Lies and Shields

Chapter 14. Autographs

A month since Nino had found out he was in love with Rena Rouge. A month of watching her helplessly with things he had planned to say to her, lodged in his throat while they fought off Akumas. A month of Nino trying not to mess up every sentence he said to her while on patrol. A month a Adrien teasing him relentlessly about the large grin on his face whenever he ran into school just before class.

"Sooo... Who's the girl?" Adrien would ask, smirking as Nino.

"Dude, there's no one. Not all of us are vogue worthy models who can make a girl faint by winking," Nino answered, rolling his eyes and smiling.

Most days Adrien would just shrug, but today he decided to be extra persistent, gesturing his head to Alya who was standing behind them. Nino blushed, hoping she hadn't noticed.

"Dude, I know you only want me to go out with her because she's Marinette's best friend, but we're just buddies. I swear it."

Adrien shrugged. "You don't need to worry about her not liking you back if that's why you won't admit it."

"And what would you know about girls liking someone?" Nino raised an eyebrow.

"You were the one who just said I could wink at a girl and make her faint," Adrien said through laughter. "Isn't that proof enough? And beside, I know that Marinette likes me." He turned around the Marinette, who was talking to Alya about five meters away.

"She told you that dude. Doesn't count. And I don't like Alya like that at all. She's cool, of course, but I have no romantic feelings towards her at all."

Adrien stared inquisitively at Nino, as if he thought Nino was hiding something. He then smiled evilly at Nino, before holding out his pinky to him.

"Pinky swear it."

"We're not five bro."

"Do it," Adrien persisted. 

Nino rolled his eyes, reaching out his hand for Adrien's and shaking his pinky with his own.

"You've got to be kidding me," Alya said, holding up a sheet of paper as Marinette looked as though she was going to burst with excitement. Alya pointed at the paper. "You designed this?" Marinette smiled even brighter and nodded. "And you plan on making it, for me of all people."

"Of course I do!" Marinette said, throwing her arms up in the air. "There's no way I'd want my best friend to buy a super expensive dress and only wear it for one night, especially since it's only for Chloe's party. And besides. I'm the only one able to Alyafy it." Marinette winked at Alya, who threw her head back and laughed.

"I love it, and I'm very excited to see it."

Marinette let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness because I spent a good two weeks deciding whether I should give you a low or sweetheart neck line."

Alya laughed again and the girls headed into class, continuing to gush to each other about the dress, as the rest of the class also chattered about Chloe's party. Chloe just sat in her seat looking smug.

"Daddy plans on bringing in Jagged Stone to perform," she whispered to Sabrina just a tad loud, who returned Chloe's smirk. The rest of the class's chattering immediately got louder, as Alya just rolled her eyes.

"Full of lies, that one." Alya whispered to Marinette and the boys, who were now seated in front of them.

"With the money her parents have, I wouldn't be that surprised if her turned up of a sparkly white tiger to be honest," Marinette mumbled.