Chapter Text
Adrien couldn’t believe his luck, or well, his lack thereof. Really, let’s be honest, he thought to himself as the bright green light blasted upward signaling the end of his transformation back into his civilian form, his blond hair flopping down into it’s former perfectly coiffed style. Your luck is never good.
“Your fault.” He muttered to the dark, green eyed kwami floating in front of him. Plagg’s response was a dismissive snort before he dove into Adrien’s bag for the awaiting vomitous mass known as camembert. Adrien rolled his own green eyes and swiftly pulled the strap of his bag over his shoulder and jetted around the corner of the idiotic dunk tank.
It’ll be fun, she said. No big deal, she said. Think of the children, she said. Think of how many people I’ll kiss that aren’t you, she said. Okay, Ladybug didn’t say that. She did say it was for charity though, and neither Chat nor Adrien could say no to those big blue eyes. But forget the stupid dunk tank. The concert’s about to start and he needed to get to that booth before it was too late.
The crowds of the makeshift carnival grounds were making their way to the stage set up near the entrance. Marinette had managed to convince Jagged Stone to play at the close of the charity event, ensuring people would hang around from start to finish. But as much as Adrien loved him some Jaggedy Stone goodness, he was on a mission. His last check of the time gave him about five minutes - more likely now down to three thanks to Kim knocking him down into that way too chilly water on all three throws- to get from the massively moronic dunk tank to the kissing booth. To her. To Ladybug.
---
It’ll be fun, she said. No big deal, she said. Think of the children, she said. Think of Adrien, she said. Okay, Alya didn’t say that. No, that thought belonged to Marinette alone - or rather Ladybug as that was the mask she wore when Alya had pulled her aside after the latest Akuma attack to beg her to take part in the charity carnival her class was putting together. Marinette was on the fence until the kissing booth was mentioned. Only kisses on the cheek, no worries there. It would bring in so many people, boys and girls. Ladybug had blushed at that, and then immediately her cheeks had turned a shade darker at the thought of who else might show up to kiss a superhero. One particular someone. A deal was then struck. Ladybug would man the kissing booth in the late afternoon until the concert. There only came a slight twinge of guilt later when she told Chat that she’d volunteered him for the dunk tank. The dunk tank that sat all the way on the other side of the carnival grounds. But she couldn’t have her flirtatious kitty around when there was an Adrien kiss to be had. Or so she had optimistically thought.
But no. The day had gone by, and although many kisses were given, none were bestowed upon a certain golden haired model. Ladybug had pecked her last patron and gave a cheery wave at the departing crowd before zipping out of sight. Now leaning low behind the booth, Ladybug waited until the noise of the carnival goers faded to a low murmur - the people now heading towards the main stage - before she had finally let loose her transformation with a deep sigh.
“I really thought he’d show up,” Marinette sadly whispered to Tikki when she popped into view after the sparkly red lights faded away. The bright red kwami gave Marinette a bittersweet smile and a quick snuggle before zipping down into her purse and the all important cookies waiting inside. Marinette give her companion a soft, rather pathetic smile in return before fastening the clasp of the purse and rising to her feet. Taking a deep breath, she shrugged her shoulders and straightened to her full height. So no kiss from Adrien. Big deal. Whatever. It wasn’t like she hadn’t had a smooch slip from her grasp before. Her heart wasn’t broken. Her dreams weren’t dead. Her day would come. And on that day Adrien Agreste would see the light that is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. He would reach out to her. He would take her by the hand. He would pull her close. He would take her in his arms. His hand would reach out to cup her cheek.
”And then he would realise I’m not Ladybug,” Marinette muttered to herself as she walked around to the front of the booth, “and drop me like a bad hab-”
“Marinette?”
She stopped in her tracks. He was here. Oh my goodness. He was here. Adrien was here!
“Am I too late? Is she already gone?” Marinette felt her mouth come open, silently gaping as Adrien strode towards her, his hands tightly gripping the strap of his bag. Those beautiful green eyes swept passed her to land on the empty booth. The tight grasp immediately loosened and Adrien’s hands fell to his sides. “Ugh, I knew it.”
“Um. . . you mean Ladybug?” Her own hands had come together in front of her waist, the fingers twirling like mad.
“Yeah, I was,” his gaze lifted towards her, the left corner of his mouth lifting, “hoping to get a kiss.” Marinette felt her eyes widen. Why, oh why was this her life? Curse the universe and it’s way of passing time in such a fashion that it wouldn’t slow down even just a little bit to enable the boy of her dreams to plant one on her. Adrien must have mistook her shock for horror as he quickly lifted his hands in a placating gesture. “Not because I’m a creep or anything-”
“Oh, of course not!” She shot back, her palms mirroring him.
“I just-” He reached back to ruffled the hair at his neck. A familiar action, one that was far too adorable for her heart to take at this moment. “I just wanted to. . . “ his look turned inward, a - dare she think it - dreamy look overtaking his face.
“Um. . . you just wanted. . . ?”
“Oh - I just wanted to. . ah. . . “ A faint pink tinted his cheeks. “Support the charity! Think of the children, right?” And then he winked. The bastard winked. Well. Forget this.
“You know, I think she might still be here,” Marinette spit out just shy of incoherent. “I think she said something about rooming in the bathstop!” Adrien cocked his head to the side. “I mean, she’s bathing by the puppy!” Damn his cute head tilt. “I mean, she’s,” her heel caught on something and she thankfully caught a hand on the side of the booth before making an even bigger fool of herself.
“Marinette, are you al-”
“She’s in the bathroom!!” She yelped frantically, resisting the urge to pull at her hair. “Just,” she swallowed heavily, “wait here.” And with that, Marinette sped off towards the ladies’ restroom, her purse flopping gently at her hip.