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darklightmiwxo · 3 years

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MIW history

Hello I want to make a history and facts post of MIW. I been a fan for a few months so I may miss some stuff out. New fans can check this out to understand more of the band.

Motionless in white members:

[IMG=OAA]

Name: Chris motionless (cerulli)

Full name: Christopher Cerulli)

Age: 34

Birthday: October 17 1986

Zodiac: Libra

Birth place: Scranton Pennsylvania

Height: 6'1

Role: main singer

Relationship Status: single

Chris says he doesn't want to get married.

Fear: heights and flying

Personality: a really kind person who cares for his fans he's funny and has a dad humor. Everyone just see him as a dad to them.

Interest: Chris really loves dogs. He plays video games halo and call of duty he plays it all the time. His fave bands is slipknot,marlin manson,korn,HIM,and more rock bands.

[IMG=EOZ]

Name: Ricky Olson (horror)

Full name: Richard Alison Olson the third

Nick name: Rick

Age: 32

Birthday: September 1st 1988

Birth place: Seattle WA

Lives: Scranton Pennsylvania

Zodiac: Virgo

Height: 5'6

Uni: he studied film production in college but dropped out for the band.

Role: rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist

Relationship status: taken by Jamie L

Fear: dying alone,being hated,failing

Personality: he's a calm sweet person he's very smart and also really kind. He's a good caring friend. However he can be a troll sometimes and mess around with everyone because he loves doing it. He loves his fans so much. He's a shy boy.

Interest: he loves to write,draw,edit,take photos, record videos,run his YouTube channel,create a mini sketch video to post on his channel, being a director,he loves cats and reading books.

Ricky fave bands is: muse,HIM,afi,slipknot,BMTH,Ariana grande,Ellie goulding.

[IMG=NEP]

Name: Vinny Mauro

Full name: Vinchenzo Mauro

Nick name: vin,chenzo,sachetti

Nationality: Italian American

Age: 27

Birthday: Nov 22 1993

Birth place: jersey shore Pennsylvania

Zodiac: Sagittarius

(he's also a Sagittarius Scorpio cusp)

Height: 5'6

Uni: vinny study computer programming but he dropped out of college to join the band in 2014

Role: drummer

Bands: MIW,suffer club,trap demon

Relationship Status: single

Fear: being hated by people

Personality: in most of Ricky vlogs vinny seem extroverted he is loud around friends and has lots of fun being silly. But in reality there is a side to him that isn't easy to see you can see it in his twitch stream. He's actually really introverted he said this himself. He's calming and sweet he interact with fans a lot and making sure fans respect each other. He loves to be alone in his room for many days avoiding human contact. Vinny mention being too shy to go up to new people but he is fine if people go up to him. He doesn't feel comfortable talking to new people. He likes being alone.

Interest: creating rap beats,playing video games,making music,dogs and cats,playing drums.

Vinny fave artist are: Fall out boy,paramore,korn,panic! At the disco,HIM,my chemical romance,arch enemy,maroon 5,emeiem,Ariana grande,dua lipa,Mack millo,doji cat,bring me the horizon,pierce the veil,sleeping with sirens,all time low,black veil brides,Rihanna,linkin park,green day,evanescences.

[IMG=XHH]

Name: Ryan Sitkowski

Age: 30

Birthday: Jan 8,1991

Zodiac: Capricorn

Birth place: Pennsylvania

Height: 5'11?

Uni: he dropped out of college to join MIW

Role: lead guitarist

Relationship Status: taken

Fear: spiders

Personality: Ryan is a chill person he's shy and caring to fans. He's also a troll he loves to mess around with his friends.

Interest: guitar,video games,trading card games.

Bands: the same as the rest of miw probably.

[IMG=QFE]

Name: Justin morrow

Age: 32?

Birthday: May 11th

Birth place: Caledonia, New York

Zodiac: Taurus

Height: 6'1

Role: bassist

Relationship Status: married

Fear: ?

Personality: Justin is a kind chill person who cares for his fans and his friends. He left ice nine kills to right away help MIW on tour. Justin is also a troll he loves trolling his friends.

Interest: videos games but not a nerd like the others,bass,cosplaying,putting makeup on.

Bands: the same as MIW

Motionless in white history:

The band started in high school of 2005

Chris,Angelo,Frank p,Kyle white being the first members of the band. Later after college and the bands demo releases Josh joined the band. Frank moved to bass. Micheal and TJ join as guitarist. Later on micheal left the band and Chris met Ryan. Ryan then joined as guitarist of the band. Chris met Ricky in 2009. Frank left the band and Ricky was the new bassist for MIW.

MIW got more popular in 2009 when they tour around the state's in a van. Tj left the band a year later to join escape the fate (Ronnie radke of falling in reverse old band and bless the fall singer Craig band) Ricky then became the new rythmn guitarist of the band. Ghost (Devin) join as the bass player of the band. During the infamous album creation Angelo was feeling ill he couldn't play drums well anymore he gets tired easily and his drum skills wasn't good at all he was eating bad that it make him weak. He couldn't drum anymore so he left the band. The band had other drummers help record their albums. Brandon was the touring drummer for the band till the end of the reincarnated album. The band met vinny and he became the new drummer he was in the reincarnated music video playing drums but you can't see him much in the music video. Vinny then became a member of MIW not a tour drummer anymore but a actually member of MIW. Josh left the band around this time. In the graveyard shift era after the making of the album the whole band kicked ghost out of the band because the fans told the band what ghost did to fans which was very gross. The band kicked him out and Justin from ice nine kills join the band as bassist then he quit ice nine kills to be working full time for MIW. Disguise is the first album where the whole current members of the band created songs without other people doing it for them.

Chris history from high school to now:

Chris grew up in Pennsylvania. He met his friends who end up being the band members of the band he wanted to create he wasn't expecting to be the main singer. At a young age Chris started getting tattoos everywhere.

Chris cared about the band and just went for it.

Demos of the band was created. Chris is a perfectionist he wants the album to be perfect so he was judging everything in order to make a album he liked. Band members left but he didn't quit the band he try to find new band members and try to meet new bands. He worked hard for the band he carry the whole band and make sure the band was doing well. Chris thanks Ryan and Ricky for being the most loyal band members staying with him all these years and not leaving him. Chris had the fear of failing the band breaking up and Chris dreams crushing down but Chris didn't let that happen at all. And here we are today.

Ryan Sitkowski college to now:

Ryan dropped out of college to join MIW at age 17. He was new to the band and Josh didn't like him at all. Ryan was at a young age traveling all over the state with the band. Ryan haven't shared much of his life on the internet he kept it more private. Ryan got a girlfriend and then when the lockdown happen he started streaming on twitch to interact with fans and made a discord too.

Ricky Olson high school to now:

Ricky is the oldest of his siblings. When Ricky was young he was playing with his friends sports and something hit his tooth so half of Ricky teeth is fake. He mention he cry to his mom on the phone because of it. Ricky in middle school wanted to be in a band because his friends played instruments and he wanted to join them. Ricky in high school was a shy boy who had a few friends but they were mostly fake friends. Ricky Olson begin to play guitar and write stories because of the inspiration of Ville Valo from HIM. He became obsessed with HIM. Ricky was in a band in high school as the lead singer but was kicked out for sounding like Ville valo. One of Ricky dreams was to be in a band and also a film maker. In college he study film production. While also working in band merch booth selling band merch to people. But since Ricky was too shy he got yelled at for not speaking up and selling more. Ricky was in a bad time around 2008 and 2009. He share this in a blog years ago about this. He was in a lost place had a bad past and he was thinking of the past all the time and future worrying about failing the future he wanted to be in a band but he was so lost he had no idea what to do in his life. He would day dream about being in a band and then cry to sleep every night about his life. He had depression and gave up with everything in his life. He drank achoul every day. One day on his sister 16 birthday Ricky was drunk coming home from work to go to his parents house his sister was sleeping in her bed.

Tw// self harm and suicide attempt:

Ricky was laying in his sister's bed he cut his arm with a knife it was a lot Ricky was sobbing while watching the blood going down his arm to the floor his dad saw what happen and ask Ricky what happen. Ricky was sobbing and yelling he wanted to die many times. He passed out and went to the hospital he lost a lot of blood and the achoul level was really high he drank way too much. He almost died. He end up getting better and went to see a therapist. He went to see MIW with a friend. Ricky met Chris and the band thought Ricky was cool so he invited them to stay at his house. Chris text Ricky being like should join our band. Ricky would often say idk if I should he didn't know if he would be good enough for the band.

He later on join and quit college but Ricky mention still feeling depressed while in the band. Josh ballaz disliked Ricky when he joined too. 2 years later Ricky moved to rythmn guitarist but he wasn't used to playing guitar since he mostly did bass so he often made mistakes on guitar. He was still learning to play guitar. Things got better for Ricky. But his dream job was always filming he does some film stuff on tour and at home. Though he knew he probably won't be a film maker for movies like he dream of doing he makes whatever he can make. Ricky has stomach problems he often went to the doctor because of it.

Vinny Mauro childhood to now:

Vinny is one of the youngest children of his family. He has many siblings. Vinny mention on stream that he had a bad past. He mention that his dad would take achoul all the time and not give a fuck about vinny. Vinny mom would always go after Vinny. Vinny as a kid was a trouble maker he would disobey his parents and think it was funny. His mom would throw stuff at him and threaten him. His dad gave him a drum set so vinny end up learning to play drums he self taught himself to play drums. He listen to music and got into new types of music he likes all types of music. In middle school a girl that he liked asked him if he can play paramore on drums and vinny played it for her.

In high school vinny was a outcast and loner he made friends in his neighborhood but at school he had no friend. He didn't fit in with anyone. He mention in Ricky Olson podcast his high school life. Ricky ask him how he didn't find friends in high school. Vinny mention saying he didn't fit in with anyone he is also a shy person so he doesn't go up to new people. He was more a loner and was fine with it. Vinny went to uni to study computer programming but he didn't like it at all he was often bored he posted videos of him drumming on his YouTube channel. He knew a guy who knew MIW. MIW was looking for a drummer and they asked vinny to try out for drums in another country which was Australia. Vinny dropped out of college and told his parents what he was doing they weren't happy about that but he end up going over there trying out drums but he was very nervous. He met the band and then went to start drumming. Chris and Ricky were in the same room as vinny they were watching him play drums. Chris being very judgemental. He often scares Ricky when he's on guitar and Ricky fear to make a single mistake in front of Chris and vinny felt that fear. He even said I think I mess up a few times on drums. After he finish drumming. Ricky and Chris went to talk said not a single word and vinny was sweating so much thinking he made a mistake and he won't be part of the band. Later on Chris made vinny part of the band. Vinny became the tour member of the band then he became a member of MIW.

Years later vinny decided to interact more with fans since he had time to so he livestreams on twitch and has discord to interact with fans.

The lock down happen and vinny spend time interacting with fans. He lives with his friend in a house together. But something about vinny these few years mostly months to now that was starting to show. Vinny was suddenly showing signs of depression he often tweet depressing stuff but each year got worst for him. 2020 was the start of vinny's down fall. He had so much self hate he hated his hair,his body,his looks everything about himself he hate. He even tweeted saying I'm sad so I'm going to make a song. He release alone. Even he tweeted about something sad saying 2020 was a bad start for him and Ricky ask if he was ok and hoping vinny was just joking around. During December vinny had back pains because of a sneeze that hurt his nerves so vinny was in so much pain and he didn't see a doctor he thought he could fight it himself just taking pain meds to him. In Jan of 2021 the start of vinny down hill. He was in so much pain he couldn't leave his room or chair he couldn't even drum. He was very depressed. He hated life so much. A month later he got better and went back to streaming but still he was struggling there was some bad stuff happening anyway with him. The covid shot made him sick Saying he didnt eat anything for 4 days he felt like throwing up he even woke up in the middle of the night thinking he was going to do it and other stuff that made him depressed. Around April of this year small amount of fans notice something was going on with vinny he mention so much self hate about himself. In May he mention he was fine but a week later he said he was depressed and talking about what happen months ago and years ago. Sharing something about his family past and he stopped himself saying he doesn't want to get too into it. Vinny mention that he was eating food once a day because he felt like he is fat for over eating food all the time so he end up just eating dinner only everyday. He done it since the beginning of March and still is doing it. He wanted to loss weight. So he doesn't want breakfast and lunch but he eats dinner.

Around may vinny was in rock bottom he talk to no one at all even Ryan was 30 mins away from vinny and he ask him why he didn't go to see him and vinny said he didn't know why. Vinny mention saying he talked to no one for a week straight he also mention he isn't the kind of person to go up to people he said he's very introverted. he stopped streaming for weeks because he was doing bad. He said he felt burnt out and tired.

He took his break off social media for many weeks. Around this time many fans notice vinny was really not doing well.

Then he return to streaming around the 18th of June. Just to say hi he said he miss his fans but he plans to stream again a few weeks later. He mention that he have been avoiding all human contact and was staying in his room playing video games and drums all day still with the once a meal thing he does. Vinny said he's not depressed but people ask him about his depressing tweets and he said is it really depressing. Someone ask him why he is listening to sad music and he said am I not allowed to enjoy music. Now more fans are worried about him. Many more fans noticing that vinny isn't ok and he's hiding it.

That's basically all of MIW history I could give.

I will update and add more to the list later when something new happens. The vinny stuff is true I been watching his streams a lot and he mention those stuff so I just wanted to share what he said. I been a MIW fan for 8 months so I may not know Ryan and Justin as much as the others. Since they don't share much about themselves.

Hoping you enjoy this. Free feel to comment somethings I forgot to add.

Please don't argue about ghost ok. Ty

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frostedpuffs · 6 years

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A Simple Suggestion - Ch.14

A Simple Suggestion Summary: Chat Noir was no stranger to a difficult home life—Ladybug knew that more than anyone. When he jokingly suggests that life would be easier for the both of them if they were roommates, the two of them freeze like ice in the midnight air, breath caught between them as the notion hits them full force. It drifts through their thoughts in silence until they decide that perhaps, in a world where impossible things are plausible, the idea wouldn't be such a bad one. So, with a skip in their steps and an entirely new kind of excitement brewing in their chests, the two find themselves considering something neither of them had ever before: moving in together. The tricky part is still keeping their identities a secret. When feelings become muddled and embarrassing thoughts cross between two people and one, both Marinette and Adrien have a hard time finding exactly where their affections lie, even as they begin to form a deeper bond with the one person they never expected would find a path into their heart. Rated: T+ Pairing(s): Ladybug/Chat Noir, Adrien/Marinette

Chapter 14 - A Night Out Word count: 9,914 Also read on: ao3 Chapter summary: Alya and Nino drop by for a surprise visit, and Marinette loosens up a little more than she'd planned.

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He woke up at noon.

Sunlight streamed through his open eyelids as he blinked at the harsh yellow rays. Rubbing at his eyes, Adrien sat up with a yawn, his back cracking with the force of his stretch as he rose from his bed. The wooden floor underneath his feet was cool to the touch. With his green pajama pants falling past his ankles, he allowed his body to slump as his bangs fell in front of his gaze.

Ugh. He really needed to stop sleeping so late. But with the freedom of living on his own, it became harder and harder to maintain multiple aspects in his life, including his sleep schedule and the types of foods he ate—among other things.

Adrien placed his palm to his forehead with a grimace. A headache creeped up the back of his neck.

The entire first month living with Ladybug had been a rush. At first things had been awkward—it took them a good week or two to get comfortable with sharing a living space and adjusting to each other's lifestyle—but overall, it had gone by smoothly. Better than that in Adrien's opinion, actually. Living with Ladybug had been so much fun.

He barely remembered this past month other than the fact that he'd been having the time of his life. Despite being unable to control himself at times, living on his own was fantastic! He could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted to do it, and nobody could stop him. Eat cake for dinner? Sure! Sleep until one? No problem! Wear nothing but boxer shorts around the house? Hell yes.

Ladybug didn't care. Ladybug had her own life to live and let him do whatever he wanted. And he loved having that freedom.

Continue reading on ao3 or under the cut! ↓

When it came down to it, Ladybug didn't mind how he lived.

Except, of course, when the mess in his room left little to no space for anyone to walk through, and when his laundry became a mountain in the corner, and his stomach started curling in on itself from the constant fast food and quick meals since he hadn't exactly perfected his cooking skills quite yet. Or when he realized he hadn't eaten an actual vegetable in two weeks and his sleep schedule was absolutely screwed because he stayed up until four in the morning and slept until nearly one in the afternoon.

It had only taken one comment from Ladybug about how his room looked like a tornado hit it for him to get off his ass and clean it.

He had really taken the cleaners at his childhood home for granted… Who knew that maintaining a pristine living space was hard when he didn't have someone to clean up after himself?

Thankful that he had a partner like Ladybug to help keep him from sitting on his lazy ass, Adrien smiled, glancing around his recently-cleaned bedroom as rays of afternoon sunlight trickled through his curtains and onto the rumbled sheets of his bed. The heat of the sun was comfortable against his back, but Adrien resisted the urge to curl back up on top of his blankets and instead forced himself up to a stand, where he crossed the hall to the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth.

He needed to get ready for a relaxing day off.

After he'd gotten out, he changed into a black T-shirt and jeans, made himself a quick sandwich for lunch and checked his work email, reading through boring message after message about some stupid meeting coming up or a staff dinner night—which sounded boring too, save for the fact that a staff party might mean Marinette and Chloé would be attending—and it was after ten minutes of reading and replying to various emails that he got a text from a number that was all too familiar, sending a smile to his face.

Nino had sent him a picture. Which, by all means was a normal thing this far into their friendship, but this particular photo was different. Special, in a way—a particular type of special that caused Adrien to nearly choke on his own spit, a cough rising from his blocked airway as he hacked and took in a gulp of air to steady his breathing.

It was a selfie of Nino standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, two fingers held up in an innocent peace sign with a smile that practically put a halo above his signature red baseball cap.

"That asshole," Adrien snickered. He slapped a palm to his forehead in disbelief and quickly hit the dial button, not wasting a moment as his best friend picked up the phone. "Dude, what are you doing? Where are you? You jerk, you didn't tell me you were visiting!"

Nino's responding laughter on the other line had Adrien grinning like a fool. "That's called a surprise, Adrien!"

"You're both here?"

"Of course," Nino said. "I'm not leaving my girl all the way across the ocean, are you kidding me? I'd miss her too much."

Ah, well, he could understand that. Now that they were living together, if he had to leave Ladybug behind while he visited a far away place… He'd be sad enough to cry.

(Perhaps he was a little too attached.)

"I had a question," Nino continued. "Do you have plans tonight? The four of us should go out to dinner. Besides, I've been dying to have some of Marinette's pastries again, so tell her to bring some."

Adrien gave a playful roll of his eyes. "Her parents' pastries, you mean."

"Same thing. Anyway," Nino said, the sound of wind in the background distorting his voice a bit. "Do you work today? What time does Marinette get off if she's working too? We wanna know what would be a good time and place to meet up for dinner."

"I've got the day off," Adrien said. "I think Marinette gets off at seven."

He could hear Alya's voice in the background as Nino said, "Alright. I'll see if Alya can let her know we'll be coming—"

"Or you could keep it a surprise," Adrien offered, lying his head back against the armrest of the couch. "You know, have me tell Mari that it's just us two going out, and have her see you guys waiting outside for her. That'd make her day, I'm sure."

Nino's tone brightened. "Good idea."

They'd decided they would go out to a restaurant they'd visited not long before Nino and Alya had left for California. It was a quaint place with good food, a rooftop terrace that held a live band and seats, and cylindrical fish tanks that adorned the interior. It was a little on the pricier side, but Adrien didn't mind. He was happy to take his friends out for a tasty meal and drinks any night.

(Even if Alya couldn't indulge in a night of drinking due to her being pregnant, he supposed.)

He spent the remainder of the day cleaning the apartment. He knew Ladybug would be tired by the time she got home, since his father was pushing deadlines on his employees as the mid-summer months began rolling in, and the last thing he wanted her to have to deal with was coming home to a dirty living space.

The kitchen counters were wiped, the wooden floors swept and vacuumed, the bathroom was organized and living room cleared of clutter. He fluffed the couch cushions and, after hearing Plagg incessantly complain for cheese, even went out to buy some groceries for he and Ladybug to share, as well as other household necessities like toilet paper and soap.

"I should probably call Marinette," Adrien said as he parked back home and began to unload the paper bags from his car. "I need to let her know that we're going out."

Plagg poked his head out from the bag that contained his cheese, voice muffled from the food in his mouth. "Taking your girlfriend on a date?"

Rolling his eyes with a smile, Adrien shook his head. "No, unfortunately. But we are meeting up with Alya and Nino tonight for dinner. If you're good, I might even order a cheese appetizer to go, so don't cause trouble."

He winked at his kwami, whose eyes began to sparkle with delight. The little god licked his lips as he began to salivate. "Trouble? Me? That's unheard of!"

"Yeah, sure." Adrien scratched under Plagg's chin, who responded with a purr. "Let's get these groceries inside."

As soon as he'd gone up to his apartment and set the bags on the counter, Plagg zipped out from the cover of a box of pasta noodles and dove into another bag, tossing things out as he searched for whatever it was he was looking for. "Where are they?" he asked, burrowing a hole into the neatly bagged groceries (that were now in a pile of disarray on the counter.) "Where are Tikki's cookies? You bought her some, right? It better have been chocolate chip. Those are her favorite."

Adrien grabbed the bag of dry goods that sat to the side and pulled out a container of twenty-four chocolate chunk cookies, placing it on the counter in front of his kwami. "These?"

"Perfect." Without waiting for Adrien to put them in the pantry himself, Plagg picked up the plastic container and zipped off to the windowsill next to the couch, where the two kwami had made a makeshift nest of fabrics and cotton for them to rest in. Plagg busied at the nest as he landed in it, paws brushing the soft materials around—as if he was trying to perfect it before his other half came home. He opened the pack of cookies and placed one on the side closest to the window where Tikki usually enjoyed spending her nights.

It was a funny thing to see Plagg so caught up in making their own little spot in the apartment grand enough for Ladybug's kwami. The usual sarcastic, playful nature of Plagg was reserved only for humans it seemed, because when it came to Tikki, well…

He was different. Different in a way Adrien could understand. He was the same with his partner, after all.

After putting away all of the groceries and stocking the bathroom and kitchen with the household items they'd needed, Adrien checked the time displayed on the oven. It was already three-thirty; Marinette was probably on her lunch by now, unless she'd taken it early.

He thought of her leaving her sketchbook at her desk and sitting in the breakroom, relaxing in one of the chairs and listening to the radio, mindlessly playing on her phone as she ate.

Adrien wondered what she was eating. He hoped it was something she liked, like something sweet, or perhaps a favorite meal of hers.

(But to be honest, he hoped she was at least eating at this point, knowing full well that she'd been skipping one too many lunch breaks to meet her ridiculous deadlines…

He'd tried talking to his father about it. He had. But the old grump hadn't wanted to hear it.)

So, because his stomach was starting to feel sick with worry over whether or not she had eaten enough for the day, he wasted no time in picking up his phone and dialing her number.

Marinette had just clocked out for her lunch break when her phone began ringing.

Not bothering to read the caller's name, she picked up, holding her phone in one hand and reaching into the break room fridge with the other. "Hello?" she asked, pulling out her salad and sitting at one of the tables. She opened the plastic container and poured the cup of dressing over the spinach leaves.

Adrien's voice came from the other line. "Hey, Marinette. Have you eaten yet?"

Fork in mouth, Marinette hummed in response. "Uh… Working on it."

"Good," he said. She heard shuffling come from his end. "Anyway, I was wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner tonight. My treat."

She dropped her plastic fork on top of her food in surprise, nearly losing her phone—which Adrien had just paid to get fixed—in the process. Heartbeat quickening, she nodded before realizing that he couldn't see her, and said (a little breathlessly), "Yeah! Yeah. I'd love that. What's, um—what's the occasion?"

Of all the things he could do, Adrien giggled. "Oh, no occasion. I just remembered that I had promised to take you out one night, hadn't I?"

Marinette swallowed a bite of her salad. "You just did last week when we went out for pizza."

"Yeah, but that wasn't fancy," he said. "I want to take you somewhere fancy."

"Why?" she found herself asking, because she was genuinely confused. Unless… He was asking her on a date, then somewhere fancy would be reasonable, but… Was he asking her on a date?

Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes.

He had been acting more affectionate towards her lately… And she had caught him staring at her a lot as of late...

She could practically hear the smirk in his voice as he responded, "What, a friend can't take another friend out somewhere fancy and expensive?"

"I- I don't know, probably?"

Adrien laughed. "If you want to, meet me at the corner of Varenne and Vaneau at eight. I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Marinette cocked a brow in question. "For me? What is it?"

More importantly, what did she do to deserve it?

"You'll see," Adrien chuckled. "But I promise you'll like it."

The rest of her work day went by slowly after that. She went through her tasks distracted yet determined to get her work done, scolding herself every time she caught her thoughts wandering and only allowing herself to to focus on what she needed to get done for the day.

By the time seven rolled around she was exhausted—covered in cuts from accidental pricks of her sewing needles and the tips of her fingers smudged black from her pencils. Her hair was a mess and she felt hot, desperately wishing she could take a shower when she arrived home but knowing she didn't have the time.

Marinette arrived home by seven-fifteen and barely remembered to slip her mask back on before she walked through the door. It was quiet inside. With Chat Noir in his bedroom, she called his name to let him know that she was home and, after shutting her bedroom door, changed into an outfit that didn't smell like sweat (and was considerably less wrinkled, as well.)

She donned herself in a wine-red dress that had long sleeves of lace and a ruffled skirt that flowed when she walked. It reached down to mid-thigh, its neckline just below her collarbones, which gave her space to put on one of her favorite necklaces—a golden chain with a spotted ladybug charm.

Running a brush through her hair—which needed to be cut, as it was getting longer than she liked—she pulled her black tresses up into a messy bun, allowing a few strands to frame her face. Her makeup was fine; she didn't need to fix it. With black heels and a final spritz of perfume, she admired herself in her floor-length mirror and grinned, proud of how pretty she looked.

She checked her phone for the time. It was seven-forty. Time to go, Marinette decided.

Her mask stayed on her face as she knocked on Chat Noir's door. "You decent?"

He opened it not a moment later, dressed in nothing but jeans and dress socks as if he had been in the middle of changing as well, a casual grin on his face until he stopped and looked at her. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as his gaze darted from her face to her feet. He took a moment to admire her outfit before his eyes met her own, face reddening all the way down to his neck. "You- you, ah, uh, you are- my Lady!"

She laughed behind her hand. "What?" Despite how her cheeks burned at his reaction, she didn't mind the way he lost his words at her appearance. It felt nice to be thought as attractive, especially by someone who was equally as attractive as she was.

Chat ran his hands down his masked face. He groaned, "You're killing me, Ladybug. You're really killing me."

Marinette gave a playful roll of her eyes. "Oh, hush. I just wanted to let you know I'm going out for the night and that I might not be back till later tonight, so don't wait up, okay? I think there's a phone number for pizza delivery on the fridge, so—"

"Don't worry about me," Chat Noir said. "You go have fun, okay?"

Giving him a brief hug—unfazed by his shirtless state, as this was normal by now—she turned and left, grabbing her purse off of the counter as she made her way out.

"Enjoy your dinner!" Chat Noir called after her just before she shut the door.

Marinette froze in the hallway.

Dinner…? How had he known she was going out to dinner?

Huh. That was strange. Puzzled, Marinette slipped her mask into her purse and stepped inside the elevator, figuring he just assumed she was going out to eat and guessed correctly. No matter—she had somewhere to be, and a certain boy to look forward to meeting up with. There was no reason to dwell on the one she lived with.

The walk to the restaurant was short. It took her all but fifteen minutes to arrive, and the evening summer air was cool enough to where she hadn't been bothered by any sort of heat. It was a perfect night for a date, she thought.

(Her palms were sweating, and her mind was running a million miles a minute, but she wasn't thinking about it.)

Marinette's pulse quickened as she approached the front doors, but something stopped her. There was a feminine voice she swore she'd heard over her computer just a few days ago; a voice she'd never forget. One that she'd talked to nearly every day ever since the owner had left her on a flight to California less than a year ago. A voice that belonged to—

"Surprise!"

Marinette screamed. Sounds of pure joy burst from her lips as her eyes set sight on her best friend, who had apparently travelled all the way from California and was somehow standing in front of her outside the restaurant she had planned to meet Adrien at. Her heart was pounding. She couldn't contain her excitement as she propelled herself into Alya, her muddled feelings of glee and anger for not being told that she was visiting overflowing her tiny body and sending her eyes to water with a bucket of tears.

Oh, great. There came the waterworks.

Alya smelled of lavender and honey. Her rounded stomach pressed into Marinette's own as they held each other for the first time in what felt like eons, Alya's lips connecting to her cheek in a friendly greeting that made Marinette's throat tighten with the threat of a sob.

It felt so nice to be able to see her best friend again. To be able to hold her, feel her and look at her, as if they hadn't properly spoken to each other in years; as if this was a dream she never wanted to wake from. Alya was back. Alya was home. And, as her friend's hands rubbed up and down her arms, Marinette felt as if this night couldn't possibly get any better.

That is, until she glanced over Alya's shoulder and saw Nino smiling at her tear-streaked face, his hand outstretched in a wave.

"Oh my god," she cried, squeezing Alya in a tight hold. A thought flashed in her mind that caused her to pull back, however, and she hastily apologized as she remembered that she was currently carrying a tiny human inside of her. "I'm sorry! Did I hug you too tight? Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

Alya laughed, giving her a pat on the shoulder. "I'm fine, 'Nette. I'm only pregnant, not dying."

Marinette sighed in relief.

Wow… Alya was positively glowing. She looked stunning; her red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, thick locks draping over her bare shoulders and falling nearly down to her chest. Her hair was getting long—it looked like she hadn't cut it in months. Marinette found she liked that, though. It really worked for her.

Her dress was knee length, black with off-the-shoulder long sleeves. Around her neck was a silver necklace, a matching pair of earrings dangling from her ears. She wasn't wearing heels, Marinette noticed—probably due to the fact that her feet were swollen from pregnancy.

Her baby-bump was just noticeable. Marinette had to repress the urge to cry uncontrollably for how happy she was for her best friend. Her hands reached forward momentarily but she hesitated and pulled back, terribly wanting to feel for any sort of life that might be stirring within her friend, but also respecting her personal boundaries. Although there had never really been any between the two of them in the first place.

Still, it didn't hurt to ask. "C-can I—?"

"Of course," Alya chuckled.

It was weird to feel her friend's swollen belly, knowing full well that there was a growing child inside. Though there were no kicks or any movement to be felt, Marinette smiled still, finding the whole situation overwhelming. Sure, it was a little surreal to know that her best friend since college was going to have a baby when she herself hadn't had much luck in the romance department, but it was nice, too. Nice to know that soon she'd have a little niece or nephew to look after—because while she and Alya weren't related, there was no way in hell she would let her friend's kid go without calling her "Aunt Marinette."

"You're so mean," she said, a smirk gracing her lips as she teased Alya, removing her hands from her stomach and meeting her eyes. "You flew all the way here without even telling me, you ass! I would have gotten you guys gifts and baby stuff if I had known!"

Nino stuffed his hands in the pockets of his dress pants as he let out a laugh. "Be mad at Adrien," he said. "He's the one who wanted to make this a surprise."

Jaw dropping, Marinette leaned forward, eyes bulging. "Adrien knew!?"

"Knew what?"

Turning around so fast she swore she'd given herself whiplash, Marinette's face reddened at the simple sight of Adrien. Though "simple" wasn't the best choice of words, because he looked anything but simple—with his lean frame dressed in a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his just above his elbows, black jeans and a leather belt to match, he looked good. No, better than that—he looked hot!

She swallowed. Her throat felt dry.

(Could they go inside so she could order a glass of water?)

"A-Adrien," she breathed. Standing up straight, she gave an awkward wave.

It was amazing how one cute guy could make her entire brain malfunction.

Adrien stood next to her, the thin fabric of his shirt brushing against her bare arm. His expression was soft as he gazed at her outfit, his head cokcing to the side in a way that was endearing. His eyes glowed with affection as he said, "I like that dress. You look pretty, Marinette."

"Oh, thanks," she said, a hint of laughter in her voice. "You look pretty too."

Adrien's responding smile was one that could light up the sky. "Thank you!"

"Marinette didn't like the surprise," Nino joked, throwing his arms around his best friend and wrapping him in a tight bear-hug. "She's mad that you wanted to keep our visit a secret."

Squeezing Nino in his hold, Adrien laughed. "But I only found out today when you were already in the city!"

"Because we were trying to surprise both of you! But Nino had to send a picture." Alya stepped over to the two tallest of the group and shoved herself between her fiancé and his best friend for a well-deserved group hug. "Marinette, get on in here. We're having a bonding moment."

Unwilling to be left out, Marinette's cheeks hurt from how wide her smile spread as her friends opened their arms to her, squeezing herself into their hold. It was warm; full of love and laughter and joy; a feeling that made her heart beat with the unmistakable memory of home. This was her happy place—here with her friends—and it had been too long since she'd last felt the comforting embrace of their arms and the heat that radiated off of their entwined bodies.

"I love you guys," Marinette said. Her eyes began to water a second time. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you both, too," Adrien added. Marinette felt the arm he held around her tighten. "How long are you staying for?"

Pulling away from the hug, Alya and Nino shared a glance before Alya gestured with her hand towards the glass restaurant doors. "Let's get our table, and then we'll talk."

Marinette couldn't ignore the way Adrien kept his hand against the small of her back as they walked inside the dimly-lit restaurant. Her pulse raced, fingers clenching on the strap her her purse and eyes trained on the floor.

Could he just keep his hand there? Forever?

They were seated in the back at a booth in front of one of the restaurant's many fish tanks that dotted the interior. The light from the water illuminated the surface of the table, its wooden finish glowing a faint blue. While Alya and Nino sat on one side, Adrien joined Marinette on the other, and the four of them glanced over their menus as they chatted.

His hand momentarily brushed her own as he lifted his menu. The cool metal of his ring grazed her fingers. "So, how long are you guys here for?" he asked, directing his attention to their visitors. "And where are you staying?"

Hands intertwining, Alya and Nino smiled in unison.

"Just two weeks, for now," Alya said. Her hazel eyes sparkled in excitement. "We're actually looking for houses—"

"—so we can move back not long after the baby's born," Nino finished, shooting an apologetic look to his fiancée for interrupting her. Alya gave a playful roll of her eyes and patted his hand.

"We would have liked to find a place before she arrived," she said. Her thumb moved in circles over her partner's skin, caressing his hand like it was her favorite thing to hold. "But time isn't exactly on our side, and while we're not short on money, we—"

"Wait, wait," Marinette said. She lifted up a hand to stop her friend in her tracks. "'She?' You're having a girl?!"

Adrien chimed in. "How far along are you, now?" he asked, placing his reading glasses on the collar of his shirt, as it seemed he had already decided what he was ordering as his entree.

What a shame. She'd always loved how he looked when he wore those things…

(Funny. Those glasses looked almost identical to Chat Noir's, now that she thought about it…)

"Eighteen weeks," Alya replied. A hand went to her stomach. "So… A little over four months."

"Wow," Marinette breathed. "It's still hard to believe, to be honest."

"For us, too," Nino said. "But we're excited."

The waiter came to take their orders, politely interrupting their conversation. He held a bottle of wine in his hands with an offer to fill their glasses, and immediately all eyes went to Alya.

She laughed. "Hey, don't worry about me. You guys have your fun. I'm only here for the food."

The wine was a familiar bitterness on her tongue as Marinette placed her lips to the rim of her glass.

"So, where were you guys thinking of moving?" Adrien asked as he sipped his wine. "Somewhere close or more towards the suburbs?"

Nino shot a text before pocketing his phone, eyes bright as he replied, "Well, we were hoping for a house with a yard, but anything that's available is either just outside city limits or too far away from where we grew up. So we're actually scouting for some larger apartments with two or three floors. Kind of like the home you grew up in, Marinette."

Smiling at that, she swirled her wine around in her glass. It was a red—one of her favorites—and she had tomorrow off, so there was no harm in doing a little drinking.

"I hope you guys find some place nice," she said. "Hopefully somewhere close to us. I'm always up for babysitting, you know."

Alya snickered. "Baby's not even born yet and my girl is already trying to steal her away."

"I'm just saying," Marinette laughed, finishing her glass, "that if you need baby help, don't be afraid to ask."

"Oh, I won't. Trust me." Alya smirked. "If this kid starts driving me insane you bet you're watching her for a week while I take a vacation in the Bahamas."

Nino placed his hands on his fiancée's stomach, grinning. "Don't listen to your mom, kid. We love you!"

The waiter returned shortly after to bring them their food, and they took a moment's silence to begin eating. It wasn't long before they were talking again, and after Nino had told the group a story about a surprise streaker at one of his recent shows, Marinette had found herself laughing, immensely enjoying her time out with her best friends for the first time in what felt like ages.

She was glad to see that Adrien was having a good time, too. He'd been working almost as much as she had as of late, and all she'd wanted for him these past few weeks was for him to find an opportunity to wind down and be his goofy self rather than stiffly posing for the camera for hours on end.

Adrien's eyes met hers. Caught staring, she sipped at her second (third?) glass of wine and looked away.

"Hey," Adrien said, turning his attention back to his other friends, "I bet I can guess what you guys missed most about Paris while you were gone."

Nino poured himself another glass of wine. "Besides the food and decent gun laws?"

With a laugh, Adrien said, "The akuma attacks."

Alya tapped him on the arm. "Oh, fuck you. I'm so glad that we don't have to deal with those anymore. But I'll be honest, I miss seeing Ladybug and Chat Noir in person. They're still so cool, and watching online footage isn't enough, you know? I have to be there for the real deal. I have to be the one to film it."

Though she'd given up the Ladyblog long ago to pursue her career in journalism, Alya had never lost her passion for capturing photos of the elusive superheroes. Marinette made a mental note to say hi to her in costume the next time Alya was taking a stroll through the city. Maybe she could coerce Chat into dropping in as well...

Her mouth tasted like alcohol as the night carried on. Licking her lips, Marinette poured herself another glass of wine, her eyes captivated by the way the red liquid spilled from the bottle. It swirled and splashed into the bowl of her glass until it was filled just a little over halfway, and her hands felt as if they were moving in slow motion as she set the bottle down with a soft clink against the table.

Was this her fourth glass? Fifth? She didn't know.

Adrien was talking. She wasn't sure what he was saying, but all she knew was that she loved the sound of his voice. If he could just keep talking… That would be nice. Shifting her gaze towards him, her lips curled into a wide smile, cheeks hurting from the force of her grin. He was making conversation with Nino, who—judging by the look on his face—had drank a little more than he had expected to. But it was the same in her case, anyway.

Adrien looked so… So good, so- so nice. He looked so nice sitting there with his hair brushed and his bangs combed to the side, green eyes radiating warmth like a summer's afternoon when the sun had reached its peak in the sky. He looked so nice with the top two buttons of his shirt undone, white sleeves rolled up to above his elbows and lips moving as he spoke, that soft, gorgeous voice resonating deep within her very soul…

Oh, wow.

She felt good. Adrien looked good. Tonight was good.

Everything was really bubbly and happy and Marinette just loved the way his mouth parted when he talked, how his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed his drink—yes, the same one he'd been nursing since the waiter had first offered them a glass—and she adored how his face lit up as he laughed, his dimples prominent with every smile. She wanted to kiss them, those cute little things—she wanted to kiss them and his lips and just him in general. She wanted to kiss him so bad.

...Was she drunk?

Oh, god, she lamented internally. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as Adrien caught her staring for the thousandth time that night. She quickly averted her eyes. I'm drunk and he knows I'm drunk.

Time to crawl in a hole and die!

"Marinette?" Adrien asked, his voice like honeyed silk. "Hey, Mari, you okay?"

"I have to pee," she said, intelligently allowing that statement to pass her lips against her better judgement, which had flown out the window ever since she'd first popped open the wine bottle.

Adrien's lips twitched into a slight grin, clearly amused. "Oh, sorry. Let me let you out." He slid from the booth, standing out of her path as she scooched down the seat, legs wobbly as her feet touched the floor.

Ugh. Did she really have to wear heels tonight? Did she really? Wasn't she fine just being short? Shortness was fine. Shortness was cute. She was cute as hell, short legs and all.

Oh, fuck. She had to pee.

"I'll be right back," she murmured, brushing past Adrien as she made her way to the restrooms. Adrien grabbed hold of her hand, however, steadying her feet as she stumbled.

He squeezed her knuckles. His eyes were velvet as he gazed down at her. "Hey, woah, slow down. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she insisted. She wasn't. But she was, damn it. "Just… Really gotta pee."

"Let me walk you."

Well. Alright. No way in hell she'd refuse a walk with him.

Adrien led her down the hallway, the pad of his thumb rubbing slow, gentle circles into her skin. The world felt dizzy as she followed his lead down a fuzzy sort of path that was the hallway to the restroom, and she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as Adrien told her he'd wait outside for her, the concern in his gaze oddly familiar yet not unwelcome.

Marinette wasn't sure how long she was in there. All she knew was that she was tired and that she felt a little sick, and her face burned with the heat of her blush as she realized that the last time Adrien had seen her drunk was Christmas—which, albeit many months ago, was worse than the state she was in currently—and it was just so embarrassing, because oh, she was such an emotional drunk, and now that she was alone in the bathroom thinking about how sweet and kind of a person he was, and how selfless he was to get up from his friends he hadn't seen in months to look after her of all people had her eyes welling up with tears.

She could feel Tikki's comforting touch against her arm as the little god emerged from her purse. "Are you okay?" she asked, tone delicate. "What happened, Marinette?"

"I'm okay, Tikki," she said. "I'm… I'm alright."

Was she?

Ugh. She hated feelings. She hated that she was so in love with Adrien's dumb face (it wasn't dumb, no, no) and she hated that she was staring at herself in the bathroom mirror with reddened eyes and a headache, wishing she could go home with him and curl up into his bed and kiss him all over, his roommate be damned.

Marinette wanted to kiss him so much.

"'Nette? You in here?"

Alya's voice broke her out of her stupor. Tikki zipped back into her purse in a blur of red.

Turning her head, Marinette sighed as her friend entered the bathroom, making quick work to wipe at the budding tears that threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes. Her mind felt thick with mist. "I'm h-here," she murmured, voice cracked and slurred. "I'm… fine." She had to place a hand on the counter to steady herself.

The look Alya shot her was one of disbelief. "No you're not," she said, approaching her with an arm draping around her waist, "you're crying. Why?"

Marinette shook her head. "I… I don't know."

"Are you sure?" Producing a tissue from her purse, Alya stood in front of her best friend and began to dab at her damp cheeks, brushing a strand of hair that hung loosely from her bun behind her ear. "You know you can talk to me, Marinette. Just because this is my first full day back in Paris doesn't mean that I'm not going to be here for you. You're my bestie, remember?"

Another sigh shuddered from Marinette's body. She placed her head on Alya's shoulder, her forehead pressed into the warmth of her neck. The scent of her perfume was strong and inviting. "I'm drunk."

"Well, that part was obvious," Alya laughed. She wrapped her arms around her. "Nino is, too. I'm surprised Adrien is still sober, but he did drive here, so…"

A whine rose from Marinette's lips. "Ugh, Adrien… Why's he gotta be so cute, Alya? Why do I have to like him so much… I thought for the longest time I was—I was done with that boy. But now, I…" Her thoughts were a muddled mess of emotions. "I don't know. I don't know! I'm so mad at him."

Why was she crying?

Why am I crying!?

Alya's voice was gentle. "Why are you mad? You guys are living together still, right? Did he do something?"

"No," Marinette said. "No, he'd never. He'd never be bad to me…"

"Then what's going on?"

Truth be told, Marinette was a little envious. Here Alya was, twenty-two and four months pregnant with a gorgeous ring on her finger, happily in love in a successful, long-term relationship. Alya was lucky. Alya had everything Marinette could have ever wanted in a relationship. Of course she was elated that her best friend was so happy, and she couldn't have been prouder that Alya was going to get married and be a mom, but…

At the same time, Marinette wanted that, too. Not kids—no, not yet—but she was lonely… Really lonely.

Oh, if only she'd had the courage to confess to Adrien when they were younger… Maybe they would be at the same point Alya and Nino were at, now…

(Or perhaps, if Adrien hadn't felt the same way, things would have grown increasingly awkward, and their friendship might have suffered… So maybe it was best this way.)

"I'm mad that he's so cute, and so great, and I can't have him," she bemoaned. Alya was practically holding her up at this point. "And I'm- I'm mad that he's got this crush on someone else but he acts like he's crushing on me, too, and all this past week at work he's been looking at me as if I'm someone else, like he- he recognizes another person... in me. And I'm dying inside because every time he says hi to me in the halls I just want to pull him into a closet and take off his shirt and—"

"Woah!" Alya laughed, pushing Marinette back a bit to gaze into her eyes with amusement. "Down, girl. You know, if you're so desperate to climb up that tree, why don't you just tell him how you feel? I'm sure Adrien would—"

Marinette whined. She leaned against the counter, staring down into the drain of the sink as if the answer to all of her life's problems would magically pop out of the pipes. She felt nauseous. Frustrated, she resisted the urge to bang her head against the mirror. "Can't," she mumbled. "I can't, Alya. I'm no- no good with relationships… I've never even been with anyone before in that way, I wouldn't know what to—"

"So what?" Alya asked. She stood behind her, letting Marinette's hair loose and brushing it out before fixing her bun. "There's no shame in being a virgin. You'll get there when you get there, and that's nobody's business but your own. Don't feel embarrassed about it. Some people have those experiences at younger ages and some don't. It's fine."

Still, Marinette's cheeks burned as the world floated around her.

"C'mon," encouraged Alya, giving her a pat on the back, "let's fix your makeup and go back out to our boys. They're probably wondering where we are."

When Marinette came back out of the bathroom, Adrien noticed the edges of her eyes were stained a light red. His heart dropped a few inches in his chest when she refused to meet his gaze, walking past him with Alya at her side.

"Hey," he said, speaking as softly as he could as he approached her from behind. Instinctively his hand brushed her own—it felt like a breath of fresh air as she welcomed his touch, allowing their fingers to thread together as if that's how they were made to be. "Hey, Mari… What's going on?"

"She's fine," Alya said. She gave him a reassuring look. "She's just tired and very, very drunk."

Well, he knew that. But it didn't stop him from feeling concerned for her well being. What if she was feeling sick, or- or she needed to lie down somewhere? What if her feet hurt from those heels?

He should take her home. He wanted to take her home and let her rest and tell her that things were going to be okay in the morning. He wanted to let her sleep in for once, and when she rose out of her bed he wanted to present her with a plate of her favorite breakfast foods (though he wasn't that great of a cook) like he'd often found her making on the mornings he woke up early enough to steal a taste.

"I'm f-fine…" Marinette told him. She swayed as she walked, her balance inhibited from the alcohol. "Hey, Adrien?"

His heart skipped a beat at the sound of his name. "Yeah?"

"I want cake really bad. Do they have cake here?"

"They do," Adrien said, cocking a brow in amusement. "Do you want some?"

Alya laughed. "We can order dessert."

With a slice of chocolate cake in front of her, Marinette's mood had considerably brightened. In fact, she was feeling so up in spirits that every time he looked at her she smiled so big, and every time he spoke to her he could see light sparkle in her eyes, the way her cheeks dusted pink with a blush, and how happy she became just from a simple sentence being directed at her. It was adorable, to be honest, and Adrien knew that for a fact. Her smile was too blinding for him to not find it endearing.

Alya and Nino left to the bathroom after a while, so for a few minutes it was just Marinette and himself. She was out of it, yes, but her laughter was enough to keep him entertained. Sure, her speech was a little slurred and she was acting much like she had on Christmas when he'd last seen her drunk, but it was a refreshing sight to see her out and having fun instead of being stuck at a desk all day, working herself to death at a job that didn't pay her enough for the amount of passion she carried.

(He seriously needed to have his dad give her a promotion or a raise or something.)

"You're beautiful," Marinette said suddenly, causing Adrien to give a flattered blink of surprise.

"Oh. Thank you," he said, rubbing at the back of his neck. His voice wavered as he replied, "S-so are you, Mari."

She scooted closer to him, fingers running down the skin of his arm as she placed her cheek on his bicep. "Adrien," she breathed, voice quiet, face nuzzling against his arm. He could smell the wine on her breath. "If I asked you a question, would you answer?"

"Of course," he said.

"Would... It be a good answer?"

Those big blue eyes met his own, and Adrien swore he was going to melt. "It depends on the question, I guess," he said.

There was a pause. Then, with her gaze trained on her empty plate, she whispered, "If I told you that… That I wanted to kiss you, would you? Kiss me?"

He looked at her lips.

His heart felt like it had just jumped into his throat. He wanted to say, "yes." He wanted to tell her that he'd been in love with her for years—ever since she'd first introduced herself by trapping them suspended in the air and calling herself clumsy—and that he'd do anything just to know she felt the same way. He wanted to scoop her up and kiss her cheeks and lips and face and tell her that he'd never say no to that question, ever, not once in his life.

But she was drunk. And she wasn't herself.

Instead, he smiled. Placing one of his hands over her own and giving it a gentle squeeze, he said, "Ask me that question again when you're sober, and then we'll see."

She seemed content with that response.

The night went on, the four of them sharing laughs and stories of how their lives had been while living across the ocean from each other, and at one point Nino had spilled his glass of wine on the table, which Marinette had found hilarious. The two of them both had consumed a little too much wine, but so long as they got home safety, Adrien didn't mind. It was actually pretty entertaining to see Marinette and Nino laughing over every little thing someone said or did, and if he hadn't needed to drive home, he might've joined them in their drinking.

Adrien began to feel the beginnings of sleep clutch at the back of his mind. He remained at the table, though, watching Marinette's eyes droop as she swayed. His shoulder had become her pillow at this point—that is, until he had made a quick trip to the bathroom and came back to find Alya combing her fingers through the hair of her best friend, who had fallen asleep with her head propped up on her arms.

It was then Adrien knew that it was time to go home.

With the bill paid and an apology to the restaurant staff for staying so long, Adrien watched as Alya attempted to wake their sleeping friend. Maris only groaned and grumbled in resistance as she urged her to get up. With a roll of her eyes, Alya asked, "Adrien, you're sober, right?"

Adrien nodded. He'd only had one glass. "I'm fine. I'll take her home with me."

"Alright," Alya said. She flashed him a kind smile. "Hopefully she won't kick you for waking her up. Marinette's so mean when she gets woken up sometimes, it's funny."

"Oh, I'm aware," Adrien laughed. "I live with her, remember?"

Lifting her from the booth with a hand supporting her head, Adrien relished in the warmth of her body heat, his heart picking up its pace she pressed her face against his chest. The roll of thunder greeted the group as they walked outside, and as delicate droplets of water began to careen from the sky, Adrien made haste to get Marinette to his car as quickly as possible.

Her hair was soft against the tips of his knuckles as he supported her head, thin wisps of black tresses that carded through his fingers like silk. The road was dark—the yellow street lamps casting a faint golden glow across Marinette's face as a breeze kissed his back, paired with the chill of pale moonlight—and the fabric of her dress brushed against his hands once he set her down in the back of his car.

Marinette was beautiful. That was no mystery. Adrien had known that since he was fourteen and stumbled into their collège homeroom for the first time, seven years ago and counting. She was breathtaking, really, even when she was angry or upset, or on the rare circumstance, completely wasted in the backseat of his borrowed Maserati.

He shook his head with a smile gracing his lips. She was funny like that, laughing and flirting and throwing her social filter completely in the trash, and he couldn't help but cover a hand over his mouth as he stifled a laugh. He glanced to the backseat to make sure that he hadn't stirred her rest.

Alya approached him from behind and he welcomed the hug she pulled him into, giving her a light squeeze and a promise to see them both again soon. Nino did his best to stand upright as Adrien wrapped his arms around him and bid the pair goodnight.

With his friends gone and Marinette resting in his car, Adrien sat down in the driver's seat and buckled up, glancing toward the rear-view mirror to check on her. She was sitting there with a content expression on her face, which eased his nerves about whether or not she was feeling sick.

He was relieved to see her so deep asleep. She needed her rest; he'd let her sleep the whole way home. He'd hate to be the one to wake her after a grueling last few weeks as one of his father's junior designers. Marinette had been stressed to the point of tears as of late, but he didn't blame her—the summer line was something his father took seriously, and his employees tended to suffer from his "all-work, no-break" attitude.

It made Adrien happy to see her sitting so peacefully in the backseat, red-flushed cheek pressed against the window, which was foggy and cool from the beginning showers of rain outside. Her hair was messy, cascading from the bun it had been so perfectly pulled into just a few hours before, and her eyelashes twitched against her freckles as she dozed, oblivious to the world outside her dreams. It was cute—she was cute.

He hoped she was feeling okay. He hadn't seen her like—like that since last Christmas, when she'd attempted to steal an entire ham. But he hadn't been much better then, either.

At least he was sober now. Unlike his friends, he'd gone light on the drinking tonight. Save for Alya, of course, who was four months pregnant and couldn't swallow a drop of alcohol. But they had fun regardless.

Dinner had tasted great, they'd told jokes and laughed until they couldn't breathe, and Adrien had been able to spend time with his best friend again. He hadn't really realized how much he'd missed Nino until he enveloped him in the tightest bear-hug he could manage, since the last time they'd touched each other was when Nino had left him at the airport before he boarded his flight to California.

It felt so good to have everyone together again. And the fact that Alya and Nino were scouting places to live in the area was even better. Especially since they'd be moving back to Paris just a little while after their daughter was born. Daughter, he had to keep reminding himself, because it was still so surreal that Nino was going to have a baby.

Marinette shifted slightly in the backseat. Glancing back at her, Adrien started up the car, thankful that the engine was quiet. The rain poured on outside as he drove. Gutters were flowing with water, the asphalt slick from the storm that raged above them. Neon lights of shops and restaurants passed by like blurred dots in the night, reflecting in the various puddles that scattered the sidewalks and streets. Most people were inside in this kind of weather—it was past midnight, as well—so the city was calm save for the one or two civilians that hurried by in their umbrellas and rain boots, splashing in the pools as they went.

The drive home was quiet.

As he pulled into their complex, Adrien unbuckled, his bangs blowing from his forehead as he let out a sigh. He'd wait until the rain stopped before he brought Marinette home, he decided. He really didn't care for the idea of waking his friend with a splash of rainwater in the face. She might get sick!

His arms, cold from the air conditioning blasting against his damp skin, wrapped themselves around his body while he sat. The clock on his dash read twelve-forty-five A.M. Sleepiness had long since trickled its way into his eyelids, but Adrien fought it off with a yawn, resting his head against the headrest after a stolen glance at his friend in the backseat. She was still asleep, thankfully—but she did look uncomfortable with her neck turned like that, shoulder against the locked door and lips parted just slightly.

Adrien's face hurt from how wide he smiled.

The rain stopped after about fifteen minutes. Switching off the engine and stuffing his car keys into his pocket, he stood from the vehicle, his foot making contact with a poorly-placed puddle that sent a chill up his spine.

Oh, nice. Now he'd have to dry his shoes outside on the balcony for the night.

He opened the door Marinette was leaning on and caught her before she slipped out of the car. It was surprising, seeing her still deep asleep after she'd nearly fallen into a puddle, but Adrien guessed it shouldn't have been. She'd drank enough to last her all the way until tomorrow—and he knew for a fact Marinette normally didn't drink much. Not around him, at least.

She was light in his arms, the fabric of her dress damp from the trickling raindrops that fell from the overhang of the complex roof as he carried her. A strap began to slide down her shoulder. He fixed it before it could travel too far.

Thankfully there was nobody in the lobby as he carried her through it—he really hadn't been in the mood to explain to wandering eyes why he was carrying an unconscious girl up to his apartment, even if his intentions were purely to put her to bed with some aspirin and a glass of water on the nightstand by her side.

The elevator ride was agonizingly slow. He was so tired. All he wanted to do was tuck Marinette in and crash hard into his own bed, pajamas be damned. It was late and he was a little cranky, and he really wanted to take his shoes off, but—

But as Marinette nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck, and the tip of her nose grazed the surface of his heated skin with the slightest accidental brush of her lips to his collarbone, he felt over the moon. The night couldn't possibly get any better now, not when she was here with him. Nothing could compare to the giddiness he felt inside.

Her breath was hot against him, warming him with every gentle exhale. It was a welcome change from the rainwater that chilled him to the bone.

The elevator dinged as it hit their floor.

She was so soft, he thought, carrying her effortlessly down the hall. So soft and warm and she smelled so sweet, even as the scent of alcohol tainted her breath. She was soft and she was home here in his arms—at least, she was to him—and nothing had ever felt more right than it did in this moment.

Adrien was happy. Happy to be awake and here with Marinette and happy that he was able to bring her home safely to the warmth of their place, where a clean, cozy bed was awaiting her, beckoning him to place her down in its embrace.

He nearly tripped over the welcome mat as he entered the apartment. He used his shoulder to turn on the living room light so he wasn't fumbling around in the dark with his sleeping friend in his arms, careful to step around the couch instead of slamming his body into it like he'd done one too many times late after work when the lights were off and he didn't want to disturb his Lady.

The trek to her bedroom was a short one. With his foot he opened the door, eyes squinting in the black of the night. His feet navigated blindly around the floor as nothing but the pale moonlight permeated through the curtains that hung in front of the window, white and shining from the glimmer of the moon. With a wince he stepped on something hard and had to force his teeth down on his bottom lip to suppress the curse he so badly wanted to emit.

Damn it, Ladybug, you're always on my ass about cleaning up my shit, he thought, smiling despite himself. There was no way Adrien could stay mad at her.

His fingers combed through Marinette's hair as he leaned over the bed. Palm connected to the back of her head, he lowered her until her shoulders connected with the cushioning of her pillows, allowing her to relax atop the bedsheets. Her hands—so delicate and warm to his touch—were curled into loose fists, and as he trailed his fingers down her bare arm, his cheeks blossomed with color, heart swelling with affection. He sat next to her in the darkness, no light nor sound rising in the air save for the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

It was strange, how perfectly their hands interlocked—almost as if his large, calloused fingers were meant to fold between her own thin ones. Her knuckles were smooth as he ran his thumb over them, taking in every inch, every detail of the way it felt so simply hold her in his grasp. He moved her bangs away from her eyes, the movement causing his ring to clink against the metal of her earrings—and he smiled, because he knew those earrings. He'd known them for a little while, now. And though the information was still overwhelming, Adrien knew he couldn't be more excited with what he'd learned.

His heart was erratic in his chest. Breathing in, he gave her hand a squeeze before he stood from her bed and began to exit her room, but he paused in her doorway to glance back at her one last time.

"Night, Ladybug," he said to her. "Sleep well."

Then he shut her door, switched out the hall light, and went to bed.

A/N: I’m adding my note here from ao3 because I know I’m bound to get questions. So, here: If you have any questions about how he realized it, don't worry! those will all be answered in the next update as we go over adrien's thought process and what exactly had been going through his mind throughout the past few weeks. so... don't yell at me if it doesn't all make sense yet, it will eventually lmao

#miraculous ladybug #adrinette #adrienette #ladynoir #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #a simple suggestion #ml fic #my writings #my writing #long post #if you're reading this i DID ADD A READMORE OPTION #tumblr is just dumb as fuck and doesnt like to work with that

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