Alright, here's my attempt for Adrienette April (Sorry I'm late!) at trying to slow down the romance between Marinette and Adrien in a one-shot. Had one person make a few comments on some of my stories about this being an issue. So, this is just a practice run so to speak.

Here's the summary: Marinette gets the surprise of a lifetime when she finds a love letter and red rose on her desk in the classroom. And to make things even more confusing, the letter and rose is from one Adrien Agreste, the school "monster" who's notorious for commandeering the halls and will beat people up without warning (but he always has a GOOD REASON). Since she hardly talks to him (and has something of an attraction to Luka, Juleka's brother), Marinette's confused about Adrien's intentions and his feelings. So, what is she gonna do about it?

By the way, this is a No Miraculous AU, as a warning.

12:03AM in Paris, France. The sound of a pencil on paper was loud in clear in the dead silence of a room about the size of a floor in an office building, with a basketball hoop, rock wall, a large TV screen and couch, and so much more. There was even a desk with a 3-screen computer, too.

The youth that this room belonged to was furiously writing and erasing on a simple piece of paper and muttering to himself before erasing the words or writing more down. Next to him was a recycling bin filled with other failed pieces that he'd written. He sighed heavily before once again continuing, while letting out a huge yawn.

Something in his mind told him to write from his heart, and then he started scribbling words on the paper again, hoping against all hope that his point would be clearer than the purest of diamonds.

"Perfect." He said.

He put the letter in an envelope and sealed it with a red heart sticker. Finally finished for the night, he turned out his lamp and crawled into his bed. His fatigue immediately put him into a deep sleep and he was hoping for the next day to go perfectly.

The next morning at a local lycée, there was the usual casual talking between students at their seats. But one seat was empty and the redheaded, tan-skinned girl next to the empty spot was just looking at her phone clock. This wasn't an unfamiliar scene for her. Her best friend was almost always late to class, no matter how much she tried to get organized.

But then hurried footsteps were heard from down the hall.

"Sorry I'm late!" Marinette said as she burst into the classroom about five minutes before class actually started.

She started to catch her breath, but then noticed everyone was giving her odd looks. Or rather, a few of the looks were odd while most of the girls were having *SQUEE* expressions on their faces. Marinette quirked a brow.

That's when she noticed something at her seat: an envelope with a red heart sticker on it, accompanied by a red rose that had its thorns taken off.

"A rose and a letter?" Marinette muttered to Alya. "Any idea who put them here?"

Alya shrugged and said, "No idea. There were there when I got here earlier."

Marinette was curious about who put the letter and rose there, but she put it out of her mind for the time being, instead electing to sit down. She put the letter and rose in her purse.

But as she took the items out of plain sight, she wasn't aware of the pair of peridot green eyes nearby that were staring at her profile from another seat in the room...

The rest of the class went by in the blink of an eye... But not without any problems concentrating on yet another lecture on Shakespeare's work and life. It was tricky to listen to. Iambic pentameter, verses, what set Shakespeare's tragedies apart from his comedies, etc.

Once Marinette got a quiet moment alone with Alya out in the hallways, she took the letter and rose out and said, "Who could've given me this?"

"Only one way to find out," Alya said. "Open it up and read it. You never know. It could be from Luka!"

Marinette blushed at the mention of their friend Juleka's older brother. Marinette always found him attractive and any slight attraction she had was palpable, too.

"Th... That'd be great. I'd like it if it were from Luka... But I don't think so, Alya," Marinette said. "He told me once that he makes more sense playing music than he does speaking or writing. He'd likely play a love song for me instead."

"Yeah, you're right," Alya said. "So don't just stand there! Open it!"

Marinette gave a nod and opened up the envelope. It was at least two pages, and Marinette was surprised at the elegant writing and cursive print that was used. And it looked like whoever wrote the letter spent quite a bit of time erasing and rewriting over and over again.

It also had the scent of an expensive cologne on it, too. A very citrusy, spicy scent, like lemon, cardamom, and some cloves.

"Ma plus chère Marinette Dupain-Cheng,

Okay... I'm not the best with words. As much as I want to tell you this to your face, I just think it's easier this way.

I'd like to put Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 in here, but then it wouldn't be my words telling you this. So, here goes nothing...

You've always been something special to me. I know this is gonna sound cliché, but you really light up my world. Since we first met, and I admit we got off on the wrong foot, it's like the curtains in my room were opened and let the sunlight in my life for the first time. My life was nothing but darkness until you came along.

What draws me to you isn't your beauty or anything shallow like that. What draws me to you is... Well, you. Your very presence makes my heart grow wings and fly around all over the room. Every time you smile, laugh, or even trip and fall, I can't help but think it's endearing.

Your kindness doesn't know any bounds (aside from Chloé or Lila, but those two don't really deserve it, do they?), and you're always reaching out a helping hand to people. Like that time you helped Juleka out with her school photo curse, or helped Ivan find a way to tell Myléne how he felt by writing his feelings down.

So, I guess I'm following his example by doing the same, writing out my feelings.

You're an artist, and a talented designer. That hat design contest you won with the feather hat was genius. And so many other of your creations are wonderful, too. But there so many to count that I can't list them all in this letter without getting off-point.

If you compare our current relationship to any story, I'd say we're sort of like the beginning of "Hades and Persephone" right now. There's me: dark, misunderstood, intimidating, feared, and then you: charming, cheerful, sweet, beautiful... Polar opposites that don't know each other very well in the beginning, yet are hopelessly attracted to one another... Or at least, I am to you.

I dream about spending time with you whenever I can. I want to take you on the sweetest, most romantic dates I can think of. The movies, picnics, high-end restaurants. I want to give you everything you deserve, show you all the finer things in life. You deserve it. You're worth it.

Now I'm rambling, so I'm just gonna cut to the chase: je'taime, ma douce princesse. I've wanted to tell you for so long. But we barely talk to each other, so if I just told you how I felt out of nowhere, it'd be too awkward, hence the letter.

Amour,

Adrien Agreste"

"OMFL, Adrien Agreste?! That model from Gabriel, the punk who's constantly getting into fights and has the balls to be my boyfriend's BFF?!" Alya said. "This can't be for real!"

"Apparently it is, Alya," Marinette said. "But... I thought he was dating Kagami. I hadn't any clue he felt this way about me. I hardly talk to him outside of class."

"I'll say. That's why I think this can't be anything more than a prank," Alya said, crossing her arms. "So what are you gonna do?"

"Well... I'm really not sure," Marinette said. "He's... I'm not sure how to say this nicely."

"Then don't." Alya said with a shrug.

"He seems like he's got a short fuse." Marinette said.

"Well... you're not wrong." A voice said from behind the girls. They screamed in fright before turning around.

There was Adrien, leaning up against the wall, the picture of casual. Marinette was on edge, meanwhile Alya was ready to step in and stand up for her best friend if it came down to it.

"I admit that my temper isn't the best... Oh, sorry to startle you," Adrien said, before rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I... See you read my letter."

"So this wasn't a prank." Marinette said, realizing the truth.

"Why would I...?" Adrien said, a little upset. Marinette flinched, nervous, but Alya stood firm.

Adrien then realized what the girls were worried about.

"Ah," Adrien said. "Yeah. I'm no stranger to putting the smackdown on someone, but only if they deserve it. I wouldn't play around with someone's feelings. That's a low I would never sink to."

"Nice to see you have standards." Alya spat.

"So... Marinette..." Adrien said, clearing his throat. His eyes flitted to Alya.

"Alya... Could you... Give us a minute, please?" Marinette asked.

"Okay, only if you can handle it, girl," Alya said, before turning to Adrien. "You hurt one hair on her head..."

"Not gonna happen," Adrien said, putting his hand over his heart and the other in the air, symbolizing a promise. "If there's one thing I won't do, it's hurt someone I care about."

"Good," Alya said before whispering to Marinette, "Shoot a text or give a shout if you need anything."

Marinette gave a nod before Alya left the pair to their own devices. There was a long moment of awkward, pregnant silence between them. Marinette was struggling to look Adrien in the eyes while Adrien was trying his best to get his thoughts organized so he wouldn't scare her with what he had to say.

"So..." Adrien began. "You read my letter."

"I did," Marinette said. "And... I'm very flattered..."

"I'm glad," Adrien said, a smile gracing his lips. "I wasn't sure how else to tell you how I felt."

"But... Like your letter said: we barely talk to each other," Marinette said. "What brought this on?"

"...Well... Because you didn't give a damn about me." Adrien admitted, his cheeks redder than a ladybug. Marinette mirrored that reaction, but she gave him a look of confusion.

"What do you mean?" Marinette asked.

"On my first day, everyone was fawning over me because of my model status, money, stuff like that. And Chloé didn't help matters," Adrien said. "But you... You treated me like a normal human being... Something I've always wanted."

"But that was because you picked a fight with Kim, remember?" Marinette said, crossing her arms.

"He was talking about Chloé's... well... assets a little inappropriately. Had to teach him a lesson." Adrien said, rubbing the back of his neck again.

"Nearly forgot about that." Marinette said, blushing when she remembered what warranted the brawl in the first place.

"Yeah..." Adrien murmured. "But you broke up that fight without any problem, and didn't let Chloé get the better of you. You didn't care that I was a model for my father, or that I was old friends with Chloé. You put me in my place and said that even if I had a good reason, it wasn't right. Then you took Kim to the nurse."

"But that was before I learned who you were." Marinette said.

"And yet to this day, you still treat me like a regular person," Adrien said with a smile. "And that's why I fell for you. But I wasn't sure how else to tell you."

Marinette blushed, flattered that Adrien fell for her because she treated him like he wasn't famous. She'd heard of this sort of thing before, but she never thought it'd really happen to her.

And just knowing that Adrien had felt this way about her made her heart skip a beat. She looked to the letter and back to Adrien a few times, not moving her face at all.

"So... Your answer?" Adrien asked.

"Oh, right," Marinette said, not sure what to say. A little nervous, her eyes darted around. "...I... Well, I..."

"It's okay," Adrien said, placing a hand on her shoulders. "You can be honest with me."

Taking a deep breath, Marinette looked Adrien in the eyes and said, "Adrien, I appreciate the letter, and I'm flattered that you feel that way about me... But we hardly know each other. Or at least, I hardly know you. I can't really see myself being your girlfriend..."

Adrien's heart sunk just a little bit. He'd expected this response.

"I... I understand." Adrien said, before beginning to turn away.

"BUT," Marinette began, holding her hand up to stop him. "I'm willing to give it a try."

"Wait, what?" Adrien asked.

"You feel very strongly about me, and while I don't feel the same, maybe... Maybe if we spend some more time together... Get to know one another a little more... That might change?" Marinette suggested. "Does dating on a trial basis for a few months sound good to you?"

"On a trial basis?" Adrien asked. "So, we go on a few dates, and if your feelings haven't changed after a certain amount of time, we stop and never speak of this again?"

"Exactly," Marinette said with a nod. "So... Is it a deal?"

She held out her hand to shake. Adrien, feeling hopeful that he'd be able to get the girl, took her hand into his and shook it, saying, "It's a date - er, deal!"

"Good," Marinette said, but then the bell rang for the next class. "So... See you later?"

"I will." Adrien said, a smile gracing his lips as Marinette scampered off to her design elective course.

When Marinette reported back to Alya about what happened...

"Are you serious, girl?!" Alya said, angry and shocked. "You didn't really make a deal to date him on trial, did you?!"

The girls were back in Marinette's bedroom after classes that day.

"I did," Marinette said, sketching more designs in her book. "I owe him the benefit of the doubt. He didn't get angry at all."

"But you barely know him!" Alya insisted.

"Hence the probationary period," Marinette said. "I admit my heart skipped a few beats when we talked. I at least want to get to know him before I make any snap judgements. I mean, I had him all wrong on his first day, remember?"

"Oh right, the only reason he picked a fight with Kim was because he was being inappropriate," Alya said. "And you haven't treated him any differently."

"Yeah," Marinette said, before a tone started beeping on her phone. She pulled it up and her eyes went wide. "A text from Adrien!"

"How'd he get your digits?!" Alya asked.

"He asked for my number from Nino," Marinette said, getting a realizing eye-roll from Alya. "And he's asking about plans for our first trial date. He's suggesting going to the movies, and he's asking what genres I like."

"That's almost always a sound idea," Alya said with a nod. "Doesn't seem like he plans on doing anything like taking you to a wrestling match or something like that."

"I don't know," Marinette said, working on her reply. "Anyway, I'll tell him that it's a good idea, but no horror flicks."

"Yeah, you hate horror movies." Alya said, laughing a bit.

Her phone went off again, and Marinette said, "Oh, he said, "Got it. No horror movies," and then a perfect sign."

"At least he's considerate enough to ask you what movies you don't like." Alya snipped.

"Alya, you're supposed to have my back at times like this." Marinette said.

"And I do," Alya said. "But girl, you need to tell me everything that happens on these trial dates! I'm not gonna have you keep me out of the loop, especially if he tries something funny! Got it?"

"Got it." Marinette said with a smile.

The following Saturday, she was up in her bedroom, looking for the right outfit for this trial date. Even if it was probationary, she still wanted to give her upmost efforts. So, she decided on switching out her pink pants for a pink bell skirt and matching shirt, and a white shrug. She also switched out her ballet flats for heel wedges (though she was expecting to fall down once or twice).

"Calm down, Marinette, it's only the movies," Marinette said to herself to calm down as she decided to add some makeup to her face. "What could go wrong?"

On her desk was a carrier that held a bright red hamster on a wheel, and she had a black spot over her eye. She was cute enough to compete with Hamtaro. Hearing her little friend squeaking, Marinette walked over to her cute pet.

The hamster got off her wheel and looked at Marinette, and what could have passed as a smile came up on the creature's face.

"You're probably right, Tikki," Marinette said. "I'm probably overthinking this."

"Marinette!" Sabine said from downstairs. "A young man is here to see you!"

"Coming, mom!" Marinette said as she placed her phone in her bag and then ran downstairs.

Like she expected, Adrien was there. Instead of his usual leather jacket and unruly hair, he was actually wearing a nice white button down shirt over his usual black shirt and he switched out his blue jeans and sneakers for khakis and dress shoes. He also combed his hair back, too.

And in his hand was a Chouquette that he was munching on. It had some mini chocolate chips sprinkled onto it.

"This is delicious, Mr. Dupain," Adrien said. "You do good work."

"Thank you, Adrien!" Tom said, patting Adrien on the back heavily.

The poor boy nearly fell over, but he stood up after Tom backed off, and then Adrien looked over to Marinette.

"Hi, Marinette," Adrien said, blushing at the sight of her outfit. "You look great."

"Thanks." Marinette said, walking over to Adrien. However, she wound up stumbling and tripping. Adrien swiftly caught her in his arms and helped her stand up.

"You okay?" Adrien asked.

Marinette gave a nod, before turning to her parents.

"So, this is the first of your probationary dates?" Sabine asked.

"Yes," Adrien said. "Just the movies. Nothing crazy."

"Good. Don't do anything I wouldn't do, young man." Tom said.

Marinette face-palmed while Adrien rubbed the back of his head. He said, "No worries about that."

"Anyway, have fun!" Sabine said as she ushered the teenagers out.

Adrien brought Marinette to a fancy car, where his bodyguard was standing. Marinette knew Adrien was a celebrity in his own right, but this was a bit too much.

The chauffeur made to open the back seat, but Adrien stopped him in his tracks and then opened the door, saying, "After you."

"Thank you." Marinette said, smiling at the chivalrous move. She got in the car before Adrien slipped in and shut the door. The chauffeur started driving off to the movie theatre.

There was a bit of an awkward silence between them for a little bit. Adrien was tempted to hold Marinette's hand, meanwhile she was embarrassed about her father's comment.

Adrien was slowly reaching for her hand when she turned to face him. He pulled his hand back, anxious.

"Sorry about that," Marinette said abruptly. "My dad always tends to take things too far."

"Oh, that's okay," Adrien said. "Speaking of your parents, they're really great people. Great cooking, attentive..."

"Yeah," Marinette said. "I'd be lost without them."

"Wish I knew the feeling of having a loving family..." Adrien muttered.

The driver pulled up in front of the movie theatre and then Adrien got out of the car. He held his hand out and said, "Allow me."

Marinette had to giggle at his chivalrous behavior and she put her hand into his. He helped her get out of the car, and then he walked her to the theatre door.

"So, what movie are we watching?" Marinette asked.

"I was thinking about that new film directed by Thomas Astruc, "Ladybug and Cat Noir." What do you think?" Adrien asked. "Or if that's not your thing, I found a few romances that were playing."

"No, I've always wanted to watch that one! Astruc does great animation work!" Marinette said.

"That's great. I'll get the tickets, and..." Adrien began, but then there was a growling sound. His stomach. He blushed. "Um... Looks like I'm hungry."

"Didn't you just eat at my house?" Marinette asked.

"Only the one Chouquette," Adrien admitted. "I don't get to each much as a model."

"No wonder my parents tried to stuff you," Marinette said. "Want popcorn?"

"A large with butter? Definitely," Adrien said with a chuckle. Marinette went to get her card out, but Adrien made her put her wallet back in her bag. "Don't bother. I'm the one who invited you out. Proper etiquette for me to pay in full."

Marinette just stood there while Adrien went to the counter to get the tickets and snacks. She was wondering if this really was the same guy who'd never hesitate to trump someone at fencing or kick a guy in the nuts for not keeping it in his pants. He was such a gentleman that it was baffling.

When they got to their seats, Adrien sat the popcorn bucket in between his legs, and always remembered to let Marinette eat some, kept his mouth shut during the movie, and was enjoying himself.

Marinette was also enjoying the film, too. When the movie got to a more romantic scene between the protagonists, Marinette felt her hand getting held. She looked to her date and saw that he was holding her hand. But when he noticed the look he was giving her, he mouthed out an apology before letting go of her hand.

Marinette didn't mind this so much, since he realized he made a slight faux pas and then corrected it. It showed he respected boundaries.

Once the movie was over, the two had a very animated conversation about the characters while on the car ride back.

"Cat Noir was so me!" Adrien said. "I feel exactly the same as he did. Not having any inhibitions once I get into another skin."

"I totally understood where Ladybug was coming from," Marinette piped up in agreement. "I really felt her pain and what she was going through. And her best friend reminded me of Alya!"

"Yeah, I can see that," Adrien said, chuckling. The car then stopped and he saw that they were in front of the bakery. "Oh, here's your stop."

"Really?" Marinette said. "That was fast."

"Well... I'll let you know when I'm available for the next trial run." Adrien said as Marinette opened the door.

"Thanks, Adrien." Marinette said before stepping out.

"Wait, hold on," Adrien exclaimed, causing her to pause. "Um... Did you... Have a good time?"

Marinette smiled and said, "Yeah. I had a great time."

Adrien smiled and said, "I'm glad. I really wanted you to have fun."

Marinette gave a nod before shutting the door, and making her way back inside the house. Throughout the whole film, Marinette was expecting something from Adrien that just screamed bad boy, but she was proven completely wrong.

Her phone started going off and she saw it was a phone call from Alya.

"Hey Alya," Marinette said as she picked up. "What's going on?"

"You just finished up your "date" with Adrien, right? I'm heading over there to make sure everything went right." Alya said.

"Okay, okay..." Marinette began, worried about Alya's reaction.

Alya came by fifteen minutes later, and then the two best friends retreated up to Marinette's bedroom. She was wiping her makeup off using makeup removal wipes, meanwhile Alya sat on the chaise, discussing the date.

"...So you had fun?" Alya asked, disbelieving.

"Yes, I did. I actually had such a good time at the movie that I nearly forgot it was only a probationary date." Marinette confirmed as she finished wiping her makeup off and threw the towelette away.

Marinette noticed Alya had a suspicious facial expression, and had her hand to her chin in thought.

Marinette probed, "What's the matter?"

"I hadn't expected him to be such a gentleman." Alya admitted.

"Expect the unexpected, I guess," Marinette said with a shrug. "He said he'd let me know the next time he's free for our next trial date."

"I wonder what he'll pull out of his ass next?" Alya said, still certain that Adrien wouldn't act this chivalrous with Marinette for long.

"Who knows?" Marinette said as she went to her sewing machine. She was in the middle of working on a new outfit for school.

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see," Alya said. "I wonder if Adrien's confiding in Nino about all of this?"

She was right: Adrien had gone over to Nino's place after the movie to talk about his progress. Lord only knew his father wouldn't let the DJ into the house, so the Lahiffe family's place was the best of Adrien's "safety zones."

"So it went well, dude?" Nino asked as he and Adrien were up in the former's room.

"Yeah, it went well," Adrien confirmed. "She had fun and the movie was great, too."

"No, did you manage to make a move?!" Nino asked. "A goodbye kiss?"

"No," Adrien replied. "It was only the first probationary date. Not gonna rush this."

"Dude?!" Nino gawked. "You should've at least given her a goodbye kiss!"

"Again, not gonna rush this, Nino," Adrien said. "My rep at school gives her enough reason to be wary. If I'm too forward now, it'll just spook her."

"You're right," Nino said. "So what's your next move, dude?"

"Working on it," Adrien said, looking over his schedule on the phone. "First thing's first, gotta make sure I actually have some free time."

"Yeah, your dad packs you with too many things in your schedule. How're you supposed to work on planning a date if your old man won't let you have time for a date?" Nino questioned.

"Can't win over a girl when there's literally no time in the schedule." Adrien stated.

"Can't you get your pops to ease off?" Nino said.

"Easier said than done," Adrien replied. "He'll probably overload me with more work once I drop the "date" bomb on him."

His phone went off with a text, and Adrien read it. He sighed in relief and said, "I guess luck's on my side for once. I have the rest of next Friday off after school."

"So what're you planning for your next trial date?" Nino said.

"I already took her to the movies... I know she's planning on being a fashion designer, but taking her to one of my photoshoots now would be too soon..." Adrien murmured.

"How about a Jagged Stone concert?" Nino asked. "He's having one that Friday night, so you can get tickets to that. And I heard through the grapevine that Jagged is Marinette's favorite singer."

"Great idea!" Adrien said as he went on his phone to get the tickets to the concert. Once the purchase was made, he called Marinette.

Back with the girls, Alya was trying to get details about the movie out of Marinette, but she knew that it was a good idea not to spoil anything for her BFF, so Marinette was tight-lipped. The girls were laughing and having a great time with each other when Marientte's ringtone went off.

"Oh, it's Adrien," Marinette said, before picking up the phone. "Hey Adrien."

"Hi, Marinette," Adrien said. "I have some free time next Friday night, and I have tickets to the Jagged Stone concert. Does that sound good?"

"Jagged Stone's my favorite! I'd love to go the concert!" Marinette said, delighted.

"That's great! I'll pick you up and bring you there." Adrien said before hanging up.

"Wow, how'd he know you liked Jagged Stone?" Alya asked, surprised.

"Coincidence, maybe?" Marinette said with a shrug.

"Or maybe Nino told him?" Alya suggested. "Anyway, don't hesitate to talk to me if he pulls something."

Marinette gave a nod and the girls shared a fist bump.

The remaining week went by quietly. Just Marinette doing homework, working on designs, creating pieces to take photos for her portfolio, etc. It was just an uneventful week.

On the Friday night of, Marinette was down in the living room, waiting for Adrien. The plan was the same as last time: Adrien would get his bodyguard to come and pick her up and then they'd go to the concert.

She was wearing most of her usual ensemble, but she decided to switch out her shirt for a Jagged Stone t-shirt. Otherwise, she was dressed the same as always. Marinette was twiddling her thumbs, looking at the time on her phone, and waiting for Adrien to hurry and arrive.

She wasn't expecting to be so eager to see him again, and it was a little confusing. Why would she look forward to spending time with someone with such a nasty rep?

Just then, her phone went off and the text message came up. It said, "I'm here."

"Mom, dad, Adrien's here," Marinette said as she stood up. "I'll see you later."

"Have fun, honey!" Sabine said from the kitchen.

"Thanks, mom." Marinette said as she left out the door.

Once she got outside, Adrien was waiting for her. He was also wearing some Jagged Stone merchandise and he said, "Hey, Marinette! Ready for the show?"

"I am! I love Jagged Stone!" Marinette said as Adrien once again opened the back seat door. Marinette got in the car, and then Adrien let himself in, too. Once again, he sat next to her and they buckled their seat belts.

"He's one of my favorites, too!" Adrien agreed.

In an instant, the two of them started talking and laughing about nothing in particular, and Marinette found herself much more comfortable around her trial boyfriend.

Once they arrived at the venue, it became clear that finding a place to stand and watch wasn't going to be an easy feat. People were wall to wall, clamoring and excited to see Jagged Stone on stage. It was hard to find a place to stand to enjoy the concert because the audience was packed in like a bunch of sardines.

"Yikes, it's stuffed like a turducken in here..." Marinette murmured.

Adrien kept looking around, to try and find a place for them to stand, and he noticed something out of his peripheral vision. Adrien said, "Hey, I found a spot!"

"Really?" Marinette asked.

"Yeah, follow me." Adrien requested before taking Marinette's hand.

Her heart skipped a beat as Adrien started weaving through the crowd, leading Marinette. As they ducked and tried to squeeze their way through the fans, Marinette was looking at Adrien with awe. She'd known him to be the type of guy to punch someone in the gut without any warning, but he was being such a gentleman. He was like this too during their movie date.

"Here we are." Adrien said as he found a spot for the two of them. Problem was, they were surrounded by other people and a lot of them were taller than them.

"Not the best spot, but it'll do." Marinette said with a smile.

"Yeah." Adrien said, just as the lights began to dim and soon the fog machines on the stage started.

The audience cheered as Jagged Stone himself started his performance. He started rocking hard on his guitar and belted out his voice in the microphone, and everyone was enjoying themselves with the songs.

Adrien and Marinette were stretching and moving their heads around to see the stage and Jagged himself. Adrien's height let him see past some of the heads in front of them, but Marinette couldn't.

She was standing on her tiptoes and craning her neck, groaning from the stretching pains. She even tried peeking through some of the other audience members, but she couldn't see a thing.

"Damn it..." Marinette muttered from frustration.

Adrien noticed her discomfort and asked her, "Marinette, do you trust me?"

"Huh?" Marinette asked as Adrien looked her in the eyes.

"I need you to trust me on this, okay?" Adrien began, giving Marinette a warm smile that exuded nothing but sincerity. Marinette looked at him once more, let a few seconds go by, and then she let out a breath.

"Yes." Marinette said firmly.

"Then if it makes you uncomfortable, I apologize in advance," Adrien said before kneeling down and holding his hands behind his back. "Get on."

Marinette blushed and spluttered out, "A piggy-back ride?"

"Sure. This way you can get some altitude and see the stage. I can still see it, either way." Adrien replied, giving Marinette a smile.

Marinette, ready to give her trust to him, smiled, nodded and stepped onto his cupped hands. He stood up and let Marinette hang on to his back. He hung on to her legs as she hung on to his neck and she sat on his back with a better view of the stage.

The angle she was viewing the concert was completely fresh. It was like she'd grown a few feet in a few seconds and it was a new experience.

"Wow! I've only ever been on piggyback with my dad!" Marinette giggled as she watched the concert. "This is great! Thanks, Adrien!"

"No problem, Marinette," Adrien said with a chuckle. "I didn't want you to miss out on this!"

Marinette blushed and started looking at Adrien instead of the stage. He was smiling and enjoying himself like a little kid. She'd never seen him so carefree before.

Forgetting her thoughts for the moment, she continued to cheer and sing along with Jagged Stone's music, thoroughly engrossed in the event. Adrien was doing the same, smiling and singing, too.

The concert went into the wee long hours of the night, and once it was over, the pair was exhausted from the fun from the concert. They were now riding in the car back to Marinette's place, and they were trying to relax from all the energy.

But Marinette's thoughts were elsewhere at the moment. She looked at her companion and saw that the light of the car really accentuated some of his features. She saw that there was some sweat beading down his face and his hair got a little matted and wet from the heat of the concert.

"You okay? You seem a bit tired." Marinette asked.

"Yeah, just had so much fun that I wore myself out." Adrien replied with a chuckle.

"Are you sure I wasn't too heavy?" Marinette inquired, skeptical of his exhaustion. "I was on your back for at least an hour."

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Adrien said. "You're actually pretty light..."

"Oh?" Marinette asked.

"No, I mean, you weren't as heavy as you - er, I mean I thought you would be - not that you're fat - ER, I meant... You're petite, it wouldn't be like... And I should shut up now." Adrien rambled before face-palming in embarrassment.

Marinette snorted out a giggle, before laughing a little bit. To Adrien, her laughter was like angels and bells singing together in perfect, homophonic textured harmony in a major key.

He smiled, his blush going from embarrassment to love, and he couldn't help but calm down. The two of them started leaning in, and Adrien's hand was moving closer to hers, when the car stopped.

Marinette looked out the window and saw that they were in front of her family's bakery.

"Damn, that car ride was too quick," Adrien muttered as he unbuckled the seat belt and got out of the car and went around to the other side to open the door to Marinette's seat. He held out his hand. "Come on, I'll walk you up... If you'd like."

Marinette, feeling no sense of danger, took his hand into her own and he helped her out. He began walking Marinette up to her door, but the two of them were having trouble looking each other in the eyes, and they were both blushing.

Once they made it to the door, there was a bit of an awkward silence between them.

"I had a great time tonight, Adrien." Marinette said with a smile and breaking the silence.

"Me too," Adrien said, finding his voice, still holding her hand. "I'll see you at school."

Marinette gave a nod, and once again there was a moment of silence and no movement at all.

Adrien worked up some balls, and, still red in the face, began leaning in. Marinette was frozen for a second. She stared as Adrien went in closer, his lips puckered. Marinette's eyes were glued to him as his lips were just about an inch or two away from her cheek... but then he pulled back.

"I... Goodnight." Adrien said before walking back to his car. He got back in the back seat and then the car drove away.

Marinette stood there confused. Adrien was gonna kiss her, but then he backed out? Maybe he was still trying to be respectful of her boundaries. She was glad for that, but... She felt disappointed, too.

"I'd better talk to Alya about this tomorrow..." Marinette began as she went back inside the house.

The rest of the weekend went by in the blink of an eye and it wasn't long before school was back into session for the week. But all wasn't peaceful. Not by a long-shot.

Adrien was looking around on his phone for other ideas for dates when he heard a high-pitched, "Adrikins!"

He winced at the shout and then he turned around to see his old friend, Chloé Bourgeois, the mayor's daughter. She latched on to his arm.

"Oh, hey Chlo." Adrien said offhandedly while continuing to work on his date ideas.

"So, there's a new Michelin star restaurant opening up soon, and I hear they serve an amazing steak au poirve," Chloé said. "I say it's totally a date-worthy spot."

She batted her eyelashes at Adrien, but he only said, "Hey, that's a good idea."

"Okay, I'll make the reservations!" Chloé said as she picked up her phone, but...

"That'll be the best place to take Marinette!" Adrien said.

At that name, Chloé's phone nearly fell out her hands. She slowly turned to Adrien, stiffly, and said, "I beg your pardon? Did you just say "Marinette?" Tell me you didn't!"

"I sure did, Chloé," Adrien said as he put his phone away. "And you really gave me a great idea for the third of our trial dates."

"Trial dates?! With Dupain-Cheng?!" Chloé screamed, clearly angry.

"Yes." Adrien said with a nod... only this made Chloé even more upset.

Marinette and Alya were walking in the halls and talking.

"He seriously carried you on piggyback for the concert?" Alya asked. "Wow, didn't see that one coming!"

"I know," Marinette began. "And the weird thing is... When he was about to kiss my cheek, I... I felt a little disappointed that he pulled back."

"You were disappointed that he didn't kiss you? Girl, you are totally falling for him!" Alya said, an eager grin on her face.

Marinette went red in the face and was about to protest this accusation when the pair heard some sort of commotion... And they recognized the voices, too.

"RIDICULOUS! UTTERLY RIDICULOUS!" Chloé screamed. "How could you even think of bringing Dupain-Cheng out to a place where servant folk like her shouldn't even be?!"

Marinette was only a few meters away. Alya pulled her aside so they wouldn't be seen but they could still listen in on the yelling match.

"Excuse me?" Adrien questioned, clearly agitated. "What do you mean 'servant folk'? In my eyes, Marinette's royalty. That's a lot more than I can say for you and how you treat people, Chloé!"

"But she's a talentless, obnoxious-" Chloé began.

"If Marinette really was a no-talent, then why did your mother, the Queen of Fashion, offer to take Marinette to New York instead of you?" Adrien icily questioned, stopping Chloé in her tracks.

Chloé didn't answer.

"Last time I checked, you tried to cheat off Marinette's work one time. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. You don't really think she's a no-talent, you're just jealous that she's popular, has friends, is kind and sweet... Basically, everything you're not." Adrien said, defending Marinette.

Marinette was blushing at this and her heart started skipping a few beats. She hadn't any clue Adrien thought that about her. Sure, the letter spilled out his feelings for her, but hearing him say it out loud, especially towards someone who'd always actively make her life hell, was making it more real for her. Alya was surprised Adrien was sticking it to his old friend, too.

"That would mean she's not wealthy, well-connected-" Chloé said, continuing to insult Marinette.

"Correction: she's friends with Jagged Stone, both your mom and my father respect her work, and what she lacks for in financial wealth, she more than makes up for in wealth of virtues. Kindness, courage, compassion, generosity!" Adrien ranted, showing Chloé a side of him she'd never seen.

Marinette's face only went redder. He seriously saw all of those characteristics in her? She'd no clue...

"Well, she's a total loser-" Chloé began, but then Adrien snapped.

"THE ONLY "LOSERS" IN THIS WORLD ARE BULLIES LIKE YOU!" Adrien screamed, before snagging Chloé by her shirt. "And the way you treat everyone else like dirt is not okay!"

"You're the one who's willing to pick fights with people!" Chloé barked back.

"Only when they do something that warrants it!" Adrien stated.

"He has a point," Marinette muttered to Alya. "He's only gonna pick a fight when something he can't stand for happens. Usually when he catches someone being inappropriate or cruel."

Alya had to nod.

"Marinette's never done anything to warrant your crap! And you know what? I can't tolerate the fact that you pick on her all the time," Adrien said before pushing Chloé away. "You need to respect the fact that I love Marinette, and stop bullying her! And if you can't, then we're not friends anymore! In fact..."

Adrien took out his phone, and made a show of blocking Chloé's phone number and social media pages before un-friending her and deleting her from his contacts.

"Might as well make it clear by showing you that I'm willing to cut ties with you for her sake!" Adrien said before darkly growling, "Don't you ever talk to me again, and you leave Marinette ALONE."

Adrien turned on his heel and started stalking away, leaving Chloé dumbstruck and her mind blank. Alya and Marinette were shocked, too. They didn't expect Adrien to actually end things with Chloé just for Marinette's sake. She was so moved that she was redder in the face than an apple. She put her hands on her face.

Adrien sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, muttering curses in Chloé's name. However, he saw Marinette out of his peripheral vision, and noticed she was blushing and having a hard time looking him in the eye.

"Oh, um... Marinette, hi..." Adrien greeted, blushing and rubbing his neck in embarrassment. His eyes went askance. "H... How long have you been there?"

"Since Chloé screamed her usual "Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous,"" Alya replied. "Kinda hard not miss it whenever she makes a scene."

"Yep." Adrien said before sighing in annoyance. He looked to Marinette.

Alya read the mood and made herself scarce to let the two of them talk to each other. Now that they were alone, there was yet another moment of awkward silence between them. Marinette wasn't sure if she should speak first or let Adrien break the ice instead.

Adrien wasn't sure if he should say anything or let Marinette do the talking either.

"...Were you serious about what you said? You really feel that way about me?" Marinette asked, saying something. She was still red in the face, but she was able to look Adrien in the eye.

Adrien blushed and gave a silent nod.

"I... Had no idea," Marinette admitted. "I mean, the letter told me a good chunk, but..."

Adrien kept his eyes averted from Marinette in embarrassment. He never wanted Marinette to hear all of that, but it was too late.

"W... Well, yeah, that's how I feel," Adrien admitted, his face going another shade darker. "I honestly didn't want you to hear that."

"Why not?" Marinette asked in a confused, almost accusing tone.

"Because it was too soon," Adrien said. "I wanted to make sure you were more comfortable with me before I said anything... Too late now."

Marinette smiled.

"A-Anyway..." Marinette began, popping her foot a bit and having a hard time looking Adrien in the eye. "...Any ideas for our next date?"

Adrien looked at Marinette in surprise and inquired, "Really? You still want to do this with me? Even after that scene?"

"I... I do." Marinette said without any hesitation.

Adrien smiled and said, "Great! There's this great restaurant that Chloé mentioned before... Well, you know... And I think that'll be a great place to have dinner one night."

"Okay, sounds good to me. I can't wait for it." Marinette said with a nod before giving Adrien an affectionate pat on the shoulder and leaving.

Adrien smiled with an affectionate blush on his face as he watched Marinette leave. That entire, unexpected spiel was heard by the last girl he wanted, but in the end it worked. He'd always compare himself to a black cat, it seemed like luck was on his side for once.

Before Marinette knew it, the day of the dinner date she and Adrien scheduled was upon them.

Adrien was outside the bakery at dusk, about ten minutes early. He was wearing a semi-formal suit. No necktie, the collar was open, his slacks were a neutral color and black dress shoes. He also combed his hair and used the same cologne he put on the letter.

"Okay, tonight's the night..." Adrien muttered to himself. He took out a few strawberry mints and started chewing on them to soothe his nerves.

The creaking of the door rung out. Adrien turned to the door and saw Marinette. Her short hair was out of its pigtails and given some curls. She had a nice amount of makeup on. Her eyeshadow was a subtle pale pink, with some light mascara, and her lips were given a nice red coat. She was wearing a short, deep cocktail dress with a tiered, ruffled skirt with black spots. She was wearing black nylon stockings and a matching shrug, and she was wearing black kitten heels. She was also wearing ladybug-themed hanging earrings. She still had her usual purse.

"...Y...You..." Adrien began, lost for words, cheeks redder than her dress, and his eyes glued to her face. "You... You're so beautiful..."

"Thank you." Marinette chirpily thanked.

"S... Shall we?" Adrien sked, holding his arm out. "Our reservation is soon."

Marinette put her arms around his and then he brought her into the car.

When they got to the restaurant, Adrien led Marinette inside (including holding the door open for her), and the host brought them to their table. Their table was in an alcove, somewhere hidden away from the crowd. The menus, table settings, and full water glasses were already on the table. There was also a pair of lit candles between the seats, too.

Adrien pulled Marinette's chair out and let her sit down before sitting across from her. His eyes flitted from the menu to his date and back again constantly.

'Okay, don't panic. This isn't the first time you and Marinette have been alone together... It's only the first time the two of us have been alone together in such a... A formal setting.' Adrien internally mantra-ed.

Marinette looked over her menu and she asked, "Have you been here before, Adrien?"

"Oh, um... No, I haven't," Adrien confessed. "But I hear that this place is good. Michelin star and all."

"Wow, then this place will definitely have something good to eat," Marinette stated as she continued looking over the options. "Oh look! They have Coquilles St. Jacques!"

"Have you ever had them before?" Adrien asked.

"No, I've never tried scallops prepared like this before... In fact, I've never tried scallops at all." Marinette admitted, scratching her cheek.

"Having scallops in a gratin preparation sounds like a great place to start," Adrien added as he continued to scan the menu. "I think I'll get the steak au poivre that Chloé mentioned, and maybe some duchess potatoes. I could stand to get a little meat on my bones."

Marinette stifled a laugh. Adrien's face tinted, thinking, 'Crap, I made her laugh... Oh, her giggle is so MF-ing CUTE!'

'Wow... I never noticed how hot he looks with his cheeks all red like that.' Marinette thought, looking at Adrien from underneath her lashes.

Violins started playing in the background and the lights dimmed. Adrien stiffened.

"Marinette..." Adrien began.

"Yes?" Marinette asked as she looked him in the eye.

Adrien's face turned an even deeper shade of red and he spoke, "I... I..."

"Have you two decided?" The server cut in.

"Oh yes!" Marinette said. "I'll take the Coquilles..."

Adrien face-palmed.

'Damn it! Servers need to learn to read the mood!' Adrien thought, frustrated.

"And you, Monsieur?" The server asked.

"Um, yes. Steak Au Poivre with duchess potatoes, please..." Adrien requested.

The server took their menus away before leaving them alone. The situation became AWKWARD again.

Adrien tried to wrack his brain for something to say, when Nino's voice barked in his mind, 'Dude, when all else fails, talk about her clothes!'

"So... Marinette, your clothes..." Adrien began.

"What about them?" Marinette asked.

"They look great! Did you make those yourself?" Adrien asked.

"Oh, I did," Marinette confirmed. "How'd you know?"

"I..." Adrien began. "Well, I know you want to be a fashion designer, and that you make most of your own clothes."

"I do!" Marinette beamed with a smile.

"I'm sure my father would love to see more of your work." Adrien admitted wistfully.

"You think?" Marinette asked, delightedly.

"I'm sure of it," Adrien began. "He'd never waste time with someone doesn't have the talent."

"Yeah... You said that to Chloé." Marinette replied, blushing.

Adrien's face went red, too, his heart was pounding, his breathing was quiet but heavy. The violins were soon being accompanied by harps, which didn't help his nerves. He took a sip of his water to cool his nerves.

After that, the rest of the meal went by uneventfully. The food was enjoyable (and the apple tart tatin they had for dessert was definitely good), the music perfect for the mood, and the conversations were smooth.

A few hours later, the car drove up to Marinette's house and parked in front of the curb. Adrien got out of the car before walking to the other side. He opened the door and helped Marinette get out.

"Let me walk you to the door." Adrien offered as he locked arms with her and brought her to the door of her house.

"I had a great time, Adrien." Marinette said as he led her to the door.

"Me too." Adrien said.

The two of them stood there for a little while, not sure what else to say. Adrien was about to break the ice, but...

"Adrien?" Marinette began, smiling.

"Um, yes?" Adrien asked.

"I... I'm sorry." Marinette apologized.

"You? Sorry for what?" Adrien questioned.

"I had you pegged completely wrong," Marinette admitted. "I always thought you were a loose canon, had a short fuse, aloof... And I was seriously under the impression you and Kagami were an item for a little while."

Adrien hung his head, admitting, "Me and Kagami? Well... I guess I can see why you'd think that."

"Well... Thank you. For proving me wrong," Marinette confessed. "You're nothing like I expected. And you standing up for me in front of Chloé like that was amazing..."

"You really think so?" Adrien asked, rubbing the back of his head embarrassedly.

Marinette gave a nod.

The moment was perfect. In front of door to her house, under the light, alone together, and nothing making any noise but the chirping of crickets.

'Alright, dude. Go for it! You can do it, and for the love of GOD, don't you DARE chicken out this time!' Nino's voice rang out in his head.

His eyes were squeezed shut and he was shaking a bit. After taking a deep breath, Adrien steeled his balls, quickly leaned in and smacked his lips against her cheek, eliciting a light gasp from her. He pulled away, red in the face and just looking embarrassed.

"G... G... Goodnight! See you tomorrow at school!" Adrien squeaked before going back to the car.

Marinette watched Adrien fumble back into the family car. Once the vehicle was out of sight, she giggled before going back inside.

The next day, Marinette's head was in the clouds. The only thing she could focus on was the last night, and her hand was on her kissed cheek all day.

"Hey Marinette! Wanna get lunch?" Alya asked.

"No thanks," Marinette wistfully spoke. "I'm waiting for Adrien. He already invited me to lunch for our next date."

"Seriously?" Alya asked. "He's still on probation with you?"

Marinette picked her head up and muttered, "Probation...? Wow, that's odd."

"What do you mean?" Alya asked as Marinette got up from her seat.

"It... I've been having so much fun with Adrien that I actually forgot about the whole probation thing." Marinette admitted.

"If that's the case, maybe it's time to end it?" Alya suggested.

"End it?" Marinette asked.

"You know what I mean." Alya stated before leaving.

Marinette got Alya's meaning.

"Marinette?" Adrien asked as he approached. "Ready to get to the cafeteria? I know my father usually makes me eat lunch at home, but I insisted on doing something different this time."

"I'm ready." Marinette said as Adrien took her hand and started walking to the school cafeteria.

Once they made it there, they got in line for lunch, talking about nothing in particular while ignoring the weird looks they were getting from everyone else. But they paid them no mind. They were in their own world.

Once they got their lunches, they took their seats (with Adrien taking extra precaution to clean Marinette's seat off before she sat down across from him).

"So lunch looks great," Adrien said. "Chicken marsala with pappardelle pasta and a side of steamed broccoli."

Marinette gave a nod and a hum as the two of them started eating.

Everyone was gasping and gawking at the sight of them. But the two of them ignored the bystanders, for they were in their own world.

"This is good," Marinette said. "But it's nothing compared to last night's food."

"Yeah, that place isn't one Michelin star for nothing," Adrien commented. "It's definitely a place I'll bring you back to for a date. Speaking of which, any ideas about our last trial date?"

Marinette gave a smile and she said, "Silly. Last night was the last trial date."

"What?" Adrien asked, his smile falling. "You... You mean we're done with this trial period?"

"Yeah, we're finished," Marinette confirmed. She stood up and came around the table. "I'm sick of the probation label."

"M... Marinette, what are you saying?" Adrien asked, almost pleading for an answer. "A... Are you... Are you saying that you don't want this anymore?"

"What I'm saying is that I want to take the "probation" label off and make it official, Adrien." Marinette admitted to him.

His eyes widened as he looked at her. He stood up and captured her eyes with his own.

"I have fun with you. The time goes by too fast because of it," Marinette began, her eyes askance and shy. "You go out of your way to make sure I'm comfortable and having fun. You've been respectful of my boundaries since day one and you've never made me feel unsafe. Not even once. The other night when you nearly kissed me, I felt sad when you backed out... I guess what I'm trying to say is..."

'Come on, Marinette. Say it. Say you feel the same way!' Adrien prayed.

"...I love you, too." Marinette said, looking Adrien dead in the eyes and smiling at him.

Adrien's eyes began to water as a smile stretched across his face. His heart was about to beat out of his chest and he began laughing.

"Adrien?" Marinette asked.

"...I..." Adrien began, but he scooped Marinette up into his arms and spun her around. He was laughing with delight, kissing her cheek again and again, and she was giggling.

People were cooing, applauding, and 'aww'-ing at the sight of the scene, but others weren't amused at the sight of the school rebel touching one of the sweetest girls in school.

"So... You'll stay with me? Be my girl for real?" Adrien asked.

Marinette gave a nod and she planted her lips onto his. He heaved a blissful moan and started kissing her back with unbridled passion and affection. He ran his fingers through her hair and rubbed her back with his other hand. Marinette popped a leg and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Breaking their kiss, Adrien started to gently rock Marinette in his arms and he kept kissing her atop her head. Marinette rested her face in his chest. Adrien noticed Nino out of his peripheral vision. The DJ was grinning like nuts and giving Adrien two thumbs up, happy that his bro got the girl.

"I love you so much..." Adrien murmured in Marinette's ear. "I'll prove it to you over and over again in the future. Does a picnic by the river sound good?"

"Sounds perfect to me." Marinette giggled in response, her face still redder than an apple.

Adrien laughed before kissing her cheek again.

And that's all I wrote for this one-shot! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I hope I didn't rush the romance. I wanted to try my best to take it slow this time. Let me know if I hit the target or completely missed it.

And happy Adrienette April! If you want more, let me know. Also, if you've already read "A Criminal's Love" and its sequel "A Designer's Affection," let me know in the comments if you want a third installment for Marichat May!

Please review, and thank you!