To Love Thy Enemy

Beauty And The Beast

Wednesday morning. Hump day. The middle of the week. Hell.

Marinette hated wednesdays.

The day the coursework paused for the production of a film. Not even an original. A retelling. A retelling that Marinette had somehow wound her way into the centre of, becoming so entangled that if she were to cut herself out the whole production would fall apart.

We couldn't have that happening now could we?

It was with a heavy heart and dragging feet that Marinette made her way into the classroom, not even surprised to not see Adrien there. It had turned into something of a competition between them of who could cut it the closest on the dreaded filming day.

Rose whisked the unwilling girl behind the makeshift divider, throwing a dress over the top that was visibly store-bought. With Marinette Playing the lead, she didn't have time to design the costumes.

The garment was over her head, buttons undone down her back, when the divider pulled back aggressively--and loudly--revealing none other than a rapidly paling Adrien Agreste. He promptly pulled back, hand flying up to cover his eyes, while Marinette tripped back against the wall, gripping the bodice to her chest.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry," Adrien yelped, cheeks furiously reddened and his gaze pointed firmly at the ground. Both of them were painfully aware of the watching eyes of their classmates.

"No, I, um, i was almost done," Marinette stuttered out, furiously fumbling with the buttons at her back in order to somewhat rectify the situation.

Scattered giggles whispered through the classroom, most students turning back to their tasks, obviously in an attempt to put the two at ease, while some remained with eyes locked on the interaction behind the divider.

"Did you need any help?" Adrien's eyes drifted up with his offer, dropping down again immediately after when he caught sight of Marinette's tomato-red face, his own blush intensifying.

The image of Marinette's embarrassment shocked Adrien down to his core. The words had slipped out on a whim at the sound of a familiar voice. And, while perhaps he was simply projecting, Marinette had sounded nearly identical to Ladybug.

Speaking of the devil, the now fully dressed girl slipped around Adrien, hands pinned at her back as she struggled to do up the last button.

Her hands visibly shook as the garment slipped out of her grip more times than one, while Adrien and the rest of the class stared stupidly at her.

Marinette glanced up expectantly, gaze swinging to Alya, then Rose, then Alix, as the class collectively swung back to their jobs nonchalantly.

Except Adrien, who had spaced out while staring what seemed like directly at her.

So when Marinette's eyes landed sullenly on him, he had no idea what was happening or why the rest of the class had suddenly become so invested in their work.

"Adrien," Marinette muttered abashedly, "Can you help me. please?"

The blonde snapped into awareness, stumbling forward as Marinette turned, the back of her crimson dress fully buttoned save for one just out of reach.

with shaking hands that he willed steady -- because why should he be shaking about Dupain-Cheng? -- Adrien clipped in the last button, before hastily scooping up his clothes and hiding behind the divider.

Both teens breathed a tense sigh, uncomfortably aware of the twenty pairs of eyes scrutinising them.

Marinette walked stiffly down the aisle, her face flushed bright enough to rival her dress, to where Alya was waiting with a spare script and the goofy grin of a traitor.

"Thanks for your help there." Marinette hissed, scanning the week's lines with a growing scowl.

"Relax, you were fine," Alya said airily, "Besides, Adrien was there."

Marinette rolled her eyes, her complexion fading to normal in the absence of spectacle.

"Whatever," she grumbled, reading over her lines and cringing.

-

"Action!" Alya said, Ninos cue to hit record.

Adrien was on the floor, resting against Miss Bustier's desk, hands folded over his stomach in a half hearted imitation of pain.

Marinette crouched awkwardly over him, stiffly moving in the motions of grief.

With her head now bent over his stomach, face hidden from the camera to mask her clear absence of tears, Marinette waited for Alya's cue to....

At her friend's clap, Marinette dragged her head up, looking in the vicinity of Adriens closed eyes, and, with her own drifting shut, she dropped down into a kiss, keeping her lips firmly shut.

The class was deathly silent, watching the pair as they remained frozen in position, abruptly unfreezing when Alya yelled, "Cut!"

Marinette pulled away with a gasp,the feeling of Adrien's surprisingly smooth lips lingering on her skin.

Adrien sat up awkwardly, smoothing the wrinkles left on his shirt from Marinette's fists.

Alya turned to Nino, murmuring softly in the quiet tension of the classroom, before they turned towards two two actors, each with a strange look on their face.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to redo that scene," Alya said solemnly.

That was it for Marinette, she was done with Beauty and the Beast.

"Seriously? of all the times to forget to press record? This is‐" Marinette quieted at the sight of both Alya and Nino shaking with suppressed laughter, "not funny."

Alya smirked, "A little funny, but seriously though next time we need a bit more...enthusiasm,"

This time it was Adrien who spoke up, "next time? I thought there was only one ki- Uh, of these,"

Nino's heavily amused voice intercepted whatever blunt answer Alya was about to give, "No dude, two,"

Two frustrated groans came at the news, neither of them having read that far in the script.

The whole class let out a huff of laughter, bustling around the classroom to prepare for the next scene.

The only people who weren't busying themselves, it seemed, were the two who were to be performing it.

Their scripts lay in wrinkled mountains on the desk, cups of water fidgeting in their hands as they observed the hubbub in silence.

"Hey, um, Marinette?" Adrien said awkwardly.

Marinette looked up in surprise, nodding at him to continue.

"about...earlier..." He began, "I didn't mean to-" Marinette hastily interrupted him before he could finish, blushing bright red.

"It's fine, well it's not fine, but- you know what I mean," She mumbled uncomfortably, her words stuttering more than normal and jumbling in her mouth.

Adrien's lips twitched at her awkwardness, hiding his smirk with his cup to avoid watching eyes.