Marinette's POV

I stared at the message for a while before I felt a hand pull my waist tighter towards a body. I looked up at Adrien, putting of a façade that I hoped he didn't notice. When his eyes glanced to my phone, I knew he thought something was wrong.

I smiled before putting down my phone and shaking my head, I'll deal with Lila later.

It wasn't long until our friends got back into a normal conversation, allowing me to drift into thought. There was no way Lila knew I was Ladybug unless she saw me detransform. I had forgotten that she was the one to start the first rumor in the first place, so seeing this happen caused me to falter. I was stupid once again.

"Marinette?" I heard Alya's voice call my name, making me snap out of my thoughts. "So what movie should we watch later, I know you have good ones to watch."

"Oh I don't mind what movie we watch." I smiled, taking a sip of the sprite that I had in front of me.

"I say we watch a scary movie." Kagami said, making me began to choke on my drink. Adrien rubbed my back while I grabbed a napkin to wipe anything left on my face.

"Oh right, I forgot Marinette doesn't like scary movies." Kagami said, looking me straight in the eyes. Everyone sat there and watched the interaction.

"N-no it's okay, we can watch the scary movie. What did you guys have in mind?" I hated scary movies, absolutely despised them. Every time after watching one I would have weird nightmares that would last for weeks, or feel Deja vu every time I experienced something weird.

I started to fumble with my drink nervously after thinking about watching a scary movie. Did my friends want to kill me or something?

***

Instead of Adrien and I going to my house for a while so we could get snacks and blankets to go over Alya's, we went to his place instead. I wasn't one to brag or anything, but the fact that Adrien, my boyfriend, had a huge penthouse and was able to easily afford it was remarkable. He liked to downplay it a lot, probably because he was used to his fortress of a home with his father.

He told me that he was able to easily afford his penthouse from the money he still gets from modeling, which is apprently a lot considering he was an 18 year old supermodel in Paris.

As usual, we took a Taxi to his penthouse, then went up the elevator. He opened the door for me, allowing me to get comfortable in the space again.

"You know I kind of like the fact that we're watching a scary movie, then you'll have no choice but to cling on me." Adrien said as he led me into his bedroom of the penthouse.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair before opening up the covers and taking out my phone, reviewing the message Lila had sent me.

"Oh come on, it was a joke, we don't have to go if you don't want to." He said, coming up behind me and placing a kiss on my forehead. I rolled my eyes, then pulled the blanket further up my head. "Oh so now we're ignoring me, aren't you. I bet I could do some things that would make tell my name..." he placed a kiss on my ear, before he paused. "Is that from Lila?" He asked.

I nodded, staring at the text. "How does Lila still think that your Ladybug?" He asked, grabbing the phone out of my hand and taking a better look at the text. "What the hell, does she have a death wish?"

"I'll figure it out." I said, curling myself into a ball on the bed, "It's nothing I can't solve."

"Don't forget Mari, we're a team. Your my girl, you need to tell me these things." He said softly.

"Yeah yeah, it just feels like another scandal to frighten me. Even if it may not be real, it still feels like a threat." I felt the bed dip beside me, then arms wrap closely around my body.

"You and your parents still fighting?" He asked.

"We're back to ignoring each other again. The only thing my mother does is tell me to come down stairs and eat dinner. Although I did hear her come into my room once while I was about to fall asleep, and whisper that she was sorry to herself. I guess that's a start." Adrien kissed my cheeks before his hand suddenly dipped under my stomach.

"I guess there's a start for everything."

***

Freshly showered and wearing one of Adrien's sweatshirts had never been better. The shower cooled me down and wearing Adrien's scent around me calmed me.

Lila's text was probably just a thing to scare me, nothing more, nothing less. I would worry about all of that later, and have a night with my friends for once.

"Are you scared M'Lady, I'll protect you." Adrien whispered as he put the blanket around us. Right now, we were waiting on Luka and Chloe to come in. Kagami was sitting on the couch across from us with her own blanket around her.

I don't know why she felt like sitting so far away since we still had two cushions left right beside me.

Alya and Nino were sitting on the floor, listening to some music.

"We're here bitches." Chloe sang as she walked into the apartment. Luka followed behind her and gave me a small smile.

"Hey Luka, finish that song yet?" I asked.

"Not yet, haven't found the right melody." He said, coming to sit next to me. That was until a certain green eyed boy got up from his cushion, pulling me up with him.

"Shoot, forgot popcorn. We'll be right back." Adrien popped up and said.

"Well Chloe and I could go get some for you." Luka said smoothly.

"Nope, that's fine, Marinette and I would do it."

Luka gave a knowing look to Adrien and a smirk of a smile. I squinted my eyes in confusion before Adrien pulled me off to the kitchen to cook some popcorn. He went to the cabinet, and then roughly grabbed the popcorn, bringing it up to the microwave while taking off the plastic and throwing it in.

"No need to get so aggressive." I said to him, looking at the popcorn which made a large sound when hitting the inside of the microwave.

Adrien ignored me, closing the microwave and then pressing the popcorn button.

"Hey, what did I do?" I said, folding my arms in annoyance.

"Have you finished the that song yet Luka?" He mimicked a high pitched girly voice, "Oh I haven't found the right melody yet." He changed his voice to sound deeper and more like Luka's. I knew it wasn't a time to laugh, but I actually giggled. "It's not that funny."

"Well when you have a goofy jealous boyfriend, it kind of is." I giggled again, hiding my mouth behind my hands. "I'm sorry but the way you mimicked it was hilarious. And I don't sound like that-."

"That's not the point Marinette." I was glad the microwave was louder then our conversation, hiding our voices from the rest of the group.

"How are you going to get mad at me for having a conversation with a friend?" I asked, getting defensive now.

"Don't act like I don't know where friends lead to, first it's friends, then talking, then somehow dating."

"Did you forget we're dating to get married, or did that whole idea just flow out the window?" I asked.

He paused, then gave a soft smile. "F-fine, your right." His face suddenly became red and his hand went behind his neck. Seeing the soft, nervous, blush side of Adrien was kind of hot.

A sudden burst of confidence came over me, making me act on impulse. "We are dating for marriage correct?" I asked. His blush deepens, causing me to walk towards him. He started to back up towards the microwave, making me internally chuckle.

"Y-yeah, it would be nothing else." His back hit the counter, causing him to stop backing up. Right then, the microwave went off, making me reach my hand over his shoulder, encasing him to the wall.

"Good, wouldn't want it any other way... Kitty." I pulled the microwave door open, grabbing the hot popcorn which was really burning my hands, but I had to keep my act up to look tough and intimidating.

Adrien's eyes were now wide open while I turned around to go back to his seat since it seemed he didn't want me sitting next by Luka.

"Everything fine, Adrien?" Alya chuckled, causing me to look behind me at Adrien. His face was still red as he walked behind me.

"Everything's fine, Alya." I answered for him, sitting down on his seat. He sat down on mine and then leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"Nice game Marinette."

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A/N: this was just a refreshing chapter more about the romance aspect of Adrien and Marinette and the romantic tension. It wasn't really an action packed or plot filled chapter. Anyway, how are you liking the book so far?