Adrien had never been uncomfortable in front of a camera. It was where he spent most of his time anyway. Today had been normal, a photo shoot that had taken him away from school yet again, however he was used to it by now. This shoot's theme was casual, a line of every day attire that his father was launching soon. Adrien was wearing a maroon t-shirt that hugged his torso, purposefully showing off his body, and a pair of very tight black jeans that served the same purpose. In the past three years that Adrien had been Chat Noir, combined with regulated meals and exercise schedules Adrien's body had changed from when he was fifteen. He was more muscular, successfully filling out his tall frame, he wasn't bulky, but toned. That was what jumping over rooftops and defeating Akuma did to someone.
Right now Adrien and the team of stylists, makeup artists, and photographers were in a room of a hotel, the room directly across from it used for supplies. Adrien was sitting in front of a large window that over looked Paris as his photographer took photo after photo of him. The photographer stopped, sighing, as sigh that Adrien knew all too well meant that he didn't like something.
"Something is missing," The photographer said. Adrien just looked at him, usually he never wanted anything but Adrien and the clothes, but something was missing? What was missing? "You need a partner, someone to model with you."
"There's that Chloe Bourgeois girl, I can get her father on the phone." Adrien's stylist said. Adrien froze, he'd be damned if he had to spend more time with Chloe than was required. She was his friend yes, but she was exhausting and he didn't have the patients to keep tabs on her.
"Wait!" Adrien, stumbling slightly when he got up from the window sill too fast. His stylist stopped, mid dial of what he figured was mayor Bourgeois' number. "Don't do that, I have the perfect girl." And with that Adrien got his phone from the table in the room and went into his contacts. 'great Adrien, you stalled that disaster but what now? Who are you going to get?' Adrien thought for a moment, then it hit him. He scrolled through his contacts until he reached her number.
Marinette had been miserably taking Physics notes when her phone buzzed, indicating she got a text. Discretely she fished her phone out of her purse and opened her messages. It was from Adrien. Marinette felt the warmth on her cheeks. Over the past three years she and Adrien had grown closer, she was even able to complete full sentences in front of him, they had actually become really good friends, not that her infatuation with him dimmed any. When she opened the text she was alarmed by what it said.
"Call me, ASAP!" Marinette read over the message again, then raised her hand.
"Can I go to the restroom?" she asked when the teacher looked at her. When her Physics teacher agreed Marinette practically bolted out of the room, making all the way down the hall as she scrolled through her contacts, finding Adrien's number and pressing the green dial button.
The phone barely rang once before Adrien's voice came through the speaker. Marinette leaned against a wall as he spoke. "Thank god you got my message," Adrien said.
"Yeah, what's up?" Marinette asked. Even though she and Adrien spoke often during school, it was still easier to speak to him over the phone than in person.
"How do you feel being a model for a day?" Marinette froze...what?
"Um..." Was all Marinette got out before Adrien was speaking again.
"My photographer wants me to have a partner in this photo shoot and if it's not you than it was going to be Chloe," Adrien spouted out quickly, she could tell he didn't have much time to discuss this. And there was no way Marinette was letting Chloe get close to Adrien.
Marinette mulled the idea in her head for a few seconds before answering. "Sure, when?" Marinette said. She thought she heard Adrien give a sigh of relief.
"Right now," 'Right now?!' "Cars on it's way, I'll see you in a few." and with that Adrien hung up, not giving Marinette enough time to back out, not that she would, but she thought it was cute that he wanted to make sure she couldn't. The second she walked back into class the teacher spoke up.
"Marinette you're leaving." Marinette was shocked. Unless Adrien was right down the street, there was no way a car got there so fast without breaking a few traffic laws. Alya gave Marinette a curious look and Marinette mouthed 'Adrien'. Alya looked shocked for a second before she smiled, giving her friend two thumbs up under the table.
Marinette walked out of the school to see a car that she recognized very well, it was the car that usually picked up Adrien after school, she suddenly felt a lot more nervous. And Marinette was right, the driver, who was about four times larger than Marinette, was definitely a fast driver. They reached the hotel that Marinette presumed Adrien was at in record time.
The lobby of the hotel was huge, she didn't catch the name of the building but she was sure it was far too expensive for her to stay there. She was met in the lobby by a tall thin woman, her dark brown hair puled into a tight bun, a pair of glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. She walked over to Marinette and extended a hand, taking Marinette's in a firm hand shake.
"You must be Marinette, I'm Natalie, the Agreste assistant. I'll be taking you to the room." Natalie said, letting go of Marinette's hand and leading her to the elevator. Marinette stared at her as she walked in front of her, even their staff were beautiful. Marinette suddenly felt very intimidated.
When they finally reached the room, she wasn't expecting what she saw. Marinette was very aware that Adrien was attractive, in fact she spent most of her time thinking about how attractive he was, but this was just over kill. His shirt hugged his body, accentuation every line of muscle, every curve of his torso. She could clearly make out his biceps, his abs perfectly defined under the fabric. Adrien was still thin, as he always had been, but god was he muscular. Next she noticed his jeans, black, hugging his legs tightly and definitely flattering to his many perfections.
When he turned to her Marinette pulled her eyes away from staring at parts of his perfect body that was not socially acceptable to stare at. He walked over to her and Marinette felt like she was going to pass out, was getting hotter?
"Hey Marinette, I'm glad you could make it." Adrien said, placing a hand on Marinette's shoulder and she could feel it burning her skin through the fabric.
"H-h-hi A-Adrien." Marinette said, mentally kicking herself for stuttering. Old habits die hard.
Adrien had liked that he and Marinette had become so close over the past few years, and he loved that she didn't stutter around him anymore, however sometimes he found himself missing it, he'd always thought it was cute. Adrien wasn't stupid, he always knew Marinette had a bit of a crush on him, but he was used to it, lots of girls did, and when she stuttered when she walked into the hotel room Adrien smiled, knowing at least a little bit of that crush still lingered. Then he started to wonder, just how flustered could he get her?
"Ah! You're here. Go with the stylist, she'll get you dressed." Before Adrien could say anything Marinette was dragged away by his stylist, who pulled Marinette into a separate room. Adrien was directed back to the window sill where he waited for Marinette to join them as the photographer took more photos of him.
Adrien is always calm, always straight faced when he needed to be, over the years of almost complete solitude due to his fathers absence in his life Adrien had learned to hide his emotions fairly well, there were only a select few people who got to see what he was really thinking, and they were primarily Alya, Nino, Marinette and most of all Ladybug. However at this moment, his emotions were plain, he was thinking 'Holy shit' and it was written all over him. From his stiff body to his wide eyes. Anyone who gave a glance at him would be able to tell what was going through his mind.
Marinette stood in front of him, her hair pulled into two twin braids, but it wasn't her hair that was catching the blonds attention. She was wearing a black tank top that debuted her toned arms, the front of the shirt had two green cat eyes that were positioned directly over her small breasts, the abs that decorated her stomach clear through the shirt and Adrien had a hard time not staring, so he paid attention to the rest of her outfit. She had dark green shorts that left a lot of leg to see, has Marinette always had such great legs, and those shirts definitely accentuated certain...assets. He could see every muscle, every line. He began to wonder what her legs felt like under his skin, especially the parts of them that he had never known he wanted to see until now. It was only when the photographer brought Marinette over to him that he had to stop staring at her, quickly directing his eyes to stare outside the window instead, preoccupying his mind with the view of Paris.
"Okay," The Photographer said, pulling Adrien's attention back to him and Marinette. He made Marinette sit with Adrien, letting him clearly see the hot blush on her cheeks. Adrien couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips. "I want Marinette to lean against Adrien, like you're lovers." Adrien stopped breathing for a few seconds, like they were what? He and Marinette couldn't be together, he was in love with Ladybug, that was why he never said anything about knowing she had a crush on him, because he knew he couldn't be with her. But when he looked up at her, the blush that reached her chest, eyes wide to present big blue orbs, suddenly Adrien felt his Chat Noir side taking over.
Adrien curled his arms around Marinette's waist in one fluid motion, smiling at the gasp that came from her lips when he pulled her toward him. She was stiff against him, clearly nervous, but that was to be expected, they were in an interesting position for two people who were just friends. She was positioned between his legs, one of his legs bent on the window sill, leaning against the glass, while the other was relaxed, hanging above the ground. His arms were around her waist, hugging her to his chest. He couldn't see her face, but would be willing to bet she was blushing. Without thinking he leaned closer to her, whispering in her ear, just quiet enough for her to hear,
"Relax, I don't bite." Adrien said, not really trying to get her to relax, but trying to get her flustered because dammit she was cute! When she stiffened more Adrien had to keep himself from laughing.
Finally Marinette relaxed into him, pulling her legs up to rest bent at a slant. She turned ever so slightly so she was leaning against him at an angle. Slowly her blue eyes met his green ones and they locked. Marinette still had a blush on her cheeks, though it was less noticeable now because of the makeup, and Adrien was breathless. He'd always known Marinette was beautiful, but right now it was the only thing going through his mind.
The shudder of the camera startled them both. Making them look at the Photographer, who was smiling. "That was perfect!" The Photographer said, looking up from behind his camera. "So much emotion, admiration, I want a few more shots just like that!"