It Wasn't Pere

Chess Match

I dropped Marinette at her house.

We both said our goodbyes.

I was on the way out when I heard her sweet voice call out to me.

"Chat, wait!" She called out.

I quickly spun around to see what she needed.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I- I kind of need you here with me. . . I mean, I got rejected today, after all." She mumbled.

"What I think is that you should have a real conversation with him. Talk to him in school or something or arrange a meeting at a cafe." I said, really wanting to talk to her as Adrien.

"Even if we talk it through, it won't be the same as it used to be. I'm pretty sure everything is going to go South and become awkward." She said.

She is very insecure.

"Look Marinette," I began. "Maybe he regrets his decision of not kissing you. But if you two talk it through, you guys could do something about it." I finished.

"Yeah? Well, I don't exactly want to right now." She said, crossing her arms.

"I think you two just need a bit of time to heal the wound in your bond with Adrien. But I'm pretty sure he would have liked it if you talked to him about it sooner than later." I said, honestly.

I really want to talk to her as Adrien as well. I don't just want to be a random cat she doesn't know well.

I want to talk to her in school, out of school, through text. Literally any means of communication.

I love her so much. I never thought of someeting like this happening.

If someone told I would have fell for Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I would have laughed but this is all too real.

I'm in love with Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

"So about me not leaving. . . How long do you want me to stay?" I asked.

"Well, tomorrow is Sunday and I don't have school so. . . Maybe you could stay over night?" She asked.

"B- but I understand if you can't! Your family might go nuts if you don't arrive to your house on time!" She exclaimed.

I smiled sadly at her.

"Don't worry, Mari. No one is going to come looking for me. I don't exactly have much of a family." I said.

She noticed I was upset and whispered, "I'm sorry for bringing that up. I didn't know...".

"It's okay." I smiled again and in a matter of seconds she was smiling back at me.

"So what are we going to do? We can't just sleep. We have to do something! Otherwise it'll be boring." I said.

She laughed a little.

"Don't worry," She began. "I have a chess board. We have to play five rounds. If you win, I'll bring you Macaroons. If I win, I'll probably still bring Macaroons. . ." She trailed off sheepishly.

Clearly, she wasn't prepared.

"Well, Princess. . . I happen to know how to play chess." I smirked.

"Oh, you do?" She asked with sarcasm.

"Yep. And I also happen to be really good at it." I said, my pride growing bigger.

"Well then," she began. "Shall we begin?" She asked, pulling out a chess board from behind her.