Chapter Text
Marinette let out a groan, making Alya laugh.
“Alya!” Marinette cried, lifting her head from her desk. “Stop laughing, this isn’t funny!”
“Sorry, girl,” her friend spoke, trying to calm herself.
“When I finish this project with Chloe, I’m going to dig my own grave and bury myself,” she complained, resting her chin on her hand.
“You’re so dramatic, Marinette,” Alya commented right before Nino and Adrien walked in.
Marinette continued to mope as she admired Adrien’s outfit, blushing a little. He looked good in black.
She watched as they both sat down, but was lost in thought, wondering why Adrien looked so good in dark colors. Why did it seem so natural?
Their laughter pulled her out of her trance, and she watched as her crush chuckled quietly, looking proud.
“You’re really funny, Adrien,” Alya commented, nudging Marinette’s arm. “Isn’t he, Mari?”
“Y-yeah!” she got out, turning red again at Adrien’s expectant look.
“Thanks, guys,” he smiled politely, scratching the back of his neck.
“Say something else funny!” Alya prompted, and Nino looked just as excited. Adrien didn’t even hesitate.
“I mean, you guys put me on the spot! Come on, you’ve gotta be kitten me right meow!”
Marinette blinked quickly, getting pulled into thought once more. Someone else had made that dumb joke just the previous night.
“Come on, My Lady, you’ve gotta gotta be kitten me right meow!” he exclaimed, and she turned to meet his sparkling eyes with a groan.
“That was so bad I want to claw my eyes out,” she sighed, and he looked surprised, blinking at her.
“Did you just make a pun, LB?” he asked in disbelief.
“Yes, because I had to make up for your terrible attempt at one!” she replied, and Chat Noir burst into laughter. It didn’t take her long to follow.
Marinette’s heart was racing, watching Adrien as if the world had stopped spinning.
Had he really just said that? His voice was so familiar. It couldn’t be him. There was no way.
But then she started thinking of all the similarities. His hair that would look the same if it was just a little messier, his eyes that held the same green fervor in them. The way black looked so right on him. Was she allowed to wonder if he could be the same person?
And then a thought hit her.
If Chat Noir is sitting in front of me right now, if he really is Adrien Agreste, then I’m gonna find out.
“That was so bad I want to claw my eyes out,” Marinette spoke without stutter or hesitation, pretending her superhero partner was sitting in front of her.
Adrien turned to look at her, his eyes wide and full of confusion.
“Mari, don’t be mean!” Alya spoke, but Marinette was waiting to see if her suspicions were true. Adrien was staring right back at her, his eyes searching her’s like his life depended on it.
“Did you just make a pun?” he asked shakily, and she felt her heart shoot into her throat.
“Yes, because I had to make up for your terrible attempt at one,” she got out confidently, seeing him start to smile again.
Was this really happening? Could he really have been right here all this time?
Before she could keep searching her overloaded mind, Adrien burst into laughter, much like he had last night. She hadn’t seen him, Adrien, laugh like that in a long time.
She couldn’t keep her laughter in either, knowing Alya and Nino would be lost and that fact making everything all the more hilarious.
When they finally stopped laughing, they looked at each other again, and -- she couldn’t believe it -- Adrien Agreste had just winked at her. Chat Noir had just winked at her in the middle of her homeroom.
He turned back around as Ms. Bustier entered the room, and she knew he’d have that dumb smirk on his face.
Without hesitation, Marinette reached down and flicked the back of his head, acting like she was innocent when he turned around. He was grinning, and she couldn’t help but grin back.
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Alya whispered, looking dangerous. “What is going on?” she asked, and Marinette laughed to herself.
“Watch this,” she smiled, tearing off a small piece of paper and writing “I’ll see you tonight?” on it. She nonchalantly handed it to Adrien, seeing Alya looked bewildered beyond belief.
Adrien read it and turned to look back at her, nodding happily. She giggled, blushing and wondering how she’d gotten so lucky.
“Girl, I need you to explain,” Alya whispered back, but Ms. Bustier noticed and asked them both to pay attention.
Marinette couldn’t focus for the rest of the day, still in disbelief.
Her best friend and crush had been right there all along.
Somehow, Marinette knew that with him by her side, everything would be okay.