Miraculous Skaters

Chapter 3

Hi....this is the author's best friend...............hope you enjoy......lelelelelelel........bye

Me: *I step back in* Ari??? What're you doing in here?
Ari:  *Sprints away*
Me:..... okay then..? Anyways I just published the last part so you won't actually read this until a long time later.
Oh! And this one will be told from Adrien's perspective, so just a bit of angst in the beginning.

He stepped off the ice, cheers still roaring and flowers still being thrown behind him as he made his way over to the kiss-and-cry. He sat down on the bench and put on his skate guards before quickly pulling himself up to look into the nearest camera with feigned surprise, only to send it his signature smirk and wink. That should satisfy the fangirls for now, he thought, looking to buy himself a little time before Plagg came and they would both wait for the results. "Hey, kid." A voice said next to Adrien, causing him to look up and see Plagg staring indifferently ahead of him, probably already knowing what the results were gonna be. Adrien proceeded to fiddle with his fingers and shake his leg while his eyes constantly darted to the scoreboard.

The truth was, Adrien had stopped feeling anxious about the results of his performances a couple seasons ago when a pattern was becoming clear in his career. At first, it had excited him, like a child who knew they did something good and was waiting for the payoff for their good behavior.

Only now, as competition and competition flew by that the thrill has become somewhat lost. His passion for ice skating was still there of course, but even then his anxiousness disappeared. Of course he still must look like he's nervous for show, it would make him look arrogant or cocky to make it look like he's so sure of the results.

"Adrien Agreste is placed at the top of the board once again with a score of 297.42!" Adrien whipped his head up, looking at the number as Plagg slaps him on the back. "Good job, kid." Adrien nodded at Plagg's comment as they started to stand up to make their way over to the exit. "Adrien! Adrien!" The reporters shouted, the lights blocking his vision that he had gotten used to over the different competitions. "When will you retire?", "How do you think this season will affect your next ones?", "What else can you expect to come?" He heard these questions being asked at the same time as he pushed his way through, sending them each a friendly smile and pausing right before he opened the doors. "This is definitely not my last season. My love for the ice is still there. But the theme for next year's season is still unknown to me. I guess I'll have to be inspired by something." He smiled, and taking a thoughtful hum at the last sentence he said. "Well then that's all I believe," he said as he pushed open the doors sending a wink at the camera before the doors closed. "Á plus tard."

As he walked towards the waiting car he sighed. "Plagg, you can take it. I think I'm just gonna walk over to the hotel." Plagg stopped and raised his eyebrow. "You sure? It's pretty cold out." He gestured to the people surrounded in coats, scarves, and mittens. Adrien waved his hand dismissively. "I'm sure. I just need to take a walk alone after that performance, besides, I have my coat and other things to keep me warm and the hotel is only 5 minutes away on foot. Don't worry." Plagg shrugged, stop looking wary as he warned Adrien. "Stay safe and be back at least in 10 minutes. We still need to get ready before the banquet."

Adrien nodded as he made his way down the sidewalk, people not really recognizing him at first glance. One of the perks of being the face of figure skating, not too many people will know you to where you can't even walk down a sidewalk. He observed the snow falling from the gray sky onto the similarly-colored pavement. Exhaling, he watched his breath fog in front of him resembling the smoke from the people he passed by. These walks he had done for years were becoming less and less frequent throughout the years, but it always helped him cope and reflect on life. He started having these walks even before his ice skating career took off, at 11 years old after his photo shoots were done.

He would often go somewhere secluded, preferring to stay away from attention to think. Back then it was how to deal with the loneliness at home, to observe with fascination how other normal people went about their lives, and daydreaming how it would finally be having friends who were always there..who wouldn't abandon him...

He shook the days he would spend walking the park alone out of his mind, deciding to dwell on that part of his life at another time. The real reason he was walking was a problem that had been bothering him for the last year. Modeling back then was something that he did to please his father, he didn't actually realize he was making money for it until he was nine. Ice skating called to him when he first stepped on it when he had to be on skates on the ice for a photo shoot. Ever since then it's been training and performances and meeting new people. The scary part was, he had friends now, but often they weren't real and were interested to the popularity he could bring them or how to take him down for their own benefits. Although his passion for the ice is the same, he can't say he was still happy with his life. What scared him the most was, what happens next? He won't stay young forever, one day he will have to retire, and he couldn't go back to modeling, age does affect a model's career years greatly. So when his youth is up... Who is he then?

He stopped to find himself in the front of his hotel and stepped inside to feel the warmth prickle around his face that had started to become numb. Plagg was already nearly done with Felix fixing his tie next him when Adrien came up to their room and headed for his suit which he prelaid before the competition. "Hey kid," Plagg said, shuffling into another part of the room for his watch. "Took you long enough," Felix remarked. "Hurry up before you make us all late. Plagg ignored the rude comment from Adrien's twin and simply kept talking. "There might be one fangirl in the hotel with us." Adrien looked up, then groaned flopping back on the bed. "I don't want to deal with those kinds of girls today..." He mumbles into a pillow. Plagg swung past the wall to find Adrien sprawled in the bed. "Don't worry, she didn't seem rabid or anything, we just passed by in the elevator, so I don't think she was looking for you." "Good." Adrien said, as he took one last look in the mirror before stepping out with Plagg out of the hotel into a cab.

When they pulled up, the similar pattern of lights flashing started as he had gotten used to. He smiled politely at all of them, but honestly he just wanted to get inside to see his one real friend. "Dude! There you are!" Adrien perked up at the sound of Nino's voice and for the save. "Thanks for your time, but we really must be heading inside the banquet hall now." Adrien smiled while Felix was still talking to the press, hurrying away with Nino by his side. "You good, bro?" Nino asked, furrowing his eyebrows cause he knows Adrien doesn't like the paparazzi. "Yeah, thanks for saving me back there." Nino smiled as he sat in a chair and was about to open his mouth when a girl with brown, auburn hair and glasses case up to them. "Nino Lahiffe! I was hoping to catch a talk with you." She smiled, notepad already in hand.

Adrien glanced over to his friend to see him flustered at the sight of her and gave a knowing smirk. "I gotta do something, see ya Nino!" He walked away leaving Nino with the mystery journalist. Adrien wandered through the party after that and settled on staying near a table with one drink in his hand. He wasn't exactly sure what to do now that Nino wasn't by his side, but he decided to have one drink and think about life. He set the glass down finally and went to check if Nino was free again when he heard a strange noise come from some part behind him in the party.

"WOOOO! ALYA WHERE ARE YOOUUU..?" He turned to see... a woman with black-blue hair and the brightest bluebell eyes.

Their eyes locked.