M'Ladybug | Adrinette//Ladynoir

Chapter Fourteen | Problem Solving

Shea grabbed Adrien by the elbow and dragged him into the school, despite his protests.

"Hey...Wait, Shea, what is this all about? Could you stop pulling my sleeve? It's Italian." Adrien smoothed his clothing, and Shea got the feeling that his frustration had nothing to do with his designer outfit.

"Oh shut up, you're just mad I cut into your "stare-creepily-at-Marinette" time." Shea said, crossing her arms.

She was rewarded by a gentle blush that had appeared on his cheeks. "Did you have a point or did you just pull me away to mock me?"

Shea sighed. "We can't go to the dance together anymore."

Adrien stood, confused for a second before he regained his composure. "What do you mean?"

She rubbed her temples. "You know what I mean. Who are we kidding? We haven't even spoken since you asked me and I am tired of the weird stares and whispers."

Adrien's eyebrows crinkled. "But we were going to do a date swap. We had a plan--wait, did someone say something? Chloë?"

Shea put her head in her hands. "She didn't have to say anything."

Adrien frowned. "I don't follow."

Another sigh. "She took my sketchbook. And now she's blackmailing me with my drawing of Nathanael."

"Chloë can be mean, but she's not that vicious. Come on Shea, maybe you're confused." Adrien laughed awkwardly.

Shea rolled her eyes. "Yeah okay because a text message that says "Drop Adrien or we just might drop these all over the entire school" with my pictures is really complicated."

Shea started walking away, but Adrien caught her elbow. "Wait, Shea I'm sorry. I've just been distracted. I believe you, but I'm not entirely sure that Chloë is behind this. I'll talk to her."

The brunette nodded, looking relieved. "Thanks Adrien. I just cannot even imagine the humiliation that I'd feel if he saw them." She shuddered.

Adrien patted her arm. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything. Just talk to me, okay? I want us to be friends."

Shea smiled at him and gave him a side hug that took him by surprise.

"Thanks. See you around." Shea ducked into the art room, and Adrien shamefully peeked out a window to steal a glance at Marinette.

__((:__

School passed in an uneventful blur. Marinette was never more sad about a day off from her job at the bakery. To her surprise, Adrien seemed sad too. They'd always been acquaintances, but over the past week the pair had grown much closer.

Adrien stopped her as she was leaving the school, looking sheepish.

"Hey, uh, Marinette." He bit his lip awkwardly and adorably.

She nodded. "Yes, Adrien?"

"Well, I was just wondering if--maybe, of course you don't have to, you'd want to hang out today? I know this really cute little frozen yogurt place and you know, I figured we could, you know, eat there, or whatever." Adrien turned fifty shades of red throughout his speech and Marinette suppressed a giggle.

"Of course. I have been craving sweets lately," She said, smiling broadly.

"Marinette, you live in a bakery." Adrien said, smirking slightly.