When you're fifteen, you don't actually know.

•••

Night fell and Marinette watched as the night sky lit up and the anthem sound. She looked up, waiting for who the two tributes who died were. The first was Melody then it was Kid Mime.

"I could've been the third." She wiped her face with her hand

The arena was silent and dark once more. The clouds were not showing signs that they would pour, making Marinette sure that she could spend the night up above. It was safe but after what happened to her earlier, she was hesitant to climb back up.

Her mind ran to the interesting happenings earlier. She was not sure if it was sheer luck or something that made the other tributes change their mind about chasing her. She could have been dead. Well she could have been dead a couple of times before but there was so much then at that moment. She remembered how her heart almost stopped as she dropped down and how the tributes started chasing her. It was horrifying. But what was beyond that was the fact that she had killed someone.

She wiped her hands with water so the blood was removed but she continued rubbing until her skin was starting to get red and painful. She could not bear the thought of taking one's life. She cannot handle how the Games was changing her.

But if it was what it takes to get out of there breathing and alive, she would give anything.

•••

Tikki and Plagg were still waiting for answers from the boy who was still in shock. The moment he went back in and sat down was the last visible motion he made since. Tikki had brought the boy food but he did not mind it. She had brought him a blanket and covered him with it once he started shivering. He was finally broken out of his trance when the screen showed who died. He was still waiting for that name, dreading for it, really. But sighed in relief when he found out that she was still alive.

"Adrien?" Tikki called, placing a comforting hand on his cheek

Adrien leaned towards it, relishing the warmth. He placed a hand over hers and scurried closer to the woman, putting his head on her lap.

"He almost killed her." He whispered

"Who? The Kid Mime guy?" Plagg asked

"No." He answered, "My father. That, that branch wasn't supposed to break. That slope wasn't there. He modified the arena and created that."

"Oh Adrien." Tikki sighed softly, "It's the Games, Adrien. It's his job. Just," she paused, "just be thankful that it wasn't an akuma."

His breathing stopped for a moment as he realized what she had said. Akumas were the big deals in the arena. It was his father's signature. Naturally he would send them to the arena when there were only five left but there were occasions when he sent them halfway through the Games. And if he showed interest in Ladybug…

"I can't tell my father that I love Marinette don't I?" He asked

"You what?" Tikki nearly choked at her drink, "You what?"

"I. Love. Marinette." Adrien repeated

"I thought that was publicity!" Plagg exclaimed

"I thought you just liked her." Tikki stared at the boy, "This, Adrien, is the very same reason why I wanted to keep you away from her. Your father won't like it after he discovers that she's from 12."

"It's a necessity to keep the money inside the social status." Plagg explained, "Nobody wants their riches shared, especially that your father is a top designer and a head Gamemaker. He basically made that money from his own labor."

"You have to make your own name and your own money if you want to marry her. It's going to take a long, unhappy ride to success to have her." Tikki continued, "I'm sorry Adrien but that's life in the Capitol."

•••

Marinette was eating her dinner when she felt hands creep up her back. She turned around abruptly at the touch and saw a fellow tribute. Pulling out a dagger, she slowly inched away.

"Ladybug it's me." She heard the whisper of someone familiar

"Chat Noir?" She furrowed her brows then jumped at him, hugging him tightly, "Chat how did you get here?"

"I'm influencial, remember?" He smirked as she pulled out of the hug

"But, but that's-." She looked at his eyes and found something odd

It was not the same as Chat's green eyes filled with wonder. It was an obviously darker shade of green and it was definitely not holding wonder. It was more like lust.

Blood lust.

Marinette jumped up and ran away from him as far as she could go, not minding if she was going to bump into another tribute.

"This had just happened for the first time in a long time, folks." Alec whispered, as he narrated to the people what was happening, "Only nine tributes are dead but the twist is there is an akuma already."

"What is my father doing?" Adrien snapped as he watched Marinette run in the middle of the night

He looked up at the clock above the television and saw that it was half past two.

"It's an akuma, Adrien. It's normal." Tikki assured of him, "They can't hurt unless there are only two tributes left. The Gamemakers are just making Marinette run to the opponents."

And run to the opponents she did. She rolled down the ground as she bumped to one of the other tributes. She quickly got up and readied her dagger for what ever happened next.

"Marinette, it's me." Myléne spoke to her, "Have you seen Ivan? I haven't seen him anywhere?"

"I-," she paused, looking the girl clad in the costume up and down if she was the real one, "I haven't. Why?"

"I don't know what to do, Marinette." She whispered to the girl, on the verge of crying

"Why Myléne?" Marinette felt like she needed to help the girl

"Can I tell you a secret?" Myléne bit her lip

Marinette nodded.

"Ivan and I are a couple." Myléne answered, "I don't know why he volunteered at the reaping. I don't get it. That's why I don't want to win unless he wins."

Well she was in a worse state than Marinette. At least Marinette had someone waiting for her outside the arena instead of having the one she loved inside.

Marinette patted tbe girl's arm, "Don't worry, Myléne, we'll find him."

•••

Adrien was back in his room, not wanting to believe whatever Tikki and Plagg had told him. No. He and Marinette can be married. Anytime he wanted. She just had to win the Games then he would ask her. She would say yes. She would, right? Of course she would what was he thinking.

Adrien sighed, resting on his bed facing his pillow. He tried to not listen and believe what the adults told him. Why would he not have a reason to marry her? And his father would definitely like her. She is a Victor and a designer, or so she told him. He was told that she designed the last dress she wore and if that was true, then his father would most definitely want her as a successor, knowing that his own son did not take interest in his field.

They would have a fairytale ending. He would love her and she would love him. There was no question with that.

"Adrien, dinner." Nathalie, their Avox, called

Adrien nodded and followed her. They went to the dining room and Adrien sat at one end of the long table which was almost always unoccupied. Food was placed in front of him. He started eating as he watched the Games going along from the hologram. They were showing the allied tributes and their plans to the whole of Panem.

"I say we take down Ladybug." Volpina stated, "She won't be far behind."

"Yeah but what's the point? She's just a nine pointer. And I'm pretty sure she got that because of her fancy guy." Timebreaker rolled her eyes

"That is the point." Stormy Weather told them, "That fancy guy you're talking about? He's probably sending her gifts. He looks like some big shot."

"You bet I am." Adrien growled then cleared his throat after realizing that he was not alone

"He looked like someone from the streets." Dark Cupid snorted, "And that's not just my anger talking, I'd say that to his face."

"Do it then." Timebreaker smirked

Dark Cupid looked for a camera ten shouted loudly, "Hey Chat Noir! You look like someone from the streets!"

"Nice." Timebreaker and him fistbumped

"You know what's wrong here? It's that you're all fooling around when we could be planning how to kill the others." The Black Cat, who wanted to be called by his first name which was Félix, frowned at all of them

"It's easy." The Gamer spoke up, "She's a very easy target and we don't even have to do it for ourselves. She's going to fall or accidentally stab herself. Have you seen how much of a klutz she is?"

"Wait," Volpina called their attention, "I'd want to see her suffer. Adrien Agreste gave her a good luck at the chariot rides and she's keeping him to herself like that Chat guy. I'm the one to kill her."

"Volpina." Félix started in a scolding tone, "We don't even know where she is."

She grinned smugly, "Trust me, I'll find her. And trust me that I'm going to put on the greatest show in this year's Hunger Games."

•••

Tikki knocked on the boy's door in his house. He opened a little while later, eyes red and puffy.

"You still holding up there?" She forced a smile on her face

"Who's watching? Tikki why is Marinette unguarded?" He furrowed his brows, "Does she want something? What time is it anyway?"

"It's twelve noon and a tribute has died already." Tikki answered

His heart sunk to his stomach, "Don't tell me it's Marinette. Please don't tell me it's her."

"It was Sparrow." Tikki replied, putting a hand on his shoulder to calm him down, "I just went down to tell you that I'm going to spread the video today."

"I'll fix myself." He pointed back to his room, letting Tikki in and closing the door, "Plagg still there?"

"You know that where the Camembert is is where Plagg is, right?" Tikki asked, sitting on the boy's bed, "He just made an Avox buy a truckload. He says it for 'Hunger Games purposes'."

Adrien chuckled, pulling out a green shirt, black polo shirt, and black pants before going to the bathroom to take the quickest shower he ever had. He slipped in to his fresh new clothes and went out back to his room. They left the house, him not forgetting to bring his mask and cat ears. This was the day they have been waiting for - the day they were going to 'accidentally leak' the video of the final moments Chat and Ladybug spent before the Games started.

According to Tikki, it would help Marinette big time with the sponsors, especially since they all just knew about the plans the other tributes had for Marinette.

"She's making alliances." Tikki told him as they rode the car, "She had Myléne and Rose right now and they're looking for Ivan and Juleka."

"And that won't be good, right?" Adrien raised a brow

"Not a bit. She doesn't have a plan on killing them, that's our problem because whether she likes it or not, she's going to have to if she wants to win." Tikki replied

"Marinette's stubborn." He crossed his arms, pouting, "That is totally irresistible but that's not the point. She knew that she shouldn't have allies."

"She knows it and the others know it too. And they have faith in Marinette that she'd win the Games and that they won't. They're just as soft hearted as she is." Tikki pointed out

Adrien leaned his head on his seat and groaned, "That girl is going to be the death of me."

•••

And in one swipe of a finger, Tikki had leaked the video for everyone to see. It was a matter of hours before Adrien was called for interviews and it was a matter of minutes that Panem would watch the touching encounter. It was approximately an hour later that Alec had announced that he had a very special video, since absolutely nothing was going on in the arena. The people watched as the same video they had taken a mere three days ago.

Adrien watched as Marinette clung to him tightly. He could still feel the emotion she offered to him and he could still feel the love radiating from his words. It was an indescribable feeling, having her in his arms. And although it was a publicity stunt to keep the Games going, he could not admit that the happening was just a stunt.

"They're going to try and find you, kid." Plagg told him as the video ended and the screen went back to the tributes who were trying to find Ivan, "You ready for the everything?"

"I'm a model." Adrien answered, fixing his hair so that it would not look like Adrien's all too polished hair, "I can handle it."

"Yes but you're not a smiling mannequin anymore this time. You're a real live person who's going to be answering a thousand questions thrown at him. This is different." Plagg responded, "And wouldn't it be the perfect time to throw in the very special surprise?"

"What are you two planning?" Tikki raised a brow

"We have a plan, mother hen." Plagg spoke, "Let's just say that it's a," he smirked, "proposal to think about."