How to win a girl in 10 dates

Realisations

The shirt Marinette had lent him was perfect. The fit was amazing, and it looked so similar to his super suit he couldn't help but wonder how she had managed to get such tiny details designed so accurately, but then there was the slight panic that someone would put two and two together and get four. That they'd realise Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir.

The panic was fed by the thought of Alya seeing him. I mean she knew the heroes as well as they knew each other. He shrugged on his coat over the shirt, hiding it from prying eyes, and made his way back down to the bakery.

Another moment had been spoiled but he couldn't help the tiny hint of hope that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He was quite sure he wasn't hiding it anymore, he was an open book with open arms ready to welcome her into them.

After the battle with 'The Sugar Plum Fairy', Adrien had considered everything from what he told Ladybug to the way she had encouraged him to 'go for it'. He still loved her, he really did but he wasn't lying when he said it would be easy to fall in love with Marinette. Everyone who met her must feel the same way, she was one hell of a woman and he was glad he'd agreed to her apology that afternoon.

He stepped into the bakery and the atmosphere suddenly shifted. He didn't know what they had been talking about but he was quite sure it was either about him, or they didn't want him to know. The deafening silence told him that. He placed on his award winning smile and walked towards where everyone was gathered.

"What would you like me to do?" He asked, clapping his hands in front of his body.

Before anyone could fill him in on tonight's details, he noticed the eyes of those around him suddenly widen. Widen so much Adrien panicked they'd figured it out, that was until he heard the tell tale noise of Marinette.

Swiftly, he turned around and held his hands out ready to catch her, managing to just save her before she hit the floor.

"Falling for me, I see." Her face turned red as the words slipped from his mouth and he could have kicked himself in the ass. Commenting something like that in front of the girl-you-want-to-date's parents was mortifying.

The sound of a booming laugh circled around the room, and suddenly Adrien relaxed. Tom Dupain was laughing. Marinette's father had found it funny. Hopefully his head would stay attached for the evening and he wouldn't have to watch his back.

"Good one, son." Tom walked past them both and grabbed his coat from the rack in the corner. Adrien marvelled at the size and thought if they ever wanted to go camping they could ask Tom to borrow his coat, you could fit two, maybe three, regular sized people in there. He made a mental note to keep on the big guy's good side, he was sure as friendly and happy as Tom was, he was a protective papa bear and would kill anyone who caused harm to his offspring.

"Dude, smooth." Nino walked over to Adrien, and clapped a hand on his shoulder as Marinette was positioned back to standing and once again stable on the floor.

Adrien reached up to his neck and gave it a quick rub. Did guys big themselves up for this type of action, or should he just act nonchalant towards it? He decided to go with the latter. Shrugging his shoulders and giving Marinette a quick smile before turning towards Nino.

"I'm Adrien, by the way." He held out his hand to Nino, who took it graciously and nodded.

"Oh, I've heard about you dude." Nino said with a smile.

"Nino!" Alya hissed from beside Sabine, the smaller woman laughed, obviously in on the joke too. Adrien looked between everyone baffled, what was he missing?

"I'm Nino, and it's great to finally meet you. Marinette has had nothing but great things to say about you."

"Really?" Adrien turned his gaze to Marinette who shifted her own to outside the window, before hurrying over to Alya and attempting to make herself look busy.