Another small jump into late fall starts here. Please enjoy.=^-^=
Ch. 13 - Working Chat
It was partway through November and Aaron was starting to really feel the chill of the coming winter. He zipped his coat up all the way as he walked with a grocery bag in hand. Sabine had sent him to the store to pick up supplies for dinner. "Wow, I'm glad Marinette gave me this. That wind would have gone right through my hoodie."
"It went through the pockets, kid, hurry up." Plagg whined with a chill from the outer chest pocket.
"I'm almost there, Plagg, calm down." He was just turning the corner where the bakery would just be few more blocks down.
"That's a great idea, Marinette." He heard a man say and noticed Marinette across the street. She was walking with another young man he'd never seen before.
"Thanks, I thought so. Hopefully Mr. Delmas will agree."
"He couldn't possibly have a problem with it, Marinette." The man flattered with a charming smile and Marinette blushed. Aaron wanted to call out to her, but an odd twist in his gut had him silent. He continued along and decided to wait outside the bakery doors instead.
Marinette and her friend said their goodbyes right before she crossed the street to him. "Oh, Aaron! What are you doing outside?" She asked holding her messenger bag close.
"I went out to get groceries for your mom. What about you? And who was that?"
"Him?" She glanced back to the young man now heading back up the sidewalk. "That's Cyrano. I've mentioned him to you before, right?"
"Cyrano?" Aaron thought on the slightly familiar name.
"Yeah, from my Design 1 class. We decided to pair up for our final project and he was walking me home as we talked about what we would do."
"Right, so it was just for school?"
Marinette smirked at the question. "Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?"
The man blushed and turned away. "I'm not jealous of him." He snapped back.
"Sure you're not." She giggled and took his free hand. "But you don't have to be, okay? He's got a boyfriend already." She assured leaving Adrien confused for a moment as he thought about it.
"He has a…"
"Yes, so relax." She giggled again and guided them both inside to get warm.
"So… He's not interested in you?" Aaron probed further while they went behind the counter.
"I don't imagine so. If anything, I'd have to worry about you." She countered and held his hand tight. "You have no idea how many girls in my Design History class gush about seeing you in the hall waiting for me."
"And yet, you don't ever look jealous." He pointed out.
"Because I know you don't even notice them." If she were to give Chat Noir credit for anything, it would be his loyalty. The hero had been in love with Ladybug for years only to fall in love with Ladybug again without even realizing it. She giggled at the thought.
"Do you want me looking at other girls?" He countered with a touchy tone.
"No, of course not, but I have faith in you, Aaron." She pulled his arm to her affectionately.
"Oh, Aaron, you're back. Would you go ahead and chop the carrots and the tomato? I'll be up in a little bit to take over." Sabine instructed as she carried a few pans to the back of the bakery.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm on it."
"Welcome back, Marinette." She next greeted her daughter. "How was your day?"
"It was fine. We got our final projects assigned today so I might be staying later at school on some days." She informed as Aaron kissed her hand and was about to head up when the phone rang.
"Grab that, would you dear? My hands are full."
"Sure." Though when Marinette put the bakery phone to her ear she was instantly blasted by an order in mandarin. Aaron saw her flinch before attempting to respond. "H-hold on… Let me get my maman."
"What's wrong?" He wondered as Sabine continued putting baking pans together to prepare for them to be scrubbed.
"The customer is speaking in Chinese, and I'm… Not fluent." She admitted sheepishly. She'd had several people assume she knew Chinese just because of her mother, but she could barely string two words together. "Maman!"
"Just hold on a moment, Marinette." The mother responded trying to finish her task.
"Actually, Mari, let me." Aaron gestured for the phone.
"Let you what?"
"I can talk to them." He clarified with so much confidence she didn't question him before handing over the phone. "I'm so sorry about that, you have reached Tom and Sabine's." He spoke without a hitch and Marinette's jaw dropped. "Yes, of course. I can check with her right now if you'd like?" He covered the receiver. "Mrs. Sabine, that order for Bei Fong will be ready by 8 tomorrow morning right?"
"Yes, is that Lei on the phone?" She inquired now that she finally had the pans together.
"I believe so. " He went back to the call. "I just had it confirmed, ma'am, you have nothing to worry about." Now it was Sabine's turn to look surprised while Aaron handed her the phone. "Did you want to speak with her yourself?"
"No… no, if she's just confirming the order I'll see her tomorrow."
He nodded. "Was there anything else I could help you with?... Then you have a nice day and we'll see you in the morning when you pick up your order." He then hung up and turned back to the surprised women. "What?"
"Y-you can…" Marinette trailed off still speechless.
"I didn't know you could speak Chinese, Aaron, and you're very fluent. Why didn't you ever say anything before?" Sabine asked looking more impressed than he'd ever seen her.
"Oh, I guess it just never came up? My uh… father… Had me tutored since I was 11."
Sabine pat him on the shoulder. "You must have worked hard. Is there any way I could get you to teach Marinette? I've tried since she was just a little girl, but…" She put up her hands in defeat.
"Maman!" Marinette argued at the threat of being forced into another round of Chinese lessons.
"Marinette, you could stand to learn a few conversational phrases. Even your father knows a few."
"English is hard enough to keep up with. Way harder than Mandarin…" She grumbled back.
"Actually, if you look at the syntax and grammar, Mandarin is much harder especially with how the inflection of each syllable can change a word's meaning." Aaron pointed out. Marinette stared at him for a long moment.
"How many other languages do you know?" Sabine asked in her daughter's place.
"Oh, well, I'm only fluent in Mandarin and English, I can have conversation in Japanese, and Spanish, but don't ask me to read it." He chuckled humbly, completely missing how amazing the talent was.
"And you were homeschooled?"
"Mostly, yeah."
Sabine gave her daughter a smirk. "See that, Marinette, a few phrases isn't asking that much."
"Urg… I'm going upstairs to work on homework…" She didn't even finish the conversation because she really wanted it to end. Aaron didn't realize just answering the phone would cause her to get upset and looked at her leave with a furrowed brow.
"Oh, don't worry about her. She's just being dramatic." Sabine assured and pointed him to the door. "Now go start that prep."
After dinner Aaron opted out of dish duty and instead walked over to Marinette's trap door. She hadn't acted upset when they were eating, but he was still worried she was bothered. He only wanted to be helpful, and he wanted to learn everything he could to be that way. He wanted to jump at the opportunity to share his knowledge with Marinette for once, but maybe this wasn't that time. "Mari?" He knocked but didn't get a response. "Marinette?" Again silence. That could mean two things, either she wasn't in her room or she was up on her terrace. He lifted the door and took a quick look around to make sure she wasn't concentrating and not paying attention too. "Nope…" He glanced up and saw her window was open a little. "She is outside?" He stepped up through the door and closed it behind. "Mari?"
A shuffling noise came from above. "I'm outside."
"I figured, but why? Isn't it cold?" He climbed up her steps and peeked out the small window above her bed.
"A little, but I'm fine." She was sitting in her chair wrapped in a big fluffy blanket and looking out at the lights across the city. "I like to come out here when the Christmas lights start going up."
Aaron took a good look and there were a lot more lights than usual. He'd never really thought about it on his runabouts as Chat. "It's a nice view." He then glanced back at her. "Um… Want some company?"
She looked at him and waved him over though the gesture was covered by the blanket. "Sorry I don't have another chair though. You could sit at the end." She offered while folding her legs to give him room.
"I've got a better idea." He winked and reached down to pick her up bridal style.
"Whoa!? Hey!"
"Shh, you don't want to have anyone get a misunderstanding." He then sat down on the chair and placed her snuggly in his lap while still wrapped in the blanket. "There, this way you're sharing the blanket too."
She sat as a blushing bundle in his lap hoping the cold covered her red cheeks. "Warn a girl, would you?"
"But then I wouldn't get to see you blush." He countered speaking right beside her ear.
"It's cold…" She tried to cover and he chuckled.
"Right, it is." He leaned back to enjoy the view in a more relaxed posture.
Marinette turned her head to see what he was doing and quickly noticed he was staring at her and not the lights. "If you want to see the lights I can move."
"But you're the best part." He complained playfully.
She rolled her eyes and leaned back to lay against his chest. "You're terrible." She felt him laugh.
"But that's what you love about me, right?"
"I plead the fifth."
"I think that only works in America." He countered again with mirth in his tone. "But I'll let you have that. By the way… You're not upset, are you?"
"Aaron, how could I be upset? I already knew you were a hopeless flirt so I should have known you would do something like put me in your lap."
"No… About earlier when I told you I spoke a few languages. You're not mad that I told your mom, are you?"
"What?" She asked in genuine confusion. Her head shifted and he saw her glancing back at him. "Why? It's great you know multiple languages. It'll certainly help if tourists drop by the shop. My maman would have me talking to American tourists during my last year of lycee to help out." Neither of her parents knew much English.
"Really? But you… Well, I wasn't trying to make you look dumb, or that you weren't working hard."
She giggled. "Stop it, Aaron, I didn't feel that way. When you told me before that you were home schooled, I kind of figured you were really smart. Home schooling is like that. Didn't expect multiple languages, but you obviously worked hard anyway. I'm not going to admonish you for it." There was also his complicated home life to consider. He was held up to impossible standards and was able to master a few languages because of that. Yet, he wasn't good enough? Who the hell was his father? Gabriel Agreste? Ha! God made two of them then.
"Really?" He asked pleadingly.
"Really, Aaron. Don't worry." He squeezed her tight and she laid her head back in the crook of his neck. "Though maman is probably serious about you teaching me Chinese…" She lamented after a moment.
"No worries, Mari. I could teach you some easy phrases that'll totally satisfy her. The tricky part will be inflection."
"God, don't teach me right now. We're having a moment." It was a romantic evening of cuddling for crying out loud!
"Okay, but it'll cost you."
She rolled her eyes and turned her head. "Fine, but then we quietly enjoy the lights."
"Deal." He agreed and took the kiss he'd subtly asked for.
Stephen was not a fool. He'd served as Gabriel Agreste's lead designer for the past seven years, and he knew the man rather well or so he'd thought. He thought there would be no way he could possibly replace his son. It's not to say he really had proof, but he'd worked with Adrien plenty in the past, but the last few months had been very odd. "Greyson, is Adrien is his trailer?"
"Yeah, he's due back up on the set in five minutes, right?"
"Yeah, if you wanna make sure he gets there?"
"Sure."
Stephen nodded to his fellow designer and went on his way. "Ms. Sancoeur?" He called knocking on the door to Gabriel's underused office.
"Yes?"
"Do you have a moment?"
"Please make it quick, Gabriel wants me to oversee the final set of Adrien's photo shoot." Which she was getting ready to go and do.
"Of course, I'm going back for that too, but… I have a question regarding Adrien." She looked up from the desk without a hint of emotion. "What happened to him?"
"What do you mean?"
Stephen clasped his hands behind his back. "Adrien is… Odd. You can't tell me you haven't noticed?"
"Stephen, Adrien is an adult now. You can't expect him to act-"
"Cut the crap, Nathalie," He'd cut most of that ridged formality. "That's not Adrien, and you know it." His smile was wrong! His sense of humor completely twisted!
Nathalie stood up from her desk and walked over to the door with her tablet. "I no longer have time to talk about this, Stephen. If you wish to continue this conversation, book an appointment." She then handed him a piece of paper as she passed him in the doorway.
The gesture was odd, considering how she looked like she was hiding it. "Okay… Sure, we need to get back in the studio anyway."
The designer now waited in the fabric storage closet near the back of the second floor. That's where the note told him to go after the shoot, and he was hoping it wasn't some weird trick. It was his current hope that she would explain what was going on, since Adrien obviously wasn't letting on. Adrien had been downright mischievous of late, and that didn't always go well for the designers who he worked with. So far, Ulrich and Katrina had been yelled at, and Cyrus had nearly gotten fired. This could not continue at this rate. "Stephen."
He turned and finally found his contact. "Ms. Sancoeur?"
"What are you doing here?" She asked which confused him.
"What do you…" He trailed off when he saw a prewritten message on her tablet which she was pointing to. "Oh, I was… Checking for a specific fabric in here. I wanted to work on a new design."
"Have you checked the catalogue?" She asked next.
Her next note prompted his answer. "I have, but it's better to feel what I'm working with."
Their prescripted conversation went on for a few more lines until Nathalie gestured for him to follow towards a back shelf. "We can stop now, camera audio can't pick us up back here."
"Geez, what is this all about? You're acting like some kind of spy." Stephen mused though considering it was Nathalie he was talking to it killed the humor.
"I don't want Gabriel catching wind of this conversation."
"Why? Did something happen to Adrien after all?"
She was quiet a moment before letting out a sigh. "This cannot leave this room."
He nodded with a serious expression. "Adrien… Ran away several months ago. Back in June actually."
"What!? Then who has been modeling since August!?" That was when Adrien came back to the studio after being on lock down for months.
"Felix, his cousin. Their mothers were identical twins which is why they look so similar. When it seemed clear Adrien would not be coming home any time soon, Gabriel reached out to Felix's mother in London and offered him a lucrative job as Adrien's stand in."
"So Adrien ran away, and Gabriel just replaced him? Did he even go look for him?" The designer demanded in outrage.
"He's had me looking since he left but doesn't want it going public."
"Damn that man! His son is more important than his image!"
"Calm down, Stephen." She insisted and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't want it going public either."
"But… But I thought you cared more? What the hell!"
"I said calm down." She ordered more sternly. "Adrien is fine. I don't want it going public, not because I'm worried about the company, or Gabriel for that matter. It's because I don't want people looking for Adrien. He doesn't want to be found."
"Adrien is… Hold on, do you know where he is?"
Nathalie nodded. "But I don't want Gabriel to know that I know. I don't plan to tell him any time soon."
Stephen gave her a good hard look. He wasn't sure if he fully understood her. She knew where Adrien was, knew he was fine, but didn't plan to tell Gabriel? Was this the same Nathalie Sancoeur he thought he knew? Was she replaced too? "So… Adrien is okay?"
"He is. Doing rather well in fact. Last time I went to check on him at least."
Stephen looked at her again to make sure she was being genuine. "And he's… Happy?"
Nathalie's hard serious expression broke at the question. She gave a soft smile. "Yes, very happy from what I could tell."
It was a typical Tuesday at the bakery. Richard had just finished checking what he had prepped and ready for the oven as the breakfast rush ended. "Aaron, did you take out the-"
"I got 'em." Aaron held up the empty pan that had previously contained those chocolate roles that were a breakfast staple. "And, Mrs. Sabine said to hold off on any more of those jelly filled pastries. We still have plenty since they don't seem to be selling today."
"Yes, I prepped dough, but I'll place them on the back burner for now." Richard responded and moved to add another pan of dough to the oven. He wiped his brow of sweat from the heat before moving over to the sink. "Aaron, you've been doing very good all morning. You really seem to have a handle in here now."
The ravenette blushed. "Well, I'd certainly hope so after nearly 5 months."
"No, you'd be surprised. Tom has had quite a few part time workers attempt bakery work, but none of them have been as hard working as you. You really surprised me, kid." The older man praised with a pat on his shoulder. "And I'm not just saying that because you're dating my boss' daughter." He smirked at his joke. "Kids these days don't really seem to want to work very hard, any more. It's all digital computers and quick results. Putting in hard work takes too long for them."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that. I'm sure others work hard on what they do. Nino spends hours putting together his playlists for his club gigs."
Richard shrugged. "I suppose, but new age music sounds so garbled. It hurts my ears to be honest."
"Come on, Mr. Richard, you're not that old."
"Old enough to never walk into a night club. I'll go deaf." He joked and pat Aaron's shoulder again. "Anyway, if you keep up this level of work, I imagine you'll be ready to manage a rush of your own by the New Year."
"You really think so?" Aaron wondered just imagining it. "I don't know. I don't think I know enough to make the calls of what to prep like you and Tom." It was amazing. They'd anticipate what would be popular almost like they were psychic. It was rare for the front to run out of anything completely short of a customer coming and buying everything without prior notification.
"It's just a baker's sixth sense, kid. You'll pick it up too, like how you knew to pull out the Paine au chocolate without me saying so."
Aaron blushed again at the praise. He'd worked hard all his life perfecting one skill or another, but it was so rare to be praised for it. Ever since leaving home, learning new skills was more fulfilling. He loved the way Marinette's eyes lit up when he mastered a new recipe, or Sabine's expression when he cooked something just right, and especially when Tom gives him a pat on the back and smiles knowing he'd done a good job. He wished he'd gotten a look like that from his father at least once in his life. "Thanks, Mr. Richard."
The older man chuckled at the humble youth. "Naw, its fine, but if you really want to thank me then make sure I get a raise when you take over the bakery one day." He laughed heartily and went back to the ovens while Aaron blushed redder. He'd gotten the gist of that insinuation.
"Aaron! Come on up here." Sabine called and the young man quickly moved to answer her call.
"Yes ma'am?"
"Our breakfast rush seems through, so why don't you go up and make sure Marinette is on her way out for class? Tom won't be able to drive her like the last time she ran late since he's out making deliveries."
"No worries, maman! I'm leaving now!" Both turned to spy Marinette rushing through the bakery and snatching a treat from the day old bread basket. "I should make it if I leave now."
Sabine chuckled at her rushing daughter. She was awful when it came to waking up early. "You sure you're going to make it?" The woman asked with a teasing tone as Marinette moved around the counter.
"Yes, I'm sure." She rolled her eyes back knowing her mother was teasing her. "I'll see you all after lunch!" She waved and headed out.
"Um… Mrs. Sabine, do you think I could… Um, you know, since we're slow now-"
"Go on, Aaron. I appreciate you wanting to make sure she's not late."
"Here, kid!" He turned to spy Richard just as he tossed Aaron's jacket. "Leave the apron, and go on. I'll manage just fine for a bit. Just make sure you hurry back, alright?"
Aaron nodded with an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Mr. Richard, I will." After quickly dawning the winter coat, he stuffed his apron under the counter and pat the excess flour from his pants. It wasn't perfect, but he didn't mind it much especially when the jacket covered up what was on his shirt. "I'll be back soon!" The bell dinged as he dashed out hopping to catch up with the young designer. He was lucky she was only across the street and dashed through the last few seconds of the pedestrian crossing light to reach her. "Mari! Wait up!"
She turned to him. "Aaron? What are you doing? I thought your shift went until 2 today."
"It does, but your mom let me take my break early. It's just long enough for a quick walk to school, don't you think?"
"A quick ride you mean. It's three subway stops away, remember?" She teased back at his obvious flirting.
"Walk, ride, and either way I can join you, right?"
She rolled her eyes back and took his hand. "Whatever, you flirt."
He chuckled and leaned down to give her a quick peck on the cheek. "But you love me anyway."
"Unfortunately." She quipped back with a giggle.
Nathalie watched the couple from afar with a satisfied smile. She'd never seen Adrien so happy, not since Emilie got sick from her miraculous. It was amazing the difference in him. What she used to think of as Adrien's smile looked like a miserable forgery in comparison to what she'd just seen. She then turned back to the bakery doors and walked in. "Oh, well if it isn't Nathalie. Coming in a bit late this morning, aren't you?" Sabine noted with a welcoming smile.
"Yes, just running late today. I'll just be picking up my usual today, if that's alright?"
"No problem at all." Sabine bowed her head slightly and started to put the small order together. "Would you like an extra pastry on the house? They're filled with raspberry jelly." She pointed to a case full of pastries.
"On the house? How can I say no to that?" The assistant mused back. "I'm sure Stephen will enjoy it, he loves sweets when he works."
"Right, he was the man you were with last week, isn't that right?"
"Yes, the studio has been very busy recently so I'm sure he'll appreciate the treat."
"I certainly hope so." Sabine smiled and placed a box on the counter before ringing her up. "Thank you for coming."
"I'll be back next week." Nathalie assured before taking her order to go. She really was running late, so Gabriel will probably give her an earful, but she didn't want to miss seeing Adrien and checking on him. It had taken her over a month after finding him to figure out how she could keep tabs on him without him noticing. He was doing well for himself, and the last thing she wanted to do was mess it up. It had come as quite a shock the first day she came by and saw the dark haired young man in the back. She knew immediately he was Adrien but the dark hair nearly threw her off. She couldn't help wondering what Gabriel would say if he saw it. Nothing good, that was for sure, but Nathalie liked the change. He didn't look half bad with black hair, and he certainly looked healthier.
So some quick jumps for the day to day. A little drama here, some foreshadowing there. What's next I wonder? How will I use these little bits I've provided you all? (At this point I haven't a clue but I'm working on it)=^-^=
On a side note, the thing at the start with Adrien revealing he was multilingual was actually suggested by a very clever reader. Thanks, I think it turned out fun. Thank you all so much for reading, and please feel free to comment or ask questions. It can definitely have an impact!=^-^=
