Fake It ('Til you make it)

Truth or Dare? (Marinette)

You know when people say there are moments you'll never forget? Marinette was almost certain this was one, and not because of the broken phone, or the fact Adrien's sneeze could have broken the all-time record for the loudest sneeze ever heard, but because she was certain he had seen her screen. He had seen her admitting she was in love with him – to him. Well, not exactly to him, but...oh, who was she kidding! He'd so seen it, and now she would need to crawl into a hole and bury herself alive.

She'd taken her phone from him with the most cringeworthy smile and wondered why the famed Adrien Agreste still hung around with her. She really was pitiful.

They walked side by side to the metro station in silence, then rode side by side to the La Défense train station before heading into the shopping centre, also in silence. It was like a game of truth or dare where neither were willing to speak in case they lost. She would look at him, he would look back. Her cheeks would fluster and she couldn't help but wonder if there was any excuse she could think of which would make her look less like a weirdo. She didn't need to think though, as Adrien spoke first.

"I'm sorry for breaking your phone. I really didn't mean to frighten you with the sneeze. I didn't even know I was going to sneeze. It just happened, and then you threw the phone... I swear I wasn't sneaking up on you. I learnt my lesson years ago about doing that."

Oh, sweet cherry pie! He thought she was angry at him for the phone! Maybe he hadn't seen the love declaration. Heaven knew he'd never seen any of the real ones in their past, so who was to say he'd seen the obvious one right in front of his nose?

"Sorry," she said with a smile. "I was in a world of my own. It's this date tonight. I'm just stressing out. It's not you, I promise."

He pulled his cap further down as they headed into the shopping centre and straight for the phone store. "Maybe you need to go out and meet people the real way, rather than through a dating app."

Marinette snorted. "When do I have the time to go out and meet people, Mr Hot Shot Movie Star? I'm not always attending galas and parties with the famous and fabulous like someone I know."

The words stirred her gut. She didn't mean to sound so defensive. He'd been actively dating for years, ever since he'd started getting 'bit' roles in movies. He would always tell her it was just for publicity and that he didn't actively go out of his way to date or find girlfriends, but she wasn't stupid. They were all gorgeous, the prime of fashion and film, each of them looking like a treasure on his arm. Not a 22-year-old wannabe designer and ex-superheroine who struggled to go through with an online date without spilling her drink all over them, or setting the table on fire. Both very real stories, she might add.

"Make time, Marinette. You deserve more than just the weirdos on Sparkr...which, by the way, is one hundred percent the worst of the dating apps."

She laughed. "Well, I've gone through them all on the other apps. This is my last hope."

"And that's why you need to meet a tall, strapping stranger at a bar or something. I'm surprised you haven't got a queue forming behind you."

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him if he would be first in said 'queue' but she held herself back. She wasn't doing this anymore. She'd moved on (or was at least trying) and he was her best friend. Their relationship was unique and special...and she still possessed a major crush on him! Maybe even more than ever. But this wasn't ever going to happen and she was slowly getting over it...very, very slowly. Like a snail...with a limp.

She sighed. "We'll see! But right now, you are going to help me look fabulous...or at least try to."

"After we've got you a new phone. I'm not letting you go out with a stranger and not have a way for you to call for help if you need it."