CHOOSE (Adrienette AU) [Completed]

Saving

ADRIEN

"Move these to the back, make sure that they are fixed and arranged in order as well." I instruct a small group of volunteers who will bring and place some of our supplies in the trucks for our scheduled movement. They nod in assent and each carry a box before heading to the different trucks.

"Dude, help me out here." Nino calls me from behind. I turn and see him standing by a stack of boxes he's planning to carry. I jog to him and grab the other end of one box. "These are the supplies from the infirmary," he tells me and we carry it to the other side of the field, aligning it with the other boxes that need to be placed in the trucks.

"Mari and Alya have been busy these past days with preparing the medics and nurses."

"Nathalie has also been helping with the training," Nino adds as we walk back to the stack we left behind. He suddenly stops in his step and I follow. He stares at something near the ground and I start to feel conscious with whatever he's looking at.

"Dude," I start, "are you oka-"

"That's a cute little thing you got there on your finger," he interrupts me pointing at something on my left hand.

"Cute? What do you me- Oh..." I trail off, realizing that he was referring to my 'ring'. My cheeks start to flush and I hide my hand behind my back, though my thumb starts to fiddle with the makeshift ring on my fourth finger. "I-I'll tell you when the time is right-"

"I guess I would have to say congratulations to you, both."

"Wait," I utter, eyebrows now furrowed, "you know?"

He softly chuckles and rests a hand on his hip. "When I have Alya as a girlfriend, of course I would know."

"Yeah, I should have thought of that in the first place."

He places a hand on my shoulder. "You gotta keep up with the news, dude. I'm actually more surprised that it was Marinette who proposed and not you."

I break off into a shy smile and admit, "I was shocked when she asked me out of the blue that night. But...I was happy and I still am. Just seeing or even thinking of her reminds me that I'm engaged to a strong and courageous woman, and I've never felt so blessed."

Nino recoils in fake disgust. "Now I regret bringing up the topic with you. I can't believe you would get all mushy like that."

"Hey." I playfully punch him in the arm and he laughs, fighting back the other punch I was about to give him. "I know you also get mushy when it comes to Alya."

"Yes," he agrees, "but not as cringe as you."

"Oh, shut up and let's get back to work." I shake my head at him and go back to the stack of boxes we need to bring to the trucks. I heave one up and he does the same, we walk to one truck together and leave the boxes on it and go back to the heaping stack.

"Yet, you got to talk with Marinette about it, right?" Nino suddenly asks from behind and I turn to look at him in confusion.

He shrugs his shoulders and says, "This whole entire thing we're preparing for. You not being with her during the movement...the possibility of..." he trails off.

"...dying?" I finish for him. He simply nods. I let out a sigh then continue, "Of course...we did bring it up. She told me to stay alive."

Nino lets out a soft laugh. "Alya told me the same thing. Well, with tears brimming her eyes which she failed to hide."

"I would not blame any of them for crying. I admit that I would feel down too, but..."

"But?" Nino presses on.