"I'm sorry Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng, but we cannot use your designs anymore in our store." Marinette tried to hold onto her professionalism as the urge to rage through the store took over her.

She'd been doing online business with this company for over a year now. It was the first time they were meeting her to discuss a bigger range within their boutiques in France. They were one of her biggest and most lucrative clients, spending almost six figures with her each year. Losing this boutique chain would seriously cause issues with the future of her company, and her lifestyle. Luckily she'd always been smart with money and made sure her emergency funds were ready to be used.

"Is there something wrong with the designs? I can always change them." Marinette didn't want her emotions to show but she was quite sure the water pooling in the lower of her eyes was visible to both the ladies she was meeting with.

Come on Marinette deep breathes and control your feeling sunshine. You know what's happening. It's not the first time Gabriel has put a block on you.

But this was her client, one that she had worked with for over a year. Gabriel was destroying her life, and this made her even more determined to take up Adrien's offer.

"You know why we've got to cancel our orders Marinette, the Agreste foundation is against us having them and you in the same stores.  Unfortunately he's the known name and face. You're still an unknown. Perhaps if you get bigger contacts or clientele we can reconsider this but at the moment - I'm sorry." The manager spoke with a face full of sympathy as she marched Marinette to the front of the boutique, seemingly ready to throw Marinette out.

"Well thank you for your time." The words came out quiet and vulnerable. If only she could develop the strength she needed to stand up to these companies, perhaps then they'd take her seriously.

The two ladies began to pull out and box up Marinette's clothing already for sale in the boutique. There wasn't too much. Her designs were popular and were always a quick seller. Many a nights she'd be out with Alya or the girls and see someone in her designs, not just including her friends.

She sighed as she began to sign the paperwork to cancel the contract, when a bell was heard signalling someone was entering the boutique. The girls who'd been chattering over which dress would should off more cleavage or more legs halted their conversation. This became somewhat a chain reaction around the boutique, as the only thing left to be heard was the faint sound of Ed Sheeran coming from the speakers and Marinette's pen scratching as she signed her doomsday notice.

"Oh, Monsieur Agreste. What brings you here?"

Great, Marinette thought. He's come to check she'd been thrown out of another boutique in the city. She lowered her head and tried to gather herself together. If she was about to go head to head with this man she needed to make sure her head and heart were in the game.

Adrien stood just inside the doorway looking at the women so helpless and defeated signing something at the counter. Marinette's body language told him everything he needed to know, she had displayed the same when she was around his apartment the other night. So defenceless, so broken.

He looked her over as the room went silent. She was wearing the most beautifully fitted dress. Professional yet stylish. It was a gorgeous shade of red with two thick straps holding it up. The scoop of the neck revealed little cleavage and due to the tightness of it he could tell she wasn't wearing a bra. He felt a knot forming in his stomach. It was becoming a familiar presence every time he was around her.

Adrien's eyes travelled over her skinny waist and down to her thighs. The dress was a midi pencil line and it accented her beautiful legs and stunning black patent high heels. The dress clung perfectly to her ass and he couldn't help glaring. She must work out ... a lot.

Finally he noticed her face, she was looking intently at some sheets of paper. Her hands were stretched out as though she were trying to calm herself ready for battle. Her hair had been tied up in a ponytail with her bangs positioned perfectly over her forehead. The final piece of this beautiful artwork in front of him was her lips. Marinette had a bright red pout. The red drew him into the area and he saw how beautifully plump her lips looked. As he continued to stare he could feel himself unconsciously lick his lips.

"Monsieur Agreste, are you ok?" The manager of the company had approached him and asked him again. He shook his head and took his eyes away from the dazzling woman in front of him. Did she always look so stunning?

He smiled down at the lady he towered over before looking back at Marinette.

"I saw my girlfriend was in here."

Marinette's head turned straight to the voice. It wasn't Agreste senior, it was Agreste junior. Her clear blue eyes met his incredibly bright green ones. They were warming and caring, and she had never been so happy to see him.

"Hey Princess." Adrien walked forward keeping his eyes on Marinette's reassuring her he knew what he was doing. As he reached her he bent down and placed a kiss on her cheek. She tried to place a smile upon her lips but he could tell she was faking it. His eyes questioned her as his eyebrows creased together. She shook her head and he saw the tears being held back in her eyes.

Marinette looked down at the paperwork and Adrien followed her eyes.

Contract of deceased trading

He looked back up at her and her head fell low. Without warning Adrien took her into a hug. A warm, comforting hug. He wanted her to know he was here for her, he would help her through it. He cradled her head with the palm of his big hand and tried to pass on the message he was going to fix this.

The customers went back to looking through the clothing rails as the managers made their way to Adrien. Marinette could hear all the girls talking about him and her, making her feel more self conscious than she already did.

"Your girlfriend is Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng? Does your father know about this?"

He placed a possessive arm around her waist and pulled her in close to him. Marinette came willingly and placed her arms in a possessive position on Adrien; one arm wrapped around his crazily toned waist and then the other hand on one of his pecks. He must spend more time in the gym than anywhere else, she thought. She was seriously liking what she was feeling at the moment. He was so big compared to her petite frame.

"Oui, and of course I haven't. He ruins everything he touches. He's not getting his hands on my Princess, I've been after her since lycée." He smiled at her before grabbing her hand off his peck, kissing it and replacing it to where it was, right on his pounding heart. He liked her touching him, almost as much as he was enjoying touching her.

"I think you'll find I'm the one that's been chasing you, Kitty." She smiled up at him sweetly, the temptation to kiss her was on a whole other level.

"It's a shame though," Adrien let out a dramatic sigh. "Gabriel is driving so many companies out of business taking Marinette's designs out of their boutiques. Once the Miraculous collection has gone, nine out of ten stores file for bankruptcy. But at least you're not doing that are you?"

The managers looked between each other and gulped. Adrien bent down and kissed Marinette on the head, smiling to himself that he may have succeeded in his first attempt. A shiver of pride when down his spine. He really hoped they were going to cancel their withdrawal.

Marinette smiled up at Adrien. Her eyes displaying the thank you she couldn't give him at the moment. No one has ever stood up for her like that before. Never. She knew the deal was for him to help her but she couldn't understand why he'd done it so soon and also so intimidatingly with the managers of the store. His every facial expression cornered them into his trap. He looked at them as though they were inferior to him, and to her. They were suddenly a team. They were in this together. Marinette and Adrien against the world.

"Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng, I'm afraid I need to take this back off you." One of the managers grabbed the contract as the other grabbed the box of clothing. The contract was ripped up and placed in the bin.

"We would like the original order you intended to send us please? We'll get payment sent over to you by late this afternoon."

"Thank you." Marinette whispered. He'd actually done it. Adrien Agreste had saved her. She smiled to the ladies before turning the smile to Adrien. He had his eyes firmly placed on the managers, his mouth was in a bright, fake, model smile and both women seemed to be swooning at him.

"My Princess is starting some male underwear campaigns too, perhaps she could send you one of the promos I'm doing for them." What was he talking about? No she wasn't! And no way was she going to take pictures of him in just underwear. Adrien rubbed circles on her hip bone obviously knowing she was about to give him a verbal ass kicking.

"Oh my - thank you Monsieur Agreste and Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng. I'm sure that'll help pull the crowds into the store and also help us keep this partnership."

Marinette smiled back at the woman, perhaps making Adrien some underwear wouldn't be too bad. Not if it was going to help her career.

"Well if you don't mind us, I have a hot date to take my girlfriend on. Au revior, we'll be in contact soon." He gave them a wink as he began to guide Marinette out the door. Her eyes didn't leave the managers as they began fan-girling.

Adrien opened the door and guided her out first. She was completely speechless and slightly confused about what just happened. Adrien grabbed her hand and they walked down to the local park opposite her parents bakery. Neither spoke as they walked. The famous fashion model had his fingers entwined with a beautiful women out in public. This was never seen by womaniser Adrien Agreste and attention was being pulled from every direction.

They found a bench and sat down next to each other.

"Paparazzi have been following me all day. Apparently they know I'm back in Paris." He looked at her face as he swung an arm behind her shoulders, laying it flat against the top of the bench. She looked deeply into his eyes and watched as his head took a quick tilt to the right. She looked over and saw a man with a rather impressive camera pointed straight towards them.

She turned her body towards him looking like the ever doting girlfriend.

"Thank you, Adrien. I would have lost everything if you hadn't turned up."

"It's about time someone stood up for you. You shouldn't be made to fight this battle alone."

Without too much thought she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged onto him. He curled his arms around her and they both felt the comforting warmth they needed. They needed each other, even if neither would admit it.

"You still ok for our date this evening?" Adrien asked without removing himself from her body. He took in a deep breath and the scent of strawberries and vanilla filled his senses.

"Of course, I'll meet you there about 7pm?" She broke the hug first, pulling away to look into his beautiful eyes. As the sun reflected on them she swore she may go blind by the sparkle, they were so big and so bright. They were a mirror of his smile.

"See you then." They both stood up and hugged before she turned and walked towards her parents bakery.

He watched as she walked away, for once in his life excited about the prospect of a date. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was definitely something, now he just had to figure out what.