"Well done for Saturday," Marinette walked into the studio and engulfed Adrien in a hug. They'd topped the leaderboard and the feedback from the judges and the press was incredibly impressive. Suddenly winning the competition seemed a lot closer than they originally thought.

"You too, Miss choreographer extraordinaire." Marinette laughed as she moved away from Adrien, placing her duffle bag at the side and pulling out her ballroom shoes.

They'd spent Saturday night together, in a purely platonic way of course, but Marinette couldn't keep what she'd heard a secret. Adrien needed to know too. If they were both pawns in a bigger game then the least they could do was work together and support each other through it.

Lila had been placed in the bottom two again. Even with the ties to Adrien over the past couple of weeks, she just didn't seem to be getting the audience on side. Whether it was her provocative style of dance, her link to almost every male on the show, or the fact she was coming in between 'Adrinette', no one knew, but one thing was for sure Adrien and Marinette were going to use this new found hatred to their advantage.

"I was thinking, maybe tonight we could go out, like on a date?"

Marinette looked up from buckling her shoe to see Adrien looking the most nervous she'd ever seen. His hand was rubbing the back of his neck, and his stance was shuffling from one foot to another.

"Are you asking me out?" She asked, her eyes growing wide. Her teenage dreams were coming true at this very moment. Marinette and Adrien sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G!

"Well, for the plan," Adrien stated. Marinette felt herself physically deflate. Her mind was running away from her and she actually believed Adrien would want to date her, I mean, Adrien Agreste dated models, not dancers on reality tv shows.

"Oh, well, ok. Yeah, sure." She smiled the best she could at him, before continuing to tighten her shoes.

With her back turned to Adrien she missed the broken look in his eyes. He wanted to ask her out for real, there was something about her that just made him want to know more and more and more. She was caring, considerate, kind, funny, insanely attractive, and she made him happy. The happiest he'd been in years. What's more, Kagami liked her and if Kagami liked someone they were definitely a keeper.

But at the moment he couldn't do it, there was no room for this to be a real relationship. He just hoped and prayed that he could woo Marinette whilst fake dating before asking her out for real when the show was over, when they were free from the intensity of dancing and free to go to Paris and date the proper way.

"Great. So, what's our next dance? Are they keeping me upbeat and latin?"

"Latin, yes," Marinette replied, "upbeat, no." She made her way to the audiosystem and connected it to the bluetooth. An instrumental song played through the soundsystem and Adrien attempted to place it.

The soft sounds of the piano echoed through the empty studio and he watched as Marinette moved her hips and her arms to the beats in the music. She'd obviously already choreographed something and was practicing with the music. Even when she was marking it, she was a wonderful sight. Lost in the music and natural rhythm taking over each step and hip movement. She was glorious.

Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

Romeo and Juliet. Star Crossed lovers. A rumba. They were dancing a rumba. As he watched each delayed movement as she walked it though he swore his heart was beating out of his throat. This was going to be the hardest dance he had to do. Forget the intricate footwork of a jive or a quickstep, the adoration he would need to perform a decent rumba was going to kill him.

There was no way he could act in love. Why? Because he was quite sure he was already on his way there.

Marinette closed her eyes and recalled the steps she'd come up with last night, intricate turns, close body rocks, hands everywhere ... it was going to be the hardest one yet. The hardest routine she had ever choreographed, and the hardest she'd ever have to perform.

When she danced with Luka, it was easy. It was purely acting. He didn't like her that way and she definitely didn't like him that way. He was her best friend, not the guy she was fake dating, or the guy she was falling for, because no matter how much she denied it, no matter how much she tried to be professional, she was falling for him. Actually, it was too late, she had already fallen for him.

She continued to mark the steps counting in her head the beats and bars, making sure she hit the correct beats and counts she'd choreographed to. She needed to make sure she controlled herself, she couldn't make Adrien feel uncomfortable, not when they'd made such a large progression in their friendship and partnership over the past couple of weeks.

Lost in the music, Marinette had no idea of the young adult behind her, moving in to do something so out of character anyone would think he'd been on the wine.

Grabbing a hold of Marinette's hips, his feet began to move in time with hers. Side, together, side, together, forwards, together, backwards, together. His large hands covered her hips, the pressure sent shivers down her spine as he swayed behind her.

With pressure to one hip, Adrien spun her around to face him, grabbing her hand and leading her to the middle of the floor. Losing himself in the music, he moved her around the room, pulling and pushing her into his body. He'd never let himself move this freely, he'd never done anything this freely. The confines of his surname had always dictated what he did, but standing here and dancing with Marinette, at this very moment, every restriction had been smashed. He was Adrien, no longer the Adrien Agreste.

Marinette looked into Adrien's green eyes and couldn't help but smile. She'd never seen him look so young, so free. He looked happy, he looked like himself and as unnerving as it felt, it was also heart stuttering to see. He looked gorgeous.

They continued to move, eyes lost in one another, as the music came to an end. He pulled her in closer to his body, allowing her to rest her head against his chest. She felt like a sixteen year old girl at prom with her crush, gently swaying to the music and taking in his smell to make a mental note of the occasion.

Adrien moved one hand into her hair, holding her head close to his body and pressing his mouth to the top of his head. He kept it there as the music finally came to a halt and they continued to sway in silence.

"I'm so happy I've met you."

His words vibrated through her head. She looked up and noticed the green iris of his eyes had been taken over by black. So much black.

"I'm glad I've met you too," her voice was nothing more than a whisper as she tried to make sense of his look.

Bending down to her level he brushed his nose against Marinette's in a slight eskimo kiss, pulling away so he could study her reaction before moving back to do it again. His nose brushed hers and he grasped the back of her head, leaning forward to bring his lips level with hers. He heard her gasp for breath, and took it for a good sign. Closing his eyes he went lower and lower, he was going to kiss her. It was time.

"Adrien, Marinette, we need to talk."

The partners sprang away from each other as the door to the studio slammed open.

•••••

TIME TO VOTE
Who's at the door?
🖤 Gabriel
❤️ Plagg