#wadako

As if on cue, his familiar voice drifted across the locker room, snapping her attention upward as her heart hiccupped in her chest. He was talking to Nino. Though her pulse picked up as she watched him, she found herself feeling something a little… different as well. A sort of acceptance. While her body was still jittery, her mind was calm. Which wasn't a usual occurrence when it came to Adrien.

It wasn't that Adrien or Chat were competing in her thoughts, but, as of the afternoon before, she felt as though she had a choice. Either option would be perfect. But, as if to make the situation only better, Chat had chosen her too.

The idea sent butterflies loose in her stomach, another shade of red assaulting her cheeks.

She liked Adrien a lot, but he'd hardly ever shown any interest in her. Well, in his defense, he'd never really gotten the chance—they hardly talked (a situation she knew was more her fault than his). But with Chat, things were different. She felt easy around him. Comfortable. Safe even. She trusted him. And maybe she could have found those things with Adrien too, but, as of then, Chat was who was offering. And she'd be a fool not to accept.

Yet… there Adrien was.

How many months had she spent fretting over him? Obsessing over him? Without ever finding the courage to tell him the truth? What had it all been for?

Abruptly, it seemed a horrible waste. Yes, she was going to choose Chat, but something inside her needed some sort of resolution with Adrien.

She could tell him. She would tell him. Thinking of Chat gave her the courage to do so—to put her feelings for Adrien behind her.

She'd be okay—no matter the outcome.

Swallowing hard, she approached the two boys, thankful they were about the last three left in the locker room. Adrien and Nino looked as though they'd been heading out, so she grabbed their attention before they could.

"Um, Adrien?" she called, thankful her voice came out relatively strong. She wouldn't stutter or lose herself anymore. How Chat would tease her, knowing she'd had such trouble talking to one silly boy.

"Hey, Marinette!" he replied, turning on her with a wide grin—wider than she'd ever seen him smile, come to think of it. "What's up?"

"Um, well…" She took a huffing breath. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" A request that caused him to furrow his eyebrows. "Alone?"

Nino tossed Adrien a suggestive eyebrow waggle then, which Marinette supposed was justified whether Adrien looked disapproving or not.

"Of course," Adrien agreed, ever polite. Saying a goodbye to Nino, he trailed her further into the locker room. Until they were in the back, only the sound of students' voices beyond the walls puncturing the air between them.

Marinette fiddled her fingers together and tried to figure out how to start.

"I know this is kind of strange," she admitted, glancing up and meeting his curious gaze. "And, I mean, I guess it's pointless too."

Something he couldn't possibly understand, his puzzled head-cock making that clear.

"Just—I feel like I need to tell you." Closing her eyes for a moment, she ordered her thoughts before beginning again. "I haven't told anyone else yet, but I'm—I'm with someone now. A boy. Or I think I am. I will be."

Adrien's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh. Well, congratulations?"

"Uh, thanks," she replied, reaching up to fiddle with one of her pigtails. "I know we're not that close, so it's probably weird that I'm telling you…"

"You can tell me anything, Marinette," he offered, smiling softly as he did. "I'd love to be better friends with you."

She hummed. "That'd be nice," she admitted. "But, um, that's not really what I wanted to tell you. It's kind of a precursor to what I want to tell you."

"Okay…"

"So, I know we didn't get off on the best foot when you first started here." A comment which earned her his nod of agreement. "But… I always liked you. You're a really nice person, sweet even, and I kind of…"

She huffed.

"I kind of had a crush on you," she said, more relieved than she ever thought she'd be as the words left her lips. "Like, a huge crush on you."

Adrien was clearly surprised however, green eyes going wide as his lips parted some.

"R-really? You liked me?" He pointed at his own chest.

"Yes." She nodded, ignoring the heat in her cheeks. "I mean, I still do. But, um, I like someone else too. A lot. And he… he likes me back." She smiled despite herself. "I just wanted to tell you. I've wanted to for a while, I just couldn't get up the courage to do it." She laughed a little awkwardly.

"Wow…" Adrien said, sounding rather breathless. "I—Wow, Marinette. I'm flattered."

"Really?" she asked, cringing a bit as she did.

"Well, yeah!" He released a disbelieving laugh. "I never would have thought that of you. I mean, you're always so busy and everything. I never would have imagined someone like you could be interested in someone like me."

"Someone like you?" she asked, brows furrowing.

"Sure." He shrugged. "You're so passionate and driven. And talented. I really am flattered."

She smiled again. "Thanks."

"Actually, you've always kind of reminded me of someone else I know," he went on, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "If you'd, uh, told me before yesterday, I might have—I definitely would have been interested."

"Oh…" Marinette said flatly, pursing her lips. Mostly at herself. But it didn't matter what opportunities she'd missed. She had Chat. She wanted Chat. "Why the sudden change then?" she dared to ask. "What happened yesterday?"

"Oh, ah…" His own cheeks flushed pink. "Well, I kind of… I think I might be involved with someone too."

"Really?" she asked, ignoring the slight pang that went through her at his admission. She'd get over it. But, more importantly, she wanted to get over it. "I'm so happy for you, Adrien."

"Thanks." He sounded almost relieved. "I mean, she's so amazing. Like you. I never would have thought she'd want anything to do with me like that. I mean, she's way out of my league."

"I doubt that," Marinette replied, giggling a bit as she did.

"No, really," he persisted. "She's like… she's just…" He couldn't even get the words out, and was obviously getting flustered in his attempts to do so. Which was a feeling Marinette could definitely identify with.

"Don't worry," she cut in, stepping forward and laying a comforting hand on his arm. "Trust me, you're more than good enough."

She was thankful when—after a moment—her words seemed to visibly relax him.

"Thank you, Marinette," he said quietly. "You really are incredible. We should, uh, we should definitely hang out more."

"Sure," she agreed, nodding. "I'd like that."

His shy smile made it all worth it, Marinette feeling lighter than she had in months. And more optimistic too. She had Chat and could put Adrien behind her. It was nice, making progress somewhere. And she felt better about meeting Chat after school as well, with her crush on Adrien finally settled.

Well, almost.

She'd pulled away from him, her fingers travelling to her lips. The feeling of Chat against her echoed in her thoughts and across her skin, and probably would for a long time to come—if she could have things her way.

But… she didn't want to be left curious or wondering.

Kissing Chat was almost magical—passionate and heavy and, well, it meant something.

There was no way a kiss from Adrien could measure up to that.

Right?

"Um…" Did she dare ask? Was that even okay? Yet, if she didn't do it then, she'd never know. "I do have… one favor to ask you." She flicked her gaze back up to meet his once again. "If it—If it wouldn't be too much to ask, or-or too weird…" She flared red from her neck up. "Could—could I have o-one kiss?"

She held her pointer finger up shyly, biting her bottom lip in the same moment.

"It's okay if you say no…" she added quietly.

All he was doing was blinking at her, lips parted a bit. Until a thoughtful kind of consideration dropped onto his features, making it quite clear that he was contemplating her request. Which only made the wait that much worse.

"Well…" he tapped his chin. "I guess that… that would be okay. Just one, right?"

She nodded, feeling all the more embarrassed.

But Adrien just smiled, one side of his mouth pulling the expression into a lopsided grin. "A kiss for the road, that kind of thing?" he asked.

"Yeah. That's a good way to put it," she agreed.

"Alright." He shrugged. "Can't hurt. Probably." He didn't sound totally certain, but that was no different than she felt. They both had someone else waiting, that was true. Yet, this was all it'd be. This wasn't a beginning, but an end.

Stepping forward, Adrien laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, Marinette's breath catching in her throat as she searched his gaze. She knew she was blushing, but, thankfully, so was he. Though that didn't seem to be tripping him up any. Rather, with only a second's pause while their eyes remained locked, he took a slight breath before leaning in.

Closing her eyes, Marinette balled her hands into tense fists at her sides, a shocked jolt rushing through her whole body as his lips gently pressed against her own. She'd known it was coming, and yet still she was caught off guard—unable to respond. But perhaps that was for the best. His touch was light, hesitant, modest, and maybe even guarded. Which she didn't fault him for.

And, yet…

Yet…

There was something… achingly familiar despite his restraint. A feeling that spurred Marinette to unconsciously push in closer—to return the kiss even as he began to lean back. She managed to pull in a last taste of him all for herself, his bottom lip caught between her own two for only a second before they parted.

When she opened her eyes, she half-expected the gaze locked with her own to be the familiar cat-green of her superhero partner, and so was actually jarred with confused wonder when she encountered Adrien instead. Of course, she knew it was Adrien who she was with—who had just kissed her. But…

If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn otherwise.

She blinked, uncertain what to say as they watched one another—as his gaze darted down to her lips and back up again. They still stood close, his hand resting on her shoulder. Neither backed away, though Marinette knew they probably should. But she couldn't bring herself to. And the way his hold tightened on her shoulder told her quite well that he was feeling the same way.

She wanted…

She wanted to kiss him again.

Despite what should have been a contradiction, thinking of Chat gave her courage. Swiftly—as though blown toward him by the wind—she leaned up and caught his lips with her own again. Standing on her toes, she laid her hand against his chest, daring to deepen the kiss beyond whatever barriers he'd tried to erect with the previous one.

He didn't object—

In fact, he did the exact opposite.

His previously free hand slipped around the base of her back, tugging her abruptly closer. Which caused her to gasp against him, breaking their contact just long enough to catch a single breath. Within the moment, he was slipping his lips back with hers, suddenly unguarded and demanding, which only spurred Marinette to respond in kind.

Abruptly, it didn't matter who she was actually kissing. There was no doubt in her mind that the boy before her was Chat.

His kiss was still too fresh in her memory, still too vivid, for her to be mistaken.

Wrapping her fingers tightly up within the fabric of his t-shirt, she kept her mouth moving with his as she pushed forward. He stumbled, but didn't break from the kiss. Even as she pushed him back, he kept up with her; desperate, even as she slammed him into the lockers nearby.

He grunted, but was hardly bothered. His arms wrapped more securely around her, body bending to meet her as she threaded her own hands up through his hair. A slight groan echoed up through his throat as her fingers massaged beneath the locks, the noise being one that Marinette intercepted hungrily.

"Uh, what the hell is this?"

The voice jabbed through them both like a dagger, Marinette aware of the way the blade split right between them. Eyes wide, she snapped away from Adrien, huffing in much-needed air as her attention flicked to the two intruders who'd come in most inopportunely.

"Okay, when Nino said he thought you were going to confess, I did not expect to walk in on you two sucking face," Alya continued. "I mean, I thought it was a best case scenario, but I didn't actually think it would happen."

Behind her, Nino was buckled over, laughing.

Still trying to catch her breath, Marinette swallowed hard, unable to stop herself from side-eying Adrien. He was still leaning up against the lockers, apparently suffering the same whiplash she was.

"We didn't mean to interrupt, honest," Nino finally interjected. "We can go if you two are still, ya know, busy." He laughed again.

Adrien cleared his throat, Marinette narrowing her eyes suspiciously when that crooked grin made its way onto his face again.

"That'd be great," he replied, winking at her despite how he was supposed to be replying to Nino. "We were just beginning to get somewhere."

Marinette, though heat still thrummed through her, managed to slump her shoulders in distaste. "No thanks," she decided.

"That's definitely not what you said yesterday," he rebuked smartly.

"Yesterday?!" both Nino and Alya gasped together.

"I'm beginning to regret yesterday in general," she verified.

Adrien pushed himself away from the lockers, taking a step closer to her. "I'm paw-sitive that's impossible," he said confidently.

"For you, maybe," she agreed, reaching out and tapping his nose with her pointer finger. "I'm purrr-ity unforgettable."

Adrien's grin grew into a full-blown smile.

"This is disgusting," Alya stated flatly.

"For real," Nino tacked on. "I'm gonna be sick."

Both Marinette and Adrien were doing a fair job of ignoring their commentary, however.

Taking her hand in his, Adrien leaned closer before lightly kissing her cheek. "You're right, I can't forget you," he murmured, placing light, butterfly touches up toward her ear. "I haven't been able to get you out of my head all day. Couldn't last night either."

Marinette giggled, turning into him as she did. "You're a naughty kitty," she whispered.

He smiled all the wider, their noses brushing.

"But I'm your kitty," he purred, before leaning in to kiss her once again.

She was more than happy to let him.

Just posting here for archival purposes, and so that once the rest of the comic is posted, I can link it here.