Marinette pursed her lips as she looked at the pink tinting both men’s cheeks before she cleared her throat to get their attention. “We haven’t ordered anything yet. We didn’t know if you wanted to eat here or go somewhere quieter.”

It should’ve been off-putting to see her long-time partner so obviously enamored with someone else, but it wasn’t. Maybe it was because it was Nino and until a few years ago, he’d always been around and it felt natural for him to be back in the picture. Maybe it was because she already knew Adrien had a crush on him so it wasn’t surprising. Or maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was harboring on her own feelings for the other man. Whatever it was, it didn’t bother her when she had to repeat herself to get an answer from them.

“Sorry,” Nino laughed sheepishly, rolling his bottom lip under his teeth. “Can you say that one more time?”

“Yeah, it’s really loud in here,” Adrien agreed with a slight air of embarrassment.

Marinette shared a smirk for both of them. “Mmhmm.”

“Please, Mari. I’m sorry we were rude.” 

Nino looks so earnest that Marinette almost wants to reassure him that it didn’t actually bother her but she narrowed her eyes instead. “If you’re actually going to listen this time.”

He reached across the table to cover her hands with his large, warm ones. “I promise I’m all ears. And please don’t joke about the size of them; I’m still sensitive about that.”

She laughed and slipped one of her hands out of his grasp so she could put it on top of his. “I would never. I love your ears; they’re cute.”

The tips of said ears were darkening. “Ah, I don’t know about that.”

“You know Marinette always tells the truth about the things she likes.” Adrien put his hand over hers and lifted it while keeping a hold of it as he pulled their joined hands closer to their side of the table. “How long are you going to be in town? We’ve really missed seeing you.”

“I’ve missed you guys too. That’s actually what I’m trying to decide.” Nino grabbed a napkin from the holder and started to tear the corner into little shreds. “I came back for a job interview and they offered me the position so now I have to decide if I want to move back or not.”

“Wow, that’s great!” Pure joy filled Adrien’s face. “Why wouldn’t you come back?”

“Uh, well...” Nino tore more at the napkin. “I’ve kinda been seeing someone but it’s not really...I don’t know. I guess I’m just trying to figure out if it’s worth sticking it out or not. We’ve been through a lot together.”

Marinette could feel Adrien deflate beside her and could commiserate the feeling. “That’s understandable.”

“I guess. She’s, uh...I don’t know. We don’t really work, but...” He trailed off with a small frown before pasting on a smile as he looked at them. “But look at you guys! You look just as happy as you did years ago. I’ve been wondering when I was going to get a wedding invite.”

“You and everyone else,” Adrien replied with a playful elbow in Marinette’s side.

“We get that a lot,” she agreed. “And we’ll probably get married soonish but there’s no rush.”

“And we’ll probably be even worse at hiding it when we’re playing heroes.”

“That too.”

Nino shook his head. “I can’t believe you guys are still doing that. It’s awesome but you must be exhausted.”

“Some days.”

“Most days.”

“Seeing old friends helps though.” Marinette looked around the full bar. “Would you be interested in reliving the old days and coming back to our place and ordering in? It’s getting really crowded in here. I’m sure Wayzz would like to see you.”

“I’d love that.”

Adrien hugged Marinette to him, pressing a kiss to her temple. “We’d love it too. We can regale you with some of our horrible failures at protecting the other Miraculous.”

Marinette covered her face with her hands and groaned. “It’s been a learning process.”

“I have no doubt there have been plenty of successes too.” 

They stood together and Adrien offered Nino Marinette’s arm as they moved around each other. “Why don’t you and Marinette go wait out front and I’ll settle up.”

Nino covered Marinette’s hand resting on his arm with his own and patted it. “I’d be honored to escort such a lovely lady.”

There was no telling what the future held, but as Marinette eventually slipped into the backseat of the towncar with Adrien on one side and Nino on the other, something clicked into place. It wasn’t that what she and Adrien had was missing anything, but it was almost as if Nino being around again added that extra special warmth that was too wonderful to ignore. Whether he remained their friend or became something more, neither of them could ever deny that Nino would always be theirs.

Prompt List

“You said you weren’t coming home until later, so I was trying to get everything started,” Adrien said, wiping invisible dust off of his pants. “And It’s not like I’m by myself, Nino’s home.”

“Nino’s home?” she asked skeptically.

Adrien grimaced. “Okay, Nino was home. But he only ran out to get some spices from the place down the street. He’ll be back any minute.”

“And he let you climb on top of a rolly chair while he was leaving? You’re telling me our very protective and constantly-concerned-with-our-safety boyfriend was totally cool with you hopping up on a chair—even though you routinely fall down the stairs, mind you—and leaving you to decorate while he went out for spices?”

Adrien winced, fingers delving into his hair anxiously. “So maybe I wasn’t on the chair when he left. And maybe I didn’t tell him I planned on doing that. And maybe I assumed I would finish before he got home.”

Marinette laughed, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “Maybe you’re too cute for us to be mad at you anyway.”

Adrien winked at her, grabbing her hand and twirling her elegantly. “My dashing good looks have never let me down before.”

“Oh, hush,” she  said, playfully hitting into his chest.

“I’d have to agree with that,” a deep voice startled them.

Marinette sharply inhaled. “Shit, Nino, you scared me.”

“How is it that I’m the cat and yet you’re the one who moves without making a noise?”

Nino dropped the plastic bag he was holding on the kitchen counter and made his way towards his partners, kissing each of them on the cheek. “Well, one of you—I’m assuming Marinette” he shot her a look of fake annoyance “—left the door open, so it wasn’t that difficult to sneak up on you.”

“Adrien was being an idiot, so I had to rush in and save him before he fell and broke his skull. There was no time to care about doors, this was a life or death situation.”

“Gosh, you’re so dramatic.” Adrien crossed his arms over his chest. “I was fine. Just putting up some decorations since Marinette said she was going to be at work until five, and you’re cooking all the food, and the party’s at six, and it has to go well—“

Marinette snuck behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek into his shoulder blades.

“The party’s gonna be perfect, chaton,” she reassured him with a gentle squeeze.

Nino stepped closer to him, placing a hand on Adrien’s chin and tilting it up in a soft kiss before snuggling into him from the front, arms circling both him and Marinette.

“Everyone’s gonna have a great time, no matter what,” Nino said quietly. “Even if we had no decorations, and the food was terrible—“

“Bite your tongue,” Adrien teased.

“—everyone would still love it. ‘Cause we’re the life of every party.”

“All our friends are coming to celebrate our new home,” Marinette continued “and we’re what makes this place a home.”

They silently stood huddled together, letting Marinette’s words ring out into their new apartment, bouncing off the walls and seeping into the carpet.

Home.

Adrien’s eyelashes fluttered, keeping the tears from falling. “Then let’s do this.”

Hours later, after everyone had left the party, and the kitchen area and living room were left in disarray, Nino collapsed on the couch, a groggy Marinette tucked under his arm.

Adrien followed, placing a glass of water on the coffee table in front them.

He sat down next to them, grabbing Marinette’s legs and placing them over his lap, stroking her calves mindlessly. “Man, you two smell awful.”

“S’not my fault,” Marinette cried into Nino’s bicep. “I cleaned up sooo much baaarf.” Kim had boasted about how many shots he could do in a minute, and Max handily beat his record. Twenty minutes later, when Kim had gone for a rematch no one had asked for, he vomited all over the kitchen floor.

“Aw, I’m sorry, Mari,” Nino crooned.

“At least he did it on tile instead of the carpet,” Adrien mused.

“I’d say that we’re never inviting him to a party again, but he and Alix were so funny with that dancing competition—“

“That I won, by the way,” Nino interrupted

“Pff, Alya and Chloé were gonna cream you if Juleka hadn’t accidentally bumped into them and spilled her drink on Chloé’s skirt,” Marinette cut him off.

“It doesn’t matter how I won, it just matters I won,” Nino flicked her nose.

Adrien squeezed Marinette’s knee. “The important thing is everyone had a great time.”

“That they did,” Nino agreed.

Adrien smiled. “And it was all because of us.”

“What can I say, we make a great team,” Marinette smiled, snuggling into her boyfriends, eyes closed and shoulders relaxing.