feel free to hate me for the fiancee bit, but remember everything is a plot device at this point!
ha ha
xo moonbaby
...
"Wait here."
Marinette slipped into her apartment and closed the door, leaving Adrien blinking uncertainly in the small hallway at the top of the stairs.
The door opened a few inches and Marinette's hand stuck out, holding a piece of cheese.
"Take this," she commanded. "You have to endear yourself to Plagg."
Adrien took the cheese obediently. This whole situation was getting more surreal by the minute.
He side-stepped through the door and was confronted by a portly black cat, looking up at him suspiciously.
"Go ahead, give it to him!"
"He knelt down and offered the cheese to the cat, who sniffed it a little and then ate it greedily, licking Adrien's fingers and then nuzzling into his hand. A deep purr started up soon after, and Adrien chuckled at the transformation, giving Plagg a good scratch around the ears.
He straightened and looked around at the apartment. It was old, but not shabby.
"So this is the kitchen, obviously," she said, tossing her bandanna on the table and shaking out her shiny black hair.
He followed her through the doorway. "This the living room—there's your couch, though you'll be sharing with Plagg."
She unclipped her overalls and let them settle down onto her hips in a practiced motion. Adrien looked around instead of at the figure under her tank top. "Bathroom, towels in there, this is my room…" She turned around the find Adrien standing still, staring as though transfixed into her small sewing room.
He took a step forward and then paused, looking at her for permission. She strugged and he stepped into the room towards the dressmaker's dummy.
"Did you make this?" He couldn't keep the awe from his voice. The dummy was dressed in a delicate, cream colored bodysuit in lace and satin.
"What, a mechanic can't make lingerie?" She had that same dry town from before.
"No, I didn't mean-!" Adrien couldn't believe how many times he'd seemed like a complete ass that day. He sighed and barely brushed the lace with his fingertips. "This is exquisite."
"I guess that means a lot, coming from you."
He looked at her, puzzled and ready to be offended.
She raised her eyebrows. "I live in a small town, not under a rock, Mr. Agreste," she said, leaning on his last name.
Adrien opened his mouth and closed it. He'd never made so many blunders in one day.
Marinette took pity on him.
"You want some tea?"
Adrien nodded. "Yes, thanks. And um- can I use your phone? I don't have any service."
Marinette nodded towards the bedroom. You can use the one in there. Better tell that fiancée of yours what's going on."
Adrien sighed and turned away from the dress dummy as Marinette padded back to the kitchen, putting on the kettle and poking around for snacks. She couldn't help but overhear snatches of his conversation.
"—somewhere on route 9." Pause. "I'm sorry, Chlo, it's not like I planned this!"
He was pacing. "She—the mechanic says 3 days to get the part. I know, I know, but I can still make it in time."
A pause.
Adrien sighed. "Come on, Chlo, don't be like that. Of course this is important to me. You think I want to be stuck in some dinky town in the middle no where?"
He leaned against the wall, shoulders sagging. His voice was quiet. "Chloe, that's not fair."
"No, I know, I'm sorry this happened but I'll be the—"
"Yeah, I'm at—" he glanced up and his eyes met Marinette's then quickly looked away, "—a motel."
"Yes, I'm sorry. Ok. I love—"
A click and the dial tone.
"—you."
He looked up again, and Marinette quickly righted herself from where she had been leaning in the doorway, moving back into the kitchen to act busy with the tea things.
Adrien hung up the phone and came into the kitchen without looking at her. He sat down at the table and unbuttoned his shirt sleeves, rolling them up over elbows.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—I'm sorry." Marinette meant it.
"No, its ok. Just some trouble in paradise," Adrien said heavily. Plagg jumped into his lap and he started petting, rewarded with deep purrs.
Marinette opened the fridge. There was a clink, and then a cold beer was set in front of him.
"Screw the tea." She opened her own and clinked it against his before tipping the bottle back for a long swig.
Adrien shook his head a little but followed suit. It had been a long day, alright.
...