Adrien lounged on the couch, eyes trailing Marinette as she puttered around the room. She seemed nervous and jittery, repeatedly flashing him secretive glances before blushing a delightful shade of pink and turning him away. She kept herself busy, making the bed, fixing breakfast, pretending to clean things she had already cleaned the day before.
At one point, Marinette had noticed the small flame on the back deck that hadn't been there the day before and had gaped at it for a few minutes. He'd watched in fascination as a determined look had glinted in her eyes before she set her jaw firm and back straight. Then she had noticed him watching and lost some of her courage behind a mask of crimson embarrassment.
What he would give to hear the thoughts she was having. She seemed to be mentally arguing with herself about something, but he couldn't quite tell what it could be.
The sleeves of the robe he had given her were too long, even when rolled up they kept slipping down and frustrating her actions. Making a note to himself to find her something smaller, his eyes kept following her movements while he sat in silence with a soft smile.
From his perch on Adrien's head, Plagg kept making noises that sounded suspiciously like soft chuckles.
Finally, she approached him, head bowed, with a bowl full of fruit combined with something warm that he didn't recognize. With a soft word of thanks, he took it from her fingers. She started slightly before pulling away and rushing back over to the kitchen for her own bowl. She looked around the room awkwardly.
"Come sit with me," he called, patting the couch beside him with a smile. For a brief moment, he thought she was going to bolt. Then the straight back and determination returned and she strode confidently to the seat and took a place beside him. Silence fell again as they scooped their food into mouths.
"This is delicious," he told her, savouring the taste of something new on his tongue. She was a good cook - he had to admit that. His morning ritual of coffee while Plagg devoured cheese was so far below this. She smiled a little at this praise.
The bottom of his bowl arrived too quickly. Without a word, Marinette pulled it from his hands and took it to the kitchen. She seemed nervous as she washed and dried the dishes and put them away. He decided it was a good time to approach the thousands of questions that he had bouncing around his head. He motioned for her to join him again.
"So, tell me about you." Marinette just fiddled with something under the sleeve of the robe, hiding her eyes. Adrien frowned. He didn't want her to be afraid of him.
"Ok, start with your family. Tell me about your mother." Everyone was willing to talk about their mother. Even him.
There was a soft smile on her face when she started to speak. She spoke softly at first, prone to stuttering, sharing only what she was prompted to. As she relaxed, the words didn't stop, rambling nearly too fast for him to keep pace. She loved her family, it was easy to see that - a set of parents who were the village bakers, who gave hugs so strong she always wondered how she hadn't broken in their arms, who were so proud of their daughter. She spoke of her home - a rustic humble place that was filled more with love than of things. She bragged about her father's baked bread. He learned of her best friend, Alya - a young woman who was prone to speak her mind instead of mind her tongue.
When prodded, she shyly shared her dreams of being a seamstress and designing dresses. She loved art and her heart genuinely cared for the people in her village.
Adrien sat and listened in awe. His life had centred almost exclusively in the Valley of the Gods - a place where his fellow immortals were mostly self-serving and self-centred. They took what they wanted when they wanted - at anyone's expense. Adrien himself had never even been to the village. There had never been a real need. There was plenty of mischief enough to be had right within the circle of Gods.
But the more he heard her speak, the more his heart felt like it had missed something. Missed that community, missed that closeness with anyone. Plagg had been his only real companion for too long.
Finally, she stopped speaking with a panicked look before bowing her head submissively.
"Oh, I"m so sorry. I didn't mean to talk so much."
"No. No. I loved it. I have another question. How did you get chosen for Bride Day?"
She fidgeted again, toying with something on her wrist. He resisted the urge to pull back the sleeve to see what it was.
"I. I…." The stutter was back, a nervous tic he supposed. Why was she nervous again? " I wasn't." She crumpled, curling slightly into herself as she revealed her secret. Suddenly she sat up straight, leaning in close to him and grasping his arm.
"Please don't punish my village. They don't know that it wasn't supposed to be me. They thought I was to be your bride and did everything they were supposed to. It was my choice to change places. I didn't have to. I chose to. Promise me that you won't hurt my friends."
The sudden and desperate outburst caught Adrien by surprise. He almost gave into telling her that he had nothing to do with the village, but instead, lazily leaned back against the back of the couch, acting as if he were pondering her pleas.
"Who was supposed to be my bride?"
"Kagami." There was a long pause as Marinette stared at his face, maybe trying to read his decision.
"Who is Kagami?"
"A girl in my village. Her father died many years ago. Her mother is blind and needs Kagami to take care of her. When Kagami got the fire coin that she had been picked, she panicked. Her mother asked if I could go in Kagami's place. That, in exchange for my sacrifice, she would pay my parents a full year's income. My parents didn't want me to go. But, it was my choice. Choose between leaving my family poor and Kagami's mother alone or choosing to give up my life to help them all?"
She paused, raising her eyes to him.
"How could I not make that decision?"
Emotions that he didn't know how to process rippled through him as he stared into the sad blue depths of her eyes. Surprise that someone would genuinely care about people enough to sacrifice their own life. Sadness for her, that she had given up the family she loved to become. Anger that someone had abused her compassion in such a way. How dare she be manipulated into giving up herself to save others?
The sadness in her eyes was replaced with that fascinating determination.
"Anyway, here I am. Your new wife."
Adrien felt Plagg laugh in his hair. Right, his wife. He couldn't help but grin.
"By the way, husband, I - "
"Adrien."
She blinked.
"A-Adrien. Where are your other wives? I thought you had many?" The blush on her cheeks burnt like wildfire across the grass. He chuckled at her. She was a wonderful partner in his little mischievous game.
Gently he cupped her cheek, running his thumb over the softness of her skin as he leaned in closer.
"Like I'd let them interfere with our honeymoon."
She was going to faint. Or die. Or maybe faint while dying.
The sound of his voice, combined with the caress on her cheek and the smoulder flaming through his emerald eyes, was melting her from the inside out. Her heart was beating so fast, her breath caught in her throat at how close he was to her.
Her brain seemed to stick on a few words at once - husband, honeymoon, God of Fire - reminding her of what exactly she had gotten herself into. On one hand, was it so bad to be the wife of such a god - one that looked like this, who made her heart thump, who looked at her like he was going to cherish her? On the other, she was terrified.
Just as quickly as he'd leaned in, he backed away with a loud laugh and eyes that twinkled. The little creature that was always with him floated off his head and yawned.
"I need cheese," it whined. Marinette couldn't remember what Adrien had called it the other night. Without another word, it flitted off into the kitchen and rummaged away. Adrien just shook his head and continued to smile.
"Don't mind him, he's a pig." The creature belched in response, shooting Adrien a cheeky look.
"Ugh, Plagg. That's gross." Plagg didn't care.
Adrien jumped to his feet and headed to his little cat friend, grabbing the next batch of cheese out of his little paws and wrapping a fist around his body.
"Well, Marinette, my wife. I have to go do some God things now. Duty calls." He flashed her a wide, toothy smile, before frowning slightly.
"Listen. I need you to stay inside. Don't go out. Don't talk to anyone. Please." He sounded sincerely worried about her, begging. When she nodded, he let out a soft breath.
"I will be back soon!" And he vanished out the door.
Marinette sat dazed on the couch where they had been talking. Was this what life was going to be like for her now? Awkward conversations and encounters with a handsome God who liked to flirt before vanishing out the door to leave her alone with nothing much to do?
Sighing, she looked around the house again. Maybe she could find something to keep herself busy.
Casually, she opened any drawers she found, poking at the contents inside without any luck at finding entertainment.
For a bit, she lounged on the deck, staring at the dancing fire. It was both beautiful and terrifying all at the same time - visions of coloured flames destroying her village if she failed to make him happy. Reaching out a hand to the fire, allowing the heat to singe her palm just enough to sting. A reminder of her new life and mission. She had come here to help her family, to help Kagami's family, to save her village from the wrath of the Fire God. A fire god who looked more prone to laugh than scream.
She wandered into the bedroom, tempted to snuggle into the softness again but opting not to. She had already slept for so long. Instead, she opened the closet and stepped through the door.
Colour assaulted her, robe upon robe lined neatly on shelves and hanging from hooks. They were made of just about every pattern and fabric one could imagine. It was beautiful.
Her fingers ran along each one, messages of texture and softness and practicality filling her brain which was whirling with ideas for designs and patterns.
One robe caught her eye - a rich, bright scarlet covered in a black looping pattern. It looked like the wings of a ladybug. Unconsciously she touched the small charm on her wrist.
Pulling the robe from its perch, she carefully carried it out to the main bedroom. Smoothing the silky fabric, she laid it on the bed to admire. It was beautiful. Her wedding gown had been the most extravagant piece of clothing she had ever worn. But this, the fabric was more luxurious than anything she had ever even seen, let alone touch. Biting her lip, she glanced side to side. He was gone. She could try it on and have it back in the closet before he came back. She couldn't control her smile of excitement.
Adrien's borrowed robe and her undertunic crumpled to the floor. Arms thrust through the sleeves, hands tied the ribbon around her waist, her body all but sang enveloped in the wonderful sensation of sleek and smooth. The silk was cool against her skin. Flinging her arms wide, she twirled with a wild laugh, head thrown back in joy.
A movement at the door made her gasp, clutching the robe tightly against her as her heart jumped.
There, in the doorway, sat a small, black cat with curious green eyes.
"Oh, kitty. You surprised me!" she breathed, running her hands over the fabric again to flatten out the wrinkles her frantic grasp had created. "Isn't this robe beautiful?" She spun again with a smile before sighing happily.
The cat let out a soft meow, leaping from the doorway over to the bed where it stretched slightly before making itself at home on the blankets to watch her.
"Do you think he will let me have a gown like this?" She flopped on the bed beside the lounging cat, tucking the robe around her to make sure every inch of skin possible was covered by the elegant material. Fingers scratched at the cat's head, right behind his ears - granting her a happy purr and pressure against her hand in response. She smiled.
"Where did you come from, kitty? Are you a friend of Adrien's?" The cat headbutted her hand again, asking for more scratches. She smiled as she indulged him. "Who would think the God that my entire village is terrified of would have a pet cat?"
"I had a kitten at home. Her name was Tikki. She was a little orange puffball with big blue eyes. That little troublemaker kept sneaking into the kitchen and stealing the cookies my father made! She was the sweetest thing." Marinette missed her kitten. And her father. And her mother. And her best friend. She missed her life. Tears threatened to spill over, one already tracking down her cheek.
A harsh brush of her hand wiped it away.
"No, Marinette. None of that. This is your life now. There is no point in thinking about the things you miss. You have a husband. A husband you need to make happy so he won't destroy the village. Enough."
She leaned back, propping herself up on one elbow to keep the other hand free to keep giving her visitor some attention.
"So, do you have a name, handsome boy? Or should I just keep calling you Kitty?" The cat headbutted her again, making her laugh. "Ok, ok. Kitty it is! You cute little thing."
"Oh, I wish you could talk. Then you could tell me all about Adrien and what he's like. How I can be a good wife. You could tell me what he likes to do, what he likes to eat. What makes him happy? What makes him angry? And why does he have that little black, cheese monster with him all the time? So many questions and I can barely talk to him without stuttering. Those eyes of his…." Was there even a way to describe how different they were than she'd expected? Happy and laughing, not the cold angry stare she'd thought he would have. They kept setting her on edge.
"He's not what I expected, honestly. He laughs. I thought he would be angry all the time. That's what everyone always said about the God of Fire - that he was a rage monster. But Adrien isn't like that. He is kind."
She let out a long sigh, throwing herself back to stare up at the ceiling.
The cat mewed, moving closer. When he started kneading the fabric of the gown, she jumped in panic.
"No, Kitty! No! Not the robe!" Picking him up, she gently moved him away before she shimmied over the edge of the bed. Giving him a final soft pat and smile, she slid the red patterned robes off her shoulders, taking care not to crush them on the floor.
The cat made a strange sound, his ears plastered against his head.
"What's wrong?" She couldn't hear anything that would have set him off. In response, he bolted, jumping off the bed and out the door with impressive speed. Marinette frowned in surprise. "Silly Kitty."
She returned the gown to the closet, positioning it exactly back in place with careful fingers. Maybe she'd be able to convince Adrien to give her a robe like this someday. Stepping out of the closet, she listened to make sure she couldn't hear him returning yet. Nothing.
Scooping her regular clothing from their pile on the floor, she made her way to the bathroom and settled for another bath. The water steamed hot and inviting as she slipped into it with a sigh. This "wife of a God" thing could certainly have its perks.
Plagg's laughter echoed in his burning ears as Adrien pressed himself against the side of the house, hearing the muffled sounds of water running into the bath.
"Shut up." Adrien flicked at his partner in annoyance. He had thought that visiting Marinette as his cat self could offer some insight into her that she wouldn't share to his human side.
Stumbling on her twirling in joy while wearing his red robe had been a wonderful thing. She had practically glowed with excitement. He hadn't meant to startle her, but he'd been frozen in surprise. She was beautiful.
Hearing her speak so freely about everything and enjoying the gentle touch she had provided was exactly what he had been hoping for - understanding more about the girl behind the bright blue eyes.
But the sudden display of her skin had made him panic. Imaginary wife or not - she didn't know he was right there. How his heart squeezed in his ribcage when he'd realized what was happening. How he nearly transformed right there in the middle of the room and secrets be damned. He wasn't even sure how he'd managed to get out of the house.
What was it about this girl that made him react like a crazy fool? He'd never had any of these feelings ever before - not even when Chloe had tried her best. He had no right to Marinette, even if she thought he did.
Plagg, of course, found it hilarious, howling at how Adrien's prank was backfiring so badly. So much for having some simple fun at his father's expense.
He needed to clear his head.
"Plagg. Transform me." Plagg stopped laughing and let out an annoyed wail. In Adrien's place, a cat with a cocky grin leapt down the path for a run.