theshipyard | ✨ .//. Piper McLean » Percy Jackson: Heroes of Olympus

[ It's so easy. It's not even fair how easy this is, with him, with them. Is it just because Adrien is so laid back and friendly, or is there really a connection there? It just feels so right, the whole dating thing. When she thinks about doing things like this and lunch earlier today it feels like the most natural thing in the world. She can see that and a lot more, if life is kind enough to the both of them.

But then she always remembers Marinette, and her conflict comes rushing back. She's gotta decide what she's going to do, even though truthfully it isn't entirely her decision alone to make.

... Well, for now, she DID promise Adrien a surprise. Turning halfway, she pulls a little cooler closer and lifts up the lid, revealing a wrapped picnic inside. There's some sodas, a divided container of fruit and some kind of dip, some wrapped sandwiches, some round cannisters, and a box of some sort of pastries. ]

Worth it?

[ She grins as she says it, knowing he'll probably approve. ]

I thought we could just hang out for a while, since we didn't really have time earlier with the whole "Casanova" thing.

[ It's dark, so he doesn't notice the cooler, not until Piper opens it. His mouth hangs open in a super embarrassing way, but he doesn't notice that either. He helps pull out the containers, completely taken in by how much effort she's put into this as he looks over each one. ]

Piper...

[ His voice is about an octave higher than he's used to. ]

I don't even know what to say. Everything looks delicious.

[ What, did she go home from their first date and immediately start cooking for their second? ]

[ Hey, don't forget, her dad IS still Tristan McLean. It wasn't that hard to pull together some last minute arrangements. Adrien isn't the only one who can show off once in a while!

So since their first date was cut short doesn't this technically mean this is more like... date 1.5? Or date 1, continued?

She opens up the container with the fruit and dip, and then picks up one of the sandwiches. ]

Say you brought your appetite? I'm definitely not eating all this by myself.

[ ~~AND DEFINITELY NOT THE CAMEMBERT~~ Her smile is teasing, but inviting at the same time. ]

[ Adrien laughs at the thought and, following her lead, he grabs a sandwich for himself. At the same, he's looking at the fruit, like Just you wait. You're next. ]

Oh, don't you worry. You won't have to.

[ He eagerly swallows the first bite, and as he's continuously looking over everything else, he finally notices. ]

Wait. You got Camembert?

[ His laugh is musical. Yes, she knows that's corny, you can shove it, though, because it's also true.

For a little bit they just eat, and Piper is content to let conversation go at its own pace, but eventually Adrien's attention is drawn and he takes hers along with it. ] Huh? Oh. Yeah. You ordered it at the cafe, so I thought you must like it.

[ She takes another bite and eats thoughtfully for a bit, patient, but after just a few moments following his question, Piper decides to get this settled now instead of waiting until the end. ]

So... just how long have you been doing this whole superhero thing, Tom Cat?

Edited 2018-05-28 16:32 (UTC)

[ Hahahaha......... oh, yeah... it's totally his favorite... man... how did she ever guess? He sure loves Camembert.

This is totally the story he is going with if she asks, but since she doesn't— ]

[ he promptly chokes on his water.

Give him a second, he's coughing. Coughing, coughing—

He hits his chest a couple times. Jesus. ]

[ ...Okay, he's good. ]

Superhero? What do you mean?

[ #SMOOTH ]

[ She's patient. She can wait. Though she does tense just a bit at the choking and coughing. She watches him seemingly pretty calm, setting down her sandwich, wrapping and all, on top of a napkin.

Once it's obvious he isn't going to drown on his own drink- ]

Oh, come on, Adrien. You're absolutely Cat Noir. The only thing I can't figure out is why no one else seems to see it. [ She's shaking her head as if to say "Rookies. It's SO obvious, too." ] I didn't want to say anything where someone might hear, but... yeah.

[ That... That's what this was all about? This whole nighttime picnic?

Adrien's shoulders slump, and there's a sort of sad smile on this face, because honestly he should have expected something like this from the very start. It's a wonder it hasn't happened more often; and honestly, he can't explain it himself either.

...But he can't. He can't just give up that easily. He owes Ladybug that much. ]

Sorry... [ He really means that, Piper. ] but it's impossible. Someone like me could never be as free-spirited and heroic as someone like Cat Noir.

[ If the mood were represented by weather it would probably have started drizzling by now. She can tell that he's not exactly excited by the revelation that she knows, though she has no way of knowing that he's disappointed...? ]

Yeah? Huh... That's funny, because I don't know many people who would've volunteered to play cat and mouse with a super villain, or agreed to sneaking out for a date on the top of the Eiffel tower at night. [ She arches an eyebrow at him, but then looks away, out over the city with a more serious expression.

What if she WAS wrong and somehow, SOMEHOW Adrien and Cat are different people? Or maybe Adrien has a secret twin brother or something. What if he thinks she's crazy after this? She flinches, remembering the looks she'd gotten from her own father after trying to convince him she REALLY HAD seen a fucking harpy, it wasn't just her imagination. Yes, like from the old legends and myths but- ]

...

[ Maybe it would help if she showed him some trust first. If he's protecting his secret, maybe she needs to open up about her own first, to be fair. Only... if she tells him and he doesn't believe her, he'll think she's nuts, for sure.

She can't look him in the eye as she finally relents, doubting herself. ]

Never mind.

[ Good God, Piper. Great job. ]

[ ...Christ, this is the worst.

Adrien can't even take pride in his own bravery that Piper was complimenting him for. After seeing Piper flinch, he knows she's doubting herself and it makes him feel lower than he has been in a while.

He should have been grateful that she was willing to drop the subject, but it just didn't feel right to leave things like that.

Not after what she went through, and not after what she just did for him with this romantic date. ]

If I was Cat Noir—

[ He hesitates, and can practically hear Ladybug scolding him, like "Don't go down this road. Just don't"— but he presses on. ]

If I was Cat Noir, I'd be able to sneak out all the time. [ Doesn't he, though? ] I'd probably kiss your hand, call you ma chère a lot, probably until you slapped me for it. I'd be able to tell you all about how amazing you are for putting together this meal for me, without worrying how I might sound, what you might think.

...If I was Cat Noir, I wouldn't even be able to tell you, because I wouldn't want you to get hurt.

[ ... ]

Because the fact is, you didn't even know, and... you already almost were.

[ Is he... being obvious enough yet? ]

[ Quietly, she turns her head just enough that she can look in his direction again when he first speaks up. She's actually really expecting him to jump on the chance to change the subject. She's anticipating an excuse to leave any second, not because she thinks poorly of him but because she knows she just made this whole thing incredibly awkward. She's even prepared for him to say that this had been a bad idea. What Piper isn't expecting is for Adrien to open up and lay out a hint in neon lights that she was right all along.

And she sure wasn't expecting him hint that maybe the crushing might possibly be anywhere near mutual territory. ]

[ His concerns definitely make sense from a logical standpoint... but he doesn't know what she's already been through, and he shouldn't be holding himself in any way responsible for what happened earlier today. She's the reason that guy became Akumatized- her and Hawkmoth. That doesn't have Adrien Agreste or Cat Noir written anywhere on it. Even if someone else had been Cat Noir, the guy would've still been turned, and she might not be here to talk to him about it like this.

That's what she wants to say, but somehow that doesn't feel like the right tact either. Arguing the point was... well, pointless. Being involved in any way with a superhero was dangerous business, even pop culture made that apparent. ]

[ And let's not even get into the whole bit about assuming that "involvement" would enter the picture here.

But she's been quiet for a few seconds. He's laid everything out there for her... rather nicely, she might add, and the last thing she wants to do is give him the wrong idea by sitting in silence while she gets lost in thought. Her musings from earlier come rushing back, his words giving her a flurry of different emotions.

Hope, relief, a little joy, a bit of nervous anticipation... None of it means anything if she botches this talk, though. ]

[ Her eyes crinkle a bit at the "ma chere" and slapping him part. There's also a soft, weak huff of a breath that sounds a little like a short laugh.

Seriously, all this "what if" scenario stuff, it's such a damned bummer. Who says it has to stay "IF"? Screw that. They won't know anything if (she's starting to hate that damn word a little bit) they don't even ever try. ]

I'd understand you keeping a secret like that... if it were true. That's a pretty good reason, and it would make things... complicated.

But maybe you wouldn't turn out to be the only one with a major secret. Maybe my life is already stranger than you think, and I know a thing or two about trouble... and what carrying around secrets like that does to a person.

[ She's not just confronting him with this because she wants to say "I told you so" or "I know your secret~" or even because she thinks it makes him any more or less amazing or desirable. There's that part of her that feels like there's a sort of kinship there- or potentially anyway -and a part of her that worries because of it. She's sat on a lot of weird crap for the last couple of years, and even knows what it feels like to try to confide in someone she thought she could trust with it just to be shot down. She doesn't know if Adrien- if Cat Noir -has anyone to confide in, if he has that kind of relationship with Ladybug, but she doesn't want to leave things be and find out the hard way later that he didn't. Now, that sure isn't all of it, but it's definitely a big part.

So that's her hand, tentatively coming to rest next to his in a way that she can touch her pinky finger against his, not too forward but letting him know that its there if he wants. Or maybe she wants it herself, not sure. ]

So... if you were Cat Noir, and I had found out, knowing it or not wouldn't change anything, except for you having one more person you could talk to about it than you did before. Besides, I hate to point this out, but not knowing who you were didn't stop that guy from trying to collect me earlier. If anything, knowing you and being with you is the exact reason he didn't succeed.

[ She takes a deep breath, long, and he might hear a tremble in the sound as she tries to steady her nerves and gather her confidence before she looks him square in the eyes. ]

So, would that really be so bad...?

[ The truth is that there's still a lot about Piper he doesn't know. He's not sure exactly how much of that would make him okay with Piper knowing his secret...but then, he supposes it doesn't really matter anymore.

Because... he can't really take back his decision now. He can't unsay what he said.

He can only smile crookedly, and hope that this doesn't come back to bite him too soon. ]

I mean, it might be, if Ladybug kills me.

[ Ha... ha... (Okay, he'll be serious.) ]

...But I get your point.

[ He sounds defeated, but... honest. ]

[ It's an improvement, but the guilt is still hanging there on her shoulders. ]

If she's gonna be angry at anyone it should probably be me. And... speaking of which, I'm sorry for springing this on you. I wasn't trying to freak you out.

[ Sure, she expected him to be surprised but this reaction was more than she'd been prepared for.

It just goes to show that Piper has a lot to learn about Adrien still, too. No one is confident and easy going ALL the time, and if he's been keeping this secret a while there's no doubt she'd probably scared the crap out of him, suddenly figuring it out. ]

I guess I just got excited, and didn't give it as much thought as I should have.

[ After all, it was his secret to tell, she should have probably let him do so at his own pace, in his own time, if he ever did. The cat's out of the bag now though, as the saying goes. All they can do is roll with it from here. ]

[ Adrien’s appetite has admittedly taken a hit, but he’s still nibbling out of politeness as he listens to Piper, quietly taking her apology to heart.

It sinks in more and more that he’s finally shared his secret with someone, and it wasn’t even Ladybug. The part of him that is bothered by this, though, is drowned out by Piper’s words echoing within him: Would it really be so bad?

He shakes his head. ]

Nah. You shouldn’t have to think about it at all, so don’t sweat it.

I just... need some time, I think.

[ ...and because he can’t apparently can’t be 100% serious for more than five seconds: ]

And another sandwich.

[ He reaches for another, not out of hunger, but because going through the motions seems to help.

And because he wants Piper to smile too. ]

[ Piper, for her part, is turning her sandwich a bit in her fingers. The whole thing still feels kind of awkward and she half-wishes she hadn't brought it up, but what's done is done, and they may as well try to salvage the night. His addendum draws out a small chuckle and smile. ]

Yeah, take your time. And your fill. The more you eat the less I have to carry back down later.

[ Hers gets finished in a few bites after that, and she reaches in for one of the sodas after. It opens up with a satisfying pop and hiss, and she watches the fizz escaping from the opened lid for a bit as she goes on. ]

Hey, do you remember how earlier today I said I told that guy to get lost?

[ Adrien obviously plans on helping, so it's more like "we"—the less we have to carry back down.

But he doesn't bother with the correction, looking towards Piper with interest when she continues. ]

Sure. [ That was right before he tried to ask her out to lunch, as he recalls. Not that he's about to bring that up again. He'd much rather tease her. ] What about it, heartbreaker?

Ha ha, very funny, lover boy.

[ Said as she rolls her eyes in his direction with mock exasperation. ]

The thing is, when I ask people to do something... they do it. And I don't mean that in a Chloe way.

[ ...

......As tempting as it is to keep up the teasing and joking, especially at Chloe’s expense, he can tell Piper is being serious. ]

Uh, okay. How do you mean it, then?

[ Should she be more nervous about this? Maybe. PROBABLY. But hey, gift horses, mouths, carrot breath, no thanks.

Take your time processing that, Adrien. She'll just be over here taking a sip of her soda as she waits.

Oh, ready then with the questions? Perfect timing. ]

I know this is gonna sound kinda crazy but hear me out. Okay? [ She looks at him for confirmation before continuing. ] ... Before we moved here to Paris I used to get into trouble a lot. My dad hasn't really had time for me since he became famous, so I'd try to find ways to make him pay attention. [ She shrugs a bit, tracing the rim of her soda can now with one fingertip. ] It was my first private school and I didn't fit in with the rich kids there, so I started wandering around town. I don't really know what made me decide to try it but... I stopped in this bike shop. There was this mountain bike on display and I asked the clerk if I could try it out. At first he said no... but then I asked again, and promised I'd bring it right back. Instead of telling me to beat it they just... said sure. Like... they'd just suddenly done a complete one-eighty, decided they trusted me and they were happy to give me what I wanted.

[ Thinking back on it it was strange, but she was a dumb kid, still was in a lot of ways, but- ]

I assumed they'd recognized me or something... you know, knew my dad? I did bring the bike back, but... I don't know, it kept happening again after that and it just got more and more ridiculous.

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3/???????????? SERIOUSLY ALL THE QUESTION MARKS.

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