with the « our Mari is out of it situation ». Adrien Agreste had taken on many akumas. He had seen many scary things during his life, but right now, with Marinette putting him in this kind of situation where both his identity and his sanity were at stake, he was wondering why on earth his best friend’s girlfriend had called him to play the knight if it was him that was needing a save. — Wait no! Alya, please, for god sake, get a hold on your girl!As if it was that easy! The exasperated girl looked at the panicked model in front of her. — What do you think I’m trying to do, Agreste ?! She’s totally drunk, you know, kinda spaced out! I won’t even wonder how much she drank. The only point I can give her is that you two are, in fact, pretty similar physically. But, girl? If this is Chat without the mask, where’s Adrien? She knew the answer, she knew the answer! And she proudly said it. — At a photo shoot. And after that, he has fencing.While she was answering, Adrien had been able to get out of the trap of her grip. The girl was tiny but strong!Before Adrien could say something (and because he was busy to reach a safe place from which their intoxicated friend could not grab him again like that), the reporter knew she had to do something, otherwise, it was her again that would be dealing with her best-friend existential « What have I done » crisis. — But what if his photo shoot had ended faster than planned and that his fencing classes had been canceled?The last thing the red-haired girl was expecting to come out of Marinette’s mouth was what she said next… — Then he wouldn't been around the plain, clumsy, old Marinette that is getting drunk because she’s too much of a fool to articulate three words in front of him when she’s sober. Give me that bottle! I’ll drink to my crush until I can no longer remember why I shouldn’t love an out-of-my-reach awesome kind boy. Cheer!— Jeez, Mari, this is out of question !Alya thanked whatever deity that was listening for the chair on which Adrien collapsed after hearing it…Otherwise, a hangover best-friend and an injured friend would have been joining her and Nino the next day. Gosh, the joys of being a babysitter for two oblivious nerds! They needed to get a grip because, at that rhythm, she was going to lost it. While she was thinking, the raven-haired girl on the floor was still happily babbling about how stupid it would be to stop drinking. After all, they were having so much fun! Alya was having those crazy theories…And Chat was not one to get on the way of a good prank! — But I’m fine, I don’t see where’s the problem, so no need to stress this out. I don’t see any problem…except the fact that Chat doesn’t wear his mask. It’s called a secret identity for a reason, you know? I could recognize you this way.The shaken boy couldn’t say a word. Crush? Love ?! out-of-her-reach awesome boy?! Chat with no mask ?! What was happening?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Apparently, just as Adrien had been worried about this slip-up, Marinette was having a theory about its sequels. — But well, perhaps you want to be skinned alive by Ladybug. Who know…who knows with the boy in black leather flirting around…Black leather would look incredibly sexy on Adrien…Kitty? Would you mind letting him try your suit? I’m sure he would be drop dead gorgeous in it…and without it too… ahhh… Don’t give him your suit…I guess a naked Adrien is better than an « in-leather-like-Chat-Adrien »If he ever doubted that Marinette could be having a dirty mind, tonight was there to shatter his illusions. The blush he was sporting was something he was praying for Alya not to comment on…while the ladder was not sure how she managed to heroically repress the laugh that wanted to burst out of her. Who would have thought that her girl was having it in her to be so bold? The little tease even licked her lips! And she was not done, as the reporter understood when Marinette opened her mouth again, a deceived pout on her face. — … It’s a shame that he hadn’t done so many commercials with underwear and bathing suits…The black-haired girl looked hopefully at the cat-like boy only to see him be a blushing frozen mess. It was not the time to hormonal, but the way his friend had licked her lips, her hot gaze looking nowhere, in particular, was pretty sexy. Wait what?! Bad Adrien!!!, the boy scold himself. Ok, considering his state of shock, he was not going to agree, but she could always imagine, right? The drunk designer dreamily sighed as Alya lightly giggled. Somehow, Adrien was not sure where this was going, but… oh god no! The boy saw his friend trying to grab a bottle but ending tripping on herself and fall on Alya that catches her, a scolding look on her face.— Jeeezzzzz….Alya decided that it was time for drastic measures and hoped that the sober Mari would forgive her. She sat her friend on her rolling chair the best she could and taking out a magazine clip of the Agreste line featuring Adrien, she opened it to a random page to shows it to Adrien. —Okay… please take the same pause than on this. The model easily complied, still not sure where all this was going, but willing to give Alya a chance to win the argument with their drunk Mari. — Great. Alya said it approvingly just after asking the blond boy to hold the image in his hands near him so Mari could see they were identical. Say girl was attentively looking the result as Alya, proud of her handiwork, pushed her closer. — Then what about that, Mari? If this is not Adrien, who is it?The ladybloger was sure that the realization of her mistake would sober Marinette in less than two seconds, but her whining friend had other plans…— Not fair, Alya! You cheated! Those magazine clipping are of Adrien, of course…but there’s something wrong here…Ah, I get it. I definitively get it now!— Hue…do we want to know?— Photoshop. — Photoshop? Alya had asked suspiciously. A drunk brain was often making strange connections and perhaps that with a little luck, this particular one would reach a logical conclusion…— Yup. The photographer must be a fan of Chat Noir, ‘cause he clearly photoshopped Chat’s abs and butt on Adrien. Clearly. Said boy choked on air. Of all the crazy things sweet, shy Marinette (did this girls still exist inside the not sober anymore girl in front of him? He was having doubts.) could have say… Her lips had let that go out of her mouth…while Alya was incredibly pissed. As if butts and abs were the most useful features to recognize someone! Throwing her hands in the air, she felt again as if she was guarding two oblivious kids… What a mess, damn it, what a mess!— JEEZ! You’re impossible! I wanted you to look at his face and pose!For just a few seconds, there was an uncomfortable silence broken only by the sweet albeit impossible girl. —Alya, be honest with me…You always told me that some parts of a sexy boy were more pleasant to look at. I admit that Adrien’s and Chat’s faces are similar, but it can't fool me. Chat is cocky, kinda steaming hot when he poses, you know? Adrien is charismatic, but sweet like a candy when he does… So your pose thing is not valid, but my theory is still logical, you’ll see! Chat, take off that damn shirt. Adrien looked at Alya, not sure what was the safer option, but as she shrugs her shoulders at him, he hoped to do the right thing and slowly obey his drunk friend. An admirative sigh after he took the piece of clothing off, she ran her fingers through the sensitive skin, an approval hum on her lips. Adrien couldn’t help but shiver under her touch. She switches her attention to his arms, gently exploring his skin and his shape, creating goosebumps in her wake. —Alya, be realistic: there’s no way Adrien could be built up this way. Kicking a bunch of akuma’s asses can shape a body this way, even better than work out can do so… And believe me, there’s no work out in Adrien schedule.It was the boy’s turn to be perplexed. — How would you know that?— That’s an EASY one. She grabbed her phone, opened it after a few minutes and showed a picture. — Here’s the schedule we’re talking about. It really was. His schedule, on the phone she was holding in her shaky hands. There were a few things Adrien was having a hard time to explain at that very moment, but this was…kinda one more. — Why did you…? How have you….?— Long story. Not important. But honestly, I could recognize those abs almost everywhere. Black leather is awesome: it doesn’t leave a lot to the imagination. She gave a little pat on Adrien’s abdomen. — This is Chat’s abs…and if it’s not enough of proof, just think of Adrien in black leather pants and focus on his butt. Okay, sure, he has a nice butt, but nothing compared to Chat’s. And don’t you try to trick me, Alya; I stared enough at those two butts to become an expert in recognizing them anywhere. Alya could not resist the teasing sentence that escaped her mouth. — Adrien, the fault is on your abs and butt. — But…my…abs…and butt…she…I… What? He was staring. He knew he was staring at Marinette’s content face, but jeez! How impolite could one be when one of his first friends just admit that she had been staring at the butt of his two identities so much that she could recognize them anywhere?— Enough to recognize them, yes. So now, take your nice butt here, kitty.He didn’t budge. If things were escalating to a higher level than that, he was not sure if he was going to stay sane until the end of their mission, so he told himself must as well ask a specialist about that… Carefully, politely….— So…hummm… Alya? What am I supposed to do when Mari is in this state?— Right now? I’d say run in the opposite direction so I can laugh at you, but if you want to help me, just maybe, take away the bottles so I can take her to bed. Well, that he could do! The poor model’s level of stress instantly decreased. He would need to thank his best friend's girlfriend later for that…— Okay, I can do that. Motherly pointing her finger to her friend, the reporter tried to hush her enough to stop that comedy. Their friends both needed a break. — Great! And you, Mari, you’ll stop talking about both his abs and butt. If Adrien ever wanted to die because of his butt and abs, then it was that night. He wanted to die in the next second, but the serious and almost shocked confusion on Marinette face truly was a good distraction. A confused Mari was a cute Mari. Wait what?— Wait what? Both abs and butt? He has two butts?! Wait a minute! She lightly grabbed his butt and Adrien, not expecting that at all squealed in the most unmanly way possible. Oh gosh, I haven’t raised my best-friend like that, was all the reporter was thinking while say best-friend was stuck in her delirious alcohol-induced state. — Alya, he only has one visible sexy firm butt. And how many abs? She turned him so he could face her. Well, so she could face his abs…and slowly let her fingers trace the skin and the muscles of his belly. —I see only one butt and a six-pack…is this normal, Alya?— Yup. That’s normal! Marinette?— Hum?— You know you say all those things in front of Adrien, right?— Nha, that can’t be Adrien. Nope. Not Adrien at all. God help them, was all the model and the reporter thinking. They needed their Mari back. It had been funny and slightly embarrassing, but at that point, it really was catastrophic and tomorrow would be a pain in the ass because the group of friends would try to hang out together without any kind of unease and it would be practically impossible…— Not at all, hue… And why is that?— Because this is Chat Noir abs and butt, the schedule is not fitting and he can purr, nah. While trying to demonstrate her point, Marinette tripped again, but she landed on Adrien that time, who reflexively catch her and held her close to his chest. She curled herself against him, rubbing her face against his chest, shoulder, and neck. She snuggled in his arms, seemingly enjoying him as if he was a soft cushion. Nothing and no one would take her out of his arms, nha. — And the boy smell like Chat! It’s a smell I like. I fall asleep surrounded by it enough time to know. And he holds me like that kitty does, because he is that… Right, kitty cat?She remembered his smell enough to tell?! He was lost. What would his Lady do in this kind of situation? Before he could come to a conclusion, Alya spoke, her words dripping sarcasm.— Yeah, sure…Taking her head into her palms, Marinette tried to remember why was it so important to talk about Adrien Agreste while Chat was there, unmasked, holding her in his warm embrace, looking lost while she was trying to be drunk enough to sleep well. She tiredly looked in Alya’s direction. — Anyway…Why do you even bring Adrien’s topic up already? What does my damn crush have to do with Chat Noir being a friend with a cute butt and some drop-dead gorgeous abs?Many times since she had known the designer, the Ladybloger had been trying to keep her from embarrassing herself in front of her crush, but now that the situation was out of control, the only thing left to do was damages control. — No offense, girl, but do you realize what you just did?— Yep. I got drunk in front of my best friend and a kitty. Ok, she really was hopeless…— Mari, you had just performed a drunk confession…twice.Hopeless enough to laugh at her best-friend, slowly moving her hands as to chase Alya’s worries like she would a fly.— Nope, because Adrien is not there. Besides, me confessing to him is mission impossible.Curiosity was killing the cat and at that point, he was not sure anything could bring him back, so he must as well ask a few questions of his own. He sat on her bed with, the designer securely sited on his laps, one arm around her waist so she wouldn’t fall and the other stroking his forehead or sheepishly rubbing his neck and trying to look at her in the eyes with all of his model confidence. He was not exactly succeeding, but at least, he could try to get some answers out of his confused Princess. — And why is it so? Did I…Did he did something to give you this feeling?The noise she made was a strange mix between a cry and a whimper. — Nha, Adrien is too nice to do something like this, even without wanting it…This boy is too kind for his own good. Just the way he acts with Chloé, jeez, that boy is a saint! We should worship him…She licked her lips in a wicked way and Adrien had to keep his second brain in check as she absent-mindedly draws small patterns on his skin with her skilled fingers while talking.— Worship him… for his patience…and punch Chloé in the face! Alya watched with compassion as the boy struggled to keep Marinette safely tucked on his laps while staying safe himself. An enthusiastic Marinette often was a gesturing in all directions Marinette. When the girl was drunk, she was even more dangerous. Luckily, a few years of fencing were, as it seems, the right solution for now…. The more the black-haired girl was gesturing, the more she was letting herself express all she had wanted to say for a while now and the more she was moving in a disordered way… Praying to every god that was listening, she prayed that her friend’s rambling would soon die down so they could all go to sleep without bruises. — The girl caused more akumas than the number of times I tried not to look idiotic in front of Adrien without being able not to become a mess and looking like an idiot in front of him. Which is a lot…Adrien is…basically a sweetheart… I mean, he’s always there for his friend no matter how busy he is, and his smile could warm up every winter in life…not his model’s smile, his genuine one…That part got the model’s attention and he raised a brow at the girl on his laps. When she had begun to talk more specifically about him, her moves had slowed down and she had been calmer and much more easy to handle. Somehow, she would always be a mystery to him, drunk or not… but drunk, she was honestly answering his questions without any fears, so why not trying to understand her more? It was the perfect occasion to learn more. What did she saw when he was smiling? Was she categorizing everyone’s smiles?— Model smile?Marinette yawned and looked at him in a way she had never directed at his civilian self before: it was open and thoughtful, it was the face his Princess was usually making when she was talking about her friend and family about a serious matter, one that truly was important for her.— Yeah…I hate it…I mean, smiling just to let no one know he’s not feeling well, you know? He’s so afraid to burden people…that they would go away…His model smile is for the camera…But I am his friend…so I’d like no model smile directed at me, you understand, right?— Yeah…I…I do. She was seeing the difference! She was seeing past his public self…and was asking to see more of the real him. The girl in his arms was extraordinary and he couldn’t stop himself to kiss her forehead lightly. What had he done to deserve someone like her in his life? He had absolutely no idea, but was thankful for sure! How was this her life, was Marinette wondering while the model held her closer to him…. She was not about to complain, tho. She was sleepy and Chat Noir’s civilian self was comfortable…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Adrien would have had no problem to let her fall asleep on him. It was a feeling he knew well, cuddly as they were with each other when he was wearing his mask and suit… But Alya, still in reporter mode, needed more answers to her questions. She got the fact that her best-friend admired very much the hero, but she wanted to know what she was really thinking about him and what better tactic than to subtly attack, right? She winked at Adrien playfully while he was holding their friend. Carefully, as Alya noted. Trapped as he was, perhaps that hearing about Marinette’s interest for another guy could give him a little push in the right direction! Her girl would need to thank her later for that! Well, at least if the boy was becoming less dense afterward… — And what about Chat Noir? Granted, for now, he is your lovely comfy pillow…The enthusiastic answer provided by the drunk girl was enough to make Alya smile widely. —That pillow is the greatest! He’s cozy and warm…Said pillow had another heart attack as Alya tried to pry further into their intimate bubble and Marinette, drunk but not an idiot, knew what her best-friend wanted to know. Feeling her kitty’s heartbeat accelerate, she nuzzled his neck and jaw, trying to soothe him, then she looked at Alya. After all, since she had begun to talk about her masked friend, she might as well spill everything so the reporter would let her sleep against the cat-like hero like she used to do sometimes, she was beginning to feel a little bit tired. —But Chat is not just a body, you know? Sure, he’s a great shoulder to cry on and have a smile that can light up the stars when it’s a genuine one, cuddling with him feel like a warm heaven…and his purr is irresistible, but…As soon as she had heard the first « but », Alya knew that her girl was going to spill more about him that she ever did and she truly was impatient to hear it. The second one just gave her an uncontrollable rush of curiosity. The voice Marinette had used to say it was one Alya was not hearing often coming from the designer. It was a voice full of a tender affection, filled with more warmth than admiration. Adrien too was curious: it was his chance to know what his Princess was thinking about him. If she was going to talk about Chat Noir the way she had talked about Adrien, he knew that he would have to make a lot of efforts not to turn into a puddle of happy goo on her bed…it was worth the shot tho! Marinette would have never dared to talk so openly of her partner if she had been sober or just lightly tipsy, but if she was something when she was drunk, it was precise and without filter, so she just let it out. After all, how bad could it be to let her mouth freely release everything she felt? — He’s…caring, protective. And selfless and…She sighed, as an unpleasant thought crossed her mind. — He always trow himself in front of danger…I hate it when he take a hit. I mean, being a hero is not made to be cozy your room, but some many risk and injuries and I don’t mind bandaging him up… It’s just…He shouldn’t be forced to be hurt, to always put his own safety on the line… She was bitting her lips and the boy knew what it was meaning: she was nervous. He didn’t liked it. His cat-like instincts were screaming at him to make it right: his Princess was one to be kept safe and happy. His arms were fast to tightened their hold on her, as to assure her that he was there, safe and sound with her. — I often have nightmares about how wrong a battle could turn. What if one day I lose him… and the Lucky Charm can’t make him come back?It was not something she would have confess in her right mind, but again, her condition was coming with an absence of filters. Often after a particularly scary akuma, she was waking up at night, a scream in her throat and her hand trying to reach him, her body all sweaty and tears in her eyes. Whenever it was happening, she needed to calm her frantic heartbeat and reassure herself that her kitty was alright, that her lucky charm was powerful enough. Adrien knew she was worried about him, but not at that point. He was not sure if it was fair of him to feel happy inside that someone was caring for him this much…or how much of a burden he was placing upon his friend until now. It was almost egoistic to let her worry this much just to have companionship. And she was sure he was selfless? Well, so much for thinking the same of himself. The uncomfortable thoughts were making the boy feel guilty to hold her this way, so he tried to put her to bed, but she only agreed to lay down if he was doing so with her, not letting go of him. Adrien was not surprised: his Princess was not one to easily let go. And she knew him too well: he truly was too selfish to let her go and never come back… For him, she was that special someone who knew him whole…and who would never let go of him. How many time had he prayed for someone like her to be in his life? Too many times to just push her away. Marinette, sensing that something was bothering her cat-like friend held on to him: cuddles were a good pick-me up with him, but tonight, she knew that her words needed to give a hand too, or so to speak, so she just continued to explain to both Alya and her kitty what she was seeing in him.— He’s brave, even if he can be… fragile sometime. Doubting, feeling down or unworthy… The suit can’t take away all the pain of his civilian self. When I see him like this, then I just want to hug him, to be there for him, you know…He’s still human after all, a lonely cat boy…Playing in his hairs with one hand and gently albeit clumsily running her other one on his back, she definitely was trying to make him purr, knowing how to, but he needed to restrain himself and he was, even when she pressed him closer to her and whispered softly.— my cat boy…who love pastries and animes and cuddles. He sometimes make me think of a kid, but he’s kinda mature when he stop his bad jokes… Some of his puns are actually very funny thought… He’s a good listener and well, he fight for what he love and believe in…and he’s…Alya was not sure to whom her bestie was talking to. She felt like the biggest intruder ever, but at the same time, she saw just how much Marinette was serious about her heroic friend. If Adrien wasn’t waking up by the next day, Alya would have to classified him in the desperate case of idiots sort…plus, she would have to have a private talk with a certain cat to ensure herself that he knew how much she would kick his sorry ass if he messed up with her girl! Their Marinette was deserving someone who would make her completely happy. She needed more informations on the case and her best-friend had say and, so she was going to spill more with a few encouragements!— He’s ?— Precious. Special. Important to me. His heart was dancing in his chest and he remembered that he needed to breath… While he was recovering from the soft albeit powerful shock of hearing his Mari, his Princess talking again about him in such way, the girl was expecting a reaction that was not coming as soon as she wanted it to. —Chat? You heard me? What have I said?— You said that… I was…Suddenly, she was crushing his face between her palms.—NOOOOOOO! Not was. ARE!!!! She pouted and let her hands fall from his cheeks, but she was looking expectantly at him, so he repeated slowly what she had said.—You say that I am…precious….special…and important.Emitting a cute sound of contentment, she pressed a kiss to his forehead and took his hands in hers.— You are precious, special, gorgeous and important to me. The motherfuckers that dislike it can go to hell, nah. You’re my kitty and I’m not sharing. If Ladybug won’t take care of you, she can be damned…Before Alya could even place a word on how cool her idol was and before the model could protest or defend his Lady, she had a finger on his mouth and put him into a warm but unsteady embrace. His princess was holding him, again, as if she would never let go of him. The boy was once more surprised by how strong she unexpectedly was, a sharp contrast with what she was saying softly. —No, I will thank her for giving me the opportunity to take care of you…to have you next to me…to have given me the chance…to know you better, to like you…She let go of him, sat on her bed and drank the last sip left of a bottle that was clearly the last one on her nightstand. Her two still sober friends exchanged a glance: it was the last bottle, they were safe, and soon, their Mari was going to be fast asleep…in the best case scenario…— Yes, thanking Ladybug would be wise…I should talk to myself more often, it’s pretty clever… thanks, me! Next time, I’ll have a conversation with me…and the words are at the end of the bottle…like…in the last drop of alcool. What’s that alcool actually? Ah, yes, whiskey… No more whiskey… No more…She yawn, visibly tired, weakly stretching as Alya came closer to the two cuddling perhaps future love-birds. She needed a new ship name for those ones, and fast! A love triangle like this one needed to be carefully named. Was Chadrinette a good enough one? If Chat Noir was not feeling the same for Marinette and was still hung up on Ladybug, would Chadrinettebug work better? Was it a triangle or a square? Anyway, their mission was coming to an end; they just had to make her sleep and it would be perfect. — Go to bed, you sleepy head. We are supposed to hang out all together tomorrow. The other girl groaned as Alya push her best friend's head to the pink pillows with her fingers, but Marinette pushed herself under her covers, dragging Adrien with her. The boy knew he couldn’t stay the night, so he slid a panicked glance in his best friend's girlfriend’s direction. — Really? Ah yeah, true….That means I’ll see Adrien tomorrow and that I’ll look stupid in front of him, again… She frowned and hide her face in her hands, but then as if recalling something else, she dropped her hands and her face light up. Of course, she turned to look at the boy she was sure now was her kitty without his mask. Not that she was wrong, but no one needed to know that. — But tomorrow…Chat, you have a patrol…You’ll stop by after?— S…Sure…— Good because I’ll bake some croissants…for you…Oh god, she was looking at him as if his presence was the highlight of her day…— Try to just escape the hangover state fist, ok, Mari?— Mari? She looked at him, confused. If she had been less intoxicated, she would have been able to recognize the familiar tone of Adrien’s voice whenever the boy was talking to her, but at the very moment, for her, it was her kitty by her side, so it was not logical for him to call her by the nickname only Alya, Nino and Adrien were already using. — Since when are you calling me Mari? I like it when you call me Princess…Why did you stop?Once again, Alya’s jaw dropped. The leather-cladded hero had given her bestie a nickname? And it was Princess, nothing less?! The next thing she knew, their Marinette was to be making puns!— My apologies, Princess. — You mean apawlogies, kitty?Was it really happening?! Apparently it did… Because Adrien laughed and put a silly grin on his face to amend his lack of intended pun. — You know mew to well, Purrincess. Miaow go to sleep.— k…but only if you keep calling me Princess…— Sure thing, Princess.When Marinette finally let Adrien get out of her bed and tucked her correctly under the covers, Alya got out of the room, missing the way the model kissed his Princess forehead tenderly. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, but just as he was about to leave, she took hold of his right hand and looked at him, unsure of herself for the first time of the eventful night. —Chat? — Yes?She looked always afraid to ask her question, whatever it was… In fact, she had been wondering for a while now but was always to shy to ask, perhaps because she was partly afraid of his answer, but for once, her curiosity got the best of her. After all, they already were in such a strange situation that nothing could make everything wirier, right? So why not…— Am I… Am I…Your only Princess?If only she knew… — You are, don’t worry.—Good…Because…you are…my only kitty…She surprised him even more by placing a gentle kiss on his hands before letting him go, just as he did so often to her. Once her eyes were closed, his body free to go, he had joined Alya who was thanking every god that was listening: their Mari was finally asleep! It was for sure an evening neither of them would forget. They had finally managed to properly put Marinette to bed, so Alya was now free to apologize to have put Adrien in such an uneasy situation, but the way she was laughing made it perfectly clear that she was not that sorry. All he could answer was that, at least, Marinette haven’t mistaken him for Ladybug. Sure, he was still confused about well, the whole butt and abs problem, the fact he now knew that his Mari was having a crush on him was not to help his emotional roller-coaster either, but he was also touched by how she described both Adrien and Chat Noir. The way she talked about his alters ego was not how he used to see himself with the mask on. And all the thing she knew about him…him as Chat… Even Ladybug didn’t know him this way. With her, he was flirty, always joyful…but he never allowed himself to let her see that he too, could feel down, sad, dumb or angry. A lot of emotions and questions were circling inside both his head and heart, but the most important one was about something Marinette had said about him. He didn’t understand how seeing his weaker self made Marinette care about him so deeply, or why she was so attached to Chat Noir if it was making her worry so much. The kiss on his hand was still confusing him and he knew that the next day would be one during which he would have to make both of his identities see her. He couldn’t help it… Tomorrow was going to be a big day.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The next day arrived too fast and at noon, Marinette was still lying in her bed, half-asleep. Marinette had never been a morning person…Waking up in a normal state was hard enough, but with the biggest hangover she had ever experienced? Oh gosh, it was torture: a headache and a Sahara desert-like mouth and throat were not funny to get. On top of that, her memory was blurry…she remembered promising pastries —were they croissants?— to a blond…and calling Alya miss.tequila shot. Again. When she took a look inside her trash can, she understood why she was in that impossibly disgusting state and swore to herself to never get that drunk again. When her cellphone rang, she saw Alya’s number and groaned…They were supposed to meet during the afternoon, she remembered, and her best-friend probably wanted to know if she was still overboard with their plan. The sound still resonating in her head, she answered, glad to have chosen a soft ringtone for her friend’s call. — Girl, how do you feel?How could Alya be so cheerful so soon in the day? It was a mystery…it was way beyond even coffee's and sunshine's magic... Whatever it was, the raven-haired girl needed a few doses. — Like shit. My head feels like if the Bubbler had put on a party in my brain and invited a bunch of fat akumas to dance in my brain just to piss me off…but judging by the insane amount of bottles I found in the garbage, I guess I deserve such a hangover…Rubbing her temples, Marinette prepared herself for the question she knew was coming in a few seconds. — Are you still up to go out today? Analyzing her state, the still groggy girl decided that even a massive hangover was not going to keep her from having time with her friends. She already lacked time for them because she was Ladybug, she didn’t need another reason to pass the occasion. Plus, Adrien would be there, which was rare enough to motivate her to go if she was not already convinced. — Let me take a shower and eat something first and I’ll come around…. Also, I believe I promised croissants to someone… Do you remember who, by any chance? Alya’s fit of laughter was probably to be expected, the designer just needed to remember why.— Oh gosh, girl, you don’t remember, don’t you? — That’s why I ask… What am I missing, Al? Alya’s renewed laugh was enough to make Marinette suspicious. She was not totally awake, but she knew her best-friend by heart and this laugh was the tale-tell sign that something important had been forgotten and that she would never hear the end of it. It was not her reporter mode, more of a oh-gosh-Mari mode. The last time the red-haired girl had been in this mood, it has been so so so embarrassing! What should I need to panic for? was the designer asking herself. Meanwhile, Alya was trying to find a way to break a few news to Marinette without laughing more. This girl was incredible! Of all the things she could remember, it was the food that had been registered by her brain? Well, the reporter decided that she might as well begin with the beginning while Marinette sat on her bed, praying to have just been a silly drunken nonsensical puddle of funny goo going on about her future hamster’s name the night before. She hoped with all of her heart that she didn’t blurted out something about her recent wet dream of a threesome with Adrien and Chat or even worst…—Well…Do you remember anything about yesterday?— I’m a clueless mess right now. What did I do? I remember calling you miss.tequila shot… And you got help to put me to bed, I think?She remembered gentle hands and a soft comforting voice, but her memories were too confused for her to recognize them for sure. — Well, yeah, you’re hard to put to bed when you’re drunk, but you’re not making enough of a habit to get drunk, so I can’t even say I can practice regularly and properly for when it happens!That put an amused smile on the other girl’s face, but she still felt a little bad about it. To say the truth, Marinette was feeling a burning shame painting her cheeks red: having a bad day was no reason to just drink herself to sleep… Alya was deserving better than to stay up late trying to put her friend to bed because said friend was too out of it to fall in her bed and sleep tight. — I’m sorry, Alya. I had such a shitty day and all I wanted was to sleep…Her yawning proved that her body was still agreeing with the basic plan: sleep until she felt good enough to start again. She was not sure when it would be, though…—I still want to, in fact. — Want me to wake you up definitively? She didn’t wait for the answer. Marinette needed to know what happened anyway and the more time she was having to freak out and calm down, the less awkward the meeting between the four of them would be, so be it! Alya needed to crash that sleepy bubble and to drop the bomb, but she decided to go slowly. After all, she wanted the raven-haired girl not to faint or go into a cardiac arrest. Knowing her nervousness when it was question of her feelings for Adrien, the red-haired girl half expected her to freak out badly if she was to just casually mention what had been said the day before. — Well, first of all, you owe me some explanations about your friendship with Chat Noir, because you spilled about his nightly visits. The tensed silence that welcomed Alya’s statement made the journalist feel a little guilty. Curiosity could be a quality as much as a problem and Marinette being fast to worry, her best-friend wanted to reassure her, so she sighed and tried to let her know that she was not angry about the secret friendship that had developed itself between the two of them.—I know you enough to understand why you were afraid to tell me…And I won’t lie, it hurt a little: I was sure you knew that no matter how much of a reporter I am, I’d never put you, my best friend of all people, in a tight spot…Marinette curled up on herself, but what was done could not be escaped, so she tried to face it. -- Would it sound insincere if I was saying sorry?Marinette's small voice was like Chat Noir's kitten eyes, you melt before them or you try to resist...and you melt anyway, so Alya chose the only option she had. She knew her bestie and loved her to pieces. Marinette was not keeping things from her to hurt her, she was doing it to protect her other friend. A friend who apparently she was close enough to let him tuck her to bed... As long as the cat-like superhero was behaving well with Marinette, Alya had no objections...only a few murder plans if she was ever hearing that he was making her girl unhappy. -- I know why you did it. Knowing myself, at your place, I would probably had done the same. You and Chat…You two seems pretty close and I’d hate to cause you guys to be forced to stop spending time together because I wrote something on the Ladyblog. Anyway, this is not the most important!It wasn’t ? Marinette had a bad feeling about this. What could be more important for Alya than a scoop about Chat Noir? Oh no…she had not told them her secret identity, right? She could not have done that! Tikki would be mad, Master Fu would want her miraculous back, she would be forced to move to China to cover up the fact that she…— I’m so proud of you, girl!!! Wait what?!!!!— You kinda managed to confess to Adrien and praise Chat Noir’s body all night without any shame. Twice even, if my memory serves me well.— TWICE?! TWICE WHAT?! WHICH PART?!— Well, you told Adrien that you were in love with him twice…and I lost the count of how many times you praised Chat Noir…The only problem I see is that you were rambling messily about Adrien being Chat without the mask...and you were pretty convinced of your point. You may or may not have given awkward proofs...— And he…and I…And…you…It was the last thing the designer was expecting and it took her a few seconds to truly understand what Alya had implied. — I DID WHAT ? At the other end of the line, Alya heard a few loud crashing sounds and some high pitched whining noise. Yep, the Ladyblogger could easily imagine her bestie’s physical demonstration of total panic… but this was necessary, otherwise, their time together that day was going to suffer and both Adrien and Marinette would want to move to another country. Sure, Alya understood that this was humiliating, but it was the time that those two put their shit together and talk! The look on the model’s face the night before had been a mix of shock, surprise, awe and something else…something tender, something more fragile. Marinette had poured her heart out to him and visibly, it had done something to the boy. And Alya could see it was a positive change. Now, she just needed Marinette to stop freaking and actually start deciding if she was going to flirt with the love of her life or to fuck Chat Noir. Both options were all right with Alya, she just needed to know which one she would have to punch if something was going wrong and her Mari got hurt. It was not as if Adrien could stand a chance against a furious version of herself and if Chat Noir was to be blamed, she was sure that Ladybug would understand the need for a brief Rena Rouge’s return. There was no jerk in the world that could resist a good punch in the face and Alya had learned to fight early with her older sister. She was so deep in her reflection that she failed to imagine her friend’s face. Said friend was glad to be alone in her room because she knew she was a mess. Like the one of a fish out of the water, Marinette’s mouth was closing and opening almost rhythmically and she was blushing so much that her own Ladybug suit would have been put to shame. If Alya had been there, Marinette would have probably been able to stitch an approximately clear answer but instead, she put her friend on speaker, dropped her phone on her bed and screamed in her pillow, punching her mattress. After a few minutes, the only inarticulated thing that came out of her mouth could be roughly translated by something like a series of: — How did I..? What the..? I just…but no!The red-haired reporter was glad to be a very patient person, because otherwise, she would have gone to her bestie’s house, pushed her in her shower, dressed her with the first coming handy and dropped her in Adrien’s arms, ordering them to talk about this. Instead, she took a deep breath and tried to judge the level of freaking out she had reached. Probably one of the highest, if she considered the sudden absolute lack of sound. Oh gosh, it was not a cardiac agreste that would end her bestie, it was a lack of oxygen. — Breathe, Mari, breathe. Yes, sure, Marinette was thinking, it’s not you that got drunk and confessed embarrassing facts, made a fool of herself in front of your years-long crush…Nope, Alya was too brave for that and if she was to praise someone body, it would be in a direct sexy un-babbling way, so of course, Alya could not fantom how much Marinette wanted to die in shame! — I’m sorry but I actually have a hard time thinking that I might have done a drunk confession to my crush while thinking it was Chat without his mask. How the hell did I even tried to prove that? I'm a legit total idiot! Someonepleasekillmenow. This girl is helpless, was all that Alya could think about. Well, she perhaps took a few seconds to imagine how Nino was doing reassuring the panicked Adrien that called him at 6 am to ask for pieces of advice on how to act for their going out all together…and who was probably still on the phone with her boyfriend. She wanted a rapport on that front and Marinette needed a push, so on a last piece of advice, she cut the crap.— You have to work on your communication skills, Mari, you’re clearer when you’re drunk! Anyway, don't pull out all of your airs and call me if you need help to chose a pretty dress for our double date, see you at 2, girl! Marinette was too shocked to do anything else than squeak when Alya decided that it was time to let her put her shits together. Oh gosh, she only had one hour left and couldn't embarrass herself more than she already had the night before, so she just decided to go for it! Tikki never saw her chosen prepared herself so fast while freaking out! When Alya had pressed the "stop the call" button and texted Nino. The answer she got was illarious. Well, they still had an hour or so to get the two lovebirds ready!
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
At one point, Nino had really tried hard to be diplomatic, but have you ever had a best overthinking bro that needed a hand at 5 or 6 in the morning? Well, it was definitively the DJ's case. He had no sleep in his body and was currently trying to help out a totally panicked Adrien. Somehow, for a guy who was claiming to have an undoubtable crush on Ladybug, the model was a mess since Marinette had drunkenly confessed to him. The blond was probably tossing clothes around right now, as if each one had been an offense to his very eyes, running across the room as if his shoes were possessed by a sprinting bunny. Nino could imagine it clearly from the other side of the phone and it was giving him a headache.— Dude, stop pacing around, you make me dizzy! The blond had been unable to sit down for more than two seconds, to Plagg’s complete despair. The kwami had rarely seen his chosen so restlessly happy albeit so utterly confused and since trying to reason the kid was useless, the kwami of destruction was eating a smelly piece of his beloved camembert in one of his chosen socks. Adrien indeed was feeling something that, he was vaguely aware, was border lining the best and the worst. The reality was feeling too good to be true: Marinette, who had taken so much time to warm up to him as Adrien, talented, sweet, adorable, unbeatable at video games Marinette was having a crush on him, him! And not just content to have a crush (and not just a celebrity infatuation) on his civilian self, she was also caring for the masked superhero that had visited her for years in a super special unique way…she knew him, the real him, she was seeing him, caring for him, loving him! But at the same time, how could she really love him? Since when and what if she was growing tired to wait for him to make up his mind? He was in love with Ladybug, but the possibility that Marinette really meant what she says about both his civilian and heroic sides…Not even his Lady could counter that level of love… It was making his heart make backflips, his hands were becoming clammy and all he wanted was to jump and scream and laugh at the same time and Nino wanted him to calm down, to just sit? He had tried, really sincerely tried, but…— Sorry, but I can’t, Nino. His heartbeat was too frantic, his soul screaming too loud at him for the boy to just sit down and pretend he was calm. Modeling was all about those kinds of capacities, but this was not photoshoot related, it was so so so much more important! And so much more nerve-wracking! He was so screwed! So so so utterly…— Dude…— Nino!— Dude!!!— Nino, you don’t get it, Marinette…And there it was again….For the millionth time in a few hours, Nino stated the obvious. — Told you she had a crush on you while being sure you were Chat Noir, who she finds smoking hot, right?Hearing Nino say it again only made Adrien blush and squeal. Tossing around a few more clothes, he tried to calm down, but damn! How could he even think about doing so while his Princess, his Mari had…— She…did…she did it twice, Nino!Nino just cocked an eyebrow with the face of someone who was at only two seconds away from an anime fangirl, patiently waiting for Adrien to get a grip, knowing it would hardly ever happen. It was likely to be a very demanding morning and the DJ repressed a yawn. — And I see her in less than an hour! Less than an hour, Nino!!!To give himself courage, Nino imagined his girlfriend going through approximately the same thing with Marinette and felt a little bit better. Adrien was not the tripping everywhere when nervous kind of person like she was and since Nino had never been welcome at the Agreste mansion, he was thankful not to face his panicked bro right away; just hearing him pace was making him dizzy, so seeing him? Distracted by those thoughts, he made the worst mistake ever and asked a one-word question.— And?Adrien wanted someone to tell him this was a nightmare: Nino was supposed to understand how much of a big deal this was, he was supposed to be chill about it, but not at this point, not when Adrien felt as if he could both fail miserably and be forced to move to another country or to make things incredibly right! Nino was not a cheese-obsessed kwami, so he could really empathize with him, right? Apparently not. Nino had been stressed to ask Marinette out once too, so how could he just react this way?!— AND?! And what am I supposed to do about it, now?— Well, it depends, dude. — It depends of what?Adrien’s voice was so hopeful! Tired to toy around and conscious that he was playing with his best bro’s nerves, Nino became serious. This was the part of the conversation he could not mess up if he wanted both Adrien and Marinette to be happy. He was sleepy, he was not in the mood to complicate his life, but if this was not the time, then it would never be. — How do you feel about her?The blond model took a deep breath and pushed out the words his best friend would have never thought to hear…— I…I like her Nino, very much…Finally, finally the golden child was waking up and Nino could almost hear the wedding bells of their…— She’s a very special…friend? to me. Luckily Alya was not there, otherwise, she would have tried to murder Adrien and the DJ would have helped her. Tapping his head against his room’s wall, Nino tried again, remembering himself that Adrien had been homeschooled, learned about love in animes and songs, knew nothing about healthy family life and even less about friendship. The DJ was still exasperated, but he told himself that he could do it: all he had to do was to try to give his best bro a little push in the right direction and the dude would be able to do the best choice…— Bro… I’ve heard you say that for years…just prepare for our double date already and stop stressing over it.Smooth, Nino told himself. Well, until a squeaky sound from the other side of the line came to his hears.— Wait, double date?!For the first time in his life, Nino, who was as religious as a cd pocket silently prayed: Holy concerto for friendship, please let him finally get it! For the love of every jukebox in the world, please, please, please let him roll with the plan, get there like Jagged Stone’s new hit song, sweep Marinette off her feet like a mic was giving power to a singing voice and let me enjoy our first official double date! Instead of telling that out loud, he just tried to keep things simple and as calming as possible. — Yep, dude, double date. If Adrien knew something about dates, it was that they were meaningful and somehow, he was not sure that a drunken confession should really be a correct base for one… So it’s with a slightly panicked and worried voice that he tried to get his point across so that Nino could understand. He was not sure about his feelings for the girl, but a date was something he was sure he would enjoy if she wanted to join him on one. — But, but, but…but what if she doesn’t want it to be a double date? What if she had already died of embarrassment after her confession, what if she had already moved to another country? What if she doesn’t remember and I’m freaking out for nothing? What if she didn’t mean it like that?!— You’re joking, right?— Why would I be joking about that?That was it, Nino was done. There was a line between being socially oblivious and helplessly blind and Adrien was carelessly crossing it…— ADRIEN-FUCKING-SHE’S-JUST-A-FRIEND-AGRESTE, I’LL SAY THIS JUST ONCE: DO YOU OR DO YOU NOT LOVE MARINETTE-FUCKING-CRAZY-ABOUT-YOU-DUPAIN-CHENG?! There was a choking sound and then, Adrien’s voice rose from the DJ's phone, laced with a panicked concern the DJ had never thought his friend could feel. — HOW AM I EVEN SUPPOSED TO KNOW, THAT, NINO?! For god sake, I didn’t even know what a cream puff was tasting like before Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you can’t expect me to know those kinds of things just like that!!! I didn’t even know how to make a friend before her, I didn’t even know how much she liked Chat Noir since last night!Well, taken this way, the blond was right. Considering his points helped Nino to calm down. Taking his cap off, he tried to find a way to explain to the confused sunshine child how he was supposed to know how to feel about the girl that had put so many efforts into being there for him. On the road, he would probably need to drop a few more hints, so he hoped that the girls would forgive him, but since damages control had been officially declared not useful at all, it was time for more drastic measures. — Okay, bro, first, sit down and breathe with me, got it?Adrien did as he was told and let his friend know. The other boy’s voice was gentle when he asked the model the first questions that could help him. —Do you feel butterflies in your tummy when you see her?At that question, Adrien almost dropped his phone. Was Nino having some sort of the best bro radar or was he really readable like an open book? Blushing a little at the memories the simple question had given life too, Adrien remembered each time the raven-haired girl had elicited this reaction from him. As both his civilian self and Chat Noir, there have been many occasions for the sweet designer to make him feel that way. Scratching the back of his neck nervously, the boy tried not to show how affected he was when he answered. Lost cause, so he might as well tell the other boy about it, perhaps it could help. Anything was better than to stay confuse that much, sited in his too big bed. — Well, it already happened…sometimes when she would hug me or give a kiss on the cheek like or smile at me in a certain way…I…yes.From his side of the phone, Nino felt relieved at least a little. This was going in the right direction, even if it was just a tiny step. Pushing further while playing with his cape, the DJ's attention was drawn to a certain detail Adrien had mentioned and that could help the oblivious blond to get a clue. — And when she hugs you, how does it feel?The answer was not long to come and it was what Nino was hoping for.— Warm and loving…safe…The DJ's patience was finally paying off, but there was still a lot of things to process to arrive at the point where Adrien could understand his own feelings. More hints was all Nino could think about, I need to drop more hits! Trying not to be too obvious, he stated something he was sure his friend already knew but needed to hear again.— You know, if you gave her a chance, she would not be like Chloé, Lila or some other crazy fans of yours, buddy. She would take care of you, she would listen to you, call you boyfriend with that special smile she’s always wearing when you’re near… Can you imagine how it would feel? A fragile silence took a few seconds to break.— Is she really looking at me in a special way?The awe and amazement in Adrien’s tone made Nino chuckle. The poor boy was having no ideas how much the designer in their class was deep into her crush for him. —Adrien, let’s be serious here, she has a whole universe of smiles, laughs and antics when it comes to you. The matter of fact tone Nino used made his friend’s world suddenly spin around with hope. She really was? The idea made funny things to his already fluttering heart. — Wow…Now was the crucial moment and Nino knew it. Keeping his tone as neutral as possible, he tried another approach. —But you, if you close your eyes and imagine life with her for a second…Do you want to wake up by her side to bake croissants with her, play the piano while she looks at you adoringly of fuck the night away after a date? Do you want her to be there for you no matter what even more than she had already proven she was willing to be? — I don’t know, Nino, it’s hard to imagine myself being worthy of all this… It’s hard for me to think she would want that with me…I’m not…When the blond voice broke, Nino felt his blood boil in his veins. Almost lost wars needed powerful weapons and for the second time in a short amount of time, the DJ prayed to all the artistic gods out there who were ready to listen that Marinette would never find out about what he was about to tell his best friend, because otherwise, she would surely craft him a personalized death and Alya would surely help. Gulping down his saliva, the DJ asked one of the emergency questions he had sworn to himself to never bring except if the situation was this desperate… — Do you or do you not picture a future with her, three kids and a hamster…?Dropping the bomb was easy, but receiving it was kind of a shock. The model was grateful for his friend’s request to sit down. Otherwise, he would have fallen on his tailbone. Eyes wides and gasping for air, the boy was lost.— What?! Weren’t they too young to think about that yet?! What was it with Nino dropping that bomb suddenly?! Sensing the anxiety and the surprise coloring his friend’s tone, the DJ tried to make him see that he was only merely exaggerating to make the blond thinking go further in time, space and hypothesis. — Because this girl we’re talking about… Hell, she planned this all out a thousand of millions of times since the moment you gave her your umbrella in the rain. Do you want her to knit you a hat that is going with your blue scarf? Because dude, be serious one second, she totally would and give it to your father so he could pretend again it’s from him and give it to you in person… but if you never get the clues, one day she will move on and at that moment, what will happen? A nice dude like Nathanaël or Luka will take her out, marry her; you’ll be attending it and she will tell everybody such a good friend you are! How foes that feels to be called that: just a friend? Think about that for one second, make up your mind, go take a shower and think about all that a little more, bro. I need to sleep, see you in a few hours!When Adrien let go of his phone, he felt as if a tornado had come across him. Rebuilding was not going to be easy, but it was worthing the shot, so he did as Nino suggested...