Chapter Text
Even before becoming a superhero Nino was no stranger to protecting those around him. Since the birth of his baby brother Chris, he understood the importance of watching over those precious to him and keeping a steady vigilance over his family whether they needed his protection or not. Over time, it became less of a need and more of a want, longing to support those close to him as it spilled into his daily life.
Marinette had been a childhood friend for as long as he could remember, stretching back to diapers and nap times when they’d frequently swap blankets or snatch toys from one another. In the time it took them to mature enough into students at Collège Françoise Dupont together, he still couldn’t shake the fond memories of her pouting when she was rudely awakened or the small freckle by her right ankle that he’d discovered was ticklish at age 10.
Sure, they’d long grown past the age of pulling pigtails or hiding caps from one another but the adoration he had for said girl still remained. Now, instead of sticking his tongue out at her, he made her laugh in other ways. His affinity for calling her “dudette” coupled with his outdated phrases and shameless optimism were just the cure for late night projects and bad days.
Yet, some days even his corniest lines weren’t enough to erase the bags beneath her eyes or the slump in her steps. He offered his encouragement where he could, busting out his latest Nino-approved music selections and giving her a copy of his messy scrawlings of that day’s lecture notes. It didn’t reduce the fatigue evident in her stare or improve her ability to beat the morning bell but if it made her relax a bit more at his presence with a quirk of her lips, it was well worth it.
Upon first meeting Adrien, Nino considered him an enigma, an oddity that automatically put him at odds. For even an individual with little care for fashion like himself knew the name Adrien Agreste and understood the empire his father had in its industry. He’d seen the model’s face in magazine covers and billboards plastered around town, proudly advertising clothing, perfume, you name it.
Coupled with the headache that was Chloé Bourgeois who kept her nose buried in her cellphone singing his praises, it wasn’t any wonder that the blonde was likened to that of another pompous rich daddy’s boy before he even arrived. Yet, once he did, the boy was more nervous and hesitant than the DJ’d thought. Instead of demanding popularity on a silver platter, the model was quiet, reserved almost, as he stammered through his pleasantries and fumbled with his attendance. It was the skittish eyes that seemed to simultaneously search for danger and take in the unfamiliar sights that drew Nino in. Through a variety of secret handshakes, inside jokes, and hours of late night chatting, the two became thick as thieves.
Gradually, his hunched shoulders started to relax and the model soon began lifting his head with confidence, growing in volume as he laughed more boisterously than before. He gravitated towards physical touch and soon Nino began slinging an arm over his shoulder on the way to class, slapping a hand across his back in passing, and initiating a strong bear hug on days the poor kid looked ready to drop. Of course, it didn’t magically fix the issues he had going with his controlling father or ease the heartache that his mother left behind but it did give him an escape from his empty house for at least a few hours. And if Adrien started to personify Alya’s nickname of sunshine, well he was always willing to help his bro out.
There was never any doubt that Alya was fiery, determined, and brave. In fact, it was part of the reason he fell in love with her in the first place. Resourceful, cunning, and creative, the big-time journalist to be was always hot on the scoop and eager to uncover the truth. But this highly focused search often left her with blinders on to the world around her and could often dig her into more trouble than it was worth. For the safety of her and the unsuspecting world around them, Nino soon found it his responsibility to tail said redhead after one story had her running into traffic without missing a beat.
He also began keeping dry foods alongside his equipment and school supplies, sometimes hand feeding her as she scoured articles and texts for confirmation on her many theories (it also helped that Marinette often left her lunch at home and Adrien was subject to a very strict diet so he found more opportunity to spoil the group). Being her boyfriend also meant he spent many nights digging through trash cans and wearing suspicious disguises in public, but it also came with hand holding and cheek pecks that made his toes curl.
She bounced ideas off of him, even if sometimes they were entirely one-sided with her ramblings giving no time for interjection, but it came with the connections clicking in her mind and spreading across her face before she began writing on any available surface. He treasured the strange array of disjointed notes on his bedroom wall and if she signed it the next day with her loopy signature and a heart, he was the first to check her blog when the article was posted.
The non-stop grind of journalism and school kept his beloved busy and left little for relaxation and sleep. If it wasn’t the update of the Ladyblog, Alya was tending to her own two sisters or checking in on Marinette when she dropped off the face of the earth. Rather than add to her already stressful workload, Nino brought movies over on Tuesdays for “date night” so she could fall asleep against his shoulder. They played Super Penguino on nights she couldn’t and if she whispered words of affection into the crook of his neck after their game had long shut off, he loved her all the more for it.