This one is going to break y'all hearts

Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine her first day at Gabriel to go like this. Having to fight an Akuma, then having the police arrive to arrest the victim and haul Lila away. Marnette watched the drama unfold from inside Adrien's corner office.

Her transformation into Ladybug timed out before officer Raincomprix and his officers arrived on the scene. She didn't want to leave Chat there with his attacker but he assured her that it was okay and that he could stay until they arrived and relay the information. She wanted to argue but: A: it would reveal that Ladybug somehow knows that Chat Noir was Adrien which could go many ways, and B: she wasn't 19 like Chat Noir and thus couldn't hold her transformation for long after using her Lucky Charm. So she yo-yo-ed away and circled back into the building.

She decided that the best course of action was to wait for him. She had no doubt he'd be shaken up by the ordeal. Meeting up with Lucien as he was heading downstairs, he directed her to where his office was. But not before giving her a teasing knowing grin that inflamed her cheeks.

She pressed her face into the glass and stared below. Nathalie and Gabriel were downstairs speaking with Officer Raincomprix. But Chat was nowhere in sight. She turned her back to the one-sided floor to ceiling window behind his desk and being to amble towards the chaise. As she reached the chaise to sit, she heard a muffled 'thud' that drew her attention back to the window.

"Claws in."

Without his suit on Adrien looked badly shaken up. He reached into his drawer and pulled out a piece of Camembert for the kwami. His movements were mechanical in nature. And through it all, he was humming a song that she was sure she didn't know but seemed oddly familiar nonetheless.

"Kid, relax. You're going to scare Marinette."

He looked at her for the first time since entering into the room. It was like he didn't know that Marinette was there. He seemed unsure of what to say or do. He took a hesitant step forward and stopped

"Chaton" she purred opening her arms to him.

Without missing a beat he rushed into her arms. With little effort, he picked her up and reclined on the chaise with her straddling his lap. Tears were running down his face leaving the skin damp.

"How can I help you, Adrien?" She whispered as she cupped his face.

"C-can I kiss you? Like I kissed you last night?"

" Adrien, I-" she wasn't sure if she could handle a kiss like the one she demanded last night.

"It doesn't have to mean anything to you. Just let me have this"

She nodded and slowly he moved his head up to hers. His lips brushed hers tentatively before melding with her own. It was slow and languorous, nothing like the heated frenzy she brought him to as he was trapped in her silks. She pulled back slightly as she felt the slow stirring is her heat in her belly. Maybe she should stop. He chased her lips with his and kissed her hard. There was something desperate in the way he moved his lips against hers. It was insistent and pleading; begging her to understand something.

He seemed to understand that the message wasn't understood. Maybe it was the question she still held in her eyes or the way she fidgeted as she stopped herself from writhing wantonly in his lap.

He opened her mouth to say something but stopped. He simply pulled her down into his chest and held her. He absently kissed the top of her head and began humming that song again from earlier.

When she felt that he was ready to talk, she asked him, "What happened, Adrien?"

She listened to him relay everything and nodded like she didn't already know.

"The police said that they had picked up Kagami moments before receiving the call to come here. They had gotten some information that the guy and Kagami had planned my attack. They had put out wanted flyers with his face around Paris."

The door was knocked and then the knocker tried to open it to find it locked.

"I locked it when I got in. Just in case" she whispered as she climbed off him.

"Adrien?" Nathalie called from the other side of the door. Her face was a mask of impassivity.

"Stay there, I'll get it." She said moving towards the door before she tripped over her own feet. She heard Adrien gasp behind her and she hurried to get up, straightened her skirt and opened the door.

"Ms Sancœr. Sorry for the locked door. Adrien got a migraine during the Akuma attack and be asked me to lock the door so I did. Hope we didn't worry you." Marinette said reassuringly.

"Yeah. I got Marinette as soon as the attack started and we've been here. You know how Father is about safety" Adrien cooperated as he came up behind her.

"Hmmm, as long as Adrien is fine. Officer Raincomprix has asked for your presence at the station. Ms Dupain-Cheng will accompany you. Gorilla is waiting for you both downstairs." She said before turning and walking away.

"Wait! What about you and Father?" He asked as he followed the secretary into the hallway.

"Your father has decided that he will be spending the next few days in the penthouse at the office. You two will return to the manor. He trusts that you two are mature enough to be left alone."

Left alone with Adrien for days on end? Her treacherous heart fluttered at the prospect.

"And here's your phone." She said as she handed him the device then walked away.

Adrien wasted no time in dragging Marinette to the elevator and pressing down. Then hurried her into the parking lot. They were stopped before they could get in the car by Lucien helmet in hand.

"Hey, are you guys leaving?"

"Yeah, Luci. We have some important stuff to do."

"Too bad. I would have liked to spend the day with you, maybe take you out to lunch."

"Too bad. See you later Lucien." Adrien said with a tight voice as he opened the car door.

"Au revoir, Lucien" Marinette said sitting in the car. It seemed like Adrien just wanted to get this whole attacker thing sorted out.

Right as Adrien was about to close the door Lucien stopped it and handed her a card with a number on it and his social media handles.

"Text me" he winked before closing the door. She saw him say something to Adrien that caused the blond to stomp off to the other side of the car and dropped himself into the seat. The car took off without question.

Somewhere during the ride, a motorcycle passed them and she knew for a fact it was the young designer.

15 minutes later they arrived at the police station. They were ushered into a small office with the lead detective.

"Vincent La Roux has confessed to attacking you. However, he claims that he was hired by Lila Rossi. He said it was just a few minutes before he attacked he got a voice note from his then-girlfriend in hysterics about how you threatened her-"

"I would never!"

"We understand that. Which is why we checked with Ms Rossi. She claimed to not know him. If I hadn't heard the message I would have believed her. She's a great liar. She faltered when we played the voice note for her. She then tried to say you had threatened to ruin her if she didn't go out with you the day of the attack."

Adrien was gaping at what he heard and was struggling to keep a calm façade. She did the only thing she could do, hold his hand and squeeze it tightly.

"As you know, I had lost six months of memory, but with help from my friends," he chanced a look at Marinette, "I've regained most of them. We had a photoshoot together, you could talk to the photographer. I doubt that I did something like that"

"Lucky for you, we have already spoken to him, and he says that that didn't happen. Actually what he said was that she had been trying to flirt with you and you were rebuffing her efforts. He said she tried to kiss you and pulled away stating you had to meet a friend."

"I would be that friend, sir. And yes, he was supposed to meet me that day."

"Mhmm. We called her out on her lie and she changed her story again. She said Kagami was the instigator. She said that you broke her friend's heart and Kagami wanted revenge. She said she was the one that had anonymously given the information that led to both Kagami and Victor.

"She sounds reasonable and the evidence she gave implicates your ex, but Lila has already lied so much about what has happened it would be remiss to believe her broken-hearted vindictive ex story."

"And she's lying now. Can I speak to her, Kagami?"

The detective nodded, curious, and spoke into the walkie-talkie. Minutes later the champion fencer was brought in and directed to a seat. She sat with her back straight and tall and said nothing. She simply looked at Adrien then Marinette.

"Kagami," Adrien said. Marinette offered a small wave and smile. Originally, she thought that maybe Kagami was behind it, which was why she wasn't answering her phone. It was slightly reinforced with Adrien breaking up with her and the evidence of her with Nathaniel. She knew these things were interconnected. But now with Lila pointing the finger at Kagami, there was no way she could be involved.

"Adrien, Marinette," she said at last.

"There's only one way to prove your innocence."

"I know"

"Are you comfortable with that?"

"I think its time I tell the truth." She faced the detective and squared her shoulders.

"Adrien and I were never dating." She paused to let it sink in.

Marinette couldn't help but have the shock show on her face.

"About six months ago, I approached Adrien for help covering up my real relationship. As my friend, he agreed with little question. The next day I had him sign an NDA and from thenceforth, we paraded as a couple."

"It was mutually beneficial. She continues her relationship without her controlling mother knowing and trying to break it up and I would no longer have women trying to throw themselves at me and... another reason I'd rather not disclose."

"It was to last until either turn 20 or I gain ownership of my family's company."

Which she did. Some weeks prior to the attack the company had been handed over to her. She remembered because that was around the time that Adrien first mentioned wanting to end that relationship.

"Earlier that Sunday, Adrien and myself ended the farce and sent out posts detailing the end of the relationship. If you need more proof I will have my lawyer send over the copy of the contract" Kagami ended.

"In essence, " the detective said gathering his thoughts, "there could not be any 'vindictive heart-broken ex' because there was no relationship. And you attacking him would not favour your shared agreement. But I must ask, If you will allow it, what exactly is this relationship that you were forced to conceal?"

Marinette was wondering the same thing. Why would she need to hide her relationship with Nathaniel in such a way that it looked like both parties were having affairs?

Kagami seemed to think it over before responding.

"I'm only answering seeing that you will eventually see it in the contract, but I am in a Polyamorous relationship with Nathaniel Kutzberg and Marc Anciel. And before you ask, Adrien is not part of it. He practices the boring art of monogamy and cannot deal with sharing."

From there the interview wrapped up. There was nothing more for the detective to ask so he allowed them to leave. Waiting outside of the station were both Nathaniel and Marc who engulfed her in an embrace as soon as she exited. Marinette could see the love they had for each other radiate in that one platonic act and she found herself a bit envious that Kagami found something like that as Marinette entered the limo.

The ride back to the manor had Marinette deep in thought. Adrien cared deeply for his friends. If anyone wanted to question it, what he did for Kagami was proof of that.

Adrian was the first to break the silence.

"By the way, did you wear those cute cat thigh-highs for little old me today?" He teased.

All Marinette could do was turn red in mortification. He saw them!

Pulling her from her mortified thoughts, he continued.

"Thanks. For earlier, and in my office, I mean. I know you were a bit uncomfortable with me today and ..." He trailed off scratching the back of his head.

She reached across to him and pressed her fingers to his lips.

"Don't apologize. I'm the one that should be sorry. I was ashamed about what I did to you last night. There's no excuse for my actions. I should have stuck to a tea I knew or remembered that im allergic to your father's favourite tea. I did and said things I shouldn't and-"

She was stopped at the feel of lips moving against her fingers. she gasped at the contact and looked at him. He encased both her hands in his larger ones and she couldn't help but notice how warm they were.

"It's okay. Next time, take me out to dinner first." He joked, pulling out a laugh from her.

"That reminds me, can I take you out to dinner or maybe the entire day tomorrow. Nathalie says my schedule is free and I was wondering..."

Was this really happening? After all this time?

"Friends could go on dates, right?" He finished.

Friends. She was slightly disappointed, but she didn't show it. Adrien only wanted to be friends. Maybe it was time she officially accepted and respected that his feelings ran no deeper than platonicism for her. And that was okay. He already would go to the moon and back for her. However...

"Why don't we just pretend its not a friend date? Can we act like it's a real one?" She asked, hopeful that he would go for it.

Something like excitement burst in his green eyes as a smirk climbed his face.

"Anything for my princess," he said kissing the backs of her hands that were still held in his warm grip.

It seemed like she was having an 'All I Ask' moment with him after all.

4 more chapters until the end.