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Adrien wasn't a slow walker in general but tonight there was a spring in his feet that made him sail through the front door of the bakery after he let himself in and then nimbly locked it. And then he practically flew upstairs, a smile on his face.
It was going to be a big night and he would be lying if he said that he wasn't nervous. But it was a good kind of nerves. It was the anticipation that had been building up for too long making his heart beat too fast.
"I'm here, m'lady!" He called out as he opened the trapdoor to her room.
The first thing he saw was a pair of bare feet, right in front of him. His eyes moved higher, taking in more bare skin that looked invitingly soft. His fingers itched to touch it. Not long now, he thought, as he reached the hem of a very short robe.
His imagination was running wild at this point because he was dying to have a peek underneath. But first, he lifted his head to greet the owner of this tempting garment. Oh the things he wanted to do to her and he planned to show her.
And then their eyes met and his heart stopped for a very different reason.
Marinette looked... awful. The light robe and what lay underneath it was forgotten because her eyes were glassy and her cheeks were too pale.
"Adrien, you're here!" She exclaimed but her voice sounded very unlike her. She sounded as if her nose was stuffed with cotton like that time she had had a nose bleed.
"Are you ok?" He asked tentatively.
She looked like she had prepared for the big night but she was in a very unsuitable condition.
"Of course, why wouldn't I..."
And this was when she sneezed, her whole body swaying as she turned her head sharply. She lifted a hand as a sign for him to wait and then went to her desk to take a hanky and blow her nose noisily.
"Marinette," he took a tentative step towards her. "Maybe we shouldn't... "
"No, I'm fine!" She exclaimed, fingers working frantically to untie the belt on her waist and dramatically open the robe. "Tada!"
Red. It was red. Red lingerie that would have made Adrien dizzy with desire at any other moment. But all he could think about now was that her nose was almost as red as it and he was sure that she didn't want them matching.
"Well?" She asked, her smile dimming when he just stood there staring instead of reaching out to pull her into his arms and kiss her. He wished he could do it but he was too worried.
"You're sick, Marinette."
"You're not afraid of catching a silly cold, are you?" She tried to snort but it came out too snotty.
"No," he couldn't resist smiling. This wasn't it at all.
"Then what? Am I too gross? You don't want me," now her lip was wobbling. Oh no.
"Shh, that's not true," Adrien rushed to say. "You're beautiful and this is...wow," he admitted, unable to resist glancing downwards. He felt a lingering itch in his fingers as he took in the expanses of skin.
"Go ahead then," she said, clearly happy with his reaction, lifting her arms around his neck and draping herself over him.
Adrien tried to push his worry to the side and play along. Maybe she was right and it was going to be fine.
But as he leaned in to kiss her he became aware of a horrible sound. It sounded like old plumbing, gurgling and blocked. Goodness, it was Marinette's noise. She couldn't breathe.
He paused and pulled back, resigned.
"I can't do this," he apologised.
"See, you're disgusted," she pouted.
"No! M'lady, please, I want you. But I'm afraid that if I kiss you, you'll flat-line on me. You can't breathe!"
She pursed her lips and looked away, not really admitting defeat but not denying either. She lasted only a few seconds before she was gasping for air.
"My poor bug," Adrien said, pulling her to him again. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I hoped it would go away," she sighed while still fighting to breathe. "But it got worse. And my eyes are burning and.."
His hand shot up and moved her hair to the side so his lips touched her forehead.
"You're burning up," he cried out.
"This is not the kind of hot I had in mind for tonight," she groaned.
"Very funny," he shook his head.
"My ears also hurt."
"You should have gone to the doctor. I would have taken you if you'd told me."
She gave him a helpless look. Yes, he knew that she was too stubborn.
"Wait here, I'll go look for some cold medicine."
He sprinted downstairs and rummaged through the drawers until he found Sabine's first aid stash. Thankfully, he found a package that proclaimed to act against all cold symptoms and shook two tablets into his hand.
"Here, drink this," he said as he returned upstairs.
When he saw Marinette in a heap on the ground he almost dropped the glass of water he was holding.
"Marinette!" He ran to her, leaving the glass on the ground as he kneeled next to her. A sob answered him.
"I ruined our first time," she moaned. "You're going to hate me."
The relief was instant. She hadn't fainted.
"I could never hate you," he said as he gently dragged her into his arms again.
"But .. I planned everything. We're alone at home, I managed to get into the lingerie without ripping it and it was supposed to be perfect," she looked at him with red-rimmed eyes as fat tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks.
"Please, don't cry, you're only going to make it worse," he pleaded, worried that she was going to spend the night unable to breathe.
"I don't care! Our night is ruined."
"M'lady, listen to me," Adrien said more firmly. Marinette's eyes widened and she stared at him. "You know how long I waited for you, right?" A slight nod. "I would have waited all my life if I had to. For you. It would have been worth it." There was a flicker of understanding in her eyes. "I don't care that we can't have sex tonight, ok? Yes, we wanted to, you planned it. But it doesn't matter if it happens in a week or a month. I can wait."
Her eyes softened and she relaxed into him.
"We shouldn't have stopped last time."
"Your parents could have caught us," he reminded her with a smile. He felt her shrug as if she wouldn't have minded. But he knew better. "Look, it doesn't matter that we have to wait some more. All that matters is that you get better."
"I was ready, I wanted it and now I have cold feet," she mumbled.
"Huh?" Now she wasn't making sense.
"Literally. They are cold," she said, frowning. "And I'm trembling."
"Oh no, it's the fever. Come on, drink this and let me take you to bed."
Adrien helped her up and handed the glass with the tablets he was still holding in his hand. Once she was done, he left the empty glass on the desk and scooped her up in his arms.
When he left her in her bed, he grabbed a few blankets and bundled her up.
"Kitty, don't go," a whine came from the pile of blankets.
"I'm not, don't worry," he chuckled as he took his clothes off. Marinette might be cold but he was going to boil in there. Leaving only his underwear on, he slipped under the blankets.
Marinette instantly wrapped herself around him. He almost shrieked at the touch of her hands. They were also cold. But her cheek was hot against his chest. It was crazy.
"I'm here," he held her tightly, hoping that the medicine would kick in soon. Her breathing gradually got easier, sounding less as if she was choking.
"Love you," she mumbled after a few minutes, her voice sleepy.
"Love you more," he said, gently rubbing her back until she fell asleep.
Then he smiled at the ceiling. Well, this wasn't what he had expected but at least he could be there for her. And while she would have called him a hopeless sap if she knew what he was thinking, he was perfectly content to hold her and in the most literal sense of the word to just sleep with her.
Kissing the top of her head, he closed his eyes. Yes, everything else could wait. Waiting was more than worth it, he knew that already.