The loss of Innocents
.10.
The coffee shop had a constant flow of people coming and going, all too caught up in their own lives to notice the three friends seated in the far corner deep in discussion and the three Kwami hidden under the table each with their own cookie.
"Mari, you need to eat something. At least drink your coffee before we leave, or you'll never make it through the day girl." Alya frowned at Marinette and nudged her plate closer.
"Huh? Oh sorry… I can't eat Alya, these nerves are going to be the end of me. Can we…"
"Nope, don't even try to get out of it Mari. You're going and that's final." Alya crossed her arms determine to get Marinette to her interview on time.
"Al's right M, you can't throw this opportunity away even if the man is an Asshole... He's been gone six months and didn't contacted Adrien once." Nino shook his head as he downed the last of his black coffee.
"Nino! That doesn't help her nerves."
"It's okay Alya. You're both right, this was my dream and I guess it still is… it's just weird being back that's all." Marinette forced herself to sip her coffee and smile at them both. "So, is this kinda behaviour normal now for Adrien? I just can't imagine him looking for trouble even as Chat Noir."
"No." "Yes." Alya and Nino answered at the same time.
"I'll take that as a yes then, Nino?" Marinette asked as she turned to him raising her eyebrows.
"Argh, Nino for once can't you just lie for the greater good?" Alya frowned at Nino but the corners of her mouth twitched into a smile as he kissed her nose and shrugged.
"You know you love me Al. I'm not going to lie anymore, look at the shit it's caused." He turned to Marinette and cupped his hand over hers. "M, my boy's been a mess since you left. He lashes out at anything he can so yeah, it doesn't surprise us when he turns up looking like that. I'm surprised he hasn't lost his modelling contract yet. I've heard the makeup crew complaining about him more than once."
"Oh, I umm…" Marinette stared down at Nino's hand thankful for the small bit of warmth as she shivered.
"Nino! Really… now?"
"Hey, I said I wasn't going to lie Al. It couldn't be helped M, so don't beat yourself up any more over it. You're here now and that's all that matters."
"Okay, times up we have to go. Traffic can be a bitch in the morning. I'll go fix up the bill and you, save it for later." Alya stood up and playfully shook her finger in Nino's face.
Marinette waited till Alya was half way across the coffee shop before she turned to Nino again.
"Nino, yesterday Adrien looked like he hated me and as much as it hurt I knew it was coming... I mean I left him without saying goodbye. So, I get it… I stuffed up… but to be honest I don't think anything could have prepared me for it. And then this morning it was like it never happened. I don't understand his sudden change of heart. Believe me I'm not complaining it's just… I can't work out what changed." Marinette watched Nino's face closely as he adjusted his headphones that hung around his neck.
"Aww man Alya's going to kill me… M you should wait and speak to him."
"Nino, what happened?"
"Shit… Okay but M you can't rat me out to Alya."
"Cross my heart." Marinette held her hand over her chest and smiled innocently at Nino.
"Argh, Tikki told him why you left. She got into his head and showed him somehow. I mean, after you collapsed he knew something was off and…" Nino blurted out, closing his eyes, refusing to look at Marinette.
"Tikki… what did you do?" Marinette felt the pang of betrayal in her gut as she looked down at her Kwami who had stopped munching on her cookie to listen to the conversation. She'd talked to Tikki about just how much she should reveal of her time away and hadn't come to a decision. She'd done unspeakable things, things she hadn't yet come to terms with and the thought of Adrien knowing what she was capable of scared her. Marinette wanted his forgiveness but not before she earned it and definitely not because he pitied her.
"Marinette, he needed to know… I hate seeing you sad all the time, you deserve to be happy and so does Adrien." Tikki whispered.
Marinette closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, trying to clear the thoughts that were racing through her head. "Okay I get that, but I don't want his forgiveness because he pities me Tikki."
"I doubt it's pity he feels for you M. You know what Adrien's like. I bet he's turned the whole thing around by now and is blaming himself. Tikki's right, don't you think you both have suffered enough? Don't push him away because that's not going to help anyone, especially Adrien."
"It's not that simple."
"No one said it would be easy M, but you both feel broken and alone so fix each other."
"Listen to Nino, Marinette you need to move forwards and stop looking over your shoulder."
"I'm not sure I can be fixed… but I did ask Adrien if I can move back home." Marinette looked down at Tikki and felt some reassurance when the Kwami beamed up at her.
"Anything can be fixed M, it just takes the right type of glue. See progress, what did he say?"
"He was happy… I think…"
"Come on you two, let's go… did I miss something?" Alya's eyes narrowed and she studied her boyfriend's face then turned to Marinette.
"M was just telling me she's moving back home." Nino smiled sweetly at Alya as he got up and put his arms over both girl's shoulders. "Okay, you've impressed one Agreste today M, I'm sure your charm will work wonders on the older one."
"Oh, please Nino, we all know it wasn't her charm that Adrien was staring at. Mari, your talent alone is enough for you to get one of the most sort after internship in Paris, all this." Alya wavered her hands over Marinette before continuing. "Is just an added bonus."
45 minutes later Marinette found herself sitting on an armchair made from plush white leather in Gabriele Agreste's office after being lead there by his assistant, Nathalie. The office was huge, and photos of past collections lined the walls. Most of the pictures had Adrien in them and Marinette wondered if deep down inside Monsieur Agreste really did care about his son in a weird unconventional sort of way.
"Tikki I have a bad feeling about this…" Marinette whispered to her hidden Kwami.
"Mari just breath, what's the worst that can happen?" Tikki tried to reassure her and even though she couldn't see her charge she knew Marinette would be chewing her lip nervously.
One of the pictures caught Marinette's eye. Adrien sat on what looked like a yacht, dressed in nothing but a pair of navy blue board shorts. He was surrounded by a dozen bikini clad models, who happily posed around him. Some of the girls sat next to him leaning against his tanned skin, one even tangles her hands in his messy blonde hair and kissed his neck while others threw sultry poises around him.
Before, Marinette would have instantly hated the other girls and jealousy would have washed over her, leaving her a miserable mess. But now the older wiser Marinette could see through the glamour's picture and see it for what it was…his job. Adrien looked godly like always and his sexy smirk was enough to make any woman swoon with lust, but Marinette knew the real Adrien and all she could see was the pain in his green eyes. She knew in that moment he longed to be anywhere but there.
Marinette hadn't even notice that she had stood up and walked over to study the picture until she heard someone approaching. She let out a little nervous squeal and quickly jumped back into the seat with Adrien's sad eyes burned into her mind.
After a few more anxious moments she heard hushed voices coming from the other side of the door. Anyone else wouldn't have been able to hear the private conversation but Marinette wasn't anyone and her hearing was beyond the normal range thanks to her Miraculous.
"I don't understand monsieur, you've had hundreds of applicants for the internship, what's so special about this girl? She doesn't even meet the requirements." Marinette recognized Nathalie's firm voice and she felt her heart sink at the older woman's comments. She was right though, and Marinette found herself looking around for another exit before she was forced to sit through what was sure to be one of the fastest and most excruciating interviews in history.
"Nathalie, you know better than to question my judgment but if you must know this girl is the one Adrien has been pining over for the last year and a half." Marinette had only met Monsieur Agreste a handful of times but there was no mistaking his cold voice and her heart sank as she quickly realized there might be an ulterior motive to why she got the interview in the first place.
"You mean the one that broke his heart sir? I'm not sure I understand… won't her presence only push Adrien further away?"
"No, I think you will find quite the opposite after all he's living with her mother. You see she disappeared after her father tragically died and some of my best private investigates were unable to track her down, that is until she turned up a week ago."
"And you think that now she's back Adrien will forgive her?"
"Oh, I know he will and if his pretty little obsession is here where do you think he'll be?"
"Cleaver… so by employing this girl you're counting on him settling down and actually showing up for work."
"Exactly, but I didn't get to where I am today by employing just pretty faces, models aside of cause. This girl has natural talent and I wouldn't want her falling into someone else's hands."
Marinette cheeks flushed a deep scarlet and she felt like she might just implode due to the influx of information that she was accidentally being bombarded with. She knew no matter what she had the job, but how the hell was she meant to accept it now? Even if her childhood idol thought she was talented he was employing her on the notion that she could tame and control his son.
The door opened and Gabriel Agreste strolled in while Marinette tried her hardest to calm her nerves, while reminding herself that even though she just heard his conversation she had to pretend to be oblivious to what was said. Standing, she turned to greet him forcing herself to smile warmly at the man she despised due to his treatment or lack of towards his son.
"Mlle Dupain, lovely to see you again." Gabriel Agreste took her hand in his and smiled at her.
"Monsieur Agreste, thank you for your time." Marinette held his glaze all the while wishing she could escape. Something didn't feel right and she felt Akai stir in her subconscious and push against the protective barrier Marinette had learned to project to keep her out.
Still holding her hand Gabriel's eyes trailed over Marinette's outfit stopping on the small earrings in her ears. Marinette froze as he brushed a strand of her hair out of the way to study her Miraculous.
"Such pretty stones, if I remember correctly you wore these the last time I saw you?" As if realizing what he was doing may seem inappropriate he dropped her hand and took a step back.
"Oh, umm… yes they were a… a present from someone." Marinette nervously stumbled over her words and silently cursed herself.
"That someone must have been very special for you to wear them as much as you do. Please have a seat." Gabriel said as he sat behind his desk and motioned for her to sit.
Marinette had only meet him a handful of times and never for very long, so she had no idea what his curiosity with her Miraculous was and how he knew she wore them all the time. Hesitantly sitting down, she had the urge to run and felt Akai pushing her boundary's again.
"Yes monsieur."
"May I look at your portfolio? Adrien has always spoken very highly of your work."
Marinette jumped as his words interrupted her line of thought and she fumbled with the folder before handing it over to him.
"Of course, monsieur, I have included samples of the fabrics I intend to use once I get settled back home. Normally I would have started making them as soon as I finished the designs but due to my recent schedule while I was abroad I was unable to." Marinette surprised herself as her confidence took over and she sat up straight while she watched Mr Agreste's eyes look over her work.
"You do not disappoint Mlle Dupain. It says here in your resume that you have been traveling for the last eighteen months. Is there a reason you felt the need to leave only months before you graduated?" Gabriel looked up and stared questionably at Marinette.
"Yes Sir, my… my father died and I… my mother felt like a change would be good." Marinette couldn't hold his glaze and she dropped her eyes hoping to hold the tears off until she was alone later.
"I understand, I too lost someone dear to me." Gabriel cleared his throat and shuffled the papers on his desk, clearly uncomfortable in his confession. "It's unexpected things like that in life that will crush you or drive you to secede. I do hope you fall into the later Mlle Dupain. There is one thing I would like to clear up before we go any further with this interview though."
Marinette felt Akai again, it wasn't violent or forceful instead more of a nudge almost like a warning. Swallowing she tried to ignore the spirit and focus on the task at hand.
"And what may that be monsieur?"
"I'm sure you know Adrien my son… maybe better than I do I fear. He is currently residing at you Mother's apartment, the apartment I believe you live at?"
Marinette watched him cross his hands-on top of his desk as he observed her closely. She knew as soon as she overheard the conversation his intensions, but she hadn't expected a man of such integrity to outright ask for help. That said, she really had no idea where this conversation was going or if it would lead to that, so she sat a little taller, held her chin high and prepared for the following questions all the while feeling herself growing increasingly protective towards Adrien.
Hey there, so if your reading this just wanted to say thank you for reading The Loss of Innocents. This is my first time posting any of my writing and it's a little scary to be honest. I'd love to know what people think of my story, whether you love it or hate it let me know or you can find me on Tumblr as 'mist-typo'.
This story has become my baby and it's started off a little darker than planed but there will be fluff amongst the angst I promise. Loving working with these characters and I have a plan just not sure if they will lead me astray along the way. =)