Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was just another summer day in Paris, and like any other day, Marinette was running late.

See, she’d never been a punctual person. She loved staying up late reading and sleeping in to live in her dreams longer.

Most days, it didn’t bother her much. She owned a bookstore in the heart of Paris with one of her best friends, Tikki, so she could decide when to come into work. Most days, she managed to make it within the first 10 minutes of opening, and she always had pastries that her parents left out for her as an apology.

But this morning, Marinette couldn’t afford to be late. She had a delivery scheduled early, and it was Tikki’s day off. She deserved it after all - she always worked so hard, and barely took time for herself.

So, Marinette found herself jogging to work in the early hours of a Tuesday morning.

As she ran through her neighbourhood, she couldn’t help herself but smile and wave at all the other shops opening. There was already a queue outside her parents’ bakery, a few houses down from her own - they were the best bakery in Paris after all, and their croissants and macarons could rival the best pâtissiers in the world. She saw Ivan and Mylene in their deli, cleaning up tables and organising stock. There was Rose and Juleka’s flower shop, and Marinette could hear them laugh about a new plant they’d gotten in.

There were also Chloe and Sabrina, sat at a table outside a small café, drinking their usual morning tea. Since they left high school a few years ago, Chloe and Sabrina had gone through major development and had apologised to their classmates for the way they acted when they were younger. Chloe especially. She was lonely and bitter, bitter that everyone else was happier at home. And she took it out on people.

So, when one day they both walked into her bookshop with a bouquet of flowers and a chocolate cake to apologise, Marinette’s only reaction was to drop the book she was holding and take Chloe and Sabrina into her arms. She’d always been understanding and forgiving, and she was just glad to see all her classmates live close by and get along.

Marinette shot a wave at the two girls, who were reading a tabloid and whispering about some other movie star, and grabbed her keys to unlock the bookshop.

La Coccinelle was Marinette and Tikki’s big project. They had met at a bookshop in Notting Hill the summer after Marinette had finished high school, and when they’d realised they both lived in Paris, had decided to keep in touch. There began an unusual friendship: fresh-out-of-school Marinette, with bright eyes and big dreams, and middle-aged, married Tikki, with more love to give than anyone else.

They bonded at first over text, talking about what kind of books they read; they both adored thrillers and murder mysteries. Then, when Marinette found out Tikki had an enormous sweet tooth, she had invited her to her parent’s bakery. Her mother had seen them, surrounded by books and coffee, and jokingly said they should open a bookshop together.

And the rest is history.

Marinette looked around La Coccinelle, at the scatted books on the floor and mismatched shelves, at the flowers that were definitely on the verge of dying, at the early morning sunlight streaking through the skylights. She sighed, dropped her bag on the floor and her jacket on the counter, and ran to the back to open the door for the delivery man.

Once she’d dealt with him and have a chat over a cup of tea about a recent movie, she turned on the lights and decided to clean the counter. She still had half an hour before she had to open, and Tikki would kill her if she saw the state Marinette had left the shop in last night.

It’s not that she wasn’t a clean person - she was! But she had promised Alya, her flatmate, that she’d get home early so they could have a movie marathon of the Blue Sky series. And, to that, Marinette couldn’t refuse.

The Blue Sky series was her favourite movie series of all time, and not only because they were based on one of her favourite book series. Mostly, she adored them so much because of the main actor - Adrien Agrèste.

He had been all the rave for years now, at first model then turned actor, born in Paris but moved to New York at 14 for family reasons. He had this aura, this energy, that just drew your eyes in, stopped your breath, and made you think. Whether it was his blond hair, his green eyes, his tan skin, his model smile, or his lean muscles, everyone would possibly argue he was a real star, in every sense of the word.

He was a star because of how much he shone. Because of how much emotion he could make anyone feel. And that’s what made Marinette love the Blue Sky series so much - and Adrien: how he made her feel.

Truth be told, she had met him once, on a cold winter day in Paris, all those years ago when they were both 14. He had been sat on a bench, watching the snow fall on the ground. He had a red nose, but even redder eyes. So when Marinette saw him, she couldn’t help but feel sad for the lonely boy, and despite being late for class, she stopped by him and gave her her hot chocolate - in her reusable cup and all! - and after making sure she smiled at him, ran off before being scolder, again.

Seeing him again, all those years after, in the first Blue Sky movie, made her pause. He had been familiar, that day on the bench in the snow, but she hadn’t thought anything of it. But she really had just helped a famous boy by giving him her favourite reusable cup.

He had just looked so sad, and she wondered if he still felt the same -

“Hello? Is the shop open yet?”

Marinette snapped out of her day dreaming and looked up towards the front door. There, basked in rays of sunshine, stood Adrien.

She had to force her mouth into a close smile and tried as best as she could to school her expression.

“Not yet, no,” she answered, but quickly added, “But if you want to browse, I won’t stop you! I just needed to clean the counter quickly. You see, I left in a hurry last night and didn’t have time to clean the coffee that I split yesterday, and I also have to throw away the flowers that are definitely too old to still be up, and we don’t want fruit flies flying around old books!”

Marinette realised she was rambling and blushed.

“Sorry for rambling, I’m still a bit tired if I’m being honest. You can definitely have a look around, feel free to pick up any book too!”

Adrien gave her a small smile and dove into the first bookshelf he saw.

‘Damn it, Mari, you’re not a child or a schoolgirl with a crush! Stop acting like he’s a god and get a grip,’ she thought to herself, going back to tidying up the counter.

After a few minutes of silence, she peaked up from behind the till to see what Adrien was doing. He was holding up a Murakami book, 1Q84, and was reading the summary at the back.

“That’s one of my favourite books,” Marinette said before she could stop herself. “That version only has the first and second book included, but I have an edition right over there has all three books in one! It’s a bit more expensive, and way heavier, but definitely better if you want to read it all in one night.”

And when Adrien smiled at her, she decided she’d go the extra mile for him. So, she got up properly and walked over to the bookshelf in the corner that held the house favourites. But, well. Could she ever do anything smoothly?

She forgot to pick up her bag and tripped over the straps. She prepared herself to hit the floor, embarrass herself in front of Adrien Agrèste, the Adrien Agrèste. She prepared herself to be swallowed up in a black hole because whatever waited for her on the other side of one, couldn’t be as bad as tripping in front of the most beautiful man on earth.

Marinette had prepared herself for every possible scenario, but not the one where she fell straight into Adrien’s arms.

Chapter Text

It was a sunny Tuesday morning, and Adrien had never felt more free.

You see, for most of his life, he’d been told what to do, what to wear, what to say, and where to go. And yes, maybe he did have a relatively busy schedule this week, with the release of the new Blue Sky movie, but he had two days off nonetheless. And that was rare.

It hadn’t always been like this. When his mother was still alive, and his father was kinder. She’d let him play in parks and gardens, and he’d smile at the young boy before busying himself with work.

They’d been happy, all together. His mother made his big house feel warm and cozy and homey. Sometimes, when he couldn’t sleep at night because of nightmares, he’d wander the halls to his parent's bedroom, and climb into their bed. And no matter how tired they all were, his parents always took him in their arms and held him tight all night.

When he was 12 years old, and he’d felt he’d outgrown sleeping in their bed whenever he had a nightmare, Adrien asked for a kitten. He’d seen one on TV one day, in an advert for some kind of store - and he just wanted one, ok?

So he and his mother went to a local pet shelter. Adrien had been amazed at how many animals needed a home. He wanted to take them all in, but his mother had kindly told him he couldn’t.

“Think of all the other little children around Paris that also want a best friend,” she’d said while wiping a tear away. “You want a best friend, and so do they! If you chose, someone else will be able to have their own too!”

She’d always been so kind, and thoughtful, and selfless.

(Adrien had played this scene over and over again in his head, ever since she died. And he now knew she was wrong, that most of the pets here didn’t get a happy ending. But he wanted to keep believing in the fantasy).

Adrien straightened up, and looked around: she was right. He only needed one, and that meant others could get one too!

As his eyes scoured the room, he noticed one specific cat, in the corner of its cage. As he stepped towards it, he realised how small the cat - kitten? - was, and how sad it looked.

“Why does he look so sad, mama?”

“Kittens who live here usually haven’t lived a very happy life before, honey. That’s why they’re here; they just needed more love than they were given.”“I want this one, mama. He looks sadder than all the others, and our house is big enough for him to run around in! Please mama, let me have him!”

His mother looked around the shelter, called over a worker, and smiled towards to cage.

And that’s how Adrien got Camembert, his cat.

They’d been together through everything: his modeling shoots, his nearly first day of (NOT) home-school, his mother’s death, his move to New York, the start of his acting career, every movie premiere, and now, his return to Paris.

A car pulled Adrien out of his daydream.

He was back in Paris for movie promotions, but his father had agreed that, as long as he stuck to his schedule tightly, he could stay here for a few months. Adrien couldn’t be happier: a few photoshoots here and there, a couple of interview days a week, and so much deserved downtime.

Ever since leaving after his mother’s funeral, he’d only be back twice, both times to promote his movies on European tours, so, even though he was technically Parisian, he’d never actually visited Paris.

Today was his first free day. And he tended to enjoy it.

He’d heard from Chloe, his childhood friend, that the street he was walking down was one of the best streets in Paris. He could see a florist, a deli, a bakery, a bookshop, a cafe and - was that Chloe?

“Adrien?!”That answered his question.

He jogged over to the table, where Chloe and another girl were sat.

“Hi, Chloe! How are you do -”

Before he could finish his sentence, Chloe dragged him into a hug. “Oh, I’ve missed you, Adrien! I knew you were coming to Paris soon but I didn’t know so soon! Come sit down with us for a coffee!”

He sat down and ordered an oat milk cappuccino from a nearby waiter. Did Chloe seem nicer? Smilier than she was before?

“This is Sabrina, by the way. She’s been my best friend for years!”, Chloe said, while putting a hand around the other girl’s shoulder. Was she touchier too?

“Hi Adrien, I’ve heard so much about you!” Sabrina squealed.

“Be cool, babe! He’s just a dork like the rest of us,” whispered Chloe, but Adrien heard.

“So, Adrikins, what are you doing in Paris so soon? And what are you doing walking around so early in the morning? Most shops haven’t even opened yet.”

“I just wanted to explore Paris as much as possible before I had to do any promotions for my movie. I thought it’d be nicer to walk around before tourists were everywhere.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a girl run down the street towards the bookshop. He looked away as the waiter arrived with his drink, and pay for it.

“And what are you two doing here so early then? I clearly remember you hating mornings when we were kids, Chlo.”

Sabrina answered before the blonde could. “Oh, we come here every morning! Ever since we’ve made up with our classmates, we like to see them every day! This café belongs to my aunt, so it’s also the perfect place to be!”Adrien remembered Chloe mentioning this, in one of their calls; that she’d recently made up with her classmates from school after being so mean to them for so long. He was proud of her, and kind of felt like it was thanks to him: he had mentioned therapy to her, to deal with her mother’s departure, and she’d obviously listened.

His thoughts were interrupted as Chloe’s phone rang.

“Hi, daddy! Yes, I’m at the café with Sabrina! Now? Ok, we’re on our way, see you soon,” she answered, and hung up. “Sorry Adrikins, we have to go. Official duties and all. Text me whenever if you want to hang out, I miss going shopping with you!”

She gave him another hug, and Sabrina waved goodbye, as they both left their seats and strutted away.

Adrien was glad she’d grown to be a nicer person. Yes, she was his first friend, but he could still recognise that she had never really been the nicest. So it was nice to see her smile, be so affectionate, and laugh a laugh that wasn’t sarcastic or mean.

He took a book from his bag and finished his cappuccino slowly. He hadn’t been able to do that, read and drink in a café, outside, in so long. It felt nice.

Soon, his eyes ran over the last words of his book, and he closed it. That was something else he hadn’t done in forever: finish a book. He sighed and looked up to the clouds in the sky.

The weather was still cool this early in the morning, so he wrapped his jacket around him. He loved how he felt, at this very moment, how free he felt, and he didn’t want it to end.

Adrien got up and decided to buy a new book. He was on a roll and didn’t want his streak to end, (yes, he had only finished one book, but that’s where everyone starts, right?) and he had seen a bookshop in the corner of the street.

He got up, grabbed his tote bag, and after leaving a tip on the table, walked towards the bookshop.

It’s only as he opened the door, and saw the running girl at the counter, tidying and cleaning, that he realised how early it still was, and how they were probably closed.

“Hello? Is the shop open yet?”

The girl lifted her eyes, and he stopped dead in his tracks.

She had the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. They were blue, blue like the sky he just started at, blue like the freedom he felt, blue like the sea he loved so much.

She had long dark hair, tied in two loose braids, hanging off her shoulder. She was wearing a long white dress with puffy sleeves, that left her shoulders a bit exposed. He could see freckles! His mother had freckles. She had a slight blush covering her cheeks (and freckles!), and her mouth was slightly ajar. Her lips were so pink and - why was he staring? What was he doing?

“Not yet, no,” she answered, smiling. “But if you want to browse, I won’t stop you! I just needed to clean the counter quickly. You see, I left in a hurry last night and didn’t have time to clean the coffee that I split yesterday, and I also have to throw away the flowers that are definitely too old to still be up, and we don’t want fruit flies flying around old books!”

Her eyes opened wide and she blushed a bit harder.

“Sorry for rambling, I’m still a bit tired if I’m being honest. You can definitely have a look around, feel free to pick up any book too!”

Adrien gave her a small smile and dove into a nearby bookshelf.

He wasn’t looking for any book, in particular, just something he could read quickly and that he’d love. He picked up the first one he saw, 1Q84, and turned it around.

He couldn’t actually focus on the text. All he could think about was her blue, blue eyes, her freckled cheeks and shoulders, her pink blush and pink lips, and how pretty her smile was. And honestly, he really shouldn’t be thinking about girls that way, not when he didn’t know how long he’d be here for, and especially considering he -

“That’s one of my favourite books,” the girl said, interrupting his thoughts. “That version only has the first and second book included, but I have an edition right over there has all three books in one! It’s a bit more expensive, and way heavier, but definitely better if you want to read it all in one night.”

Adrien saw her point towards a bookshelf in the corner, one that read ‘House Favourites’ on the top.

He saw her move around the corner, but he also noticed the bag that was left on the floor. A bag that the girl had not seen.

Before he could stop himself, he rushed over, and caught the girl in his arms.

“Hi,” he whispered, once she opened her eyes.

She just stared back, with those big, blue, sparkly eyes.

Chapter Text

Marinette had always been clumsy.

She couldn’t remember the number of times she’d tripped over her feet while holding heavy flour bags at her parent’s bakery; the countless times she fell into puddles when she was rushing to work; every instance where she walked into a lamppost or a wall because she was distracted by the sky or a book.

Clumsiness wasn’t new to Marinette, but it had never felt as embarrassing as when she was leaning against Adrien Agrèste’s shirt, staring into his eyes, with a raging blush on her face.

“Hi,” he had whispered.

She could only stare back.

She had never prepared for anything like this to happen. What is anyone even supposed to do when you, literally, fall into the arms of your celebrity crush? Especially when he was staring at her so earnestly, with the most genuine eyes she’d ever seen-

“Are you ok?”

Adrien’s words snapped her out of her thoughts, and she quickly stood up and straightened her clothes.

“I’m so so sorry,” she started, waving her hands around. “I’m just the clumsiest person in existence, I should have been more careful, and I definitely should have put my bag away sooner. I feel so bad, I could have ruined your clothes! Oh god, are your clothes ok? They look so expensive, I mean exquisite, and I wouldn’t want to ruin them! And are you ok? I just fell for you, I mean right on you, I mean onto you, you could have been hurt! Is everything ok?”

Marinette knew that whenever she got agitated or stressed, she talked with her hands. So it wasn’t really a surprise that as soon as she mentioned Adrien’s clothes being ruined, she started running her hands all over his chest.

“Uh, I’m fine?”

His words startled her, and she took a step back.

“I’m so sorry, oh my goodness. Today’s really not my day, is it?” Marinette said with a blush and an awkward giggle.

Thankfully, Adrien laughed back.

“Don’t worry, it really is my fault, coming in before you’ve opened,” he said with a shy smile. “I had just finished my book, and I was so excited to start a new one.”“Oh please, don’t apologise! I’m such a klutz!”

“It’s ok, I promise!”

They both smiled at each other, a blush slightly grazing their cheeks.

Marinette snapped out of her daze and reached over to the corner bookshelf to grab 1Q84. It was a heavy novel, with a black cover and a dark red flower. It was her own personal book, like most of the books that were on the corner shelf. It had scribbles next to every new paragraph, dog eared-pages, and a broken spine. It wasn’t a pretty book to look at, but - what is it that people say? - don’t judge a book by its cover?

She smiled down at it, remembering the first time she read it (she was 12, and wanted to expand her library to books that weren’t so European), the second time she read it (she was 15 and had tried getting over a crush on a classmate, and this book was the first one she saw when she got home), the third time (she was 18, it was the summer before starting university, and she was so stressed), and the fourth time (she was 20, she and Tikki were about to open La Coccinelle, and she had been so excited she had wanted to re-read her favourite novel).

“Here you go,” she said as she handed the book to Adrien. “It’s been read so many times, and it doesn’t look that good, but I swear Murakami’s one of the best authors you’ll ever read.”

“Thanks! I’ll definitely get that then!” Adrien answered with a warm smile.

As she walked over to the counter, and purposely picked up her bag, shoving it onto the armchair, she heard the front door open again.

“Is that Adrien Agrèste?!”

Both Marinette and Adrien snapped their heads to the voice, and they saw a man who was in his mid-thirties, staring excitingly at the actor. Before either of them could answer, the man continued.

“Oh my god, it is! Could I have a photo? And an autograph? I won’t tell anyone you’re here if you do!”Marinette noticed Adrien tense up and put on a smile that looked so different to the one he had shared with her just a bit earlier. She decided not to pry, and went behind the counter, hoping to finally get it cleaned and ready to go.

While cleaning up the coffee stain, she heard Adrien answer a quick, “of course, it’d be my pleasure”, then a quick snap of a camera, a couple of goodbyes, and once again, she was left alone in the shop with the model.

“Sorry about that,” she heard him whisper. “I was really hoping to lay low for a couple of days before any promotion started for my new movie.”“Don’t worry about it,” she smiled back. As uncomfortable as she was feeling, being so close to her celebrity crush, she could push aside her feelings for a minute to make him feel better. “It’s probably good publicity for the bookshop, to see you here. So thank you!”

He laughed at that, and it sounded a bit more genuine than she had heard earlier. She decided, then and there, that she’d love to hear that specific laugh again.

“I think I’ll only get this book if that’s ok?”

Right. She worked in a bookshop to sell books.

“Of course, I’ll ring that up for you now! And actually, I’ll throw in this other Murakami for free. It’d be silly to start reading one of the best authors of all time, and not read more than one of his stories. Just trust me on this, ok?” She added the last part with a wink.

‘Oh my god, I just winked at Adrien Agrèste! Who am I? Who do I think I am? Oh my god, oh my god, oh my go-

“Thanks so much! That’s so kind of you, I really appreciate it!” And there was that smile again.

They both stood there for a second, just smiling.

Adrien was the first one to talk: “I have to go now, I really want to sightsee a bit more. But thank you again!”

“Honestly, thank you! Have a nice day, ok?”

He waved at her as he left the store, and she weakly waved back.

**

The day went by quickly, but all Marinette could think about was Adrien.

He was even more beautiful up close, and he had such a kind and soft voice. And his eyes! Oh god, his eyes! As soon as she got home, she’d have to tell Alya all about it.

When the clock struck 3, Marinette waved the last customer goodbye and locked the door behind them. This time, she’d clean up now, instead of waiting until tomorrow. So she grabbed the broom that was in the corner and started sweeping up the floor.

Her mind quickly wandered back to this morning’s events. She still couldn’t believe that THE Adrien Agrèste had waltzed into her bookshop and that she fell into his arms. She wondered if she’d ever see him again? Maybe he was thinking about her too?

‘No,’ she thought. ‘Life isn’t a fairytale, it doesn’t work like that. Why would he be thinking of me? Little old Marinette, who’s clumsy and babbles on about books for no reason. I really wish I could see him again though…’

Her thoughts trailed off as she finished sweeping the floor. She put the broom back and turned off the lights. The bookshop hadn’t been that busy today, so there wasn’t too big of a mess. She grabbed her bag, slid a new arrival in it to read this evening, and locked the door behind her as she walked out.

It was moments like this when Marinette had never been happier to own her own shop because it meant she could lock up whenever she wanted. She felt the sun on her skin and wished she’d grabbed sun cream so she could sit by the Seine and read her new book. Thankfully, she didn’t live far, so she could go grab it and head back out? Hopefully, Alya was done with work too, and they could go together, grab a drink later too.

Marinette looked up. The sky was so blue today, and the clouds were fluffy and white. Looking around, everyone looked happy. It was that kind of day, the one where people couldn’t help but smile because of the sun. Parisian summers really were the best, she pondered.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t bother to check around the corner. And so when she crashed into someone, she shouldn’t have been that surprised really.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t looking at where I was going, I really should have been more careful!”

Before she even looked up, she heard a laugh. “Guess you just keep falling for me, huh?”

She snapped her head up and saw green eyes staring back at her.

Oh god, it was Adrien again.

“Oh my god,” she sighed into her hands. “I’m so sorry for running into you again and - wait, did I also spill your coffee all over you?!”

She just noticed that his white shirt was now brown with coffee, and a teeny bit see-through too?

“Oh, yeah, I guess that too,” Adrien answered, scratching his neck.

“Let me take you home, I mean to bring you to mine! For a change of clothes, that is!”

“Oh no, don’t worry, please! I don’t want you going out of your way for me!”

“I insist, please! Or at least let me buy you a new coffee!”

“I’m fine, truly. I shouldn’t even be having coffee, to begin with, so you kind of helped me with this.”

“Well, at least let me offer you a new shirt! I live close by, you wouldn’t even be going on a detour!”

To that, Adrien paused for a second. And quickly, Marinette words caught up to her. Was it even legal for her to invite a celebrity over to her place to change shirts? Did that mean Adrien would be naked in her flat?

He interrupted her thoughts. “How far do you live? I really don’t want to bother you, and I feel like I should be getting back to my hotel sooner rather than later.”

“Oh, just there, across the street! The house with the red door, that’s me!” She added with a small laugh.

“Ok then, lead the way.”

They rushed in silence towards the red door; they really didn’t want to bring too much attention to themselves.

As Marinette unlocked the front door, she remembered that her flat was definitely not clean, and started panicking.

“Ok, this is going to sound weird,” she said, turning towards Adrien. “But please wait for a second in the hallway. I just need to sort something out, it won’t take a minute!”

Before he could even answer, she rushed towards the kitchen. Quickly, she grabbed vegetables that were on the counter and threw them in the fridge. She shoved the bread into the bread bin, put dirty dishes into the sink, closed a few cupboards, opened the window for fresh air, and straightened out the rug on the floor.

‘Ok, Marinette. You’ve got this. The kitchen is clean, and Adrien is in the hallway waiting for you. It’ll be fine.’

“Um, can I come in?”

She saw Adrien peak his head around the door, and she gave a small laugh.

“Of course, of course,” she told him, leading him towards the bathroom (which was clean, thank you very much. Alya had made a point to alternate cleaning it, and she had been on the job the day before, so no worries there). “The bathroom’s right there, let me grab a shirt quickly.”

She ran to her room, grabbed the first shirt she saw, and ran back out, slamming the door behind her. Adrien would NOT see the posters of him that were in the room.

“Here you go,” she told him, handing out the shirt. “Hopefully it fits!”

“Thank you so much - I just realised I never got your name! Oh god, how rude of me!”

He looked so worried, at that moment, that Marinette almost felt bad for him. She laughed at his face, and how ashamed he looked. “It’s Marinette,” she said, still giggling. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

“Well, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, it’s lovely to meet you - again. I’ll go get changed now.”

Marinette allowed herself to freak out a bit while he went into the bathroom. She was so, so glad Alya wasn’t home yet, or she would have screamed.

Right. What was she supposed to do now? Offer him coffee? No, he said he shouldn’t be drinking any. Tea and cake? No, he said he had to be heading back soon. She really wanted to keep seeing him but didn’t know how to ask him without sounding like a stalker. She’d risked it, asking him to come over, but he still said yes. He was too kind.

She saw out of the corner of her eye Adrien come out of the bathroom, wearing a (very) tight-looking white shirt.

“It fits!” He exclaimed. “Well, kind of. Thank you again for this, Marinette. It’s very kind of you.”

“Oh, hush. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even have been in this situation, to begin with!” At that, they both laughed. Marinette thought of how nice it felt, to see him so happy.

“I think I have to go now but thank you again. You really helped me, and I appreciate that.”

She walked him to her front door, and as she opened the door, she smiled widely at him.

“No, thank you for today,” she answered. “I know we barely just met, but I really enjoyed spending time with you.”

“Today was nice,” he said as he waved at her.

“Surreal, but nice,” she waved back before the reality of her words crashed into her and her cheeks began burning a scarlet red. She slammed the door and crouched down.

“I just told him it was surreal to meet him,” she whispered to herself. “Why would I do that?!”

Chapter Text

There was a knock at the door.

Marinette quickly got up, straightened out her clothes, and opened the door.

It was Adrien. It was Adrien?

“Adrien?”

“Sorry Marinette, I think I forgot my bag on the kitchen table.”

She turned around and, indeed, saw his tote bag peek through the kitchen door.

“Oh, I’ll go get it now!”

She quickly rushed to the kitchen, grabbed the bag, and handed it over to him.

“Thanks again,” he smiled at her.

“That’s ok! Really, I’m just glad you didn’t forget your new Murakami books!” She laughed slightly. He just stared back at her, still smiling.

“You know,” he started, breaking the silence. “You really made my day a whole lot better. I didn’t expect to run into someone so…” He hesitated for a bit.

“Someone so?” She prodded.

“…Someone so beautiful.”

Marinette flinched. Did Adrien Agrèste just call her beautiful? Her? Beautiful? A blush quickly took over her face.

“What- what do you mean?” She stammered, eyes growing wider by the second.

“You’re beautiful, Marinette,” he answered, leaning ever so slightly towards her.

The air around them both suddenly grew hot and tense, yet Marinette felt shivers run up her spine. She couldn’t stop staring into Adrien’s green eyes, and they were staring straight back at her, shining with someone she couldn’t quite pinpoint.

He leaned closer, impossibly closer. She felt herself lean up (he was taller than her, so much taller than her, definitely over a foot taller) and close her eyes. She saw him do the same.

Marinette felt her hands move against her will, towards his shirt’s lapels. She felt one of his hands slide up against her face, the other grabbing her waste. She could feel, feel, feel, every inch of their interlocking skin, she could feel his breath edging closer and closer to her mouth and -

They were kissing.

Do You know how in books, they say that kissing is fireworks? That kissing is like electricity running through your blood? That it’s exciting and thrilling and awakening? That it tastes like wildfire and energy? That kissing is red?

Kissing Adrien wasn’t like that. He was warm, he was comforting. The way he held her waist and her face as if to keep her safe.

If kissing in books was a wildfire, then kissing him felt like sitting in front of one at home, surrounded by joy and happiness and calm. If kissing in books was red, then kissing him was yellow, like a summer day, like a flower field, like a soup your mother would make you when you’re sick, like his golden hair.

Marinette’s hands reached for his hair as she leaned deeper into the kiss because, well, what else could she do? She wanted this feeling to last forever, she wanted to feel this sensation longer, to feel every inch of warmth that oozed out of him so abundantly.

Slowly, after what felt like hours, they parted.

He looked beautiful, she thought. His cheeks were flushed, his lips were pink, and his hair was slightly tousled from her fingers. And he was smiling. He leaned his forehead against hers as he sighed.

“That was great,” he whispered.

“Yeah,” she whispered back, holding back a giggle.

Slowly they pulled apart, not breaking eye contact, not breaking their smile. Adrien was the first one to talk.

“I’ve got to go now, but I want to see you again. Can I see you again? Please?” He breathed out the last part hopefully.

“Yeah. Yes please, yeah,” she answered back, smiling widely.

As she went to grab her phone, Adrien stopped her.

“No, wait. I can’t - I don’t have my phone on me, and I don’t know my new French number yet. Is it ok if I just meet you at the bookstore again?”

“Uh, sure?” Marinette agreed confusedly.

“Thank you,” he smiled softly back at her, and lightly pecked her forehead. “I really should go, though. My publicist might wonder where I am, and I have to prepare for interviews.”

“Oh, of course! Sorry for holding you back.” Marinette looked down as she answered.

Adrien just smiled back at her, ever so softly, and waved at her as he opened the door and disappeared.

Her heart fluttered so hard she was afraid it might chase after him.

**

It had been three days since she’d heard of him.

The rational part of Marinette’s brain told her that Adrien was probably most definitely busy and that he couldn’t drop everything to see her. That he was going to keep his promise

But there was a small, yet growing, piece of her brain that nagged her, telling her that he only kissed her for fun, that she’d never see him, that he never wanted to see her again.

Why would he, after all? Marinette was nothing special.

(He had always reminded her of that, every chance he had.)

“Are you ok, Marinette?”

Tikki’s voice dragged her out of her thoughts. She was back from her short holiday, and her presence had helped her feel calmer despite her racing thoughts.

“I’m just a bit stressed about this guy,” Marinette explained, deciding to not even try lying to her friend. She could always tell a lie when she heard one.

“Oh Marinette,” Tikki whispered as she rushed over with her arms open. “If you want to talk about it, I’m here, but don’t feel like you have to.”

Marinette snuggled into Tikki’s arms. It was a quiet Friday afternoon in the bookshop - it was raining, the temperature had dropped, and the wind had picked up - so she wasn’t worried about customers.

“I don’t know, Tikki. I’m just overthinking again.”

“Did he do anything to make you unsure about his feelings for you?”

“He didn’t! He was nothing but sweet to me. But it’s hard getting to know someone, especially considering…” Marinette trailed off. She didn’t really want to talk about that, and she knew that Tikki understood why.

“I get it, honey,” she reassured her, hugging her tighter.

“I know how hard it is for anyone to open it, and how it is especially for you. But don’t be afraid of new things, just in case something bad may happen. Because life will always be hard, but what if this guy makes it more bearable? Yes, something bad may happen, but something great also could. Don’t forget that sweetie, okay?”

Marinette closed her eyes as Tikki pecked her on the forehead, trying to get the tears to go away.

“I know Tikki, I know. It’s just hard, sometimes. Some days are harder than others, you know that. I’ve been waiting for this guy to talk to me for three days, and the wait feels like an eternity.”

“He might have the same apprehensions as you, honey. Not every guy is as confident as mine!”

Both Marinette and Tikki laughed at that; they both knew that better than most.

“You’re right, Tikki,” Marinette said with a smile. “As usual. I know he’s a good guy, I’ll just wait it out a bit longer.”

The older woman smiled back at her, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and went back to sorting out new books in the corner.

“Marinette,” Tikki shouted above her shoulder. “Take the rest of the afternoon off! You need it more than I do. Go home, make yourself a warm cup of hot chocolate and sit down in front of a movie. It’ll do you good.”

“Oh, are you sure Tikki? I don’t mind staying a bit -”

“I insist,” she stated as she walked back towards Marinette. “Go home and relax, honey.”

“Ok Tikki, thank you. I think I really need that.”

Marinette reached for her bag behind the counter, grabbed a new book to read when she got home, hugged Tikki goodbye, and headed back.

As she walked down the street towards the house with the red door, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander.

Adrien had mentioned he was going to be busy with promotions for his new movie, so it made sense he hadn’t had the time to visit her. Obviously, she knew that. He’d be surrounded by people, by journalists and photographers every day, and he probably barely had a minute to himself! That’d explain it!

But what if he hadn’t been busy? What if he was mocking her (like he had)? What if it was all a joke and he’d never come back?

Marinette snapped out of her thoughts as she turned around the corner where she had bumped into Adrien and spilt his coffee three days prior. Was it foolish of her to hope to see him again? Would fate play its course as she hoped it would?

No Adrien.

She kept walking, eyes cast downward. Why was she so obsessed with a guy she’d met once a few days ok? Sure, they had shared a kiss (an amazing, mind-blowing, wonderful kiss), but nothing more.

God, she was so silly.

She reached the red door, grabbed her keys and unlocked the door. All she needed now was to have a restful afternoon.

“Who’s Adrien, Mari?”

Gone was her restful afternoon.

Alya, her roommate and best friend, was home early, it seemed, and has somehow found out about Adrien.

Marinette sighed, put her bag down on the kitchen table, and put the kettle on before answering Alya.

“Mari, who’s Adrien?”

Alya was now leaning in the kitchen doorway, her eyebrows quizzically arched.

“Give me a second to make myself a cup of tea,” she said as she put a teabag into a cup. "And I’ll answer every question you have, ok?”

Marinette had forgotten to mention Adrien to Alya. At first, she had been too lovestruck to even talk, so she locked herself in the bathroom and ran herself a bath. Then, she had just been too stressed to think about it properly, and mentioning it to her best friend would have brought up bad memories.

She poured hot water into her favourite mug and went into the living room. She sat on her armchair as her best friend sat opposite her on the sofa. They stared at each other before Alya broke into a smirk.

“So, Mari…” she started. “Adrien, huh?”

“How do you know his name?”

“Nuh-huh, I asked first. Who’s Adrien?”

“He’s a guy I met a few days ago at the bookshop. My turn: how do you know his name?”

“He left a note through the letterbox. What exactly did you both do for him to leave you a note?”

“Is this 20 questions? We just talked a bit, then I spilt his coffee on him, he came back here, we kissed and he left! Will you give me the note now?”

“You kissed?!”

“It was a spur of the moment kind of thing! I just really want to read the note now please- ”

“You kissed a man a few days ago and you forgot to mention it to me?”

“I was confused, Alya. I didn’t know how to tell you without you quizzing me!”

To that, they both paused, and Marinette gave her friend a pointed look.

“Look, Al,” she said. “I really wanted to tell you, I did. But it slipped my mind at first, and then I didn’t even know if he’d contact me again! He didn’t have his phone on him so we couldn’t exchange numbers. I didn’t know he’d leave a note through the letterbox!”

Alya’s face softened, and she smiled at Marinette.

“Oh, Mari, girl. It’s ok, I was only joking! You seem like you really do like him, I just don’t want to see you get hurt again, ok?”

She took her friend into her arms, and they hugged.

After a few minutes, Marinette squeaked out: “Where’s the note, by the way?”

Alya jumped up excitedly and ran to the kitchen.

“I put it on the fridge door, silly!” She shouted from the other room and ran back in. “Here you go, girl. It doesn’t say much, but I hope it helps?”

Marinette grabbed the note and read it.

Dear Marinette,

Meet me Saturday at 3 pm at Le Grand Palais. Ask for Sailor Moon at reception.

Love, Adrien