Oxygen. She needed to breathe. Her lungs burned, her body ached. It all felt too good. Too familiar. She needed to stop.

    Marinette tried to pull back, to get herself out of Adrien’s grip. But she couldn’t.

Adrien wrapped the bluenette hair around his fingers, forcing her closer to him.

    This wasn’t right. This wasn’t joyful in any way for Marinette. It was forced, it wasn’t for fun or for love. It was his way of saying she belonged to him. And she hated it.

   “Adrien!” She managed as she pried her lips from his.

    The blonde changed his attention from her lips to her neck, misunderstanding her plea. Marinette dug her finger into his back, tugging at the rough fabric. He continued to press bruising kisses to her soft skin.

     “Adrien, let me go!” Tears swelled in Marinette’s eyes, blurring her vision.

      Adrien paused with his lips resting against her collar bone.

    He loved her. He needed her to stay. He needed to smell her sweet cinnamon roll scent every morning and to hear laughter that was pleasant.

    Adrien used to pause to take her all in. Her scent had changed slightly, much to his displeasure. Bakery sweets still lingered, but it was mixed with something else. A scent he was not accustomed to nor wanted to be. 

  “Marinette Dupan-Chang. I love your hair long” He groaned, untangling his fingers to stroke the bluenette hair.

   Her muscles were so tense. This tightly wound they would have snapped if they were rubber bands.

    Adrien, of course, was concerned for her. He and Marinette were best friends before they became lovers. Something as petty as a breakup could not keep him from caring about her needs and loving her.

       Letting her go, he left Marinette alone. Silently promising himself that he would be able to convince her to stay next time.

    “Marinette?” Adrien asked at the door, his back still to her.

    He could feel her bluebell eyes look at him. Adrien watched the hand he rested on the door frame.
 
   “I love you. No matter what, I swore that years ago.” His fist clenched before he moved forward, using all of his self-control not to glance back at her.
=======
   “I swear to God, I’m going to kill that man,” Alya growled as she stroked Marinette’s hair.

    The two were sitting at the couch, Marinette’s head in Alya’s lap and Chico was laying on top of Marinette. Ariana was in bed sleeping, the medicine the doctor gave her knocked her right out.

    “It’s okay, Alya. Everything is fine.” Marinette insisted, turning her head from the tv to her friend’s face. Alya scowled, meeting blue eyes.

   “Girl, the point isn’t that there wasn’t any physical damage. He forced you to kiss him, and that’s not alright.”

    Alya had a point, but Marinette didn't completely agree. Adrien was anything but kind when the kiss began. But towards the end, well Marinette didn’t know how to explain it.

     Sparks didn’t fly when their lips met. It was like the past sparks turned into flames, and every kiss only burned her. It wasn’t the same flames they were used to in intercourse either. Flames didn’t lick her skin with passion as they consumed her. They left scars and burned away at her want for Adrien.

     “I’m afraid one of these days he’ll pass the line. That he’ll do something totally unforgivable and I’ll have to kill him.” Alya’s fist tightened next to her leg.

    Marinette’s gut twisted. Adrien wouldn’t do anything unforgivable, right? Gulping, she forced a smile.

    “We’ve known him since we were fifteen. He’s been our best friend since we were fifteen. You can trust him.” The bluenette attempted to assure. 

   You can trust him because he didn’t break every promise he ever swore to you, Marinette added bitterly in her head.

    “You know I would completely ignore his sorry butt if he wasn’t Chico and Ariana’s godfather. And Nino’s best friend.” Alya pulled her eyebrows together.

    It was ironic, Marinette found. Adrien didn’t wish to have kids with her but if anything were to happen to Nino and Alya, knock on wood it didn’t, he would have to share custody of two children with her. 

   Marinette clenched her teeth. Nothing could happen to Alya and Nino, they meant too much to her. But in the rare chance it did, she would never give up Ariana and Chico. And she wouldn’t settle for just one if Adrien fought for them. They were siblings and deserved to be together.

    “I know that Alya, I know.” Marinette arched her back as a yawn escaped her lips, Chico following the movement on her chest.

 As if a ten-pound weight was tugging at her eyelids, Marinette allowed them to droop the relief of it following quickly behind. Her breathing slowed and her head turned to the side.

   Alya gave a sad smile to her sleeping friend, continuing stroking the bluenette’s hair.

   “I don’t know what you do at night,” Alya whispered as she lifted her eyes to the movie. “But you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself.”

    Weaving in and out of consciousness, Marinette barely managed to catch Alya’s words before she dozed off in a peaceful slumber. It was peaceful because she knew she was safe, here, with her best friend in the world. Someone close enough that she could call a sister.

   Sometime later, Alya managed to gently slip Marinette’s head onto a pillow. She picked up Chico, caressing the back of his head so it wouldn't roll to the side. 

    Feeling the weight lifted off her, Marinette rolled closer to the pillows, groaning as her muscles relaxed into a new position. Alya let a breath she didn’t know she was holding when her friend didn’t wake up.

     After putting Chico to bed and checking on Ariana, the brunette grabbed some paperwork and began to work on it at the kitchen table.

    It couldn't have been twenty minutes later before small footsteps approached the couch.

     “Auntie Mari.” A soft whimper tugged Marinette out of her sleep.

    Rolling over to the voice grudgingly, a groan escaped her lips. Hair fell into her eyes, causing a grunt to come out. Running a hand over her eyes, blue eyes looked at the little girl before her.

   “Mommy’s working.” Ariana was claimed by a yawn. Her lips trembled when she was finished.

   Marinette closed her eyes as she curled her middle finger and pointer finger into her palm, motioning for Ariana to come. Ariana followed with a whimper, climbing between the fashion designer and the couch cousin.

    Marinette curled around her, knees to knees and an arm over Ariana’s shoulder to keep her slightly warm.

----
     Adrien wanted to bang his head on the wall as he listened to the man before him drone on.

    Years ago Adrien had been quite thrilled when his father gave him apart of the Agreste Business. But looking at it now, it was merely a painful prick in his side.

     His foot tapped restlessly, and his eyes darted from object to object in the dining room around him. Adrien’s eyes caught when he spotted a man with blue tips dyed his hair. 

    Something like anger burned in the pit of Adrien’s stomach, causing it to churn with jealousy. Yes, he had been nice to Luka as Chat Noir. But he wasn’t Chat Noir, Paris’s second most important hero. No, he was now Adrien Agreste, a twenty-four-year-old man who broke up with the love of his life.

     Excusing himself from the table, Adrien made his way towards the guitarist. Just before he could approach Luka’s table, his eyes got locked with Juklea’s amber ones.

    Adrien flashed one of his famous smiles, the one he used while modeling. Perfect for awkward situations cause it easily allowed him to hide any true emotion. She gave one back shyly tucking her long hair behind her ear.

     Resting a hand on Luka’s shoulder, he continued to give Rose the same smile.

   “Hello, ladies.” He nodded his head in greeting, which was quickly followed by the two girls responses.

    Luka turned to look at Adrien, raising his eyebrows questionably, allowing a smile to grace his lips.

    “Would you ladies mind if I borrowed him for a few minutes?” Adrien found it quite simple to keep his voice pleasant.

   “Not at all.” Rose giggled as she took Juekla’s hand into her own.

   Luka pushed his chair back before following Adrien to the other side of the room. Adrien leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and Luka perched a hand on his hip while leaning with his right hand on the wall.

  Both men sat in silence for a few minutes, sizing each other up before Luka spoke.

   “You’re angered with me.” He stated simply, turning his blue eyes to the crowd.

     Adrien didn’t deny it as he ran his fingers through his hair, pulling out a knot or two.

    “Marinette…..”  Adrien searched for the right words. “Marinette is very important to me. You probably have already heard about us.”

    “I’ve heard enough,” Luka mumbled with his eyebrows pulled together.

    “I see, well it’s come to my attention that she’s been hanging out with you a lot. And I only have two things you need to know.” 

    Blue eyes turned to meet green. “And those things are?”

   “One, if you so much as accidentally poke her, I will hunt you down.” Adrien threatened.

    “I can say the same to you, Agreste,” Luka growled back just as forcefully as Adrien had.

   Luka knew he was acting out of his character but this wasn’t the Adrien he’s known since high school. This guy was someone else entirely and Luka was fairly convinced he had hurt Marinette far more than mentally. And the guitarist was angered by it.

   “And secondly, may the best man win.” 

     Adrien stuck his hand out, deciding that a friendly competition couldn’t hurt anyone.

     Win? Win what, Marinette's approval, heart, or her? He shouldn't make bets like that, once she gets over him she could date someone completely unexpected and he wouldn't have any say. Luka was rationalizing the situation in his head.

       He couldn't just let Adrien think he got Marinette over fore fit. Luka didn't want Marinette any way she wasn't comfortable with, he was okay with staying friends if she wanted.

    But this game, it seemed sick and twisted the way Adrien made it sound. Luka didn't want to risk Marinette's safety.

Luka examined it was narrowed eyes before shaking his hand.

   “May the best man win over Marinette,” Luka repeated slowly, watching as Adrien smiled smugly before heading off to his table.

    Regretting his choice almost instantly, a bitter taste flooded in Luka’s mouth. Marinette was not an object to win, she was so much more than that. And that’s what Adrien was making it sound like.

    Luka knew he was a lot of things, late a lot, sometimes unaware of feelings, rude, forgetful, musical, creative, at least a semi-decent uncle. But being mean to Marinette wasn’t any of those things.

    Stomach-churning in disgust, Luka slowly headed back to his table. He gulped against the lump in his throat and forced a smile.

    “I ordered you lemonade, I hope that was okay,” Rose said when Luka’s seat made a loud screeching noise.

    “That’s fine.” Luka nodded.

      Blue eyes met shy amber ones. Her eyes asked only one question. What happened? He held her eyes, tilting his head up. A small action in the Couffaine family that meant a lot. Later.
____________________________________
                  Author's notes:
      Hello lovely little readers! I for now on will really only update on Fridays. I do apologize, but school is stressful alone and I'm trying to be apart of after school activities, and it is time-consuming.

   I'm aware I'm making Adrien sound like a jerk and very rude, mostly part of his character, but this is a fanfiction. I can twist their personalitys as much as I please to help fit the plot.

     Comment, vote, give fluffy ideas! I love readings your guys comments, seriously. I laugh out loud at some and coo at others. It lifts my spirits to hear from you guys!