Dearly Despised, (I love you)

Rocking the Boat

A/N  IM SO EXCITED ARE YOU GUYS EXCITED

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Marinette was supposed to be late – really, she had planned it and everything, in the name of fashion – but to leave Adrien and Luka alone when... Adrien and Luka would be alone. Yeah. Yeah she sprinted.

Besides, being with Chat Noir and the unspoken rejection hanging in the air like a dead body had gone on long enough. So after a professional and strictly-platonic discussion, they parted ways, and she just maybe used the spotted super-suit for transport to see Adrien quicker. She could admit to herself with grave humility that he helped clear her mind, but that was all. (And maybe the term 'clear' was more like 'intoxicate', 'satiate', or 'relieve', but those words made it sound like she enjoyed smushing mouths with her on-hold enemy a little too much. So she'd stick with 'clear'.)

Don't forget that Adrien could turn back on her any moment, too. She – Marinette Dupain-Cheng/kickass superhero – wasn't letting her guard down that easy just because they'd, what, changed a little? Grown? Hadn't accidentally met up before akuma attacks or bit each other's heads off lately? Perhaps it all made up his master plan to conquer her. Perhaps he'd internally repented for his vice. Or perhaps she helped him get over the girl he was rejected by, just like he did for her.

So decidedly, Marinette would enjoy him – uh, their interactions where she could while her heart remained in hospital.

Even the little things, like having him pass her the drink flavour she liked that he used to argue with her about, and taking the cup to the trash when she was done, all wordlessly, just made that inner ache turn marvellously positive. Not that she could enjoy it in full considering their closeness was a spectacle; an act, and people were paying admission.

More of their classmates entered the dock as golden hour watched over them, along with another set of eyes that were less warm.

"Luka's looking over here again."

Adrien's hand slid to the small of her back as he sipped the latest beverage Nino had invented (no one before him had ever mixed orange and pineapple juice with soda water). "Must be because of how lovely your hair is today. Did you wash it?" He leant and inhaled near her ear. "Smells like lavender. It's nice." When she just looked down, hoping a blush didn't appear, he added, "Don't worry about him. I'm here."

A constriction of betrayal in her chest expected him to care a little more about Luka. Not that she wanted Adrien to think she was, you know, 'his' or anything. That was crazy. Just like she'd have no problem if some random girl wouldn't stop staring at him, or played songs for him, or—

Dang it.

Her sweat glands opened. Every part of her cared.

"No way! You guys came?"

Alix was setting down matching water flasks as Kim engulfed her and Adrien in a meaty hug. She pushed the sticking pink hair from her forehead and beamed. "Sure did! We were finishing a run in the area together. Wouldn't pass all of you guys."

"Together?" she blurted.

"No competition?" Adrien said, likely to save her.

"Maybe a little at the start," Alix ribbed Kim, "before someone stopped letting me win."

Marinette's cheeks blew open as she covered her mouth from laughing. She knew him since elementary – Kim didn't let people win.

"Yeah, well, I liked running beside you a little. Is that so bad?"

With a smile Alix rolled her eyes, and almost 7-foot Kim ruffled Alix's 5-foot head before exclaiming that he was "so hungry he could eat a Nino" before promptly heading to Max and Nino playing cards at the bow of the ship. Alix's expression changed noticing Marinette's bafflement.