The next day dawned early once again but this time Adrien had to get up with Marinette to be punctual for his modeling job. The fridge was a lot fuller as well and they had a cozy little breakfast together with both of them eating silently mostly grunting to communicate as they weren't too happy to be up so early.
They even walked to work together and nodded goodbye in the foyer of the huge building.
Marinette simply followed what her ridiculous mentor always made her do and felt she didn't have as much fun any more, being even more sensitive to how her model colleagues were treated and what stress they were under. On that day and those that followed her determination to leave and find or build a healthier workplace were set in stone.
However until then she would do her best and get a glowing recommendation, have fun with her friends and roommate and would start maybe sketching just for herself and the future.
In her mind were clothes just perfect for her friends, not some models. Mind you Adrien was going to be less skinny soon enough she hoped.
She was definitely going to have some awesome stuff for the small people like Mylene and for the very tall and big like her father or Ivan!
She was giddy the rest of the day as images of perfect fashion statements for each of her friends entered her mind. Luckily she didn't have any time to sit down and draw or her work would have probably been claimed as something that belonged to the Agreste company.
Marjolaine didn't notice that the young woman was somewhere else with her mind as she had sent Marinette running after a teenage model that had freaked out when her hair had to be cut a little.
Marjolaine had decided as soon as she had gotten to know Marinette that this was the most empathetic person in the entire company. She could say that because she has been working for Gabriel for ages and had been the gatekeeper almost for the entirety of it.
Marjolaine had high hopes for Marinette and today she had been especially chipper, maybe she was the one to overtake Gabriels fashion monopoly. No one that had worked with Gabriel appreciated him except for the brilliance of his art.
The workday for Adrien was no more torture than any other shoot had been but today he was more on edge waiting if his father had noticed his absence in his old home.
His make up artist and dresser were both completely content with his body and face, he was still thin enough for the job and he would stay that way for the last two months.
The shoot went well and was almost finished when his father made his usual appearance just to see that everything went the way he wanted it to.
Once he saw Adrien he tutted and sat down to wait out until the end of the shoot. As everyone got up to leave and Adrien had changed back and taken of his makeup.
"Adrien, it seems your new diet has not been to your taste? You have not eaten any of it, I know it seems easier but starving yourself does not make sense. You will simply feel lethargic and be really down and we cannot have that in fashion week."
Shaking his head Adrien laughed to himself: "No father I am not starving myself, you need not worry. I will take care of everything."
Gabriel felt relieved how his son finally started taking action for his job and body himself, and wouldn't have thought he was breaking free at last.
"Very well, I trust you to keep track of yourself, son."
Adrien could not believe it. His father had always been weirdly out of it, not caring for his son anymore after the death of his wife, being completely absorbed by his work almost to a point of mania. He seemed to feel nothing and be completely devoid of any joy. But now he could finally see it for what it was. He as a child had been neglected, been without the love and care of a real parent. He as a person has not been taken seriously and his bodily autonomy had been challenged more than once for the gain of the company. He felt sick.
Having his father not notice his absence was good though, he could draw out the time he didn't have to deal with his father trying to win/force him back.
He forced himself to smile and nod at his boss:
"Yes sir, I will take care of myself starting now. Goodbye." he stalked off, leaving Gabriel behind. He felt as though he left a part of him behind that had always weighed him down and hurt him constantly.