They both sat in an executive suite at a 5-star hotel close to the revenue. Adrien was nursing his glass of hard liquor, the ice jiggling against the glass as his emerald eyes pierced the night sky. Beau looked at his friend and charged, frustration and self-loathing consuming his mood — not that Adrien would notice. Adrien had been quiet ever since they left the event. Gone was his model smile and in its place was a frown. The model was seated in a comfortable lounge chair with one leg raised on the seat. His emotion playing clearly on his face, a slight blush the only indication that Adrien was drunk. If he didn't know any better if would think this was a photo shoot for some high-in cologne. Beau tried to fill the quiet with words, but Adrien remained silent. He felt like a failure as a manager. He was supposed to prevent things like this from happening. Beau looked at his own glass, slowly taking the warmth from his hand. The manager put down his glass on the table next to him. His hand reached into his pocket, thumbing at the metal cigarette case, his fingers tracing the tree engraving. The alcohol helped cut down the want, but he still needed more than what his glass could provide.

"I will be fine for five minutes if you want to go smoke." The blond piped up after nearly an hour of silence.

"I'm sorry…" Beau let out his voice quietly. He received a sigh from his drinking partner.

"Not your fault…"

"I should've seen it coming, I–"

"That's where you wrong things with that man are always out of my–our control…" Adrien put his glass on the table between them. "Just go I need some time alone to think." That was what Beau was afraid of giving Adrien time with his thoughts. His mind likes to play cruel pranks on the young model. Beau stood up with a sigh. He will give him ten minutes, and that would be all. The manager walked out of the elaborate room, leaving Adrien with his thoughts. And left with his clear head, he wondered if he would be better on the ground. Adrien stood up with the bottle of scotch and made his way to the balcony.

The cold night air greeted him. His head was spinning, thoughts spiraling; he just wanted it to stop. He wanted it to stop, to stop thinking. The model took a sip from the bottle. The liquid burned as it went down. Adrien looked down at the Parisians below; he envied them, normal way, from the trauma of being associated with that monster's name. He took another hit of the alcohol. The ground… The streetlights began to blur. He took another shot. The model look up. 'There was never any stars in this city.' he thought. He swayed closer to the edge of the railing. He notices a roof and wonders if it's accessible. He closed the balcony door leaving the room with only the bottle.

He wandered through the halls towards the elevators. Swayed as he went, all he could think about was the inevitable forced solitude he would put in if his father had his way. The doors to the elevator open, but upon entry, he sees no higher floor. Adrien stepped out. The model looked around the beautifully decorated area. Above a door was a sign that said EXIT. It was a simple word, but he could really use a way out, an exit from the beautiful nothing that was his life. He just wanted to know that there was a light. The man climbed further up the stairs. Something to live for outside of his lady because it was cold in the real world. The blond looked out into the nothing night sky of Paris. There were no stars. No light in the dark to carry him home. He leans over the railing. People went about their lives. Couples holding hands and embracing one another. Drunks like himself struggled to keep upright as they went to their place to rest their heads. He wondered what it was like down there.

A warm hand touches his shoulder push him towards the hand. He didn't want to go back to that vacant beauty. He didn't want to smile at the masses and pretend to be a model son. He just couldn't do it anymore. A stray tear fell down to the crowd below. Slowly, he turned around to face his manager; Beau's face reflected back to him the sadness he felt. The wind blew past him, and goosebumps lined his arms. He took a swig of the alcohol in his hand. It warmed the cold that was building.
"Let's go back in, hmm?"

"I think I'm good out here."

"You're shaking."

"I'm cold."

"You're drunk."

"Fuck, just leave me alone! Everyone else does so why can't you."

"I can't do that."

"Why cause I pay you to wipe my ass is that it."

"No, 'cause I'm your friend and I care about you. Do you think jumping is going to make any difference?" Adrien looked away in shame of being caught. He had thought about the fall of finally just letting it go. And if he was honest with himself despite how things were just slightly better, he couldn't stop thinking about it. What it would be like to finally just stop thinking about it to have it stop tugging on his sleeve. Quietly, Beau continued, "Don't give him that too." He gently reached down to his hand to tug him away from the edge.

"When we get back in let me call your therapist, hmm." He wasn't asking. Adrien could only nod as he was gently tugged toward the exit. An exit.


Marinette woke up to the gentle vibration of her phone. Her eyes adjusted to the rays of light that were coming through her windows. Her limbs spread out in every which way. Finally, her brain turned on. She began searching for her phone finally feeling it on the side of bed near the wall by her stomach. Raising it so it would be viewable to see two new messages, one was from discord, and the other was from messages. She could imagine what Chat was messaging her about so she went to messages. Marinette opened the phone and clicked on Luka. Good Morning, How did you sleep?Sent earlier today. She smiled, it was nice, this feeling that was bubbling in her gut. She texted back, I didnt…couldn't stop thinking about it. She was going to regret the next words that she typed. you Read. The pause between reading then and then the three dots, then finally his words types and on the screen. I did too… She blushed then he followed up. I meant that I dreamed about you and not about myself cause that would be weird… So, she called him. It rang out two times before he picked up. Luka's deep and lush voice came through the speaker. "Hey,"

"Hey."

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I was sleeping."

"Hmm…" His low register agreement only made the bubbles increase.

"So, I was thinking…"

"Yeah?"

"We could go out on Saturday. Something different and unique it just might be consider kidnapping."

"So a surprise date."

"Yes, that's the word a surprise date to something you would love."

"And what would I have to wear?"
"Something fancy and you."

"I can do that."

"Just to be clear we be going to a party where everyone will be dress to the nines."

"I thought it was a surprise."

"That's not the surprise."

"Okay, let's do it."

"Lovely, see you on Saturday at 7, Marinette."

The call ended. Marinette jump out of her bed and ran towards her desk. She felt like her brain was on fire. Everything else forgot in the background as she started her work. She could see herself on his arm as they converse with those in high society. The designer paused, just who was Luka Couffaine?