22. Protective
It only took one look at Adrien's face for Marinette to know something was wrong.
"Adrien?" she called, stepping out from behind the counter and throwing off her apron. "Are you all right?"
Adrien didn't move from his place in the bakery's doorway, hand still holding the door open and letting in a draft on wintry air that stung her cheeks. The blue scarf she'd made for him the year before was wrapped around his neck and concealed lower half of his face, but doing nothing to hide the misery in his forlorn eyes as he met her concerned ones.
"He promised," he mumbled, words muffled by the scarf. "He promised."
Marinette's face fell. "Oh, Adrien," she said, rushing to his side to pull him into a hug. The bell chimed merrily as it closed behind him, shutting out the frigid air.
"He promised to have dinner with me today, but I guess I'm just an appointment to him that he can just cancel," Adrien said, bitterness lacing his normally sweet tone.
Marinette hugged him tighter, holding him for several long moments before letting him go. "Help me close up the shop, then we can go upstairs."