Marinette felt like a ghost throughout the coming weeks. Something in her and Luka's relationship shifted, and he finally was talking to her again, and when they spoke in the hallways, they laughed like old times, though he still had to remain his professional barriers. Adrien was a good friend, too. Classes were always smooth because of him, and she couldn't imagine anyone else she'd rather spend her time with.

Before she knew it, their second date came and passed, but Marinette barely remembered it, especially since it was in the castle, supervised. Tikki said they were afraid of another attack. Over the weeks, Marinette caught Plagg staring at her questioningly - or angrily, she couldn't tell - but he never said anything. She wasn't going to argue. If he brought up the Akumas with her, and ask again how she knew, she had a lie up her sleeve. But she wasn't going to push for it. Some things were better left unsaid. 

About a week before Halloween, Adrien sat across from Marinette in the gardens. They lounged on a picnic blanket - they'd chosen the pink blanket, though Adrien had fought for the blue, which lay folded next to the extra snacks they had - reading a boring book on battle strategies they'd been assigned for homework. It was a chilly afternoon, but Marinette didn't mind the cold, as long as there was no wind. The flowers had all but died, and the sky was grey, leaving Marinette feeling more monotone and disconnected than she had since she lost her home. 

"I'm so bored," Adrien finally groaned. Then he sat up straight and searched the vicinity, as if Plagg would come out of the dying bushes and whack him with a ruler. When the coast was clear, moved to his stomach and glanced up at Marinette, who watched him, bemused. He grinned widely, his chin in his hands. "What part are you at?"

Marinette frowned at her book. She hadn't gotten far into it. "I'm reading the section about planning for the unplanned." 

"Ah, riveting stuff!"

"Whatever, Agreste. Where are you?" 

He grinned and showed her where his finger held the placement. He was over halfway done with the book. She grimaced. 

"I'm not stupid," she muttered.

He gave a surprised expression. "I know you're not. I'm just a fast reader."

She looked down at the book and sighed. "I never have been. I'm really good with my hands, you know? Sewing, drawing, fighting. I'm good at maths, too, but I hate, hate reading. Always have. Always will."

Adrien giggled. "You're so funny, Marinette. You don't have to justify yourself. I'm not good at sewing at all, so you've got me beat there."

She rolled her eyes. "You're only not good because you've never learned it. Fate gave you the better hand at everything."

Adrien laughed. Really, really laughed. It wasn't until he, weak with laughter, lifted his shaking stub that Marinette realized her faux pas. 

"Oh my god, Adrien! I'm so sorry!" 

Between laughter, he said, "No, I'm going to have to agree with you on that. I really was given the better hand." He wiggled the nub. "The best, actually." 

They laughed. After a while, Marinette almost mustered up the courage to ask him an important question, but at that exact moment, Tikki appeared into their clearing, chattering away at a bluetooth. Adrien and Marinette sat straight, proper, as she walked towards them.

"Yes, of course that works! Mhm. Mhm. Oh heavens, no. Absolutely not. Because, nothing is set in stone. Yes. Yes. Okay. I have to go now. Mhm. Okay, buh-bye!" She clicked the button on her ear, and looked at the two sitting on the picnic blanket, a brilliant smile adorning her face. 

"I'm glad you two are getting along so well. We knew that you would be a good fit... Speaking of!" Tikki reached into her side bag, where she pulled out a thin file folder, flipping through the mysterious contents. In the meantime, Adrien got up quickly and grabbed one of the metal chairs by the table, setting it down right next to Tikki. She gave him a grateful smile and took a seat. 

"Here it is," she muttered as she pulled out one of the sheets. "So, tomorrow, we have it prepared for your third date, as you know. However, it hasn't gone public yet, because we need to know if you two are planning to continue the courtship. Depending on your answer, we'll go public this Thursday. If not, and we respect your answer and appreciate your compliance in the meantime, we'll move forward and and meet the next suitor." 

Adrien froze, his back tight. Marinette was very grateful that he was sitting away from her, his face towards Tikki, so that she could get control of the way her blood rushed to her face. 

Honestly, Marinette had forgotten that they were supposed to become official, in public. She understood what a courtship was, and she knew that meant they were dating, but it didn't feel like they were, you know, together. How could she make that choice for both of them? If Adrien didn't want it, then she didn't want to force it on him. Plus, they were friends. If they went public, what would happen if he found the love of his life, and it wasn't her? What if Chat Noir and Ladybug fell in love, and she couldn't do anything about that, either? Also, what were the next steps? What would happen if they had to break up? But also, even worse, 

She felt very, very overwhelmed. 

Adrien turned back and, looking at the panicked expression in her eyes, made a very good suggestion to Tikki: "Are you okay if we talk about it first?"

Marinette let out a relieved exhale at the same time Tikki let out an annoyed one. 

"That's fine," her guardian stated. "But the deadline is dinner tonight." 

"Thanks, Miss Tikki," said Marinette weakly. She waited for Tikki to walk back through to the castle before she spoke. The wind chose that moment to pick up a bit, and she shivered from the cold. But when Adrien moved towards her, bringing the extra blanket around her shoulders, she felt very warm, and it came from inside her.

"Um, what do you think?" she squeaked. 

Adrien's eyes flittered across her face, reading her in an instant. Then, he smiled kindly. "I don't want to make the decision, but here is what I think: I don't want to stop spending time with you, Marinette. If this ends here, I totally respect that, and I'll still be your friend. But I will miss you." Then, he looked a little awkward. "I do have a small question, though." He chuckled nervously.

She tiled her head, bringing the blanket closer to her. He wanted to spend more time with her. Of course he did. That's what friends did, right? "What's your question?" she asked sincerely. 

"Um, your friend? The guard? Won't he get jealous?" 

It took Marinette longer than it should have to realize who he was talking about. "Luka? Why would Luka get jealous?"

Adrien's eyes flickered up, a strange hope filling them. "Aren't you guys together?"

Marinette stared at him for a second before she barked out a laugh. "What? There is no way he feels that way about me. I'm just the goofy friend he knew growing up. Why in the world would that even cross your mind?"

He put his hand on his neck and rubbed it, cheeks flushed. "Oh. The past few weeks, you guys seemed to be getting more close. I'm sorry, I just assumed you were lovers. I shouldn't have."

She laughed. "Yeah, we made up. But no, we are just friends. Besides..." She let out a chuckle and let her sentence trail off. She'd feel stupid saying that, even if she did think it. So instead, she started to play with a loose string on the blue blanket. She liked this color. 

"Besides what?" Adrien prompted. 

She looked up. He'd been watching her, his eyes watching her delicately. Marinette flushed heavily, embarrassed as she said the words out loud. "Besides, I don't think anyone could really love me." 

The wind picked up for a second, waving Adrien's blonde hair out of place. He frowned at her, but he looked so beautiful doing it that Marinette's heart ached. 

"Why do you think that?" he asked.

She smiled ruefully. "Fate just gave me a good hand." 

He grinned. "Well, fate gave me a good hand, too, but unfortunately, chance took it away." They giggled. When they made eye contact again, his expression was open, but it was still hard to read. His surface thoughts were there, enough that Marinette believed his next words, but there was still a wall behind his eyes. A wall between them, and she wondered if she'd ever be able to break it down. "I think you're easier to love than you probably think. So, official courtship, but also friends?"

Marinette smiled, grateful. "Of course." 

He helped her stand. They wrap up their blankets and head towards the castle, walking next to each other closely.

It wasn't until Marinette lay in bed that night that she was able to process everything Tikki told her about the rest of the courtship, the rules, the plans, and everything in between. Tikki had seen them walking so close and told them she could already see the wedding bells. Adrien laughed her off, and Marinette chuckled, because they knew the truth. The plan was simple, though: tomorrow, at the end of the date, the two would meet with an official court reporter, and then it would become officially official throughout the kingdom.

When it was time for Adrien to leave, Marinette stopped him in the hallway. 

"Are you sure you're okay with courting as friends?" Marinette asked, having stressed over it all afternoon. "What if you fall for someone, and then everyone hates you because they think you broke my heart? Or I fall in love with someone, and you're left without a fake courtship, all alone. Don't you want something real?" she asked. 

Adrien gave a small, soft smile. He signaled for her to walk with him to the front door. Just as they arrived at the door, held open by Adrien's assistant Nathalie, Adrien took her hand and said softly, "You're real."