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seasonofthegeek · 4 years

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The Perfect Partnership, Part 3

This drabble was requested by @siefa on ko-fi. Thanks so much for the support!

Parts 1, 2, 3:

“I forgot how exhausting it is looking at new apartments.” Adrien and Marinette followed the realtor, Caroline, up to the second floor on the latest building they were touring. “Even without the stairs.”

“Doesn’t help that the elevator looks like it hasn’t worked in a few decades,” Marinette agreed.

“Yeah, this place will have to be mind-blowing to not immediately get knocked off the list, which I’m doubting. What did you think about the three bedroom in that brick building?”

“Was that the third or fourth one?”

“Fourth, I think. Wait, maybe I’m thinking of the second one.”

“No, the second building had that weird gray panelling up the side,” she reminded him. “And the kitchen with no sink. Definitely not that one.”

“Oh, yeah. The third then.”

Caroline turned to them with a politely expectant smile. “Sorry for the inconvenience. Thankfully, your private elevator landing is on the second floor so it isn’t too much of a walk up.”

“Private elevator?” Adrien and Marinette exchanged surprised looks.

“Mr. Agreste did express a desire for a nicer place in a-- how did you put it?-- less stuffy location than the first set I’d shown you.” The polite expression stayed in place but there was a definite strain in the older woman’s voice.

Marinette tried not to smile when she saw Adrien blush.

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to make your job harder. I just...we’re not...” He looked to Marinette for help and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. He narrowed his eyes but amusement twinkled in them.

“I grew up in a house that was much too big simply for the sake of looking wealthy,” Adrien continued, lifting his chin. “I don’t want anything else like that, but I value privacy.”

“I think this might be something along the lines of what you’re looking for then.” The elevator doors opened and the realtor gestured inside. “Shall we?”

They rode up in relative silence, the cables above them creaking softly as they ascended. Marinette counted the floors as they lit up on the panel until they reached the top. “Thirteen? A lot of buildings skip to fourteen.”

Caroline visibly stiffened. “Well, yes. Though only superstition, I’m afraid that’s one of the reasons why this place hasn’t shown well. Some residents in the building are sure the penthouse is the cause of bad luck through the facility and have petitioned the manager to change the floor to fourteen.”

“Seems silly.” Adrien stepped off the elevator first as the doors opened and peered around the large space.

“Thirteen’s my favorite number anyway.” Marinette joined him and let out a pleased gasp. “Look at all the windows! Everything is so bright.”

He watched her with a dopey fond expression as she walked along the wall of windows. “I know how much you like natural light. If only there were skylights too.”

“Oh, there’s one in the bedroom,” Caroline interjected. “You’ll have access to the roof as well. With a little work, it could be a nice lounge area or garden.” The realtor seemed reinvigorated by Marinette’s obvious interest in the space. “The door is right off the master bedroom and the angle of the building allows for total privacy. A wonderful starter for lovesick newlyweds. Very discreet.”

Marinette turned away from the windows to look at the other woman with wide eyes.

Adrien cleared his throat. “Right. Uh, so you’d mentioned a petition from other residents. Is it just because of the number thirteen? That seems odd.”

“Well, to be quite honest, there are some who think this apartment is haunted.” Though she looked a little ashen, Caroline laughed too loudly. “Obviously that’s ridiculous, but as I said, some are superstitious.”

Marinette joined Adrien’s side once more. “Why would people think it’s haunted?”

“It’s an old building. There is settling and creaky pipes from time to time. Not that it should dissuade you from this property. I can assure you that all the amenities are fully functioning and there is a handyman onsite.” She pasted on a brilliant smile. “Would you like to see the master bedroom?”

___

“You liked the haunted place the best,” Adrien teased, reaching for a chip on Marinette’s plate. “You can admit it.”

“I still don’t believe it was haunted. It was really pretty, but I don’t know if I want to live somewhere people are going to be petitioning against.” She ran her own chip through a dollop of sauce. “Besides, it only had the one bedroom.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“I mean, there was a living room and a parlor area so there’s plenty of space,” she continued. “It’s still bigger than either of our places. And all the windows were gorgeous. I really liked the roof area too.”

“And the closet was big enough for both of us.”

“Yeah.”

“We could get bunk beds.”

Marinette frowned and looked up to see the smirk on her best friend’s face. She balled up her napkin and tossed it at him. “We are not getting bunk beds in our twenties.”

“The first place had two bedrooms, if that’s important to you.”

She pursed her lips and kept her eyes on her food. “Are you saying it doesn’t matter to you? I mean, if we have separate bedrooms or not?”

Adrien straightened in his seat. “I want you to be comfortable. You know I like having you around so I wouldn’t mind it, but I don’t want you to feel like we have to share a room. We saw a few two and three bedroom places today and I can always request more viewings.”

“But it really wouldn’t bother you for us to share a room?”

He ducked his head shyly. “No. Not really. We could get a big bed if that’s a concern.”

“What about changing clothes?”

The blush flared across his cheeks even as Marinette flushed from her own question. “Well, the bathroom was right off the bedroom and the closet was plenty big to change in.”

“Yeah, I guess. Um, but what if you met someone and, uh...” Marinette tried to force the question out. She needed to be smart about this. They weren’t really in a relationship. She couldn’t take some expectations for granted. “What if you want to bring someone back home with you?”

“That won’t happen.” His brow furrowed. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“But--”

“We’ve already talked about this.”

“I know. I’m just--”

“Do you really think I’m going to marry you and that won’t be enough for me? I don’t need anyone else.” He sunk down in his chair and scowled at his plate. “If you don’t want to do this, please just tell me now.”

“Adrien, I think it’s important for us to figure this out. It’s not exactly conventional what we’re doing.” She was trying to stay calm but she could feel panic rising up inside her.

“Cards on the table?” he asked, voice quiet. “You want us to say everything we think and feel before we go any further?”

She glanced around the crowded cafe and frowned. “Yes, but maybe not here and now.”

He stood, the feet of the chair scraping against the tiled floor as he pushed away from the table. “Let’s go back to my place then,” he offered, “and get this done.”

Marinette followed him out of the restaurant and felt like she’d missed something important. He was acting as if she’d already called the whole thing off. Maybe he could tell how she felt and it was making him nervous. Maybe he knew that she was head over heels in love with him and he was scared it would mess things up between them.

It was probably for the best.

She miserably fell into step beside him and didn’t bother trying to speak, and somehow it was even worse that he didn’t either.

___

“You’re agitated.” Marinette watched Adrien pace in front of the television.

“I’m not,” he snapped.

“Okay, sure.”

He paused to glare at her but the anger was short-lived and his expression became more timid than livid. “I’m...I think I’m nervous, that’s all. I don’t really know what to say or I guess how to start if we’re going to really talk about this.”

She was nervous too. She felt like her heart was lodged firmly in the center of her throat and if she wasn’t careful, every lovey dovey feeling and thought she had about him was going to spill out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop herself. She cleared her throat in an effort to keep her sanity and a thought occurred to her.

“Is this about Gabriel?”

Adrien froze in the path he’d been making in the area rug and turned to look at her. “What?”

She fidgeted with the blanket in her lap. “Well, I know he set the rule on the trust fund that you had to be married in order to get the money and I know he doesn’t exactly like me so I was wondering if maybe that’s why you’re upset. Or is that why you asked me? To get back at him or something? I don’t mind, I just...” She trailed off, not sure how to finish her thought. A sick feeling was bubbling in her stomach at the idea.

“I...that’s not...” Adrien shook his head in frustration. “I don’t care what he thinks and he has no say in anything. He set the condition and I’m following it. It’s the last thing and then I’m free of him.”

“Okay.”

“And besides, this isn’t about him. This is about you and me. You’re the most important person in my life and if it was just me, I wouldn’t want his money, but if it’s for us, it feels...I don’t know. Is it petty to say vindictive?” He ran his hand through his hair and gave her a helpless look. “It’s about me and you.”

Marinette let herself relax a little and patted the space on the couch beside her. Adrien joined her without need of any further prompting and she lifted the blanket so he could snuggle in beside her. He curled all his height around her as much as he could on the couch and pressed his cheek against her shoulder. He was always so warm. Marinette took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She hadn’t realized just how tense she was until the moment she knew she could relax. She worked her arm out from between them and reached around his shoulders so she could put her hand in his hair. Adrien snuggled in closer as she did.

“I’m sorry I brought him up.”

“It was a valid concern,” he sighed quietly. “Without you, I’d probably still be...”

“But you aren’t.” She lightly scratched at his scalp and felt him melt a little more against her. She’d known Adrien for so many years. She’s gotten to see him change and grow. She watched him transform from a child who wanted to please his father no matter what the cost into a young man who realized his own self worth. She was proud of him, but she knew that his transformation hadn’t happened without a few scars along the way. “You’re free now.”

“Sometimes I forget,” he admitted in a whisper.

“Then I’ll always be here to remind you.”

He found her other hand under the blanket and linked their fingers. “That’s why I want us to get married.”

She wasn’t sure what to say to that so she didn’t respond with words. She simply squeezed his hand and held him tight and reminded herself that there were many different shades of love and all of them concerning Adrien were beautiful.

Buy me a cherry coke?

#adrinette #adrien agreste #marinette dupain-cheng #miraculous ladybug

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