When Paths Cross ⚔️ (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction)

10. Cheeky Goodbyes

Six Hours Later

"Father, you're saying in London?"

Gabriel didn't meet his son's eyes as he stood in the dining area with some of his employees and Adrien's aunt. He's focused on a bunch of papers and sketches scattered across the table.

"Just for today," He finally answers his son. "I'll return home tomorrow morning."

"If you'd like, Father, I can stay an extra day and we could..." Adrien built the courage as he suggested, "Go sightseeing and explore the—"

"I'm far too busy at the moment," His father cuts in.

Adrien frowns. "Right..." You always are.

Gabriel glances up for a second and asks, "I can trust you and Miss Dupain-Cheng are responsible enough to take the train back home by yourselves?"

"Yes, Father."

"Good." He turns his back to his son and begins working on something else. "Head straight home. No distractions. You need to hurry home and get back to your studies."

"Of course, Father."

Adrien turns around and walks back upstairs. He knocks on the guest room Marinette's staying in. "Come in!" She shouts.

He opens the door and finds her packing. Or trying to, at least. She's struggling to close her suitcase.

"I think I packed too much for a three day trip," She jokes.

"Here, let me help." Adrien walks over and starts taking her things out of the suitcase. He refolds her clothes and puts everything back in neatly.

"Wow, you're a natural."

"I travel all the time with my father... for the brand. I guess you can say I'm an expert at packing." He zips up her suitcase with ease. "There you go."

"My knight in shining armor." Marinette cringes at herself and shakes her head. "What time is our train coming again?"

"Eight-thirty, and it's almost eight now, so we should get going."

"Don't we need to wait for your father?"

Adrien shakes his head. "He's staying behind to work more with my aunt."

"Oh... so I'll just be... us on the train?"

He nods.

"And it's a two-hour train ride... fun."

Adrien grabs Marinette's suitcase and carries it downstairs. His was already waiting by the front door, and he sets her luggage down before meeting his father and aunt back in the dining area. "Marinette and I are about to leave."

Amelie walks over and hugs her nephew. "Have a safe trip, Adrien!" She kisses his cheek. "You need to visit more. I love having you over."

"I like coming here, too," He tells his aunt. He looks at his father and waits for him to acknowledge him. Sighing, he mutters, "I'll see you at home, Father."

"Yes, yes," Gabriel whispers, barely giving his son any attention. "Don't forget about your Chinese lessons."

As Adrien turns his back, he rolls his eyes and walks back to Marinette.

Felix is standing with her by the front door. "Have a safe trip back to Paris, cousin."

"Thank you, Felix."

"You should come back soon and bring that girlfriend of yours. Kagami, was it? She was very pretty." Felix waves and walks back upstairs.

Adrien looks at Marinette. "Ready?"

She nods.

He grabs their suitcases and loaded them in the trunk of the car outside. Amelie's driver takes them to her train station and the two wait together on the platform.

"You know what I'm surprised about?" Marinette asks out of nowhere.

"What?"

"While we were out sightseeing, no one recognized you. We didn't get crowded with cast fans."

Adrien chuckles. "I noticed that, too, actually. It feels nice not to be recognized all the time. It's absolutely... exhausting."

Their train soon pulls up and they find their seats.

Marinette struggles to get her suitcase in the compartment above and Adrien walks over. "Here, I got it." He places his hand over hers and pushes the suitcase in.

She jumps back and falls into the seat. "T-Thanks." What is wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? I haven't in a long time.

"No problem."

Adrien puts his suitcase away and sits across from Marinette. As they make eye contact, they both look away fast.

The room suddenly feels awkward as they try to find things to talk about.

This is going to be a long train ride.

***

Adrien holds the car door open for Marinette and she climbs out. They face each other outside her bakery.

It's almost eleven p.m.

"Thank you for driving me home, Adrien," She tells him as he grabs her suitcase out of the trunk. "I would have taken a cab, you know."

"Please, it's the least I could do. Besides, your house is on the way to mine."

"Slightly."

He laughs. "Thank you for this weekenk. My aunt was really happy about my friends attending her charity gala."

"It was fun. We should definitely do it again." Her eyes widen. "Uh, all of us! Alya and Nino. Me and Luka. You and..."

"Kagami," Adrien finishes.

"Right."

He checks his phone. "I won't keep you any longer. I'm sure you're tired."

"I could use some sleep," She agrees.

Adrien steps forward and they part ways with a traditional French kiss.

His lips feel warm on her cheek and Marinette tries everything not to blush.

As Marinette kisses his skin, Adrien's stomach knots, and he fights back a smile.

"Goodnight, Marinette."

"Goodnight, Adrien."

They have and he climbs back in his car.

Marinette touches her cheek as she walks inside the bakery.

Across the street, paparazzi stand on the sidewalk, celebrating among themselves as they finally got a clear shot of the hard-to-reach-because-of-his-protective-father, famous model.

They had followed Adrien and Marinette from London to secretly take pictures of them, which they plan on selling to every news outlet in Paris by tomorrow morning.