𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 ✔️

Chapter Eighteen

"That's hilarious!"

"It is not!" Marinette hissed. "I smacked his butt!"

That only got Alya to laugh harder.

"This is serious!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm beginning to treat him like my husband!"

"Is that a bad thing?"

Marinette choked. "Yes."

Alya quirked a brow.

And Marinette's brow furrowed. "Wait a minute. You said-"

"I'm not pushing you into anything!" Alya immediately defended, tossing her hands in the air. "All I'm saying is that you love his daughter, you enjoy spending family time together with them, you enjoy his company, and don't you dare tell me you two don't have date nights."

Marinette avoided her friend's gaze as she begged her cheeks to not flare up.

Alya sighed. "Okay, in all seriousness, harassment and teasing aside, I'm going to ask you to think about it. Not because I'm pushing you into anything, but because I see how important they are in your life as well as how important you are in theirs. Again, I don't want to push you into anything- if you're not ready, then you're not ready-but can I at least ask that you seriously consider allowing yourself to take a chance?"

Marinette willed her mouth to move, but no words came out. Instead, she pursed her lips and replayed Alya's words in her head. She reached up for her necklace, only to grab the ladybug pendant. She smiled at the memory. Emma had been so pleased with herself, and she hadn't missed the way Adrien had been looking at her when she had put it on.

"Cute necklace."

Marinette let the ladybug drape over her fingers so Alya could see. "Emma got it for me."

Alya simply raised a brow, but when paired with her smile, it was dangerous. "That explains a lot."

Before Marinette could ask what Alya had meant by that, Alya pointed toward the exit of the building they stood in. "The boys are here."

Marinette looked up to see Nino and Adrien coming through the door, the boys exchanging playful shoulder bumps while Emma held Adrien's other hand. One she promptly let go of when she saw the girls. "Marinette! Marinette!"

Alya shot a knowing glance at Marinette as Emma rushed toward her. Marinette ignored it in favor of kneeling to Emma's level to give the girl running to her a hug.

"What happened to Mrs. Marinette?" Alya smugly inquired.

Marinette ignored her. "Hi Emma. What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't find a babysitter," Adrien said. That's when she noticed the backpack strung over his shoulder, likely full of things to keep Emma entertained while the rest of them fully looked over the wedding venue and discussed how to best set everything up.

It wouldn't be until later that she discovered it held a box of tissues as well.

"Dude," Nino observed, watching Adrien blow his nose for the umpteenth time in the half hour they were there.

Adrien just shrugged.

"Coming down with something?" Alya said. "Have you been taking care of yourself?"

"Yes."

"No."

Everyone looked to Marinette, who was staring Adrien down. "You've been running yourself into the ground lately. Especially when you were on that trip."