Ficlet Request 9

[mistkitt]

 Originally Posted: 04/13/18

Prompt: Meeting and falling in love sans Miraculous

“Monsieur Agreste?”

“For the last time, call me Adrien.”

“I’m going to poke you in the leg with this needle if you don’t hold still, Adrien.”

When he’d first met his father’s new intern, the last thing Adrien had expected to hear from her was sass. Ms. Marinette Dupain-Cheng had stuttered so much that Adrien had walked away unsure of what her first name was.

He’d learned it, of course. He’d learned everything about her.

“Almost done…” Marinette said as she finished adjusting Adrien’s pant leg. “There. Now you look like a grown man, not a kid in a grown man’s trousers.”

Adrien admired her handiwork in the mirror. “What would I do without you?”

“Everything you normally do, but shabbier.” Marinette stood from her crouch and smoothed her pencil skirt down. Adrien politely kept his eyes away from her legs, then nearly swallowed his own tongue when she grabbed his collar and straightened it out. “I can’t believe my internship is almost over,” she said. “One whole year of making Adrien Agreste look pretty and occasionally working on my own designs.”

“We should give you a plaque.”

Her pink lips twisted to the side. “Make it a small trophy.”

“Done.” Adrien grabbed her hand before she could pull it away. “Wait.”

Marinette stared.

Adrien stared back. Heat crept up his neck. “Umm.” He had to focus. No getting distracted by her freckles. “Maybe not a trophy, but… lunch?”

A crease formed between her brows. “Lunch?”

“Or dinner. Breakfast, even.” He cringed. “With me?”

Marinette’s eyes widened. Her cheeks turned a rosy red, and when she lowered her head Adrien had to resist the urge to tilt her chin up and keep admiring that oh-so-pretty blush. “I don’t know,” she said, and his heart sank until her mouth curled into a mischievous grin. “Will I have to dress you for that, too?”

Adrien laughed out loud. One year later, and she was still full of surprises. “Nope. I’ll dress myself, I promise.”

“Are you sure? Because I could come over—”

“Marinette.”