Nino and Marinette couldn't remember life without each other. They had been friends since birth. Caral had met Sabine at a coffee shop shortly after Sabine moved to Paris. Caral and Tom had grown up in Paris together. So naturally, when Carol learned that Sabine loved baking, was a skilled decorator and needed a new job to stay in Paris, she introduced the two. Tom was a caterer and working on opening a bakery. He had hired James to help him update this building he had bought. The main floor was a storefront, while the upstairs was a home. Slowly a friendship formed in this group then weddings and soon babies.

Nino was born a month before Marinette and soon the parents had built-in babysitters, they swapped date nights. And Marinette spent many days at Nino's house because Caral was a great babysitter. However as the two grew, it becomes clear, Nino had no rhythm and Marinette needed coordination. So their parents put them in an after-school dance class. And Nino did find rhythm and a passion for music. It did not work out as well for Marinette, the girl had no grace in flats, but put her in heals or point shoes and she could fly. Her teacher couldn't understand it. Eventually, the two kids landed on ballroom dancing as their favourite. They had a trust and bond that made them great partners. As they grew up, swing and waltz become their favourite to do for the yearly showcase. They had thought about becoming a competitive team, but their teacher had them helping with the music mixing and with the making of costumes. So they worked out a deal, they got a free dance class and practice space every Saturday in exchange for helping out (and gaining some job experience) and whenever their teacher needed a duet for a showcase or something they were her go-to team. 

Everyone thought these to would end up in love, their families were close, they even when on vacation together. It seemed that the two kids could read each other minds, they moved as one, hardly needed to talk. Everyone shipped then as it were, that was until Adrien and Alya showed up, on the same day, that first day of school changed everything. 

Moments after the gum insitent...

"Nino right?" Adrien asked after Marinette snapped at him. 

"Yeah dude, that's me." Nino knew what was coming. 

"You saw that right? I was trying to take it off." He looked down.

"You could have said that dude." Nino sighed.

"I... Chloe is my only friend..." He fidgeted. 

"Dude, that's wrong on so many levels. Mare happens to be my best friend, so I'll save you." he patted Adrien on the back. 

The new version of the Umbrella Scene 

"I can't believe I forgot my umbrella Tiki." Mariette sighed. Tiki didn't have time to answer because Adrien stood next to her. "Adrien?" The boy smiled at her. "Look Nino and I talked, I'm sorry, I was mad the Chole made me move, she's been bullying me for years and Nino finally moved upfront so that was gonna be so fun. But that's not important, I shouldn't have let my temper get the best of me, and I would like to be friends." She reached out her hand.

"I would like that." Adrien reached his hand out too. He smiled as their figures touched. He guested for her to follow him, she did. As they walked towards his ride, "Would you like us to drop you off?" 

"Oh no, I live right there." She pointed to the bakery a little less than a block away. "It will be fine." 

Adrien then handed her his umbrella, "You can return it to me tomorrow." 

The rest of the scene plays out in the show. Except for Marinette is a touch more confident around Adrien you know more like a normal girl would be in real life.

New Version of the Zoo date

Nino knew everyone and school shipped him with Marinette they weren't exactly suttled about it. And yes while he had liked her in the past, he knew she liked Adrien. She admitted as much after their talk on the second day of school. Sure it burned him that his best friend liked his new best bro and not him, but the more they got to know Adrien he could see why. For being locked away most of his life he had the biggest heart. And he admitted to Marinette that he wanted to get to know Alya better. Mari was more than willing to help him get to know her new best gal pal. 

What they didn't know was Alya and Adrien were hatching a plan without them. "Hey, Alya?" Adrien caught her before school one day, you know how everyone seems to think that Nino and Marinette should be dating?" 

"Duh! She never gives me a straight answer and who she likes though..." Ayla giggled, she didn't blame the girl, their friendship was new, she could wait and earn the respect points needed to gain access to that info. 

"Well, what if we gave them a push in the right direction? Everyone I've asked says if it was supposed to happen it would have by now. But I don't get what they mean by that." 

"Well, I'm all for helping out new friends out! Oh hey, my dad says there's a new panther at the zoo, you up for a little date set up?" Alya's eyes sparkled with mischief. 

Nino and Marinette had been so excited when Alya suggested they all go to the zoo that day after school. So at 4, Nino and Mari met at the zoo, with Alya and Adrien hiding in the bushes talking through Bluetooth devices. They both sent the sorry something came up text. 

"Oh, Ayla's mom needs her to watch the twins." Mari sighed, "Sorry Nino." 

"Adrien's dad gave him a last-minute photoshoot. Sorry Mare" 

"Well, that's okay. We can have fun like old times eh Ninny." She winked and jabbed his side. 

"Hey!" Nino laughed, "Whatever you say Nettie." He winked back. 

"Boy, these two like nicknames." Alya chuckled. 

"No kidding, Nino has like for or five for her, that I'm not allowed to use under penalty of death." Adrien laughed. 

"Ah, so I'm not the only one." 

"Nino don't look now, but I think we've been set up." Mari giggled. 

"Oh, what do you mean Mar?" Mari used her eyes to point to the bushes where Nino saw too much moving. "Ah! Right they don't know we dance and have given up on a romance with each other." he teased, he'd told Mar last year how he felt and she wasn't ready to date back then and hadn't really been interested either. Then she met Adrien. 

Before Mari could rebuttal, a young girl came up to them. "Are you two Madems star students?" 

"Yes, little dude we are! But really we are just her showcase students." 

"Would you dance for me please?!" The little girl begged. 

"You wearing your clipons Mar" Nino asked already knowing the answer. 

"With you around always." She teased. She pulled the heal attachment out of her bag and clicked them on. "Alright, little lady you take a seat." 

Nino stood first removing his hat and headphones a sight that both shocked and confused the spies in the bushes. What was going on here? Marinette could wear heels? The girl was walking a train wreck half the time. Nino pulled his phone out of his pocket hit max volume and chose their swing song. 

As the music started to play, he did a little move and helped Mari form her seat, they improvise their way into their choreographed routine. The little girl clapped and popped to the music. Adrien and Alya suddenly understood why people didn't bother trying to set up these two, they were dance partners, if a romantic connection was going to happen it would have by now! As the kids took a bow a panther ran by. Followed by all the zoo animals!

"Everyone scatter!" Nino called as everyone ran giving Mari the chance she needed to transform. After meeting up with her leather-clad partner and she saw a chance to help Nino out, he and Alya happen to be running away from the same animal. She quickly through them in the same animal cage giving them a chance to talk. 

After the battle which stays the same

The four friends met outside the bakery.  "So Alya tells me you two were trying to set us up on a date?" Nino teases the two mischief-makers. 

"Ya, it was my idea. I just thought...." Adrien started. 

"Don't worry Adrien your not the first and you won't be the last, it's the top question we get asked at showcases." Mari placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 

"So if not each other who do you like?" Adrien looked at his two friends.

Alya who had put a few things together and thanks to her time in the cage with Nino knew that was interested in getting to know her better and that logically meant Marinette was into Adrien or at least that was her guess, she had to save the girl. "Woah Adrien you don't just ask questions like that, those kinds of things have to be earned." 

"Oh right sorry! My bad." Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. 

The bond of friendship these four had was strong. People were shocked when Nino and Alya started dating. Everyone assumed then that Adrien and Marinette would start dating shortly after, it took over a year. But it seemed like there wasn't a problem in the word this group of friends, lovers, and eventual heroes couldn't face together.