"Adrien."
The boy's head snapped up from his breakfast at the end of a long table to his father's assistant, Nathalie. She was holding a tablet, like always.
"What is it, Nathalie?" The woman looked back down at her tablet and swiped a few times with her stylus before returning her glasses-clad gaze to him. "Your father has made a few requests of you."
Adrien's shoulders slumped in his seat and he went back to picking at his breakfast. Nothing new there..
"It's nothing too big. He decided to set up a special winter photoshoot so you could model his winter line. However, he's giving you the opportunity to pick a girl to model his female clothing for the winter line."
Adrien shrugged. Maybe it was a convenience, but it was all for work. "I'll see," the blonde meekly replied.
Nathalie began to turn back, but seemed to remember one more thing. "You have one week," she informed. "Otherwise, your father will have to pick for you."
Adrien lowered his gaze. "Got it."
As Nathalie left, Adrien whipped out his phone which must have buzzed at LEAST a million times while Nathalie was speaking to him. With only a spike of annoyance, but mostly amusement, Adrien read over Nino's text messages.
'ughh, dude. it is so freaking COLD today. help me'
'our heating decided to conveniently stop working in the middle of november.i swear i'll be a popsicle or something by the end of today'
'so hows your day'
'hope its better than mine'
'dude'
'hello'
'hellooohello'
'hellhello'
'BRO, I KNOW YOUR PHONE IS ALWAYS WITH YOU'
Adrien rolled his eyes before texting back.
'Calm down! Nathalie was telling me something. Oh and about that. My day is not going any better than yours :/'
He tapped 'SEND' before grabbing his duffelbag and going outside to get into the limousine that Gorilla drove.
Nino didn't text back the whole car ride, and when Adrien finally got out and walked up the stairs to the school building, Nino was leaning against a pillar with a solemn look on his face. Well, as solemn as he could go, anyways.
"What's it this time, dude?"
Adrien adjusted the grip on his duffel bag and ran a hand through his hair, sheepishly laughing. "It's not that bad. We're just doing another huge photoshoot for my dad's winter line and I have to pick a girl to model the female clothes."
Nino instantly perked up, interested. "A girl, you say?" (Nino was aware of Marinette's undying crush because of Alya.. maybe he could help guide Adrien in the right direction, yeah?)
Adrien sighed. "Yeah. I've got no idea, and father will pick if I don't know by the end of this week." Adrien gagged. "Knowing my luck, it'll be Chloe."
Nino also gagged. Blonde-haired beast..
Now, Adrien had ONE girl in mind, but her? She'd be out of the question.
Ladybug already had tons of things on her schedule, and MODELING? That was not one of them.
..Or so Adrien thought.
Nino grinned, fixing his cap and shoving his hands in his coat-pockets. The cold winter air bit at the two boys' skin and people around them laughed as they threw snowballs. It was a nice November day.
"Hmm, I've got someone PERFECT in mind, bro. You'll love it."
Adrien raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
Nino's grin got bigger. "How about I give you some hints? She's got these blue eyes. Like, REALLY blue."
Ladybug instantly entered Adrien's mind. He shoved her out; He couldn't be thinking about that. "Lots of people have blue eyes, Nino. Chloe has blue eyes." Adrien shuddered.
Nino face-palmed. "Okay, but that's just blue. HER eyes are blue-blue."
Adrien rolled his eyes. "Can't you just tell me her name?"
Nino shook his head, muttering something along the lines of "you're hopeless".
He tried again. "Okay, she's got dark hair."
Ladybug has da- Damnit!
Adrien raised his brow. "O-kaaay..?"
Nino bit down his groan. He'd have to be patient; He'd spell out Marinette if it came down to that!
"She wears them in two low pigtails?"
Ladybug again. Adrien started suspecting Nino; was he actually suggesting Ladybug, or what?
"She's about.." Nino put his hand in the air, just above the tip of Adrien's nose. "This tall."
Ladybug is that tall! Adrien cleared his throat to cut Nino off; he'd have to tell him that Ladybug wasn't an option. All the signs obviously pointed to her; Blue eyes, dark hair in low pigtails, her height..
"Sorry, Nino, but I'm not asking Ladybug to model clothes!"
Nino looked utterly confused. "Lady- what, no! I'm talking about Mari...nette.."
Both boys' eyes popped wide open as they came to the same realization.
...Marinette was Ladybug's doppleganger?!