Marinette laid in her bed and thought for a moment. The realization that Lila would be there made her skin crawl. She wondered if he had told his father about what had happened, so that she wasn't there tomorrow.
She swallowed hard and began to search the internet for Gabriel Agreste's number. If anything, at least she could grab the number for his assistant. She brushed her thumb down her phone and found Nathalie's number online.
She typed it into her phone and hit call.
"Good evening. This is Gabriel Agreste's assistant, Nathalie. How may I help you?" Nathalie's voice sounded professional and emotionless.
"Goo- good evening. It's Marinette Dupain...Cheng? I was wondering if I could talk to Gabriel Agreste, tonight. It's about- um… the photoshoot tomorrow and his son." Marinette worried her bottom lip.
"I'll see if he is willing to speak with you this evening. However, it is late and he is working on designs right now." Nathalie set the phone down and walked over to Gabriel.
"Yes, Nathalie?" Gabriel was busy coloring in a gown on his tablet.
"I have a Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng on the phone and she wishes to speak with you about tomorrow and Adrien." Nathalie spoke with the intent that Gabriel would deny her request.
"Put her through." Gabriel smiled and hoped that Marinette was about to spill something. He wanted to get Lila out of there and had planned to replace her with Marinette in the photoshoot.
"O-Okay, sir." Nathalie went back to the phone and picked it up. "He says he'll speak with you. I'll transfer your call."
"In person?" Marinette swallowed hard as she played with her blankets.
"Hang on." Nathalie covered the receiver and peered at Gabriel. "She asked if she can in person?"
"Of course. Tell her to come over. We'll talk in my office." Gabriel went back to working on his design.
Nathalie was left in shock. "He says he will meet with you tonight."
"Thank you, thank you!" Marinette hung up the phone and quickly got dressed to run over there.
She booked it out the door and ran across the street and past the park until she reached the gates. She hit the button and Nathalie opened the iron doors without question. Marinette ran up the stairs, peering up at the tall building.
The double doors opened for her and her mouth fell open as Gabriel was standing at the door instead of Nathalie.
"Good evening, Marinette. You wanted to speak with me?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow and Marinette hugged him, breaking down. "What happened to my son?"
Gabriel awkwardly wrapped his arms around her. She spilled everything right there at the door and Gabriel nodded at each sentence with a serious expression.
"I'm sorry. So sorry. I saw it from the shadows. I should have stopped it and I didn't. I should have done something. I should have-" Marinette cried and Adrien chose right then to walk down to see the commotion. "Please, please… don't make him do a photoshoot with her. PLEASE!" Marinette was on her knees clinging to his red slacks.
"What is going on?" Adrien spoke from behind his father in a pair of green pajama pants and a white deep V-neck shirt.
"Nothing. I'll take care of it. You take care of her." Gabriel walked away from a sobbing Marinette, leaving a confused Adrien.
Adrien walked up to Marinette and crouched down in front of her. She suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck. "What's wrong? What'd he say to you? Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?" Adrien began to look her over. He stretched out her arms and turned her hands over to inspect her palms. He then touched her chin and brought her gaze to his as he turned her head to look over her face. "You look like you're okay. What's wrong?"
"I- I didn't want Lila to do a photoshoot with you. So, I told your father what happened. Minus the super powers." Marinette whispered and hid in her bangs.
"You did WHAT?" Adrien backed up from her and tripped on the stairs.
"I couldn't watch you take photos with her tomorrow. I couldn't see that smug look on her face." Marinette placed her hands over her eyes. "I couldn't do it."
"You told my father…" Adrien stood up and glared at her. "What gave you the ri-!"
"ADRIEN! Come to my office. Marinette, too." Gabriel's stern voice echoed through the grand foyer and Adrien cringed.
He walked past Marinette, who was still a mess on the floor. He peered over his shoulder and spoke in a clipped tone. "If my father orders for you to come? You come."
Marinette nodded and stood up on trembling legs. "I'm sorry." She spoke in a tiny voice and Adrien rolled his eyes as he shoved the doors open in anger.
"Sit down, please." Gabriel gestured to two chairs and Adrien sat down with Marinette. "I want to hear the story from you, Adrien. That way I know what to tell the authorities."
"Can we just move on and forget that it happened?" Adrien begged his father. "Please, father?"
"No. I want her taken care of and I can't if you won't speak to me." Gabriel took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"She kidnapped me. Tied me to a chair. Touched me. Eventually sucked me. Can I go now?" Adrien spoke in short sentences, looking away with a blush as he felt sick to his stomach.
"Marinette?" Gabriel peered at her with a sigh. "Is that true?"
"From what I saw, yes." Marinette worried her bottom lip between her teeth.
"I'm going to cancel her being at the photoshoot tomorrow. I am also going to alert her manager about her. I will also be calling the police and they will need a statement. I'm sorry, son." Gabriel felt more guilty, knowing that he was the one that created her. He walked up to Adrien and touched his chin. Adrien whipped his chin away from his father's hand as he crossed his arms over his chest in anger. Gabriel sighed and crouched down in front of Adrien. "Please know that you can talk to me. I know I'm busy, but this was important. It is important. I don't want anyone hurting you. Not anymore. You've been put through enough pain. We both have." Gabriel stood up and walked back over to his tablet as he pulled out his phone. "I'll inform Marinette's parents that she is staying in a guest room tonight. I don't want you to be alone and I know you're mad at me. I also know you're mad at her." Gabriel flashed a glance at Marinette. "However, it was courageous of her to come to me with this. I think you owe her a lot for what she has done. Now go."
Adrien stood up and held his hand out to Marinette. She took it and stood up beside him. They walked out of Gabriel's office and Marinette stopped in the hallway. "Adrien- I- I'm so-."
Adrien shook his head and took a deep breath. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I was embarrassed and scared of what he would do. You did the right thing. Thank you." Adrien brushed her hair from her face with a warm smile as he leaned in to kiss her.
Marinette sighed as she intertwined her fingers with his and parted her lips to deepen the kiss. He broke the kiss and she smiled. "If I bake you something will you forgive me? You can help me in the kitchen."
Adrien chuckled and nodded with a warm smile. "I'd love that, Marinette."
"Good because I really don't like when you're upset with me. I know it was wrong of me to overstep and tell him. I should have waited for you to- it wasn't mine to tell and I- I was just- I was scared of you seeing her and- and it breaks my heart to think of the fact that she- she did those things to yo-" Marinette suddenly stopped talking when she felt his index finger press over her lips.
"Stop. I know it's because you care and yeah it should have been outed on my terms and now I have to talk to Roger and I'm not excited about that. My name will also be thrown through the dirt unless my father pays them off to keep it a secret." Adrien sighed as he began to worry. "But- I know that you love me and you did it with your best interest at heart. And you saved me having to model with her tomorrow. So… Thank you." He touched her chin with his index finger and thumb before he gently brushed his lips against hers. "Now, let's go bake something delicious. Please."
"Okay!" Marinette perked up and grabbed his hand, yanking him to the massive kitchen.
000
Adrien hit his palms against the stainless steel kitchen island that took up a considerable amount of space in the room. He watched Marinette search through the kitchen for ingredients to make macarons. "What are we making?" Adrien raised an eyebrow at her.
"Passion fruit macarons, of course." Marinette smiled over her shoulder at him as she got everything that she needed.
"Really?" Adrien perked up at the thought of them. He loved passion fruit macarons. "Those are my favorite."
Marinette smiled as she began to measure out ingredients. "And that's why I'm making them. Here, stir this." She passed him a spoon and the bowl of ingredients.
Adrien began to stir and the almond flour floated up out of the bowl, dusting his shirt. Marinette giggled and covered her mouth as she watched him part his lips.
"Maybe… slow down a bit." Marinette bit her bottom lip with blushing cheeks.
"Right." Adrien chuckled as he slowed his stirring down.
They got lost in each other as they talked about mundane things. They were exhausted by the time Marinette was putting the macarons into the oven. Her stomach hurt from laughing so hard and her face was sore. Adrien didn't think he could laugh harder and he felt like he could barely breathe.
Adrien sighed along with Marinette as they leaned against the counter, waiting for them to be done.
"We should make the ganache." Marinette pushed off the counter and pulled a mixing bowl towards herself. She began to make the lemon ganache.
"Here. Let me stir for a bit." Adrien warmly smiled as he touched the edge of the mixing bowl.
Marinette took the spoon from the bowl and booped him on the nose with it. Adrien gasped as he felt the warm ganache on the tip of his nose. Marinette bit her bottom lip with a smile and giggled.
"You're so done." Adrien stuck his finger into the lemon ganache and ran towards her.
She screamed and took off around the kitchen with him on her tail. He laughed and suddenly leapt over the island, sliding across the cold steel, and landing behind her. He wrapped his arms around her. She squealed as he brought his lips close to her ear and whispered in a low tone. "Got you." He swiped ganache along her bottom lip with his thumb and she parted her lips as her chest rose and fell.
He spun her around and touched her chin, bringing her gaze up to his. She searched his eyes before he leaned down, running his tongue along her bottom lip to lick the ganache. Marinette closed her eyes and he dipped his tongue between her lips before he broke the kiss all too fast and rubbed his nose against hers.
"ADRIEN!" She giggled and tried to shove him away. She laughed harder as she gripped at his shirt while he nuzzled against her cheek to her neck. "AH!" She squealed and dipped underneath his arms to escape, taking off across the kitchen. She slammed her hands down on the island as she kept it between them.
Adrien laughed and touched the island, getting ready to run to whatever side she'd take off to. "You really think this island will save you? I leapt over it moments ago, Bugaboo."
Marinette squealed as he leapt over it and she ran off again. They continued to chase each other around the kitchen until the oven went off.
"Okay! TRUCE! TRUCE!" Marinette giggled and screamed as he grabbed her waist and lifted her over his shoulder. "Adrien…!" She couldn't stop laughing and when he started to tickle her side and inner thighs… it only made it worse. She began to kick and scream. "ADRIEN! THEY'RE GOING TO BURN! AH!"
Gorilla opened the kitchen door and Adrien quickly set her down. Marinette went over to the oven after she gave Gorilla a sheepish grin.
"Just baking. Everything is fine." Adrien gave his bodyguard a shit eating grin with his hands behind his back, teetering back and forth on his feet.
"Mm!" Gorilla nodded and left the kitchen.
Adrien waited for his bodyguard to leave before he took off towards Marinette again.
"I HAVE HOT THINGS IN MY HANDS!" Marinette quickly set them on the counter and kicked the oven closed before she took off running again.
Adrien laughed and grabbed her, lifting her off the ground to cover her in kisses. "And now, so do I."
Marinette groaned and rolled her eyes. "Seriously?"
"You know I think you're the cat's me...ow." Adrien wiggled his eyebrows and she shook her head as she burst out laughing. "What?"
"So lame." Marinette died laughing and he burst into a fit of laughter with her.
"Hey, I try." Adrien laughed as he let her go.
"Alright. Let's frost them." Marinette walked over and set everything up to frost the macarons. She passed Adrien the ganache, showing him how to swirl the filling on one side of the macaron. Within a few moments all of them were done and plated. "There."
"Can we eat one?" Adrien became excited and Marinette smiled.
"Of course." Marinette picked one up and watched him do the same. They brought the macarons to their mouths and took a bite. She heard Adrien hum in bliss. "Took me ages to learn how to make these. They're not easy. I've burned my share of them." Marinette giggled and got lost in the warm smooth texture.
"I can imagine. They're delicious." Adrien picked up another one with a warm smile on his lips. "Thank you so much, Marinette."
Marinette walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Anytime, Kitty."
