Halloween morning, Marinette and Adrien lounged in the library -- Marinette reading the uninformative newspaper while Adrien played on his phone. They were supposed to be doing homework, but it was obvious they were feeling more lax than they should. Marinette had spend the last few days too busy to respond to Chat's texts, which got increasingly more worried about her. She sighed, rereading the messages, and sent him a message.

ladyofthenight: Hey, how's everything going? Any updates?

Chat Noir's reply came almost instantly.

hamsterman32: LADYBUG! I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU.

ladyofthenight: Sorry it took a second to respond. I fell asleep.

hamsterman32: glad you got a six-day rest <3 some people call that a coma, i call that a win

hamsterman32: but its been quiet on my end, but im keeping my eyes peeled. how are you? are you feeling better?

Marinette smiled.

ladyofthenight: I'm good. I'll be able to meet up soon, I think. Be careful out there. We still don't know what the akumas next plans are.

hamsterman32: always careful, my lady! u know me

hamsterman32: ladybug... you are something else. don't push yourself, or else!

ladyofthenight: Or else what?

hamsterman32: or else i'd have to kill you

ladyofthenight: You know, in some places, that might be considered a threat.

hamsterman32: a threat that ill hold up >:) so dont push yourself!!!

Smiling at her phone, Marinette started to write what she hoped was a witty reply, but the heavy door to the library swung open. Both she and Adrien jumped. Adrien's phone flung across the room, while Marinette's flew under her lap, and picking up their books, they pretended to read. They made eye contact, and had to look away before they started laughing.

Tikki sauntered in, jumping excitedly.

"I have news!" she said giddily.

Adrien smiled brightly, hiding his laughter. "Please do share, Tikki!"

Thinking the overly happy response was for her, Tikki spun around, hands held together around her heart and heels clunking on the stone ground. "Next week, we start dance lessons."

Marinette felt her blood go cold as her smile fell. Her voice squeaked, "Dance lessons?"

"Absolutely" Tikki sang. "For the Christmas ball!"

"Christmas? But that's..." Marinette did some mental calculations... "That's, like, a million months away."

Adrien laughed. "That's two months away, Your Highness," he said, bowing his head dramatically.

"But I can't.. I can't dance." She heard herself saying before she could stop herself.

Tikki gave her a Look. "All the more reason to talk about it now. Halloween is this Saturday, and that means that Christmas is right around the corner. In fact, Christmas might be the time that the next stage in your relationship happens, and we need to make it as special as possible."

Marinette couldn't stop the heat flush to her cheeks, unable to deny the flutter of nervousness in her stomach. She kept her eyes off of Adrien, their last almost-kiss playing behind her eyelids. She cringed, unable to deny the flutter of nervousness in her stomach.

"What do you mean, the next step?" Adrien asked. Marinette was not sure how he managed to sound so casual about it.

Tikki giggled. An honest-to-god giggle. "We'll' have to talk about that more in private!" But then, she lifted up her left hand and wiggled her fingers while pointing with the other hand. "But for now, just know that dance lessons start on Sunday!"

When Tikki left, the air was heavy. Marinette felt frozen, but then Adrien laughed, and Marinette's head swung towards him in confusion.

He was grinning cheekily at her. "You're a bad dancer?"

Marinette groaned, putting her face in her hands.

"Come on, Marinette, I find that hard to believe. You're so graceful," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Marinette playfully swatted her hand his way. "Oh, please. I'm a walking disaster on the dance floor."

Adrien chuckled, "Well, lucky for you, I happen to be a fantastic dancer. Maybe I can give you some lessons."

Marinette's heart skipped a beat at the thought of dancing with Adrien. "I'll probably injure the hell out of you."

Adrien smiled warmly, "It would be my pleasure to fall with you."

Marinette flushed, and Adrien stood, pulling the phone he'd flung across the room. He put on some soft music, and walked over to her, holding his hand out, inviting her to join him. Hesitantly, Marinette grabbed it and stood.

As the music played softly in the background, Adrien led her to the center of the room. He pulled her in, until they were inches from each other. They swayed gently, and Marinette couldn't help but feel shaky at the knees. She was in Adrien's arms, and she felt hot, with a swoop of embarrassed excitement flying around her stomach.

"See? You're doing great," Adrien praised, his eyes locked on hers.

Marinette looked down at their feet, barely moving side to side. "Thanks to your amazing teaching skills," she teased, but there was no mistaking the shakiness in her voice.

Adrien smirked, "I'm a man of many talents."

Marinette laughed, feeling the tension ease between them. "Well, I guess I'll have to keep practicing if I want to impress you at the ball."

Adrien twirled her playfully, "Oh, I have no doubt that you'll be the belle of the ball, Princess."

"You know, if you try hard enough, maybe we can dance like this tomorrow on Halloween," Adrien teased.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Only if they actually let me go. " Truth be told, she didn't want to go to the Halloween party. It

He chuckled, pulling her closer, "Well, I hope not. I'd hate to lose my favorite dance partner."

Marinette's heart fluttered at his words, but she knew she hid her face in his shoulder. She could hear his heartbeat from here, but they kept swaying. Three songs passed before Marinette finally gained the courage to speak what she needed to.

"Adrien," she said, "the next steps. Those are big steps."

"Yeah," he agrees, sounding casual.

But his eyes were nervous, and for some reason, his expression was what make her finally speak. Marinette's nerves were a tangled mess, so her words tumbled out oddly. "I... um... I don't quite know how to say this, but... I don't want to pretend anymore."

He froze, his expression wavering between insecurity and hope.

More than anything, she wanted to look away and tell him from across the room, but he was there, looking at her, truly listening. She realized he wouldn't hate her, no matter what way this conversation went. "I know we're just friends, and I don't want to lose you as a friend, because over the past few months I've had a lot of fun and laughed so much. And, pretending feels safer, like I can pretend like I really don't care, but Adrien, I do care. I know I'm just... a commoner, and I know i'm just a princess, but I think you see me more than that--or at least, I hope you do--you're my friend. And I don't want to pretend. If we move onto the next step, I want it to be real and I want to date first. Officially."

As the words left her lips, she felt a surge of relief, but it was followed by a surge of panic. She had said it, confessed her feelings to Adrien, and there was no taking it back now.

Adrien's grin widened, his gaze intense as he gently pulled her closer. "Marinette." He said her name so softly, and Marinette's heart jumped into her already blocked off throat. When he continued, she felt sick--but it was a good sick.

"Marinette, you're an extraordinary person. There's a connection between us that I felt our first meeting... I'm humbled you care about me, too."

Marinette's cheeks blazed with a mixture of embarrassment and exhilaration. Adrien's confession filled her with a euphoria she hadn't expected. She fought to regain her composure, steadying her voice, though her uncertainty lingered like a shadow. She didn't think she was extraordinary. But he did, and hearing him say it, out loud, made her shake.

And she grinned sheepishly. "I'm sorry I didn't kiss you, before."

His lips trembled, and he let out a loud, barking laugh, inches from her face. She covered her face again, "Oh god that was stupid, ignore me."

"No, no," he said between laughs. "You're cute... I forgive you, though," he said, grinning. Then, he moved closer to her face, his breath smelling like mints--she hadn't seen him pop any in, but maybe he was simply always prepared. Then, he said, quietly, "Can I kiss you now?"

Feeling heat in her arms and chest, Marinette looked up at him with a fluttering heart. She nodded, unable to speak any more words out loud.

Adrien leaned in, their faces inches apart, and Marinette's heart raced in anticipation. This was it, the moment she had been waiting for, the moment their lips would finally meet.

But just as their lips were about to touch, the heavy library door swung open with a creak, breaking the moment. Marinette and Adrien pulled away from each other, their faces flushed with embarrassment, and turned to see a messenger standing in the doorway.

"Mr. Agreste," the messenger said, his voice shaking slightly, "your father has arrived at the castle. He wishes to meet with you and the princess."

Marinette's heart sank as she watched Adrien's expression change from one of warmth to one of tension. She tilted her head at his odd response. Did he have a strained relationship with his father?

Adrien nodded to the messenger, his voice tight, "Thank you for letting me know. I'll be there shortly."

As the messenger left, Adrien turned back to Marinette, his smile forced. "I'm sorry, Marinette, but I have to go. My father's arrival is unexpected, and I can't keep him waiting."

Marinette understood the gravity of the situation and nodded, trying to hide her disappointment. "Of course, Adrien. Family comes first."

Adrien gave her a grateful look, his hand briefly touching her cheek. "I promise we'll continue our dance later, and we can talk more about... us."

Marinette smiled, her heart filled with hope. "I'll be looking forward to it."

With a final, lingering glance, Adrien left the library, leaving Marinette alone with her thoughts and the memory of their almost-kiss.

The two descended the grand staircase, each step echoing through the entry hall. Gabriel Agreste, a commanding presence, stood by the front doors with a sense of icy formality, moving as if HE was the one who owned the palace. He inclined his head in a shallow bow as they approached, his voice measured and detached. Marinette immediately decided she didn't like him.

"Adrien," he addressed his son, his tone devoid of warmth. "I apologize for any inconvenience. My schedule has been quite demanding."

Adrien appeared visibly tense, his usual self-assured demeanor replaced by an uneasiness that didn't escape Marinette's notice. It reminded her of his coldness when she first met him -- and now she could see where it came from. He introduced them with a forced smile, "Father, may I present Princess Marinette. Marinette, this is my father, Gabriel Agreste."

Marinette, though still racing with nerves, quickly composed herself. She smiled politely, her words measured, "Monsieur Agreste. Lovely to meet you."

Marinette's eyes were drawn to Gabriel's ring, and a flicker of recognition ignited in her mind. She immediately felt strange at his presence in the castle. It felt wrong. His earrings, they looked like they were crafted from the same material as the Akuma jewelry, the same as the brooch, the same as the bracelet. She would bet that if she saw the jewelry Chat just found, it would be the same.

Although she couldn't discern any hidden numbers or symbols on them, their mere presence sent a shiver down her spine, prompting her to close herself off from Gabriel even more.

With an effort to maintain a courteous facade, Marinette commented, "Your ring is... unique. Lovely." She didn't even care that she'd just used the word Lovely twice.

Gabriel acknowledged the compliment with a reserved nod, his expression unyielding. "Thank you, Your Highness. It was a gift."

Marinette probed further, her curiosity getting the better of her, "I assume they were custom-made?"

"Yes," Gabriel replied tersely. "They hold significant sentimental value to me."

Adrien cleared his throat. "Well, father, what brings you here."

Gabriel turned his gaze to his son. "Can a father not see his son without needing anything?" he asked.

Adrien flushed, but otherwise had no change of expression. "Of course, father... I just meant, is there something specific you needed, or do you want to sit down?"

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "I am here simply to say hello, to meet the woman that you are courting. It's something that should have happened quite some time ago, but things have been... busy."

Marinette cleared her throat, desperately trying to alleviate the awkward atmosphere. "Well, Monsieur Agreste, thank you for coming. How has work been? I've always loved your work."

Gabriel's response was measured, his eyes briefly flickering with a hint of something Marinette couldn't quite discern. "Thank you, Your Highness, fashion has always been a significant part of my life."

Adrien attempted to contribute to the conversation, though his voice still carried a hint of unease. "His work is renowned worldwide."

Marinette nodded, eager to keep the discussion flowing, despite the tension that seemed to hang in the air like a thick fog. "It's impressive,, to have made such a name for yourself in the world of fashion."

Gabriel inclined his head, acknowledging her words with a curt nod. "It's been a lifelong passion, so thank you for the acknowledgement. Adrien mentioned that you were interested in fashion?"

Marinette gave Adrien a surprised look. She didn't remember ever telling him that, and his cheeks flushed when he realized that fact. "I am," she said.

The conversation teetered on the edge of silence again. Marinette wanted to ease the tension, to make this meeting less strained, but she couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling that was buzzed in the air, and as their silence continued, Marinette couldn't help but steal occasional glances at Gabriel's ring, her unease growing. There was more to this situation than met the eye, and she couldn't shake the feeling that Gabriel Agreste held secrets that could impact her kingdom and those she cared about.

As Gabriel left, Marinette moved closer to Adrien, grabbing his hand, despite the fact that others could see, and she wasn't technically allowed to do that without a guardian present. 

He squeezed her hand back, but then dropped it, leaving her feeling a strange mixture of emotions. With a tone that was too-light, too-happy, he said, "I gotta get ready for the party tonight," and smiled at her, but the sadness in his eyes was prominent. He grinned even wider as he ran up the stairs, waving to her. "I'll see you soon!"

Marinette waved, letting her hand fall to her side as he bounced away.