Sunday morning, and Marinette was sat in her room, looking over the notes she had taken for Adrien last week, as he had been visiting his family in London. Starting to get over her only small lovelorn infatuation with the model, Marinette was finding it slightly, only slightly, easier to talk to him. However, building up the courage to fire up a conversation with him first, still left much to be desired. No matter how the conversation was carried out.

"Oh why is it so hard Tikki?" Marinette sighed wistfully, looking up to her ceiling. Swirling around in her chair, her phone was in hand ready to type a message to him.

Tikki, carefully placed the remainder of her cookie in her mouth as she floated to meet her holder's gaze. Once she had a clear mouth, Tikki set to encourage Marinette once again. "Marinette, you have done so well completing actual sentences around him, just text him already to let him know you've got the notes for him,"

"You're right Tikki." Poking her tongue out, with determination in her face, Marinette focused on her phone.

MDC: I have your notes from last week, shall I drop them off this afternoon or give them to you tomorrow at school?

Knowing full well what time his train was getting in (seriously she was definitely over her infatuation), Marinette knew there was an opportunity for her to wiggle her way into his home. Although how well that would go once she was in there was debatable!

Visions of her relapsing into a stuttering mess immediately caused her stomach to somersault. Instantly regretting suggesting that she drop them off, Marinette clutched her phone as she waited for a response from the blonde. Praying that he would say 'at school is fine', at least that way, there would be others around to distract from the babbling that could protrude from her mouth.

You would have thought by her last year in school, Marinette could have fused some of the Ladybug confidence into her civilian counterpart when talking to her former crush. She could focus at times, but it was only when she was not distracted by something other than his face, his eyes, his smile, his laugh...yeah. Marinette was definitely still one-hundred-percent, undeniably completely in love with the guy who had friend zoned her three years ago.

*Ding*

"AH!"

Marinette jostled her phone at the noise like it was a hot potato, dropping it onto the floor, she stared at it, as if waiting for an explosion to follow.

"I don't think he's about to jump out of it Marinette!" Tikki teased as she giggled at her holder.

Marinette audibly groaned as she ran her hand down her face, gingerly picking up her handset, Marinette peered through her fingers to glance at the phone.

AA: Thanks Marinette! You're the best, I don't know what I would do without you as my friend...

Yay! Friend! Woo!

...my father has said you can come round after lunch if that's convenient for you? I have a favour to ask you too? If that would be ok?

Now this could work out in Marinette's favour, having a favour to focus on was definitely something that could prevent the nervous mess she most probably would otherwise crumble into.

MDC: Of course! What do you need?

AA: It would be easier to ask you when you get here, if that's ok? You can still say no when I ask. I wouldn't hold you to something when you didn't know what it was, I couldn't do that to you!

"Oh Tikki! He's so sweet!" Marinette gushed at her Kwami, while thanking the Kwami Gods that Adrien could not see her blush.

"Say that!" Tikki encouraged, giggling at her holder, who immediately panicked at just the thought of telling him he's sweet. "He's not going to read anything into it," Tikki turned away from Marinette, "that boy is the definition of oblivious..." Tikki mumbled to herself.

MDC: You're very sweet Adrien! I'm sure whatever it is, it will be fine. Thank you I will see you later! :)

"I did it Tikki!" Marinette exclaimed while excitedly kicking her feet in the air. "I told him he's sweet!"

"Well done," Tikki replied with a hint of sarcasm, "now you just need to be a little less 'duh...uh...oh' with him, and we're making great progress!" Tikki teased as she settled down on her cushion.

Marinette pouted, which did not last long, as another message alert sounded on her phone.

AA: You're sweet too Marinette! What would I do without you? X

"Tikki," Marinette barely whispered, "is that...is that..." Marinette slumped back in a state of euphoria, with her left eye twitching and her free hand resting on her chest, she sighed happily.

Tikki flew over and peered at the phone held loosely in Marinette's hand on her lap. Tikki giggled, "if you're referring to that 'X', then yes I believe that symbolises a kiss Marinette!" Tikki turned to an unresponsive Marinette, who had subsequently become limp with a dreamy haze spread across her features. "Marinette?" Tikki hovered in front of her eyes. "She broke! It finally happened!" Tikki teased as she flew away, leaving Marinette in her goop state.

The favour, Adrien asked of Marinette, was most definitely not fine.

Marinette stood tight lipped in Adrien's room, seething at the person in front of her.

Upon arrival at his home, Marinette had been let in by Nathalie, met by Adrien, and he had escorted her up to his room with words of a cryptic nature.

"You know Mari, you're the only one I would ever ask to do this." He had started, surely buttering her up, knowing the extent of the favour he was asking.

At the time, Marinette was too engrossed in trying not to fall up the stairs and land in a heap, probably on top of Adrien, as he always caught her when she fell. She hadn't been concentrating when he had said that she was 'the kindest and most forgiving person he knew', or that he 'could always count on her'. No, Marinette was more concerned with the fact that the boy that she definitely did not have inappropriate dreams about, was leading her to his bedroom to ask her for a favour.

Taking the notes from Marinette, Adrien gushed a thank you, shooting her his amazing genuine smile and bright green eyes. He hesitated when opening the door and put his hand on her shoulder, hindering her entering his room for a moment as his mouth continued to move. Still not listening, Marinette really wished she had actually known what she was agreeing to while nodding.

"...my cousin Felix."

Whomp! There it is!

"Wha-how..." realising this must have something to do with the favour, Marinette composed herself quickly. "Hi! I'm Marinette!" She squeaked as she waved her hand over enthusiastically.

"I know the last time I was here was not ideal, my behaviour was unacceptable." Felix started as Adrien looked between him and Marinette. "I want to make it up to everyone, and Adrien assures me that you are the one who can help with that." His eyes were cold, and did not match the apparent sincerity in his voice.

Adrien on the other hand was beaming. Marinette was sure that if it had been under any other circumstances, she would have undoubtedly ended up in a heap on the floor under his tantalising gaze.

"I'm just going to grab some snacks!" Adrien bounded out of his room leaving Marinette alone with an awkwardly still Felix.

Marinette could not say a word, the anger she felt for this person in front of her was only rivalled by Hawkmoth, on a really really bad day

He smirked at Marinette once Adrien left the room. "I seen your video," he peered at her with a menacing stare. Marinette froze. Two years almost to the day had gone by and she had never admitted her feelings to Adrien. "I'm not going to tell him," his eyes softened and his shoulders relaxed. "I really am wanting to make everything right." He smiled, not quite as dazzling as Adrien's, but it it was genuine. Marinette could tell, and she wanted to see the good in him, for Adrien more than anything.

"How are my two favourite people getting on?" Adrien called as he entered the room with a tray full of treats. Looking apprehensively between Marinette and Felix with his big green hopeful eyes. Marinette felt the swell in her chest, one that was mimicked in his, and with that, he was not quite sure how to feel about it.

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Lady Rhi X