Adrien bounced his weight from one foot to the other, not quite sure what he was going to do. He'd already walked up and down the corridors of his dorm, so now he was now wandering around the early morning Parisian streets.

Luckily it was quite quiet. Only jet lagged tourists and the earliest of wakers were amongst the minimal crowds. His phone was still silent for now, but he knew it wouldn't be long until his father would contact him. There was not a chance in hell Gabriel wouldn't after this morning's tabloid stories.

He'd woken up at six ready to start his usual morning routine; protein shake, gym, breakfast only to be rudely interrupted by Jackson storming into his room (still in last night's clothing and smelling of cheap booze) thrusting a phone into Adrien's face.

The news stories made him feel sick.

Not only were they invading his privacy but they were outright lies.

He checked his watch again. Marinette's shift would start in minutes, he needed to see her. Spinning on his heel he began to walk in the direction of the café.

Last night was a dream. When she'd whispered his own name into his ear, he was quite sure he would spontaneously combust. They were back on track, spending the rest of the night together until Alya and Nino took her home. Apparently Alya had some sort of mothering instinct over Marinette and wanted to make sure she got home. He couldn't help the hopeless feeling when she left, like he'd lost a limb.

They parted with a kiss on the cheek and a promise for her to text him when she got home. Which she did, but that didn't stop him from kicking himself for not telling her he liked her too. After she had said his name all he could do was hug her tightly into his body. He couldn't tell her ... the words just wouldn't come out. His father and mother weren't exactly affectionate towards each other so how the hell was he meant to be. He just didn't know.

Once she had left, and Adrien Agreste was once more alone the same old story happened again.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Girl.

Girl too close.

Girl needed to go away.

Over and over and over again. He was just lucky Lila hadn't returned for her next attempt with him. She was probably off manhandling another unsuspecting male somewhere and far away from him.

They were just leaving, an hour or so before the club closed when it happened.

Two girls strode next to Adrien and he thought nothing of it. He wasn't drunk, he had stayed sober out of choice. He didn't want to forget his moments with Marinette - he'd never felt so ... God ... he didn't even know how to describe it.

It was like the beam of sunshine on a cold day, the brightly lit fireplace when it's cold and snowy outside, it was like she brightened everyday, every moment, and she made him feel more than he ever was.

But now, once again it could all be over.

The two girls had clung to him, kissed his cheeks and made themselves look part of his 'after party' and he felt sick to the core as the picture smiled back at him from the news websites.

This morning Paris, and by result his asshole of a father, were waking up to the news that Adrien Agreste had - what did the news article say - lured two women back to his 'secret apartment' for a night of wild passionate relations. The woman had sold a story, a vile story of lies which, once again, was going to throw a spanner in the works.

He'd believed the pictures of Marinette wrongly and avoided her, now he was terrified she would do the same. He couldn't let it happen. Every inch of him pulsated with a need to find and explain, to make sure they were okay before the lows tore them apart.

His head and his heart flew off in front of him, desperate to get to her as his body stalked afterward.

Adrien's phone vibrated uncontrollably in his pocket and he knew exactly who that was going to be, who would want to talk - no, not talk, yell at him. He wasn't in the mood, he was never in the mood to have a 'heart to heart' with his father, not that it'd be a heart to heart more a demoralising conversation with the male role model he was meant to look up to.

He continued to walk, ignoring the vibration in his pocket, picking up pace to get to her. To see her. Marinette was his priority.

He heard whispered mumblings as he walked past people, each noticing it was Adrien Agreste. The bad boy, playboy with the hidden secret.

The only secret he had was how inexperienced he was for his age. One girlfriend. A couple of close to lip kisses ... nothing passionate. He was such a loser! The Playboy Model was a dweeb!

Lifting the hood of his hoodie over his head, he shoved his hands into his pocket and continued to walk facing the floor.

Don't look up! Don't look up! the mantra continued as he weaved through the ever growing crowds and towards the coffee shop.

Turning one last corner he was in front of the windows and there she was, cleaning the counter and looking so, so beautiful. He suddenly wished he had something to give her. Some sort of gift or flower; a red rose maybe, or a pink one? He wasn't quite sure what the colours meant, but in romance films it was always red so maybe he should go with that.

Stalling, his hand went to reach the door only to pull back and rest by his side. He couldn't do it, he couldn't go in. She was going to hate him.

He stood and stared at her, watching as she laughed at something her coworker said, picking up the cloth and throwing it at him. He dunked the cloth into the water and threw it back causing Marinette to squeal. She was adorable. A little package of fun and sass, a little diamond in the rough and the woman who had stolen his heart.

As his mind had become carried away with the names of their three kids and hamster he missed the moment she looked up and spotted him. Her eyes widening and her legs scurrying to bring her to the door.

"Adrien!" She hissed, grabbing him by the neck of the hoodie and dragging him into the café, before taking him past the counters and into the back kitchens.

"Are you okay?" She asked, wrapping him in her arms. "No one followed you did they? I can't believe they would write something like that about you."

His heart was skipping that many beats he was sure it was attempting to do the 'Cha Cha Slide.'

"Wah - you - I - do you?" He couldn't get any words out, what was going on here? Wasn't she meant to be angry? Threaten him to tell her the truth and not believe it anyway?

"I'm so sorry this has happened to you Adrien, I knew I should have stayed. Why do people think they can do this type of thing? I hate liars!"

He remained still in her arms, basking in her warmth, her kind and caring way. This girl could not be for real.

"Go out with me!" The words left his mouth without thought.

"Are you asking or telling?"

"Which would work?"

She moved away from him, a soft giggle leaving her mouth. "I think you're fine with telling me. After all, I did inform you I liked you last night, I'm guessing that request means you like me too." Her smile was wide and wonderful, and he was floating on cloud nine.

"I do, I really, really do!"

She stretched up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'll always believe you, Adrien. I trust you to tell me the truth, and I know for a fact my Adrien Agreste wouldn't just pick up women in bars, he's not cool enough."

"Of course not, I prefer supermarkets." He smiled, causing her to roll her eyes and slap him on the arm.

"Now get out of here and text me later."

He placed a kiss on her forehead, an oddly intimate gesture he'd never done before and one he couldn't wait to do again. "I will, Princess, and thank you for trusting me."

Adrien walked to the front of the store, giving Marinette one last look before leaving. He had a date. Pumping his elbow into his body, he danced all the way back to his room, this mood a lot different to when he left only minutes ago and made his way straight to his room. He decided it would do him no harm to skip the gym for one day, instead he would need to work up the courage to phone his father and deal with the devil, but that could wait, nothing would spoil his mood.

Settling into his room he collapsed on his bed not realising the movement had knocked a small box onto the floor.

A flash of green light lit the room before a strange black creature appeared in front of him.

"Hey Kid, how have you been?"