Adrien  sighs.  He is glad that Hawkmoth has not struck again since the whole Chameleon incident, but is still on his look out for any signs of trouble.  It is not as if he could possibly expect the villain to just give up after years of his fight against him and his lady, as he often refers to Ladybug as rather she likes it or not.  

      Meanwhile, Marinette shows her concerns to Tikki.   "How can this be?" Marinette ask.

     "What do you mean, Marinette?"  Tikki responds immediately.

    "Well, it is just Hawkmoth has not hurt anyone since last week.  Do you not think this is strange even for him?"  Marinette ask.

 Tikki laughs before she replies,  "Oh, Marinette!  I should think you would be glad for a nice easy change of pace for once."   

  Marinette smiles.  " I suppose you are right as usual."  Marinette says.

    Marinette  sure is glad to have such a great kwami who is also her friend whom she can talk to almost any moment of the day, or night.  At least she can as long as she is very careful.  The last thing she wants to do is draw any unnecessary attention to herself and risk Hawkmoth finding out her indentity.  She does not want to put her parents, her friends, or especially her crush, Adrien in any danger.  She rather have every one be safe.  

    She gets up, puts on her signature outfit, pink capri's ,white collared top, gray jacket and pink flats and heads downstairs.  It may be Saturday, but this is still no reason to stay in bed all day.  Not when she has the day off from the bakery.  She might as well enjoy this time to herself while she still can.  She eats her breakfast, and then rushes outside with her sketch book.  Who says she can not sketch a bit while she is at it?

    Adrien starts his day, and then heads outside too.  He is glad for once there are no photo shoots on his schedule for the day.  So far so good, right?   He goes to the park, for some fresh air, a change of scenery beyond his bedroom walls, and for some exercise.  It sure feels great to have a bit of  freedom for once.  He  might as well enjoy it while it lasts.  It is not like he gets many days like this one all to his own to do as pleases. 

     Adrien  sees a familiar face near one of the trees in the park.  He smiles when he gets closer to her.  He is always happy to see his good friend Marinette.  

   "Hey, Marinette!" Adrien says.

   "Oh, h-hi, A-Adrien!"  Marinette says.

   "What is that you have there?"  Adrien ask.

   "Oh, th-this is j-just my b-book of sk-sketches that is a-all." Marinette says.

   "Well, that is cool!  I am sure whatever is in there must be great!  I know it is because you did great on that one derby hat you made for me that one time! "  Adrien says.

     "Th-Thanks, A-Adrien!"  Marinette says. She blushes as she realizes he just gave her a compliment about her designs.  

    "Your welcome!"  Adrien says.

    "So, what brings you here on this nice day?"  Marinette ask.

    "I came here to get some nice fresh air for a change of pace.  Besides, my father did say today was my day off to do as I please,"  Adrien remarks.

    "Wow, that sure was nice of him to let you have a day off!  I mean what with your b-busy sch-school schedule, the h-homework, and a-all."  Marinette says.

    "Look, Mari!  Since we are both here, how about we go on a walk for a bit?"  Adrien ask.

    "Wh-what?  A w-walk, you me-mean with j-just the t-two of u-us?"  Marinette ask.

    "Sure, I mean i-if y-you want t-too."  Adrien says.

    "Okay, sounds g-great!"  Marinette says.

      Adrien smiles as he and Marinette take a bit of a walk together. The two friends have so much fun they soon loose track of the time.  Before they know it, it is nearly supper time. 

      "By-bye, A-Adrien!  I have get g-going h-home for dinner!  S-see ya!"  Marinette calls out.

     "Okay, then!  See you later, Marinette!"  Adrien says as he waves bye to her.

       Adrien heads home.  When he gets inside his father seems to be annoyed, but does not say a word about it.  Adrien sits down and eats his supper alone like always.  He begins to think how nice it would be if for just once he could have supper with someone else.  It would sure beat this boring lame meal that he has all by himself!  One could hardly call it a dinner if you have no one to have a conversation with right?   He finishes fast and heads back to his cell. This is more of what he thinks of his room as lately.  It is only because his father rarely lets him leave it much other than for meals, school, school related activities and projects, and photo shoots. It is no wonder, he longs for a time where he can eat with anyone else.

    In contrast,  Marinette enjoys a nice meal with her parents.  She has no idea that poor Adrien ate with no company at his table.  If she had known such a things she would have felt sorry for him.  This is just the sort of person she is, a kind hearted girl, who thinks more of others than herself.   She finishes goes to her room and does her homework.  After this she gets to work on an outfit that she thinks will be nice to wear to school at some point.  She has to admit she is not sure when she will get to wear it as the design is a bit fancy for just a normal, typical school day. She works on it just the same!  Sometimes, it is just fun to design something without a real purpose to it just because you can!

     At the Agreste mansion, Adrien sighs as Plagg teases him.   

"Well, Adrien it sure looks like you and the bakery girl had fun today!   You know you two would be so great together!"  Plagg says.

 "Plagg, do not be silly!  I love Ladybug!  You know that as well as anyone does!  As for Marinette and I, we are just friends, Plagg!"  Adrien says.

   "Why do you keep this up so much?   I mean it Adrien!  Marinette is more than a friend and you know it.  I can tell by the way your face lights up when she enters the classroom, the way you stood up for her when Lila came back, and the way you lost all sense of time today when you had your date with her!"  Plagg remarks with a smirk.

  Adrien protest,   "D-date?   Plagg, it was not a date!  It was just a simple hang out among friends that is all! "

 Plagg replies, "Oh, is that so?  Then, why was it when she said she had to go, you had this look in your eyes that said otherwise?   Seriously, Adrien why is it so bad to like her, or love her even?   I mean it is not like it could hurt anyone."

    Adrien remarks, "Plagg, you are crazy!  There is no way that I feel like that about Marinette!  I mean sure she is great, amazing and maybe a little cute, but I  d-definitely d-do n-not l-love h-her!  "

    Plagg shows his annoyance at once!  "Honestly, Adrien, I do not know why Master Fu chose you to be Chat Noir, because for one thing you are too oblivious for your own good!   For another thing, you only flirt with Ladybug and Marinette as Chat!  Then, there is the fact that you can not seem to stop making glances her, and when I say her, I mean Marinette's  direction in school!  Come on boy, Wake up!  You love this girl with the pig tails, the girl who cooks well and whom I might add,  she dances as well as she cooks!"  

    Adrien responds,  "Plagg, you can not be serious right now!  It is not possible for me to love her!  I mean how can I when I love Ladybug!   There is no way I love two girls at the same time!  Why, I even thought I liked Kagami that one time, but soon figured out  that I was mistaken.  She is not even that nice and she hurt Mari's feelings.  I could never be friends with someone who is that cruel!  She is horrid she makes Chloe look nice and you how rare that is that Chloe is ever nice to anyone!"

     "Adrien, do not try to change the subject!  I know it and  I know you know that you love Marinette!   When will quit being in denial and confess to her ?   What will it take for this to happen?  Do you have to get jealous?   Does she have to move away, or maybe even get hurt for you to come to the truth that she is been the one for you this entire time?   Look kid, I ship you with Mari because I can tell you belong with her!   She is great for you!  I can tell he likes you!  She is the one with all those photos of you on her walls in her room, and she has a screen saver on her computer that is a  collage of your pictures, a photo of you next to her computer, and finally she writes daily about you in that diary of hers,"   Plagg says.

    Adrien responds with annoyance,  "Plagg, I admit it was nice to have a day off from fighting akumas for a change, but that still does not mean anything special is going on between me and Mari!   Good grief, if  spent a day off with Alya, would you assume things that were not there then?  Hmm, well, would you, Plagg?"

 Plagg shakes his head as he finishes his bit of Camembert.  "Adrien, I do not think you understand as much about love as you think you do!  If you did you would realize how silly it is to deny your love for Marinette!  The poor girl is in love with you and all you can do is keep brushing her off because of some silly infatuation with a superhero in  a spandex suit, and mask, a girl you know nothing about, and a girl whom I might add does not want anything to do with Chat! "  Plagg says.

    Adrien scratches the back of his head, but says nothing more to Plagg.   He just figures Plagg has totally lost it now for sure.  He thinks, perhaps the last akuma fight took its tole on my kwami companion her more than I thought it did at first.    He sighs as he daydreams a bit about Ladybug and Marinette.  

    Adrien's  POV:  There is no way, I have love for any girl other than Ladybug is there?  I mean it is not like I know that much about Marinette anyway.  I mean sure she is a baker's daughter and cooks well.  She dances well too, she sews like a true designer should, she sketches well, and she is smart.  She is kind, always looks out for others, and is practically our every day ladybug.  I just wish, I knew why she is always, so shy and nervous around me?   I mean it is not like I ever did anything to make her hate me, right?  I sure hope not.  I  enjoy our friendship.  Her smile is wonderful, and her voice, wow!  She even has this special sparkle to her eyes like none I ever seen before.  Wait, what?   Great, it sounds like I have a crush on her!   Well, I love Ladybug, so there is no way, Plagg could be right is there?  I mean, Marinette is just a pretty friend, right?  What?  Since when have I seen her as pretty?   I blush at the way my silly thoughts have me all jumbled up, and confused.   

   Marinette's  POV:  Adrien is amazing!  I just adore him!  I mean, I love him!  How could I not?   Ever since he gave me his umbrella, I just knew he was the guy for me!  He is kind, he looks out for everyone, and he is cute too!   I wish could tell him how I feel, but every time I try, I just stutter and make a fool out of myself.  I can barely speak to him without falling down in front of him.  I just embarrass myself the more I try.  It is no wonder I  do better as Ladybug when it comes to how I communicate with my crush.

  Marinette's POV:   Ugh, I  only want him to love me as Marinette, but the more I be myself and love him the more he just says, "Oh, Marinette and I ?  We are just friends."    I sigh as I think about it.  Why does he do this?  Am I that  hideous?  Maybe I am not pretty.  I suppose as a baker girl, I am just too poor and dull for his taste.  Maybe, Lila is right and I do not stand a chance with him.   I  even kissed him on the cheek at the school picnic and he said, "Your welcome Marinette, you are our every day ladybug. "  Then, he left for some charity event his father insisted he go to at the last minute.  He waved bye to me, he smiled, but I still never got the response I had hoped for.  I had hoped he would kiss me back, or at least tell me that he likes me too.     

    Adrien's  POV:  Marinette is amazing!  She really is a great friend!  No, she is my best friend!  He smiles at the though before he drifts off to sleep.  

to be continued in Chapter 3  Adrien  Worries to  much ?