If Only

affection | part 6

I can never decide

whether Paris is more

beautiful by day

or by night

- midnight in Paris

***

The night was wonderful. Dinner at Tour d'Argent, a restaurant she had always wanted to dine at, watching Notre Dame light up in its brilliance with the Parisian starry night looking down upon its city. Adrien calling her beautiful, kissing the side of her head, holding her hand, oh what a dream she never wanted to wake up from. The best part is, the night was still young.

Adrien led her out of the restaurant with one hand on her lower back, protectively. She was in literal heaven. He called for his bodyguard to bring the limo around and they both hopped in, Adrien once again opening the door for her. He interlocked their fingers for the third or fourth time that evening and murmured to his bodyguard their next stop. She assumed it was the movie theatre but was pleasantly surprised when they stopped at a candy store called the candy palace!

Multicolored delectable goods lined the walls and tables of the cozy shop. Marinette's taste buds were on high alert, begging for a taste of a sweet treat. Adrien wrapped his arm around the girl and spun her swiftly in a dip. The blunette let out a surprised squeal and recovered herself quickly.

He lifted her back to a proper standing position, tightened his arms around her so they were as close as one could be to another, and whispered, "I heard that the best thing to do is buy candy from someone other than the movie theatre. Then sneak it in."

Marinette, feeling spontaneous, bopped his nose with her finger and whispered even softer, "Why mister Agreste, are we going to go to jail? Because that would be terribly boring."

He laughed into a sigh. "I sure hope not Mari. After all, jail wouldn't be so bad with you beside me."

The girl blushed as red as a tomato and briskly walked into the store. "Don't say things like that. It makes me blush too much."

Adrien grabbed her shoulders once inside the building and twisted her around. "I like your blush," he murmured.

Feeling a sense of deja vu regarding a certain cat, Marinette shifted her weight onto her tip toes and ran her hand through Adrien's silky locks. She swore she could hear a lulling purr rumble in his throat, but maybe that was just her imagination. The boy swiftly grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers, kissing her knuckles one at a time.

Marinette playfully shoved him and pulled away, blushing intensely. Focusing on the present, she glanced around at the multicolored candies and colorful decorations. Her mouth couldn't help but water at the delectable treats on display. Adrien tapped her shoulder.

"Your treat bag, m'lady," the blond smirked while bending in a bow.

"Why, thank you, my knight. How kind of you."

Bag in tow, Marinette swirled like a tornado around the shop, depositing as many items as she could. She could hear the silent laugh from Adrien but ignored it. When she was hungry, nothing was getting in her way. What seemed seconds later, they were off to the La Filmothèque du Quartier Latin Cinema near the candy shop. Again, Adrien chose an older movie theatre not just for its location but its movies. Classic films released from the 1960s-1990s were commonly played on the large screen. Luckily, it was a quiet night with few Parisions and tourists alike enjoying the theatre's ambience.

Marinette stepped out onto the pavement sidewalk and breathed in the city smells. She was giddy from being with her crush, the candy store, and dinner. The door was opened and she stepped inside the warmth flowing from the vents of the building.