Any sound that had just been coming from inside the classroom went silent. Tikki's voice sounded from behind the door. "What was that? Excuse me, your highness, we must be going now." Marinette heard her father's soft voice say goodbye before Tikki hung up the call. 

For a moment, Marinette felt a strong pang of sadness over having missed the phone call, but then she looked down. Marinette  stared in horror at the sick she left on Adrien, now immobile. Adrien's perfectly polished brown shoes were now very much not perfect. "Oh no, oh no," she whispered, but it sounded more like a whine, or a cry. "I'm so sorry, so, so, so sorry, I don't, I'm sorry..."

Tikki's voice sounded again, this time closer, as she swung upon the door. "Marin -- OH!" 

Marinette could only imagine Tikki's expression at the view in front of her. Tikki started clucking like a chicken as her high heels clomped across the polished floors. "What happened!" she yelled. 

Marinette stammered, but Tikki interrupted her. "Oh no! Nurse! Maid! Someone, the princess is ill!" She ran off turned the corner, and they heard her calling all the way down the hall. She passed Luka, but Marinette refused to look at him as she chose to stare at the mess in front of her.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to," Marinette promised, feeling her face go white. She willed her body to relax as she looked up at Adrien, who stared, frozen, at his soiled shoes. But when his green eyes met hers, Marinette saw his face change, to something just as unreadable. He shrugged off his shoes, carefully keeping his black socks away from anything gross, and walked around to the other side of Marinette. She shrunk, hoping he wouldn't yell at her. 

Instead, Adrien got down on a knee and held out his hand. 

Marinette stared at it, confused. 

Adrien let out a soft chuckle and went to grab her right hand, and gave it a little shake. "Are you okay? Are you good to stand up?" 

"I'm so sorry," Marinette said a little breathlessly, his soft fingers gently resting on her own. "Your shoes."

He shook his head. "They're just shoes. Are you ill?"

Marinette stared at his hand. He had a thin but long scar across his knuckles, bright white against his tan skin. "I don't think so."

"Was it anxiety?"

Marinette raised an eyebrow up at him. "What?"

Adrien shrugged as he slowly stood, helping Marinette slowly rise from the floor, both of them stepping away from the sick. "Um, sometimes when I get really anxious over something, my tummy turns a lot, and I get sick." 

Marinette cracked a smile. "Your tummy?"

Adrien's cheeks flushed, but he smiled sheepishly. "My stomach. My stomach turns."

"No, let's stick with tummy," she teased. "Wittle bitty tummy wummy." 

Adrien fake gagged as he let go over her hand. "Now it's my turn to throw up."

She let out a little giggle, glad to realize she physically felt fine. "I'm so sorry about your shoes. And, um, this memory." 

Adrien pulled his head back, looking down at her sideways. "Do we need to take you to the nurse? Maybe they'll help your memory come back. I JUST said they're just shoes, and it's not a big deal." She rolled her eyes.  "Are you feeling better now?" 

Marinette scrunched her face at the lingering taste in her mouth. "Yes, but I need to go get some mints or something." 

Adrien laughed out loud. He held out his arm in the way Plagg taught him yesterday. Marinette, confused, grabbed hold, and they walked the opposite way Tikki had run. Marinette ignored the mischievous smirk Adrien wore. 

"Um, where are we going?" Marinette asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence. 

Adrien stopped abruptly, and his head rotated like an owl. "Huh," he said. "Well, at first I thought it would be helpful to get some fresh air, but then I realized I have no idea how to go outside. So, I guess we're just going for a hallway stroll."

She chuckled. "This way." Marinette led him down another hallway, out the way she escaped the first time, through the servants' area. The two, arm in arm, passed many workers, but no one questioned them. Marinette smiled at the few who made eye contact, and though they smiled back shyly, mostly, the two were ignored. 

They passed through the back door, heading into the garden. The grass was still slightly wet because the rain yesterday ran throughout the night, so Marinette made sure they only walked on dry paths. She couldn't imagine how miserable it would be for Adrien if he not only got his shoes puked on but then had to walk around in wet socks. 

Once they arrived at the same table as yesterday, Adrien motioned for Marinette to let go of his arm, which he used to open the seat for her. She gave a quiet, "Thank you," and sat down gently. Adrien followed suit. Adrien closed his eyes, and Marinette realized he wanted silence. She wasn't going to complain. 

"I'm sorry I was rude yesterday," he said, his voice quieter. "I get nervous sometimes."

Nervous? Marinette raised her eyebrows. "Why?"

Adrien looked at her dubiously. "Um. You're the princess."

Marinette scrunched her face. "Yeah, but you're Adrien Agreste." 

"Okay?" he said. "And?" 

She sat back, confused. "And... You're famous. Shouldn't you be used to meeting new people?" 

"Uh, not the princess, Princess." His eyes lit at the joke. Marinette liked seeing that look on him. It fit much better than the emotionless one. 

She hummed in understanding. "I'm sorry I was rude, too. I wasn't nervous, but I was annoyed." Her joking tone didn't placate him like she'd hoped. Instead, Adrien blushed and ducked his head a little. 

"Sorry," he said again. 

Marinette smiled. It was genuine, and it didn't burn the way her fake smiles did. She gestured down to his socks and said, "I think we're even."

He looked down and covered his mouth with his hand, clearly hiding a smile. "Okay, we're even." 

"Friends?" 

Adrien nodded, and held out his hand. "Friends." 

Marinette took it. Adrien grabbed it instead of shaking it, but then he kissed the top. Marinette forced herself to think about missing her father so that she didn't blush. 

They sat there for as long as they could, doing an unofficial GTKY activity. Marinette learned that Adrien liked the color orange, but not like a Halloween orange -- even though he loved the holiday, which Marinette vehemently disagreed with -- but more of a sunset orange. Adrien learned that Marinette loved soup and hated fish. They both loved video games, but neither had time now they were older. They avoided any topics that could even touch the surface of serious, and Marinette realized that she liked talking to him. 

It was interrupted, of course, when Tikki found them.

"Where have you been?" Tikki demanded. Her eyes were wide, and her hair frazzled. "We've been looking for you for the past half hour! You cannot disappear on us like that." 

Marinette sat up straight, smiling sheepishly. "Hi, sorry."

Her temporary guardian didn't look happy. "Follow me, we're getting you to bed. Can't believe you came outside after being so ill!"

"I'm really okay," she promised. 

But Tikki shook her head. "Absolutely not. You need to head to bed, right away. We cannot have you sick, especially since your first official date is this weekend! We'll give you rest for this week, and then you'll be ready for Saturday!"  

"What? I can't leave my room for how long?" She felt annoyance bubble heavily up in her chest, and her ears felt hot. 

"A week!" Tikki said, smiling widely, a glint of revenge in her eyes. "We have to make sure you're well!" 

"I don't even have a fever," Marinette said. 

"We don't want you to get one. An upset stomach is no small feat!" 

"You have got to be kidding me." 

Tikki's eyes scrunched. "I don't joke about this kind of thing. Now, get inside and take a bath. And go. to. bed." 

_

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