Adrien rolled his eyes and sighed wearily as he looked out upon the sight before him. He was stood in the doorway of his brother's room, leaning against the doorframe with a smile slowly beginning to tug at the corner of his lips.

Evening was crawling its way across the sky when Adrien heard a loud ruckus coming from down the hall. Despite his brother being in what he thought was a presumed relationship, Félix had one of his many females over. Over time he grew to ignore the muffled yells and low grunts coming from the elder male's room, but there was something different about this yelling that had him turning around and opening his brother's door.

What laid before him was a bemusing predicament; Félix was straddling a female, thankfully fully clothed at the moment, however Adrien doubted it would've been for much longer, and a small orange tabby kitten was being held by the scruff of its neck, their tiny front claws digging further into Félix's shirt as its hind legs kicked furiously in the air.

"Adrien! Get this damn cat off of me!" Adrien snorted at Félix's grumbling and the male gave him a hard glare, "I don't find this any bit amusing." Adrien laughed aloud and walked over to the bedside, grabbing onto the kitten with both hands and stepping back away from the pair. The female beneath Félix was sneezing feverishly, fidgeting under the male and pushing against his chest to get out from under him.

Holding the kitten closely to his chest, Adrien walked out of his brother's room and started back down the hall again. He scratched the cat behind her ears, emitting a loud purr from her as he whispered in a coo, "Good girl, Tikki."

While he never paid much attention before to his brother's affairs, he never did quite understand the need for such lowly flings. Especially considering he was supposedly in a "committed and monogamous" relationship. Adrien gave a loud snort at his thoughts and swiped a hand through his bangs, mentally waving away such meaningless nonsense. It was none of his business anyway.

A ding on his phone called Adrien to attention; a text from Chloé stating she had made reservations at a restaurant an hour from now. He had messaged the female earlier in the day calling for a discussion about the next line for the upcoming season. She was a model alongside him for his father and also his best friend and he knew she wouldn't sugarcoat any thoughts on the matter.

With a snack bag in hand to munch on until dinner, Adrien made his way back into his room where he plopped himself down on his couch. He flipped aimlessly through the television channels until his favorite comedy show popped up. He set his remote down and sat back to relax, pulling out his phone once more to idly scroll through to pass the time.

...

No sooner than taking a single step out of the limousine, Adrien was pulled forward as a female roughly clung onto his tall frame. "Hi, Chloé," He gave a chuckle as he stared down at the eager blonde, the stench of her perfume almost overpowering the exquisite smells wafting from the restaurant. With a loud growl from his stomach, he pulled away from her hug and offered her his arm, "Shall we?"

Chloé grinned and turned on her heel, throwing back her ponytail over her shoulder as they both walked inside. With a deep inhale, Adrien sighed longingly as the pair passed by table after table, following the waiter to their reserved booth towards the back of the restaurant. This was one of his favorite spots; the food was absolutely divine and to Chloé's surprise during her first visit, it wasn't extremely expensive either. Of course, even if it were expensive, neither would bat an eyelash at the cost. Business meetings were typically signed under his father, Gabriel Agreste, and the costs would be put on the company's tab.

Opting for a simple lemonade as his partner requested a sweet wine, Adrien's eyes traveled across the room as the waiter was waved away. His eyes soon found a familiar pig-tailed bluenette who was currently sat a couple of tables over towards the middle of the room. He let his eyes wander over her figure, a grin creeping upon his lips as he couldn't help but notice the lovely dress she had donned that evening, one he knew she had most likely made herself.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was the sole daughter of the Dupain-Chengs and was making quite a name for herself as of late. Instead of following in her parents footsteps and taking head over one of the best bakeries in Paris, Marinette had followed her heart in the fashion industry, signing a contract under Adrien's father. In doing so, she immediately amassed a surplus of fans; not just anyone could impress the Gabriel Agreste. She was steadily growing in the industry and Adrien would by lying if he said he didn't have the young female's blog on his following list. Her pieces always had him excited and intrigued to see what she could possibly create next. He was always stunned when her new pieces came out even better than last season's, her talents in fashion design blowing away his expectations.

His attention was quickly taken away as his lemonade was placed in front of him. He reached out and grabbed it, securing a straw to sip on the sweetly sour liquid. Chloé was talking away before him, swirling her own cup in hand, though he paid her no mind. His gaze was once more taken by the female across the room. He noticed her knee bobbing nervously and her iced water lay forgotten in front of her. His brows furrowed as he watched her stand up abruptly and take off towards the restrooms. Was she waiting on someone? Why haven't they shown already? Who could've possibly stood up his favorite blue-haired designer?

Catching his attention from outside, a bright red sports car pulled up beside the restaurant's entrance. Adrien leaned in towards the window for a closer look as his one and only brother stepped out of the vehicle. He watched as the male leaned back inside to give a chaste kiss to the female inside, turning on his heel to enter the establishment while combing his fingers through his unruly, disheveled hair.

Félix sat down at a table in the middle of the room and Adrien's breath caught in his throat as Marinette came back into view, sitting back down across from the elder male and reaching out to grab his hands across the table in what looked like a reassuring grasp.

It wasn't until he felt Chloé kick him from under the table did he finally face her and realize his drink had left his hands and caused a minor spill along the table. He saw her eyebrows scrunched together and could tell she was irritated with him, but Adrien couldn't concentrate on anything she was saying. For once in his life, he was more concerned about the date his brother was going on. This behavior was somewhat typical and to be expected of Félix, but something stirred deep inside Adrien at the thought of sweet Marinette being the one Félix has been dating. It gnawed at him and weighed heavily on his shoulders. Never were his brother's affairs anything he'd pay mind to or step in the middle of, but for some reason he couldn't help but feel differently now knowing it was Marinette on the other end. She didn't deserve to be cheated on. She was worth so much more than that.

His eyes narrowed as he glared at the back of his brother's head, his hands still gripping sweet Marinette's. Her smile was beautiful and radiant and shined brightly from across the room. Adrien had to look away as he bit back a sickening feeling rising from the pits of his stomach.

"Adrien! Have you been listening to anything I've been saying?" Chloé's voice brought him to as he stared back at her once more, "What were you staring at?" She turned in her seat to the direction he had been looking and almost immediately caught sight of his brother with his date. She turned back round to face Adrien with a mischievous twinkle in her deep, ocean-blue eyes, "You like her?"

His face flushed red and the tips of his ears grew warm as he shook his head wildly, fully snapped out of his dazed stupor. He brought up a hand to scratch the back of his neck shyly and lifted his lemonade back to his lips to avoid the topic at hand. Chloé's eyebrow turned upwards as she sat back in her seat, eyeing him closely as he sank further down into the booth. He stuttered nervously under her heated stare before she let out a small hum, smiling at him knowingly. She let the topic go and continued on with her earlier ranting.

Adrien wasn't sure why this was upsetting him so. Never before had he ever cared about his brother's flings and activities. But as he glanced back over to Marinette's table where she let out a laugh that rang through the restaurant, the nausea in his stomach grew tenfold.

Weeks had passed by and Adrien was once more sitting inside his room on the couch, passing time with his favorite comedy show blaring on the television. Chloé was to arrive within the next twenty minutes for a simple outing; he had been ready a half hour ago.

Tikki wandered about his room playfully, meowing every so often as she pawed at whatever was in her way. Adrien chuckled as she pounced on his feet, claws sticking to his pants leg as she kicked at him and meowed loudly once more to grab his attention. He picked her up gently with one hand and crossed the distance of his room to the large bin of cat food that was stationed beside his dresser. She pushed at his chest to jump down as he laid out a fresh water dish on the placemat. Suddenly, a loud ring of the doorbell sounded throughout the halls of the home.

Raising a brow, he brought up his wrist to check his watch. Chloé still had about ten minutes left to arrive and she was never on time. Typically, she preferred being "fashionably late" as she liked to put it. But he also knew she would've came inside straight away, never simply waiting on the other side of the door to be let in. So as he was getting the food bowl ready for Tikki, another ring echoed out and he shouted out towards the hallway, "Coming!" as he set aside the dish and made his way to the front entrance.

Upon opening the door, his earlier suspicions were laid to rest as the smell of cheap perfume and desperation singed his nostrils. Adrien leaned against the doorframe, his hand still holding onto the door handle as he stared down at an unfamiliar brunette with an upturned nose as she glared back at him.

With a roll of his eyes, he thought bitterly, "Another one?" before his body was shoved roughly into the door as Félix came up beside him. He gave a cheeky grin to the dark-haired female in the doorway and snaked his arm around her waist as he began ushering her inside the home. Adrien glared at the back of his brother's head as he watched him walk away with the female in tow.

"Félix," Adrien's own voice startled him slightly. He never spoke up against his brother before and if he was being completely honest he wasn't sure why he was doing so now. Tightening his hold on the door handle, he was sure the metal was making an indentation on his palm with how tightly he grasped the metal. "What are you doing?"

The blue-eyed blond glanced back over his shoulder before rushing the female inside of his room. Félix stood out front with a snarky look on his face as he looked down at his younger brother, "What's it to you? It's none of your business."

Adrien felt a tick in his jaw but lowered his gaze. He was right, it really wasn't his business and he shouldn't be butting in on matters that are not of his own. But there was a deep, unsettling uneasiness laying inside him that he couldn't shake. Why Marinette? Of all people, why her? And why does it bug him so? "She doesn't deserve this."

"Who doesn't deserve what?"

Adrien whirled his head about; Chloé was standing just behind him, her head peeking out over his shoulder, sure to have witnessed at least part of the event that just transpired. "What was that all about?"

He checked his watch again before turning around fully, closing the front door behind him with a scowl on his face and ushering the blonde away from the home, "It's nothing. Let's get going."

Chloé narrowed her eyes at the back of his head before sliding her sunglasses back down to rest on the bridge of her nose, "Interesting."

...

The next few hours went by excruciatingly long as Adrien walked, holding the numerous shopping bags in his reddened hands for his best friend. The sun had descended long ago and the warm air was now replaced with a chilling breeze. Yet despite the hours that have gone by, he was still unable to wipe the frown off his face from the earlier occurrence at the Agreste home.

Chloé was chatting away in front of him on her mobile device, her heels clicking against the pavement obnoxiously with every step. As they passed by a small cat café, the blonde female stopped him from walking further as she gave him a glance and stepped inside.

A long sigh escaped his lips, a large puff of air billowing out from between his lips. A small smile etched its way onto his face as he watched through the front window of the café all the kittens roaming about. A small black cat had jumped up and was pawing at Chloé's ankles while she appeared to be arguing with an employee inside, presumably over some item that was probably out of stock given the time of day. He leaned back against the brick wall beside the door and finally let his hands rest, setting the shopping bags on the ground aside his feet. His wrists were aching.

A buzz from his pocket caught him off guard and he grabbed his cellular device out of his pocket at once; it was a text from Félix.

To: Adrien

You forgot to feed the stupid cat.

She's been meowing outside my room for hours.

Come get rid of it now.

It's bothersome.

Adrien groaned and quickly sent a text back,

To: Félix

I have a bowl ready for her in my room

Im out with Chloé rn

He shut off the screen and shook his head in annoyance. As another vibration hit his palm, his eyes wandered to the park across the street where a lone figure was sat on one of the benches, their head down and their arms wrapped around themselves. Why would someone be out having a picnic at night? He shook his head and glanced back down to his phone, the screen illuminating once more.

To: Adrien

It's your cat. You deal with it.

I'm doing something else.

Adrien shoved his phone back in his pocket as he crudely muttered to no one in particular, "Doing someone else, you mean."

Once again, his eyes trailed back over to the person in the park. He could now feel Chloé's presence beside him as she came out of the shop and he hissed in a breath. She gave him a once over before shifting her weight on one foot, turning and squinting in the direction he was staring. She cocked her head to the side and looked back and forth between the park and the green-eyed male before her.

An elbow dug into Adrien's side as a styrofoam cup was pushed into his chest. Chloé sighed audibly and gestured towards the park as he looked up at her with wide eyes. A small smirk graced her painted lips, "Go."

He wasted no time and gave a curt nod, thanking her as he set off urgently across the street. He'd make it up to Chloé another day.

Hurrying inside the park's gated walls, he finally slowed his pacing as he approached the figure. Marinette...

Her shoulders were shivering from the cool night air and she looked so small and fragile in the large park by herself. He took a deep breath and reached out to touch her bare shoulder. The small female had suddenly burst upright throwing her arms around his neck, "Félix! I knew you would come!"

He resisted the urge to scowl and wince at the mention of his brother's name. Of course he had stood her up again. He gave the bluenette a soft smile as he watched her teary-eyed grin falter to a frown, "You're not Félix."

Adrien hated that he could hear the disappointment and sadness in her voice. It wasn't right.

"Adrien."

This time Adrien was the one to wrap his arms around her, engulfing her fully with his body as he tried not to shudder from the breathy way she whispered out his name.

All too soon he pulled away and ushered her away from the park, walking her back home. He made sure she stayed snug against him for warmth; her pink sundress and fashion scarf albeit beautiful, not giving any source of heat for the woman. She wore her hair tied up in a ponytail this evening, strands falling loosely to frame her now reddened face. He was sure she was going to catch a cold from this night.

Once they reached her front door, he smiled down at her and handed off the warm drink in his hand, "I'm sorry about my brother, I figured he wouldn't have made it."

She placed her lips to the rim of the cup and took a sip, humming with delight. She looked up at him through her long, dark eyelashes; he could tell they had been wet with tears, although she now held a smile firmly upon her lips, "Thank you, Adrien."

If he hadn't been leaning down closer to her he would've missed the way she said his name ever so softly. He stared at the shut door before him, his jaw clenching and his knuckles turning white as he balled his hands into fists in a silent rage.

He uttered a low growl as he felt another buzz come from his phone and he hastily pulled it out of his pocket, searching up and down the street for his car. Upon getting in, he slammed his fist against the steering wheel, swiftly spinning the car's wheels as he high-tailed his ass back home to have a few choice words with his brother.

Over the course of a few months, Adrien took every chance he got to see his favorite fashion designer. Making her laugh was now his new calling. He hated seeing her upset and the deep-set frowns that have been plaguing her usual radiant smile.

He had a meeting earlier in the morning with his father about a proposal for the rising designer. To say his father had been impressed with her was a mere understatement with how quickly she had grown in the industry in under such a short amount of time. It was no wonder even the fashion mogul Gabriel Agreste had noticed the bluenette's potential.

And so, Adrien had supplied numerous evidence that she could further advance her growth and proposed a small shoot displaying her new line with Marinette included as one of the models. He knew she was currently in the process of creating the new line for the season, should be just about wrapping up the final designs, and he figured modeling her own artwork could give her the confidence she seemed to lack nowadays. He just wanted to see her happy again.

The male glanced down at his phone as he took a sip from the coffee in his hand. Marinette's social media had been pulled up and he was idly scrolling through her fashion blog to see her latest sketches. A smile graced his features as he noticed her blog slowly increasing in followers.

"You're doing it again."

The blond was startled from his musings as Chloé gave a lighthearted scoff. She sat cross-legged in front of him on the floor of the cat café they had stumbled upon months prior, and this time he didn't want to pass up the cute little shop. Especially not when a cute, green-eyed kitten had been clawing at the window for his attention. The same black cat that was attacking Chloé's feet previously who was now curled up in a ball on said female's lap. She glanced down to his phone where Marinette's fashion blog had been pulled up.

Adrien could feel his ears burning red as he gave a soft chuckle and glanced away, his hand reaching up to scratch at his neck before he turned off his phone and placed it back inside his pants pocket. He avoided her gaze as she stared him down. Chloé knew him like the back of her hand. She knew everything about him, sometimes even before he knew himself.

The pair said their goodbyes to the little kitten and proceeded on their way back to Adrien's residence in an uncomfortable silence. Chloé was still eyeing him closely and he could feel small beads of sweat on his forehead from how hard she was scrutinizing his every move.

Once inside the safety of his bedroom, Adrien let himself relax back on his couch, Chloé taking a seat beside him. He let his eyes drift closed as she held up his remote, scrolling through the television channels for something that suited her tastes.

It wasn't until he heard the remote being placed back onto the table in front did he open his eyes and turn towards Chloé who had spoken up again, "It's painfully obvious," He gulped as he once again looked away, locking his eyes on the screen in front of him. "to everyone except yourself."

"Chloé, I don't know-"

"Well, I do," she says firmly. Adrien huffed and buried his head in his hands as a blush continued to creep up his neck. "You like her."

The blond male chewed on his bottom lip as his mind began to spin. He needed a second alone to think. He breathes in deeply and heads back towards his bedroom door, telling the blonde female in the room he'll be back.

Chloé's words hit him hard in the chest as he walked down the hallway, his head down and facing the ground as he was once more lost in thought. He does like her, doesn't he? That had to be why everything his brother did now irritated the ever living hell out of him. He never before used to care about a single thing Félix did. He'd simply bow his head and continue on without so much as a glance in the direction of whatever female had graced his arm that night. Yet now, whenever he saw Félix with a different female in tow, he couldn't hide the scowl that would cross his face nor be able to ignore the gut-wrenching feeling in his stomach that would have him balling his fists in anger.

"Good afternoon, Adrien."

Immediately he lifted his head, surprise clear on his face as the one who plagued his thoughts was now making her way towards him from the end of the hall. At once, he stood up straight and flashed her a dashing smile, "Good afternoon, Purrincess."

Her laugh rang out and his heart sung a happy tune. He loved hearing her laughter. She stopped before him and gestured to his side. "Is your brother home?" All too soon did a frown plant firmly on his face. He gave a quick cough before replacing it with a blank stare. "I was wondering if he would come to the carnival with me today."

As he stared down at the small female with uncertainty, Adrien sighed before giving a slight nod. He couldn't refuse when she was staring at him so expectantly like that, "I'll check."

In a rush, he disappeared inside Félix's room and closed the door behind him. He spotted the elder male asleep in his bed, a red-headed female sprawled out over his chest. He clenched his jaw and shuffled towards the bed, smacking the sleeping male's free arm lightly which spurred him awake. Adrien lifted a finger to his lips as he gestured back to the door, "Your girlfriend is here."

Félix groaned and rolled his eyes, turning over in the bed and pulling the red head closer. "I don't care, send her away."

Adrien's anger flared and he stepped back before he did something he'd regret. He saw Tikki sitting in front of the bedroom door and as he opened it she hurriedly dashed away. Just as quickly, Marinette's head bobbed back from where she was leaning forward and he silently prayed that she hadn't heard a word from inside the room as he muttered, "He's sick."

His heart dropped from his chest as Marinette's face fell, her twinkling eyes growing dark and her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. She murmured something unintelligible and started walking away from him.

Watching her fleeting form, he reached out for her unconsciously. Before he could even realize what he was doing, he had called out to the bluenette and his feet rushed to jump in front of her. "I..." He didn't know what he was going to say, all he knew was that he wanted that look of hurt to wash away from her face.

As he struggled to find words to say, Marinette offered him a weak smile, further tugging painfully at his heartstrings. "I know what you're going to say, but I'll stop you there. It's fine, Adrien. I just remembered I've got some work to do anyway."

She pushed past him and continued out of the Agreste home; once at the gate she called out, "See you around!" and then she was gone out of sight.

Adrien seethed and his nostrils flared. How could his brother treat her like this? She deserved so much better than Félix. Hell, even he could treat her so much better! He grabbed hold of the door and slammed it shut, taking out his anger on the poor wooden frame. It wasn't until Adrien's bodyguard, who was stood beside the front entrance, surprised him as he gave the blond a simple, reassuring pat on the back. He winced and gave a weak laugh.

It wasn't until he was gripping his bedroom door handle did he bring up his hand to cover his face, a deep red flooding his cheeks and tips of his ears once more as he finally realized what his own actions meant.

Chloé was holding up the tabby kitten in her arms, cooing at the baby feline as he stepped inside. Before she had a chance to ask about all the noise she heard coming from the hall, Adrien threw himself on his bed, groaning loudly. He turned his head to the side where Chloé stared at him with a raised brow.

"You're right."

Chloé gave a smirk and set the cat down, coming over to sit beside him on the bed. She reached out and pet the top of his head. "Duh."

Adrien looped his arm around the tall blonde next to him, staring down at her with a sweet smile. She stared up at him with a look of surprise as he dipped her ever so slightly, "You're looking amazing as usual, Chloé." he said sincerely. Bright white flashes surrounded them as they held still in their pose.

Once the shots were taken, Adrien steadied Chloé back on her feet. She smiled knowingly, "I know."

"That's a wrap!"

Adrien relaxed as he hopped off set, parting with Chloé with a wave. Before he set foot inside his room, he heard the director call out to him, "Adrien! You're back on in fifteen!"

Stunned, he turned to face where his father stood off to the side. With a questioning glance, Gabriel gave him a single once over before motioning behind him, "Félix is unfit for his position; you'll be taking over his shoots from now on and he'll be studying the business aspects with his mother." Sparing a look behind his father, Félix sat grumbling on one of the benches by the wall. While he raised a brow, befuddled, he gave a simple shrug and headed back to his room to get ready for the next set.

And nothing his makeup artists done could've prepared him for what he'd be facing, yet he silently thanked whatever angel was looking down on him that blessed him for this opportunity.

Emerald orbs stared up at baby bluebells. Never did Adrien think he'd have been partnered with Marinette for a shoot. But he relaxed his tense muscles and gazed longingly up at her from her position above, letting his mind drift away from the sheer lace she wore while he focused on being professional. He let himself get into the mood of the shoot and held Marinette softly by her waist, her own hand which was laying upon his chest between the opened white shirt he wore feeling like blisters on his skin. Anywhere she touched felt like a blazing fire within him and ignited the flame growing steady in his heart.

"Good! Good! These are perfect!"

He knew the lust in her gaze was only for show, but he held onto her stare with even more passion burning in his own, his face aflame with red tinting his cheeks and ears. He grabbed her face gently with one hand while he laid back, resting on his outstretched hand. The white flashes all around almost blinded him to where all he could see was this sweet bluenette angel above him in sinning black lingerie.

His hand dropped and fell into place beside his other arm, his head falling back as Marinette repeated his gesture, placing her own hand on his face, trailing it along his jaw. Her finger brushed against his bottom lip and he had to resist the urge to bite down on her delicate nail. Adrien hissed in a breath when she drew ever closer, her lips mere centimeters from his own. He could feel her soft strands of hair lightly tickling his face and shoulders.

"Ah, yes! Magnificent work!"

All too soon she was pulled away and he was back in his fitting room alone. He rubbed a hand down his face and exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding. She was so intoxicating, drugging his brain until all he could think about was her.

The green-eyed male gave a sigh and calmed his rapidly beating heart, getting changed quickly. With a quick glance to his watch, he set about his way to the small café just down the street. He needed a moment to relax and besides, he had an appointment scheduled.

And so, Adrien walked inside the little cat café he had grown to adore, kneeling down to greet the little black kitten that came prancing up to him. He picked him up and started towards the front desk. Today he had planned to adopt the little rascal, he figured Tikki needed a playmate and the little guy captured his heart each time he stepped foot inside, he was sure to capture Tikki's as well.

He pulled out the paperwork and handed it over to the receptionist. In return, she pulled out a small collar and wrapped it around the kitten's neck, who he now named Plagg. He still had a week left before Adrien was able to take him home, but the collar signified he was now no longer up for adoption.

He knelt down and attached a small bell to the front of his collar before letting him go, watching as he scampered over to a certain blue-haired female he just can't seem to get away from; whether it be in his thoughts or otherwise, she was always there. Not that he minded, of course.

He headed over to where the menu was and ordered a few hot drinks. He lifted the cups and made his way to where Marinette was holding his kitten in her arms.

"Guess we had the same idea."

Adrien watched as she turned around to face him with a look of surprise before a smile graced her lips. He handed off one of the cups as he took a seat next to her. "Hot chocolate, just like last time."

Her eyes grew teary and she quickly hid her face from his view, "Thank you, Adrien."

In return, he gave her a toothy grin, "Anything for you, Purrincess." He bit his lip as a small snort escaped her. He laughed aloud and he looked down at her adoringly. With a nudge of his elbow, he threw her a geeky, silly face and it warmed his heart fully when she brought her hand up to cover the laughter that rang through his ears, small tears escaping the edge of her eyes in glee.

As they both settled down with their cups empty and their stomachs full, Adrien gave one last pet to Plagg's head before standing up and outstretching his hand towards Marinette.

She grabbed it daintily and he helped her to her feet, pulling her close and exiting the café with her at his side. Once outside, he breathed in a deep breath of fresh air, thankful for how this day had come about. And it only got better as Marinette suddenly grabbed onto him tightly, her arms wrapped around his waist. He noticed just then how small she really was, her head just barely reaching his chin. In a faint whisper, he just barely caught her words, "Thank you, Adrien. Really. Thank you."

And at once he felt his world shift. He held her in his arms firmly, nuzzling into her hair as he breathed in the smell of freshly baked cookies, forever containing the aroma as if she still lived at home above her parents' bakery. "Don't mention it, I'll always be there for you."

He gave a start when she pulled away suddenly, stammering and flitting about nervously before calling out, "I have to get going now! B-Bye!" and taking off down the pavement in a hurry.

He stared off after her with his head tilted curiously to the side, but he paid it no mind as he began to whistle and walked off to find his car.

Today was a good day.

Today is an awful day. And it only just started.

Adrien was currently sat at the kitchen table, an empty plate placed in front of him. An array of breakfast foods was displayed on the table top with multiple juice options laying at the end of the table.

While the delicious assortment of foods in front of him usually had his mouth watering and stomach growling, what lay beyond the plates had Adrien clenching his jaw and tightening his hands into fists underneath the table, hunger almost forgotten.

Félix sat across from his younger brother, paying him no mind as he looked over at him disinterested. A female sat in the next chair over, leaning over the table with her head resting on her hand, a sickening look of lust on her face as she gazed up at Félix.

What Félix was thinking to have brought a female with him to breakfast had Adrien bewildered. If his father or Félix's mother joined them this morning it was sure to cause chaos. Their parents didn't care what either child did on their own, but to blatantly flaunt a fling in front of them was another thing entirely. But seeing as the clock had been ticking by with not a footstep to be heard, Adrien figured their parents won't be attending.

Once a cup of steaming coffee was set in front of Félix and a cup of hot tea was in front of Adrien, the two males stood up in unison, grabbing their respective plates and reaching out among the others to gather their desired foods. The female jumped up out of her seat and scrambled to do the same, bumping into Félix with a small giggle.

The green-eyed blond rolled his eyes, heading down to the end of the table to pour an orange juice before sitting back in his seat again. He began to eat silently, staring intently at his food so as to not up-chuck his breakfast if he caught the two before him flirting.

Suddenly, a loud ringing echoed throughout the room. Curiously, Adrien picked his head up to take a glance across from him to see Félix staring at his vibrating phone. He sighed and placed it face down on the table. He picked his fork up to take a bite of his food when manicured hands snatched up the still ringing phone.

Adrien's eyes widened and he lowered his fork to his plate as Félix stood up, "Give me that back this instant."

The female giggled and waved it in front of him, "It's rude to not answer your phone, silly! Here, I'll do it for you."

All too late, the voice on the other end of the line spoke up and had everyone listening on in awkward silence, "Félix? It's Marinette. Listen... I don't know what happened to you or why you've been ignoring me like this, it hurts, Félix. It really, really hurts... And the worst of it is that I have no clue what I even did!"

The ravenette tapped her nail on the screen, muting the call as she gave Félix a side eye. "What is this, Félix?" Her tone didn't sound hurt, though she didn't sound too thrilled to hear another female on his phone. She nonchalantly grabbed a piece of bacon off her plate and held it in her free hand as she awaited an answer.

"Yeah, what exactly is this, Félix? I'm curious too." Adrien spoke. He's had just about enough of Félix and hearing how hurt Marinette's voice sounded had him clutching his shirt, his heart heavy in his chest.

Before Félix had a chance to respond, Marinette continued, "I just wish you'd have come to me and told me instead of ignoring me like this. But I can't do it anymore. I'm sorry. Goodbye." The phone was finally snatched back from the female and Félix gripped it tightly in his hand, his body shaking.

Adrien's jaw had dropped open as he stared at the phone clutched in his brother's palm. Marinette had just broken up with his brother. He gave a small laugh and tears came to his eyes. He felt a huge weight finally lift from him and he relaxed back in his seat as Félix turned a heated glare his way. A snicker left his lips and Adrien blurted out, "Sounds like she dumped your sorry ass."

"Excuse me? What did you just say to me?" Félix banged his hands down on the table in front of him, leaning over expectantly at his younger sibling. "How dare you speak to me that way."

A scoff escaped Adrien and he stood up calmly, a smile on his face as he stared straight into his brother's eyes. "You heard me. And you heard her. She's done with you."

Félix suddenly sprung forward, stomping across the table before tackling Adrien to the ground. The female let out a shrill shriek and ran from the room in a hurry. The younger blond spluttered off-guard, raising his arms to hold off the angry male atop him. As the two men tumbled along the ground, Adrien looked around for an advantage while his brother still seethed before him. He kicked out his foot which hit the table leg, the rest of the food falling to the ground around them as the table leg splintered and broke off.

Adrien grabbed a fist full of scrambled eggs from the floor with one hand and threw the food. As his brother focused on deflecting the eggs, he didn't notice the fist that Adrien drew until it came in contact with the older male's chin, knocking him back hard. Félix groaned loudly as the back of his head came in contact with the edge of the table and his hands flew up to cover the area with a hiss.

Abruptly, two large doors swung open and Adrien's bodyguard had pulled him away. Gabriel and Amelie standing in the doorway, overlooking the chaos that had just ensued. Amelie scuttled forward and pulled Félix from his own bodyguard's arms, "What is going on here, you two?"

Félix glared at the floor and looked away, his face still burning a bright red, now with embarrassment. Adrien pulled his arm away and brushed down his shirt. He inhaled deeply and began walking away from the scene. As he opened the door that led to the hallway to their bedrooms, Gabriel hummed in expectance. Adrien only turned his head to view his father before saying, "He's not my brother." and then promptly exiting the room.

A light drizzle rained down from the darkened sky as a blond male hurried along Paris' pavements. The street lights had flickered on one-by-one as he passed by multiple homes. Two small figures shifted around in his arms uncomfortably as they got wet from the passing rain.

The rest of the day had gone by in a blur of heated arguments. Adrien barely paid mind to any of them shouting his way as the only thought that occupied his mind was Marinette. All he wanted to do was see her. He needed to know if she was okay, that she was alright.

And so as soon as he got the chance, the blond ran from his home down the darkened streets of Paris. He wasn't sure what would've happened to Tikki if he hadn't grabbed her from Félix's room. Said brother was currently being babied in his mother's room, a nurse tending to the bruise that Adrien left.

He'd no doubt feel the sting in his knuckles tomorrow, but as for now he felt nothing, numb to the pain in his hand as he was more focused on getting to a certain blue-haired female.

As he arrived to her front door, one of the bundles in his arms jumped down, scratching at the wood of the door in front of his feet, the bell on the collar ringing out in the night. Now that Adrien was here in front of Marinette's home, he was unsure of what to do or what to say. His heart hammered in his chest and he could feel sweat dripping nervously down the side of his face, mingling with the raindrops that now poured from above.

Would she even want to see him? He doubted she wanted to see a face that probably reminded her of what had just happened to her. Him and his brother were almost identical in appearance if given the same attire, the only noticeable difference really was in the way they held themselves.

As Adrien grew conflicted with his thoughts, he was debating on pulling back and leaving. Being here and reminding her of what had just happened was definitely not Adrien's brightest idea. He didn't want to traumatize the bluenette all over again as her ex's brother shows up on her doorstep. However, he was frozen in place as he heard the distinct sound of the door being unlocked from the other side.

A loud rumble had him looking upwards as lightning flashed in the sky all around, the rain pelting down hard. The door before him finally swung open and Plagg had jumped forward almost instantly, escaping the rain and scaring the poor female that had just opened the door.

With a sheepish smile, Adrien entered her home slowly, giving her the option of shooing him away. When nothing was said he shut her front door behind him with the toe of his boot, "Is this a bad time?" She looked taken aback and in shock as she lay sprawled out on the floor, Plagg butting his head against her as he tried drying himself off.

"What are you doing here?"

Unsure of how to answer, Adrien instead opted to hold out his hand to help her stand back up. Her voice was rough and her eyes were red and puffy, a distinct sign that she had probably been crying all throughout the day. He gave her a warm smile when she took his hand and held out Tikki towards her who was shivering in his arms. "How about you go grab some towels and I'll make a pot of tea. You seem like you need it."

Marinette's blue eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight of the kitten. She grabbed her in a swift motion and hurried off to another room, Plagg following along at her heels.

In the meantime, Adrien shoved off his boots at her front entrance and hung up his wet jacket upon one of the hangers above. He made his way to where he knew her kitchen was and grabbed the kettle from the cabinet, filling it with water and placing it on the stove to boil.

Once the mugs in his hand were full of steaming liquid, he headed off back to her living room. As Marinette neared, he offered her one of the mugs while downing his own, careful not to burn his throat. In exchange, she held out a towel for him and what looked to be a pair of sweatpants. Adrien felt his heart flutter in his chest at the generous thought. By the looks of the pants, he was sure they probably wouldn't be long enough to fit his legs, but he greatly appreciated her efforts.

"I'll be back," he murmured and walked off to her bathroom. He quickly undressed and turned on her shower, feeling the hot water rinse off the chills from the abrupt storm, both figuratively and metaphorically.

As he made his way back into the living room, now refreshed and warm, he sat back on her couch to get comfy. She padded her way across the floor to sit down beside him, throwing a fluffy blanket over their laps in which the kittens had both jumped up on and gotten comfortable. He reached out for the television remote and turned on his favorite comedy show, displaying a cheeky smile as Marinette's nose scrunched up as she heard one of his puns play from the T.V.

As a feline flashed upon the screen, Adrien's smile slowly disappeared as he got lost in thought once more. A lot has happened lately these past few months. He always had a slight distaste for his brother, but he finally showed his true colors and Adrien found he despised it with a burning passion. Anyone who was willing to treat not only a human being, but also an animal with such ill-intent was no one Adrien wanted to be related to, especially when all either of them had wanted was love and affection. He wanted nothing to do with Félix anymore. He was never going to just stand by any longer. He was done being a pushover. He just wished it hadn't taken Marinette being hurt for him to realize.

"He never liked her," The bluenette whirled her head around to him with a questioning gaze. Adrien glanced up at her before looking away, instead reaching over to pet Tikki behind the ear who was curled up on Marinette's lap. "Félix isn't very good with animals. Tikki is a bit of an attention-seeker to those she knows. For some reason she liked to hide out in his room and he never enjoyed that; always pissed him off. And sometimes, he'd kick her out of his way or toss her around a little too roughly when she'd be all up in his business. All she wanted was some love." He looked up at her again as her gaze now flitted over Tikki. He could see the gears turning in her head as her brows scrunched up in confliction. There was so much she didn't know about Félix.

Feeling Plagg stirring, Adrien's attention turned towards the black kitten in his lap as the little feline stretched out, clumsily making his way towards Marinette. His green eyes sparkled with mischief and a small grin was soon plastered on Adrien's face as Plagg started climbing up her shoulder and she cried out, startled, "H-hey! Where you going, little guy?"

Plagg sat atop her shoulder with a look of triumph on his scrunched face. He gave a lick to his paw and scratched at his ear before turning around, shoving his tail into Marinette's face on the way. Adrien laughed aloud at this and watched Plagg jump down her back and nestle into the hood of her sweatshirt that lay on the back of the sofa. "What?" he said cheekily as he turned his head to Marinette who had her eyes narrowed playfully at him.

She gave a hiss and lightly slapped his shoulder, "You know what." His laughter only rang louder and he had to wipe a tear that fell down his cheek. Smirking mischievously, he pulled out his phone and swiped to the camera, holding it up in her direction. Just as she moved forward to shield the lens, his finger tapped the button on the screen and the flash lit up the room in a bright white light. "Hey! Give that!"

More tears began to fall from his eyes as he laughed heartily, holding his phone just out of Marinette's reach as she tried to grab at it. She huffed and gave a pout, puffing up her cheeks and crossing her arms. She looked adorable.

He poked her cheek to get her attention and he turned his phone towards her, a picture of Plagg in the back of her sweatshirt spreading a grin across her face. She reached up behind her to give a scratch at the kitten's ear. As he began to purr loudly in her ear, the pair cooed and awed at the small feline.

As the hours passed by, Adrien had fallen asleep sometime ago. But as he felt shuffling coming from beside him, the male slowly came to, peeking open his eyes slightly. He could feel the kittens both up by his head and their purrs were loud in his ears. Marinette had just leaned forward to change the channel on the television. He watched her carefully through his eyelashes as she curled back up next to him, this time snuggling into his chest as she laid into him.

Careful to not startle her, Adrien wrapped his arm around her slowly, pulling her into him and holding her there. He knew she would need time to heal, but for now he'll be there for her as she sees fit, and if he was being honest, he kind of needed this too. He'll be the comfort he knows she needs most right now, keeping her grounded and steady on her feet. And while his own world had also slowly been crumbling, he knew he'd get through it. And with no doubt in his mind, he knew Marinette would get through it too. She was a tough, strong girl, handling all this by herself, after all.

Just as Adrien was drifting off back to sleep again, he smiled widely and closed his eyes fully once more, clutching the female in his arms, careful not to disturb her as she exhaled soft snores. As long as she was by his side, he could get through anything.