When the Cat Met the Wolf

36. Of Zoos & Animals

"About time!" said Plagg after the sudden realisation "I've been telling you the same thing for weeks now!"

"Leave him alone, Plagg!" scolded Jazmin "This is so romantic!"

"What should I do?" questioned Adrien, looking at Thiago.

"The million dollar question" replied the white-haired, and it was true. He had heard that question so many times already... "Just ask her out, dude. It's simple"

"But what about Nino?" Adrien asked again "Should I...help him?" Thiago gave his friend a look of disbelief.

"I can't believe you just asked me that" he replied, shaking his head in disapproval "I thought a guy like you would have more common sense" upon seeing Adrien's confused glance, he added "When you like someone, the one thing you shouldn't do is help someone else to ask them out. It's the basics, amigo"

"But he is my best friend" argued Adrien, and Thiago couldn't believe how similar Arianne and Adrien were.

"Two sides of the same coin" he mumbled to Jazmin, who giggled "Look, I'll talk to Nino for you"

"Wait, what? What are you gonna tell him?" questioned Adrien, panicking a bit.

"Don't worry" assured Thiago "I won't tell him what happened here" he gestured to the classroom "I know how to keep a secret" he winked at him in a friendly manner, and Adrien smiled, glad that he had a friend like him in his life.

"Nino, hey!" called Thiago to his friend later that day, outside the school "I was looking for you!"

"Well, now you found me!" replied Nino, and both friends bumped fists "What's up?" Thiago took a moment to organise his thoughts and figure out what to say before actually starting to speak.

"Okay, look. I know you have a crush on Arianne" he said, forthright, which made Nino go red as a cherry.

"How-how do you know that?" stuttered the boy, rubbing his neck nervously.

"Adrien told me" replied Thiago, but quickly added something else to make sure that Nino wouldn't get angry at Adrien for telling his secret "Don't be mad at him, I may have insisted a bit" Nino listened silently, and Thiago kept talking "Look..." he took a deep breath "There's nothing wrong with it, but there's something you should know" Nino frowned upon hearing how anxious he was "She is in love with someone else" Nino arched his eyebrows upon hearing that.

"Who?" Thiago sighed and ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"I can't really tell you" replied the boy "I promised her I wouldn't, but is better that you know the truth now than later on"

"Woah" breathed out Nino. There was silence for a moment, and Thiago wondered what Nino was thinking. Was he mad? Was he heartbroken?

But, much to his surprise, Nino smiled at him.

He smiled at him.

"Thanks, dude" he finally said, making Thiago raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"You're not angry?" questioned the white-haired "Or sad?"

"No, why would I be?" questioned Nino, surprising Thiago even more "I mean, of course it's sort of disappointing, but I can't do anything if she's into someone else. I'm glad you told me this before doing something that might make her uncomfortable"

"That's..." Thiago was looking for the words to say "....actually very kind of you" he finally said, making Nino smile "Arianne would really appreciate a friend like you"