Miraculous One Shot Compilation

Touchy

"Your schedule, Adrien."

"Thank you, Nathalie."

Usually, his father's assistant headed back to her office directly after the daily exchange. This time, however, she lingered by the breakfast table. "Have you considered introducing your girlfriend to your father?"

"Um, no?" Adrien couldn't say he'd thought about introducing his nonexistent girlfriend to his father.

"Well, perhaps you should. A father generally likes to know the type of person his son is interested in."

"I would, except... I don't have a girlfriend." His sentence deflated with a sigh, indicating that he wished it weren't true.

"I'm sorry," Nathalie had been quite sure of her assertion before she had said it. "I assumed from your behavior around that girl that you two were an item."

"What girl?" Adrien was genuinely confused. As far as he knew, the only girl with whom he may appear to be a couple was Ladybug, but that was only when he was Chat Noir - and he hoped that was a connection Nathalie couldn't draw.

"I don't know her name, but I've seen you with her a lot. You frequently put a hand on on her shoulder. It's nothing inappropriate, so I haven't mentioned it before now - but if you two really are just friends, you might want to consider that you could be sending the wrong message."

Nathalie didn't really expect for him to quit the behavior. She suspected he did it because he liked the girl, and she had unintentionally given him the final nudge to at least try making it official. The girl seemed much more aware of Adrien's habit than he was - she blushed every time he did it. Nathalie supposed it would probably work out for a short time and break off, like relationships between teens often do. She'd encourage him, however; it was a necessity of growing up to experience heartbreak.

Meanwhile, Adrien didn't have much of an idea what was going on. The only girl he could think of that he made regular physical contact with was Chloe, but it was usually a hug, instigated by her, and Nathalie most certainly knew Chloe's name. Could there really be a girl he was showing this subconscious affection to?

--

At school the next day, Adrien saw Nino and Alya bent over Marinette and her sketchbook. Marinette had pencil to paper with an urgency that was palpable. "What's going on?" He asked them.

"Don't break her concentration!" Alya shushed him.

Nino beckoned Adrien to the side. "Fred Haprele, Mylene's father, referred a colleague of his to Marinette. Now she's determined not to mess up on his request."

Marinette sat upright with a start, her bluebell eyes wide, and her hands clasping the sides of her head. The pencil still dangled precariously from her right hand, threatening to stab her right below the should she bring her hand down at the wrong angle. "Actors sending one another to me like this is great, but it's stressful to try keeping a good rapport with all of them. The quality of this costume could determine the success of my professional future."

"Marinette," Adrien placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder "your work impressed my father. Anyone is going to be easier than him, you have nothing to worry about."

"You really think so?"

"I know so." Adrien smiled down at her, his eyes coming to focus on his own hand. He burst out laughing - his true laugh.

"What's funny?" Marinette loved that laugh, but it made her nervous as well, since their track record proved he reached his happiest right after she'd made a comical blunder.

"It's just," he managed between laughing fits. "I just realized that my father's assistant thought you and I were dating!"

As one might expect, blood flow to Marinette's cheeks increased drastically. "How did that happen?"

"Apparently I've developed this habit of putting my hand on your shoulder, I've never even noticed it before! Nathalie saw and got the wrong idea. I couldn't explain a thing to her when I didn't know who she was talking about, but don't worry, I'll resolve this today after school."

"You don't need to hurry! Of course, she should know it's not true, but you don't need to put yourself out to explain." Marinette saved herself from the beginnings of a ramble, and for once, her crush's presence seemed to lower her anxiety level rather than raise it. The two laughed it off together, each glad their friend was taking it so well.

"How long do you think it will take for one of those two to notice that his hand is still on her shoulder?" Nino whispered to Alya.

"I don't know," Alya shrugged, "but she wouldn't mind if it's there to stay."