The Big Reveal

16 - There will be consequences

The waitress came back with their order. She placed cups, plates and napkins on the tiny table. There was no room for their hands anymore, so they had to let them go. Adrien looked at Marinette with a smile, and she smiled back at him. Both took their cups of hot chocolate.

"Mhmmm..." Marinette murmured, taking a sip. "Delicious. I love chocolate!"

"I'm still learning something new about you." Adrien smiled.

"Like what?"

"That you like plain chocolate."

"Because it's the best! Pure perfection. Why should I ruin that?"

"My cinnamon chocolate is much better." He shook his head.

"I don't think so."

"So, try it!" he gave her his cup. "And admit that you were wrong."

She took a sip and gave him back his cup with a smile.

"Well, I can admit that..." she began, observing a grin appearing on Adrien's face. "...that my chocolate is way much better."

"I have to try it!" he reached for her cup. He took a sip and looked at her in amazement. "Wow, you still surprise me, Bugaboo..." he confessed.

"Come on, say it, Cat."

"I was wrong. Your chocolate is better, My Lady." He admitted solemnly. "You were absolutely right. You should never spoil the perfection."

"It is said: leave well alone." She smiled. "And I prefer simple things."

"From today on I'm going to start learning that from you." He promised.

They looked at each other amused. They had already forgotten about the awkwardness from a few minutes ago. Now they had a really good time, treating each other to their desserts and drinking Marinette's chocolate.

"When we're sitting here I feel like I didn't want to leave." Adrien confessed.

"We'll have to leave soon." She whispered. "Tomorrow we have to go to school, remember?"

"Oh, right... School..." he sighed. "I wish we could play truant tomorrow."

"Adrien, we have already had a lot of backlog because of our alternative duties." Marinette replied reasonably, as always. "My parents grounded me once already."

"Oh..." Adrien stammered.

"What?"

"I've just realised that usually we both are busy during the akuma attack."

"Yep." She nodded. "And not usually, but always..."

"Until now nobody has figured out that we disappear at the same time. But now, everyone will be watching us."

"Why would they watch us?" Marinette exclaimed.

"Well... Don't you think that they will be interested that we're a couple?"

"Oh, God... You're right!" she moaned embarrassed. "Oh dear, ooooh... What have I done?!" she began to panic.

"Hey, Marinette!" Adrien tried to call her to order. "Remember that you're not alone with it. I'm always by your side."

"God..." she didn't listen to him. "They will stare at us all day. They will make fun of us. They will be pointing at us..."

"Marinette..." he sighed, waiting for the end of her panic attack. "Are you ashamed of me?" he asked with a smile, reminding her yesterday excuses.

"No! Not at all!" she denied and added quickly: "Wait, we've already had this conversation..."

"I know." He grinned.

"I still have a lot to learn..." she shook her head. "And get used to it... What was I thinking when I fell in love with the most popular boy in the city!"

"Well, I don't complain. I'm happy that you fell in love with him. I mean: me!"

They stared at each other again. And again, the moment was ruined by the waitress who approached with annoying "Do you want anything else?"

"Can I have a bill?" Adrien asked.

Marinette became sad. She didn't want their date to be over so soon.

"Hey, Princess?" Adrien immediately felt that her mood had changed.

"Mhm?"

"Don't be so sad. I'm not going to walk you home directly." He answered the question that hadn't been asked. She didn't have to. That was amazing how well they understood each other.

"Well, you'll have to soon."

"We have time till midnight, remember?" he reminded what her father had told them about the hour of coming back home.