bakerstreet | thursday pic prompt

He -- he said they're just hanging out.

[She half shrieks and half hisses, in relief and anticipation of keeping Alya from giving them away by being too loud. All while kind of flailing a little with the phone in her hand.]

That's good...see? Nothing to worry about.

(Seeing Marinette flail again, with phone in hand, caused Alya to take action. She giggles lightly, reaching out to tickle, tickle, tickle her friend's stomach. Marinette had to get it out, even if it meant some more cute flailing.

If she did get too loud, they were still close enough to the Tower that a quick sprint wouldn't hurt.)

No...nothing.

[Excuse her as she almost just kind of. Sags a bit in relief before continuing said flailing in attempts to dissuade Alya's tickling. Which doesn't quite work, nor does it help any in her attempts to try keep quiet and not attract attention.]

A-Alya!

Hmmm? You say something, Marinette?

(Partial payback for choosing to disrupt their time together for a freak out even if she understands why, and also a key moment to watch her best friend flail as she keeps tickling her. Not even trying to hide the smile on her own face, Alya doesn't stop her motions nor is she dissuaded by it because of said flailing. She's more likely invigorated to keep going.)

You want me to keep going...? Is that what you were trying to say?

No! We're gonna lose 'em! Or -- I mean. If we wanted to keep following. Or we can do our thing. If you just -- stop-that!

[Marinette tries and fails to entirely suppress her peals of laughter at the other's ministrations. Because....well. There's not really reason to keep following the other two if she knows it's nothing.]

You promise...? Just you and me?

(Only after a few more minutes of tickling Marinette's stomach and listening to her laugh in such a wonderful manner does Alya reluctantly pull away and retract her fingers. She does take hold of Marinette's hands with her own, pulling her along after she's gotten her strength back and can move somewhat.)

I love hearing you laugh like that, so don't be surprised if I give you a repeat performance later, okay?

Y-yes! I just wanted to be sure.

[That Chloé hadn't gotten her claws into Adrien. That it was just as friends. Of course she's aware her classmate would like there to be more with the model, but that does not seem to be a thing happening any time soon. Not that Marinette knows this is due to the other blonde having something of a crush on the resident heroine, for one.

She takes a deep breath, cheeks all the more flushed from the tickling on top of her earlier distress as she all but pouts.]

I'm sorry Alya. I'll make it up to you! Just....not by more tickling?

Right. Just had to make sure he was still available.

(Alya waits until they've gotten a pretty good distance from Adrien and Chloé before letting go and turning to eye Marinette with a grin. It wasn't like she couldn't ambush her with tickling in the future, but seeing her friend with flushed cheeks and nearly pouting was worth it.)

Alright! What do you have planned Marinette?

Y-yes......

[Not. That Marinette has exactly made a move or told him she is interested. She gets so flustered just at the thought of calling him or whatever. But really.

She reaches and grabs her friend's hand, leading the way.]

The tower! We could get a really pretty view in evenings.

[It's gorgeous. It really is and she wishes she could show Alya and Adrien so much more of how she sees the city, running around as Ladybug and all. This is probably the closest she can get without outing herself though.]

Really? Think they'll let us up there this late?

(While she hadn't expected Marinette to grab her hand and pull her along, Alya was able to keep up with her pretty well. And if she were honest, seeing a good view at this time of night would really be memorable as long as Marinette was there.

Plus, it'd be stuff they could talk about besides the moment when Ladybug shoved her into a cage.)

Worth a try?

[There probably is some point in the evenings where they close, even for the tourists. But Marinette is hopeful all the same. They can't be sure unless they check. Unless they ask. Marinette might have been here before, but that was during the day mostly, or on Ladybug business when she did not really have the time like right now to actually appreciate the views.]

Yeah, it's worth a try!

(Luckily, they were able to make it before visiting hours were closed so Marinette's bout of optimism paid off. As they rode the elevator, Alya squeezed Marinette's hand with her own. It looked like she'd get to see this particular view the same way her friend saw it after all.)

We made it! Look, Alya!

[Marinette bounds ahead as best the crowds allow once the doors open up to the top, racing to find a spot for them to enjoy the view. Sure, chances are it's more couples that come to see the sights and take advantage of the height of the Tower. But neither are the two school girls the only friends hanging out either.]

Isn't it amazing?

Incredible...

(For a few moments, the expression on Alya's face told the story. The view from the top of the Tower was indeed a wondrous sight to behold, no matter if you were seeing it from the skies or the top of a roof. She looked out for a few moments before turning toward Marinette.

Even if she had seen the view before, seeing her friend's expression had Alya a bit curious. When could she have had time to come up here? The school didn't schedule a field trip to the Tower.)

Marinette, when did you...?

Hm? Oh! Heh, I came here once or twice with my parents. I guess they figured it was kind of silly of us not to come at least once when tourists come from all over to see it, you know?

[Which may or may not be true but more recently it has definitely been more of a locale for Ladybug to frequent, really. Not that she is going to out herself like that.]

Yeah...you do have a point! We can enjoy it's beauty as much as tourists do, right?

Marinette might suddenly feel Alya pull her in close for a hug, arms wrapped around her as she smiles gratefully at her before performing said deed.)

...Thanks, Marinette. I know you'd probably like to watch this with Adrien someday, but I wouldn't share this moment with anyone else right now.

Exactly! We totally can!

[Marinette grins, laughing as Alya hugs her, one arm returning it as the other holds herself in place to keep her balance.]

Wi--with Adrien.....?

[Alya don't fluster her with such ideas.]

(Alya joins Marinette within seconds, both girls laughing atop the Tower even if it does last for a few moments. She holds the hug for a while, then pulls back just a bit to see her face.)

Well...we can share this moment together because we're best friends and we'll always have it to remember, along with your brief-tickle fest.

(It's almost like she wants Marinette to toss in 'but' so she won't have to, considering she knows what she'll say once picking up where she intentionally left off. Plus, Alya was the one who started the tickle-fest, she'll own up to it.)

Right! H-hey....!

[It isn't Marinette's fault she is ticklish! Let alone that Alya probably easily guessed as much given how much the other usually flails about sometimes. But Alya did totally start it. Even if Marinette had gotten distracted earlier.]

It helped you to relax a little bit, right?

(Alya had guessed that Marinette was ticklish, but that along with her flailing made her who she was. She wouldn't want her to change that about herself no matter what.)

Well, maybe, but -- but that still doesn't mean I want you to do that all the time.

[There is something to be said for it, but she knows she can't and shouldn't always rely on Alya being around right when she needs to calm down from....whatever apparent crisis she gets into next.]

Heh, I didn't say I'd do it all the time. Maybe every now and then.

(Alya knows that herself, that Marinette may not always be able to rely on her being around much when she's flailing over certain issues.)

Every now and then is more than enough!

[Well. In Marinette's opinion, of course. Which is not to say that is necessarily right. Or unbiased. At all.]

Alright; I'll hold you to that Marinette.

(Alya raises her fingers up like she's gonna tickle her best friend right there on the Tower with who knows how many people watching. But she wouldn't do that to Marinette, not now since 'every now and then' hadn't even passed through the night.)

Course you can.

[Marinette seems on guard when Alya raises her hands, but simply ends up laughing and looking almost sheepish when the other does not, in fact, move in to tickle her again.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject