A long sigh escaped the young, blond model's lips. His green eyes glanced over the photographers, lighting crew, and gophers all collaborating on set. All preparing for the major shoot that would show off his father's latest line. The energy was high, everyone excited to do their own part.
Everyone except Adrien, that is.
The blond only surveyed the proceedings in boredom.
Everything was so fake. The sets were fake. The people were fake. The shots would be touched up beyond recognition. Even his face and body were fake, with the amount of makeup and contouring they trussed him up with. There was nothing substantial to hold onto in this line of work. Even his father's acknowledgement was some vague idea that seemed to sift through his fingers like water.
Such was his life. At the tender age of fifteen, he'd already given up. There was no point in trying to get away from it. He'd tried before. He'd gotten as far as China. Unfortunately, his father's reach seemed to span the globe. He was Adrien Agreste, heir to his father's legacy. Which meant that he was denied any chance to make his own. A mere chess piece in his father's game. Not quite a pawn. No, his worth wasn't that low. He was more a rook or a bishop.
"Adrien, we're ready for you," the photographer called.
"Coming," the model replied, pushing himself up from his chair. He was ever the consummate professional. It was none of these people's fault he hated his situation. Hated this life. They were just trying to do their jobs. He gave them a fake smile, the only one he could manage. Then he took his direction as best he could. Be perky. Don't clench. Look soft. Feel strong. Be fierce. Show vulnerability. Just like that, don't move. Even though it was the most uncomfortable position to hold. It was all old hat. Going through the motions, he posed in front of the camera, once again objectified in front of strangers. All for the sake of some stupid clothing line.
"Hold it! That's perfect!" the lead photographer called, as the cameras began to flash. It should have been like any other shoot. Except for the strange feeling that the flash only seemed to be growing more intense. For all of his experience, it was becoming harder and harder not to twitch and squint.
"Hey, is something wrong with the lights?" he called, even though it wasn't his place as a human coat rack to speak.
No one answered. The lights got worse, now coming in a constant stream that would surely cause seizures.
"Hello? Hey!" he cried, breaking his pose. "What's going on?!"
Then what could only be described as a rip in reality tore itself across the floor. Suddenly, there was nothing underneath him and gravity took its course. He scrabbled for the folds in the rip, but they bunched up like thin cotton. All it did was drag down with him as he fell down through open blue sky. He screamed as lush green below flew towards him, threatening a crash collision.
That was when the cloth-like rip he'd been dripping like a lifeline saved him from his inevitable demise. Nearly tearing his shoulder out of its socket, his body slammed into a sudden stop in midair. The cloth above peeled more from his own reality, setting him down at a more sedate pace.
That was when the rip above rumbled. To his horror, Adrien looked above and saw the rip snap closed. With it, the cloth he'd been holding onto disintegrated and he began to plummet again. Thankfully, this time it was a much shorter fall. It didn't stop his less than stellar landing through the tree canopy, as he landed with one final shriek into the brush.
"What the fu-" Adrien cursed. It was a trial just to remember to breathe after reality tore itself open and dumped him wherever he was. "Ow, ow," he hissed, pushing himself up to an upright position. He moved slowly. Every bit of him ached, his perfect skin mottled with cuts and scrapes and soon to become bruises. It was a miracle that he made it through the fall uninjured. On shaky legs, he stood up and took stock of his surroundings. Oh, he was in the woods. Who didn't like being in the woods. Especially when he had no shoes, no shirt, and he didn't have his cell, so definitely no service either. Fantastic!
Something rustled behind him. Feeling more than a little vulnerable in just skin tight pants and some stupid scarf, Adrien whipped the piece of cloth off and clenched it between his hands. As some kind of makeshift garrote? It didn't matter. It was all he had to work with.
"Hey, I think it went this way!" a young female voice called out. The underbrush rustled again and that was when a young woman stepped out into view. She looked up at him with two piercing bluebell eyes that seemed to freeze him where he stood. She was very pretty with raven-blue hair tied into pigtails, delicate features and what he could only assume was a lithe body underneath her black and red costume. She looked as though she were dressed up for Halloween, or cosplay, with a black hood cloak pinned back behind her shoulders, study leather boots and an assortment of leather satchels and glass vials hanging off the belt on her bright red pants.
The strange girl stared at his state of undress, cheeks flushing. "H-hey, are you okay?" she called, taking a step towards him.
Adrien understandably took a step back, holding the scarf threatening out in front of him. "Stay back! Who are you?!" he demanded.
The cosplay girl faltered. The blush on her cheeks worsened. "Oh! I'm sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! I'm with the academy and I was actually looking for my Familiar! You see we have our summonings today. By the way, you didn't happen to see something drop out of that hole in the sky, did you?"
The model stared. "Me. I was that person who fell through," he said slowly. "D-did you do that?! How did you do that?! Where the hell am I?"
Those bluebell eyes only widened in alarm - not a good sign - her jaw going slack. "Ummmm..." she said uncertainly, looking like she was about to break out into a sweat. That was when the bushes rustled again and the pair of them were joined by another girl, one with amber skin and fiery red hair.
"Hey Mari, you find it ye- Oh." The new stranger stopped, regarding Adrien with wide eyes. "Oh good grief," she said, looking over to 'Mari' in a mix of exasperation and disbelief. "Girl, of all the times to mess up a spell, this was the worst one yet!"
Spell? What?
"I don't know what happened!" Mari cried in horror, cupping her cheeks with her hands. "I thought I was going to get a cat! A dog would've been fine! Even better a hamster! HOW did I get a human?!"
"Well, you did manage to fish up quite a specimen at least," her friend declared, giving the half-naked model an appreciative glance.
"Excuse me, I can understand what you're saying," Adrien growled.
"Oh! He speaks!" the redhead cried. "Daaaamn, you are in so much trouble~" she told the apparently hopeless case that was her friend.
Mari ignored her and stepped towards Adrien. "I'm so sorry about all this," she spoke, her pretty face fixed with genuine remorse. "You must be so confused. What's your name? Where are you from?"
"Adrien. ...I'm from Paris," the blond answered slowly. At her look of confusion - which was alarming, because who hadn't heard of Paris? - he elaborated, "France? Europe?"
Mari blinked, before comprehension dawned. "Oh! Earth! You're from Earth! Wow, you've really come a long way." This did nothing to reassure the young model. "Don't worry, we'll get you back to where you belong, okay? This is all going to seem like some weird dream to you after this is over." She gave him a warm smile that sent a soft flurry of butterflies to Adrien's stomach. She wasn't the most beautiful person he ever encountered, thanks to his line of work. But for some reason she felt so genuine, so real, despite how impossible the situation was around them. Unbidden, a faint flush dusted his cheeks. Heaven help him, but he actually thought he could trust this girl.
"Here, let's go back okay?" Mari said, holding out a hand. "Our headmaster can absolutely sort this out." With a nod, Adrien reached out to her small, delicate fingers.
"Wait, don't touch-!" her friend cried, but it was a heartbeat too late. Their fingers brushed. Something like an electric shock went through him. Only it wasn't painful in the least. It felt simply like intense warmth, as though he were submerged in a bath of milk and honey. It was sweet. It was comforting. It was home.
Then just as suddenly, the sensation passed. Only a faint reminder lingered. His heart thundered in his chest, aching for another dip in that warm, inviting pool. His green eyes snapped up to the raven-haired girl. For some reason, he got some of that feeling back, as if the vision of her were an oasis in an endless desert. "Mari," he breathed softly, interlacing their fingers together.
Mari stared at him, similarly affected. She panted faintly, her cheeks blossoming into a bright, red blush.
The redhead stared at them both in horror. "Damn it, Mari," she breathed, "what have you done?!"
~o~
Soon, the three of them were sitting in an enormous cherry wood room with all the trappings of a scholarly dean stuck caught in medieval China. Enormous, dusty leather tomes were everywhere, mostly in bookshelves but also on the large oak desk and in a couple stacks on top of the red velvet carpet. There were also numerous metal contraptions of mysterious purpose spread across the room. A small, elderly man, Headmaster Fu, looked sternly at all three of them.
Adrien wasn't completely sure how they got there. It was impossible to tear his eyes away from Mari - Marinette was her full name - so his attention was completely diverted. He itched as though there were a thousand ants crawling underneath his skin. He wanted to touch, to hold. His fingers trembled from the sheer effort of not reaching out and taking his lovely Marinette's hands in his own. To kiss every single digit. To trace each lifeline along her palm with tongue and breath. He needed to adore her. He was meant to adore her.
"First of all, I think we need to fix this small matter," the wizened headmaster spoke, touching something on his wrist. He murmured something in an incomprehensible language. Then a cold breeze passed over Adrien, dispersing the cloud in the model's mind.
Suddenly, the intense need in the blond eased. He blinked, as if coming out of a daze. Then the blush returned in full, when he realized just what had occupied his mind for the past hour. Glancing at the blushing Marinette now, he felt just a flicker of what he did before. Some shameful part of him actually liked feeling that way. It was the most alive he'd felt in years.
"There, that should take of any overwhelming feelings of subservience," Headmaster Fu said, interlacing his fingers on the desk in front of him.
...That wasn't what Adrien was feeling, but the blond wasn't about to correct him.
"Now I assume that you have questions, young man. However, as we are going to send you back right away, all you really need to know is that you were accidentally summoned here using what appears to be a faulty familiar summoning spell. The fault is entirely on us." It was rather nice of him not to single out Marinette specifically, even though the girl hunched over and wriggled uncomfortably in her seat. "You have our deepest apologies for any inconvenience we have caused," the elderly headmaster bowed his head in apology.
It was difficult not to copy the motion. "N-no, it's... okay? I'm sure that this is all going to seem like some awesome dream later," Adrien said, giving the headmaster a weak smile. "I mean, the shoot I was doing was pretty boring anyway, so this was a nice, if terrifying diversion." He couldn't help but sneak another glance at Marinette as he spoke. She had a lot to do with the nice part.
"Yeeeah, about that..." Alya, Marinette's redheaded friend, spoke up. She was the picture of quiet fury, arms and legs crossed as though she were trying to contain herself. "You're going to have a souvenir from this particular dream," she said, glaring at the raven haired... witch?.
Adrien stared, a feeling a dread trickling down his spine. "...Come again?"
"We cannot undo the Familiar spell," Headmaster Fu said gravely. He turned a somber look on Marinette, his expression almost sad. "Moreover, it would do irreparable harm if we were to separate you two across space and time. As this is clearly our fault, it would be unreasonable to rip you away from your life. Instead, Marinette will have to go with you."
Taking this in, the blond's head snapped over to Marinette, who stared down at her hands. Suddenly, everyone's behavior made sense. "What, like, forever?" he asked, his horror slowly dawning.
"I'm afraid so," the elderly headmaster replied.
Adrien looked to the raven-haired girl again. She trembled, as if trying not to break down into tears. Nonetheless, she looked up at him, giving him a brave smile. "I'm so sorry about all of this. You don't need to take care of me. I can figure out how to look after myself when we get to, um, Parry."
"Oh, Mari," Alya sighed, angry and heartbroken.
Who was she leaving behind? Her family? Her friends? Her whole life? To go to some world she'd never seen? And for what? So that he could be back in the clutches of his father's empire? To continue to be a centerfold idol? Wasn't this somehow the escape he'd always been looking for?
"...No, that's okay," he decided. Even as he said it, a sense of euphoria came over him, making him smile. "I can stay here."
The three magicians looked to him in shock. Headmaster Fu then frowned. "Young man, if you're feeling some sense of obligation from any residual effect of the Familiar spell..."
"No, it definitely isn't that," Adrien said firmly, waving his hands to dissipate the idea. "I hate it back home. If we have to stick together, I'd rather just stay here."
This was clearly not what they were expecting, judging from the looks that they exchanged. Headmaster Fu considered this. "Well, I suppose that we could always send you back home later, should you change your mind..." he said, while Alya let out a squeal of glee and wrapped Marinette up into a hug.
That minor flicker of something twinged his blood, a feeling of envy pooling in his stomach. However, he was distracted from such thoughts when Alya assaulted him as well, giving him a tight squeeze. "You won't regret this, Adrien!" she cried. "You're going to love it here! We'll make sure of it!"
"Thanks," the former-model grinned. "Um... where is here, anyway?"
~o~
The sparknotes version they gave him was that Adrien now resided in the Realms Miraculous - yes, that was the actual name - where magic was real. It was in a completely different dimension than Earth, although the mages of Miraculous were aware of other worlds out there. Everyone could use magic here. Although it was adepts like Marinette and Alya who trained in the academy to use their magic jewels to perform high-level spells that the general populace were not capable of. Within the realm, there ruled seven kingdoms - none of which he could remember - but the important part was that they lived in the kingdom ruled by Queen Tikki.
They had to put a pin in the rest of the explanation for risk of unloading too much onto the blond at once. Instead, they cleaned him up and fitted him with the only 'proper' clothes they had on hand, the black trousers and shirt that constituted the first years' uniforms at the academy. Then they came to the problem of what to do with him.
"So... what did you say your occupation was again?" Alya asked incredulously, as they tried to think of some kind of Miraculous equivalent that he would be comfortable with.
"Um. I wore clothes and people took pictures of me. Like, instant portraits," Adrien tried to explain. Funny how absurd it sounded when one took out the words 'fashion' and 'haute couture'.
"And... you got paid for that?" Marinette frowned.
"A lot, actually."
"Intriguing..." Headmaster Fu hummed, stroking his small white beard. "It is fascinating to see how cultures differ in alternate worlds. Unfortunately, it is not particularly helpful as a tradecraft here." He probably didn't mean any offense, but the blond couldn't help but flush with embarrassment. Great. It was what he always suspected. He was useless.
"Th-that's okay! We can find something that you can do!" Marinette assured him, putting a hand on his shoulder. The touch sent a ripple of warmth through him. He couldn't help but lean into it.
"I can't stay with you?" Adrien asked, looking up at her with pleading green eyes. Perhaps the aftereffects of the Familiar Spell were screwing with him, but he didn't care. Marinette was in essence his now. There was a connection between them that linked them forever.
Marinette blushed brightly, almost trapped in his gaze. "I, um, I l-live in the dormitory," she tried to explain. "The girls' dormitory."
'So?' the blond wanted to demand, but Alya spoke up first. "Mari, what about your parents? Maybe they could use some help in the bakery? Maybe he could stay in your old room while he finds his footing."
"Oh that's right!" the raven-haired mage gasped. "They'd probably be happy to put him up, considering what he's doing for me."
Adrien bit back a displeased hiss. He agreed to stick around here for Marinette's sake and now he was being sent away?
Sensing his agitation, Marinette glanced to him and gave him a sheepish smile. As if it were the most natural reaction in the world, she brushed a blond lock behind his ear and cupped his face. "Don't worry. They're only a twenty-minute walk from the academy. I can come visit you every day. I usually do end up at the bakery at least a couple times a week."
"You better," the blond murmured softly, nuzzling his cheek into her palm.
Headmaster Fu watched the whole exchange in silence, pensively stroking his beard.
~o~
Marinette's parents were lovely people. Tom was boisterous and friendly, while Sabine was motherly and kind. Both were intensely grateful that Adrien decided to stay, allowing them to continue to see their daughter. In no time at all, he was regarded as an adopted son.
In most cases, Adrien would never have believed his luck. To go from the seat of a cold and empty empire, to a home that was warm and caring. He enjoyed the work that they gave him, once he convinced them to let him earn his keep. It was fun and fulfilling in a way his modeling job never was. They also never failed to favor him with friendly touches, teasing nicknames, and doting gestures. They were everything that he always wanted.
The only thing that stuck in his craw was the separation from Marinette. She was the one thing he never knew he needed. No, need was probably too strong a word, as the feelings that flooded him could never compare to the intensity of that first touch in the forest. Wanted desperately was probably more accurate. The work at the bakery kept him distracted through most of the day, as did learning anything and everything about this new world that he'd decided to call home.
Then there were the times that his delivery route would take him near the academy and he would stop to stare up at the wooden towers. Left wondering what she was doing and when she would come by the bakery again. When he could see her, speak to her, touch her. Oh, he pined, and he loved that he pined. His blood burned in the most pleasurable way with each thought of her. It was more addicting than any drug and he never wanted to come down from his high.
Tom and Sabine noticed. Of course, they noticed. How could they possibly miss the glances that their two 'children' gave to one another at the dinner table when Marinette came by for her visits. The way that they talked for hours. The way that innocent touches lingered. The way that Adrien adored her.
It wasn't long before Tom started joking about marriage.
Adrien blushed and brushed it off. They hadn't even kissed yet. But the more the baker teased, the more it seemed like a natural course of action. They were going to get married. They belonged together. That was just what was meant to be. They would be together forever and live happily ever after.
Which is why it came as a shock when Marinette said that she was leaving.
"I can't believe that I got picked to go to the queen's court!" the raven-haired mage said in excitement, looking to her three 'family' members at the dinner table. "Me, of all people! I thought for sure it was some kind of mistake, but apparently it's because I have such an affinity for Luck."
"Oh sweetie, that's wonderful," Sabine told her daughter kindly, though both she and Tom glanced surreptitiously at the blond. Adrien had gone still, not even making the effort to look like he was picking at his food. "But isn't it rather far?"
"The Summer Palace is only a couple days away by carriage, Maman," Marinette replied matter-of-factly. "I can still come back and visit during training. Oh, but maybe not for the first month or two. I'm going to have to focus on learning the ropes. I'm so far behind most of the other candidates."
Months, she said. Months. Then after that, how often would she actually visit?
"Excuse me," Adrien spoke quietly, too nauseous to look at food. He cleared his plate from the table and without a word went upstairs to the bedroom that had essentially become his. He threw himself onto his bed, gripping his pillow against his chest as if that would smother the pain that focused there. Well aware that he was acting like the moody teenager that his father always accused him of being, his shoulders shook as he tried to pull up the skill he used to have to mask all his emotion. But it was too much to stifle. His feelings for Marinette were too much. It had been fine when it was affection and adoration, but now that the switch was flipped, the agony and the heartbreak were too much to bear. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes, he panted harshly as he choked on a sob.
Not long after, the stairwell door sounded. Adrien stiffened. However, he wiped his tears against his sleeve and tried to regain some modicum of composure. "Come in," he called. When Marinette came up, the sight of her nearly broke him all over again. A reminder of what he was about to lose.
"Hey..." she said softly, her expression contrite. Gently closing the door behind her, she joined Adrien on the bed. Cupping his face, she looked into his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to spring that on you like that." Her own eyes moistened, reflecting the pain that was so evident in his face. "It's only temporary, Adrien. I promise. Once I become a court mage, I can go anywhere I want. Anywhere we want. I could show you the whole world. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity."
"How long?" Adrien croaked.
"A year. Two at most," Marinette replied, cringing.
The blond stared. The reality began to crush him, squeezing his heart until it threatened to rupture and bleed. "How could you do this to me?" he whispered. They both knew he was talking in the broader sense of the words.
"I'm so sorry, Adrien," the mage spoke, her voice wavering. She pressed her brow against his. So close that their breath intermingled. "I know this is only possible because you agreed to stay here. I can't even imagine what you've given up, when I didn't have to."
"Then stay," he pleaded.
"I... I can't," Marinette whispered, her voice cracking even when her resolve wouldn't.
Adrien cupped her face. "Stay," he commanded.
"No," the mage replied yet again, not unkindly.
"Please?"
"Adrien," Marinette sighed.
Shutting his eyes, he gave it up. He leaned forward, letting his full weight push against her. They fell back against the mattress, limbs intertwined, taking solace in each others' warmth and their shared heartbeats. They were nose to nose, just an inch away from kissing. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" the blond asked quietly.
"I do," she replied. He believed her. He didn't know if that made it better or worse. Her hand crept up to his hair, gently combing through the blond locks and down his nape in a soothing, repetitive motion. It never failed to make him relax, melting up against her slender body. If he could purr he would.
"Take me with you," he said, his eyes closed. His head still ached from all the sobs he'd choked back. His body craved sleep. His heart wanted to stay awake so as to not miss a single second.
There was a long moment before Marinette spoke again. "I'll see what I can do."
~o~
On the morning of Marinette's departure, Adrien found himself on the wrong side of the farewells. He stood nearby Tom and Sabine, pale and sick, as they crowded around her carriage. A royal carriage with pure white horses just for her to deliver the newest candidate to the Summer Palace. Tom kept a strong hand - bakers hands - on his shoulder, squeezing in comfort.
Trainees were not allowed to have human companions in the Summer Palace. Period. It didn't matter that the human also happened to be a Familiar. No special dispensation would be given. No matter how high they ran it up the food chain. Even pleading with Headmaster Fu to help them. He did what he could, but it simply wasn't enough.
Years, Adrien thought, unable to even pretend to smile. He used to be good at that sort of thing. That was before he met Marinette. Before she drew him out of the shell of himself. All the good and the bad. Now that she was leaving, it left him vulnerable, naked.
Making her fond farewells to all her friends, Marinette stopped at last in front of her parents and Adrien. Her mother teared, giving her hugs and kisses. Her father engulfed her in a tight hug. Then she looked to Adrien, her heart breaking in her bluebell eyes as her lips twisted into a bittersweet smile. "I'm going to get special permission from the queen," she declared, taking his hands in hers. "You'll see. I'm going to work so hard, I'll impress her. Then she'll have to allow me to bring you. Okay?"
Weakly, Adrien nodded. Silence was as much grace as he could offer.
Smiling, Marinette stepped up on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss against his cheek. She had before, but precious few times. His cheeks blazed with heat as the other students whooped and cheered at the gesture. A burst of joy filled his chest before it fizzled out quickly when he remembered the occasion. That was when she whispered in his ear, for no one but themselves to hear:
"Take care of yourself. I love you."
Scarcely before he could absorb the words, she was gone, stiffly whirling around and marching towards the open door to the carriage. As though she were afraid she would change her mind if she turned around.
His heart pounded in his ears, her words resonating like a drum.
Look back. Look back. Stay, he pleaded as the door shut behind her. How can you tell me that and leave me behind?
However, the driver budged the two horses, bringing the red carriage into motion. Her parents and her wellwishers waved and yelled as the boxy vehicle rolled down the stone street, towards the gates of the capital.
Alya and Nino - the redhead's new beau - looked at the blond while the rest of the crowd dispersed. "Hey, you okay?" the auburn mage asked, putting a hand on Adrien's shoulder. He nodded, but it was a lie. Worrying her lip, Alya gently patted him on the shoulder. "Okay, well Nino and I will check up on you later, alright? You should hang out with us more. The weeks will just fly by, you'll see." With that, they left him in Tom and Sabine's care, walking hand in hand towards the academy.
Gently, Sabine took Adrien by the shoulders, turning them back to the doors of the bakery. "Come inside, Adrien. There's a quiche in the kitchen just for you."
Adrien didn't eat it. In fact, he didn't eat anything for a full week. Nothing besides half-hearted sips of bone broth that Marinette's mother managed to guilt into him. Instead, he confined himself to his room, nursing the ache and the misery that thrived in the void created by the raven-haired mage's absence. During week two, Nino and Alya tried to coax him outside his room to no avail, citing all the magical festivals and activities he was missing that he never had the chance to experience. When that didn't work, they spent time in his room with him, playing Snapdragon and Rum Royal. Only whenever it came to his turn, his attention was leagues away as he stared distantly out the window.
When week three came by, Tom and Sabine contacted Headmaster Fu at their wit's end. The wizened old man arrived at their doorstep at once and took the treacherous trek up the steep flight of stairs with his cane to Adrien's room. He found the young blond where he often was, curled up in bed under the covers. He wasn't sleeping, but was in a state of numb mindlessness.
Setting himself down in a chair facing the bed, Headmaster Fu placed both hands on the butt of his cane as he regarded the blond. "Young man, your parents are very worried about you." It wasn't strange to think of Tom and Sabine as such, so Adrien didn't correct him. "They are concerned that this is more than a case of mere heartbreak. I told them I've been around long enough to have seen much worse cases than yours. I have been teaching young students for years, after all. However, considering how it is you came to be here, I am forced to investigate to see if their worry has any merit."
Headmaster Fu took a breath. "So, what is it, Adrien? Are you just heartbroken or is your attachment to your Master working against you?"
Adrien flinched. He responded by pulling the blanket over his head and curling in on himself even further.
"Ignoring your problem isn't going to help you, young man," Fu told him, raising an eyebrow at the lump. However, when all that the teen answered with was silence, the old wizard released a long sigh. "Very well. I suppose I have no choice. Clearly your bond is acting against you. If you're going to have any chance at a normal life, I'll have to dampen down your attachment to the young lady," he said as he reached out one hand to touch the blond's shoulder.
"No don't!" A strong hand caught the frail wrist. Adrien glared at him, his green eyes burning with a fire that had been absent for weeks. He hissed, baring his teeth. "Don't you dare make me feel any less for her than I do."
"Ah, it speaks!" Fu replied cheerfully. He rubbed his wrist when it was released. "Alive and kicking too, it seems. That's quite a grip you have there." At the blond's surly expression, he smiled. "I think that is quite enough feeling sorry for yourself. Your friends and family are all worried. Besides, do you think that Marinette would be happy to see you this way?"
"...No," Adrien admitted grudgingly, remembering the mage's last words to him.
"Quite right," the elderly man said with a sage nod. "I think it's about time you went downstairs and rejoined society. You'd be surprised how quickly time can pass when you're not alone moping in your room." He put a hand to Adrien's shoulder giving it a squeeze. "Perhaps now that you've become accustomed to life here, you could try your hand at attending school."
"School?" the blond echoed. "Seriously? I hardly know anything about this place's culture and history. I'd be so far behind everyone else my age!"
"That's the wonderful thing about school! They teach you such things," Headmaster Fu replied cheerfully. "You're a bright boy. I'm sure you'll pick things up in no time. Besides, your main concern should be to learn. Not to worry about your marks."
Not worry about his... Adrien outright gaped at him. He'd never been told such a thing in his entire life. In his father's household, in that other world that seemed so long ago now, nothing less than an A+ was worthy of acknowledgement. And heaven help him if he ever got so much as a B. "What kind of headmaster are you?" he demanded.
"A fairly good one, I reckon," Headmaster Fu replied with a chuckle. "Now come. Let's head downstairs and put your parents' mind at ease, shall we?" With that, he lead the blond down the stairs. Fu stayed a step behind, keeping a frail hand on Adrien's shoulder as they traversed down the steep steps.
Sabine let out a small gasp when she saw the young blond. Dashing over, she fussed over him and wrapped him up in a hug that only a mother could give. Tom wasn't far behind. Adrien's cheeks burned. The full realization finally hit that he'd worried them that much. He blinked back tears as he mumbled his apologies, choking on the guilt that rose up in him like bile. Naturally, they wouldn't hear of it. Instead, they peppered his cheeks with kisses and then sat him down for the first real meal that he had in weeks. Even as he had to fight not to get stuffed with third and fourth helpings, he was forced to remember just how lucky he was. He couldn't help but smile.
~o~
A short week later, Marinette's first letter arrived home. In fact, she sent two. One for her parents and one just for him.
"She can send letters?!" Adrien cried, aghast, when Sabine presented him the envelope. "Are you kidding? I would have sent her a ton by now!"
"Do you want to read it?" she asked with a smile. It only grew when he took the letter reverently from her and then nabbed the Translator Glass from the office desk. Oddly enough, while he could understand the spoken language around here just fine, the written word completely flummoxed him. Luckily, they had such a thing as Translator Glass, which looked like a green magnifying glass set in copper, to help him get around.
Setting himself on his bed, Adrien devoured every word. He read it over and over again, until he could recite it by heart. She told him what the Summer Palace was like, how hard training was, and what embarrassing mistakes she made. She told him about all the people she met, including one girl she immediately got off on the wrong foot with named Chloe. She put a stop to Chloe bullying another one of the trainees named Nathaniel and ever since then, they'd been butting heads. She even met the queen once and described her as the sweetest being she'd ever met.
Most of the letter was fairly mundane - aside from the fact that she was describing life in a royal palace - but there were nuggets in there that made his heart ache and sing at once.
I miss you. I miss you so, so much it hurts sometimes. I wish you were here. You'd love this place so much.
"I miss you too," Adrien whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the handwritten script. When he was ready, he bounded down the stairs and sought out the first parental he could find. He found Tom at his office desk, running through some financials for the bakery while it was slow in the shop. The huge frame made the normal sized chair look almost miniature from behind. Adrien cleared his throat, "Tom-?"
The large man whirled around, giving the blond a big smile. "Adrien! I've told you a hundred times, call me Papa."
"...Er, okay," Adrien replied awkwardly, somehow both embarrassed and pleased. "Um... Papa, can you help me write a letter to Marinette?" He held up her letter, as if to prove his urgent need for assistance.
Tom gave him a sly look. "Well, alright. As long as you're not embarrassed that I'm looking over your shoulder while you two write love letters back and forth to each other."
That was when Adrien decided maybe school wasn't such a bad idea after all.
The next weeks passed by in a flurry of letters and activity. Most of the letters came from Adrien, who wrote her once a day in the pretense of practice. Marinette's letters were much less frequent, presumably because she was busy with her training. It just made her responses all the more precious.
Whoever said absence made the heart grow fonder was right in Adrien's case. He was back on his Marinette high in full force, sustained and nurtured by each new letter he received. He burned in anticipation of her visit home, thinking of all the things he wanted to tell her. Namely, a response to her very last words to him when he last saw her. It didn't seem right to put into a letter. So he waited patiently. All the meanwhile, fantasizing how she would blush when he finally told her. How he would hold her and melt into her. How her bluebell eyes would warm and her soft lips would smile as he breathed "yours, yours," against the soft shell of her ear.
In the midst of all this, Headmaster Fu helped settle him in a non-magic school. He had to enroll in the second-language course for foreigners and received special accommodations, but otherwise it wasn't as horrible as he thought it would be. While he spent lots of extra time studying after he helped out in the bakery, his writing markedly improved and he began to court Marinette with jokes and stories from school in her native language.
Then the two month mark rolled by. The nature of his inquiries began to shift.
When are you going to come visit?
Soon. Soon.
I miss you. When can I see you again?
It's really hectic right now. I miss you too.
Can you come next week?
Sorry, I can't get away. I've already messed up three times in front of this instructor. I need to get more practice in.
The fourth month mark passed. Everyone could tell that Adrien was wearing thin. Worse, her letters were becoming sparser and even more vague. Alya and Nino quickly learned not to bring up Marinette in front of him. Depending on exactly what mood he was in when she came up, he became either defensive and brusque or moody and depressed. Sabine and Tom entreated on his behalf, using all the parental guilt at their disposal to try to entice her to visit. Even Headmaster Fu sent her a letter, advising that it might be wise not to neglect her Familiar and that a trip home would not be remiss.
For some reason, Marinette was being incredibly vague and mysterious with all of them, as if she were cutting everyone off. It didn't set anyone's minds at ease. Least of all Adrien.
~o~
At month five, he received that letter.
Nathaniel kissed me.
Sitting alone at the docks after school, Adrien stared at the piece of parchment in his hands. It had burned a hole in his pocket all day during class. He took it out now to read again. Hoping that he'd made some kind of mistake. Hoping that they would have somehow changed.
They didn't.
The parchment trembled in his fingers. The words scorched into his mind like acid. The rest of the confession was apologetic, explaining that she'd led him on by accident. That she'd pushed Nathaniel away right away and explained things. That she loved him and she missed him. That it would never, ever happen again.
It all sounded so trite, when she'd done nothing but dodge his questions and avoid him for months.
His eyes burned. His fingers clenched the parchment in his fingers, threatening to tear it to shreds. Fury raked by blood-curdling jealousy flared up in him, eating away at his vision until all he could see was red. Underneath it all, what truly hurt, was the endless well of despair that poisoned all the affection within him with heartbreak.
Then he realized that he could smell smoke. The world stopped spinning just quick enough for him to see that the parchment had caught fire. It burned slow and black from its center outward, as if someone had lit a match underneath it. He dropped it and jumped back just in time to watch it curl up and cinder on the stone pavement. Panting harshly, he stared at the ashen remains. What had just happened?
"Interesting skill for a non-adept to have," a dark voice spoke softly over his shoulder.
Adrien jumped, spinning and nearly falling off the dock bench as he looked to see who spoke. A mask cloaked in shadow stared back at him. On it was an eerie black and white moth-like pattern, displaying an inhuman face with two soulless ink spots for eyes.
The blond started violently again, falling onto the ground in an undignified heap, before he got up to his feet. He held his fists up, ready to defend himself. His anger was all but forgotten as alarm bells blared in the back of his mind.
The masked man, if he was that, let out a dark chuckle. "I see~" he spoke in a voice like felt like the sliding flat of a dagger against bare flesh. "An untrained adept from another world. How intriguing." The stranger took a step towards him, the velvet hood and cloak shimmering between purple and black with each subtle movement. "I suppose one cannot blame the old man for missing it. That Familiar bond does confuse the senses, if one does not know what they are looking for..."
"Who are you?!" Adrien demanded, taking a step back with each step the stranger took forward. The edge to the water was coming up fast. He was being cornered. "How do you know about me?!" And what was this about calling him an adept?
"My dear, dear boy..." the Moth Man purred. Suddenly, it lunged forward as if on dark wings, closing the distance in an instant. As if the shockwave of it was too much, Adrien's back foot slipped on the edge of the dock. He let out a small yelp as he lost his balance and flailed to grab at nothing in the air. A gloved hand shot out, snatching him by the front of his school uniform. It left him teetering precariously over the edge, threatening to let him drop into the murky tidal waters below. The mask canted at an unnatural angle, inches away from the blond's face. "I know everything about you. You could call it a gift."
"What do you want with me?" Adrien demanded. His voice wavered, if not because he was a breath away from drowning, but from the dark aura that threatened to swallow and overwhelm him.
The looming stranger suddenly slunk back, allowing a brief respite from his aura. He pulled Adrien behind him in a careless movement, sending him rolling across the stone dock. "I want," the Moth Man spoke lightly, "what you want."
"Bullshit," the blond hissed, clambering up to his feet. "I don't buy that for a minute!"
"Marinette."
A shock of ice went down Adrien's spine at the sound of her name on this man's lips. His face turned white, before it curled up into an enraged snarl. "If you dare hurt her..." he hissed, an animalistic growl rippling from his throat, fingers curling up into claws at his sides.
"You mistake me, dear boy. I want nothing to do with her," the stranger replied, examining his gloved hand as if he'd soiled it in saving the teen from a fatal fall. "What I require is something on her person. The easiest way to acquire them is if I fulfill your wish. For you to be close to her, as you are not now."
The words sounded like a shadowy whisper in the back of his mind. It coiled like a snake, flirting with his subconscious to bring out his darker fantasies. Adrien shivered, shaking his head to try to clear it. "You want me to steal from her!" he accused.
"A means to an end," the Moth Man replied. Not denying it. "In fact while you are there, it would be ideal if you could acquire two items from me, while a foreign delegation is in the Summer Palace. However, I would rather not push my luck." The last word was spat, as if the feel of it was distasteful. "In return, you will have what you always wanted. Your one true love forever."
Adrien felt his heart waver and the dark coil in his thoughts only tightened. He did want her. More than anything. He hated feeling like this. Hurt, angry, betrayed. So far from her and so lonely. Worrying his lower lip, he asked hesitantly, "She won't get hurt?"
"Not if you do your job right," the shadow replied.
This was a terrible idea. This was the worst idea he ever had. However, the temptation was far too great. His aching heart still throbbed in anger and betrayal. He missed her to the point of mourning. "Okay," he whispered in surrender.
"Good." The Moth Man tread silently towards him. The shadow rounded about his prey, the purple-black cloak wrapping around the young blond like a constrictor. Adrien felt slimy digits crawl up his back and neck and he shivered in revulsion. "What to do, what to do..." the shadow spoke, mostly to himself. Adrien felt the strange sensation of soft wings fluttering in his mind. "You are, after all, so unique. A human Familiar. It would be a shame to waste this opportunity."
The inhuman mask seemed to shift, as if stretching into a sinister smile. "I know," he purred. "How about a cat?"
