Author's Note: I am still away from home and from my computer so the next few updates may be delayed. I really like keeping schedules so this bothers me.

Also this story took an unexpected turn away from pure fluff. I am doing what I can to regain control.

Day 4. Dinner with parent(s)

Marinette couldn't decide if she was in heaven or in hell. For the past few days she had to pinch herself from time to time to check if this wasn't a dream. She had yet to determine if she believed her self-inflicted reality check. She briefly considered asking Adrien to pinch her but on the other hand she didn't want to push her luck.

How she could keep her wits in her fake boyfriend's company was still a mystery. On the inside she had melted into a pile of goo long ago. On the outside she played her part the best she could, Adrien's smile and a squeeze of his fingers the highest reward she could hope for.

After agreeing to the idea of fake dating Marinette got a scolding of a lifetime from Tikki. Objectively she knew the kwami was right, warning her about the consequences of this decision. She was lying to her friends, classmates and colleagues. She was lying to total strangers. Only Alya and her parents knew the truth and unsurprisingly they weren't pleased with it, even if they seemingly accepted her reasoning that she was doing this for Adrien.

But as Tikki pointed out, Marinette was also lying to herself. She was lying when she claimed the whole affair didn't affect her, that she didn't took pleasure out of Adrien's company. It was so nice to be near him so often, to talk to him, to hold hands and conversations. They never did anything more than hugging and cheek kisses, but her heart fluttered at those activities alone. She was sure she wouldn't have survived anything more, at least not now. Thankfully those were more than enough to sustain the illusion of their relationship.

'You're setting yourself up for a very nasty heartbreak, Marinette,' Tikki warned her at every opportunity and the jab usually took at least half of the satisfaction Marinette felt when in Adrien's presence.

This was too good to be true and to last, so it didn't take long for her disastrous streak to rear its ugly head. As she left the school in Adrien's company that day instead of being walked home like she expected, she was kindly (not really) asked (try requested) to accompany him to the mansion as Monsieur Agreste wished to meet her. She could tell Adrien was as surprised as her and he didn't exactly look happy about the whole ordeal.

Mlle Sancoeur and Adrien's bodyguard, whatever his real name was, made it impossible for them to talk freely, but Marinette didn't like the slightly panicked expression on her friend's face.

She reached for her phone.

[Me 16:32 Is everything okay?]

Adrien's cell pinged in his pocket. He frowned at the notification flashing her a questioning look, but she just rolled her eyes to his screen and slightly ducked her head. In a moment her own phone vibrated in her hand.

[ BFBF 16:33 My father doesn't know]

Marinette went pale. She felt his hand squeezing her forearm gently. Her phone vibrated again.

[ BFBF 16:33 I'm sorry, I couldn't find the right moment]

She nodded. From what she already knew this probably meant "I haven't seen him in the last few days".

[Me 16:34 What do we do now then?]

[ BFBF 16:35 Improvise. Just follow my lead ;)]

Marinette glared at him and the smile he sent her in reply was as fake as their relationship. Adrien could improvise all he wanted but he didn't know about her encounter with his father when she brought the miraculous book back. How would Monsieur Agreste react when he sees that Adrien's admirer somehow became Adrien's girlfriend?

[Me 16:38 you need to tell him the truth]

She sent the text before she could change her mind.

Adrien read it and the panic returned to his eyes. He shook his head barely noticeably. Marinette raised her brows. "Please", she mouthed. He pursed his lips and lowered his gaze.

Marinette moved away from him to look out of the car window. She mourned the loss of his body heat just then realising how close to each other they were sitting and how comfortable it made her feel. Her stomach twisted into a double eight. She tried her best not to fidget nervously in her seat.

Her phone vibrated once more and at same time Adrien put his hand on top of her own.

[ BFBF 16:43 okay, I ll tell him, but I will do this my way]

[ BFBF 16:43 he is… not easy to talk to]

Now that, Marinette thought bitterly, was an understatement of the century. But she didn't push away his hand and she returned his shy smile. She instantly felt bad for asking this of him. After all he knew his father better than anyone. Who was she to tell him what to do.

[Me 16:44 that's fine. Do whatever you think is best]

[Me 16:44 I trust my best fake boy friend ;* ]

Adrien snorted at his screen and finally his smile reached his eyes. Unfortunately that was the moment the car rolled behind the gates and the bodyguard opened the door for her.

Showtime, Marinette thought smoothing her jacket and bracing herself before walking into the fashion lion's den.

'Take your friend to the dining room, Adrien,' Mlle Sancoeur instructed in her cold, emotionless voice. 'Your father will join you shortly.'

The boy nodded and led her to the large room on the right. The table was already set and Adrien encourage her to help herself to some hors d'oeuvre. He said it might take a while before his father gets there.

He was right. The server came with soup and there still was no sign of Monsieur Agreste. Adrien did his best to make her feel comfortable. Thanks to his efforts by the time second course appeared on the table she was giggling happy at his awful jokes, cheeks red and eyes twinkling. To her utmost surprise Adrien was an A class jokester, with a sense of humor that could rival Chat's. Marinette briefly entertained the idea of introducing them to each other for the sole purpose of the resulting pun-off. On second thought the amount of corny jokes could actually be lethal so she eventually abandoned this plan.

She forgot all about the stress of facing her fashion idol when Adrien was touching her so tenderly each time she burst in laughter, when he was cackling at his own puns and when she retaliated with quips of her own. There was only one other person she felt as free with, but she never met him sans black mask. That thought made her frown mid joke and Adrien froze next to her startled with the sudden change.

Yet before she was able to assure him nothing was wrong the door to the room burst open and Gabriel Agreste stormed in, with a scowl of a hail cloud.

Their eyes met and Marinette could have sworn a lightning struck outside.

'It's you?' the man raised a brow, his gaze skipping over her figure. He didn't look pleased.

AN: Let me remind you how much I appreciate your reviews, favs and follows. They make me want to write more.