A/N: Thank you all for being so patient with me getting this chapter posted! You are are so wonderful and supportive and I am blessed to have gotten such positive feedback. I hope it was worth the wait! Disclaimer: Still don't own.

Chapter 2: Summer

Let's fall in the summer time,
Star-crossed, dancing 'till the sunrise.
And it's sweeter on the first try.
Let go, believe and we can both fly.
–Ships Have Sailed

It had been two weeks since the start of summer vacation. Two whole weeks since Marinette hopped off the back of his bike, handed over his red helmet, and returned his well wishes that he have good luck on his finals too.

Adrien no longer had the excuse of school to drive Marinette to and from her home, and it was driving him to distraction, which his other Lady seemed to pick up on.

"What's up with you?" Ladybug demanded during patrol one evening, hand on her hip as she observed her partner gazing moodily at the skyline. "You've been really irritable these last few nights. Something on your mind?"

Cat Noir was struck by a sense of Déjà vu, which probably explained his honest answer. "I miss my classmates." One classmate in particular, he thought but didn't voice.

Ladybug exhaled in understanding. "Well, it's only summer vacation. Why don't you just ask them to hang out? If they're still in town that is. You don't need school as an excuse to spend time with people you like…" She trailed off, hearing a sharp scream pierce the evening air.

Grateful for the distraction, Cat Noir extended his baton to follow Ladybug, contemplating her advice. Was it really just that simple? Would Marinette even want to hang out with him?

Adrien quashed the second thought almost immediately. Marinette was his friend, and friends totally hung out with each other all the time outside of school projects. The question wasn't whether or not his dark haired classmate wanted to hang out with him, the question was what sort of things she might like to do.

Adrien wasn't one to waste time, and the following morning found him standing outside the Dupain-Cheng bakery going over the lines he'd rehearsed a dozen times the night before.

"Just hurry up and go talk to her already," Plagg groused from his shirt pocket. "And get me a cheese danish while you're at it."

"Demanding much?" Adrien rolled his eyes before pushing the door open, his green eyes immediately registering the girl behind the counter helping an elderly couple select cake designs.

"Can I help you?"came a woman's voice from his left, and Adrien found himself face to face with a smiling Sabine.

"Do you have any cheese danishes?" The boy blurted the first thing that came to mind, and he winced at how loud it echoed in the shop.

"Sure thing. How many would you like?" Sabine inquired, leading him to a window display.

"Half a dozen should be fine," he replied in a much calmer tone. Something about Sabine's maternal lilt relaxed his nerves and set his mind at ease.

"Let me go get a box. I'll be right back." She patted his arm before heading to the register.

"Adrien?" The model froze momentarily before turning around to face the reason for his visit.

Marinette left the counter to approach him, a bright pink apron covering her loose-fitting blouse and capris. Her hair was pulled back into her signature pigtails and tucked under a paisley handkerchief. There was a small smudge of flour on one cheek, and Adrien had to fight the urge to brush it away with his thumb.

"Hey Mari," he smiled, hoping he wouldn't trip over his words. "I thought I'd pick up some danishes. And…" His voice trailed off as she came closer, eyes sparkling with something he didn't have words for.

"And?" She prompted, hands clasped gently behind her back as she leaned in.

"And I was wondering if you were free tomorrow? The botanical gardens have a new exhibit, and I thought it'd be fun to check out?" The second sentence came out more unsure than he would have liked, but Marinette didn't seem to notice.

"I have to make a few deliveries in the morning, but I should be free after eleven," excitement laced her reply, and Adrien could feel his confidence returning.

"Yeah? Great! Awesome! I'll pick you up at eleven! Awesome!" He was babbling and he knew it, but Marinette didn't seem to mind if her broad grin was anything to go by. Thankfully, Adrien was saved from further word vomit by Sabine, who had been observing the exchange with a complacent smile and a contriving glint to her eye.

"Here are your danishes. Have a wonderful day," she handed Adrien a carefully wrapped box.

"Thank you!" He graciously accepted them, making his way to the register. "How much do I owe you?"

Sabine waved her hand. "Oh, there's no charge, dear. I never charge Marinette's friends. Especially not her boyfriend."

The older woman wished she had a camera to record how quickly both of their faces flushed red.

"Oh, we're not–"

"He's not my boyfriend, mom," Marinette sputtered out, looking apologetically at Adrien who was trying not to combust on the spot.

Not trusting himself to speak more than simple sentence, Adrien edged his way to the door, waving goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow, Marinette." Without a glance back, the boy edged through the door into the warm summer air outside.

"Well, that could've gone better," Adrien mumbled to himself, trying to figure out how he was going to transport the pastries home without squashing the box.

Plagg poked his head out of Adrien's shirt, smirking at his charge's embarrassment. "Could've gone worse too, lover boy. Are you gonna give me one of those cheese things or not?"

Five minutes before eleven found Adrien in front of the bakery the next day, both helmets tucked away on his bike as he built up the courage to open the door. He couldn't understand why he was a bundle of nerves; he and Marinette did plenty of hanging out outside of school. Well, it was mostly with Alya and Nino involving school projects, but they had gone to a few movies and even out for gelato as a group. Surely one-on-one wasn't terribly different?

Inhaling deeply, the blond straightened his posture and strode purposefully through the entrance, listening to the shop bell announce his presence. A few customers were meandering about, eyeing the fresh pastries and desserts through glass countertops. Sabine caught his eye briefly and waved before turning back to the family she was assisting with croissant orders.

Adrien waved back, albeit a little more awkwardly, wondering if he should text Marinette again when the girl in question rushed through the doorway to the back of the shop. She was rapidly pulling her hair into a ponytail, fingers dexterously rounding up all the loose strands into the taught updo. Green eyes traced the minute actions of her hands before trailing down the girl's outfit. Her blouse was a sleeveless lavender number that wrapped gracefully around her torso and angled off the side of her hip, little flounces and sequences decorating the main part. Jade board shorts rolled up above her knee and well-loved pink sneakers completed the look. Instead of her round pink purse, the dark haired girl sported a larger hobo bag draped across her front.

She looked like she belonged in the gardens they were about to visit, and it was distracting enough that Adrien completely missed the fact that she had just asked him a question.

"Um, Adrien?" Came her cautious query, waving her hand in front of his face in an effort to add some light humor.

"Sorry Mari, I just zoned out a bit," the boy apologized, trying not to trip over his words. "I was wondering…did you make your shirt?"

"Oh! Yep," Marinette beamed proudly, spinning in a tight circle with her arms out to give him the full effect of the shimmery garment. "I was looking at some wisteria blossoms when I designed it. Do you like it?" Her question tried not to sound too hopeful.

"You're beautiful," Adrien replied without thinking only to realize the statement that just exited his mouth. "I-I mean, it's a beautiful shirt! Not that you're not beautiful or that you don't make the shirt more beautiful…" He was going to punch himself in the face if he ever found a way to stop talking. "We should probably head out before it gets too warm," was his ending comment before turning on his heel and exiting the shop, leaving a blushing Marinette to follow after him.

"Way to go, Romeo," Plagg snickered from his shirt. "I'm surprised you could keep talking even after sticking both feet in your mouth."

"Quiet, you!" Adrien hissed, pulling his helmet over his head in order to preserve some shred of dignity. Not that it mattered; his face was as red as a fire truck, and Marinette would have to be color blind to not notice.

Another tinkle of the shop bell announced her exit, and Adrien was grateful that she didn't make any awkward comments. She simply unlocked the helmet and slipped in the seat behind Adrien like she belonged there.

Not a moment later, they were zooming off to the botanical gardens along the outskirts of the city.

The sweltering summer heat was abetted by the sheer number of trees and shrubs providing an occasional respite to the gardens' wanderers. Both teenagers meandered languidly throughout the foliage, occasionally sipping from the water bottles Marinette had the foresight to pack in her bag along with sunscreen and half a dozen croissants and cookies each. Adrien tried to make light conversation about what Marinette had been up to these last few weeks to which she would happily reply with some silly story about a crazy client or a mishap in the kitchen. She was rewarded with Adrien's laughter as she recounted a particular story about a birthday cake, a service puppy in training, and half a bag of powdered sugar.

He was still chuckling when they came across the newly installed butterfly pavilion. Adrien hesitated only a second before gesturing to Marinette, "After you."

The dark hair girl froze momentarily before attempting a small smile. "All right then."

Despite their initial reluctance, the duo was left breathless by the vast number and variety of butterflies dancing about them. Little placards hidden within the various blooming vines and bushes indicated the names and natural locations of the different species.

After observing a rather large Mountain Argus drink from a flower, Marinette made her way toward the exit only to be stopped by Adrien's hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Mari, don't move," he murmured so low it was almost a purr.

Obediently, she froze on the spot, waiting for further direction from the boy standing behind her.

Adrien, pleased that she wasn't going anywhere, extracted his phone from his back pocket and aimed the camera at her face. "Okay, turn your head toward me slowly."

Marinette complied, looking up to the fringe of her bangs as she caught a glimpse of white out of the corner of her eye. The sound of a shutter went off, and Marinette jumped slightly at the loud noise breaking the peaceful environment. Shaken from its perch atop her head, the Marbled White Butterfly decided to land directly atop her nose, ignoring the two blue eyes now examining it cross-eyed.

The phone shutter went off again, but Marinette paid no attention this time, her focus dedicated entirely to the delicate creature admiring her freckles. Eventually the little insect flew off in search of sustenance, and Adrien watched in awe at the relaxed beauty dancing across his classmate's face.

"Bye-bye little butterfly," she breathed, hardly more than a whisper. Adrien wasn't sure he even heard her correctly, but something familiar triggered in the back of his mind…a similar pose and a similar lady and–

"Are you ready?" Her voice cut through his thoughts, and the blond looked down at her smiling contentedly back at him.

"Yeah," Adrien followed her out of the enclosure. "Hey, let me show you the photos. They came out really great…"

Adrien brought Marinette home just after her parents had finished eating dinner.

"You can come up and grab a bite too," the heroine wheedled, trying not to let such a perfect day end so soon.

"Thank you, but I have a night shoot I need to head out to," he replied, hoping she understood that he wanted to stay but could not.

She did. "Oh, well, some other time then," Marinette smiled, still reluctant to open the door and leave him. "I had a lot of fun today. Thanks for inviting me."

"I'm glad," his smile was nothing short of dazzling. "We should do it again sometime soon, yeah?"

If his smile dazzled, her smile could have blinded the sun. "Definitely."

The next morning, Adrien awoke to a text from Marinette.

'Farmers market this Saturday 9. U game?'

YES! His heart shouted before his brain had even caught up. SAY YES!

Thumb poised over the phone's keyboard, Adrien was about to confirm, but a nagging suspicion that he already had something scheduled made him pause. Flipping open the calendar app, the model gave an irritated growl when two back-to-back photo shoots popped up that morning and took the majority of his day. Still, if he left early. he'd have an hour he could spend with his classmate. He had never been to a farmers market, and the thought of doing something fun and novel with Marinette sent his heart racing.

'I'd have to leave for a photo shoot at 10. Would that be okay?'

The Parisian hero held his breath, hoping his bad luck wouldn't come into play as he waited for her reply.

'Sure! We'll make it work! See you Saturday ;)'

The winky face was almost too much. Sighing contentedly, the blond flopped back on his pillows, a dreamy expression tugging his features.

"You've got that stupid look on your face again," Plagg rolled his eyes as he hovered above his charge.

"What stupid look?" Adrien exhaled, not bothering to open his eyes. He had a luxurious ten minutes before his alarm was set to go off and he wasn't leaving the comfort of his mattress.

"The look you get when Ladybug accidentally flirts back or when you're gonna do something with Marinette," Plagg deadpanned, poking Adrien in the chin. "The same look you get when you forget to feed me cheese."

Realizing his kwami wasn't going to leave him alone, Adrien flung off the covers, grumbling as he headed to the kitchen in search of Camembert.

After multiple reassurances that yes, he would be on time for his shoot that morning, Adrien zoomed off in the familiar trek to Marinette's home. He observed a commotion coming from the park across the way when his cohort burst through the front doors and every coherent thought left his brain.

Marinette wore a deep blue sundress the same color as her eyes. It was trimmed with white lace around the hem above her knees and the square collar with a lace sash highlighting her waist. A wide brimmed white sun hat with a navy ribbon perched atop her hair, which was loosely tickling her shoulders.

"Hi," she replied a bit breathlessly, having just marathoned several flights of stairs to meet him. "We won't have to take the bike today. The market is just across the street," she gestured to the park, observing Adrien's slack-jawed look and misinterpreting it as being upset with the plan. "Unless you don't want too?" The last bit came out in an adorable squeak, and Adrien was snapped out of his daze.

"Uh–I–I mean–NO! That's fine. It's perfect! Yes! Lead the way," his arms waved wildly as he gestured her ahead, content to fall in step with the soft padding of her sandaled feet.

The duo marched across the street, pausing a moment for effect in front of the park. Multiple tents and canopies were strewn across in haphazard fashion, smells of homemade treats and fresh produce wafting through the morning breeze.

Marinette, taking pity on Adrien's overwhelmed expression, slipped her hand into his in a moment of boldness. "I like to start at the jam booth myself," she informed him, and Adrien enthusiastically nodded his agreement, tightening his hold around her.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Ten minutes late to the shoot, backpack and stomach full of home-baked treats and garden produce, Adrien's good mood couldn't be dulled by Natalie's lecture or the photographer's outraged tantrum. His only thought was how soon he could spend time with Marinette again.

Wanna meet at 11am Tuesday? Lunch picnic? I know a great park…

Her reply was immediately forthcoming.

How about 11:30? I have a bunch of deliveries that morning :/

He could work with that.

Deal :)

Monday night Natalie handed Adrien an updated schedule that included an extra fencing lesson, three new photo shoots, and two extra sessions with the Mandarin tutor that effectively blocked his schedule through Thursday.

The blond flopped on the bed, allowing the pillow to muffle his frustrated groans as he extracted his phone from his pocket.

Can we reschedule lunch for Friday? Natalie booked me solid until Thursday afternoon :(

His thumb hovered briefly over the screen before he pushed send. Setting the phone down on his bedside stand, Adrien made his way to the punching bag in the corner to blow off some steam.

No problem! I know ur busy. 11:30 still work?

Yeah, thanks for understanding :)

:)

Adrien's father had other plans. Half an hour before the model was set to meet Marinette, Gabriel announced that Adrien was to accompany him for a four day trip to Madrid.

Father sprung a surprise trip to Spain on me five minutes ago. Not gonna make lunch. I'm really sorry Marinette :(

He had just finished packing his suitcase and was still swatting Plagg away from the bag to prevent the kwami from eating the emergency supply of Camembert when she responded.

It's ok :) Have a fun trip!

It was totally NOT okay with him, and Marinette deserved better than to be continually put off by her friend.

I swear I'll make it up to you, Mari. I'm really, REALLY sorry :(

He managed a weak chuckle at her reply.

You'd better ;)

The next time he tried scheduling something with Marinette, his free time was immediately taken over by another ridiculous lesson or photo shoot or–

"Polka lessons?" Adrien raised an eyebrow, shooting Natalie an incredulous look over the schedule.

"It's ballroom dancing," the assistant corrected. "A three day comprehensive course. Your father felt it was important."

Adrien rolled his eyes at this. It was clear that he was being punished for showing up slightly late to the photo shoot two weeks ago, and he called Marinette that night to tell her as much.

"He's trying to make a point," Adrien grumbled. "At this rate I'm gonna have to sneak out to see any friends."

"Well, we'll just have to outsmart him," Marinette replied. Adrien could practically hear the cogs turning inside her head when she asked him, "What time did you say your photo shoot was tomorrow?"

"Eleven until probably three. And I have fencing at three thirty."

She hummed noncommittally. "Do you think you can send me the address?"

He wasn't fooled at all by her innocent tone of voice. "I think I can swing that."

The next day found Marinette along with Nino and Alya standing beneath the shade of some trees at his location. They were carrying enough baked goods to feed an army, and Adrien excitedly ran into their group hug when he had a break.

"I can't believe you're all here," he laughed, shoving half a croissant in his mouth.

"Well, we figured if you couldn't come to us…" Marinette began.

"…We'd come to you," Alya finished.

"You guys are the best! I don't deserve you," Adrien grinned, his mouth full of pastry.

"True that," Nino agreed, holding his fist up and bumping it against Adrien's. "But you gotta give credit to Mari for organizing the whole shebang."

A lovely blush dusted the apples of Marinette's cheeks at Nino's words and Adrien's profuse thanks.

"But we did help her carry all of the goodies over," Alya interjected, enjoying the way the blond tripped over his thanks to include them as well.

"I'm going to make this up to all of you," came Adrien's fierce promise, and the sincerity in his eyes made his friends believe him.

Natalie was regretting signing Adrien up for the online computer programming class he had requested. He'd managed to block out chunks of time in her electronic schedule, which in turn was synced to Gabriel Agreste's electronic schedule. And no matter how many times she refreshed the page or attempted to assign something over the time blocks, it would flash an error message and reboot the entire system. The small part of her that didn't want to strangle the boy was highly amused by his antics, and she wondered how closely Gabriel truly monitored his son's schedule when he booked inconspicuous time slots like "gym" and "online course" to ridiculous things like "Knitting Club" and "Society Against Hamster Fashion meeting."

But her favorite by far was the three hour window blocked off for tomorrow afternoon simply labeled "Picnic."

Adrien had been fretting the entire morning. The forecast over the weekend that had promised sunny skies for Tuesday afternoon had seemingly changed its mind overnight.

"Welp, that's some rotten luck," Plagg noted unhelpfully as he gazed out the window next to Adrien. The blond shot his kwami a dirty look.

"If you have something to do with this–"

Plagg held his paws up in a 'calm your tits' sort of manner. "Hey now, I'm bad luck, which extends to you by the way, but I don't have power over the weather," the ancient cat retorted, crossing his arms and looking back out the window. "Besides, it's not like the whole sky is overcast! There's a patch of blue over there that looks just like a wheel of Camembert. And speaking of cheese…"

Adrien knew that if he rolled his eyes anymore they would get stuck in the back of his sockets. "Tell you what, if you promise to behave, I'll give you half a wheel now and the other half when we get back-"

"Deal!" The kwami exclaimed, spinning around in tight circles and vibrating with excitement. "Better hurry up, lover boy, or you're gonna be late!"

Adrien sent one last cautious look to the overcast sky before snagging a light jacket, grabbing his keys, and running out the door, pausing only to grab the gourmet sandwiches from the kitchen on his way to Marinette's house. This was the first time he had been able to see her since she, Nino, and Alya crashed his photo shoot, and he wasn't going to let some dark clouds come between them and their picnic.

As it turned out, Marinette was just as committed to the expedition if not more so, having the foresight to pack the desserts, the waterproof blanket, and the umbrella Adrien had leant her months and months ago. Both teens were bound and determined to have an awesome time, and they dutifully ignored the clouds morph to a darker gray as they set out the blanket in the newly refurbished park two miles from Adrien's house. They pretended not to hear the low grumble of thunder while munching on delicious ham and salami sandwiches, and it wasn't until the first patterings of rain fell on their noses and arms that the duo grudgingly acknowledged their denial and whipped out the umbrella.

At this point, two things happened that each person tried to attribute to their own bad luck: the rain came in a downpour and a wind blew the umbrella until it was inside out and basically useless. Frantically collecting their items, Adrien shouted over the rain and faint thunder, "Quick! We'll head to my house! It's closer!"

Marinette nodded, bangs plastered to her forehead and shirt thoroughly drenched. She followed him back to the bike, sliding behind him and wrapping her bare arms tightly around his middle. He was just as soaked as she was, but there was some heat between her front and his back, and the heroine was totally going to take advantage.

Three blocks later, Adrien could feel her shivering behind him. He was very tempted to speed down the familiar route home, but he'd seen enough accidents to know that rain made driving a motorcycle even more dangerous. "Hang on, Mari. We're almost there," he encouraged through the headset.

Not trusting her teeth to stop chattering, Marinette nodded into his shoulders, ignoring her own embarrassment and pressing even closer.

By the time the pair arrived at the Agreste Manor, they might as well have gone swimming in the Seine fully clothed. They squelched through the grand entrance, Marinette apologizing profusely while periodically checking inside her knapsack. Adrien might have noticed this odd behavior if he wasn't busy hollering for the house staff and checking on Plagg when he thought no one was looking. The kwami looked about as irritated as any wet cat could be.

Towels were immediately brought out, and Adrien ushered Marinette up to his room, simultaneously babbling and trying to make sure she had the warmest, fluffiest towel. "If you want, you can stay and take a hot bath or shower or whatever. We'll get your clothes dry before you go home. I probably have something you can wear in the meantime…" He guided her through the main part of his room to his ridiculous walk-in closet where he began pulling out the smallest things he could find. She simply stood there and gaped.

"…everything's going to be to big obviously, but I think these should fit you–unless you don't want them?" He mistook her open mouth shock for disgust.

Marinette snapped back to reality. "Oh no! These are perfect," she smiled, accepting the bundle of clothes before turning her gaze back to last year's Agreste fall fashion line tucked into a corner. "I just may need a minute…or ten."

Adrien followed her gaze, recalling what a fashion guru she was. He laughed delightedly before holding her shoulders and spinning her to the exit. "C'mon, Princess. Get showered and changed first, and then we can come back in here."

The girl froze momentarily at the pet name, turning her head to take in his expression and searching for something she wasn't sure she wanted to find. "Promise?"

His grin became even wider. "Promise."

It wasn't until Adrien finished his shower that Plagg emerged from hiding. "You sure it's a good idea, letting her roam around in your closet while you're not there?" The kwami idly remarked, snacking on some Camembert that Adrien kept stashed in the bathroom.

The model shrugged into his dry clothes. "I don't see why not."

"Suit yourself," the Kwami munched on a rather large piece of cheese. "As long as you're not embarrassed when she discovers your Ladybug merchandise collection…"

Green eyes widened in horror. "You don't think she'll find it, right?"

Plagg gave his charge a look that said 'Are you seriously going to try pushing your already bad luck?'

The boy practically sprinted to his closet, hearing Marinette's hushed "No way" before seeing her hold up the item in question.

"Adrien," she grinned to shame the Cheshire Cat, "I never knew you were such a fan." She flashed the red and black polka dotted sweatshirt at him.

He fought the blood rushing to his face. "Would you believe me if I told you it was for someone else?"

Her laughter echoed in the enclosed space, and he felt his stomach do several loop-da-loops. "Not a chance," she replied, enjoying how flustered he was for a change. "Hey," she cupped her hand over his elbow, "It's kind of sweet."

"Yeah?" He looked at her dubiously through his wet bangs.

She nodded vehemently, her towel falling off her head and allowing her wet strands to come loose. "I'm sure she appreciates the support," her smile became more mischievous. "Even from her closet fans."

It took Adrien approximately 2.34 seconds to realize his friend had made a pun, and the effect was…kind of hot if he was being honest with himself. "Did you just–"

Marinette laughed at his surprise before taking a more firm grip around his arm and leading him out to the main part of the room. "C'mon. I'm still waiting for my tour."

Two hours later, after trying her hand at every arcade game Adrien owned, Marinette found herself in the middle of a dance off with the blond on his DDR machine.

"You're not even trying, Mari," Adrien goaded, doing a rather tricky shuffle as the arrows at his feet flashed in rapid succession.

"You try dancing while your pants are falling down," the dark hair girl huffed as she readjusted the gym shorts once more.

"Well, if you think it'll help you…" he replied without missing a beat, and Marinette really did trip, missing several of the arrows that lit up around her. She shot her companion an unamused glare, which didn't seem to faze him at all if his smug visage was anything to go by.

Belatedly, she wondered if he was flirting with her. Was this how people flirted? Adrien noticed the surprise in her eyes morph to something else.

"Marinette," he paused the game, "is everything al–"

FLASH. CRACK. BOOM.

An onamonapia of sounds assaulted their ears before the lights flickered and went out. The only source of light came in dim gray from the wall of bay windows. The rain seemed to pick up in intensity, barraging the glass panes with a vendetta.

Adrien's hand found Marinette's of its own accord, and he gingerly led her away from the game to the couch. Another loud crack of lightening followed by a giant rumble shook the vast room.

"Don't worry, the backup generator will kick on soon," Adrien assured her as they sat on the sofa, fingers still interlaced.

As though by the boy's command, the lights flickered on dimly, humming soothing white noise.

His voice broke the silence again. "We probably shouldn't use the arcade games anymore; they take too much electricity to run. But if you want, my laptop is charged. We can watch a movie?"

It was more of a question than a statement, and Marinette realized that he was waiting for affirmation on her part that she wanted to continue to spend time with him.

She squeezed their still-entwined hands. "Yeah, that sounds fun. What kind of movies do you have?"

They playfully argued back and forth until finally settling on an old action flick they were both fond of. Returning with the movie and a warm fleece throw, Adrien settled next to his classmate.

The rain patter was broken by an occasional streak of lightening and grumble of thunder, but neither teen paid any heed. They made it a quarter of the way through the film when Natalie knocked on the door holding Marinette's dry clothes and informing the two that over half the power was out in the city and authorities were beginning to suspect another akuma.

"I have the car waiting to take you home," Natalie told Marinette before leaving the two standing in silence.

"Go get changed," Adrien nodded to the bathroom. "I'll walk you out. Promise me you'll text me when you get home?"

"Of course."

For once, Plagg didn't zoom out of hiding demanding that Adrien immediately change into Cat Noir and hurry to meet Ladybug. It didn't occur to Adrien to ask his kwami why until long after they found the electricity-absorbing akuma that turned out to be an overworked power plant employee who was tired of dealing with weather power outages.

After crawling back through the window as a thoroughly drenched Cat Noir, more than a little fried from his electric encounter, Adrien flopped on the couch and let out a deep sigh. He inhaled just as deeply, smelling the faint remnants of Marinette's hand lotion. Recalling her promise, Adrien extracted his phone, scrolling through his messages until he found a new one from her. His eyes widened in surprise at the time stamp. She sent it about five minutes ago.

'Sorry. Phone battery died. Home safe :)'

Adrien exhaled in relief. 'I'm glad. Thanks for letting me know.'

Her reply was immediate. 'Of course! Thx for the ride!'

The model paused for a moment, considering how to word his next text. 'Want to try the picnic another day?'

After a beat, his phone buzzed with her response. 'Sure. Rain check? ;)'

She punned again. He was in so much trouble.

'Rain check.' He sent back. Then, for good measure, he sent her a rain cloud emoticon.

Four days after their interrupted movie, Marinette and Adrien basked in the warm summer sunlight, picnic goodies strewn about their blanket. Marinette was perusing an unreleased fashion magazine Adrien had thoughtfully brought her, and Adrien was laying on his back, head in Marinette's lap as she languidly ran her fingers through his hair. It was taking nearly all of his very non-existent willpower not to purr under her ministrations.

Her hands paused momentarily, and Adrien could have sworn they began to tremble.

"Adrien?" She questioned, setting the magazine aside.

"Mmmmm?"

"Is…" The designer trailed off tentatively before steeling herself. "Is this a date?"

Both Adrien's eyes shot wide open, dilated pupils taking in Marinette's expression from her lap. A lovely blush had overtaken her face, but her mouth was a straight line determined to get the truth out of him.

Of all the things she could have possibly asked him, that was very close to the last thing he imagined. Her face was brave, but Adrien saw the insecurity swirling around her irises. Bluebell blue, he thought idly even as his heart pounded against his ribcage.

He loved Ladybug. As sure as the moon revolved around the earth and the earth revolved around the sun and the sun sent their solar system hurtling through the Milky Way, Adrien loved Ladybug. Well, he loved the girl that was Ladybug, who could be literally anyone. Anyone with hair as dark as midnight and bluebell blue eyes…

It was at this point Adrien realized he had delayed his response for far too long; Marinette was beginning to withdraw to herself looking absolutely mortified.

The blond gave chase, reaching a hand up to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. Adrien's mother had once told him that decisions made by following your heart and intuition usually ended in the best possible way. And as much as Adrien loved his partner, he couldn't deny what his heart was telling him now.

"Yes?" He wished his voice hadn't cracked. "I mean…if that's okay with you?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed, covering her mouth with both hands, embarrassed at how loudly her response was belted out. "It's great! Fine! Perfect." She nodded several times. "Okay." Then, to hide her crimson face, Marinette grabbed the fashion magazine and opened it to the first random page her fingers landed on. Adrien didn't have the heart to tell her it was upside down and decided it was safe to close his eyes once more.

His ears picked up the rustle of paper as his classmate corrected the magazine to actually be able to read it. Several minutes later, her fingers laced their way through his blond locks again, gently dragging across his scalp in the most deliciously perfect way possible. Before allowing himself to enter the state between daydreaming and napping, Adrien was almost certain he may have purred…just a little.

"M'lady?" Cat Noir called ahead. Ladybug paused before heading home. Their patrol had been an uneventful one, and they were about to part ways for the night.

"Yes Cat?" She inquired, yo-yo poised in her fist, ready to launch.

"You…" His voice began to crack, and he cleared his throat before continuing. "You know I love you, right?"

Ladybug turned to face him completely, concerned about the direction of the conversation. "Cat-"

Cat Noir didn't let her finish. If he didn't get everything out now he might just lose his nerve completely. "I love you. You're my best friend and the best partner an alley cat like me could ever hope to have."

"Kitty," her voice was soft as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"I've started seeing someone!" The hero blurted out. Ladybug's eyes went comically wide; whatever news she was expecting him to tell her clearly was not that. She started to giggle, eventually laughing into the humid night. Adrien's face morphed from nervous to annoyed.

"What, you think I couldn't find someone to date me?" He demanded grumpily, crossing his arms.

The heroine struggled to find her breath. "No!" She wheezed, inhaling deeply to regain her composure. "It's not that at all! It's just…I was expecting you to tell me some awful news and this…" Ladybug placed both hands on top of his shoulders, turning him to face her. "…This is a good thing. I'm happy for you, Cat."

"But I promised to love you," Cat Noir argued, and Ladybug realized the directions he was being pulled.

"You're my best friend, Cat Noir. Best friends can love each other," Ladybug replied gently. "That doesn't mean you're not keeping your promise by dating this person." He gave her a small smile when she said, "I meant it when I said I was happy for you."

He pulled her in for a hug. "So, we're good?" He inquired into her hair.

"We're good," she affirmed.

Summer was winding down. Adrien knew it would only be another few weeks before school started again, and he planned to make the most of his remaining free time, namely spending it between Marinette and his other friends. Unfortunately, Gabriel Agreste, who was nothing if not consistently inconsistent, scheduled Adrien to accompany him on his fall fashion tour. Three weeks gallivanting around Europe and no Marinette to show for it. The icing on top of the punishment cake was the fact that the news was sprung on the model the night before their early morning departure.

Adrien wasn't going to have time to see any of his friends. His verdant irises swirled with anger until they fell on his keys hanging from the wall. Well, he wouldn't see them in a conventional way anyhow.

Having Plagg for a kwami did absolutely nothing for Adrien's impulse control. If anything, the model had to be the level-headed one between the two of them. So it was no surprise really that Plagg went compliantly into the ring, allowing Adrien to sneak into the courtyard, quietly take his bike through a suspiciously glitching security system, and detransform a block later, his motorcycle roaring through the night toward the bakery.

The hero allowed the bike to idle before shutting it off right below the fire escape at the side of the familiar building. The absence of his motor made the silence of the street so much louder, and Adrien realized that maybe going to Marinette's home in the middle of the night on a weekday in a fit of anger wasn't the best course of action.

Removing his helmet, the blond sighed while running a hand through his disheveled locks before reaching for the buzzing phone in his pocket.

'Look up.'

Marinette was leaning over her balcony, and he didn't need night vision to know her expression was highly amused.

'How did you know it was me?'

He watched her reach in her pocket for her phone and type him a message.

'Heard you coming. Wanna talk about it?'

Their eyes met briefly, his in surprise, hers with understanding. Adrien's thumb hovered over the keypad for half a moment before he typed his response and quickly pushed send before he could take anything back.

'Want to go get some air?'

Her phone screen faintly illuminated her features, and to say she seemed shocked by his inquiry would be an understatement.

As though in a daze, Marinette turned around and headed out of Adrien's line of sight. The blond wasn't quite sure how to react. Was she mad at him? Was she going to bed? Did she never want to see him again?

He was considering just throwing on his helmet and leaving for the next country before he died of mortification, but he heard creaking along the fire escape a few minutes later. Marinette was wearing a light sweater and attempting to make as little noise as possible so as not to wake her neighbors…and also her parents.

The drop from the end of the staircase was about ten feet above the sidewalk, and without thinking Adrien stepped below the ledge, holding his hands up to catch her. She fell into his arms with the barest hint of trepidation, and he took a few steps backward to regain balance from her momentum. The blond relaxed his hold and made to set her feet down on the concrete sidewalk, but Marinette tightened her grip around his shoulders, burying her nose at the base of his neck. It was as though she had an underlying intuition that Adrien needed the prolonged contact, and he responded in kind by tightening his hold around her waist.
They stayed like that for awhile, allowing the warm summer night breeze to wash over them. The dark haired girl allowed him to break contact first, and when he set her down, not quite ready to meet her eyes, she simply asked, "Where to?"

"Anywhere," he replied, taking her hand and leading her to the motorcycle. They spent the next hour in radio silence, her head a comforting presence on his shoulder as they cruised the empty streets of Paris. Eventually, Adrien brought her back to the bakery, allowing the engine to idle before shutting it off completely.

Marinette removed her helmet, leaning against the bike and waiting for Adrien to finally make eye contact. He did meet her gaze, and without any preamble said, "My father is taking me with him on his fall tour for the next three weeks."

Her eyes widened in understanding, mouth in a perfectly formed 'O' as the reason for his frustration set in. His last bit of summer was going to be consumed by work.

"Hey, it's not so bad," she slipped her hand into his and gave a soft squeeze. "You'll still have a weekend and a few days before school starts."

"That's not the point though," Adrien argued. "The point is he never asks. And when I tell him that he never takes into account my thoughts or feelings on the matter, he just withdraws with threats to my already limited freedoms." He let out a deep sigh. "Sometimes it's better to not argue because he only blows things out of proportion."

He laced his other hand with hers, murmuring, "And I was hoping we'd get to hang out more before school started again."

"Mmmmmmm," she hummed in agreement before saying, "Well, we'll just have to make the most of the last few days of summer when you get back."

A flash of inspiration struck Adrien. "Hey Mari, what would you say to a day trip to the beach?"

The three weeks without physically being able to hang out with Marinette, Nino, and Alya took a toll on Adrien's sanity. Plagg was a help when he could be bribed with cheese to transform his charge and let him run off the pent up energy, but what carried Adrien through it all was the trip he and Marinette had planned the Friday after he was scheduled to arrive back in Paris.

After giving his cohort a kiss on the cheek and a boost up to the fire escape, Adrien had gone into immediate planning mode. His family had a beach house about two and a half hours from Paris nestled in Deauville, France, and if they left early enough in the morning they would have the majority of the day to walk up and down the coast, swim, visit the boardwalk shops, and maybe even get a few cat naps.

Sneaking back into his room was not an issue, and the boy immediately cleared that Friday of any previous engagements, rescheduling them for other days or cancelling them altogether. He called the skeleton staff keeping the beach house in order in case by some miracle Gabriel Agreste actually took a vacation. In between runway shows and late night fittings, Adrien looked up the most efficient routes to Deauville, the various sights and shops of the beachside town, and fuel stops along the way. The planning provided a nice distraction from the tour as well as from Marinette's texts.

She kept sending him obscure pictures of a project she was currently working on with captions like 'Ur surprise for when u get back!' and 'Look how nicely ur surprise is coming along ;)' and 'ur surprise is giving me issues :('

It was enough to drive him a little insane with curiosity, and it didn't help that Plagg kept demanding, "Is she making Camembert? Now that would be a good surprise."

Whatever she was making, it involved black fabric and some sort of metal framing. Three days before he was scheduled to fly home, he received 'Finished :)'

'OMG Mari whyyyy?'

'What, u don't want it?'

Adrien groaned. 'Why must you continue to torture me? :('

Her reply was nearly instantaneous, as though she anticipated his comment. 'Because I can, Adrien. Because. I. Can.'

He paused for several long moments before sending, 'You know what this means.'

'What?'

'Payback.'

He arrived a day ahead of schedule, and Marinette nearly screamed in fright when she heard a dull landing on her balcony.

"Surprise," he grinned sheepishly, running a hand through the back of his hair when she cautiously poked her head out the trapdoor, taser in hand.

"Adrien," she hissed, setting the weapon down on her bed before joining him on the roof. "How did you even get up here?"

He was taken aback by the legitimate disbelief and annoyance on her face. "I scaled the wall?" His reply came as more of a question, as though he wasn't sure quite how he had managed to magic himself up to her.

"You…climbed up the building?"

"Yes?"

"To see me?"

"Yeah…?" Adrien wondered why all the clarification was necessary, but her glare had softened into something more thoughtful so he wasn't about to complain.

"Even though you're going to see me Friday morning? At the crack of dawn?" The suspicion was back.

Green eyes met hers, and he said as sincerely as possible, "Why wouldn't I want to spend as much time as possible with you?"

Marinette's pupils dilated fractionally before she came to some sort of internal resolution.

"Wait here," she commanded before slipping through the trap door, lid closing with a click.

Adrien exhaled deeply, and before Plagg had the chance to dart out of his shirt pocket to taunt him, Marinette's head popped back through the floor. She held a small bundle in her arms, and she was gingerly trying to shield it from his view until she had fully made it through the trapdoor.

"Since you're here, you might as well have your surprise," she huffed, unceremoniously pushing the bundle into his hands and trying to suppress a blush.

His eyes widened at the hastily covered gift. Pulling off the blanket that the dark haired girl wrapped around it, Adrien couldn't find words to adequately express the emotions he was feeling at the sight of her present.

They were hard case bags designed to slip over the back part of his motorcycle's seat. She had covered the frame with black leather, and there were silver buckles with locks over each clasp. Adrien looked to her then back to the bags then back to her again. She had bitten her lower lip in anticipation of his reaction, and Adrien couldn't help but gently set the bags down and pull her into the tightest hug he could muster, spinning her around the rooftop as quietly as he could.

She squeaked in surprise before giggling into his shoulder.

"You like them, then?" He could hear the grin in her voice, and he buried his nose into her soft hair.

"They're perfect," he whispered, setting her down and taking in how her eyes sparkled with pleasure at the compliment. "I love them! Wow! Thank you, Mari!"

"These are the keys," she slipped two identical metallic items into his palm.

He thought about leaning in to kiss her, but then Adrien recalled he had a gift of his own to deliver. "Hey, speaking of surprises…" His voice trailed off as his hand reached into his back pocket, "This is for you."

Marinette accepted the flat square box, looking at Adrien wonderingly before prying open the lid. Atop a cotton cushion lay a simple silver bracelet with a blue stone charm dangling from the band.

"It's lapis lazuli," Adrien supplied after several moments of silence. "There are a few small mines in Italy where I found it, and the blue reminded me of your eyes."

His classmate remained silent, staring at the jewelry in open-mouthed shock. The blond took this as a bad sign and immediately began to babble.

"I can take it back if you don't like it! The stone is known for representing friendship and truth and the color–"

"I love it."

"–but you don't usually wear much jewelry so I thought something simple–"

The designer laid a hand on Adrien's shoulder, effectively shutting him up. "I love it, Adrien. It's perfect." Then, to illustrate her point, she picked the bracelet out of the box and handed it to him along with her wrist. The model fumbled with the clasp a few times before delicately wrapping the metal around her arm and fastening it closed. His fingers lingered longer than strictly necessary, and while he admired how lovely the gem was set off by her skin, Marinette watched his gentle expression, waiting for the moment when his gaze would finally reach hers.

"Well, I won't keep you from your beauty sleep. See you Friday morning?" Green eyes glanced up in cheerful inquiry, and Marinette was quite helpless to refute him anything looking at her like that.

"Bright and early," she affirmed. Then, before she lost all courage, the dark haired girl stepped forward and placed the softest of kisses on the corner of his mouth. "Until then." With a boop on his nose, Marinette spun around and descended through her trap door, not bothering to check her companion's flabbergasted expression. She was too busy trying to prevent him from seeing how her face now resembled a tomato.

Adrien could never figure out how he ended up home alive without first falling to his death. He tripped over his own feet at least twice on the fire escape and couldn't recall starting the bike or driving home at all. He was half convicted Plagg may have just transformed him at some point and taken over his otherwise nonfunctional body. Whatever the way, the blond was quite sure he wasn't going to get any sleep.

The sun had not even begun its leisurely climb into the sky when Adrien pulled up to Marinette's home. Both hard case bags were firmly attached to the seat, fully packed and ready for the day's events. He strode excitedly into the bakery, weaving in between the early morning crowd. Sabine waved at him and gestured toward the back of the shop where Tom had just pulled a rack of fluffy croissants out of the oven.

"Marinette might not be fully awake yet," the older man chuckled, setting a handful of the pastries on a tray along with two mugs of coffee. "But you might be able to bribe her to come downstairs with these."

Adrien took his cue, picking up the goods and heading for the stairs. "I'll do my best," he told Tom somberly, trying hard not to grin. "But I make no promises."

Tom's laugh filled the kitchen. "Good luck, Adrien." Then, pulling a straight face, he said, "We're all counting on you."

Adrien gave a mock salute before heading toward Marinette's room.

He opened the trapdoor, gingerly holding the tray and calling a soft, "Marinette?"into the room. A disgruntled moan came from somewhere in the vicinity of her bed, and Adrien couldn't help but let out a chuckle as he fully entered the room.

"Wake up, Mari. We need to head out soon," he called up, taking note that her satchel was already packed next to an outfit she had laid out on the chaise.

"Unnnnnghhhhhnoooooooooooo," came the unintelligible response within her blanket burrito. Carefully setting the platter down on her desk, the model crept up the stairs, slowly pulling the comforter away from the angsty teen.

Marinette, though still mostly asleep, caught on that her blanket was leaving her and quickly grasped the edges, alligator rolling until her assailant would need to pull her along with the pink comforter.

Adrien saw that he had been thwarted and quickly changed tactics, climbing until he was level with the lump on the mattress. Green eyes spotted an untucked edge of quilt, and the blond began the process of distraction to pull it out.

"Mari," he tried again, hoping his soothing tone might coax her to unravel from her nest. "Don't you want to go to the beach?"

More unidentifiable words were mumbled through the sheets, which Adrien promptly ignored. "Look, I even brought you breakfast and coffee. Aren't you hungry? Your dad made them special for you."

Her stomach chose that moment to let out a dull rumble, and her voice came out groggy when she spoke. "You're not dad?" Slowly, oh so slowly, she rolled over, tugging the blanket to where she could see the object of her affection staring at her with unbridled amusement.

"EEEP!" The squeak had barely left her lips when Adrien acted, pulling the edge of her covers until he had nearly the whole thing in his arms. Capitalizing on the momentum, he jumped off the bed, landing on the floor and clutching his prize.

"Sorry Marinette, but you left me with no choice," he informed her with a dramatic sigh. Then, in a more chipper voice, inquired, "Do you want me to snag some cream and sugar for the coffee?"

He didn't have to see her to know that her face was probably as red as his shirt. "Yes please," her voice was still high pitched from embarrassment, so Adrien mercifully left her to collect herself and change out of her pajamas.

"Okay. I'll be back in five." And with that, he strode back down the trapdoor to the kitchen.

Tom was in the process of spreading thick icing over cinnamon rolls when Adrien approached him.

"Couldn't get her out of bed?" The older man inquired, not looking up from his task.

Adrien carefully folded the pink comforter before laying it over the back of a chair. "Give it a few minutes. I just came for the coffee cream and sugar."

Tom's eyes drifted to the blanket, and he began to chuckle. "That's quite a thing you've held hostage there, Adrien."

The model met Tom's gaze, green eyes sparkling unapologetically. "Well, you know…" He trailed off, opening the fridge and pulling out the cream. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"Oh?" Tom's eyes followed the boy as he nabbed the sugar bowl and headed upstairs.

"And I play to win," Adrien called back as an afterthought, carefully climbing the staircase.

He wasn't quite sure if he imagined it or not, but Adrien could have sworn he heard two different muffled voices arguing before he swung the hatch open. "I come bearing more gifts, Princess."

Marinette paused mid-pull, one arm in her denim jacket. "What did you call me?"

Her voice wasn't angry, but the tone made Adrien pause his pouring of copious amounts of cream into his mug.

"Umm…Princess? You do live in the highest room in the tallest tower." Came his quiet response, and Marinette was struck by how quickly he was put on the defensive. "I didn't mean to offend you! I'm sorry! I'll just stick with Marinette and Mari–"

"It's fine," Marinette smiled gently, taking the remaining creamer and adding it to her own coffee. "It's just… only one other person ever called me that."

She gave him a shrewd look, and Adrien felt close to a precipice of a steep cliff when he inquired, "Who's that? Your dad?"

"Cat Noir, actually."

The blond had been trained very early on to school his expression into something neutral when surrounded by chaos. But flashing paparazzi and adoring fans and Chloe couldn't have possibly prepared him to respond without emotion to her simple reply.

Marinette, for her part, monitored his expression, not knowing what exactly she was looking for but somehow picking up on the importance of the moment. His pupils widened in surprise, and his shaky chuckle didn't quite cross her as genuine.

"Well, I guess I can't compete with that," Adrien tried to laugh it off, taking a sip of his beverage.

"There's no competition," Marinette blurted before she could consider the implications of her words. Adrien's smile morphed into something more natural.

"Oh? For me or him?"

The model was shamelessly grinning at her confession, and the girl, unaware that both personas were standing before her, tossed her hair over her shoulder and flippantly responded, "For you obviously." Then, before Adrien's smirk could become too smug, she followed up with, "I mean, he doesn't even have a motorcycle to whisk me off my feet and escort me all over Paris."

"So, you're saying if Cat Noir had a bike I wouldn't stand a chance," Adrien leaned over her, hand over his heart, pretending to be wounded.

"Well," she bit her lower lip, and, gathering her courage, responded, "I suppose it would help his cause. But…."

"Hm?"

"…He'd have to be smart too. And kind. And…handsome…"

"You don't think he's handsome?" Adrien's voice was practically a purr, drawing his classmate closer.

She made a noncommittal noise. "And…" The designer paused for dramatic effect. They were nearly nose to nose. "…He'd have to stop the puns."

Blue eyes sparkled with mirth at the complete change in Adrien's expression, giggling as the enticing model 'come hither' look was replaced by disbelief and offense. "You like puns. You make puns all the time!" he argued, crossing his arms and feeling insulted on behalf of Cat Noir even though they were the same person.

Marinette laughed harder before acknowledging the truth in Adrien's words. "Alright. But maybe fewer puns." She slung her bag over her shoulder, grabbing the tray so they could join her parents downstairs. Adrien continued to protest the entire trek below.

Breakfast was a rather quick affair, and the dynamic duo of Paris was soon off, rapidly passing through the city toward the countryside as the sun rose to greet them. The first half hour of the trip involved a pun war over the two way radio that only ended when Marinette finally conceded defeat because she was laughing too hard and was worried that she might fall off the motorcycle. The next hour passed with occasional conversation and a fuel stop, green fields and quaint cottages flashing past with the warm smell of summer. For the remaining portion of the drive, Adrien bounced itinerary ideas off his cohort, happy for once to be in charge of the schedule instead of someone else.

They arrived in Deauville shortly after eight, and Adrien had to pull over twice to check directions to the house. "Everything looks somewhat familiar, but it's been awhile since we came here," Adrien murmured through the helmet radio.

"How long?" Marinette inquired, leaning into the U-turn.

"Not since my mom," came his quiet reply, and Marinette prudently kept silent until they arrived.

The house itself was quite large but with a more simple elegance than the Agreste Manor in Paris. Five spacious bedrooms and as many bathrooms made up the upstairs while the downstairs was designed for entertaining. The entire wall facing the beach was one row of large bay windows, brilliant sunlight filtering through wispy sheer curtains that had been drawn aside.

"So, beach first?" Adrien turned to his partner.

"And boardwalk later," the dark haired girl affirmed. Then, with a mischievous grin, Marinette exclaimed, "Last one changed and out in the water owes the other ice cream!"

The Parisian heroine didn't even pause before darting into the nearest restroom, leaving Adrien gaping like a fish before coming to his senses and finding a place to change as well.

Unfortunately for Marinette, years of modeling and quick outfit switches backstage had prepared Adrien for this very moment, and he was outside in a few minutes clad in black swim trunks and a white shirt. One of the employees had brought the boy sunscreen, and Adrien began to apply a generous amount to his legs when Marinette burst through the door out into the soft sand.

"WHAT? Seriously?!" Came her mock indignation. Any self-satisfied retort of him being a model and what did she expect died before it ever reached his tongue.

Marinette had the floppiest white sunhat on her head, the cutest pink heart sunglasses atop her nose, and a one-piece swimsuit that sent his mind reeling into the far recess of space where time no longer existed.

It was a light pink color trimmed entirely in black, and a dark floral pattern started at the level of her armpit before traveling over one shoulder and continuing down to the highest point of her lower back. Adrien was simultaneously grateful and disappointed it wasn't a bikini, but he didn't think his poor hormones could have handled it. As it was, she had been talking to him for the past minute and he hadn't caught a word.

"I take it you like the swimsuit." Her cheeky smile brought the model back to the present, and an idea formed that Plagg would later commend him for.

"Actually," he literally swept her off her feet, allowing her sunhat to fall to the ground. "I do. But…" He began walking into the waves. "I think I'd like it better wet."

He promptly dropped her into the chilly water, and the blond knew he only had a few precious moments to soak up her shocked expression before she'd be after him.

Marinette shrieked as the cold washed over her, spluttering indignantly. "You're dead, Agreste! I haven't even put on sunscreen yet!"

They were both a sopping mess by the time a truce was called, and they hurriedly toweled off to apply sunblock. Not wanting to be idle while waiting for the lotion to dry, the duo began what would be a several hour masterpiece of a sandcastle town interspersed with multiple water battles and a few dunks below the waves.

By noon they were famished, so the on call chef brought out a ginormous platter of lunch meats, cheeses, breads, and fruit. They feasted under a giant umbrella that blocked the high sun, chattering idly about anything and everything. Adrien dug out an unreleased copy of his father's fall fashion magazine for Marinette and fell into a doze while watching her enraptured face as she turned the pages.

The dark haired girl let him nap, changing positions from sitting to reclining to eventually laying on her stomach as she was still reading the magazine an hour later. Adrien mumbled in his sleep and turned over, curling into Marinette.

The magazine gently fluttered to the towel below. Her blue eyes widened as she watched his eyelids twitch, holding on to the last remnants of sleep. A sand soaked strand of blond flopped over his forehead as his breathing increased, so Marinette tucked it back with the rest of the messy bunch. Green eyes cracked open at her touch, and the heroine was struck by Déjà vu, mind reeling back to the time she pulled her partner out of the freezer during the Lady Wifi debacle.

Adrien mumbled something that brought Marinette out of her revere, and she nearly forgot everything when his arm wrapped around her middle and he flipped her over him to the other side of the towel.

"Ready to check out the boardwalk?" The blond grinned down at her. Marinette might as well have been staring down the sun.

"Of course."

The duo changed back into street clothes and headed out toward the shops half a mile away. The first building they came to held a gelato business, and though Adrien argued against her paying, Marinette insisted it was only fair. "You beat me outside after all," she tapped his nose. "Even if you did toss me in the water afterwards." Adrien had the gall to not even look ashamed.

"I was right though," he grinned over his cone, "your swimsuit looked better after being covered in ocean." Marinette playfully pushed him away, but he grabbed her free hand with his, and the pair set off down the street.

It was nearly four in the afternoon when Adrien suggested they head back to the beach house. "We still have the two hour drive back, and I promised your parents I wouldn't bring you home after dark."

One leisurely barefooted stroll down the beach later, the heroes stood in the shallow waves, toes digging into the mud as the breeze whipped through their hair.

"This was so much fun," Marinette whispered, the wind carrying her voice to Adrien's ears.

"I'm glad you had a good time," Adrien smiled down at her.

"Didn't you?" Her query was instantaneous, and the model heard the worried insecurity in her tone.

"The best time ever," he affirmed, taking her other hand in his and pulling her close. "Thanks for coming with me."

"Always."

He might have leaned in and she might have met him halfway on her tiptoes. But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except the soft feeling of her fingers curling in the fabric of his shirt and the smooth pad of his thumb sliding up her cheek to cup her face. Kissing filled them both with a familiarity they couldn't define, but it made them pause, gazing into the other's eyes and trying to place the missing piece of the puzzle that seemed to dangle just out of their reach.

"Want to try driving the bike back part of the way?" His query broke the spell, and her emotions morphed from something that didn't have a name to equal parts excitement and trepidation.

"Really? Are you sure?" She graced him with a broad, friendly smile, and he was powerless to do anything but affirm the positive.

"Yeah! You've seen me drive enough and I'll go over everything again. We'll find a parking area or some asphalt to practice…" He trailed off as they walked inside to collect their things.

Half an hour later in the large empty parking lot of a truck stop, Marinette stalled the engine for the umpteenth time.

"You did really well that time," Adrien encouraged through the headset.

"Maybe I'm just not meant to drive motorcycles," Marinette lamented, despair at unraveling the mystery of the machine in front of her eating away at her self confidence.

"It's harder to learn with another person riding behind you. And the friction zone of the clutch is tricky. I nearly hit a delivery truck the first time I took my bike out," he encouraged, waiting for her to flip the kill switch and move the kick stand. "We just need to practice more."

"Okay, but maybe when we get back to Paris," Marinette begrudgingly agreed, climbing off to allow him to scoot forward. "A different day."

She slid behind him, and the dark haired girl could practically see his grin through the visor when he replied, "It's a date."

The Ducati roared to life once more, and the pair set off for home. It was a good half hour before either spoke over the radio, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

"You know, I still owe Nino and Alya one for helping you crash my shoot," Adrien began, feeling Marinette shift behind him as she diverted her focus to the conversation. "Do you think maybe they'd like to come out for a day at the beach when school starts? Before it gets too cold?"

"They'd love that," Marinette confirmed, then absently added, "Our whole class would probably love a beach day after the first week of class."

There were several minutes of silence before Adrien responded. "Do you think Mr. Damocles would even sanction a class field trip so early in the school year?"

The heroine pondered the suggestion a moment before leaning in and tightening her arms around his waist. "I don't know, but you're very persuasive when you want to be."

"You mean purrrrrsuasive," Adrien quipped without thinking, catching himself half a beat too late. He held his breath, wondering if he had said too much, given too much away.

"If you start another pun war, I will figure out a way to toss you off this bike and drive it home myself," Marinette swore, the amusement in her voice carrying through the speaker in his helmet.

"Well, if that's how I have to help you learn…" he trailed off dramatically, feeling more than hearing her laughter reverberate along his spine.

"You're incorrigible," she told him matter of factly, turning her head to observe the scenery fly by.

The blond chuckled. "Maybe. But only with you, Princess."

And if you stay I will either wait all night
Or until my heart explodes.
How long until we find our way
In the dark and out of harm?
You can run away with me
Any time you want.
-My Chemical Romance

A/N: I'm sorry to say I haven't even begun the next chapter, so this will have to last awhile. I have 4 chapters planned (one for each season) so the next one will be fall.

Some side notes about motorcycle riding: Mari and Adrien are fictional characters and often wear things (shorts, tank tops, etc) that are not safe for general riding. You should always cover up (even in summer time) which includes long pants, over ankle shoes, and long sleeves. Safety first. I speak from experience and believe me it was hot but I was glad I had jeans and boots on.