"Here, take my hand," Adrien said as he reached out for Marinette. "You've been bumping into several people that your cute little button nose is starting to get a bruise."
"I-I don't have a bruise," the pig-tailed girl defended as she rubbed the sore spot.
"I assure you I'm not handsy, and I'm not a type to force someone's hand," the blond wiggled his brows with a devilish smirk. "But my hands are not full that's why we can go hand in hand. I know you're a bit clumsy firsthand, so why don't you accept my hand-some offer that you'll be in good hands?"
Marinette groaned incorrigibly then shook her head. "I swear, Agreste. If you are planning to torture me with your puns tonight, I am going to leave you in this place alone!"
"No! Don't hand me over to someone else!" he cried when his companion marched away.
The two were actually looking for their friends in the masses as they went out and enjoyed the annual Techno Parade. It was Nino's first grand debut as a DJ, so Adrien did his best to get a permission from his father who hesitantly agreed when he bargained for a two-week photo shoot. It was worth the agony, especially now that he was being accompanied by the most beautiful girl in Paris.
"I can't believe your hands are so cold!" the blond reacted when he slid his hands on hers. "Did you bring any gloves?"
"I - I forgot," she told him sheepishly. "I - It's still September, so I thought I don't need one. Besides, my - my hands are naturally cold."
He hummed nonchalantly as they navigated the crowd. "Did you know that the temperamental of a person can be determined by the temperature of their hands?"
"Is that your way of saying that I'm a cold-hearted person, Adrien?"
"Of course not, Marinette. It's the other way around," he chuckled as he laced his fingers with hers. "Cold hands mean that you're a person full of warmth."
"While warm hands mean that you're a cold-hearted one," she answered, raising their clasped ones.
The blond raised his brow. "Aren't you a bit meany tonight, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng?"
"No, I'm not, M. Agreste," she replied cheekily then stuck her tongue out. "I'm only a meany to those who are spouting nonsense puns."
"Excuse me, my puns are hands-down good," he retorted, which earned a narrow look. "Okay, okay - I will stop my puns before it gets out of hand."
Adrien winced when she tightened her grip as a revenge, and when he looked at her, he got immediately enamored by the freckles that splattered on her pinkish cheeks.
He knows that Marinette is pretty, very pretty he might say, but the way her bluebell eyes glimmered that night and rosy lips that thinned with determination to find their group wasn't helpful for his weak heart.
Her angelic voice broke his reverie. "Hey, I think I saw Alya! Let's go that way!"
"Wait!" he paused, rapid heartbeats deafening his ears and why must she tilt her head sideways! It's a crime for her to be this adorable! "Eh...uhm...you see..."
Having Marinette all alone by himself was quite a rare feat for Adrien. They were always surrounded by friends, and he knew that once they joined them, these special moments will eventually vanish and the two will revert back as just friends.
He wasn't ready to let her go.
Marinette's brows furrowed and please don't give me that look, it's not good for my ill-fainted heart! "Are you alright, Adrien? Your face is getting redder - let's look for an open area so you can breathe some fresh air, okay?"
He nodded dumbly.
"You should have told me you are getting claustrophobic." the pig-tailed girl muttered as she ushered him away. If she wasn't preoccupied and turned in his direction, she might've witnessed how his blush spread all over his neck.
And if she did, he might have swooped her with a kiss.
"Why can't you just stop getting cuter," he blurted out of the blue then backpedaled "I mean, stop getting faster?"
He was glad the music was loud enough for her to hear his ramblings. "You might bump some people again and bruise your nose and I might not be able to hold myself getting my hands dirty if someone back-handed you."
Smooth Agreste. High Five!
"I feel like I should have swoon on your sweet words," Marinette deadpanned. "But I have this inkling feeling that you just said it for the sake of delivering a pun."
He smothered his embarrassment with a laugh.
Bless Adrien for his puns, he was able to save himself from impending death.
"Hey, why don't we wait for them at a food booth? That way we'll never get lost again," he suggested, dragging her away from the crowd. "C'mon!"
"O - okay!"
Little did she know, he already spotted their classmates huddling near the DJ booth as they gave him a whooping thumbs up sign for a job well done.
She might scold him later, or worse break his fingers, but holding hands with Marinette the entire night will be worth du Pain.
.
.
.
Bonus:
"Do you have the event hand-outs?"
"Can you just stop using excessive hand puns? You're acting just like Chat Noir!"
"It's a great honor for me to be compared to a paw-some hand-some hero! Did you get it, Mari? Paw and Hand?"
"Adrien!"
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Adrinette April - a Miraculous Ladybug fanfic
FanficA collection of prompts and standalone stories based on the monthly challenge, focusing Adrien and Marinette's relationship outside their masks. Week 1 (Days 1-7): Just Friends Week 2 (Days 8-14): Falling in Love Week 3 (Days 15-20): Reveal Week 4 (...