Marinette had never felt so heartbroken in her life.

She had no idea where it had all gone wrong, it had started so well, he'd made her feel so special like she was someone to him, then all of a sudden if changed it just didn't make sense.

The first day at 'Gabriel' had been nerve wracking to say the least. Her face to face appointment with Gabriel shedding at least four years off her life, his intensity and questions grilling her to the core and leaving her to question if this was actually what she wanted to be. It was only the thought of the evening with Adrien that was getting her through the day.

She couldn't believe how quickly she had fallen, she was completely head over heels for the guy, so much so that she was beginning to lose self control around him. Her conversation that first morning was a prime example.

He was her every thought, her everyday dream. Her life had become centred around Adrien Agreste.

Avery had invited her out last minute on Saturday night. She'd already been forced out with Alya and Nino on the Friday and Alya had invited Nino around on Saturday for some apartment hunting (turning the laptop on and making out), so Marinette staying in and being the third wheel was a complete no go.

She'd messaged Adrien, hoping he was free to come with her, after all she'd told him she'd take him out, but he was having a night at home before a photoshoot the following morning. Therefore she ended up out with Avery and the musician dude she'd been attempting to set her up with, along with his sister.

Luka was a top guy. He was kind, sweet, kept her drink full and protected her from any unwanted advances, but he gave up flirting half way through the night knowing she had more of an attraction to her phone than to him.

She'd spent most of the night talking about Adrien, and much to her dismay, declaring her love for him in the most mature way ... via text message.

She'd written it out in her drunken state before asking Luka to proofread it and sending it off. However, luck must have been on her side, as instead of selecting Adrien's name she'd sent it to Alya instead.

Alya wasn't overly confident the guy Marinette had only met three weeks prior would be flattered by her wanting to have his kittens and doing certain 'things', which had been described in detail.

Though Alya wouldn't admit it, she was actually impressed by the words and actions Marinette knew about. Especially considering she was such an innocent flower, as was 'Mr. Buttercup." Alya was sure from what she'd heard Adrien wouldn't have a clue what half the innuendos meant.

Marinette had been mortified and now she couldn't put two or more coherent words together in front of him. Which obviously was a turn off, as he'd cancelled their 'end of the first day' meal and progressively slowed down on texting her.

"Get your gladrags on, we're going out." Alya was rummaging through Marinette's closet, looking for something for Marinette to wear. "I'm fed up with you moping around and acting like the world is falling down because the guy you've fallen in love with might actually have other things to do than sit around all day and text you."

"Alya, you know it's not like that!"

"Then what's it like? Because your face has been like thunder since Monday. You're not eating, you look like shit and don't even try to get out of the fact you've been crying in your pillow each night mumbling strange things about peanut and crispy M&M's."

Marinette felt her eyes fill with tears, those were his favourites.

Looking down at the dress which had just thrown her way, Marinette decided that just maybe she did need to do something to distract herself. The dress was a favourite of hers; maroon red velvet and designed to make her assets look amazing, she'd made it for when she finally wanted to get back on the saddle, for a time just like now. But was she mentally ready?

Her mind flashed back to the message she'd received from Adrien on Monday afternoon, the message that shattered her heart into a million tiny pieces.

Adrien
Sorry Mari, going to have to cancel tonight, something's come up. I'll speak to you soon x

She'd tried texting, calling, only to find that he was most certainly ignoring her and she didn't know what else to do apart from just stop. She couldn't keep putting in effort where there were no results.

She'd only known him for a few weeks, she had no rights to him, no claim on him, but she'd really thought she'd found 'the one'. Everything with Adrien just seemed to be so perfect and ideal, how could it dissolve to nothing before it even began.

They'd had one brief text exchange since that last message, one that well and truly put her in her place.

Marinette
Hey, haven't heard from you for a while, I hope you're okay and you managed to sort things out x

She'd sent it the evening of her second day at 'Gabriel', the day where she knew he'd gone out of his way to avoid her. She just wished she knew the reason why? It had taken him three hours to reply, and the reply kicked her hard in the gut.

Adrien
Sorry Marinette, I just didn't want to give out the wrong impression. You're a great friend and you've been a fab introduction to my university life, so thank you. I'll always be grateful. You deserve all the happiness you receive.

She had been confused, utterly confused. Did he know she had fallen for him? That she had a mammoth crush that just didn't seem to want to go away? Or was he just protecting himself?

The message was so final, the end of whatever this was between them and her heart couldn't take it.

Grabbing the dress from her bed, she'd decided she'd had enough. It was time to get her act together and stop wallowing over boys. The whole point of being here was to have fun and to live a little. What more was there to do?

Slipping on the most risque dress she owned she looked in the mirror and smiled.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was ready, and Paris didn't know what was about to hit it!!

•••••

Adrien knew that if he kept exhaling like he was, he would deflate to half his size.

He sat in the common area of his dorm, scrolling through Instagram and, namely, Marinette's profile. There hadn't been any additional updates to her feed since Sunday but he had noticed the increased number of comments from 'Luka Couffaine' on her pictures. It seemed he had a lot of inside jokes with Marinette, making him feel like such an outsider to her little bubble.

Jokes and comments kept appearing, about 'Buttercup' which he came to the conclusion was some sort of code word between them and he hated it.

He hated that once again he was a side character in his own story. People laughed at his love for 'The Holiday', but he was Kate Winslet, always the supporting actor, never the lead. He needed to get some gumption.

Maybe he should have fought for her? Girls liked that didn't they? They liked guys going all butch and terratorian ... but he just couldn't do it. Who was he to step in the way of other people's happiness?

"Get up!" Jackson had entered the room, another trailing behind him. He wasn't sure who this guy was, he hadn't seen the guy before.

"No!" Adrien stated, looking at Jackson with an unimpressed smirk taking over his lips. He knew the guy would try and move him, but Adrien had muscle on his side. He might be lean but he was Goddamn strong.

"I'm not going to ask you again, Agreste! Get up and stop moping. You're making yourself look stupid." Jackson walked down the hallway, to what Adrien guessed was his room, returning with a pair of dress shoes and a leather jacket. "You're lucky you look good in any clothing or else I'd be making you get showered and changed. Now do me a favour and get your lazy, loner ass off the sofa, and get your shoes on."

"Nothing like tough love," Adrien grumbled, pulling himself to a sitting position and placing his phone down on the coffee table. He put on his shoes before looking at Jackson's friend. Jackson, himself, had disappeared down the hallway leaving Adrien alone with whoever this guy was.

"So, what's up dude?" The guy sat opposite him, looking intently between the phone (which he'd left on Marinette's instagram page, dammit) and Adrien's face.

"Don't get him started," Jackson was back, this time with his own shoes and jacket. "He messed up with a chick and now he's gone into heartbroken girl mode."

"I've only eaten three pints of ice cream, leave me alone."

"In two days man! That's not healthy!" Jason exclaimed, sitting down to place on his shoes.

"When did this happen?" The new guy's eyebrows creased, eyes still on Adrien's phone. Picking it up, the model powered off the screen and placed it in his pocket. The gaze this new guy was giving Marinette's pictures just added fuel to his already self loathing fire.

"Wednesday," Adrien mumbled.

"You barely even knew her, you met three weeks ago!" Jackson was a 'tough love' kind of guy, and Adrien didn't know whether he appreciated it, or hated it. Sometimes it reminded him a little too much of his father.

"I knew enough to know I'd fallen for her. I can't believe I was stupid enough to think she liked me too. How can I compete against a musician?" Adrien whined, tying his laces before standing up and shrugging into his jacket.

"Dude, you play the piano! You're a musician too, and a model! Come on, the girls got eyes. She wouldn't have you over to M&M's and then ditch you for a random guy with blue highlights."

But obviously his face wasn't enough. He'd really thought that with Marinette it was different, that she'd seen him, the true him and even more, that she understood him.

"Was that the girl? The one on your phone?" The new dude asked. Adrien suddenly remembered he hadn't introduced himself.

"Sorry, my manners seem to have left me.. I'm Adrien, Adrien Agreste." Adrien held out his hand to the guy, who looked as though he'd just seen a ghost. "Oh, um, I swear this isn't a joke, and I'm just a normal guy I promise."

Jackson let out a 'pfft' laugh. "Normal? Yeah right, and I'm a leopard. Guys, a complete fool."

Adrien rolled his eyes watching as the guy placed his own hand into Adrien's. "Nino," he announced, "Nino Lahiffe. It's good to meet you."

After a quick shake Adrien turned to Jackson, quizzing him about the night's events. Nino stood still staring at the guy piecing everything together from what he knew and what he'd just heard.

He pulled out his phone, and found his girlfriend's number.

Nino
You're not going to believe who's coming with me tonight! M&M guy is Jackson's secret mate, who, fyi, thinks Marinette is dating the blueberry kid. The guy is heartbroken.

•••••

A couple of blocks away Alya and Marinette were waiting on their Uber to take them to where they were meeting Nino and some of his mates. Marinette had messaged Avery telling the girl to meet them there, increasing the number for their night out on the town, and adding to the operation known as get Marinette a 'hook up'.

As Alya watched the tiny little car drive closer on her phone, a notification popped up from 'My DJ' aka Nino.

Nino
You're not going to believe who's coming with me tonight! M&M guy is Jackson's secret mate, who, fyi, thinks Marinette is dating the blueberry kid. The guy is heartbroken thinking he's lost his chance with her.

Turning the phone away from Marinette, who was still rambling on about Adrien and not wanting to be 'just friends', she messaged Nino back, a smile widening the width of her face.

Alya
The instagram pictures! Of course! My girl still wants him bad. Operation Buttercup and Cherry Blossom is a go!