Six months later, Adrien wakes up full of excitement!  He can hardly wait to see his beloved Marinette!  He plans to take her out for a romantic dinner and to kiss her on the lips. The only thing is he is also afraid!  He is afraid if she is not ready for this romantic gesture she may dump him and he will loose her forever.  He sighs.  Should I even bother?  Maybe, I should just forget the whole thing.  Is it really fair to her to expect much in return?  I mean look at me, I am boy with a mask that supposedly is made from leather, yet it never once falls off.  Why me? Why?

    Adrien shakes his head.  He feels this way a lot lately.  Perhaps, he is just overthinking to much.  He is not really sure what the problem is what he feels worried that his relationship could fall apart at the very seams any moment now.  He is not sure why is so insecure.  Why this is Marinette were talking about for crying out loud!  Any other girl would have given up on him ages ago. He knows very well Marinette is nothing like other girls. This is what makes her so special to him. So wonderful! So amazing!  So the one whom he loves!

    As Adrien thinks about great Marinette is he smiles.  He begins to relax a bit. 

    Marinette is so full of excitement too!  She gets up and gets ready for the day. She walks over the mansion. She can hardly wait to see Adrien.  She rings the doorbell.  She hears no answer. She worries. She knocks on the door. Still no answer. 

     Adrien finally answers the door as Marinette is about to the ring the doorbell for the second time. He smiles when he sees her. He notices she has a new dress that she wears today. His face falls.  He looks at the ground.  He weeps.

   "Adrien?  Adrien, why are you crying?"  Marinette asks.

  "Oh, I must have gotten something in my eye,"  Adrien says. He is embarrassed to have been caught crying by the very woman he loves.

   "Adrien Agreste, you know very well that is not true!"  Marinette scolds him.

  "Mari, I just love you so much it hurts!" Adrien says.

   "I love you too, so why are you hear crying your eyes out like something awful happened to me!  I assure you I am right here and as healthy as ever," Marinette replies.

"I know it is just that..." Adrien says.

"Shh, whatever it is can wait.  Now lets go!" Marinette says. She smiles at him.

"Oh, okay," Adrien says. His voice seems sad.

     Marinette senses Adrien is sad. She can not figure out why he should be.  It is not as if she broke up with him or anything.  She walks with him to his car.  When he does not stop the bawling like  a baby, she takes the keys from him and insist on driving.  It is the least she can do under the circumstances.  She takes them to the restaurant he tells her to go too.  She sighs a sigh of relief when she finds a nice empty parking space right in front of the place. She parks the car there before someone else can claim the spot for their own.  She gets out of the car and heads inside. Adrien follows her in silence.  

        Marinette and Adrien enter the restaurant.  They ask for a table near the back, or rather Marinette does.  Once seated the waitress hands them their menus.  Adrien orders a side salad, a baked potato and a small order of shrimp. He orders a Pepsi for his drink.   Marinette orders a lobster tail, a side salad, some corn on the cob and some iced tea with a hint of lemon.  While they wait for the food to come, Marinette reaches over and holds onto one of Adrien's hands. She hopes this will calm Adrien down. She only wants to lighten the mood, so to speak. She can not help, but wonder why is Adrien  like this?  She has never seen him like this before or at least not since the time her mother attempted to kill both her and Adrien.  She sighs. 

     "Adrien, please tell me!  It hurts to see you like this!" Marinette pleads with him.

   " Marinette, I  have to know, will you still love me if the mask comes off? " Adrien says.

   "What kind of question is that Adrien?"  Marinette says.

    "I have to know.  Will you love me, even if the mask falls off and you see my hideous scars?"  Adrien remarks.

   "Yes, you know I will!"  Marinette replies.

   "Look, I feel in love with you all of you, so I will never leave you over such a silly thing as a few scars,"  Marinette says.

"Oh, Mari!  I feel so silly about all this my dear!" Adrien says.

 "Oh?"  She raises an eyebrow in response to his proclamation that he feels silly about his behavior and his insecurities towards her.

 "Yes, I feel so silly about my insecurity about love." Adrien says.

  "Oh, I see." Marinette says.

     The food comes and they say the blessing. They eat the food in silence as Marinette thinks over the conversation they had before the food was even brought to the table. She had no idea Adrien felt this way about them. Sure she knew he loves her and she loves him.She just never knew before today that he had any doubts about it all.  I mean why should he?  Hadn't she done everything possible to make it clear to him that she loves him?  Aside from the fact she had never given him kisses on the mouth yet, she had done all she could to show him affection. So, why now? Why today did he doubt her love? 

   After the meal, Adrien pays for the food. The couple leaves the restaurant holding hands.  They get in the car and go back to the place where they first reconnected, after so many years of separation as best friends due to a certain melding mother.  They get out of the car and take a look around. Why it is as beautiful as it was when they last saw it together!  

  Adrien looks up at the stars. He smiles. He begins to relax even. Marinette notices. She is happy he seems less upest and more at ease now.  She thinks, maybe it is good we came her tonight.  She sighs as he wraps his arm around her. She dares not move though. She just enjoys his small romantic gesture towards her as they view the stars together.

   Adrien turns to look at Marinette. He smiles. 

  Marinette turns to look at Adrien. She sees him as he stares at her. Her breathe catches in her throat.  She smiles. 

 "Mari, may I k-kiss you?" Adrien says.

  "Adrien, you have on my occasions on my cheek, hand or forehead even!  Surely you have not forgotten this sweetheart!" Marinette says.

  "Yes, but this is different!" Adrien says.

 "Y-you mean you want to k-kiss my l-lips?"  Marinette says with surprise in her voice.

  Adrien does not answer.  He does say another word. He just cups her face in his hands and gently brushes his mouth slowly across her chin.  He hears her moan. He moves his mouth higher so that his lips touch hers. He feels like he might pass out from the wonder of it all. He feels something warm touch his lips. He closes his eyes to savor the moment as his dear, Marinette returns the kiss. He can't believe it!  All this time, he was worried she would not want this and yet she returns his kiss. He continues to kiss her until she breaks the kiss.

   Marinette looks at him and she puts her hand over her mouth.  She continues to do this as she tries not to cry.  She notices he looks different than before as the leather that once went over the scars over his hands is no where to be seen. His hands are just the same as mans hands now, only she can see the scars and she still loves him!  

  "Adrien, the leather is gone !  It is no longer on your hands.  I love you!" Marinette says.

   "Mari, I love you too!" Adrien says. He is amazed to hear the leather that has bound his hands for so long is gone now. He can only wonder what about the leather on my face is it still there?

   " The leather mask is still there though, I wish it were not. I want to see your face, your real one!" Marinette says.  Now, it is her turn to weep, as she feels sad because his face is still bound up in this mysterious leather.  She thinks, perhaps she shall never see the real face of the man she loves.

 to be continued in Chapter 15  Wow!