"Shut up." She cut Adrien off as she moved her arm to touch his head, "Adrien..." She leaned down and brushed her lips against his. Adriens body was on fire. His hands explored all over Marinettes tiny body. She mumbled his name as she held him close from his position seated on the bed. After a few more moments, Adrien pulls away.

"What are you doing..." He whispered. Adrien raised his arms, trying to move hers. "Please, let me go..."

"No."

His fingers were around her arms, but she held on tightly. He was shaking but she closed her eyes and savored Adriens warmth, "I don't want to let you go."

Eventually, Adrien lowered his arms and surrendered. His sigh cut through the silence like a knife. Marinette blinked up at him, "Adrien?"

Without a word, Adrien placed his hands around her waist and pulled her to his body. They were closer then ever now and Marinette could feel her heartbeat quicken. She was starting to worry that he would be able to hear it too. Adrien glanced up at her and spoke with a muffled voice, "Your hair tickles."

Marinette blinked a few times, "Oh- I'm sorry?" Marinette tried to take a step back but Adrien wouldn't let her go. She looked up at him in surprise as his green eyes looked up at her beggingly, "Just a little longer..." Adrien seemed so different to her in that moment that he seemed almost vulnerable. It excited her and made her nervous at the same time.

"I mean, you can pull away... if you want." He whispered.

"No! That's not what I meant!" Adrien laughed at her quick response. A few quiet moments passed between the two. Adrien started muttering quietly, so Marinette tried to get closer to listen.

"I'm scared, Marinette," He confessed, "Scared that I won't be able to protect the person I care about."

"What you care about?" Marinette asked quietly. She wondered if he blamed himself for not being able to save his parents. "Adrien..."

The two pulled away from each other as Adrien looked back up at her, still sitting on the bed. Marinette wondered how she would be able to explain it to him. She took a deep breath, and then smiled brightly at him. He blushed in response.

"I always feel safe with you Adrien. I'm so glad you're here in the palace. I'm so glad we met each other." Adriens eyes didn't budge from hers. He was staring intently at her. She felt herself drowning in his gaze, but kept going,

"You know, Adrien..."

"Yes?" His voice was so low, yet soft and gentle in her ears.

"I want to know more about you."

"Huh?"

She could feel Adriens fingers twitch against her waist. "I want you to tell me more about yourself." Marinette said. She took a seat next to him on the bed. She glanced at his face. His eyes were distant, focused on something far away. It was silent between them, and then he opened his mouth and spoke again,

"When I was young..."

He began to tell Marinette about his tragic past. Though born in nobility, his parents supported him in his wish of becoming a Knight. Before long, Adriens face darkened. Marinette knew they were getting to the rough patch of the story.

"I returned home from training one day... and it was already too late. I found my dad laying on the floor inside the manor, my mother gone, I don't know if she was kidnapped and killed or what... but she's gone, and so is my dad." He took a deep breath, "The next thing I knew, all I could see was fire." He started sounding hesitant. Marinette put a hand on his.

"I understand. I'm sorry Adrien, you don't have to go on." She looked down at her own lap, "I shouldn't have made you tell me something so... hurtful."

Adrien turned his face to hers and breathed in slowly. He looked up at her and poked her on the forehead. "Don't look like that. It was ten years ago. I can talk about it." He took her hand softly, "Besides, you wanted to know right?"

"Yes." She replied. She used her free hand to rub at her forehead where he had just poked her. Adrien continued, "I was sent to live with my relatives, but I ended up running away from home before long." Adrien then furrowed his eyebrows, making his face look more serious.

"Adrien?"

"No, sorry, I think that's enough for now." Their eyes met and she was pinned by the weight of his gaze at such a close distance.

"Well, thank you Adrien, I appreciate what you told me." She tilted her head and gave him a small smile. Adriens lips thinned at her attempt to be understanding. The light on his bedside flickered in sync with his eyes. Adrien averted his gaze and stood up off the bed. "You should return to your chambers soon, you shouldn't be caught here."

"Oh, okay." Marinette whispered. It was true, Nino and Alya would throw a fit if they knew she snuck out again. She looked at Adrien and began to rise off the bed. As she did, Adrien stood in front of her and held out his arms.

"Adrien, what are you doing?" Marinette asked.

He picked her up by the waist and lifted her above his shoulder. She let out a tiny squeak in response.

"Wait, Adrien, I might be heavy!"

"Stop squirming, you weigh almost nothing." Marinette blushed and stopped fussing. He kept a firm grip on her and took her out of his room. He didn't even stop once they reached her room. He opened the door all while holding her and shut it behind them. Then he walked over to her bed and laid her down on it. She opened one eye, "That was kind of fun." It was then that something occured to her. Adrien didn't mention Chloe or Felix at all...

XxXxXx

Adrien left the room at once and walked down the hallway. He saw a figure and stopped, "huh?" He stopped dead in his tracks. From across the dimly lit hall, he could see a figure walking in his direction.

"Where have you been, Adrien?" Felix emerged from the other end of the hall. Adrien stood his ground, eyebrows knit together. Adrien refused to speak to his brother. It made Felix curious. "Is the Princess all right?" He let out a little smirk, "I heard she was injured." Adriens eyebrows shot up.

"Hm, maybe if you can't protect her as a Knight, you have no business being her husband. I on the other hand, have already asked the Princess to keep me in mind." Adrien growled.

"Its none of your business." His tone was low and uninviting and he started to walk away. Just as he passed Felix, Felix replied, "I'd say it is."

It was enough to make Adrien instinctively turn back around. "I heard that the Princess got hurt on your watch and that now you've been suspended."

"Hm..."

Felix narrowed his own eyes at Adriens response, "I know exactly why it bothers you." Felix stared at his twin in the dark, "Can't you protect someone without having to stake your life on it?"

Adrien sucked in a breath as his brothers words echoes through the corridor. "If you want to protect her, perhaps you should focus on protecting yourself first?"

As he walked past Adrien, he gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. He had said what he wanted to say. And all Adrien could do was stand there and watch his brother leave. Both hands were balled up into tight fists. "I know that..." He seethed. His response was just barely loud enough for his brother to hear.

"He never learns..." Felix whispered.

XxXxXx

Marinette slept soundly the entire morning after the night with Adrien. After breakfast, Nino went over the schedule with her. The pain in her ankle had gone away after one day. She swiveled her foot around under the table and Nino coughed to get her attention, "Princess, I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"Yes, what is it, Nino?" She forgot about her ankle and quickly looked up at Giles. He had a very serious expression.

"Do you remember that banquet we attended? The one where you were very inattentive during the whole thing?"

"Yes, sir."

She kept her eyes on Nino as she thought back to the conversation they had with the King.

"It appears that they may find themselves engaged in war soon..." Nino said.

"They what?!"

"Of course, you know very well that they are our close allies..." He gave her a serious look, "We will be expected to aid in the war with our own troops as well."

"But... but that means..." Marinettes face paled at the thought.

"Our knights will be sent to join their ranks."

Adrien.

XxXxXx

Marinette tried to study after breakfast was over, but it was a lost cause. Nino's words still rang through her head. The knight will be sent to join their ranks. Adrien is the captain and the first person she thought of. Did this mean he would have to go to the frontlines too? Her mind was flooded with all kinds of terrible outcomes. She found herself more anxious the more and more she thought about what Nino had said that morning. Adrien may be called out to fight in a foreign war. Lost in thought, she put her head down on her study table. Tikki flew over and landed on her head, "Don't worry, Marinette, everything will be just fine."

"Something the matter, Princess? You're not your cheery self today." Marinette turned her head to see Felix standing there with Chloe. Both of them gave her sad smiles. They too had heard the news.

"Felix? Chloe?"

They were both all smiles as usual. Chloe sat down on the bed, "It's so easy to tell what you're thinking." Her voice was soft and thoughtful, unlike on most days. Felix also sat next to Marinette. "So, did you think about it?"

"Think about what?" Marinette asked dumb founded. Chloe burst into laughter and Felix sweat dropped.

"Did you forget, Princess?" He smiled at me, but this time it was kind of an annoyed one, "I told you to think about my offer, didn't I?"

"Oh... that conversation."

"I see you aren't interested in me and haven't thought about trying it out."

"Eh?"

Chloe was on the floor rolling this time. Her response wasn't something Felix had been hoping for. "I just think the whole process would go a bit faster if you picked someone besides Adrien."

"No."

"Pardon me?"

"Felix, how many times must she reject you before you get it through your thick head."

"No, I'm sorry. I haven't thought about it." Marinette said. Leo tilted his head, "I see." His voice then suddenly dropped,

"I think you might actually have what it takes to make Adrien happy."

Chloe and Felix left the room. Chloe kept walking, but Felix leaned against the door slowly. He closed his eyes and murmured to himself smiling.

"Guess I've been dumped."