A few years later

Standing there, relaxed and peaceful, looking ahead of herself yet nowhere specifically at the same time, she was the embodiment of everything he'd ever wanted but couldn't have. The wind was gently brushing her hair, the golden glow of the setting sun caressing her soft skin, taking special care to kiss every adorable freckle dusted across the bridge of her nose. She suddenly moved and clasped her hands together behind her back, turning her head slightly to the side, the eyes now focusing on the still water in their pond. Her lips, now visible to him, curled in a mischievous smirk Adrien could recognize anywhere by the way their corners twitched.

"You've become better but I still can hear you, Adrien," Marinette said playfully and turning around, looked up straight at him as he crouched on a tree branch a little way back. "Gotcha!"

"Agh," the young man groaned and jumped down by her side. "But how? I thought I was bound to be successful this time."

"Awww. Don't make such a long face," Marinette giggled, her head tilting slightly to the side. "You did get closer than before, plus I am pretty sure you can fool most people here with ease but don't forget that I grew up with you and know all your little tricks." She booped his nose with a finger, "You can't fool me, Chat Noir."

"Hey!" Adrien pouted. "Weren't you the one who gave me this nickname? I thought you liked it."

"I do but it wasn't all my faul-, I mean idea." Marinette grinned. "Thank the people who couldn't hear you sneaking on them and started calling you a cat. Adrien the Cat, stealthy as a feline, right?"

"Noir was purely your idea," Adrien quibbled.

"True," the girl smiled. Suddenly her eyes, the prettiest shade of blue, were solely focused on him, the corners of her lips twitched in a smile, cheeks dusted a light shade of pink. "But that's only because the black suits you so much and makes you look extremely handsome." Marinette paused for a moment, seemingly enjoying the way a deep blush was rapidly covering Adrien's face. When did she start enjoying teasing him so much he couldn't remember but at sixteen years of age she was a pro at it. "Plus it helps you stay concealed in the battle, no?" she added shortly.

"It does help me stay undetected." Adrien turned away. This little tease was at her game again. He couldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing him flushed or there would be no stopping her. Why was he so weak against her anyway? He loved her more than anything but even though, at eighteen you'd think he would've had a little more strength than to blush at Marinette's every little remark.

"So what did you call me here for?" Adrien tried to change the topic.

"Why?" Marinette walked around and stood before him, balancing on her tiptoes. This way Adrien had no choice but to look at her. "To celebrate your new appointment, of course," she grinned and pointed to a side where a picnic blanket was spread between the bushes and the lake, a basket filled with, probably, croissants and macarons standing in a middle. Adrien chuckled. Of course she would! Marinette had always insisted on them having extra, secret celebrations in their still-secret garden whenever something big happened or some milestone was reached. That was one of the things he loved her for. She went an extra mile to make her friends feel incredible.

"Today I am losing my guard but the Kingdom of Dupain is gaining a hero," Marinette proclaimed. "This is an occasion worth celebrating, isn't it?"

"Maybe?" Adrien chuckled and watched her walked over to the side and settling on the blanket. She was a sight to behold. Raven hair past her shoulder blades, tied in a loose braid, a slim figure dressed in a simple yet elegant gown, big sparkly eyes, little oceans of blue, shining with mischief and kindness at the same time, the gentle, confident smile of her pink lips. He couldn't blink or take away his eyes from her even if he wanted. The scent she left behind didn't help. It made him dizzy.

Still, it wasn't a love at the first sight.

Or maybe it was? It was hard to judge right now but loving her somehow was now entwined with living itself. Adrien once attempted to remember when this feeling started and failed miserably because as far as he could remember he always felt something for his little companion, be it a close friendship one time or deep affection the other.

Even his first memory was of her. It was blurry and bizarre but he remembered her clearly - a little child with a pair of shiny blue eyes that shook him out of his sleep. His eyelids were heavy and refused to cooperate but when he finally opened them, because someone wouldn't stop shaking his body and happily babble by his side, he saw a little girl. Tiny, no more than a year old and barely standing on her two feet, she was standing by his bed and it seemed, was trying to reach his nose. She missed time after time, her little hands grasping his shirt and his shoulders, shaking him repeatedly. Her eyes shone and she wouldn't stop talking, though he couldn't understand a single word.

Exhausted, his eyes closed by themselves and when he tried to open them again the girl was gone. Instead, a little distance away he saw a woman walking out of the room, holding his little princess in her arms. She was pouting and frowning and despite his weakened state Adrien found it to be extremely amusing. Gathering his last strength, he managed to lift his hand and waved in hopes to make her feel a little better. The girl's face lit up, her mouth started moving rapidly as she waved back. The woman stopped and turned around. Her face brightened with a smile as well but she walked away nevertheless. It almost seemed she ran as fast as she could. Adrien closed his eyes one more time.

Then he remembered nothing.

Much later he learned the name of his little intruder and as soon as he recovered they'd been almost inseparable. For years Marinette was his best friend, his partner in crimes, his protector at times, someone he was looking forward to seeing each day, someone he couldn't imagine his life without. A friend. Someone who wasn't going to abandon him. Or so it seemed.

The moment Adrien realized Marinette wasn't just a friend to him anymore and he was in deep trouble was as clear in his memory as if it happened yesterday.

The country's law forbade the adoption of orphans by the Royals in order to conserve and ensure the purity of the royal blood. Despite that Tom and Sabine, the current monarchs, took Adrien in after it was evident he had nobody left. He wasn't their son legally on paper but he was raised as one and virtually no difference was made between him and their biological daughter Marinette. If anything, they even gave Adrien more love and affection from time to time, to make up for what destiny cheated him with as much as for the hurtful remarks and looks he was getting from quite a few people. His and Marinette's education was equally good if not better because after M. Hawkmoth's disaster, Tom hired the best sword fighter in the kingdom to teach Adrien his skills, hoping that a new hobby that the boy was interested in would raise his self-worth and confidence and help him to overcome the underlying sadness he seemed to always carry inside.

Throughout the years there were lessons Adrien enjoyed but there were also ones he didn't like at all yet was tricked into. Such as ballroom dancing. He wasn't required to know how to dance and he would lie if he said that he'd enjoyed it when he first started. But Sabine insisted that Marinette needed a reliable partner to learn effectively and so Adrien had to come time after time, again and again, suffering through the stomping and trampling on his poor feet. His ten-year-old self wasn't very happy and wished so badly and so many times to pay Marinette back for this torture and step on her feet in return but he was also a gentleman and prided himself in it. With time they got better and unexpectedly, he even learned to enjoy gliding thought the dancing floor with Marinette by his side.

That day they weren't supposed to have a lesson as their teacher retired a few days prior but just a little past noon Marinette found him in the library and dragged him to the ballroom with no explanation.

"Here," she puffed and pushed him inside. "See, M. Morel? I have my own partner. I don't need another one."

"Your Highness," a tall man Adrien had never seen before pinched the bridge of his nose. "I didn't bring three of my best students here because I thought you didn't have a partner. I brought them here because a professional dancer would help you to learn better-"

"Adrien is a professional!" Marinette scoffed. "He's been dancing since forever."

"I don't doubt that he did," the man continued but Adrien didn't listen to him anymore. He looked to the other side, noticing a few new boys, looking at him proudly, smirking, belittling him without words. He knew that look very well, a look that said that they were masters and he was nothing, a look that proclaimed his inferiority. A look Adrien was so sick and tired of getting from everyone around him. He strengthened as the idea came to his mind. The corner of his lips curled and he saluted them before walking over to Marinette, taking her to the middle of the room and motioning to the musicians to start playing.

"Adrien?" Marinette tilted her head to the side, trying to catch his sight.

"Let's show them, Princess, what we are made of."

"With pleasure," she grinned in response.

The music started and the pair took off, following carefully perfected over the years routine, easily impressing the new teacher from what Adrien could see just a few minutes later. Marinette's new partner candidates also went silent, much to Adrien's satisfaction and for the first time in years he found himself holding Marinette tighter than needed and wanting to stick his tongue at them, triumphing in his effortless victory, the word "Mine" unexpectedly zooming through his mind.

That made him pause and frown. He wasn't a seven year old anymore. He was seventeen and people his age didn't cling to their friends possessively when met with a little competition. They also didn't stick their tongues out in hopes of rubbing the loss in the faces of the enemies. What was wrong with him? Adrien shivered. Those boys weren't even his enemies. Confused, the boy decided to ignore this just as he ignored so many strange feelings, tightenings in his chest and sudden swells of happiness when a certain someone was close by before. His eyes shifted to Marinette. Yes, it was better to look at his dance partner, as their teacher always told them. Plus, she was a lovely sight to watch and smelled delicious.

A few minutes later as the music came to an end, Adrien found himself still staring at Marinette as she softly smiled at him in a pirouette. For no logical or explainable reason it hit him right there and then. That was the moment when he realized just how beautiful she was, how kind and adventurous, how talented and compassionate. That was the moment when it all suddenly came together and made sense. He couldn't deny it anymore. He stared and couldn't take his eyes off her. Didn't want to take them off her. That was when his sight glanced at her pink lips and he caught himself thinking for the first time that he was a fool for rejecting the kiss she offered him at their "wedding" eight years ago.

That happened a year before and ever since then Adrien was trying his hardest to forget and reject his growing feelings because his seventeen-year-old self was educated in the laws enough to understand that Marinette and he would never be together. Why fall in deeper then? Why break his heart if he could forget and move on?

First, Adrien started simply by avoiding her but that didn't work very well because Marinette started asking questions and he couldn't lie to her. He was her self-proclaimed guard since he was a small boy after all. Avoiding his charge was bound to bring up some attention. So he requested more training and that seemed to be helping with them being apart but not with him loving her any less. Quite the opposite, the more time they were separated the stronger his urge to see her got and with every successful trick he learned Adrien found himself thinking of just how useful it'd be in protecting his Princess.

Them being incredibly close and open with each other wasn't helping either. Whenever they were together he fell in deeper and deeper. By this point, getting out of the castle seemed like the only viable option so when a famous healer Master Fu came by the previous week to speak with His Royal Highness about his new discoveries that would help in fighting akumas, Adrien volunteered on the spot. Becoming Chat Noir and battle akumas in a special force Squad was a way out, a way to get away from the castle and from Marinette. Starting tomorrow, he would be forced to spend most of his time out in the country. That was bound to help. This new and excited adventure was sure to aid him in forgetting the feelings he wasn't allowed to have. Who knows, maybe he even would meet someone else out there? Maybe even his Squad partner Chloe? But for now he had to keep his feelings hidden. For her and his sanity. She loved him as a close friend. That should remain as that. Nothing more.

"What do you think I brought you?" Marinette's voice broke his train of thoughts. He glanced over at her just as she was pulling the basket closer. Adrien almost chuckled. He didn't need to be a genius to know that Marinette ever only brought him sweets. Was she keeping true to their "wedding vows" or simply knew that he had an incredible sweet tooth he didn't know but it usually was either croissants or macarons. Sometimes he would get a different kind of pastry but those were rare.

"Well, let's see." The corners of his lips were twitching, threatening to burst into a grin as he sat down on the other side of the blanket. "I think it's—" he made a show out of thinking, "—Beef Stroganoff?"

"What?" Marinette wrinkled her nose. "Adrien! If you won't take this seriously I'll eat it myself. No sharing," she pouted her cute lips.

"Okay, okay," Adrien laughed. "Okay. Serious I am now. So… I think it's… sashimi? Yes!" He grinned. "Salmon sashimi to be exact! I love those!"

"What is even that?" Marinette frowned. "Never heard of it. You can't make up food, Adrien. Name something that actually exists!"

"Are you telling me you don't know what sashimi is?" Adrien fake gasped. "That is only the best dish ever! Fresh, cold and tender. Mmm…" he almost moaned. "Pink, delicious taste of the sea, smooth and barely there… You probably didn't hear of it because it's definitely out of this world."

"How did you know about it then?"

"The chef made it in honor of our guests from the East last year. Haven't you tried them?"

"There were so many dishes I could've easily miss one or two," Marinette pouted. "Oh well. I'll try it next time but now let's get back to you—" she pointed at him. "—because you aren't being serious, Adrien! You know I wouldn't bring you anything like that." Marinette paused for a moment, distracted by Adrien's laugh, before adding. "Alright. I'll give you one more try," she sighed. "If you fail, I am eating all of this goodness myself."

"Fine," Adrien chuckled after composing himself. "Okay. Let's see. Last time we had croissants drizzled with chocolate and dusted with icing sugar. The time before that it was a chocolate cake with raspberries on top. So—" he wiggled his eyebrows," — I bet there are macarons in that basket of yours!"

"Aha!" Marinette shouted victoriously. "Wrong! I am eating this myself!" She proudly pulled out a huge chocolate chip cookie. "All mine!" She licked her lips in anticipation.

"You brought only one?" Adrien frowned. "How did you plan on sharing that if I were to guessed correctly?"

"I didn't," Marinette giggled. "That was the plan. Do you think I'll bring you a treat for leaving me alone in this castle with no guard?"

"You'll have another one coming soon," Adrien protested. "And it's not like I'll be gone all the time. We'll see each other often. I am sure of it."

"Still not sharing," Marinette stuck her tongue out a little.

"Oh, really?" A sly smile slowly crept on Adrien's face. He knew where this was going and to be honest, he wasn't going to protest. He promised himself to forget her but that would start tomorrow. Today he could have fun one last time.

"Aha," Marinette confirmed but made no move to bite into that cookie.

Silence hung between them as the duo silently stared at each other, waiting to see who would give in first. Adrien knew that Marinette was playing with him just as much as Marinette knew that Adrien would play along. They never did stop playing games together ever since they were kids. Their games just took a different turn, one Adrien sometimes wished they didn't because as much as he enjoyed Marinette's teasing and, dared he say it, flirting, he knew that in reality she felt nothing but a sisterly love for him. If she flirted it was only because either she naturally was flirty or for practice. He couldn't tell.

In any case, Adrien was nothing more but a friend to her, a boy she grew up with and someone whom she could show the full force of her playful and teasing character with no consequences and no long lectures about a proper behavior from her parents and teachers. Not a lot of people could see this Marinette and Adrien counted himself lucky to be amongst those she trusted the most yet this same privilege became his ruin. He knew Marinette, all her strengths and faults, her weaknesses and what brought her joy and he loved every single aspect of her. To him, she was an open book. With her, he also could be himself which meant he wasn't going to hold back either when she was pulling her game face on.

"Usually," Adrien whispered predatorily yet playfully, something dark flashing through his eyes. "I am a perfect gentleman. But now—" he rose a bit on his knees, "—for this perfect, delicious chocolate cookie I might as well misbehave a little."

Suddenly he launched forward, snatching the cookie out of Marinette's hand before she could even react. He grinned proudly and declared: "I guess I do have cat speed and reflexes after all. Years of training didn't go- Hey!"

Marinette triumphantly grabbed the cookie back from his hand. "Go ahead. Brag some more," she giggled. "While I am enjoying this yummy cookie."

"I'll get it back!" Adrien declared dramatically and raced after the princess who was fast on her feet and a few meters away already.

Ten minutes later, exhausted, having run all around the garden and laughed all the way, they ended up back on the blanket. Victorious, Adrien lay on his back with the cookie shoved into his mouth, half of it still sticking out as he tried to stop his laughter.

"Don't choke," Marinette puffed but he only continued to laugh. Despite his Princess being good, he still was better, being older and actually trained in combat. Cookie combat was way more fun than his regular training, though.

"Sowwy," Adrien mumbled through his stuffed mouth, trying to suppress his chuckling, tears threatening to burst out.

"Oh, you are so full of yourself!" Marinette pouted. All of a sudden she paused, a smirk stretching her lips and sparks starting to dance wildly in her eyes. Adrien froze in uncertainty. He knew that look, knew it very well. It meant his Princess had a plan and he'd better be prepared.

"Um…"

Before he could react Marinette sat on top of him, leaned down and bit off the part of the cookie that was still out. Adrien's eyes went wide. His heart raced thousands of miles per hour and face burned crimson the moment he felt ever so light brush of her lips against his.

"There!" The girl declared, chewing up her part of the cookie. "Now it's a tie!"

When Adrien failed to respond, staring back at her in silence, Marinette stiffened, suddenly burst in blush herself and slowly crawled back out of his lap.

"I am sorry," she quietly apologized. "Went too far?"

"No. No, that's fine," Adrien mumbled, regaining control of himself and sitting up. "Just don't do this to anyone else, okay? People might not understand correctly."

"Yeah I know," she sighed. "A princess should behave appropriately at all times," she absentmindedly stated the rule that was taught to her ever since she could remember. "I am so sorry, Adrien. I just forget all of those rules when we have fun so I might go a little overboard sometimes. I am sorry." Marinette bowed her head and whispered, "I just want to be myself from time to time and you are the only one who can understand and accept me as I am."

"I know," Adrien put a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. "That's fine, Marinette. Don't worry. You can be silly with me. It's not like I am not doing the same thing myself. Don't worry about it."

"Really?" The girl lifted her eyes to him with so much warmth and adoration in them that it hurt Adrien to look at her. How bad he wished that there would be something else in them as well… something he felt for her. Then, on the other hand, even if she did love him, it wasn't going to happen anyway so what's the point to wish for it? If someone must suffer let it better be him. Her heart should remain unbroken and belong to someone she could actually be with.

"Of course," he smiled. "Be as silly as you want. We are friends, right? Friends are silly with each other."

"Honestly or are you just pitying me?"

"I am not pitying you, Marinette."

"You might regret your offer, Adrien. I am a handful, you know."

"Oh, believe me, I know, Princess."

"See! There! I knew you didn't like me. You are just pitying me."

"Agh!" Adrien groaned through his chuckle. Ever so dramatic his Princess was as well. "Of course I like you." He lightly booped the tip of her nose. "You are still such a child, Marinette. And here I thought that at sixteen you were supposed to be an adult soon."

"I will be an adult soon!" Marinette responded. "As you know by the law in two years I'll be of a marriageable age! Adult! See?"

"True," Adrien answered. "But I doubt that being eighteen will make you an adult." He chuckled when Marinette puffed in response.

"Do I need to get a husband to prove my adulthood to you?" she challenged. "Because I will, you know!"

Adrien laughed but his heart clenched. The laws of the kingdom stated that any female heir to the throne was to be married between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two (twenty to twenty-five for a male heir) to ensure a continuation of the lineage of the royal family. Thus, by tradition, as soon as a potential bride or a groom came of age the search for a suitable spouse commenced. It was a major milestone for royals. For Adrien, it meant to see the girl he loved being given away to a different man because as an orphan with no known heritage and status in the society he stood as big of a chance as a speck of a dust in a desert. He knew that and he forced himself to not even hope. He forced himself to forget her and avoid unnecessary heartache. The only problem was - he couldn't.

"Then," he smiled, hoping that she wouldn't see the longing behind his eyes and wouldn't hear the sadness in his voice. "I'll need to write him a manual."

"A manual?" Marinette frowned. "For what?"

"A manual for handling Her Royal Highness Princess Marinette of Dupain, a beautiful girl, claiming to be mature, forever a child in her soul." Adrien grinned and changed into a slightly different direction, hopeful that his compliment didn't sound anything more than a friendly remark. "You are a handful, Princess, remember? You said it yourself."

"This isn't funny," Marinette whispered, her sight changing to sad almost immediately as she turned away and sighed: "I'm not a spoiled brat as everyone thinks."

"I know you aren't," Adrien responded immediately. There were some rumors about Marinette's character amongst their peers who, to be fair, didn't know her that well in the first place. He, however, knew very well that most of them were either misinformed or baseless altogether.

"But you are making fun of me," she whispered after a little while.

"I am not." Adrien crawled closer and sat in front of Marinette. "I am sorry, Princess. I didn't mean to make it sound this way. In fact," he tilted his head slightly to see the eyes she tried hard to hide better. "Do you want to know what I would write in that manual if I were to write one?"

Her lower lip pouted a little but the corners treacherously trembled in a smile. Instead of answering she simply nodded.

"Well," Adrien started. "For starters, I'd write that you are spoiled and is used to getting everything," Marinette gasped and was about to say something but Adrien raised a finger to her lips. "But not because you are an entitled brat. No. It's just that everyone loves you so much they give you everything without you even asking. They spoil you rotten yet you are still incredibly kind and generous to others."

"I would say," he continued. "That you are incredibly stubborn—" the finger went to her lips again, "—and when you see injustice you won't stop at anything until the good wins and evil is punished. You'll make a great leader one day because of that if you'll channel this stubbornness of yours in the right direction."

"I'd say you are very passionate about things you care for and always do your best. You succeed in almost everything you do and you are insanely creative."

"I'd say," he smiled at her widened eyes. "That you are incredibly compassionate and always strive to improve yourself in your responsibilities and as an individual. Yes, true that you sometimes can be a handful but only because you are still growing as a person. However, your heart is in the right place and your intentions are always good."

Adrien paused but Marinette said nothing, She silently stared at him.

"Lastly, I think your future husband would appreciate knowing that you are also incredibly silly when you let yourself get loose." He grinned at the end.

"I…" Marinette whispered in what seemed like an eternity. "I…" she seemed to be unable to finish, her breath seemingly irregular, eyes moist. She gulped a few times and finally, instead of answering, the girl moved forward and wrapped her arms around Adrien, burying her face into his chest.

"I am so scared, Adrien," she finally murmured after a few moments as he wrapped his arms around her trembling frame. Quietly she started to sob. "I know you are one of the best and that you'll do an amazing job but akumas… there were victims before… Adrien…" She paused for a moment. "Promise me something. Please." Marinette pulled back and looked him into the eyes. "Promise me you'll always come back whenever you go and whoever you fight. You are my best friend. I don't know what I'll do if anything were to happen to you."

"I'll do my best," Adrien responded, tightening his hold on her. "I can't predict the destiny but I will try my best to come back every time, Princess."

"Thanks," Marinette exhaled barely audible and buried herself back into his chest, pressing closer than ever before. Adrien didn't protest. His embrace only strengthened as he allowed himself to relish those rare moments when she was so close and almost his. How could he push her away when she was so vulnerable? Instead, he silently traced circles on her back, letting her know that he was still here with her, she wasn't alone and she would never be alone. Adrien might not be able to be with Marinette the way he wanted but he'd be damned if he wouldn't be there for her, ensuring her safety and happiness as her friend.

Eventually, Marinette stopped trembling, her sobs becoming less and less evident. She shifted and pulled away shyly.

"I am sorry," she whispered.

"That's alright," Adrien smiled wiping a few stray tears, sliding down her cheeks. "I understand. I have to admit I'm also nervous about this whole akuma-fighting business but I won't be alone and Master Fu said we have a far better chance doing it our way than the whole army of soldiers attacking together. So don't worry. I'll be fine."

"Chloe will help you, right?"

"Yes, she will and you've seen her. She could kick some serious butt when pissed so let's stop crying and enjoy the time we have now. Alright?"

"Okay. I have more cookies if you want them," Marinette smiled sheepishly. "Sorry—" she looked to the side embarrassed, "—for making you fight for that one."

"Why am I not even surprised?" Adrien laughed. "And you are saying you are an adult. Only you would make me fight you for a cookie while having a bunch more, Princess."

"I just wanted to make sure you had some more practice before becoming a hero." Marinette poked her tongue at him, pulling out a generous amount of not only cookies but a bunch of other yummy things along with some fruits and drinks.

"So let's celebrate?" she asked, passing one of the plates to him.

"As you wish, Princess." Adrien chuckled and picked a croissant. His favorite. Marinette knew him too well. He wished she loved him just as much.

Psst. Guys, the cookie scene was totally inspired by a comic done by the awesome sweet-childhood-dreams of Tumblr which can be found on Sweet-Childhood-Dreams blog on Tumblr. (This site wouldn't let me include a link so check either my A03 or Tumblr account for a link)
Go give her all the love and kudos, likes, reblogs she deserves! 3

Please note: English is a strange and wonderful language where many words have multiple meanings and slang can change depending on your country of origin. It is my third language so while I will do my very best, there may be mistakes made along the way. If you notice any miscommunications or incorrect word usage, help a girl out.