The next day Marinette was heading to school, knowing she would face the wrath of Alya for once again not texting her...but with the weekend she had, she was still feeling anemic and could probably play it off.

Probably.

"Are you sure you want to go to class?" Tikki asked.

"I have to." Marinette grinned "I have tests and quizzes I can't make up seeing that I skip out on class so often. Thankfully, they don't care enough to call my parents...yet."

Tikki sighed as she was placed inside of Marinette's white blazer. She traced the two holes under her jaw, slightly pale and tender to touch. She hissed when her fingertip dipped into one of the holes. Then the uncanny thought of Chat Noir biting her and sucking her blood like a vampire cat; not to be mistaken by rabid vampire-kitty-wolf-demon hybrids.

Her Chat...so intimate but ferocious yesterday. She couldn't shake the feeling of the many sides of Chat Noir that wasn't him... How much has he suffered before he met her? Was he really OK?

She tugged the red turtleneck up over the marks, put on her white blazer and kissing her mom goodbye, as she took some toast and made her way to school.


At school, she's hugged to the last breath out of her by Alya as she's gasping for air. Alya lets go, bombarding her with questions of where she was over the weekend and if she was ok.

Marinette smiled at her best friend. She loved her dearly and wish it was so easy to tell her she was Ladybug. If she wasn't a popular blogger and could potentially put more people in danger.

"Honestly Alya, it's been a long weekend and I'm glad it's over at least." She told her honestly without details.

Alya raised a brow, knowing probably there was more to it, but didn't want to push her friend. "Really? Because I tried calling, texting, everything. And with that shapeshifter a while ago I thought you snatched up. You're also looking a bit...pale? We were worried girl."

Marinette put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "I'm OK. Really."

Alya opened her mouth to protest, but Nino shouted, "Marinette!"

He came over and hugged her, "Glad you're OK. Alya and I were worried about you over the weekend. It was bad enough that Adrien went all MIA but-"

Marinette paled, "Adrien's missing?"

Nino and Alya exchanged glances. "We haven't heard from him all weekend. I tried talking to that Natalie lady yesterday and she said he wasn't home. As cold as that lady is, she sounded worried."

Marinette swallowed, trying to think where he could be, maybe he went to a relative's place because he was too far to get home. "I hope he's ok. Maybe he went over someone's house." As she adjusted her turtleneck higher, still trying to hide her marks.

Alya nodded, "Hope he's OK."

Nino nodded, "Are you OK Marinette? You know if you need some little helpers for your...thing you can call us right? We got you."

Marinette smiled, "Thanks you guys. It means a lot. I think I have an even better idea on what I want to do for it. I'll let you know if I need some more help, if I can bribe you with mom's best sweets."

The two friends chuckled as they got to their seat. The teacher Mr. Beaumont came in and started writing on the board.

"I hope you all reviewed Chapter 15 and 16, as we'll be having a quiz." The class slightly groaned. "But I understand with school being out and strange things terrorizing our city there could be an exception or two. So I'm allowing some extra review today in class or...what you call study hall and moving the quiz to tomorrow."

The class got into groups as they started studying. At times, Marinette watched the door to see if Adrien would come through today at school. But another part of her just hoped he was sick and hoped he felt better.

As soon as they started to study the door opened and walked in Adrien Agreste. The lean man who usually stood tall and majestic usually was kind of off to Marinette. More tense, stiff, and overall just not his usual self. He was panting and clutched his satchel strap. However, the noticeable line of sweat and the fact that he was a bit hunch gave off proof of his not-like-usual vibes.

"Sorry Mr. Beaumont, I ran into some trouble getting here as usual. Hopefully it won't happen again..." Adrien swallowed, his breath shallow.

Mr. Beaumont nodded, "Well, I'm glad you were able to make it safe and sound. I understand things in life happen and it isn't always easy keeping on top of things. Take a seat please?" As Adrien nodded and turned to walk to his desk, that was when Marinette zoomed in on Adrien's left eye.

Red and puffy.

Adrien sat by Nino like usually sitting his bag down.

"Hey bro you OK? We haven't seen or heard from you in days..." Nino checked, zooming in on his eye, "Yo your eye-"

Adrien stopped his friend, rubbing the side of his cheek gently where his eye irritated him. "Honestly Nino, it's been a long weekend and I'm glad it's over at least?"

Marinette stared. That was weird, because she said the exact same thing minutes ago. She shrugged it off though.

For the last few minutes of the class the gang caught up about what they did over the weekend.

"No signs of Chat Noir and Ladybug anywhere really. There wasn't any evil villains terrorizing Paris, but it was quiet...unusually. Probably needed rest from that battle with that thing." Alya thought. "How about you guys?"

Nino smirked, "Thinking of starting my own blog...studying the fascinating aspects of the arts. Film and music is my specialty. What about you Marinette how's the-" he got low, "collection coming back along?"

Marinette sighed, recalling the aching days taking care of a certain stray and remaking her ruined collection. Her eyes bore holes into Chloe's scalp as she talked to Sabrina, as usual, beneath her.

Marinette then took a breath, "It's coming along. Slow but steady. There's more than enough time to remake it and get it before the deadline."

Adrien patted her arm, "I'll do my best to help you out if you need me to."

Marinette froze at the touch of his arm. A sudden electrifying jolt ran through her, but she shook it off immediately before nodding. After she rubbed the spot she touched because it wasn't like it hurt, it felt weird...like she felt it somewhere else before.

It was hard to say...

"Thanks guys. Really..." Then her attention turned to Adrien. "What about you? You were all MIA over the weekend? Where were you?"

Adrien's eyes shifted slightly, "I was at a relatives over the weekend...got sick and Natalie sent me to my cousin's place." He nervously rubbed under his red eye, "And my phone died ...no charger or anything."

Immediately, Marinette wanted to yell liar, for some suspicious reason. Like she could hear every word he spoke laced with lies. But how she did, she has yet to know...this was weird.

"Well we're glad you're okay, with that huge attack over the few days, we though you got snatched by that evil thing." Nino said.

"I was going to start blogging, 'Hot Supermodel Missing' on the blog." Alya snickered.

As soon as the class ended, Alya immediately pulled Nino aside and told Marinette she would call her later.

Adrien waved back as Marinette stared Adrien down. As soon as he caught her staring his facial expression changed he knew something was wrong.

"Marinette?" He asked. Marinette sighed as she nodded to the courtyard. Her eyes caught Chloe's, and back at Adrien's. It was almost a bit straining to look up at him since he hit the 6 foot mark and she stood at a lowly 5'7.

"We need to talk...but not here." Marinette said. Adrien swallowed.


They walked in silence for a few minutes, Marinette being slightly anxious but mostly because of that nagging feeling that wouldn't go away.

"Marinette? What's the problem?" Adrien finally said. "Are you mad at me?"

She shook her head, "No...I don't know. Something was nagging me when I saw you. You weren't honest." She stared even closer, "You're wearing makeup..."

Adrien opened his mouth to say something but flinched when Marinette swiped some makeup away from his face revealing the harsh blue and black bruises. He shied away.

Adrien Agreste had shied away from her.

Marinette's throat caught.

"Adrien...what...you got hurt." She said in realization.

Adrien sighed, not able to look at her, "I didn't want to make a big deal, part of the reason why I was late. It's hard putting on your own makeup when other people are always doing it for you." He wryly smiled. But Marinette held his cheek and stared straight in those somewhat dull, tense eyes. One red and slightly puffy, the other dull and no sign of life.

"I did go away for a few days...but I didn't tell anyone...not even Natalie or Father. So when I got home late last night, I knew I was going to be in some trouble." He shut his eye recalling the hits. "Didn't think my father would go as far as to personally punch me. But...he did. He was disappointed in me, like most of the time. But severely."

Marinette gripped Adrien in a bruising hug, "I'm so sorry Adrien. That's cruel...how could he be so cold towards you? If anything he should be glad you're alive after all that happened over the weekend. I...I didn't want to seem nosy but I knew something was off."

Adrien nodded, hugging Marinette back, "I trust you. If it was Alya or Nino...I can only think what they would do." Recalling them being Lady WiFi and Bubbler, being so dangerous. "Thank you for understanding...and not overreacting."

Marinette shook her head, "It isn't fair...and I wish I could do more to help you." As she remembered her special makeup kit in her bag.

"Keep still." She pulled it out and immediately started applying makeup to his face. He never closed his eyes. He studied her freckles, her pouty red lips, and for some reason that tender muscle that jutted out her neck, and then two holes that peeped from her collar.

A flashback to him as Chat Noir clenching down on her neck and hearing her make such sounds.

An odd feeling stir inside him as he clench his jaw and looks away, staring at birds up in a tree

Marinette was surprised with herself not being a stuttering mess as much around Adrien, but with everything happening now, there was no time to delay the inevitable. She had to pull out some pointers from Ladybug.

"I'll be OK." As he pulled away, "I have a plan...but promise you won't tell them about this..."

Marinette promised, "I won't."

Adrien sighed, resting his head against her shoulder as she held him, "Thanks Mari."


I lied. Stay tuned for the next updates! All chapters up to this point have been proofed and changed up a bit a few times by yours truly.