"Going to run my fingers thru your long black hair /Squeeze you tighter than a grizzly bear /I'm going to stick like glue/ Stick, because I'm /Stuck on you"
Elvis Presley, Stuck on You

  This day was going great for Marinette. Even though she had stayed up way to late with Alya the night before, Marinette had still managed to get up on time and have some of her dad's hearty breakfast (Her parents were the best bakers in all of Paris, but her papa most definitely made the best bacon in all the world.) She made it to school before the bell rang and she got her English language homework done during class. She had one class left before she would be able to go home and eat her maman's lunch, but one thing stood in her way.

    Her physics exam.

    Although Marinette had studied the previous night with Alya, she still had no clue how she was going to pass this test. No matter what they did, Marinette just could not memorize the formulas she needed for the writing portion of the exam. Why does motion have four different equations? If these physicists were so smart, then why couldn't they have come up with just one universal formula? Don't even get Marinette started on the whole converting joules to work and power and all that junk!

    This was useless. She was going to fail this test, and then she was going to fail the class, and then Gabriel Agreste will see her grade and he will never take her on as an apprentice, and then Adrien will- Okay, maybe she was getting a little too far ahead of herself with this, but she was worried! She was just barely hanging on the edge of satisfactory on her report card, if she failed this test, her 8.7 in this class would drop down to a 6.5 at least! And her parents were already not too happy about her grade, they would be even more disappointed if it became a 6.5!

    Marinette groaned, burying her head into her arms on her desk, aware of Nino and Alya's eyes on her. She was Ladybug. She could be confident and bold and sexy -Adrien had told her that she was sexy several times- and yet, she couldn't even rise to the occasion when it came to studying for her physics exam. She blamed her designs, she honestly did. Whenever she started to study for physics, she'd catch a fabric in the side of her eye and of course she had to finish the new shirt or dress or whatever it was at the time, and then it'd be too late to do physics- Okay, Marinette really needed to stop pushing the blame off of herself. It was her fault. Maybe. Definitely. Ugh!

    "Uh... Marinette? Are you okay dude?" Nino received an answer in the form of another drawn out groan. Alya poked Marinette in the shoulder, hoping for a reaction but received nothing in response.

    "She didn't do so well during our study session last night," Alya explained, leaning over her best friend to give her the best hug she could. Alya continued, "And she really can't do bad on this test." The young journalist rubbed her best friend's shoulder soothingly before shaking her up. She pulled the raven-haired girl right up and out of her arms so Marinette could face Nino and Alya. "Look at us."

    "What the heck, Alya? Just let me drown in my own self-pity." Marinette said querulously, trying to slump back into her seat. She loved her friends, she really did. They were some of the best things that life had given her, (If you ignore Adrien in all his holiness and her literal god friend Tikki, not to mention her partner Chat Noir) but sometimes she just wanted to curl up in a pit of her despair. They always seemed to pull her up from that, and Marinette guessed that she should be grateful for that, as she always was.

    Alya, her bespectacled best friend, helped her so much, it was hard not to be grateful. She looked at Alya, suddenly being hit by all the changes her friend had gone through over the last few years. Her hair used to be long, but now the tips of her auburn locks dangled an inch or two above her shoulders, still with the blonde ombre she always had. It suits her, Marinette thought vaguely, remembering the day that Alya had cut it.

She complained about how her hair had gotten in the way of her footage of a fight between Ladybug and Chat Noir and the latest akuma at the time. So she came to Marinette's house and took a pair of scissors off her fabric desk and cut her hair over the sink on a whim. Marinette wrinkled her nose at the thought of cleaning up all the hair over the following few days. Alya had been grounded for a week after she went back home; her mother was annoyed that she didn't just go to a hair stylist, but the action had -just like her hair- suited her perfectly. Alya didn't let anything stop her, she just did what she wanted and when she wanted it. She made up for Marinette's wariness that was slowly disappearing. The nose piercing that Alya had gotten, however, was planned for her eighteenth birthday instead of her getting a tattoo.

The three cartilage piercings on Alya's left ear glinted in the light as the reporter turned to talk to Nino. Thinking back on it, Nino himself hasn't really changed much. Sure, he grew into his ears, and had broader shoulders than he did when they were younger, but Nino has always known his style. And Marinette was happy that Nino was a constant. Being the boyfriend of Alya, it was a good balance between the two to be constant and ever-changing.

"I'm sure you'll do great on this exam, dude!" Nino said when he noticed that Marinette was watching him. He sent her a gleaming grin, along with a wink to encourage her that he really does believe it.

Just then Adrien walked into the classroom. His morning had gone the opposite of Marinette's. Staying up for most of the night arguing with himself between Marinette and Ladybug, as well as his resulting problem after his time with Marinette it was a long and hard night. Plagg ensures that the pun is intended. All of this resulted in him waking up late -even sleeping through Nathalie barging into his room- and not getting to eat his breakfast, which really sucked with how fast he burned his calories being Chat Noir. This test was the one good thing he knew could come from today (besides maybe sneaking off with Marinette later if she was willing, but that would probably result in more guilt). He knew he could pass this test because anything science-related came as a breeze to him.

But that thought flew- no, more like threw itself out the window- as soon as he laid his eyes on Marinette. She was... solemn? Was that the word for it? Her sparkling cerulean eyes from last night now held a thin layer of gray, the same color the ocean takes during a rampaging storm. Her thin brows were drawn just the tiniest bit, her lips not frowning but not smiling like they usually do either. Something was wrong, and he wasn't the only one to notice based off the concerned looks that Nino and Alya keep sending her way.

"Hey Marinette," Adrien greeted casually, his voice sounding like the farce he put up for his fans and father when he wanted to be anywhere but there. He couldn't let Alya and Nino see that he knew Marinette better than he should, but he also couldn't just leave Marinette like that! She was his friend (Plagg's voice nagged in the back of his head at that) and even if she up and decided to end their little deal right now, he would still be concerned about her. Who wouldn't be concerned about the girl that was a little ray of sunshine? "What's up?"

Marinette's eyes sparked a little bit of life back into them as she turned to him, sending him a weak smile before digging her face back in her arms.

I've accepted my fate, Marinette thought to herself as Alya explained the situation to Adrien. For a moment, nothing was said and Marinette assumed that Adrien had sat down in his seat to prepare for the exam. But no sooner than the thought had crossed her mind had she felt a familiar heat envelope her wrist. Looking up, she saw Adrien give her that sincere smile that she only seems to see when they're alone. Not this time though, his emerald eyes had softened as he squeezed her wrist encouragingly; his thumb soothingly rubbed the sensitive flesh of the underside of her wrist.

"Everything's going to be alright Marinette." The words "I promise" were not said between the two. It was an unnoted rule between the two. Never were you allowed to promise something, because this complicated tango the two were in could not promise anything. You couldn't promise to get feelings, as well as you couldn't promise to not get feelings. Adrien can't promise that he is going to be a part of Marinette's life forever and vice versa. So they just didn't. There can't be any hurt feelings if there are no promises between the two. Right?

Adrien was so lost in his thoughts, he missed the adorable flush that traveled up Marinette's cheeks to the tips of her ears. Before he could notice this, Madame Mendeliev entered the room, tests in hand with a rather wicked grin curled on her thin lips. Sometimes, she really fits the maniacal scientist trope. With the warning that any indication of cheating will result in both people earning a zero, the kids all sat in their seats waiting for the exam sheets to be passed back to them.

Adrien had one last passing thought to Marinette as his sheet was handed to him by Madame Mendeliev, who looked genuinely happy to see him (he was one of her favorites seeing that he was one of the few that took her advanced bio-chemistry class). He shot a quick glance behind him as Madame moved forward. Feeling content with her looking more confident, Adrien turned back to his exam to get started.

She'll be fine, she's Marinette.

~*~*~

Marinette was most definitely not fine.

When she had gotten her exam, it felt as if she were reading a different language. They were just a jumbled mess of letters and numbers, and she most definitely failed it. And no matter what she did, the thought of it just soured her mood. Even now as she walked with Nino, Alya, and Adrien to wherever it was they were going to for lunch, she couldn't help but feel disappointed in herself. And Adrien noticed this.

Maybe that was why he suggested that the group went to Espoirs et Rêves, the little cafe that Marinette loved so much. He wasn't even thinking about it as he proposed the idea, but it definitely brought on the best reward. Marinette's eyes brightened in excitement, her blinding smile back on her lips as she thought about her favorite cafe.

Alya nodded in agreement, her short hair blowing in the wind as Nino sent him a smirk, which confused Adrien. After mouthing "What?" to Nino, he received no response as his DJ friend turned back to Alya, the two walking ahead of Adrien and Marinette, lost in some debate they had been having before their physics class.

"Those two are still going strong, huh?" Marinette said, watching her friends with a sincere grin as she saw Alya shove Nino to the side with a boisterous laugh that was soon followed by Nino's. Marinette turned her attention to Adrien as he nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, they have something everyone wants." Adrien trailed off absentmindedly, his thoughts being filled with images of Ladybug. He was quickly yanked back when Marinette sneakily slipped her small hand into his larger one; her slim fingers interlocked with his own. She squeezed his hand encouragingly, her eyes glittering with a form of hope as she spoke, her dark hair blowing wildly in the nipping wind.

"I think we'll all find something like that someday." While Marinette's thoughts were right there, Adrien thought she was somewhere else, almost on a different world entirely.

Is she thinking about that guy she's trying to get over? It wasn't a fair thought, Adrien knows that. He was thinking about Ladybug, who always seemed like an enigma that he could never quite get a hold of. And maybe she was, but that didn't mean that his feelings for her would just disappear. Noticing Marinette staring at him, Adrien acted on impulse as he raised their laced hands, pressing a quick kiss on her freezing knuckles.

"I think you're right." That answer normally would have sent butterflies into Marinette's stomach and get her heart racing. And it probably would have.

If Adrien had kept his hand in hers.

~*~*~

"Oh my god," Alya moaned as the group walked inside the warm cafe, "It's so much nicer in here!" Marinette agreed with Alya, glad to get out of that cold weather.

Fall was at its peak in Paris now on the first week of October, the leaves changing into the beautiful reds and golds that would litter the streets and sidewalks. Fall always was Marinette's favorite season of the year. It was the most beautiful in her eyes, and not to mention Halloween (Marinette's absolute favorite holiday. She loved binge watching classics with Alya on Halloween, as well as handing out candy to the children). The only downside of fall now was her body change as Ladybug. Tikki had mentioned to her once about how the Miraculous could change her body, and she was right. Marinette was more tired in the cold weather, and her body heat could not keep her warm so she was always colder than the rest of her classmates. Chat Noir had mentioned to her once that he was always warm and rarely felt the cold. She was definitely jealous of that. He was practically a furnace during the colder seasons -which she will not explain how she knows that.

"This is why you bring a jacket, Alya." Nino tsked, shrugging off the olive green coat he was wearing before throwing it casually against the booth the group was going to sit in. The reporter glared at her boyfriend, sending chills down his spine.

"That's why you offer your jacket to me, idiot."

"Why would I be cold if you didn't-"

"Okay!" Marinette declared loudly, clapping her hands together once in order to get Nino's and Alya's attention. "How about we order our lunch now? We've got to be back to school soon guys." Alya snorted as she pointed behind Marinette, a cocky smirk curled on her face as her hazel eyes shined in scheming delight.

"It looks like Adrien is already on top of that, Mari." Nino bit the inside of his cheek to refrain from smiling, but Alya was full on grinning, just barely avoiding wiggling her eyebrows.

Turning around, Marinette saw Adrien walking towards the group, a decorative mug in both hands and a plate with two slices of quiche lorraine balanced on his arm as he made his way to the table. Marinette was confused as he set the mugs down on the table and placed the plate of food in between her and him.

"Here, I got this for you." Adrien slid one of the mugs towards Marinette, a wide grin on his face when she recognized it as her favorite mug. One of the reasons that Marinette loved Espoirs et Rêves so much was because of all the unique coffee cups that they had. Marinette's personal favorite was a white, rounded mug with a rather simple design on the front. There was the outline of the Eiffel Tower in black and the back of a cat sitting in front of it, also in black. Surrounding the cat and tower, were a few dainty little hearts that were colored a pale pink. Marinette couldn't believe that Adrien had remembered that this cup was her favorite, after all, she had only been here with him once before, a few months ago. He teased her with the idea that it was her favorite because she loved Chat Noir. He didn't know how wrong he was...

"Peppermint hot chocolate. It's your favorite, right?" Adrien hid a knowing smirk behind his own decorative coffee cup, which was simply a dark blue cylinder with the capital letter A on it in silver. His own cup was filled with plain black coffee, an energizer for the surely long day he had ahead of him. Marinette gave him that radiant smiled that he so very much enjoyed to see.

"Yep!" Marinette answered before taking a sip from the chocolatey goodness. She watched as Adrien slid into the booth across from her, sitting next to the window as Nino and Alya went to order their meals, the duo giggling as they left Adrien and Marinette by themselves. He began to eat one of the pieces of quiche on the plate, his fork barely making any noise as it hit the ceramic plate, due to years of practice thanks to his father. When he was halfway to eating the next bite, Adrien glanced up at Marinette.

"Aren't you gonna eat? I got you a piece." Marinette giggled behind her hand as tiny bits of the egg fell from Adrien's mouth. She felt that she should be grossed out by the sight, but it was so un-Adrien like that she found it adorable. Adrien, however, felt embarrassed that he had actually done that, his ears burning a bright pink as he quickly picked up a napkin and cleaned his mouth. Clearing his throat, Adrien continued. "I mean- I got this piece for you." He nudged the plate in her direction so she could eat.

"You didn't have to, Adrien. Really." She didn't have to thank him, he could hear her gratitude loud and clear in her voice.

"I know," But you love quiche and peppermint hot chocolate, you told me it always cheers you up, he thought, but instead he answered with, "But I wanted to, so I did." It was the least I could do. So many thoughts and yet he couldn't say any of them, as if something was restraining him from do so. Marinette looked genuinely happy, however, so it didn't bother Adrien too much. "Now, eat. Or do you want me to come over there and feed you myself?"

He didn't bother hiding his sly grin as Marinette's face flushed a deep red. In a jolt, he realized that Marinette had lightly nudged her foot against his shin in an attempt at retaliation for the comment. As though prepared for a reprisal, Marinette didn't even flinch as he gently kicked her back. His sly smirk turned into a cocky grin as he settled back into his booth, taking another bite of quiche. The fork clanged with his teeth though as Marinette kicked him once again, but when he looked up at her she was sitting innocently, eating her cut of quiche as if she hadn't done anything.

So that's how it's going to be? Once again, a competition broke out between the two, which is one of the things that kept Adrien drawn to Marinette in the first place. Being careful in how much strength Adrien put into his kicks, he jutted out his foot until it connected with Marinette's ankle. Or at least what he had initially thought was her ankle until he heard the hollow thud, informing him that he had kicked the wooden panel beneath her booth instead of her.

She smirked victoriously, continuing to eat her quiche as Nino and Alya returned with their food and drinks. But when Nino sat down next to Adrien, Marinette hadn't been anticipating Adrien knocking his calf against hers, making her kick Nino instead. Alarmed, Nino gave Marinette a look of shock.

"What was that for?"

"I uh-" Once more Adrien was hiding his impish grin behind his mug, drinking the bitter coffee as Marinette stumbled over her words in order to give a reasonable answer. "That was for not giving Alya your jacket!" Adrien snorted into his mug, but when Nino turned to look at him he cleared his throat, giving some excuse that the coffee was really hot.

"See! I told you Marinette would be on my side!"

Across the booth Marinette was giving Adrien some serious side-glare, and he couldn't help but smile. At least she wasn't upset about her test anymore. Now they could just enjoy being at the cafe.

"I am the Caffeinator!"

Or so they thought.

Whew! Second chapter finished! Went a bit more domestic, what did you think?

Until next time, peace!