Hello! HeLlO! HELLO! I'm back with another story!

WARNING:
This is the sequel to "A Gamer's Pride!" It'll make a lot more sense reading that first before this! But if you don't or you already did, I hope you enjoy! Also, there will be some inappropriate jokes here and there but nothing more than that!

Enjoy!

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"Pardon me?"

Sabine and Tom both wince, guilt gnawing at their souls. They can see the fear and anxiety etched on their daughter's face. The way she is standing paralyzed and digging her nails into the palms of her hands. The irises in her eyes shrink while her eyelids expand to the size of Saturn's rings.

Sabine and Tom feel bad for Marinette, especially finding out about this at the last minute.

"Your Grandma and Grandpa Cheng are going to be staying here for your birthday week," Sabine explained, grudgingly, "Since you'll be turning sixteen, they're expecting you to have picked a well-esteemed suitor and want to meet him."

Her parents wish they could do something to stop this. Marinette is still young. She should be worrying about regular teenage and school stuff. She shouldn't have to worry about suitors or marriage. Marinette deserves the freedom to make her own unexpected choices, not have a planned-out future.

Yet, Sabine's parents are very powerful and complex people. They always get their way. It sickens Sabine with how gruelingly cruel her parents are, especially with their own family. Marinette knows the consequences if she doesn't pursue a man. She isn't willing to make that sacrifice a reality.

Instead, her grandparents will take her back to China and force her to re-learn everything about being a lady. They'll choose a man she's never met and force her to marry whoever is picked. Lastly, she'll have to reproduce an heir and continue their family's sacred tradition of properness through another generation.

There is no other choice.

Marinette has to find a proper suitor within the next few days.

"But, who?" She thought, mind scrambling for an answer to her problem. She doesn't know any gentlemen. She only knows of the wild buffoons in her school, none of which are classy and chivalrous.

Instantly, a mental image of a blonde with emerald eyes popped into her brain.

"No," Marinette thought in denial, waving off the image, "I am absolutely not going to involve him in my family issues. There has to be some other solution to my problem."

{+}{+}{+}

"Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling and every time we kiss, I swear I can fly," Adrien sings in a high-octave, cracking voice and shimmies a little to the music coming from his earphones, "Can't you hear my heartbeat slow? I can't let you go. Want you in my life!"

The blonde has been working at the arcade for about six months. The job isn't exactly a job he enjoys, aside from working with Alya and seeing Nino more often. The only worst parts about this job are cleaning the bathrooms, throw up, and..."mysterious accidents." He didn't want to think too far into that last topic.

At least, he can listen to music while he works. Yet, there's another reason he enjoys working at this arcade.

The dancing blonde turns away from restocking the prize wall and was about to restock the counter's prizes. That's until he noticed Marinette standing on the other side of the counter. Adrien frighteningly jumped nearly two feet in the air, gripping his hand over his racing heart.

"M-Marinette, you scared me!" he said, feeling his cheeks warm up in embarrassment, "Uh...h-how long have you been standing there for?"

Marinette only responded with a groan of despair. Adrien began to notice Marinette's appearance is a little haggard. Her hair is sticking out on every end like a Pikachu used Thunderbolt on her, bags formed under her sleep-deprived eyes, and...

"Is your shirt on backwards?" Adrien questioned. Without even looking, Marinette robotically responded, "Probably."

He raised an eyebrow at the sullen bluenette before his soul became strung with concern. Marinette never sounded this neutral, always having an optimistic and proud attitude. Now, she's acting like some sort of zombie.

"What's wrong, Marinette? You're usually more...what's the word...cleaned-up?" Adrien asked, worriedly. In the many years he's known Marinette, she's always looked presentable and confident with everything she did.

Now, she looks like a straight-up mess.

Adrien has to work if he wants to pay off his mother's damaged pin. Plus, his boss is over six feet tall, scary-looking, and rumor has it, has been in a few street fights (some of his victims having to be hospitalized). Long story short, Adrien doesn't want to be caught lallygagging on the job.

Yet, he can't just leave Marinette standing here all depressed and lifeless.

He decides it'd be worth being hospitalized than leaving the bluenette in this state. Adrien scans the area for his boss. Seeing the coast is clear, he leaves from behind the counter. He guides his wayward friend over to a somewhat hidden table and sat down.

Adrien instantly notices Marinette slouching, another thing he's never seen her do. She's always told him how important good posture is. It's very unlike Marinette to not follow those "lady rules." Something is very wrong.

"Uh...Marinette, you're slouching," Adrien notified the bluebell-eyed girl. Marinette blinked for a moment before Adrien's words slowly sunk in. Her eyes widened and gasped in dismay. Instantly, she fixed her posture before letting out a frustrated whimper.

"Look at me, I am in shambles!" Marinette dramatically exclaimed, "Why must this happen to me? My life was beginning to prosper! Now, the ghosts of my past will bring my inevitable future!"

"Woah! Slow down, Shakespeare. I don't understand what you're saying," Adrien said, trying to calm her down, "What are you talking about?"

Marinette bit the bottom of her lip, wondering if she should tell Adrien or not. She doesn't want him getting involved in her situation. She came here to talk about her problems with Alya in hopes of her having a clever way to solve them. Unfortunately, she ran into the person she didn't want to interfere.

Marinette cleared her throat and tried to fix her hair to look more presentable.

"I am here to see Miss Cesaire and have a..."girl talk" with her?" Marinette explained, unsurely testing out "girl talk" on her tongue, "Is that the correct term for speaking with a female companion? Miss Cesaire uses it quite many."

Adrien raised an eyebrow, suspicious of the class president. He can feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand in warning. This sixth sense has never failed him yet in telling him that something is off.

Not only that, but Marinette is also using Alya's last name again. After she started using Adrien's first name, she began to do the same with everyone else. Her reverting to those ways again is strange, to say the least.

"Yeah, she's not working today but I have a funny feeling that it has nothing to do with talking about shopping or hormones or your monthly "code red" or whatever girls talk about," Adrien said, suspiciously.

Marinette's body stiffened, sweat starting to adorn her forehead. She started to wonder how he knew (especially, the "code red" signal she and Alya made up but that's a later issue).

The blonde deflated a little, a frown encasing his features. He knew it's none of his business. Marinette can tell Alya whatever it is that's bothering her. Still, why can't he be someone Marinette can talk with too?

"She still probably doesn't trust me," Adrien thought, sadly. Marinette noticed his face melancholily fall. She feels guilt weigh down on her chest and sighed. She supposed it wouldn't hurt to tell Adrien what's going on. He's a very sly guy and might be able to help from the sidelines.

"My grandparents are coming to Paris," she relented, earning the teen boy's attention, "They are arriving next week and will be staying for the entire time."

Adrien raised an eyebrow, not seeing what the problem is, "So...you're freaking out because a couple of old raisins are visiting your family for a week?"

"You do not understand. These are the same people who have raised me to be a lady. They are very well-known in China, always expecting people to fulfill the highest of standards and expectations. They have crafted me into a perfect specimen just to marry some rich fool to expand the family's business and continue their lineage's traditions." Marinette ranted, anger seething in her voice and crosses her arms.

"Plus, they always compare me with my "outstanding" cousin, Bridgette," she continued, waving a fist and loudly proclaiming in the air, "I am good enough, grandmother!"

Confused gazes land on the two teens before returning to what they were doing previously. While Marinette is breathing heavily, Adrien urges his friend to calm down. He doesn't need Marinette getting kicked out and him caught slacking.

"So," Adrien started, after Marinette settled down, "what exactly is the main problem besides your high-classed grandparents visiting?"

"My lovely grandparents want to meet the man I have chosen once coming of age next week. Unless I find someone to pretend to be my suitor for seven days, I will surely be sent back to China to relearn everything and be betrothed to a stranger," Marinette explained, anxiety swelling in the confines of her chest.

Adrien's eyes widened; his heart shattered into pieces at the mere thought of Marinette leaving. His blood goes ice cold and skin paling of color. He clenched the apron he's wearing and breathing hitched a little. The blonde is having a hard time trying to find the words, mouth suddenly feeling dry, and body paralyzed.

"Why is this affecting me so much?" He thought, emotions flying around like a twister. Finally, he rationalizes his feelings and lets determination take over. There is a way he can stop Marinette from leaving.

It sounds selfish but he can't bear the idea of never seeing the bluenette again. He has to do this. He will do this! Marinette just basically told him the solution. Now, he has to put it into motion.

"I know what is going through your mind right now, Mister Agreste. Although I am flattered you would offer yourself to play the part, I am going to instantly decline your help in that role," she said, making Adrien deflate.

"Why? I believe we can pull off being a "couple," Adrien argued before thinking, "even though I wish it were true."

He shakes away the thought before Marinette responded, "Negatory, I do not want you to get involved. I will allow you to help from the sidelines but no further than that. It will surely risk our friendship. If my grandparents find out, they will make sure to cut off all our ties so I am not "distracted from the bigger picture."

Adrien wants to argue back some more but Marinette seems nearly dead set on not having him be her "suitor." She is stubborn like that. Sometimes, he can't decide if that part of her is more annoying or alluring. He slumps his shoulders and lets out a long sigh, not seeing the point of continuing.

"Alright, I'll help you from the sidelines," he finally agreed, "Maybe, you can hold auditions after school tomorrow or something."

"Are you being serious?" The bluenette questioned.

He really has gone soft.

"Yeah..." Adrien confirmed, "...I'll ask the guys after gym in the locker room tomorrow."

"That sounds marvelous," Marinette said, genuinely thankful, "Thank you, Mister Agreste. I am sure whoever is willing to try out as my fake suitor will be splendid!"

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If Marinette could take back her words, she'd do it in a heartbeat.

She arrived at the arcade later the next day, her face smushed against the table's surface and let out an incoherent grumble.

"I take it, the auditions didn't go very well?" Adrien questioned, placing a cherry slushy down and sitting on the other side of the table. Marinette lifted her head off the table, looking both blunt and agitated.

"You have no idea," she responded, recalling the terrible memories.

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"Are you Australian? Because you meet all of my koalafications," Nathaniel read from a piece of paper before continuing down the list of awful pick-up lines, "If you were a burger at McDonald's, you'd be the McGorgeous."

Marinette and Alya sat off to the side, faces scrunched up in distaste. Luckily, Nathaniel is too busy with his face practically in the paper to notice.

"My name isn't Elmo, but you can tickle me any time you want to."

"Woah! Hold up, lover boy!" Alya stopped the redhead, "Who told you that pick-up line?"

"Oh, Kim helped me with this one," Nathaniel innocently said, pointing over at the flexing jock. Marinette scoffed, glaring at Kim before returning her gaze back to Nathaniel. She softened her look, saying, "I am afraid I will have to say no but thank you for trying."

Nathaniel shyly smiled before rejoining Marc at the school's entrance.

"Next!" Alya shouted. Marinette is glad Alya didn't hesitate to agree in helping with this mission after explaining the situation. The raven-haired girl isn't sure if she would have been able to do these additions alone.

"Thank you once again for assisting me with this," Marinette genuinely said, earning a smile from the ombré-haired teen.

"Girl, you know I'll always have your back. I'm not going to so easily lose my best friend without a fight," she said, reassuringly patting the back of Marinette's shoulder, "If any of these guys even dare lay a dirty finger on you, I'll smack them and tell them to go wash their perverted hands in some holy water."

The bluebell-eyed teen merely smiled, knowing without a doubt that Alya would do just that. Marinette is very happy to have someone like Alya as her best friend and wouldn't trade her for anyone else in the world.

The next male approached the two. The girls didn't recognize the guy approaching with a set of bongos.

"Next!" Alya repeated, earning a disapproving nudge from Marinette.

"We will give him a chance before making a decision," she stated before gesturing for the male to proceed. He hit the bongo once, saying in the most robotic voice Marinette has ever heard, "This is a short poem I call "My Backyard."

"The color of an apple is red," he monotonously began, hitting the bongo again and playing a rhythm, "The same color my pet, Fluffy, bled. Now, he is dead. And buried in his eternal bed...my backyard."

A few people are snapping their fingers (and Kim is bawling his eyes out, taking the offered tissue Max handed him). Marinette and Alya didn't say a word, staring at their fellow student. What are they supposed to say to that?

Marinette immediately quit additions.

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Marinette didn't know what she was going to do!

Time is running out and she still hasn't found a capable gentleman to fill the role. She slurps on the slushy Adrien gave her, trying to figure out any solution at this point.

The blonde can see the stress lines wrinkling the raven-haired girl's face. He frowns, wishing she would just let him play the part.

"It would be a lot easier if you just let me play your suitor than stressing over everything," Adrien explained, earning Marinette's attention. She stops drinking the icy beverage and gave Adrien a look of concern.

"I will not put our friendship in any further jeopardy. You are lucky enough to even help at all but there are lines I do not wish you to cross," Marinette replied, shaking her head.

"Marinette," Adrien sternly exclaimed, narrowing his eyes. The class president is taken aback by the sudden change in emotion. She's never seen Adrien lose his cool in the slightest. Even when he is really annoyed with Chloé's antics, he keeps a pretty cool head.

"Our friendship is at risk whether I help you or not. If you don't find anyone to do it, you'll be sent off. If you do find someone random and they mess up, you'll be sent off. But let someone you know help you, the odds of succeeding are a lot better."

Marinette's shoulders slump, sighing, "I know...I just..."

She crossed her arms and stares at the tabletop, distraughtly. Adrien is logically right. He would make a perfect fake suitor for her. There is no denying it. She can't find anyone else to play the part. Besides, her grandparents would probably forbid her from seeing anyone that isn't family if they figure out the plan.

Why was she so against the idea of Adrien being her fake suitor? Maybe, it is out of fear of her grandparents doing something despicable to Adrien and his family. It wouldn't be the first time they've done terrible things to families because of one person...

Marinette would feel devastatingly guilty about her family problems causing consequences for somebody else, especially the people close to her. The closer the person is to Marinette, the worse the consequences. Now, she is starting to rethink rethinking Adrien's idea.

"Marinette, just let me help you," Adrien tries to convince her again, "You helped me. Now, it's time that I repay the favor."

Bluebell eyes blink, even more confused than she already feels.

"Mister Agreste, my tutoring for you requires no payment. I am glad to assist my fellow classmates when they are struggling with schoolwork."

Adrien can't help the small smile appearing on his lips. Marinette obviously didn't know the real reason behind his words and he didn't plan on elaborating on it. Adrien just wants the raven-haired teen to understand that he is willing to help her if it means she stays in Paris.

Marinette sees the sincerity and determination in those emerald eyes. She lets out a long sigh, knowing there is little time and no other option.

"Alright," Marinette relented, "You can be my fake suitor."

"Really? I can?" Adrien sputtered in disbelief. He thought Marinette would put up a bit more of a fight, considering how stubborn she can be. But it seems she is too desperate for help and short on time.

"Yes," Marinette confirmed, "Your training will start tomorrow."

"Training?" The blonde questioned, "Training for what?"

"While you may have charm and a naturally attractive face, you lack in...some qualities of gentleman-like behavior. We need to sculpt you into a "perfect man," as my grandmother would put in her words, in just a few days," Marinette explained, oblivious to the flustered boy across the table.

Adrien didn't know whether to be honored that Marinette basically said he is good-looking or be offended by the emphasized "some" (sounding more like a soft blow of what she really meant).

"Okay," Adrien agreed, returning from his stupor.

"Excellent!" The bluenette exclaimed before standing from her seat, "I wish I could stay longer but I need to go help the student council committee prepare for the school dance."

The blonde's eyes widen. Adrien completely forgot about the school dance in a few weeks. He has been somewhat busy with school and work that it kind of slipped his mind.

"Okay, I probably should get back to work, anyway," Adrien said, trying to be as level-headed as he possibly could. Internally, his mind is in a frantic frenzy. He doesn't understand what's happening to him.

"When did it get so hot in here?" Adrien thought, feeling his face burning like it was sunburnt. Sweat accompanied his heating skin too. Is he nervous? Why is he so nervous?
After Marinette left, Adrien returned to behind the counter. He is confused, trying to straighten out what he is feeling right now.

When Alya finds him, the blonde looked like he is off in a different land. His face is neutral while his hands are, for some reason, polishing an expensive game controller. Alya snapped her fingers in front of Adrien's face while saying, "Earth to idiot. Do you copy?"

Adrien's train of thought ran off the rails and fell back into the real world. He blinked then focused his gaze on his ombré-haired friend.

"Sorry, did you say something?" he asked. Alya raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips.

"You really must have been out of it if you didn't notice you just ruined the Sea of Thieves Xbox game controller," Alya deadpanned, pointing at the controller in his hands. Adrien gasped in terror, quickly placing it down on the counter.

"How much did that cost?" the blonde nervously asked, skin paling of color. Alya placed a hand on the male's shoulder, "More than what you make in three months."

Adrien's heart sank, the pupils in his eyes shrinking.

He is so dead!

If his boss found out that he ruined the game controller, he'll be skinned alive! His head would be mounted on his boss's basement's wall of victims while he plays poker with a bunch of dogs!

Adrien shivered, recalling the strange and horrifying nightmare he had one night.

"How can I remove fingerprints from this thing?" He panickily asked, picking up the controller and frantically waving it around.

Then, he paced the floor and continued to dramatically fumble out words, "Maybe, it's not too late to escape to another country! Get off the radar for a little bit!

"I'll need to change my name and dye my hair. Maybe, brown? I'll find a new job and a garbage apartment, cause God knows I won't be able to afford anything else! I'll have to say goodbye to all my likable friends and family forever, tell Marinette I love her, and pack some essentials in a book bag-"

"Woah woah woah!" Alya cuts Adrien off from his franticness rambling and pacing, "What did you just say?"

Adrien blinked at his co-worker, questionably repeating, "Pack some essentials in a bag?"

Alya hit her forehead, wishing to knock some sense into this oblivious dummy. She shook Adrien a little, "No, you doofus! Before that!"

The teen boy began to recall his rambling, trying to figure out why Alya wanted to know about-

Adrien froze when realization fell on him like a pile of semi-trucks.

"Oh shi-"

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I will try to update every Saturday