Quick A/N

This first bit is focused on a relationship and is rather suggestive. There isn't any outright smut or anything explicit, but it might toe the line. Implications of intimacy are present. Another thing, I'm American and will openly admit I do not understand many of the cultural differences between here and France, like their school and grading system. I did my best in my research. I beg all of you to review and let me know if I need to adjust the rating or if certain parts have egregious mistakes so that I can fix them. Thanks again for reading!

Mounting Pressure,

Chapter 2-

Casual encounters for a new day

Kagami Tsurugi was not one to become attached to the frivolous. Her mother taught her many things from a wide variety of subjects. Tomoe Tsurugi was a strict teacher that way, and matters of the heart were no different. But her final lesson was perhaps the hardest for Kagami to learn. In some ways, she was still learning it. No matter how perfect you are, no matter how you value life or what you accomplish, in the end, we all must return to dust.

So while she may not become overly attached to the frivolous, Kagami went out of her way to experience life to the fullest. That is how she came to find herself sitting on the side of her mattress, breathing heavily with her recent partner spread out over the bed they had just shared. Her partner was laughing in between each breath. She was an enthusiastic and energetic lover. It had not taken long for her to submit to Kagami's will and particular interests. The girl enjoyed and had taken to their dynamic quite well.

A phone chime went off, and Kagami checked it to see a big red triangle with an exclamation point in it. The Akuma alert for Paris. She slid her finger over the screen to bring up the article. A Fire-themed villain. Only Ladybug and Chat Noir had fought this time. The rest of the french superhero team was a no-show except one, The turtle, who was busy protecting the people. Ladybug was seen yelling at Chat. Neither had stuck around to assure the public. public Unease… Kagami tapped the phone to her chin with a frown. perhaps…

"What could be more important than my love, Kagami? Surely it can wait? Put it down and come back to bed," a sultry feminine voice called in Japanese from her bed.

Kagami felt arms encircle her waist and something soft pressed against her back. The woman hummed and kissed the back of Kagami's neck. She closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation.

"Your next meeting isn't for another six hours. Let's enjoy ourselves; I want to cuddle." the girl murmured against her skin.

Kagami's eyes snap open. As firmly as she could while still being considered gentle, she slowly pried the arms away from her and stood up. This one is becoming too attached, she thought. And far too bold. She turned around and looked down in complete confidence in her state of undress save an unassuming choker. Her partner's eye's sparkled with something: mischief, no doubt.

"No, Asami. Somethings come up. You're free to stay if you wish, but I must bathe and attend to business." Kagami replied firmly in her native language. Even after being back in Japan for six months, the words felt heavy on her tongue.

She donned a silk robe and made her way to the large bathroom in her top suite of the Tsurugi tower. After pointedly ignoring her friend's huff of indignation, she took a hot shower to wash off the sweat of their… exertions. A very enthusiastic lover. Kagami usually enjoyed the aftercare element of such interactions, but she had a plan forming. The sooner she started, the sooner she could go back.

Asami joined her in the shower, and Kagami allowed it despite never letting someone invade her bathing time. She had a feeling she wouldn't be back to enjoy such things for a while. After all, it was nice having someone wash your back, and she did skip the aftercare. She was more than a little surprised when the girl tried to cop a feel on her ass that wasn't strictly necessary for washing. Kagami grabbed Asami's wrist and pushed her against the glass in a basic hold. One designed for control, not to harm in any way. The girl's breath hitched, and she grinned at her. Kagami was not impressed.

"Who gave you permission to touch? Must we go through training once more?" Kagami said softly and held the girl's hands above her head, lips inches away from hers.

"I'm sorry, mistress; perhaps we must," Asami breathed out and shimmied her hips.

Kagami gave her a flat look but relented with a small, efficient sigh. She released her hands and gave a soft kiss, pulling her current lover close. She allowed the girl's hands to wander as they wished for a few minutes. Asami was sweet and gentle, like a light spring breeze, and she knew precisely where Kagami liked to be caressed. Asami learned many things quickly, including her weak spots. But some lessons were worth repeating. When Kagami placed her hands on the girl's hips and massaged them firmly, she felt her shiver… before breaking away. The first lesson…

"That will be all for today, Asami; I have work to attend to. Our agreement?" Kagami stated and went back to washing herself.

Asami folded her arms with a pout.

"We share a bed so long as I never interfere with your work… Mistress Tsurugi." Asami said softly with a slight bow. She quickly cleaned herself and went to step out.

Kagami grabbed her hand at the last moment and turned her back around. She gave her a soft look and a small smile.

"Wait. It was a lovely time, my pet. Please understand I must uphold the Tsurugi name and have become a very busy woman. This may be our last night together for a while, as I may be returning to Paris soon. Ask the front desk, and they will take you anywhere you wish. I have your name down in the list of VIPs for the tower. I will leave a room open for you on the lower floors. You may come and go as you wish for a time. Do not abuse my gifts... Have a good night Asami." Kagami said with a squeeze of her hand before letting go.

Asami's eyes sparkle at her words, and she gives a wide grin with a nod. For her to have a room open at any time was a very princely gift. Even the cheapest rooms in the tower could bankrupt a salaryman in less than a week. Their time together was of a more casual nature, as that was how Kagami preferred her relationships since turning 18. The two of them have been meeting up in secret every other week or so for a while now. It was all Kagami could afford with her responsibilities. Much less messy that way as well. Kagami took her time in the shower to collect her thoughts. If she were returning to Paris so soon, there would be many things to iron out.

Kagami was now the majority owner and head of the Tsurugi conglomerate and clan. Thank the Gods; her mother never got around to forcing her into an arranged marriage. Instead, her mother had prepared her to defend the Tsurugi birthright against the branch families and their poisonous ways. Her aunt and uncles did not take bowing to such a young woman lightly... She could hear her mother's words even now in the calming white noise of the shower.

"Strike fast! To the heart of the issue. In business, family, or love. If a diseased root takes hold, you do not simply prune its branches and hope for it to grow healthy. You rip it out before the disease spreads." … or so her mother had said.

Kagami wondered then why she had worked so closely with that Parisian snake, Gabriel. Four months since her mother's passing, she still hasn't figured out the full depths of their dealings. Untold millions of yen, USD, and Euros were uncounted for on the books. Vague contracts that were even now tied up in the courts. Buildings dedicated to "RnD research" were emptied mere days before she could track them down. People on the payroll melted away before she could confront them. When she demanded answers from the various companies and law firms she now owned, she received a frighteningly small amount of explanations from her lawyers and accountants. These weren't even the worst of it.

Her mother's illness had taken quickly. Too quickly. Everyone told her she was seeing enemies where there were none. Kagami wasn't so sure. Too many unanswered questions and dead ends. She had a hunch that Gabriel lay at the end of this particular puzzle. Her hunchs were very rarely wrong, and she suspected foul play.

She'd bear the full might of her name and inheritance against that awful man if she could. But she refused to do so until Adrien turned 18, and she couldn't bring herself to let him suffer the consequences of his father's ways. Kagami still held a small flame for the boy, but even more than that, he was one of the very few people she trusted completely. Trust like that was more valuable than the price of the weight of platinum. Kagami would know, as she happened to own a company that processed the material.

She would have to set up a proxy to run the company in her absence. A particular board member comes to mind. Even then, with her six thousand miles away, she would have to keep an active role in her company. Some decisions simply couldn't be delegated. She sighed and looked through the doorway to the penthouse suite, her permanent living arrangement. While Kagami would never consider it a home, it was extravagant and met her needs nicely.

It had taken Kagami only two weeks to either store or dispose of her mother's things and turn the space into her own. Everything went, except a blacked-out pair of glasses and the family blade, which hung on the wall near the clan emblem. The silence greeted her with the crushing weight that her name now held as she was alone.

She didn't bother to cover herself as she exited the shower towards the large one-sided windows. Her choker was all she needed in the privacy of her tower. Not even an assassin could hope to invade her space here. Even then, her training was extensive, along with her other advantages. They wouldn't find an easy victim in Kagami. She grabbed her phone and a favorite drink as she looked over the city that, impossibly, she owned 23% of. Tomoe had become increasingly cutthroat in the last two years, which meant months of consolidation for Kagami and more than a few headaches. Her mind drifted back to Paris and those she left behind there, as it often did.

Kagami wondered briefly for the thousandth time how she could convince Adrien that his father was best cut from his life. Much like her mother's hypothetically diseased root. But she knew it was a hopeless task. Kagami herself understood what being raised by a single controlling parent was like. You are entirely cut off from others and have no control over who you associate with. It bred loyalty and dependence, an efficient and damaging combo. A tactic she swore never to suffer being inflicted upon her own children so long as she breathes, should she ever sire any.

In the meantime, the mission Ladybug had sent her on was now complete, and she dearly missed her friends in Paris. Especially Marinette, the first real friend she's ever had. She had reached out to Kagami and treated her like anyone else instead of someone to exploit or curry favor for. How freely she gave physical affection showed Kagami how much she craved it. Her mouth twitched upwards as she thought of that clumsy girl who changed her life in so many ways all those years ago and the first boy to catch her eye. The genuine respect Adrien showed her wasn't from fear over her connections but from a kindness she didn't believe existed before meeting him. I hope you're both well, Marinette, Adrien. I'll be seeing you soon.

After six months of searching for a lost relic, getting her company in order, and handling her mother's funeral and affairs, Kagami could use a break. She ran a finger along the choker she wore at all times, even when with a lover.

"Longg?" Kagami called softly.

A little red flash came out of a safe hidden in the wall and slowed to float next to her head.

"Yes, mistress? How may I serve?" the dragon Kawmi said with a short bow.

Kagami gave him a rare genuine smile. Perhaps the most genuine smile she's worn in the last year.

"We're heading back to Paris," Kagami said in french.

But first, she thought, we have a lot of work to do. Her smile turned into a near childish grin when her Kawmi cheered and twirled in the air happily. A rare show of excitement from her usually collected companion. She couldn't have asked for a better partner to help her through this last year.

Suffocating… alone… unloved…

Adrien groaned when his alarm rang out in the morning. His body ached from the beating the Akuma gave him. He felt drained and absolutely terrible as he stared at his ceiling without seeing it. The memory of Ladybug zipping away with tears in her eyes made him grimace. Yesterday had been one of the worst days in a very long time. He hoped with all his heart the new day would be better. As he dragged himself over to take a shower and got dressed for school, he waited for the usual morning complaints from Plagg. He frowned when he realized they weren't coming. Adrien's eyes darted to the high shelf his Kawmi liked to sleep on when they needed space.

"Plagg, come on out… Please? I'm really sorry about last night. I take it back." Adrien pleaded softly.

The words 'No forgiveness' float in the back of his mind, and he frowns. That was… a lot more morbid than usual, even after a bad day. Why did he feel like he hadn't slept a wink? Adrien shook his head and forgot about it. Today would be better. But first, he had to right a wrong.

Adrien was adamant about making up with his Kawmi after his outburst last night. No matter how bad he felt, Plagg didn't deserve to be treated like that. After packing his bag for school, Adrien got out a large plate of various kinds of cheese he had saved for an emergency. The little black fur ball had yet to come down from his perch or even speak to him. Adrien bit his bottom lip and looked upwards in worry. He checked his phone for the time, knowing he had less than ten minutes before he had to leave for class. He'd have to resolve this fast if he didn't want to face the day alone. The idea that the two of them would stay mad at each other was a prospect that made a tiny bit of panic run down his spine.

"Come on, buddy, you're my best friend! I can't do this without you. I'll climb the bookcase if I have to," Adrien called up. He heard a snicker above him.

He put a small piece of camembert in his shirt pocket and went to the bookcase.

"Really? You're going to make me come up there? Alright then." he said with a grin.

He felt around with his hands above him and heaved himself up quickly. Thanks to all the training and time spent as Chat, he was in peak condition. A twelve-foot climb was nothing, with or without powers. It took him less than three minutes to make it up to his Kawmi's hiding spot. Adrien gripped the hardwood firmly with one hand and plucked the piece of cheese from his breast pocket, and waved it over the scarf Plagg used as a bed. He was currently dangling more than three meters above his floor.

"I guess I'll just have to eat alllll this delicious cheese by myself," Adrien said. He had to stop himself from gagging at the thought. He wouldn't touch the stuff for the rest of his life if it weren't for Plagg. The short laugh from the scarf was proof his Kawmi probably knew that too.

"I'm still mad at you," a muffled voice huffed from under the wrapped-up fabric. Adrien sighed.

"I know, buddy. I really am sorry for what I did. I never meant to give you an order like that. You're my closest friend Plagg; I swear it won't happen again. I'll bribe you with as much cheese as you want today," Adrien said softly. Guilt flooded him as he remembered the face Plagg made after he realized what he'd done. He saw the scarf shift until a pair of cat ears and large green eyes appeared.

"You promise?" Plagg drawled out with a slight glare.

"About never doing that again? Or the cheese?" Adrien laughed with a smirk.

"Both of course!" Plagg said indigently and snagged the piece of cheese from his hand.

"Were partners, remember? I won't forgive you if you don't keep your promises," Plagg said with a grin.

Adrien exhaled in relief as Plagg zipped upwards and flew down to his duffle bag. After looking down from his spot hanging in the air, his eyebrows knit together. Huh. You know, he didn't actually think about how he'd get down once he got up here. With near-perfect test scores, moonlighting as a superhero, and every other advantage of his privileged life, he still didn't think before he acted. He opened his mouth to call out the transformation, but Plagg spoke first.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Nathalie will be here any minute for school! Get down here, and no transforming!" Plagg called out with a shit-eating grin.

With a shake of his head and the feeling that he'd just been played, Adrien slowly made his way back down to the floor. His foot slipped about halfway down and he grits his teeth at the snort Plagg gave out. Little shit. His feet hit the floor just as a knock rang out from his door.

"Adrien, it is time for school." the female voice called out and quickly walked away.

After nodding his head toward his duffle bag, Plagg settled into it without further protest. Adrien poured most of the plate of extra cheese next to his partner. Without another word, he made his way to the car that was doubtlessly waiting for him as it always was. The only stop he made was to snag his lucky charm off the hook near his PC. It seemed to weigh in his pocket more than usual, but he didn't think anything of it. He didn't even bother looking over towards his father's study. It was going on three weeks since the last time he saw him in person.

Loveless… Alone… broken…

Adrien stopped and put a hand on the wall for a few seconds, eyebrows drawn in a frown. The day barely started, but all he wanted to do was crawl back into bed. He needed his friends too much to entertain the idea, no matter how tempting it may be.

Marinette rushed into class the very moment the last bell sounded. Her eyes were red and puffy from her emotional outburst the previous night. Marinette had spent most of the night spiraling from one issue to another, each more hopeless than the last. She hurried to her seat as the teacher gave her a glare for her near tardiness. She had enough time to sit down with a sigh before her best friend leaned over.

"Hey girl, you alright? You look like you've been crying." Alya asked in a whisper.

Marinette gave her as genuine a smile as she could. She's gotten a lot better and hiding her emotions in the last two years. Well, from everyone except Alya. But she was the last person she wanted to admit all her problems to right now. She can't let her friend see the weakness she is so ashamed of.

"Yeah, it's just lack of sleep. Long night, you know?"

Alya gave her a knowing nod. She knew about her Ladybug secret. She helped when she could, but with her secret identity compromised, she couldn't help directly as often anymore. Still, Alya knew her friend well, and this seemed about something besides just guardian problems.

Alya peered at her over her glasses with a raised eyebrow for a long moment. She only broke her stare when their homework had been passed back. The top of her page had a big red 14 at the top. Marinette's groan had her looking at her best friend's paper, which had a barely passing 10.

"Nice bro, another 19. We really should have more study sessions." Nino said in an awed whisper.

Marinette leaned over her desk to look at Adrien's paper.

"Hmm? Yeah. Sure." Adrien said while rubbing his neck and avoiding his best friend's eyes, which gave Marinette the perfect angle to see them.

She was slightly startled to notice his eyes were as red as hers this morning. He even looked a bit paler than usual. In her rush to her seat, she hadn't noticed at first. He wore that small smile he used when something was really bothering him. He hadn't even looked at his homework grade. It was rare for him to be so curt with his friends. Marinette leaned forward and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Adrien. You alright today?"

Adrien jumped an inch and turned in his seat with that same sad smile. Marinette felt a small squeeze of her heart. She hated the idea that Adrien was hurting and couldn't confide in his friends.

"Oh! Y-yeah Mari. I'm doing great today, same as always… why do you ask?"

Marinette answered without even thinking about it. In her worry for him, she had entirely skipped the part where she usually overthinks things and just spoke from the heart.

"You're wearing your model smile, and you only do that around us when somethings bothering you. Or you're hiding something. You know you can talk to us, right? About anything?"

Marinette's eyes go wide when she realizes how personal her words sound. Adrien's own shocked look mirrors hers, and he blushes slightly.

"My… model smile?" Adrien asks with a slight quirk of his mouth.

Marinette's face became red as a beet, but she knew there was no way out of this one besides honesty.

"Y-yeah… I mean like, the smile you wear when your modeling. You used to have it all the time before most of your modeling work was taken over by that digital image of you and Lila. It's a smelly pile; I mean a pretty smile, promise! … umm, I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds…"

"No, no. It's fine. I guess I-"

A sharp crack sounded from the front of the room.

"Adrien! Marinette! Care to explain what's more important than today's lesson? Or perhaps you already know the answer on the board?" the teacher called out harshly.

Marinette stared wide-eyed at the teacher for the span of eight seconds, and the classroom was completely silent save for a rude chuckle from Chloe.

"That's what I thought. I want both of you to-," the teacher tried to say smugly before Adrien stood up.

He walked over to the board and passed the teacher. She stared at him the whole way with an incredulous look.

"I'm sorry, miss Thorne. Marinette was just asking about my health, and the answer is F equals 2.8." Adrien says as submissively as he can with a smile. An obviously forced one this time. He writes out the answer to the math problem in front of him on the dry-erase board.

Adrien returned to his seat, with half the class looking at him in surprise. Adrien had never talked over a teacher like that, and something was definitely different with the guy.

"T-that is correct, Mr. Agreste. I'll remind you that this is still a classroom, not a gossip hall or nurse's office. At least one of you knows the work… no more distractions. Now, for the next problem." the teacher said with a huff and turned back around.

Adrien quietly took out his phone and texted Marinette under the table.

Adrien: I didn't realize I was so easy to read. Had a rough day yesterday, that's all.

Marinette felt the buzz of her phone and checked it under her desk. She bit her lip and glanced at the teacher's back before quickly replying.

Marinette: Ok. I'm really sorry if I overstepped. Hope your day goes better today!

Adrien: it's fine, really. I appreciate it. Hey, could I ask for a favor?

Adrien heard furious typing behind him and frowned. He saw the ellipsis appear and disappear several times before a short answer finally came through. Marinette ran through several possible responses such as "anything for you, Adrien,'' "of course whatever you need I'm here for you," and an entire wall of text before deleting it for as neutral a reply as she could think of.

Marinette: what did you have in mind?

Adrien: want to have lunch with me? We can go anywhere you like. I actually wouldn't mind talking about something since you offered. I know I can always count on you.

He heard a small squeak behind him and had to force himself not to chuckle. The girl was adorable. More furious typing before another small message. Why do girls do that so much?

Marinette: Ok!

Adrien grinned at the little hearts and pocketed his phone, already feeling better for the morning than he expected. A lot better, actually. He could always count on his friends, who were the closest thing he had to a real family.

Alya leaned over and got a look at her best friend's phone before the latter could hide it or her slight blush. Alya's eyes sparkled as her phone appeared in her hands faster than Marinette could see. How does she even do that? She thought.

Alya : Woah girl! Lunch date! Where do you think he'll take you? I'm betting fancy with that model money.

Marinette rolled her eyes.

Marinette: It's not a date, and you know we're just friends now. Probably just a café or something.

Alya : if you say so girl. I hope Adrien doesn't think it's a date then. Nino says he asks about you all the time lately.

Marinette found it a lot harder to brush those words off than before. Her lip trembled slightly as she hesitated before replying.

Marinette: he would have tried a lot sooner than our last year of high school if he was interested. Drop it, Alya. Please?

Marinette ignored the exasperated sigh next to her and put her phone up to try and focus on the lesson. She had already missed the first thirty minutes of class. Adrien may be able to solve advanced math problems in under ten seconds, but she couldn't.

The rest of the following two classes were the same as any other until the lunch bell rang.

"Hey Nino, Alya? Care to join Mari and me for lunch? It's on me today. I wanted to ask for some advice." Adrien said casually.

He was bent over his chair, putting up his school books. When he didn't receive an answer, he slung his bag over his shoulder and turned towards his friends. Marinette's shoulders were slumped slightly, and Alya was giving her a sympathetic look. Did he… miss something when he wasn't looking? Nino grinned at him and opened his mouth before Alya pulled his hat down over his eyes and stepped forward. Adrien chuckled at the disgruntled "hey!" his best friend said before tugging his hat back up. They really were a cute couple. But before Alya could say anything, a high-pitched voice called over from across the room, pulling the entire class's attention.

"Oh, Adrikins! Are you seriously going to go slumming it with these people? Ridiculous! Especially that Mari-trash who can't even answer a simple question! Why not eat with someone who has class? We can do sushi," Chloe called out while still sitting in her chair and buffing her nails with a file. Sabrina was now rushing to put both hers and Chloe's things away.

Alya, ever the one willing to fire back at any of the class bullies, responded first.

"Oh, I know you're not talking about yourself with class. Everything you wear is tacky as hell, girl! Isn't that purse from two seasons ago?" She shot back.

Chloe laughed her fake laugh and lazily waved a hand.

"I'd still have more class than you and trash girl if it was, which it's not. My fashion is top-of-the-line! You two either went dumpster diving or worse, she made it." Chloe sneered and flicked a hand toward Marinette.

Marinette opened her mouth to retort but snapped it shut when Adrien took a step towards her and put his arm around her protectively. Adrien had heard enough.

"That's enough, Clo," Adrien said in an even tone. The kind of tone he uses when he isn't messing around.

Nino raises an eyebrow at first but then smiles behind his ball cap. It's been a good while since anyone in the class heard my best friend get serious. Maybe Adrien might finally get a clue about his feelings. He thought, bemused. There was only one surefire way to get Adrien riled up: antagonize his friends. Especially Marinette. Now, if he could only realize why…

Chloe seeing Adrien come to Marinette's defense had turned this from rude remarks to actually angry. Her eyes trail to Adrien's arm around Marinette, and her face turns ugly before she smooths it out. Now it looked sly and arrogant. Adrien had seen that look all his life from other models. A signature look of perceived superiority. Now there's a joke. Mari is ten times the woman you'll ever be, Chloe. Adrien thought, irritated.

"Come now, Adrikins, you're really going to turn down an offer to eat with your childhood bestie for that thing you're hanging on to?"

Adrien's grip doesn't change, but Marinette can feel him trembling slightly and sees his jaw clench. Before Adrien could reply, she patted his chest lightly. His eyes were still hard when he looked down, and she hesitated at first. But they eased up when he noticed how relaxed Marinette was. She whispered, "it's not worth the butterflies." and tried her best to smile. Adrien's eyes soften, and he takes a deep breath. Of course, she's right. He gives her shoulder a light squeeze and nods.

"Ugh, let me guess. She's taking the high road. Too bad the highest she'll ever climb in life is bakery owner," Chloe said with that grating fake laugh.

"Drop it, Clo." Adrien sighed disinterestedly, already turning away from her.

"I know who I'd much rather hang out with today. Now if you'll excuse us, I have a lunch date. You coming, Ma belle?" Adrien said offhandedly and gave the girl next to him a wink, and Marinette beamed up at him and nodded.

"Why of course, mon beau! I wouldn't miss our date for the world! We have so much to talk about!" Marinette answered with a laugh.

She put her arm around Adrien's waist, and they started walking out of the classroom together. Chloe was now uttering her catchphrase of "ridiculous!" while Alya, Nino, and half the class laughed at her red face and stomping foot. Both Marinette and Adrien knew that the best way to get Chloe off their backs was to insinuate they were together, since it drove her nuts. Adrien had done it as a joke over a year ago to piss Chloe off. The two of them had laughed about it till they couldn't breathe. It worked so well that Marinette and he decided to do it anytime Chloe went too far.

The four friends walked out of the classroom in a decent mood, having successfully deflected Chloe's bullshit. They weren't always so lucky. When the two finally separated, Marinette's arm lingered only a tad longer than Adrien's. The absence of her touch made him feel cold for some reason, but he attributed it to the frigid weather and chilly school hallway. Adrien asked his question again, without any interruptions this time. Nino peeked over at Alya with a raised eyebrow, not wanting to be overruled again. His girlfriend grinned at him with a wink.

"Sorry sunshine, but Nino and I have to go over our history homework before the next class. It'll just have to be you two kids today… " she began, stopping to give Adrien a more searching look. It was irregular for Adrien to let his problems be known, even to Nino, and even rarer for him to ask for help. She wouldn't turn away the class sunshine and her best friend's mega crush, no matter how much she protests differently these days.

"... unless it's something serious and you need our support. then we're here for you, ok?" Alya concluded with a smile and a soft punch to the shoulder.

Adrien opened his mouth but hesitated. It wasn't something he wanted his friends to worry about. Besides, Marinette's advice would be more than enough. She knew how to deal with people way better than he did; she was cool like that.

"No, that's perfectly fine Alya, I promise. It'll give Mari and me a chance to talk anyways. It's been a long time since the two of us hung out." he said easily.

Adrien gave Marinette a soft smile. A real one and she returned it with an even brighter smile. A fluttery feeling in his stomach made him look away. Of course, that meant he missed the hard nudge Alya gave Mari and the death glare she received for it.

"U-uh, yeah dude. You know miss Hawkin's homework is killer. But I'm here for you if you ever need anything, you know that right?" Nino said brightly, clapping his best bro on the shoulder and raising a hand for a fist bump.

He had no idea why his girlfriend had stressed that something might be up, but he'd be there for him if he needed it. That's what bros are for.

"Yeah of course! And seriously, it's nothing. Don't worry so much." Adrien said with a grin. He did his best to ignore the pit in his stomach and bumb fists. He wasn't lying, exactly.

The two couples waved goodbye, and Marinette left the school grounds with Adrien by her side.

"So, uhh… what would you like to get? Anything is fine with me, but we only have forty minutes." Adrien said, stopping by the front steps.

Marinette tapped her chin and mulled over her options. Too fancy would feel like she was using him and would take too long anyways. She didn't want to go too cheap, so fast food was out. Oh! That place Chat and her liked was close. It was a special place for Ladybug and Chat Noir… but it could also be suitable for Marinette and Adrien, right? I doubt Chat would mind, so long as he doesn't show up. With my luck, who knows?

"There's a really nice sandwich shop around the corner," Marinette said with a smile. She pointed down the street.

Adrien looks over in surprise. "The place with the green and black sign? Oh man, perfect choice; I love the paninis there. Have you had one before?"

Marinette's surprise was just as evident. She wouldn't think Adrien would ever go to such a small mom-and-pop shop.

"Yeah, those are my favorite! I usually get mine with the broccoli soup as a side, you?"

"I always get the tomato bisque. But I've been told by a close friend that the broccoli was their best choice," Adrien replied with a grin.

"I'm surprised. I know your diet is pretty strict, even now. Who do you usually go with?" she said, then thought with a grin not as cool as my sandwich partner; he's a superhero.

"I sneak in some meals when I can. As for my sandwich buddy, that's a secret." Adrien said with a wink.

The two teenagers enter the shop and get in line to order at the counter. They both knew the lady behind the counter was the owner's daughter. Many patrols had ended with the two of them at a handful of places to share a meal from time to time, and this was the one they went to the most. After ordering and sitting in the corner (the same place they always sit as their superhero counterparts), they made small talk until their food arrived.

With only fifteen minutes left to their lunch break, Adrien hadn't been able to broach the subject he wanted to talk about. Marinette had let him take his time, but with their time so short, she finally asked him what this was about.

"So, Adrien, what was that advice you needed? I'll help any way I can you know," she asked with a smile.

Adrien returned her smile awkwardly before looking down at his hands. It was always difficult to talk about anything pertaining to his superhero life, and Ladybug would kill him if he revealed himself after all this time.

"Well… I'm having some trouble with another friend. She's really been having a tough time lately..."

Marinette gave the boy her full attention with her hands folded above the table.

"Someone I know?"

"No!.. no, she's uhh, a coworker."

"Sooo, another model?"

"Yeah… you could say that"

Adrien went quiet and tried to figure out the best way to word this.

"I think the stress of the job is getting to her. She's been… distant? And a little… well, I don't want to say anything ill of her. We're really good friends and I want the best for her…"

Marinette leaned back slightly with a thoughtful look.

"Ok… so you want to cheer her up or-?" Marinette tried to fish.

Adrien opened his mouth to answer, but a scream echoed from the street. People were running away from the direction of their school.

"Oh no…" Marinette muttered

Adrien jumped out of his seat and craned his neck near the window, instantly alert.

"CHLOE BOURGEOIS! WHERE ARE YOU!?" a female voice thundered out.

Chloe watched that hussy Dupain-Cheng walk out of the classroom with her Adrikins. She fought back the tears that threatened to fall at being so soundly rejected by her long-time crush. What could he possibly see in that freak? So what if nearly everyone liked her, Went out of her way for the entire class, and had more ingenuity than her? Bitch!

"Chloe? Want to go have lunch now?" Sabrina asked hesitantly.

Chloe nearly hissed at her and then stormed out of the classroom alone. She didn't know what to do! Adrien has drifted so far from her since high school started. They barely ever talked unless it was at the various events for the wealthy elite anymore. Places that Dupain-Cheng girl somehow still showed up half the time despite being dirt poor! She'd pay for this!

Chole became the walking hurricane she was famously known for and went straight to a nearby bathroom. She slammed a stall door shut behind her and sat down on the toilet, finally letting her tears out and ruining her mascara. That useless half-sister took my spot on the superhero team, mom refuses to give me even a shred of her time, and that hussy has Adrien wrapped around her dirty baker's finger! Why doesn't anything ever go the way it should?

A purple butterfly landed on her expensive sunglasses, causing Chloe's head to snap up with a butterfly outline over her face.

"LoveLens, I will give you the ability to-"

"NO! Piss. Off. Monarch." Chloe choked through her tears and gripped her head.

"W-whats this!?"

"I will not help you! Never again! Find someone else to do your dirty work, you damn loser!"

Chloe grits her teeth and pounds her fist on the stall door. The butterfly outline snapped, and Monarch's Akuma flew away, but it didn't go far. Chole's anger practically doubled at nearly being turned into a puppet again because of Marinette. She stood up and kicked the stall door open, and left the bathroom at a near run. When she turned out of the washroom, she crashed into a girl in a wheelchair, sending both of them to the floor.

"Watch it, freak! Can't you see where you're going? Or is it too hard for you to sit and look at the same time!" Chloe screamed out and got up.

The girl looked up in alarm and clutched her wheelchair arm.

"S-sorry Chloe, you just came out so fast and-" she tried to stammer out.

"So this is my fault? Why don't you do us all a favor and fuck off! No one likes to deal with people like you!" Chloe hissed out.

As the blonde turned around to stomp off, she had already shoved the girl out of her mind. The girl's lip trembled as she did her best to get back in her chair alone. She slipped and fell on the floor again. The girl's emotions, already frayed from another crappy day in school, nearly broke. No one was around to see the same purple butterfly land on her wheelchair or hear the words she whispered.

"Yes, Monarch,"