DAY THREE; NOT READY

The ride to the warehouse was quiet, (M/n)'s heart was pounding in his ears as he faintly traced the spot Adrien touched on his palm. His shaky left hand began to still as the tall boy's shoulders relaxed. The Limo seats were cold and oddly gave the boy some comfort from the smoldering warmth coursing through his body. 

Adrien glanced up at the teenager, his bottom lip rolling under his teeth before sighing and leaning the side of his head on the limo's darkened window. It wasn't as though he was bored--he was just confused. 

His feelings for Ladybug were still strong but his thoughts didn't drift to her in the middle of the day like always. Constantly on his mind throughout the day as if she were a broken record on repeat. The same smile, same annoyed expression that Adrien wouldn't trade for the world. 

But now, (M/n)'s attention on him made him ten times happier at the raspy sound of his rumbling laughter and the rare grin that he would flash the blond. He hoped that his smile never changed, hoping that smile would be only for him and him alone. 

Even the sound of his thoughts rendering in his mind made the model flush a soft red. 

It's not as if I like him--like that. It's impossible, Adrien tried to reason, his thoughts quickly disagreeing with him as he felt the familiar chill of (M/n)'s fingertips grazing his index fingernail and knuckle. The feeling left goosebumps to explore the blond's arms and legs as he resisted the urge to smile. 

"Adrien.." (M/n)'s voice was hushed in a low whisper as to not catch the attention of the rambling Photographer who was talking to someone on the phone. 

His (e/c)-colored irises caught the curious jade hues, they were both equally tired and wanted to be somewhere other than the fancy leather seats that creaked every time they moved. Honestly, (M/n) wouldn't mind this if it were under different circumstances. Adrien wouldn't mind it once if the taller teenager was with him. 

The thought made Adrien smile as he slowly took hold of the boy's slender fingers. His cold skin calmed his racing thoughts as his smile relaxed in a blissful expression adorning his eye-catching features. 

(M/n) looked down at their hands to avoid daydreaming about the boy's face later that night. 

Not like that has happened many times before. 

(M/n) began to notice the little things that Adrien did as he examined his hands, the thin scars layering on his left hand and the callouses blistering his palms were caressed with care by his nails. The skin was left with the after taste of Adrien's warmth. 

"Do..Do you like my hands?" (M/n) mused, teasingly threading his index and middle fingers into the golden blond's. The lingering touch sent numbing needles into Adrien's arms and legs, sending him into a fit of chill-inducing goosebumps. His mind to flooded with the overwhelming thoughts of their hands to notice the grin growing on his face. 

(M/n)'s heart threatened to stop right then and there. 

Adrien's little grin and his slight tilt of his head as he let out a gentle hum only seemed to make (M/n)'s heart flutter and pound in his ears. Struggling to respond before he pursed his lips and pulled his fingers away--only to be stopped by Adrien holding it tighter and bringing his hand closer to him. 

Inspecting the smooth pale skin with squinted glistening eyes, before bringing the (h/c)-haired teen's bruised knuckles to his peach-colored lips. Adrien's eyes were closed in relaxation as his shoulder's finally slumped. 

(M/n) could've mistaken him for Chat Noir. 

Their heart-fluttering moment was interrupted by a shutter of a camera, ripping them away from each other, surprised(and annoyed) as they whipped their attention towards the Photographer holding his camera in his shaky hands. 

"The lighting," he starts, ignoring their flustered glares, "the angle---even that blissful expression! It was perfect!!" he exclaims. 

While the man was talking, (M/n) took notice of their joined hands and retracted them instantly afterwards before shutting out the conversation and staring out the window. His ears and neck burning--he could already tell that he was blushing based on how badly his ears began to hurt. 

He adjusted his glasses with his right hand then he covering the lower half of his face afterward. 

How am I gonna explain this to Marinette?

==============

It had been a few hours after their moment, Adrien had already dropped the taller boy off home after the photo shoot, they ended up using the picture from the car ride for the main cover of a magazine. Of course, with the permission of Gabriel Agreste to publish it. Along with the other photos that they had taken together earlier that evening. 

After (M/n) got settled back at home, he had taken a shower and headed up stairs. He stood in front of his father's old office, hesitating if he should enter or not before sighing to himself. 

Right as he was about to open it, a knock resonated from his room. 

Knocking himself out of his trance, he made his way down the stairs once more and cautiously opened the door to his room only to see Chat Noir at his window, while he was still outside the house--he seemed more relaxed than he did during the photo shoots. 

The taller teen rolled his eyes, making his way over to the window and sliding it up. 

It was around 7:32 at night, the sun was still setting and the sky was consumed by a pretty pink and orange gradient that mixed with the pastel pink clouds and blazing red sun. 

"I want to talk about earlier..in the car," the blond starts with a offering grin. (M/n) took it and gave him a small charming smile instead before it drops as he sat down on the edge of his bed. Chat followed after him once he had closed and locked the window--covering the glass panes with the white curtains. 

The seventeen-year-old stayed still for a moment before grunting, coaxing the livelier teen to continue, laying down on the mattress. Chat shifted around before laying down beside the boy and staring up at the ceiling. 

Avoiding any further embarrassment. 

"I like holding hands with you," the hero smiles warmly at the thought, messing with his clawed gloves, "I like the feeling of your palms and fingertips..I can tell that you loved practicing for recitals and--and just playing for yourself." The blond thought about his next words, pausing as he waited for the teen beside to say something. 

But he didn't, only listening carefully and cautiously for the model's next words.

"Up til recently, I've noticed a few changes on the way I feel things. I used to have the biggest crush on Ladybug--I literally wouldn't shut up about her to plagg," the cat-themed hero chuckled to break the tension in the air but it didn't do much as it only made it awkward. Chat coughed into his fist, clearing his throat as he sat up. 

"But when we were in the park. And..And when we were in the backseat of the limo, I couldn't help but feel the same way towards you. But I can't do this, I can't rush into this like some idiot. I know you don't feel the same, and..and that you're still hung up on Tyler---that you're still trying to move on, but I know that you can't do this right now either." Chat's eyes watered, his bangs shifting in front of his eyes as he forced himself to continue. 

"I don't know how I feel about you yet," he states. His voice was more shaky now as he turned to look at the teen beside him for the first time that late evening as a so-called hero. 

(M/n)'s face was blank. But he could see the slight trembling of his shoulders and the shaking of his hands that had curled up into fists. 

They kept eye contact before the hero sighed and stood to his feet, opening the curtains and looking outside the window for a second before turning to where (M/n) was sitting only to see nothing but his phone on the nightstand of his bed-frame. 

The blond bit his lip as the tears threatened to fall. 

And while they hurt themselves with this, it was better than rushing into a relationship that they weren't prepared for. 

{Hey, sorry for the lack of updates, school just started up again---guess what! I'm a Junior in High School now---you know what that means?! Probably even less updates or even more updates like last year!

Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying your new school year, I'm not. 

Sorry that this chapter was a bit sad at the end. 

Let me know what you think of this chapter in the comments, I'm really hoping for some votes lol.

Also, quick note; If you have any suggestions, comment on what you think it should go like from here on out. I will make sure to go through your ideas and add my own little spice to it. 

Have an amazing night or Day!!}