CatWalk

Thirty-Four

Marinette returned to work after her interesting dinner with Luka. She was humming the tune of Luka's song Bluebell. Marinette wouldn't admit it but she thought of the first poem she had gotten.

'Your pretty bluebell eyes.'  was the sentence in the poem that spoke to her the most. She used to think that the author of the poem could sense she was Ladybug just by the specific color of her eyes. That, however, it was a childish way of thinking or in that matter hoping.

. "How was your dinner?" Adrien asked. Marinette could tell that he was itching to know the details. She couldn't tell if it was out of jealousy or curiosity.

"Fine. I think. I did drop a few bombshells on him." She said as she continued the work, she had left to go on date.

"He took it well maybe a little too well? I know it's the reaction I didn't expect." Marinette added. She thought maybe Luka would hate her or shun her not just be his content self. Of course he seemed uncomfortable when she told him that ChatNoir was Emma's father.

Was it that Emma was truly ChatNoir's that bothered Luka or the fact that soon after the break up she had pounced on the first good looking guy? Friends or not.

"I'm here for you if you need...."
He was cut off by this weird feeling that if he finishes his sentence he'll either be in the 'Friend Zone' forever or be the rebound guy.

It was as if lightning had suddenly hit him. HE WAS THE REBOUND GUY. If Marinette wasn't so emotional they wouldn't have had sex and Emma wouldn't be here.

"I'm not a rebound, am I?" Adrien blurted out. He wanted to retract his statement as soon as he said it. Retracting a magazine or newspaper article looked easier than this.

"What gave you that idea?" Marinette asked.

"Nothing." He replied not wanting to confess the truth.

"Tell me." Marinette begged letting curiosity lead her side of the conversation.

"Was it the time I went to your apartment? Did you think that kiss was brought on by me trying to get over Luka? You're half right. I might of used you as rebound but it wasn't to get over Luka. No, it was to get over some else entirely." She explained as she stood up to shut the Sewing Machine room door. She was going to tell Adrien everything.

He sat patiently for words to pass her lips which were covered in a Matte lipstick by Sephora. He had seen the lipstick in a magazine he starred in but just couldn't remember the name of it. Was it pink frosting? Frozen strawberry? Cinder rose? Whatever it was, it suited her.

She bit her bottom lip trying to think of the words to say. Then the thought crossed her mind that she might be unintentionally setting up a test or more like a trap for who was the best suitor. To confess everything and see who best reacts. Was that fair?

"It's not fair." Marinette complained. She hated herself for letting this drag on for so long. She knew that Luka was the correct choice. He had been there by her side ever since she told him she was pregnant and didn't what him to worry about being father to a child that wasn't his. He however took the responsibility as if Emma was actually his. Feeding her, diaper changes, walking up in the middle of the night, and even providing an apartment for her and her daughter to live in that wasn't too fair from Sabine and Tom.

He was the perfect guy. He cared for her and Emma when he got nothing in return. Choose him. Choose him. Marinette's head throbbed. But something didn't set with her. She knew Tikki always repeated that Ladybug and ChatNoir were destined to be together. They were together once upon a night. Why should that stop her from having a happily ever after with another man?

"Marinette?" Adrien called trying to get her mind back to Earth. He had stepped towards her, backing her against the door.
Wanting nothing more then to be with her.

"Adrien, I... I... you're close." She stuttered. Once again feeling like that lovestruck schoolgirl.

"Marinette..." he tangled his hands in her pixie haircut. He wasn't content with just threading his fingers. He wanted to kiss her that was obvious. He was so close.

"I love..." She shushed him with her index finger before he could finish his sentence.

"Don't." She new if he had finished his sentence. She would be his. It was that simple.

Adrien smiled but his green eyes looked so said to be shot down before he even confessed. Did she not see Adrien or ChatNoir as a proper husband? Or as a father figure for Emma?

He move her hand before telling her something she didn't except. "I love the color of lipstick you're wearing. You look quite kissable." Then he added as he kissed the back of the very same hand Marinette had used to shush him.