I know, I'm late, but it's still the 10th! Enjoy~

Day 10: The video

"Oh, please," Chloé snarled and that was the first thing Adrien heart, entering their classroom this morning. "You don't think he's really serious with you, do you? He obviously wants to make me jealous, so I pay him more attention," the Blonde giggled. Adrien could merely roll his eyes.

"Do you really think that?" Adrien asked, stepping inside.

"Ah! Adrikins! How are you?" Chloé called and instantly latched her arms around his neck, drawing herself up against his chest.

"Eh, fine, but, Chloé-" he began, but the Blonde cut him off.

"Oh, that's so great! Do you think, you could come with me, today? I still want to show you how that chief had-"

"No." Adrien firmly told her, prying her arms from around his neck. "Chloé, just... don't. I told you, I am dating Ma-"

"Oh, Adrikins, you can stop that charade," Chloé giggled. "Everyone knows you are in love with me. Stop pretending like you weren't. I got it, I will pay you more attention so you aren't so lonely anymore." She added a wink after that.

Despite the shudder that travelled down his back at this statement, he firmly shook his head and looked at Marinette.

The look on her face broke his heart. Her eyes were wide open and were glistering dangerously. Her mouth was slightly parted and her bottom lip trembled. Adding the fact that she had gone incredibly pale, looking like she was collapsing every second made him feel even worse.

Flickering his gaze back to Chloé, he took a step backwards. "Chloé, listen to me very carefully, because I'm not going to repeat it. My name is Adrien. Not 'Adrikins'. I am dating Marinette, she is my girlfriend. I like her very much and would prefer her over you Every. Single. Time. So please, will you let me through, I have to comfort my girlfriend, you hurt her very much."

Stepping around his stunned classmate, he instantly focussed back on Marinette, who looked much better. A rosy colour had taken over her entire face, her mouth was a thin line and her eyes wide like before. She looked more shocked than heartbroken and it suited her much better.

"Good morning," he whispered, stepping close to her. Cupping her face with his hands, he watched her intently. "Are you all right?"

She flushed scarlet this time, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "I'm er... I mean, you, eh, thanky you? I mean thank you, you didn't have to err..."

Chuckling, he let her face go. He definitely had made the right decision. He could have never impressed Ladybug with this. "I had to, Marinette. You are my girlfriend, remember?"

Marinette flushed an even darker shade and stammered something more. It was cute.

Unfortunately, his action had caused quite a bit of ruckus. Alya had filmed everything and put it on her blog, without asking him and within a few hours, everything exploded.

In his lunch break, Nathalie even came up to the school to talk to him.

They were currently about to part, Nino needed to keep up with some homework he had forgotten and Alya wanted to go home to get him at least a small bit of lunch during the break. Marinette had invited him over again for lunch with her parents and Adrien happily complied.

That was until he saw Nathalie waiting at the steps in front of the school.

"Heh," Alya suddenly laughed awkwardly and held Adrien back, anxiety in her eyes and voice. "Adrien, listen, I have to confess something."

Frowning, he looked between Alya and Nathalie. Marinette by his side, looking as clueless as himself.

"What's up?"

"Well, I kind of... recorded the little stunt you pulled this morning and posted it on my blog with the caption 'Adrien protecting his girlfriend'-" she began, but Adrien cut her off.

"You did WHAT?! Are you insane?!" Dread filled his stomach and again, he glanced nervously between Alya and Nathalie. No wonder his father's assistant wants to take him home now.

"You have to delete it, Alya!" he instantly hissed.

"I did!" she whined, raising her hands in surrender. "I really did! The second my phone was blowing up with mails and comments about the thing! But it kind of... went viral..."

Whining, he blinked around, searching for an escape. But he only saw Marinette's confused, Nathalie's stoic and Alya's mournful faces. Sighing, he accepted his fate. He had to do it sooner or later anyway.

"Thanks for the info though," he murmured and watched Nathalie dreadful.

Suddenly, a small, warm hand found his and he glanced to the side. Marinette was smiling encouragingly. "Come on," she said and tugged at his hand, going downstairs towards Nathalie.

"W... What are you doing?" he asked, confused.

"Well, you were protecting me this morning and now, I am protecting you." She turned around with a confident smile that reminded him of Ladybug. Then, Marinette turned around, facing Nathalie. "I want to speak to Monsieur Agreste, if you don't mind."

"Monsieur Agreste awaits you both," Nathalie simply replied and turned to open the door to the limousine.

Both climbed into the car and Adrien was highly confused of Marinette's behaviour. She was normally shy and stuttery, clumsy even. Now, she radiated confidence and grace. What had happened to her?

Glancing ahead to the screen at the backrest of the passenger's seat. He had anticipated his father's face on the screen. Instead, he was greeted with black.

"Wait," he said, watching the assistant in front of him. "In person?"

"Yes, Adrien, in person," Nathalie sighed.

Instantly, his anxiousness doubled. A meeting in person? He was in serious trouble.

"Is this bad?" Marinette asked in a whisper, drawing his attention back to her. They still held hands and he drew comfort out of their touch. But it did not help to lessen his nerves.

"Well, yes," Adrien murmured, but was not able to finish the explanation, the car suddenly stopped in front of the mansion. Gulping the bile in his mouth down, he quickly hurried out of the car and into the mansion, never letting Marinette's hand go.

"Don't worry, handsome boy, I'm going to talk to your father, you won't be in trouble," Marinette smirked, she seemed to have already planned her speech.

"I don't think so," a cold voice suddenly said and again, shivers ran down his spine.

"Father!" he exclaimed, turning around. Gabriel Agreste stood on the steps, looming over them, similar on how he had smashed Nino at the beginning of the year.

"Good morning, Monsieur Agreste," Marinette smiled warmly and stepped ahead, letting his hand go to offer it to his father. Cold sweat ran down his spine when his father simply stared at Marinette and her open hand. "I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng, it's really nice to meet you."

A few seconds passed and it was as clear as day it was Gabriel's turn to make a move.

Incredibly, he stepped a few steps down and took her hand as well, shaking it lightly. "Hello, Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng. What are your intentions? And I advise you to speak the truth."

Marinette's face was open and inviting, the complete opposite to Gabriel's. Then, Marinette's face was pulled into a light frown upon hearing this. "My intentions are genuine, Monsieur. I don't care about his status or fame."

"And what about mine?" Gabriel asked further, "You're a designer, right? Want a quick ride to the top?"

Chuckling, Marinette shook her head and glanced back to Adrien. "I don't care about your fame either, Monsieur." She turned back to Gabriel and smiled. "Adrien is a dearest friend of mine, I like him very much. Fashion is my dream, but I know I have to work hard to be proud of my achievements. There is no short cut to being successful. I'm here because of Adrien and not because of you."

His heart beat a bit faster when she talked, and deep appreciation filled him. Especially, when she turned back to him again and smiled like she did right now. Sighing, he replied with a smile, his father momentarily forgotten.

But Gabriel quickly caught his attention again, coughing lightly. Both heads snapped back to the man. Sighing, Gabriel gestured to the office to Adrien's left. "Why don't we continue this conversation in the office?" he asked and stepped down the rest of the stairs. Marinette following with a bright smile, Adrien dumbfounded.

:

"I don't get it," Adrien murmured, sitting back on his couch. "I simply don't get it."

Marinette laughed and fell down next to him, her thigh brushing against his. "I told you I'm going to rock this."

"You did not use the word 'rock'," he snickered and bumped his knee against her's.

Giggling, she bumped back and shrugged. "I used it in my head."

Laughing, he leaned is head in his neck and simply watched her. Marinette grinned at him, confident, beautiful. God he would have never thought he would be glad, changing Ladybug for Marinette. He had made the right decision.

When he looked into her deep, blue eyes, his heart began to race again and adrenaline flushed through him. He wanted to kiss her. And she was there. She was his girlfriend, his father approved of.

Adrien had fallen in love again. Sure, again, guilt mingled in in his feelings, because of Ladybug. But Ladybug did not mind, did not reciprocate his feelings. She was not... here.

"Marinette?" Adrien finally murmured, leaning forwards.

This girl was showing him more and more sides of herself. Everyday, he learned of a new facet of her personality. She could be cute, sassy, passionate, clumsy, but also confident and sure-footed.

"Hm?" she hummed, her eyes slightly wider than before, making her looking a bit flustered.

He stopped. His heart was racing and he was a chicken. "Thank you," he whispered and simply kissed her cheek, lingering against her skin.

When he drew back, her breath ghosted over his skin, making tingles spread all over his body. And neither was able to move any further.

Yet.