Adrien woke up slowly.
For a moment, he didn't move.
Didn't open his eyes.
Just… listened.
A soft, steady sound filled the room.
Water.
Running.
Adrien frowned slightly, brows knitting together as consciousness settled in.
Water…?
His eyes opened.
The ceiling of his penthouse came into focus.
Then—
Everything from last night hit him at once.
Zane.
The kissing.
Falling asleep.
Adrien sat up abruptly.
His heart skipped.
"Wait—"
The bathroom door clicked open.
Adrien turned his head—
And froze.
Zane walked out casually, a small towel hanging low around his waist, damp hair pushed back, water still trailing down his neck and shoulders.
Adrien's brain stopped working.
Completely.
Zane blinked at him.
Then grinned.
"Oh. Good morning."
Adrien stared.
"…What are you doing?"
Zane looked down at himself.
Then back up, amused.
"I took a shower?"
Adrien swallowed.
Hard.
"…Why are you—"
He gestured vaguely.
Zane tilted his head.
"What? You don't like it?"
Adrien's face heated instantly.
"That's not what I meant."
Zane stepped closer.
Way too close.
Water still dripping onto the floor as he leaned slightly toward Adrien.
"You're staring."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
Zane smiled wider.
"Then why are your ears red?"
Adrien immediately turned his head away.
"Shut up."
Zane laughed softly, grabbing a shirt from the chair and pulling it on slowly—too slowly.
Adrien definitely didn't watch.
Definitely not.
"Do you even have clothes here?" Adrien asked, trying to sound normal.
Zane shrugged.
"I'll just borrow yours."
Adrien snapped his head toward him.
"No, you won't."
Too late.
Zane was already digging through his closet.
"Oh, this one looks expensive."
"Don't touch that—"
Zane held it up against himself.
"It fits."
Adrien groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"You're unbelievable."
"And you let me stay," Zane shot back easily.
Adrien paused.
Then looked away.
"…Just get dressed."
Zane smirked.
By late morning, the atmosphere had shifted.
Less intense.
More… comfortable.
Adrien sat cross-legged on the floor, focused.
Zane sat across from him.
Not focused at all.
"You cheated."
"I didn't."
"You definitely did."
Adrien didn't even look up.
"Maybe you're just bad."
Zane scoffed.
"I'm not bad."
"You just lost five times in a row."
"That's strategy."
Adrien finally looked at him.
Deadpan.
"That's losing."
Zane leaned back dramatically.
"I'm being distracted."
"By what?"
Zane didn't answer.
Just stared at him.
Openly.
Blatantly.
Adrien felt it immediately.
"…Stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like that."
Zane leaned forward slightly.
"Maybe if you stopped being distracting, I'd win."
Adrien rolled his eyes.
But his lips twitched slightly.
"Focus."
"You focus."
"I am focused."
Zane hummed.
"Not on the game."
Adrien threw a piece at him.
"Play."
After another humiliating loss—
Zane flopped onto the floor.
"I'm starving."
Adrien stood up.
"I'll order something."
Zane shot up instantly.
"No."
Adrien paused.
"…No?"
"I'll cook."
Adrien blinked.
Then laughed.
"No, you won't."
Zane placed a hand over his heart.
"I'm offended."
"You should be."
"I can cook."
"You absolutely cannot."
Zane was already walking toward the kitchen.
"Watch me."
Adrien followed immediately.
"This is a bad idea."
Ten minutes in—
Smoke.
"Zane."
"I've got it."
"You don't."
"I do."
"You're burning it."
"I'm not—"
The pan hissed loudly.
Adrien grabbed the spatula from him.
"You're burning it."
Zane frowned.
"…Okay, maybe a little."
Adrien stared at the mess.
"What even is this?"
Zane looked at it proudly.
"Food."
Adrien looked at him.
Then back at the pan.
"…Barely."
They ended up making something together.
Well—
Adrien fixed it.
Zane watched.
And occasionally got in the way.
"Move."
"I'm helping."
"You're not."
"I am."
"You're standing."
"That's moral support."
Adrien sighed.
But didn't actually push him away.
Zane noticed.
They sat on the couch.
Plates in hand.
Zane took a bite.
Paused.
Then nodded slowly.
"Okay. That's actually good."
Adrien smirked slightly.
"Because I fixed it."
Zane leaned closer.
"Because we made it."
Adrien rolled his eyes.
But didn't move away.
Zane's knee brushed against his.
Then stayed there.
Adrien noticed.
Didn't comment.
Didn't move.
The afternoon settled into something softer.
Sunlight filtering through the windows.
Silence.
Comfortable.
Zane leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head.
"I have a match soon."
Adrien glanced at him.
"When?"
"Tomorrow."
Adrien's expression shifted slightly.
"…Quarterfinals?"
Zane nodded.
"Yeah."
A small pause.
Then—
"You'll win."
Zane smiled faintly.
"You sound confident."
"I am."
Zane looked at him.
Really looked at him.
"Are you going to watch?"
Adrien hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
"Maybe."
Zane's smile widened.
"That means yes."
"It means maybe."
"It means yes."
Adrien huffed.
"Shut up."
Zane laughed softly.
The room grew quiet again.
But not empty.
Just… full.
Of things neither of them said.
Zane shifted slightly closer.
Not enough to be obvious.
But enough.
Adrien noticed.
Of course he did.
But he didn't move.
Didn't stop him.
Zane rested his head back again, eyes half-lidded.
"You're really bad at letting people in."
Adrien stiffened slightly.
"…What?"
Zane shrugged.
"You act like everything's under control."
Adrien looked away.
"It is."
Zane turned his head.
Studying him.
"Liar."
Adrien didn't respond.
Zane didn't push further.
Just—
Stayed there.
Close.
Present.
As the day faded into evening, nothing dramatic happened.
No big moment.
No explosion.
Just—
Small things.
Zane stealing glances.
Adrien pretending not to notice.
Their shoulders brushing.
Their hands almost touching.
And neither of them pulling away.
Because whatever this was—
It wasn't simple anymore.
And neither of them wanted it to be.