Lost in your Arms

The Lily

Dinner with Alya, Adrien and Nino melted from causal smalltalk to reminiscing from high school. Marinette was walking back home, her purse clutched tightly in her hands as Adrien followed beside her.

It was just a little after eight, their conversation never dulling despite the long hours they spent together.

"I can't believe you never told me!" Marinette laughed.

"You can't blame me," Adrien's smile was unrestrained. "You were sitting right there and I was always too busy to study."

"Most of the time I barely passed my tests you know." she leaned against his side as they walked, trying to gain some of his warmth. "Of all people I was probably your worst bet for cheating."

"I realized that after failing a majority of them."

"I didn't fail all of them!"

"No, that was all me that messed up so badly."

Her cheeks tinted rosy pink from not just the chilly air. "Do you want to come in?"

"I better not," he politely declined. "I have an early shift tomorrow morning and I know you'd be weeping for hours after I beat you at Super Smash and Mario Kart."

"Alright, I guess I'll just open the new bottle of three-decade aged wine and a batch of cookies.."

"Don't try and tempt me now." he whined, making her only laugh harder.

"I had a really good time tonight." she got serious. "I think we should try and hang out more often."

"And maybe not try and third-wheel Alya and Nino's make-out sessions."

"Just like in High School."

His face relaxed at her smile and pink cheeks splashed with less-visible freckles ever since summer folded into fall. He leaned down, an instinct he couldn't stop even if he wanted to.

She hesitantly watched his lips, standing on her toes to reach his. She could feel the heat from his face fall across hers before their lips—

S M A S H

They pulled apart, Marinette out of habit reaching towards her hip where her yo-yo usually sat. She winced as Adrien looked back to her confusedly.

"I think it's a break-in." he whispered to her, cautiously backing them up against the barely illuminated brick wall.

"We should call the police." she urged.

He nodded. "You get inside your apartment. I'll call the police and wait in case he tries to escape."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't want him to get away. Besides, I was trained in self-defense."

She didn't seem satisfied but agreed to his plan, already going for her suit to transform into Ladybug while Adrien did the same.

Once Marinette had left the scene and out came Ladybug, she held up her yo-yo near her chest as it pounded. No matter how many times she did this, adrenaline never ceased to pump.

She almost screamed when someone tapped her shoulder, making her spin around too fast to see Chat behind her. He tried to calm her down but was interrupted when another crash and a string of curses came from the dark building.