15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Marinette barreled through her parents' door to find them and Adrien in the kitchen, talking and laughing. Music played in the background. They held kitchen utensils—not to wield in a fight to the death, but to cook. Together. As one happy unit.

The charming sight made her all tingly inside.

Her dad picked her up in a big hug. "You're finally here."

"Sorry I'm late. I got...held up." She really needed to work on lying.

When he sat her down, he looked her over as if to make sure she hadn't lost a limb or her sanity after Nathaniel had been akumatized last night.

"Marinette, honey," her mom said, "you didn't tell us Adrien can cook."

"Yeah, he's great," Marinette said. "And he's been kind enough to make me a couple meals."

His cheeks flushed slightly. "It wasn't that big of a deal." He turned to check the pan on the stovetop, and her mom glanced at Marinette with a wink.

Marinette's mouth nearly dropped open. What did that wink mean?

"I think the food is ready," he declared.

"You two," her mom addressed them, "go sit at the table while we make everyone a plate."

Pulling out a stool, Marinette sat and fiddled with her napkin as Adrien took the space next to her, leaning in so close she could smell his cologne. It beckoned her, like an old-fashioned cartoon, pulling her by the nose. She glued herself to the stool and stared at the blob she was making with her napkin.

"I like your parents," he whispered. "They're fun. And they clearly love each other and you." He nudged her with an elbow. "You're lucky."

She nodded. It was cool that he was happy for her, instead of resentful. She just wished it didn't have to be that way for him.

"So the wedding is just a couple days away," her mom said, bringing plates of food to the table. She placed them in front of Adrien and Marinette.

With a dip of his head in thanks, he said, "Everything is coming along smoothly."

"Yeah, we just did the fitting and the dress is now perfect."

Her dad joined them with her parents' plates and they all sat and ate, talking about life in general. Except, she noticed her mom kept steering the conversation back around to them. What was she up to?

Marinette could probably figure it out if Adrien hadn't sat so close to her. They kept touching, a knee bump, a foot tap, an elbow graze. Each occurrence sent an electric jolt through her that narrowed her senses to only him. And her father kept eyeing them, making her more hyper aware of Adrien. She could barely keep up with the conversation.

"What do you think, Marinette?" her mom asked.

Adrien reached for his glass, brushing against her. Her heart performed it's hundredth backflip that night.

"Marinette?" her mom asked.

"I think it's great," she answered, not having a clue as to what she'd just been asked.

The table grew quiet.

She blinked. What just happened?

They were all staring at her.

"You think it's great Chat Noir is with Hawk Moth now?" her mom asked carefully.

"What? Well. Um. I only meant that separation makes the heart grow fonder." Good god. What was she saying? "Because you know, maybe Ladybug and Chat Noir will realize how much they mean to each other, and when they team up again, they'll be stronger for it."

"That's...optimistic," Adrien said into his glass

Her mother laughed. "That's our girl. Always the optimist."

Marinette stuffed food into her mouth so they wouldn't ask her anything else.

"How's life living with each other?" she asked them.

"It's been great," Adrien said. "Marinette is very considerate and tidy. We make a good team, actually."

"Well, that's pretty special." Her mother grinned at her. "Even couples have a hard time adjusting to each other's idiosyncrasies."

What was she implying? Marinette swallowed her food just to put a stop to whatever her mother was up to. "Maybe it helps that we're just friends."

"Oh no, friends have an even harder time. There aren't any hormones to blind them to their faults."

Marinette's eye twitched. Did her mom really just mention hormones?

"I don't think Marinette has any faults," Adrien said, smiling obliviously.

Her mom's grin turned even more pleased, and her dad stopped eating to watch them.

Marinette put her fork down. "Adrien is very sweet—"

Her mother hummed.

"—which is why he won't say anything bad about me in front of my parents."

"No, no. I'm being serious," Adrien said. "You're everything I could've wished for in a roommate."

"Right. Roommates," Marinette said staring at her mom. If she kept at this, whatever this was, she was going to scare him off.

Ignoring her daughter, she said, "You know, Adrien, I do believe Marinette used to have a crush on you."

"Mother."

Adrien's gaze darted to her in surprise. "Really?"

She shifted in her seat and ended up brushing her leg against his. She almost groaned in pain. This whole dinner was a torture session. "A long time ago."

Her mother's hard stare bored two fiery holes into her head.

"Oh." He chuckled and looked down at his plate. "I never knew."

"Yes," her mom confirmed. "The time you came over to train for that video game competition, she was worked up into a tizzy."

Marinette blushed and refused to even glance at him to gauge his reaction.

"You know," he said to her. "I still have the lucky bracelet you gave me that day."

Her nerves spiked in excitement and maybe hope. "Really?" she asked, finally looking at him.

He nodded.

"I still have the one you gave me too."

He flushed slightly.

They watched each other from under their lashes.

"I'm sorry." Her father lifted his hands. "I can't wait any longer. Now that you're not with Nathaniel"—he swung his imposing gaze to Marinette as she tried to desperately hide behind her glass—"which I'm not pleased you never even told us you were dating him to begin with." He focused on the both of them. "Will there be something going on between you two?"

She coughed, nearly choking on her drink.

Adrien froze with his fork halfway to his mouth, eyes wide.

"Tom," her mom admonished him. "We were supposed to ease into that."

Her dad just kept staring at them.

"Well—" Adrien started, but the building's doorbell rang.

As her dad got up to see who it was, she studiously avoided Adrien, who was finally putting down his fork.

"It's Nathaniel," her dad said. "I'll tell him to go."

Nathaniel? What was he doing here? She stood. "No. It's okay. I'll go talk to him." He deserved that much.

Adrien got to his feet as well, but she lifted a hand to hold him off. "I'm okay. Stay and eat."

Not looking entirely pleased, he nodded and sat.

She got halfway to the door when someone knocked on it. Her dad must have let him into the building.

"I'm not letting you confront him alone," he said, confirming her suspicion.

Sighing, she opened the door and Nathaniel rushed to her, pulling her into a hug.

A stool fell over from behind her.

"I'm so sorry," the redhead said against her. He stepped back and looked around the room.

Adrien, now standing, seemed on the verge of jumping over the table. Her dad was just as rigid, and her mom looked a touch nervous.

Nathaniel addressed the room, though he was barely able to maintain eye contact with anyone. "I'm sorry about the trouble I caused. I don't remember anything I did, but I saw it on the news, and I'm...I'm..."

"It happens," Marinette said.

"I know, but even though I was upset…" He looked down. "I'd never force you to do anything."

She nodded. It sucked that Hawk Moth made a spark of negative emotion turn into an inferno, twisting people into versions of themselves they didn't recognize. "I blame Hawk Moth. Not you."

"But he wouldn't have been able to akumatize me if I—"

"You got upset. It's okay." She squeezed his arm.

"I'd like to still be your friend if that's okay."

"I'd love that."

"Nathaniel," her mom said. "Would you like to join us? We have enough for another plate."

"I don't want to impose."

"You're not."

Her mom grabbed him a chair as her dad made him a plate of food.

"How did you know where I was?" she asked Nathaniel. The table wasn't that big, so Marinette was sandwiched between him and Adrien.

"After I texted you and didn't hear back, I called Alya."

"Oh." She pulled out her phone and found the messages. "I always mute it when we eat."

Nathaniel thanked her dad for the food, then nodded to Adrien. "I'm glad they didn't get you last night."

"Yeah." The blond took a bite of his food.

"Though I bet if you were there, you could've rescued Marinette."

Adrien tensed.

"Why is that?" her father asked.

"You don't know?"

Both her mom and dad shook their heads.

The redhead blinked at them. "He's a hero."

"No, no. I'm not." Adrien smiled politely.

"But he is." Nathaniel retold the night of the Akuma attack at the restaurant and Adrien's role in it. His voice hadn't lost a miota of the awe it held when it had first happened.

Marinette wanted to snicker.

Adrien shifted on his stool. "He's being too kind."

"I'm not. I've never seen anything like it. Except with Ladybug and Chat Noir."

Adrien laughed as if he'd told a mighty joke. "Well, I'm definitely not Chat Noir."

"I know that. You'd never be the villain."

"Then does that make you Ladybug?" Marinette asked, smiling to hold back a laugh.

"Of course not. I'm no one. And really I just did what anyone else would have."

Her dad looked at Adrien as if seeing him in a new light. Was her father impressed? Even her mom seemed more taken with him.

"He's just humble," Nathaniel said to her parents.

Grumbling, Adrien shoved another forkful into his mouth.

"I'm actually doing a comic using Adrien as my inspiration."

"Oh?" her mother asked.

"I'm working on his origin story right now."

Adrien blurted out, "Marinette started taking self-defense classes."

She glared at him.

"Oh," her mother said more in surprise this time. "When did you start?"

Pushing around her food, she said, "A while ago."

Her dad leaned forward. "Is something wrong?"

"No. I'm fine. Everything is fine."

Her mother tsked. "We all know that means the opposite."

"It's not like that, Mom." She pushed her food around a little faster, her fork scraping against the plate. "I've just always thought it would be good to learn."

"I've never heard you mention it before."

"Because I've only ever thought it."

"Is it hard?" Nathaniel asked.

"Not really." Ignoring Adrien's pointed stare, she said, "I'm starving. Can we eat now please?"

oOoOo

Adrien and Marinette walked back to their apartment after saying goodbye to everyone. They glanced at each other occasionally before quickly looking away. It was painful.

"That didn't turn out so bad," Marinette said.

"It was nice of your mom to ask Nathaniel to stay."

She nodded, and they fell silent again. The sun had set during dinner, and the street and building lights illuminated the people passing them by.

He cleared his throat. "I hope you don't mind I outed you. It's better people know so they don't jump to the wrong conclusions if they see your bruises."

"You're right. I just don't like worrying people."

"They'll worry more if they find out like I did."

She elbowed him. "You mean if they walk in on me half naked?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, he said, "I didn't see anything if that helps."

"I know you didn't. And I would be okay if you did." She flushed as his wide-eyed gaze landed on her. "I mean it's not like I would be emotionally scarred." Someone throw her a life saver, for crying out loud. "Sorry about my dad pestering you about the whole intentions thing. I don't know why they planned that."

"I get it. We are living together, after all."

"Yeah, but he knows better."

"Does he?"

"Well, you're you and I'm me."

"And that means?"

She blinked at him. "That you're you." She waved a hand at all of his gloriousness. "And I'm me."

He came to an abrupt halt, forcing her to do the same. "Marinette, anyone who doesn't see how amazing you are is a blind fool."

Her breath stalled. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? No. He'd called her amazing before, even back at Dupont. "Thank you."

"Marinette…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm…" His gaze suddenly dropped to his feet. "I'm sorry about you and Nathaniel." He got them walking again, a faster pace than before.

"Oh." She wanted to tell him she had never really been into Nathaniel, but that sounded bad, so she settled on, "Thanks."

AN - everyone ships Adrienette. And just wait for the next chapter. It's Alya's wedding reception. *snickers*

My sister was surprised by all the birthday wishes. She wanted me to tell everyone thank you!

You all are seriously awesome. I absolutely love this fandom. Thank you so much for gifting me with your thoughts, favorites, and follows. Each email notification is a happy surprise.

Update: edited…a bunch. Lol