Adrien clenches his fists as the man enters, stepping between him and Marinette. "You are not going to hurt her."
"Not if she hands over the earrings," the man shrugs. "I just need to finish the job, hurting you two kids would just mean I get a longer sentencing if I'm caught. I won't be, but you two have a few minutes to decide how we're doing this regardless. I'm not leaving, and if you try to escape, I will assume you've made your choice, for the both of you."
Adrien nods, and steps back toward Marinette, who's still in a kind of shock. Honestly, when he saw it was her, he was a little alarmed… it's not that he doesn't like Marinette, but she's so… fragile, around him, most of the time. Stammering, blushing, hiding behind things and people… Things it's very, very hard to picture Ladybug doing at the sight of him. Still, he promised he wouldn't be disappointed in her, and he's not, really! Just kind of shocked.
And it shouldn't matter right now, because they only have a few minutes to decide what to do.
He turns to her, and wraps his arms around her gently. "What are we doing, my Lady?"
She looks up at him, with wide eyes. "You're asking me?"
"Of course I am," he runs a hand over her cheek, getting rid of the tear. "It's still us. I still trust you."
She shivers a bit. "If we give them up, he'll have all the power. If we don't, then we won't hold him off long. If it was just me the answer would be obvious, but… I can't let him hurt you." Her eyes burn with determination as she looks up at him, and he smiles, resting his hands on her shoulders. There's his Lady.
"So what do we do?"
He watches her glance around the cage. "For now? We give him what he wants. There's not another option at the moment. He shot Mme. Bustier, he's not bluffing." She looks into his eyes. "We'll get them back. It's a livestream, there's no way the police aren't on the way."
"True," Adrien offers a slight smile. "He's just a gunman, not an akuma. Nothing that people trained for this situation can't handle…"
"As long as he doesn't figure out how to work the Miraculous. And he said it's a job for Hawkmoth, so why would he?"
Adrien hugs her tightly. "No matter what happens," he tells her, steadily. "I want you to know, I love you. I always have, and nothing can change that." He watches her eyes widen, and feels her melt into his arms.
"You love me?"
"I love you."
"And I'm getting sick of this conversation!" the gunman holds two hands out, one with a knife, and one without. "So, what's it going to be?" Adrien nods to Marinette, who steps forward, taking off the earrings. "Smart girl," the gunman says, taking them in his hand. "Now for Prettyboy."
Adrien takes a slow breath. She said they'd get them back. They will. She's never been wrong before…
He slides the ring off, looking in the man's eyes. "Let her out first."
The man shrugs, and allows Marinette out. She looks back to him, confusion and some worry in her eyes. "Chaton…"
"Just making sure he'll follow through," Adrien smiles. She nods, stepping out.
"I love you too, you know," she tells him. "Meet me outside?"
"I will," he waves, and she leaves. As soon as the door closes behind her, he turns to the gunman, fists clenched. "Now. Let's see if I can get that mask off your face, and make you pay for what you've done."
The gunman laughs, twirling the knife. "Hard way it is."