Arranged - Adrienette

-chapter 4: a lunch date-

This WAS my favorite, and then I wrote chapter 5 lmao. I'm gonna do a special thing and upload 5 tonight, and possibly 6 tomorrow if I actually get down and write it! (I just finished 5 like 10 minutes ago) anyway enjoy the nerds bye

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She could feel his warm hand pressing into the small of her back, through her coat and her dress. As the paps came to take pictures of them the tips of his fingers curled in,  seeming to grip her coat a little,  urging her forward. He had put a smile on his face, and she had too. She went over all the directions in her head for the millionth time, lean your head on his shoulder, smile and look up at him. Let him do all the guiding and talking. Make sure you have your sketchbook and make sure you get a window seat and laugh about nothing. She could barley wrap her head around it. No wonder Adrien hadn't ever dated anyone before, this was hard work.

She put on an even brighter smile as the waiter got them a window table, the two of them pretending to shoo paps away from them, as Adrien helped her take her coat off and hung it on the back of her seat, then pulled her seat out and pushed it in for her. He was being quiet, he didn't want to be there. She didn't exactly either, but business was business.

Most of the paps had gotten what they wanted, and she could already see all the headlines, all the broken hearts, all the death threats she had been warned about. After this moment she wouldn't just be his assistant. Even if the two deicded on not getting married, this would change her career forever.

"So.... Um" she felt his hand trail to grab hers hesitantly, it was shaking slightly, and she couldn't tell if it was anger or fear, as his face was completely calm, but she knew better. She squeezed it and then he squeezed back, as he casually looked at the menu. He was looking for distractions. She felt so overwhelmed, like he was forced to do this. The awkwardness was high, the only comforting thing being his hand. His warm, soft, big hand. "What do you usually get when you're here?"

"A sandwich, maybe salad" he replied, both of them looking up from their menus to exchange a smile, then both of them forcing a laugh. 'Remember, the cameras are watching!' She told herself, her laughing quieting as he brought her hand to his lips, with the clicks of cameras outside, as he tried to shoo them off once more. It was so awkward, so weird. "Maybe we can split something, and go out for ice cream after." He suggested, watching as a few tabloid reporters tried to get a table inside, one of them even succeeding and sitting at the table next to them. Everything was quiet for s second, until one of them turned around and started asking questions. "No interviews please, we're trying to enjoy our DATE." The emphasis on the word made her flinch softly, but she covered it up by smiling warmly at him. Soon after the manager came over and kicked them out. She felt like some Barbie doll, in a play set. Perfect clothes, perfect day, perfect cafe, perfect boy, perfect date.

"Tonight you have to come over for dinner, we have to take photos together and post them on social media for everyone." He said it calmly, he already had the schedule memorized, just like every day of his life. Marinette was just a part of it now.

Adrien kept looking at her. Was this the way to approach this? He didn't know if he should be business about it, or if he should actually try to have a girlfriend, even if it was technically forced? He was consumed in thought so much he had forgotten to talk to her whatsoever.

"Adrien, are you okay?" She asked, squeezing his hand again. He wasn't in the slightest, but at least she cared. "Really, Adrien. Is this what you want to do?"

"We have to, it doesn't matter now."

The words cracked her a bit, she knew he didn't want to be here in the slightest, but he was putting on a smile for the cameras. Was this his whole life? She had never realized before how much he might go through. "A-Adrien"

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'd rather have a fake marriage than have women still trying to get with me, and have 16 year old girls say they want to fuck me to my face. It's uncomfortable, you know?" He bit his lip, looking up at her. "Let's just split a sandwich and soup."

"Perfect." She nodded, never realizing all the things he went through. "Maybe we could stop at my parent's house and get some baked goods instead of ice cream. We can even go to my old room and relax a little out of the eyes of the cameras" he nodded at this, a smile spreading on his lips. A genuine one.

"That sounds lovely. We could even bring out one of your old video game consoles...." The pause wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest, as his smile grew as she started to giggle, thank god they were breaking the ice. As he ordered and looked at her for approval, her nodding and tapping her feet excitedly.

They finished up their lunch with ease, both of them walking out hand in hand, much more believable than an hour prior. Both of them smiled wide and held hands, their tangled fingers holding tight in the cold November air. It was almost like a real first date. Almost.

As they both slipped into the limo and the loud voices of the paps was muffled, both of them couldn't stop smiling at one another. "I don't think this will be so bad after all."

At his words, she let out a sigh of relief, nodding and leaning on him, the both of them satisfied with their first date.
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