#I spent hours today sewing on and off and it just soothes my brain and body and hands so much

[suzirya]

God I love sewing

[milliedazzledust]

I'll Come Back for You (Bucky Barnes imagine)

REQUEST: ANON - something where he is in winter soldier mode and protecting the scientist (y/n) where she is the only one who can sort of calm him down after a mission

ANON - winter soldier!bucky being protective over his scientist who’s forced to be take care of his health and she’s being kept there against his will too

ANON - Bucky Barnes request about how both reader and Bucky are each other support systems? It could be like a headcanon, how would the reader comfort him while how he comforts her so forth and so on

WORDS: 3506

A/N: So I don't know if I was inspired or if I just wrote too much, but I'm not sure this story's good. Anyway, feedback is really appreciated and I hope you'll like it :) (also don't forget to tell me if you want to be on my taglist ^^)

“What happened this time ?”

Her voice was only a whisper in the quiet room. The broken man silently sat on the examination table while she stuck a needle in his functioning arm. He didn’t speak, didn’t even flinch. This masquerade had started the moment she had set foot inside Hydra secret base. They had brought her against her will to take care of their most valuable soldier. It was always the same dance, rehearsed a million times since she had met him. After each mission, each murder, he’d come to her. She’d fix his physical wounds, take care of his arm and let him go.

More than often, she found herself feeling sorry for him. She knew what Hydra was doing to him, she’d heard the screams echoing in the distance. It would keep ringing in her ears for hours. Sometimes, the simple thought of picturing what he was going through was enough to bring her to tears. No one deserved to suffer this way.

The Winter Soldier was a cruel man, an assassin. She had seen him in action, had even been attacked the first time they were introduced. But despite being the necessary tool to take care of their valuable killer, she liked him. This wasn’t a place anyone could handle, not even him. And while she was aware of the danger Hydra represented, he was a different story. The man he once was had been trapped in a small corner of his mind, disconnected. His hands were his own, but his actions were dictated by an army that had invaded his head long ago. He was a machine turned on and off at will by the power of ten simple words.

“I was stabbed” Was his only answer. He didn’t give any detail, simply raised his shirt so she could inspect the injury.

“Do you feel any pain ?”

He blankly stared at an invisible point on the wall, avoiding looking at her. He was aware anyone could be listening.

“Soldier ?” She called him, stopping her movement and waiting for his response.

“I don’t feel anything” His voice was emotionless and a chill ran down her spine when he spoke. He was detached, impassive, a statue unaware he was capable of sentiment.

She cleared her throat, trying to stay focused on her task. She cleaned the wound, took his vitals, wrote down the conclusion of her examination and prepared what she needed to sew him up.

When she was about to administer the anesthetic, he suddenly grabbed her wrist. She caught her breath, frightened, but made no movement. For the first time that day, he turned his head to look at her. Whatever she saw in his eyes was enough to ease the tension in her shoulders and she relaxed.

“It’s okay” She whispered, a kind smile on her face. “This is propofol”

She knew he would recognize the name. She had spent countless hours explaining everything she was doing to him in detail so he wouldn’t be uncomfortable or scared. He was a super soldier that required extreme measures of treatment.

“No drugs,” He told her.

“You might regret that decision once I start to put the stitches in”

“I need to stay conscious,” He explicated, almost begging her. “Please”

She didn’t argue, only glanced at a camera behind her recording their interaction.

“Alright” She conceded. “I’ll switch to saline”

He nodded, grateful she wasn’t pushing. She turned her back carefully so her table was no longer in the camera’s field of view and he watched her emptying the needle and filling it with a harmless mixture of water and sodium chloride. Nothing that would put him to sleep.

“Have you ever been to Greece ?” She asked him out of the blue. He stared at her curiously. “I’ve always dreamed of visiting. It has the longest coastline in Europe, with so many islands between the blue Aegean Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Ionian Sea to the west. Can you imagine how beautiful it must be ?”

She kept talking for a while about the country, the books she had read and the films she had seen about it. His eyes stayed on her the whole time, his head tilted to the side, wondering why she was telling him all this. Not that he minded, he loved listening to her. She had the power to calm him down. He was constantly on high alert, ready to fight whomever he was told to kill, prepared to endure whatever torture they had prepared, but this room and the woman inside were his only small moments of peace. Her voice was the music he desperately needed to sooth his soul.

“Why are you telling me this ?” He wondered out loud.

She smirked. “To take your mind somewhere else than here. Seems like it worked”

He glanced at his stomach and realized the stitches were already there. Too engrossed in her story, he hadn’t noticed or felt anything.

“How…”

“Funny how magical words can turn out to be, isn’t it ?”

She could swear she saw the flicker of an emotion on his face looking back between his wound and the woman, but just as quickly as it came, it was gone.

“Thank you, doc”

She hesitated a moment before gently taking his hand on her own.

“Be careful” She muttered. “There’s only so much I can fix”

“I will” He promised. “Are they … are they treating you right ?”

She shrugged. “If threatening to kill me is what you consider right, then I guess I’m a real princess in a castle”

He ran a jerky hand through his hair and seemed to be looking for the right words to say but never spoke.

“Can I ask …” She began, curiosity getting the best out of her. “What is your real name ?”

When his gaze fell on her, all she saw was pure panic. Her question, as simple as it may have been, had surprised him. He didn’t remember, didn’t even question anyone, because it hadn’t mattered. He didn’t need to be more than a ghost to be able to kill.

“I’m sorry” She apologized. “I shouldn’t have asked. I didn’t mean to…”

“I don’t know” He admitted.

She gulped and looked away. His eyes held too much confusion and despair. Coming face to face with the enormity that was this man’s fate was sometimes undeniably heartbreaking.

“Can I call you Winter, then ?” She suggested.

He seemed to ponder for a while before offering her a small smile. “Yes, yes I’d like that”

It hurt to see a glimpse of happiness on his face for something as simple as a name and the woman didn’t realize that what she had just given him was the shred of an identity. A tiny piece he would hold onto. He was living inside a nightmare he had no idea he was trapped into, and if she dared to help, she would pay it with her life. So all she had the power to do was give him a name. Make him feel alive again.

The next time she saw him was only a couple of days after, carried by two agents, head hanging low and barely conscious. His clothes were stained in blood and his metal arm seemed dislocated.

“Patch him up” One of the men coldly ordered. They dropped the injured soldier on the ground like he was nothing more than an object, not even human.

She rushed to his side, checking his pupils first with a flashlight to rule out any intracranial damage to his brain. She did the same on his chest with a stethoscope, searching for any potential life threatening injury. When she moved to his shoulder to inspect the metal bones, he regained consciousness. Maybe it was the sight of yet another scientist above him or the touch of her fingers on his skin, but the man was quick to react and got on his feet in no time. His human hand wrapped around her neck tightly and he pushed her body with force against a wall, choking her. She tried to speak, but the action had been so sudden and violent that she was unable to move a muscle. He was in a trance, eyes filled with hatred that she knew was not directed toward her. Whatever he was picturing in his mind had awakened the assassin. She was the threat and he was in a game of survival.

She whispered his name several times but it was only after a minute, when she was on the verge of passing out, that he seemed to realize what he was doing. He stared at her with wide open eyes and released her from his grip. Her body fell on the floor before she started coughing, struggling to catch her breath.

“I’m…” He tried to speak, looking down at his hands in horror.

“Water” She managed to whisper.

He brought the woman a bottle and tried to help her on her feet. When he reached for her, she involuntarily flinched. A pure reflex. She didn’t miss the sadness on his face as he recoiled from her.

“I didn’t mean…”

“I know. It’s alright”

“I could’ve killed you” He said it more to himself than to her.

“But you didn’t” She laid a hand on her chest, taking a deep breath to try and calm her heart rate. “What happened ?”

“You touched me,” He explained.

“I touch you all the time” When he smirked, she realized the double meaning behind what she had just said. “Hm … why would it be any different today ?” She immediately changed the subject.

“Usually, when I’m unconscious I can … sense them around me. Working on me. And I can’t move but I still feel the pain”

Once again she was at a loss of words against the heaviness that was the burden of his life.

“Are you sure you’re alright ?” He repeated almost in a childish voice.

“I’ll get over it, don’t worry” She tried to reassure him. It didn’t seem to work. He took a temptative step, making sure she wasn’t uncomfortable. He moved his hand toward her neck, deliberately going as slow as he could. His eyes stayed on hers, watching out for any sign of fear. “What are you doing ?” She said in a breath, a different kind of shiver rolling down her spine.

“I need to make sure I didn’t hurt you” The sincerity and concern she heard in his voice were unsettling. She stared back in disbelief, but didn’t move. This was the closest they had ever been and it almost felt unreal for both of them. Too good to be true, especially in a place of nightmare like this.

He tilted her head to the back, still looking at her, and softly brushed his thumb over her skin. A bruise was already starting to appear. She saw the change in his eyes, the regret and sadness when he lowered his gaze. He kept inspecting her from all angles possible, making her chuckle in the process.

“Are you done, doctor ?” She joked.

He tried not to smile but miserably failed. “Almost. Haven’t found a diagnosis yet”

This time she laughed.

“C’mon, I’m not the real patient here. I need to take a look at you” She glanced at his metal arm, still dislocated. He was avoiding using it and she had noticed.

He sighed but didn’t remove his hand from her neck. Instead, his thumb slowly reached her cheek and he gently stroked her skin.

“I wish I could get you out of here” He whispered. “You don’t deserve any of this”

“Neither do you”

He clenched his jaw and plastered a tight smile, refusing to acknowledge what she had just said. He lowered his arm and sat on the examination table without saying anything.

“I’m gonna … hm … I’m gonna need to cut your shirt open” She gulped, trying to keep her cheeks from getting any warmer.

The man smirked and grabbed a pair of scissors nearby that he handed to her. She took it but didn’t dare to look at him, too uncomfortable by the situation. As she cut his shirt higher and higher, her hands started to shake. He could see her shifting her weight from side to side and desperately avoiding any eye contact. She was embarrassed and he was enjoying every second of it.

When finally she had taken it carefully off his body, she huffed in frustration. There was no denying that he had beyond toned muscle structure, verged into defined and well built curves.

“Is it… is it alright if I touch you ?” She allowed herself to take a glance at him, and rolled her eyes when she saw the smirk on his face.

“More than alright, doc” He teased her.

The moment her hands came in contact with his skin, he involuntarily flexed his muscles. She took a sharp breath, trying not to lose focus when she cleaned his wounds. She looked up at him to make sure he wasn’t in any pain, only to realize he was already staring. What should have been a quick glance turned into something more, a moment that lasted a little too long. When he leaned in toward her, she suddenly seemed to notice the lack of space between them. She cleared her throat and took a step back.

“Quit flirting, Winter” She reprimanded him with a playful grin.

He laughed. It was the first time she heard that sound and she couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her mouth. He looked so carefree and alive, so human. She was finally meeting the man behind the assassin, and he troubled her even more than the silent killer.

“I kinda like to see you flustered, doc”

She ran a hand through her hair, trying to hide her obvious nervousness.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” She pursed her lips to keep from smiling.

“Sure you don’t” He sniggered.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m gonna need to put that shoulder into place”

Instead of talking, he grabbed her hips and considerably shortened the distance she had put between them. Her eyes widened from both the sudden gesture and the feeling of his fingers on her body.

“Go right ahead, doc”

She leaned in toward him to have a better access to the injury, ignoring the unexpected shudder. She was practically over him, a hand on his shoulder, the other on his broad back. If he felt any pain when she pushed the bones back into place, he didn’t show.

“All good ?” He muttered, heavily breathing. She was about to ask if he was okay but the words stayed stuck when she realized how close their faces were. He wasn’t hurt, no, he was perturbed by her presence. He could smell her perfume and see the hair raising on her neck. Whatever he was feeling, she felt it too.

“Do I make you nervous, soldier ?” She said, a smile building on her full lips.

“You have no idea, doctor”

She turned to face him. They locked eyes and, for a moment, none of them moved. The atmosphere instantly changed when he bit his lips. He bent closer and closer, and this time she didn’t push back. When finally he kissed her, she froze in place. He was about to draw back when she grabbed his neck, deepening the kiss. A sensation she couldn’t comprehend took over her whole body. He didn’t rush, took his sweet time lingering his lips over hers. She could swore her knees would have given out if he wasn’t holding her in place. Her chest was fluttering and she lost all sense of time. He pulled back from the lack of oxygen, but not before caressing her mouth one last time.

“Too much?” He inquired quietly.

She shook her head, laughing. “No. Just enough”

“I’ve been dreaming of doing that for a while” He admitted.

“Quite the change of attitude. I could’ve sworn you wanted me dead only ten minutes ago” She joked.

He pouted, not particularly happy she was reminding him of his previous outburst.

“You’re all set up, Winter” She announced after one last look over his chest. “No major damage”

“Have you checked my heart ?” He joked with a smirk. “I think it’s beating a little fast”

She coughed to try and hide her laugh.

“I’m afraid that’s not fixable” She started to write her report, ignoring his lingering gaze on her. Her brain was still fuzzy from the kiss they shared. “Unless I stay away, which would probably ease your … discomfort”

“Who said anything about discomfort ? That’s a kind of pain I’d rather enjoy”

She raised an eyebrow, not missing the way her own heart palpitated.

“Don’t play with fire, soldier”

He smirked. “Between us, I’m trying to delay the moment I’ll have to go through that door again”

This time she lost all joy and raised her head from what she was writing on her report to look at him.

“You’re strong enough to leave this place, you know”

“Leave where ?” He asked.

“Somewhere you’ll find who you really are”

“Does that somewhere include you ? ‘Cause you should know I won’t go without you”

She walked up to him and took his hands.

“Save yourself while you still can, Winter” She sadly replied.

“What about you ?”

“I’m just … collateral damage” She exhaled.

He gently pressed his forehead to hers.

“I promise I’ll come back for you after that last mission”

“I’ll hold you onto that”

He planted a soft kiss on her lips, making her forget once again where they were and what their reality was.

“I’ll take you to Greece” He whispered. “Just the two of us. Wouldn’t that be great ?”

“It’s a date” She grinned, making him laugh.

“You’ve got yourself a deal. We’ll get out of here” He swore. “And I’ll take you dancing under the stars of Mykonos”

He didn’t know then that he would never have the occasion to keep that promise. They would have more moments, stolen from the chaos of this place, but nothing more. Weeks later, he would hear rumors about treason and compromising positions. He would understand too late they meant her. She was his weak point, and the Winter Soldier couldn’t have any weaknesses. She was disposable, he was an assassin with superpowers. All the recordings they had proved he no longer could be operational so long as she was still breathing.

“Buck, you alright ?” A voice suddenly spoke in the agonizing silence.

He turned around to his friend, brushing the tears he didn’t realize had started to fall. Standing in the empty room, he couldn’t move away from the dried patch of blood on the floor.

“Yeah, I just need a minute” He shook his head, trying to make the painful memories disappear.

The man behind him began to inspect the place, searching through scattered papers around a desk.

“Dr. Y/N Y/L/N” He read.

Bucky closed his eyes, clenching his jaw. The simple sound of her name was enough to widen the open wound inside his chest. He sat on the examination table one last time, without her. Forgetting he wasn’t alone, he let himself wander into his most precious memories. He remembered the taste of her lips, the smell of her perfume and the touch of her skin. Every detail engraved in his head forever.

“Did you know her ?” The person asked.

“Yeah”

The man stopped what he was doing and observed the former assassin for a solid minute. He looked heartbroken.

“Bad memories ?” He inquired.

“Not in this room” Bucky sadly smiled.

“What happened ?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Steve”

The Captain hesitated for a moment but didn’t push. He was aware his friend was still healing and whatever the place was, it was part of his pain.

“Is she dead ?” He only questioned.

He gulped and tilted his head backward to keep the tears at bay. “They took her away from me” His voice cracked when he spoke. He was not able to stop the violent sob that escaped his mouth. He wanted to say so much more but the lump in his throat was far too heavy.

“I was too late,” He whispered. “I promised I’d come back for her but I was … too …”

His shoulders started to shake as tears ran down his bloodshot eyes. Steve rapidly closed the distance between them and hugged his friend, letting him express his sadness. They stayed there until he was calm enough to take a deep breath.

“You ready ?” The Captain inquired.

The broken soldier silently nodded.

“Where to now ?” Steve asked him. “You’re free to go anywhere you'd like”

“Greece. I have a date in Greece”

Taglist below the cut

@partypoisonsblog - @tylard-blog1

[gryffindorcls]

Chat for a Day:  Chapter 6

I’m Home Whenever I'm With You

Adrien returned to school floating on a cloud.  Marinette was his lady, and he was her Chaton.  They loved each other, and all was right with the world.  

He took his seat and rested his head in his hands.  Nino and Alya exchanged knowing glances. 

“Hey there, lover boy, ” Alya teased, ”Where’s my best friend?”

Adrien perked up and turned around to look at Alya.  “She's at home.  The nurse told her parents to not send her back after the lunch break.”

“Oh, I see.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears to me that you spent your entire lunchtime with her.”

“No, you're right. I just came from her house.”

“And you two were only eating during the full two hours?”

Adrien shot her a sly grin.  “I was taught to never kiss and tell, but maybe you'll be able to get more out of my girlfriend when you talk to her later.”

Alya’s hands flew to her mouth as she did her best to suppress an excited squeal.  “Ohmygod!  I have to text Marinette!”

“That’s awesome, bro!  I'm so happy for you,” Nino remarked, giving Adrien a pat on the back, ”Does this mean we get to go on double dates now?”

Adrien nodded.  “Yes!  Most definitely.  I know Marinette would love that, too.”

“I think this is the happiest I've ever seen you.  It's a good look for you, dude.”

“Honestly, I didn't think it was possible to feel this happy. 

“And I'm guessing that Marinette is beyond excited.  She's been crushing on you forever, bro.”

Adrien sighed.  “Yeah, she told me about that.  If only I'd figured things out sooner.”

“Well, all that matters is that you're together now.  You can't change the past, my man.”

“Ugh!” Alya grunted in frustration, causing both boys to turn and look at her. 

“What’s wrong, babe?” Nino asked. 

Alya turned to Adrien and squinted.  “Your girlfriend isn't answering me.”

“She promised me she’d rest this afternoon, ” Adrien shrugged, “Maybe she's asleep.”

“I doubt it, ” Alya rolled her eyes, “She’s probably pulling another classic Marinette.”

Adrien gave her a confused look.  “What do you mean by that?”

“Dude, ” Nino began, placing a hand on Adrien’s shoulder, “have you really never noticed that Marinette dips out all the time?”

“Mmmmhmmm, ” Alya agreed, “And I love my girl, but there have been way too many times that she is not where she says she's going to be.  She is a total space cadet.”

“Have I really never noticed before?” Adrien thought to himself, “Of course she's Ladybug.  At least we don't have to do this alone anymore...we have each other now.”

“Care to share with the class?” Alya asked, breaking him out of his reverie.  

He shook his head.  “It’s nothing.”

“Sorry if I freaked you out.  I know you just started dating, and you probably don’t want to hear about all her flaws yet.  Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about it too much if I were you,” Alya noted, “Yeah, she sometimes spaces out on us, but you...she would come back from the dead if it meant being able to talk to you.”

Adrien thought back fondly to his conversation with Ladybug the previous night.  “Our flaws are what make us who we are.  They make us human.  Marinette may not be perfect, but she is perfect for me...she’s perfectly imperfect’.”

Alya raised her eyebrows.  “That was pretty smooth, Agreste.”

“No, I can’t take credit for that one,” Adrien said, shaking his head, “Those are my girlfriend’s words, not mine.”

Alya squealed again.  “I don’t know if I’m ever going to get used to hearing you call her your girlfriend.”

“She’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me, so you’ll be hearing me call her that for a long time.”

“Good.” Alya suddenly donned a serious expression.  “I do have to say one thing, however.  As her best friend, I am required to tell you that if you hurt her, I will end you.”

Adrien smiled and did his best to appear unaffected by Alya’s words.  “Rest assured, I would never do anything to hurt my Princess.  She is far too precious to me.”

Alya snorted.  “Jeez, sunshine.  You really are a real-life prince charming.  No wonder Marinette fell for you.”

“She’s my soulmate.  We complete each other, and our love runs deeper than our shortcomings.”

“Wow...that was...just wow…” Alya shook her head and smiled, “Now, if only I could get that girl to text me back!”

“You can go see her after school.  I’m sure she’d be more than happy to have you visit,” Adrien suggested.

“Aren’t you going to see her when school is over?  As interested as I am in your relationship, I don’t really want to get in the way of whatever you two have planned.”

“Actually, I have fencing practice right after school, so I won’t be there until a little later.”

“So I can interrogate her without you there?”

“Yup.”

Alya grinned and laughed.  “Excellent.”

***

Marinette spent most of the afternoon hunched over at her project.  She was in the zone.  She carefully cut her pattern, pinned it together, and began constructing the gift.  The sewing machine’s gentle thrumming soothed her ears and the rapidity of the needle piercing the fabric lulled her into a trance.  Muscle-memory guided her as she adjusted the needle’s speed using the foot pedal with the same accuracy as a skilled surgeon wielding an expert knife.  This was her happy place.

She finished with time to spare.  Marinette smiled as she held up a hat made out of soft, black fleece.  At the top sat two small cat ears with green accents.  It was a simple hat, but she wanted it to blend in with Adrien’s fall and winter wardrobes.

“What do you think, Tikki?” she asked, biting her lip.

The Kwami giggled.  “I already told you that he will like anything that you make him, but you did a great job.  It looks wonderful!”

“Thanks!  Now I just need to find something to put it in.”  Marinette hopped out of her seat and began rummaging through a drawer.

As she pulled out a box, her trap door burst open and landed with a loud thunk on the ground.  She screamed and fell onto the floor.

“MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG,” Alya boomed, ascending the stairs and walking into the room, “I had a little chat with your boyfriend earlier.”

“Oh...right...him,” she said as she got up and dusted off her skirt.

“That’s it?  That’s all you have to say about ‘him’?  I have listened to you gush over Adrien for a year, and now that you’re finally dating, you get all quiet?   I texted you like ten times, girl!”

Marinette slumped, “I’m sorry.  It’s been a lot to process.  My head was still all weird, and then I started sewing...but I can tell you everything now if you want.”

Alya threw her hands into the air.  “YES!  Finally...details!  BUT...before you start, let me make something clear.  When that boy asks you to marry him, I expect to know within five minutes.”

“Do you really think he’ll do that one day?  We’re so young right now.” Marinette asked while a creeping blush made its way up her face.

“Girl, you should have heard what that boy had to say about you this afternoon.  He is in love.  He even said you were soulmates.  Sunshine isn’t going anywhere...trust me.”

“He really said that?”

“Yes, he did.”

“I still can’t believe that I’m dating Adrien.  Like...I’m his girlfriend.  If I walk up to him and kiss him, he’ll kiss me back.  It’s crazy.”

“I know, and I’m so happy for you.  However, I’m still trying to figure out what happened with you this morning.  You didn’t seem anxious at all when you came back from the bathroom.  You even flirted with him!  I thought you were dying!”

Marinette giggled nervously.  She decided to tell Alya a half-truth.  “Well, I didn’t sleep very well last night, and it kind of made me feel fuzzy.  Then Adrien came in acting all different, and something clicked in my mind.  Adrien flirted with me first, and I rolled with it.  I told him that I love him, and then my headache caught up with me.  I wound up falling asleep in the nurse’s office.  Adrien woke me up, asked me out, and took me home.  Then my brain finally caught up with what was happening, and I had a panic attack that ended with him kissing me.”

Her phone chimed.  At the top of all the unopened messages from Alya was a text from Adrien.

Adrien- I can’t wait to see you later, Princess.  I’ll text you when I’m on my way over. <3

Marinette looked up at her best friend and held out her phone.  “And now he’s texting me.”

She composed a response and pressed send.

Marinette- I can’t wait to see you either!  <3

Alya shook her head and laughed.  “That was a rollercoaster from start to finish, but it is so very...you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Only you would start a relationship like that.  It’s strange, cute, and hilarious all at the same time...just like you.”

“You think I’m strange?”

“The strangest, and I don’t ever want you to stop being you.  Adrien is right when he says that you’re amazing.  You’re the best friend I could have ever asked for.”

Marinette crossed the room and hugged her.  “Thank you, Alya.  You’re a wonderful friend.”

“You better still be saying that even after I kick your butt in Ultimate Mecha Strike,” Alya declared, pointing to Marinette’s computer.

“Oh, you are so on!  But first...let me finish wrapping this.”  Marinette held up the hat.

“Did you make that for Adrien?  It’s awesome.  I’m digging the Chat-Noir vibes.  If his outfit today was any indication of his interests, he’ll love it.”

“That was the goal.”

Alya paused and scrutinized Marinette’s outfit.  “You know...you kind of have a Ladybug-ish look going on today.  Now that I think about it...you kind of look like her, too.”

The Ladyblogger squinted, and Marinette could see the wheels turning in her head.  She knew that one reveal was enough for today.  The last thing she needed was for Alya to figure out that she was Ladybug.

“Don’t just stand there,” she scolded herself mentally, “CHANGE THE SUBJECT!”

She quickly shoved the hat in the box and threw it on her chaise.  Marinette then grabbed two controllers and held one out for her best friend to take.  “Yeah...haha.  Anyway...I hope you’re ready to LOSE.”

Alya shook herself out of her thoughts and took the controller from Marinette.  “I don’t think so.  I’m definitely going to beat you this time.”

Marinette grinned mischievously.  “We’ll see about that!”

***

The second Mr. D'Argencourt ended the practice, Adrien ran to the locker room, changed into his regular clothes, and gathered his things.  He couldn’t wait to see Marinette again.

Because the Dupain-Cheng Bakery was across the street, his driver wasn’t there to pick him up.  Upon walking through the store’s entrance, Adrien was met by a smiling Sabine.

“Hello, dear,” she said cheerfully, “Dinner won’t be for another hour or two.  Right now, Marinette is up in her room with Alya.  Feel free to go on up!”

Before he could answer, Sabine grabbed a bag from one of the shelves and handed it to him.

“Also, these are for you,” she continued, “I’m sure you’re hungry after fencing practice.  I put some in there for you and Marinette to share.”

Adrien peeked inside the bag and saw half a dozen chocolate chip cookies.  “Thank you so much, Mrs. Cheng.  These look amazing.”

“Anytime, sweetie!” she said before returning to her place behind the counter.

He made his way into the apartment and walked up the stairs to Marinette’s room.  He knocked on the hatch and heard a muffled “come in”.  Adrien happily climbed in.  After a quick scan of his surroundings, he saw Marinette and Alya in a heated Ultimate Mecha Strike battle.  His girlfriend was winning, and her best friend looked frustrated.

Adrien sauntered over to Marinette’s chair and draped his arms around her from behind.  He then planted a kiss on her cheek causing her to squeak and drop her controller.  This gave Alya enough time to take down Marinette’s bot.

“Finally,” Alya pumped a fist into the air, “I am VICTORIOUS!”

Marinette frowned.  “Hey!  That’s not fair.  I was distracted!  I demand a rematch.”

Alya shook her head.  “Nope!  I won.” 

“You made me lose!” Marinette said, turning her head up towards Adrien’s.

“Sorry,” he purred into her ear, “I was excited to see you again.”

She giggled at his response.  “Your hair is tickling my face, kitty!”

Alya stood up from her seat.  “And on that note, I will leave you and your ‘distraction’ to do...uhm...whatever it is you are planning to do.  Have fun, lovebirds!”

Marinette rolled her eyes.  “Goodbye, Alya.  I’ll call you later.”

“You better!” the journalist called out as she descended the stairs and closed the hatch behind her.

Once they were alone, Adrien pulled his girlfriend out of her chair and held her in a loving embrace.  She hugged him back and rested her head on his chest.

“Can I kiss you again, Princess?” he asked quietly.

She looked up and met his eyes.  “You are welcome to kiss me whenever you want.”

He closed the gap between them and pressed his lips against hers.  He could feel her smile as he deepened the kiss.  Her hands reached around his neck, and she buried her fingers in his hair.  When they eventually pulled apart, he rested his forehead on hers.  She leaned in and placed a feathery kiss the tip of his nose.  Warmth exploded in his chest.  Kissing her would never get old.

“So,” she began, peering up at him through her eyelashes, “I have something for you.”

Adrien moved his head back to get a better view of her face.  “What?  Wait...really?”

“Yeah, I designed it a while ago, but something inspired me to make it today.”

“You made something for me?”

She nodded, walked over to her chaise, and picked up the gift box.  Adrien looked at her in awe as she held out the box for him to take.  He lifted the lid and took out the hat.

“This is incredible, Marinette,” he noted as he examined the gift, “You are so talented.  What did I do to deserve someone as amazing as you?”

She kissed his cheek.  “I love making things, and I love you.  It was a no-brainer.  Besides, I needed to do something to pass the time while I waited for you to come back.  I was going crazy.”

Adrien popped the hat onto his head and posed.  “How do I look?”

Marinette giggled.  “You may be a model, but you look like my Chaton.”

He melted.  “Your Chaton...I don’t think I’ll ever get over hearing you say that.”

“Are you going to take off the hat?”

“No.”

“You’ll get hat hair.”

“Good.”

She moved her hand to his cheek.  “My silly kitty.”

He placed his hand on top of hers.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”  She paused briefly before continuing, “Now, dinner isn’t for a while, so what would you like to do?  I can get my revenge on you for making me lose to Alya by kicking your butt at Ultimate Mecha Strike.”

He wiggled his eyebrows and leaned in.  “What makes you think you’d win against me?”

“I won the last time we played.”

“That was a year ago.  Maybe I’ve been practicing.”

“Fine,” she said, crossing her arms, “Prove it.”

He squinted at her playfully.  “You’re on!”

The two teens ran over to her computer and played until the start of dinner.  During their intense gaming session, they shared the cookies Sabine had given to Adrien.

Out of the twelve rounds they played, Marinette won ten of them.  Adrien was having too much fun to care.  He was spending time with the love of his life, and his girlfriend’s victory dance was adorable.  If losing meant that he got to see Marinette jump out of her chair and spin around, he would gladly do so every time.

“Marinette!  Adrien!” a muffled voice called from downstairs, “It’s time to come down for dinner!”

“Thank God!” Marinette laughed, “Those cookies have completely worn off.  I’m starving!”

She grabbed his hand and led him down the stairs and into the kitchen.  When they arrived at their destination, he pulled out her chair and then proceeded to take a seat next to her.

“How chivalrous!” Sabine noted with a kind smile, “I’m happy to see that Marinette found a kind young man to be her sweetheart.”

Adrien lowered his head and blushed.  “Thank you, ma’am.  I believe it’s important to respect the ones you love.”

Sabine leaned over and whispered something in her daughter's ear.  Marinette turned red.

“Maman!” she exclaimed through clenched teeth.

Adrien laughed at their exchange, and Marinette swatted his arm.  This made him laugh harder.  

It was at this moment that Tom entered the room.  “Who started the party without me?”

“Hello, dear,” Sabine gave her husband a peck on the cheek, “I was commenting on how polite Adrien is.  He even pulled out the chair for Marinette.”

Tom patted Adrien on the back.  “Good job, son.”

“Papa!” Marinette buried her head in her hands.  “What is with you guys embarrassing me today?”

“We’re you’re parents, sweetie,” Sabine said as she took her place at the table, “It’s our job.”

“Besides,” Tom continued, “thanking Adrien for being a gentleman and treating my daughter well is the yeast I can do.”

Adrien looked at Marinette and grinned.  “Well, sir, you can crust that I will always be there for Marinette.”

Tom turned to his daughter.  “Keep him.”

Marinette chuckled.  “That’s the plan, Papa.  I don’t think I could get rid of him if I tried.”

“Good,” her father put his arm around Adrien’s shoulder, “because it would be nice to have a son, too.  If you weren’t dating him, I’d adopt him.  Anyone who puns like that is okay in my book.”

Adrien’s eyes filled with tears, and he did his best to stifle a sob.

“Oh, no, sweetie,” Sabine rushed over to his side, “Are you okay?”

He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and gave the Dupain-Chengs a watery smile.  “Actually, this is the best I’ve been in a long time.  You’ve made me feel more at home than I am in my own house.  Thank you for your kindness.”

Sabine hugged him.  “Adrien, we meant it when we said that you are always welcome here.”

Marinette reached over and squeezed his hand.  “I’m sorry you don’t feel at home in your house.  Maybe we can fix that.”

Adrien turned and took her other hand in his.  “Princess, none of that matters anymore now that we’re together.  I’m home whenever I’m with you.”

She gasped.  “Adrien…”

“Ohmygod, you two are precious!  Tom, get the camera!” Sabine whispered loudly to her husband, “We’ll need this for their wedding in a few years.”

Marinette’s father hopped up from the table.  “You got it!”

As he disappeared into the living room, Marinette’s face turned bright red.  “MAMAN!”

All Adrien could do was laugh.  He never wanted this moment to end.  Marinette lit up his world in unimaginable ways.  Currently, his greatest desire was to shower her with love and affection.

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head.  “This night isn’t over yet.  I’m going to sweep my lady off of her feet.”

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Thank you to everyone who has been reading and following this story.  You are all wonderful!

Also, thank you to those who have left comments and asks.  They make my heart feel full, and it fuels my passion to keep writing!

This is the second to last chapter of “Chat for a Day”.  I have some other fluffy works coming down the pike, so be on the lookout.  Thank you for following me on this crazy ride!

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