Author's Note:

How do you tell if a bee is sad?

She loses her waggle.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOON! Have a chapter dedicated to you ^_^

We've had some more art for Sting, so I'd like to thank Georgina-24 (georgina-24 tumblrdotcom /post/149774299008/kryallaorchid-youve-successfully-broken-my#notes) and radishlyloving (radishlyloving. tumblrdotcom /post/149845800055/i-give-you-deedee-poppins-deedee-has-a-britsh#notes) for their gorgeous drawings.

Also, I want to direct your attention to this post here (thewonderfulwizardofass. tumblrdotcom/post/149798106798/kryallaorchid-ok-guys-settle-an-argument-for) Now. For reasons (Moon). I can't actually do that majestic creature. But, this is forevermore, my head canon on AkumaGabriel, okay?

Chapter 21

"Look at his little toe beans," Alya crooned from her position curled up in Nino's lap, with the little stray kitten Nino had found playing in her lap. She curled its paw around the tips of her finger. "Cuties! He is absolutely adorable."

"Pretty sure it's a girl," Nino said. "It's lacking certain things."

Alya rolled her eyes. "Trust you to look."

"Someone had to!" Nino protested.

"Where'd you find her?"

"Down by the river," Nino said, reaching around Alya to scratch the little grey calico behind the ears. She mewed at him, blinked big blue eyes, and then attacked his fingers. "Someone dumped her in a bag. Poor dude was soaked and starving."

"Oh, that's horrible." Ayla picked up the kitten and rubbed her cheek against its soft fur. "Who could be so mean to this precious little bundle of joy?" Leaving the kitten beside her face, she put on a baby voice as she blinked at Nino. "You're keeping her, aren't you? You're going to look after this little precious thing and make her happy?"

Nino laughed. "I wish we could. My uncle's allergic to them. But he said he'll take his meds until we find her a nice home."

The kitten yawned and a pink tongue lolled out of her mouth.

Alya let the kitten curl up in her lap, feeling the purr rumble through her knees as the kitten snuggled down. "Aww, Nino, you have to keep her."

Nino pressed his chest to her arm and stroked some hair out of the way of her neck. "Rather keep you," he said and dotted kisses along her shoulder.

Giggling, she lifted her shoulder toward her neck. "Stooop," she complained.

"Nope," Nino replied and nibbled on her ear. He rested his hand on her hip, pulling her toward him.

"We need to get going or we'll be late."

"Adrien won't mind."

"Marinette might," Alya said, even though she snuggled down in Nino's arms. "She's formally meeting Monsieur Stoic, remember? She might welcome the intrusion."

Nino pulled a face at her. "Poor Marinette. Dude's got a massive stick up his ass."

"Yeah. So I've heard. We need to go be dashing and daring and rescue her."

"Okay, okay," Nino said and squeezed her hips. "But if we interrupt Adrien put his moves on Marinette, you're taking the blame."

Alya snorted. "Since when does Adrien have moves?"

"Since always. Dude's got 'polite, awkward and oblivious' as baseline moves."

Alya giggled. "Don't forget the fact that he's a model."

"How could I ever? He lives and breathes that. I shudder to think how many showers he has a day."

Alya shook her head. "You need to educate him."

"What do you think I've been doing?"

"Poor Marinette."

"Poor Nino. Can we stop talking about Adrien? Rather occupy your mouth in other ways."

Alya rested her head on his shoulder. "Is that so?"

"Nah, on second thought, let's go rescue Marinette," Nino said, pulling away from her. Untangling his feet from her, he heaved himself upright.

"Hey!" Alya complained. "That's just rude."

Grinning, Nino said, "Did you want something?"

Alya's jaw dropped and she made a little 'ach' noise in the back of her throat. "Right. Well. See if that hand-holding akuma ever comes back to haunt you." She fussed about, putting Junior back in her box so she could sleep.

Nino offered Alya his hand to help her rise. With a side-eye, she accepted his help and Nino pulled her to her feet and straight into his arms. "Far more interested in the lip locking akuma."

"That was so corny," Alya said with a light laugh.

"Yeah," Nino said, ducking his head down to peck her lips. "But it worked."

Draping her arms over his shoulders, Alya toyed with his headphones. "I don't know. You'll have to show me again."

With a smile, Nino was happy to oblige.

They took their time in strolling hand in hand to Agreste Mansion, talking about mundane things and making plans for the weekend that didn't involve studying furiously for the exams beginning on Tuesday. Neither of them had a lot of time to spare in the busy study schedule, so they wanted to make the most of their time.

That, and the dreaded lip locking akuma may have struck several times on their meander. Not that they minded in the slightest.

Neither of them expected to arrive at Agreste Mansion to find it locked up.

Nino pressed the buzzer a few times, but no one answered, which was unusual. "Dude, hello?" he called, waving at the blank intercom screen. "Adrien?"

Alya pulled out her phone to check her messages. Then dialled Marinette's phone. It went to message bank. Adrien's phone rang. And rang.

"Nothing," Alya said, slipping her phone back in her pocket. "That's really weird."

The automated gate slid open. Alya and Nino exchanged a glance and Nino shrugged. "Maybe the coms are broken."

"Maybe. But Marinette's phone is off and Adrien's not answering his."

Nino smirked and sauntered off to the front door. "Maybe they're 'occupied'," he said, using air quotes.

Alya followed at a more sedate pace. "In that case, do we really want to be walking in on them?"

"We'll stomp up the stairs and make noise, don't worry."

"And what if Gabriel meets us at the stairs?"

"Do what I do," Nino said and trotted up the front stairs to open the door. "Smile, be polite, and move along as fast as possible."

The immaculately designed and kept foyer was empty, which Alya found strange. She'd always assumed there'd be butlers, or Adrien's Nathalie to meet them, but there were no signs of life. It was hard to imagine Adrien enjoyed living here, it all felt so sterile.

But maybe that was just the foyer.

"Huh," Nino grunted. "That's new."

Alya followed his gaze. A marble statue of Nathalie stood in front of a closed doorway. She held a tablet in her hands, her glasses halfway down her nose as she appeared to concentrate on what the empty screen depicted. "That's… odd, that's what it is."

"Old man Agreste has peculiar tastes, I guess."

"Somehow I would not be surprised. Do you think he has one of Adrien?"

Nino snorted. "Probably in his bedroom."

Alya shoved Nino. "You are such a creep."

Nino laughed at her and walked to the stairs. "Adrien?!" he bellowed up. He rested his hand on the bannister and swung on it so he could peer up the staircase.

Alya glanced back at the Nathalie statue. "That's weird."

"What's weird, babe?" Nino asked, walking up the stairs ahead of her.

"I could've sworn she was looking at her tablet."

Nino cupped his hands ahead of his mouth. "Adrien! Dude! We're coming up! Get your clothes back on!"

"Nino!" Alya scolded. "What if he's up there with his dad?"

Nino snorted. "Dude can barely stand to be in the same room as adolescents for long. It's like our immaturity will rub off on him. Doubt he even spent more than five minutes with her."

"Marinette is not you, Nino," Alya retorted. "She knows how to charm."

"Are you saying I'm not charming?" Nino asked, over his shoulder then pulled up short. "Woah, another one."

A pristine marble statue of Adrien's Gorilla stood in the middle of the stairs, blocking the route forward.

"Yeaaaah," Alya said, unnerved now.

"It's so lifelike," Nino said, peering up and down at Gorilla. He got in close to peer at the statue. "There's even a small fray on the collar. That's attention to detail right there."

Alya glanced back down the stairs and a chill shot through her. Gasping, she grabbed Nino's arm and backed up the stairs. Nathalie stood at the foot of the stairs, staring up at them. "She moved!"

Nino glanced down, then looked around. "Ha-ha, Adrien. Nice joke, man! Where are you, dude?"

The Gorilla grabbed them both from behind.

TTT

Sabine listened carefully as Marinette told her an abridged version of what had happened in the mansion. Glancing between the barely-holding-it-together Adrien sitting on the couch staring into the distance and the imploring Marinette, she finally said, "I'm not sure if it's a good idea to get between Adrien and his father, Marinette. He's grieving, don't you think they should be together?"

"I'm not between them," Marinette replied. "His father kept this from him and… Adrien's devastated."

"And that's horrible, it really is, but running away? No good comes from that."

"He just… he needs a place he can feel safe. It's only for tonight. Please. I don't want him to be alone, and if he's at home or in a hotel, he will be."

"Don't you think his father will be worried where Adrien is? Shouldn't we tell him?"

Marinette pressed her lips together, unwilling to lie. She didn't know if Gabriel would be worried at all. "He… probably already knows. We weren't… we weren't subtle about leaving. I know it was stupid, Mom. It was very impulsive. I get that. But Adrien just had to get away. I think… there's a lot I don't know about Adrien yet but I don't think he's very happy at home."

Sabine closed her eyes and expelled a breath out slowly. "Alright," she said. "I'll have your father bring up the air mattress, and although I'm not too happy he'll be in your bedroom, I understand."

"He said he can sleep in the loungeroom."

"And hear your father lumbering around at three in the morning? No. If he actually gets to sleep, we want him to stay that way." Sabine cupped Marinette's face. "Emotions get tangled when you're grieving," she said. "Don't let anything happen because you think it'll make him feel better. If you wouldn't do it when he's of his right mind, don't do it now. Okay?"

Marinette nodded, knowing why Sabine had said it. "I know. I promise I'll be sensible. I think he just needs to be held."

"That is likely. But he probably doesn't like that you're seeing him at his most vulnerable too." Sabine kissed Marinette's forehead. "Try and get him to talk, but don't force him. Listen."

"I will."

"Alright. I'll send your father up soon. I'll get some snacks together for you both, okay?"

Marinette kissed her mother's cheek. "Thank you." Raising her voice, she called, "Adrien."

He turned his head and gave her a blank look.

"Mom said it was okay."

Some life returned to his face. "Oh." He got to his feet and then bowed his head and torso to Sabine. "Madame Cheng, I'm really sorry to impose like this. I didn't know what else to do. If it's too much trouble, I don't mind staying in a hotel."

"It's no trouble at all and I already told you to call me Sabine." Reaching for him, Sabine rested her hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry about your mother," she said. "Please, our home is open to you."

Head bowed, Adrien nodded. "Thank you."

Picking up her backpack and his duffle bag, Marinette took Adrien's hand and led him up her stairs.

"I'm sorry if I got you in trouble," he mumbled.

"Don't worry about me," Marinette said. "At all."

"I'm imposing."

"Adrien, you're not. Not at all." She released his hand so she could dump their bags. "Just tell me what you need."

"You," he said, shoulders hunched and hands in his pockets. He lifted his gaze from the floor, checking her reaction and, when she smiled at him, he said, "I just need you."

She stepped toward him and gathered him into her arms. "I'm here."

Holding on to him tight, she rose up on her toes so she could get her chin on his shoulder. He hunkered down to meet her, then picked her up off the ground and carried her the ten steps so they could migrate to Marinette's chaise.

It took a bit of rearranging until they were comfortable and even longer before he was ready to talk. With pillows behind her back to cushion, Marinette sat against the head of the chaise with Adrien between her legs. Although both his shoulders were against her stomach, his head was turned so he could listen to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. He played with her fingers of one hand, stroking along their length or touching the tips of his fingers against the tips of hers.

Tikki and Deedee were curled up together by Marinette's hip, safely out of sight if anyone came up the stairs.

"Her name," he said in a voice too ancient and hollow to be her beloved Adrien's, "was Aurelie."

"That's a beautiful name."

"I had such high hopes for today," he said. "I didn't expect this."

Marinette rested her cheek on his head. "I'm sorry."

"We were going to have a blast," he mourned. "Father had given his permission, you were allowed to be there. Snacks and laughter, my best friends in my room. Sure, there'd be study, but there'd also be other teenage things. Maybe I'd hold your hand or flirt through looks. Maybe we play games or I'd feed you bits of fruit. Maybe we'd dare each other to do stupid, outrageous things. Teenage shenanigans. Maybe Nino could see Alya kick butt on the dance machine. Maybe it'd be me and Nino showing off for you both. Maybe I'd get to kiss you goodbye as you went home. Nino!" Adrien blurted, tensing. "I forgot! We need to—"

"I sent Alya a message," Marinette said, stroking her hand through his hair. "She knows not to go."

"I should call him."

"Later. I'm sorry today didn't turn out like you hoped. It sounded wonderful."

Silence lingered for a time while Marinette stroked Adrien's hair, then he sighed, deep and sad. "Her name was Aurelie and I didn't even know she was gone. What kind of son does that make me?"

She comforted him as best she could. "You didn't know, kitty. It wasn't your fault and there wasn't anything you could've done."

He breathed out slowly, then lifted her fingers to his mouth. He placed a kiss on the tip of each of them. "That mist akuma we had recently showed me Mom. We were boating, it was the last day I saw her and I got to say all the things I wanted to say to her. It was… fantastic and heartbreaking and…"

Marinette made a soft noise to show she was listening. He was all over the place and the best thing she could do was just let him talk.

"Only, I can't… I don't know if it was a true memory. I can't really remember her voice anymore. Her face… I know what it's like because we have photos, but… what did it look like as she began to smile? To see it spread? What did her laugh sound like? What did she look like when she was angry? What were her and my father like together? I remember being happy, but what if… what if that wasn't real? What if what the mist showed me wasn't really her, but what I thought she was? What if I remember wrong?"

Marinette didn't know what to say to that.

"My father doesn't like to talk about her, so all I really have is what I can remember of her. But I was ten when she left... And… I always thought that there was something about me that kept her away but I could never remember what."

She squeezed him. "Oh, Chat."

"Knowing she's gone… I guess its closure of a sort. I guess. I don't have to wonder anymore. It hurts… it really does… but… I think… I think it hurts more that my father lied about it. Is… is that bad of me?"

"No," Marinette said. "I don't think so."

"Sometimes," Deedee said. "Grief manifests in strange ways and—"

"Deedee," Adrien said with a sigh. "Don't. Just don't."

Deedee ducked her head down and hid beneath Tikki, covering both eyes with her paws.

"I get it," Adrien said. "You were trying to protect me. That's what you do, you protect the hive. But you shouldn't have kept it from me. I'm sick of being lied to."

"Adrien," Marinette said into his hair. "It's not her fault. She did the best she could. No matter what, you would've reacted badly to this. Deedee was trying to minimise damage. If you knew that something would hurt someone, wouldn't you try to keep it from them too?"

He sighed and rolled his head away from her heart. "It depends on the size of the hurt. This doesn't feel like it should've been kept from me. You didn't keep it from me."

Marinette bit her lip. "I considered it. I held out all of ten minutes."

He tensed. "Why?"

"Because I didn't have all the information. Deedee said there were reasons and… I trusted that there were. Ultimately, I couldn't. I didn't feel right about lying to you."

"I'm glad you didn't." He sighed. "When did you find out, Deedee? Or did you always know?"

Deedee didn't answer, but Tikki did. "We were aware of the possibility when Master Fu delivered her. It happens sometimes with family members when they find out," she said. "People get jealous or scared. Most of the time all we need to do is convince them to return the item and the wielder remains unaware."

"Why?"

"So this doesn't happen," Tikki said. "It's a moment of weakness, usually driven from a place of caring. If we can help it, we don't take away your support. You have a life beyond the miraculous and we try not to interfere."

Adrien snorted. "In not telling me, you were interfering."

"It was the night you and Marinette sorted things out that I knew for certain," Deedee said in a tiny voice. "You were so… giddy and happy and I… I didn't want to ruin that. And you have exams coming up and… I gave him a week to do the right thing, Adrien, and then I was going to tell you."

"Hmm."

"We had a chance to get both Ferris and Plagg back, as well as a chance to get better support for you at home, Adrien," Tikki said. "I am sorry. I know our actions have hurt you, but I stand by Deedee's decision."

Adrien sat up. "It wasn't driven from a place of caring," he said, pressing his hands into the cushions so he could scoot away from Marinette. "It was driven from a place of control. He controls everything. Where I go to school, who I work for, what activities I do. When I sleep and eat and how much I eat. How I react to things. He tried to control my every emotion! I should've know he'd try and control my miraculous too."

"A little knowledge about the miraculous can be a dangerous thing," Tikki said. "Gabriel knew how the butterfly could work. What would you have him do?"

"Don't justify it," Adrien snapped as he stood up. "I know you think it was for the best but right now it doesn't feel like it. I used to think that he wasn't always like this, but now I wonder if he was always like this, but Mom shielded me from it. I feel… manipulated. Let down. Angry."

Marinette watched with a heavy heart as Adrien walked across the room to her doll stand. He picked up Chat Noir in one hand and Bumblebee in the other and stared at both the dolls. "My uncle. My uncle is Papillon. Someone who I never met, who I don't even know and… some crazy cultist who thinks he's entitled… he's tormenting Paris and us and poor Nooroo. What am I going to do? I can't even begin to sort this out."

"We're in this together," Marinette said.

"I promise," Deedee said, floating out from beneath Tikki. "I'll make it up to you. I'll set this right."

He nodded and put Bumblebee back in its place. Holding onto Chat Noir with both hands, he walked back to sit on the chaise.

Deedee looked stricken at that action.

Tikki looked between Marinette and Adrien. "Perhaps we should leave them alone for a while," she suggested, floating to Deedee's side. A gentle tug and Tikki pulled Deedee away and the pair of them zipped up through the trap door. It was a semblance of privacy and not really much of one. Marinette knew the kwami would remain within calling distance.

Marinette watched Adrien stare at the Chat Noir doll. "Do you want me to leave?"

He shook his head. "This is your room."

"If you would prefer to be alone, I don't mind. I can get us some snacks or—"

"I miss Plagg." He clenched the Chat Noir doll tight, squishing its stomach between his palms. "He's a… a little shit sometimes, but he always seemed to say the right thing to get through to me. Whether that's get me angry or make a distraction or complain about the lack of cheese… I'm sorry," he said and wiped at his cheek. "This is really pathetic of me."

Marinette crawled across the chaise. Kneeling behind him, she pressed her chest into his back and wove her arms around his shoulders. "I don't think so. This is… it's a lot. It really is. I don't… I don't know what to do either. I don't know how to make it right or if it can be made right and I know there's a lot going on in your head right now. But I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

"I don't know what I need." He took her hand so he could press his lips to it. "And I know I need to talk. I dragged you into the middle and I know you're probably confused about everything. I will, I promise, just…"

"Whenever you're ready, kitty."

"Thank you."

A loud bang from downstairs and a rattle startled them both. "Marinette!" Tom called. "Come get the air mattress."

Kissing Adrien's cheek, she gave him a final squeeze and drew back. "I'll be right back. Do you want some snacks?"

"Water, if it's not too much trouble. Do you want some help?"

"Nah," she said, crawling from the chaise.

Tom and Sabine met her at the base of the stairs, Tom with the air mattress and pump at his feet and Sabine with a tray of croissants, milk and water. "How's he doing?"

Marinette glanced up at her room. Sighing, her shoulders slumped as she lost some of the strength she'd been trying to give to Adrien. "He's… torn up. Confused. Very hurt. I'm really not sure how to help him."

Sabine nodded. "You're doing the right thing in terms of helping him. Just let him talk when he needs to, give him space when he needs it."

"Anger comes with grief too," Tom warned. "If he lashes out, not that I think he will, he probably won't mean it."

"I know, Papa," she said. "We did the stages of grief, together, remember?"

"I think I should go and tell Gabriel he's here," Tom said. "It doesn't feel right otherwise."

Marinette opened her mouth to try to convince him not to.

"We know how worried we would be if it were you," Sabine said. "Just knowing where you were, even if you weren't willing to talk to us, it would be a relief."

Marinette closed her mouth and nodded. "I'll let Adrien know. But, Papa, please don't meddle. Adrien will… when he's ready…"

Tom rested his hand on Marinette's head and ruffled her hair. "Of course not. I'm just going to tell him that his son is safe. Give him a chance to talk if he needs it. Sometimes parents are willing to open up to other parents more than they are to their children."

Marinette stooped down and picked up the air mattress box and pump in one hand, then balanced Sabine's tray of goodies in her other. "Thank you," she said and trotted back up the stairs.

Adrien lay on the chaise, one foot flat on the floor and the other propped up on the chaise. The Chat Noir doll was clutched tightly by the hand on his chest, while his other arm lay across his face.

Marinette slid the tray of food onto her desk, left the air mattress box on the floor and went back downstairs for bedding. It wasn't even remotely close to being time to sleep and they hadn't had dinner yet, but she felt it was better to be prepared. She wouldn't set the air mattress itself up until he was ready to sleep.

Maybe she should suggest they watch the rest of the Transformers movies together.

Adrien hadn't moved when she brought the bedding upstairs. She left it on the floor by her attic door and closed it as quietly as she could. Since it looked like he didn't want to be disturbed, she crossed over to her computer, grabbed her sketchbook and colouring pencils and logged on.

Typing up her research topic, she studied the outfits and began to sketch. Designing was cathartic, or distracting, she wasn't sure. Possibly both, but she knew she couldn't sew right now. Adrien needed peace and quiet.

Green and black, there was no doubt that would be the colour scheme for this. Threads of gold? Or silver? She'd have to colour match to see, either could work, although gold might be better to cross-match with Deedee. Perhaps a similar pattern… or stripes?

A vest for sure, fringed with the same metal coins decorating the hip belt… or maybe he'd like bells instead? The thought of bells made her snicker and she doodled a Chat Noir bell choker.

Harem pants perhaps might suit him better. Sheer or not? Maybe half-sheer? That'd be something for him to decide, but she sketched a couple of variations and made a small colour chart of possibilities.

He'd want something on his arms. She didn't remember him using them too much and he had such nice arms. She gave a small sigh of delight as she thought about his arms. He'd want something to draw attention to them, wouldn't he? Arm guards or bangles and bracelets, there were so many choices. Something to accent them, something special.

"What are you doing?" Adrien asked as he came up behind her.

Marinette chewed on the end of her pencil and used her mouse to scroll. "Researching for a design."

"Um. Okay. So. Well… I like your idea of research but I'm… very envious right now."

Marinette blinked and tilted her head back to look at him. "Why?"

Adrien sat down in the chair beside her. "I have nothing compared to those guys."

Marinette frowned in confusion. "Huh?"

Adrien nodded toward the screen and Marinette refocussed from the costumes to the people wearing them.

And blushed scarlet.

Half-naked, muscular men in provocative positions and she'd had them on display on her screen. In front of her boyfriend of only a few days. She yelped in horror. "I wasn't! I didn't! Oh my god, I wasn't looking at them—"

He dropped his eyes to her sketch pad of half-finished designs and rough outlines. "You… you really were looking at the outfits, weren't you?" he asked, sounding amazed.

She covered her face with her hands and squeaked at him.

Throwing his arm over her shoulders, he pulled her in toward him so she could bury her face in his neck. "You are adorable," he said as he hugged her and laughed.

That laugh. His carefree laugh bursting from his chest and spilling out to grace the world with its golden sound. She remembered the first time she heard him laugh when the first spark ignited within her chest. Standing in the rain and holding his umbrella and falling in love and now, here she was, sitting beside him and falling harder than ever. She lifted her face from his neck and watched him laugh.

He didn't seem concerned with her gaze as the laughter pealed to an end. Smiling, he said, "Thank you, I really needed—"

Gripping his shirt, Marinette pulled him toward her and pressed her lips to his.

Adrien made a muffled noise of surprise and Marinette released him. She sat back and stared at him with wide eyes. "Sorry!" she squeaked and covered her mouth with the tips of her fingers.

"I…" His pink tongue flicked out as he licked his lips. "I don't mind."

She cringed. "I do." Removing her hands from her mouth, she clutched at her head. "You're hurt and vulnerable right now and I shouldn't take advantage of that or complicate things. I'm so impulsive sometimes. I keep thinking about our other kiss and how much I wanted to do it again and—"

"Wait. Other kiss?"

Her eyes widened. "Oh. Um… Remember Dark Cupid?"

"Yeah?"

She dropped her hands to her lap. "You were under his spell and the only way to break it was a kiss. I had to chase you halfway across Paris to get you."

He looked shocked. "You kissed me? You chased me down to kiss me?"

"Well, Rose said only love can conquer hate and a prince always kisses a princess to break a spell… that seemed like the easiest way."

He snorted. "So… I'm your princess now?"

She giggled. "If you want to put it that way. You're a very pretty princess."

"You're a very pretty princess too." He chuckled. "I spent all that time working up to it and you've already had our first kiss. You really kissed me to save me?"

"You're my best friend," she assured him. "I love you. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Chat, including chasing you across Paris to kiss you and bring you back to me."

Adrien's breath hitched, his eyes widened and his pupils dilated.

"Of course, I secretly hoped you'd remember it," she said, saddened. "But, that's okay, we can—"

Cool hands cupped her face, the pads of his fingers soft against her cheeks as Adrien tugged her toward him. The warmth of his mouth aligning with hers sent a current streaking through her body. She forgot to breathe, forgot to think, forgot everything but the softness and sweetness of his lips.

Her hand was halfway through reaching for his chest when he released her tingling mouth. She gasped in a breath, peeking out through her eyelashes to see the fuzziness of his face and his enraptured expression. Soft and gentle and still so very close, his breath tickled her cheek as he stroked his nose against hers. "I love you too."

Her hand finished its journey to his chest, clutching at his shirt to coax him forward so they could kiss again.

TTT

Tom pressed the intercom button for Agreste Mansion and waited. He peered through the gate. Such an empty, lonely sort of building. There didn't seem to be any signs of life inside the fence. What must it be like for Adrien growing up here? To have everything except the one thing he wanted?

Trying again, Tom spoke to the speaker. "Hello? I'm Tom Dupain, Marinette's father. I was hoping you'd have a minute. I wanted to speak to you about Adrien."

The gate rattled open.

Author's Note: Qooky's responsible for the prompt for Nino and Alya.

It's not a mistake that Alya didn't get Marinette's message (cause I know people are going to say that).