Table Sitting
Uh so someone actually held me accountable so here’s more Miraculous shit. First fic of the new year, so it’s only fitting that it’s a new year fic~
Also can I just say *spoilers to season 5 (released on Disney+) in the next few words* THEY FED ME MARICHAT CRUMBS AND THEN IMMEDIATELY RIPPED IT AWAY FROM ME I’M SO MAD anyways enjoy~ ——————– Summary: Marinette decides to take Alya’s advice to sit underneath a table during New Years in order to see if in 2023, she could get a relationship. What she isn’t expecting is for Adrien, her very good friend and lowkey-crush to sit next to her underneath the table. Conversation ensues.
Trigger Warnings: None
Content Warnings: Swearing ——————– “What are you doing?”
Marinette looked up to see Adrien snorting amusingly at her.
“Trust me, if the world worked my way, I wouldn’t be under here.”
“Well, why are you here?” Adrien asked, kneeling down to be eye level with Marinette.
“Ah, Alya saw this new thing where if you are under a table during midnight, you’ll get into a relationship that year. Since she and I are the only two single people in our friend group, she begged me to try it. Unfortunately, when I agreed, I didn’t think we would be at a party for all of the class.” Marinette let out a small laugh. “I think Alya’s over there.”
“No, I don’t think she is.” Adrien let a smile dance around his lips as he turned to point to Alya talking to Nino on the couch.
Marinette gasped, “The traitor.”
Adrien shifted all his weight to the ground and motioned to the spot next to Marinette, “May I?”
“Oh please. Just as long as you’re not afraid of being judged about sitting underneath a table.” Marinette moved over so Adrien could have more room. He proceeded to back up until they were sitting next to each other.
“Don’t worry. I never judged you.”
Marinette felt her heart flutter. For some reason, Adrien always knew the right thing to say to her.
“Ah, I never thought you would.” Marinette clicked her tongue, “I’m afraid everyone else would.”
Marinette motioned to the plethora of classmates staring at them with a concerned expression before just waving them off.
“Well, it’s okay, but we’ll be in relationships in 2023 and those losers won’t. Especially your best friend.” Adrien smiled.
Marinette swore that Adrien lit up the world with every smile he gave. At least it lit up hers. She wanted so desperately to be brave enough to tell him her feelings, to tell him that she hoped that them sitting underneath the table would bring her their relationship. But staring at his grinning face, she knew he might not be ready to hear it. Not when they were such amazing friends. Not when he was just fine platonically to her. She wasn’t going to ruin it just yet.
“So what are we supposed to do within the 10 minutes left on the clock?” Adrien asked, looking up at the bottom of the table, tracing his fingers through each curve. Marinette wanted to do the same with his face. She had studied it so much that she memorized the outline. She resisted the urge to trace the air with his outline, his image popping up. There was not one hair out of place in the picture in her mind, and every dimple and mole was present in her image.
“I don’t know. I didn’t think this far.”
“Do you think that Alya just decided not to go underneath the table early?”
“I wouldn’t put it past her for not going underneath it at all.”
“Ah, that’s true.” Adrien snorted before staring off, “My father was supposed to be here today.”
“Really?” Marinette raised an eyebrow, “He doesn’t seem like the type of person to show up.”
“He’s a little controlling…and a lot reserved, but he tries. Sometimes I wonder if he’s ashamed we’re related though.”
“Because he never talks to you?”
Adrien motioned to the doorway where nobody was, “Well, I mean look at the evidence. He hasn’t shown up, and even when he does talk to me, he doesn’t feel like a father. Maybe I’m just not a good enough son...”
Marinette blinked, before turning to Adrien, “Are you seriously worried about not being a good son?”
“It sounds stupid, I know, but…my father is really important to me. He’s the only link we have to family.”
Marinette raised an eyebrow, “Still, Adrien. Every child deserves a parent, but not every parent deserves a child. If anything, he’s not being the correct nurturing parent to you.”
“Debatable.” Adrien shrugged, “I mean, we stopped being close after my mother died. Now that he’s actually making an effort again, it just disheartens me when he doesn’t show up to parties I also go to. Maybe he’s just starting to understand that the universe gave us that space for a reason. Maybe he wants to create that space again.”
“Alright, stop it.” Marinette snapped her fingers, getting Adrien out of his trance and making him turn to her, “Before you start spiraling, I need you to look at me.”
Adrien struggled, but finally managed to look her in the eyes.
“Right, can I touch you?”
Adrien nodded.
Marinette grabbed onto Adrien’s face, bringing them inches apart. She didn’t bother thinking about how close they were, knowing she would faint if she thought about it.
“You. Are. Amazing. You. Are. A. Good. Son. I promise you.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” Marinette nodded, “Now repeat it back to me.”
“I am amazing. I’m a good son.”
Marinette tsked, “That was bad. Again!”
“I am amazing! I’m a good son!” Adrien gave a smile and Marinette returned it.
“Just like that, Adrien. When in doubt, remember what I said.”
“Thanks, Marinette…I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re such a great…”
Adrien hesitated.
“Friend?”
“What? You don’t think of me as your friend?” Marinette bumped her shoulder against him playfully, “I see how it is. Don’t talk to me again.”
“No, no, no, no, no!” Adrien flushed, “Please, Marinette, come back. I do really appreciate you and think of you as a friend…I just don’t know if you’d be happy with me calling you a best friend.”
Marinette paused. She had assumed that Adrien was joking, but this was a new development…even if she was still stuck in the friend zone.
“Ah, you’re funny.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh come on, Adrien. There’s no way that you think of me as that close. I stutter around you. I fumble around you. I say the wrong things. Sometimes I say things that are hurtful to you. I mean, Nino’s even told me this before. We can’t be best friends if I make you feel horrible sometimes.”
“Do you actually think that?” Adrien raised an eyebrow, “Marinette, there are so many things wrong with what you said. First of all, you have never made me feel horrible. Nino probably said that as a joke. That’s a me decision though. It has nothing to do with you. Second of all, everyone says wrong things around others. I tell you if you hurt me, which is not a lot. You communicate with me why you said those things and I know you didn’t mean it the way I took it that way. Third, you have anxiety. Of course you’re going to stutter and fumble. I don’t mind. Seriously. Finally, I mess up all the time around you too. Just yesterday, I spilled my entire milkshake on you. You just laughed it off and helped me clean it off. You just changed outfits like you didn’t mind, but I could tell that a part of you was upset over the ruined outfit. You’re probably the nicest person I’ve ever met. I really appreciate you, and I don’t know how you could think that I wouldn’t see you as one.”
Marinette blinked, staring at the boy smiling in front of her. The golden haired boy with eyes that reminded her of the most beautiful evergreen forests. The boy she fell in love with. The boy she saw as her best friend. The boy she was starting to realize was so special to her.
She didn’t want to lose him. Not now or ever. He was starting to become everything to her.
And yet, she wasn’t sure if he thought the same of her. For all she knew, another girl could come along and become his everything while she was stuck there still trying to get out of the friendzone.
“I guess you’re my best friend too then.” Marinette hummed.
“Good, because I was going to grab that kitchen knife and go stab Alya if I wasn’t.”
Before either of them could say anything else, Lila spoke up.
“Alright guys! Listen up, there’s less than five minutes til midnight. I’ll put the countdown above, but I need someone to help with the ball dropping because of my sprained wrist. Anyone want to volunteer?”
Marinette and Adrien looked at each other before shaking their head.
“Marinette! Adrien! Want to help?’
“Nope. We’re under a table.”
“Just…get out from under it?” Lila raised an eyebrow.
“We’ll do it!” Alya volunteered, raising hers and Nino’s hand.
Everyone watched as the two went to help Lila set it up before the chatter started to bubble up again.
Soon, Adrien and Marinette were able to talk to each other again.
A minute to midnight, Adrien asked Marinette, “Oh, shit, I just realized. There was another tradition of New Years, wasn’t there?”
Marinette raised an eyebrow before it came clear as soon as Juleka grabbed Rose by the waist. “Oh shit.”
“Yeah.” Adrien laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. “I mean…if you’re comfortable with it…I don’t mind.”
Marinette had been waiting for any moment like this to come her way. She had been wishing for a chance to kiss Adrien. Here it was, beating her up in the face with this opportunity, but she knew what her correct answer had to be.
“No, sorry. Is it okay if we don’t?” Marinette gave an awkward smile.
“Yeah, yeah, no of course!” Adrien nodded, turning away from her and towards the screen with the countdown. Marinette thought she saw a flash of shame flood his eyes. It was the first time he had broken eye contact with her since he started talking to her. It was always Marinette who broke it first.
“Sorry.”
“No, no, it’s your right. I’m not going to force you to kiss me if you don’t want to.”
“No, it’s not that.” Marinette sighed, “I really don’t mind. I just…don’t want this to be the kiss between us.”
Adrien raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”
“It’s hard to explain.” Marinette fibbed, knowing she just didn’t want to rat herself out.
“Try me.”
Marinette usually liked it when Adrien said it, as he always understood what she was trying to say, but this time, she wanted to strangle him.
“Well, I just-I don’t want you to-Adrien, don’t make me say it.” Marinette exhaled, almost pleading with him. “I don’t want to say it.”
“Say what?” Adrien asked.
Marinette turned towards the countdown. 30 seconds left.
Well it was now or never. She could leave it behind with the year. Deep breath and just take the risk.
“Adrien, I like you. Not just as a friend, but more. I like you so much that it infuriates me. And I know that you’re not like someone else I’ve liked because for once, you make me feel calm around you. Somehow, even when I think about you, I instantly relax. I am always so nervous around other people. My thoughts whirl around at light speed around me when something happens, but you put me right at ease. I don’t understand it. That’s why I don’t mind kissing you. I mean, I want to, but I’m not going to let our first kiss be because of-MPHF”
Marinette was cut off with lips on hers.
Adrien cupped Marinette’s face, pressing their lips together roughly as she could hear others around screaming the final three numbers to midnight. She felt her heart soar as they connected as soon as it hit midnight.
Immediately after, Adrien separated, flushing, “Sorry, continue.”
Marinette blinked, “I feel like you didn’t hear me when I said that I didn’t want our first kiss to be because of convenience during New Years. I wanted it to have meaning.”
“It did.” Adrien smiled, “Marinette, you have no idea how much I’ve been wanting you to say those words. I really like you too, and I thought that me kissing you was obvious!”
“No, it’s not!” Marinette shoved Adrien, scoffing.
“Well, next time, I’ll just tell you straight out. Maybe when we don’t have 30 seconds on the clock.”
“Agreed.” Marinette smiled. “...is there any chance that we might do that again?”
“Ah, maybe, if I get a girlfriend before I come out from under this table.”
“Oh yeah?” Marinette smirked. “And who are you gonna ask?”
“You tell me. Who should I ask?”
Marinette just grabbed Adrien shirt, pulling him closer to her, “Alright, Rapunzel, come here and give me an actual kiss.”
“First kiss of the year.” Adrien smiled into the soft kiss that they shared. “And maybe girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend.” Marinette nodded.
