A/N: UPDATE: I had to republish this chapter because there was a whole chunk missing and I didnt realise so I added it between star symbols: *** sorry about that!

Hello, just a side note. It's okay to translate my stories. I'd love for people of all languages to enjoy my stories.
All you have to do is ask and let me know so I can add your translation to the bio of the story so that readers in that native language know where to go and other avid readers know that you have permission to translate the story.
   It very rare that I say no.

The official Spanish translation is by wattpad user OretniRiascos
All other languages ( except English of course) is open to translation.
Just let me know.

Thanks!
_________________________________________

Fifteen missed calls.

It had only been two days. 

Two days since Adrien had witnessed probably the most distressing thing aside from learning his mother had disappeared.

It didn't surprise Adrien that Kagami started with the spam calls only two days after the incident. 

She was like that. She had always been like that and it wasn't until now that Adrien realised how controlling and pushy she was.

It almost made him irate.

His heart sank into his stomach the moment his phone began to buzz in his hand.

As if Kagami had the best timing. 

Adrien quickly locked his phone, ignoring the call before he set his phone on top of the piano.

There was an awkward silence in the air. Nothing could be heard except for the sounds of the rain pattering against the room as it only grew more and more forceful. The sound of thunder began to rumble throughout the sky, and the moon casted an eerie glow in the room.

Marinette stood awkwardly by the kitchen, glancing down like a child who was about to be reprimanded.
She wanted to turn on a light, or perhaps rush out of the room to a different location so she could change and hide under the blankets.

She squeezed her eyes shut, flinching as lightening flashed throughout the dark area and Marinette couldn't help but to wonder if Luka was alright.

She couldn't get the image of him standing in the rain out of her head. It was a habit of worrying that she couldn't shake. She had never seen Luka in a state of vulnerability.

"Is there something between you and Luka still? I know you two have been on dates before. I just don't want to feel like I'm intruding on something I have no place in." Adrien murmured once the room grew silent.

Marinette blushed deeply, gulping as she hadn't realised just how compromising it looked to see her in his embrace once more.

The young woman couldn't have Adrien believe she was that type of person, they had an intimate interaction the night prior, she wasn't going to take his feelings lightly the way Kagami did. 

"N-no!" Marinette breathed, her heart aching in her chest as she could hear the buzzing from Adrien's phone, clambering against the surface of the piano.
"There's nothing between me and Luka." She stuffed her hands into the pocket of her damp sweater, keeping her eyes down at her boots. 
"I just- I gave him the chance to talk." Marinette pressed her lips together, suddenly growing warm as she could feel Adrien's eyes on her.

"I'm going to give him the chance to talk. I want to hear what he has to say. He owes me an explanation. I feel like I have a right to know and he has a right to tell his truth." Her voice trailed off as her heart began to thump wildly inside of her chest.

Adrien didn't say anything and they were both enveloped in a silence that was almost deafening yet again. 
"I think we both deserve closure." Marinette whispered, taking the silence as an opportunity to speak.

Adrien continued to glance at Marinette, his face remaining impassive even as his phone began to ring once more. 

Marinette kept her gaze away from him, worried that Adrien would be frustrated or angry by the sight of Luka. She had only seen him in a blind rage once, and that was when he had actually caught Luka and Kagami together.

"What was your relationship with Luka like? Were you both intimate?" Adrien asked, a grimace on his face as the lines under his eyes deepened.

Adrien wondered what else Luka had taken from him.

Marinette widened her eyes, her blush deepening as she recalled the time they had both almost had sex on their first date. 

Reflecting back on it, she couldn't have felt any more shameful than she did at that very moment. She was well aware of how bad it looked, and she only realized it now that her intentions were solely out of pain.

She was desperate and hurting from knowing that Kagami had Adrien's heart. Marinette felt awful that she had lost someone she never had in the first place. She was desperate to move on, she wanted to feel loved, to feel wanted, to feel warm and she was going to do whatever she could to achieve that release, even if it meant losing her virginity.

She certainly did want a relationship with Luka, and though she was forcing it, she realised that Luka didn't deserve a relationship that wasn't authentic, especially because he seemed genuine at the time.

Granted, it was a selfish thing to do, and if Marinette reprimanded Kagami for her selfish attitude, then she could only hold herself accountable for being selfish as well.

She didn't want to lie to Adrien. Lying was what forced him to build walls in the first place. She knew something had happened, and he even implied so when he saw the visible marks Luka had left behind on her neck. 

"I-I..." Marinette stammered, her cheeks growing red. "I had initially wanted a relationship with Luka. We only ever agreed to one date. It....it did get close. We were close to doing something." Marinette mumbled, feeling embarrassed about the situation. "I thought that I could move on from you, by dating Luka. I had thought that sex would somehow fix me, but you called before we could move any further." 
Marinette fiddled with her key inside of her pocket.
"You just had a strange way of interrupting things at the right moment."

Adrien slipped his hands into his pockets, listening to Marinette's explanation but unable to react to it.
"Why didn't you ignore my phone call? Why not just forget about me, and continue with what would have made you happy?"

Marinette frowned, her heart aching inside of her chest as she worried that she had twisted her words bad enough to appear as if she was blaming him for her not being able to copulate.

"I answered because I couldn't stop thinking about you." Marinette replied almost immediately. "I knew of my feelings for you then, and if anything I realised them at that time more than I could have at any other time."
Marinette slipped her hand out of her pocket and began to rub her cheek nervously.

"I knew at the time you didn't see me that way, and you were in a loyal relationship, I thought I was making a rational decision but I realise now that I would have made a mistake if I allowed him to take my virginity."

Marinette felt her heart jump inside of her chest, her lips growing warm with the blood that rushed to them.
She knew who she wanted to take her virginity, and despite how awful it sounded, she wanted him to since the time they both fooled around in the pool with Nino and Alya. 

Marinette wasn't sure if it was the appropriate time to let him know about that, but she really wanted him to know. 

She wanted him to know how much she loved him, she wanted him to know how much she trusts him, she wanted him to know how much she admired him.

He deserved to know that, especially after everything they had been through together in the short amount of time they got to know one another.

She wanted to tell him, but nothing came from her lips.
They were submerged into silence once more and Marinette struggled to keep her heart at bay.

Adrien kept his eyes on her, reading the conflicted expression on her features and he almost felt like he had become to prying. His emotions and his thoughts had been all over the place.

Granted, he loved Marinette. He knew that without a doubt, but the situation with Kagami was like an open wound that had only just stopped bleeding.

Marinette glanced into his eyes, her blue orbs flickering back and forth between his green eyes and she ached for him to react to what she had said, but instead his eyes simply lowered to her fishnet stockings and black ankle boots.

"This is the first time I've ever properly seen you in your work uniform." Adrien commented, cutting the silence between them with ease.
His green eyes reflected back to her blushing freckled face in an instant before he reached up to rub the back of his neck.

"You look nice." 

Marinette felt completely flaccid, a perplexed feeling flooding her veins as Adrien glanced down at the ground briefly before he turned away and exited back towards the room where she had set the piano. 

The young woman blinked, her face heating up in a rapid pace as Adrien left her behind to gather her thoughts.

Marinette wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she certainly wasn't expecting that.

***
She pressed her lips together, a pout forming on her lips as she wiggled her toes within her boots.
She just needed to change into something much more comfortable.

But at least he liked her stockings.

Marinette turned, focusing on the back steps so she could escape but paused the moment she heard music.

Of course she knew that Adrien grew up playing classical music. In fact, he stressed that his father pushed him to the point where he no longer enjoyed playing the music he enjoyed listening to.
Yet the moment she heard Chopin's Nocturn no 20 in C sharp Minor, she couldn't help but to feel completely taken each time by his talent.

The melody was incredibly melancholic yet undoubtedly evocative. It was almost as if it mimicked his feelings of desperation. Adrien was desperate for some sort of hope.

Marinette frowned, feeling her heart sink as she knew that there was a lot going on in the inside than he had let on.
She tucked her dark hair behind her ear, and sighed. She closed her eyes as the melody began to flood the room, but Marinette knew she couldn't leave him behind.

She changed direction, slowly wandering towards the room where she heard him play. Her blue eyes sought him out in the dark, and despite the flashes from the lightening, she still couldn't quite set where he had been.
It was almost as if a disembodied tune had somehow engaged her.
She leaned into the door way, her heart thumping with each note he played.

She stepped into the room quietly, following the melody as her hands searched for him in the dark.
Her heart skipped beats as the music grew only louder and louder and Marinette knew she was only getting closer to him.
She breathed in the moment her hands found his shoulders.

Without hesitation, Marinette wrapped her arms around him from behind. She leaned into him, her hands crossing at his chest tenderly. She turned her face into his neck, breathing in his scent affectionately.
Adrien leaned into her, his fingers slamming into the keys off note the moment his phone began to buzz once more.
The notes drowned out into the air and Marinette had a hunch that she knew who had been trying to contact him.
Luka had been hounding her on her shift while tending the bar, it only made sense that Kagami was trying to get ahold of Adrien to explain her truth as well.

That was, if she was willing to tell him the truth.
Adrien trembled in Marinette's grip, and he very carefully placed his hand on top of hers, guiding it to his heart where it thumped wildly against his chest.

Marinette frowned, turning her head in so that she could kiss his cheek once more.
"It's okay to be sad, Adrien." Marinette murmured softly, her heart syncopating with his heart. "But you can't avoid her forever. I know you have questions..."

Adrien sighed, his shoulders rolling forward as he remained silent. His eyes shifted in the direction of the buzzing, but he didnt have any intention to answer the phone.

"I don't think I'm ready to hear what she has to say yet." Adrien mumbled, his voice flat, but a grimace etched on to his face.

Marinette frowned, opening her eyes as the phone finally stopped and she pressed her lips together, her hand rubbing his chest in reassurance.
"You used to be really different from when I met you up until now. I'm really worried about you." Marinette closed her eyes once more, a small blush coating her cheeks as she pressed small kisses to his neck.

Adrien felt his breath catch in his chest and he could feel Marinette's hands on him as if it almost calmed his soul.

***
He felt completely torn at the edges, he had been so conflicted since the night before. It wasn't that he didnt know what he wanted, it was more of that he didn't know who he was. 

He felt like Kagami had somehow stripped that away from him.

"I...I feel like I don't know who I am anymore." Adrien whispered, his voice quivering as he struggled to keep himself composed.

He wasn't upset that he had lost Kagami, he was more upset that he had lost himself along the way.

"I realised last night, when I was with you that I've been shaped into a man that Kagami wanted. She was all I knew... I only know what she likes, what she'd want me to do. I've been so conflicted about everything, even by hurting you. I've kept in my father's home and when I met her, she taught me everything I knew outside the confines of my room." Adrien glanced down, his shoulders slumping as Marinette slowly released him, eventually taking a seat beside him on the piano bench.

"I don't know who I'm supposed to be, who I should trust, how I should act. I want to be something for you, something that's worth being here and taking the risks for." Adrien explained, turning his face into her direction.

Adrien felt his heart squeeze in his chest as he could see Marinette's beautiful face in the dark.

Marinette reached over, leaning into him with a grimace. She nuzzled her face into his shoulder and she held on to him tightly.
"You're you." She breathed softly, lifting herself up so she could kiss his cheek shyly.
"You've always been you. I'll always love you for you. You don't need to change to be anyone that's deserving of love. All Kagami did was put you into her habits."
Marinette reached up, lightly playing with his blonde hair. 

"Habits may be hard to break, but it’s certainly doable..." her voice trailed off as she then placed her hand on to his chest.

"But what's important is that you heal. Take your time figuring things out. I can wait, I'm patient and I understand. It's a traumatic feeling to be with someone for so long and then have it ripped away. I know it'll take some time for you to adjust and for you to trust again, but what I said at the wedding, I meant. I'll be here beside you, I'll support you no matter what you do. You're used to doing things alone, but you don’t have to this time. I'm here for you..." Marinette whispered, a small blush dusting her cheeks as Adrien suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist.

Marinette gasped, almost forgetting to breathe as Adrien lifted her, settling her on his lap. 

Her thighs trembled as they separated, her heart threatening to spill from her lips as it was such a compromising straddling position. She could faintly feel her boots scraping against the soft wood of the piano bench. 

She was a little stiff, but Marinette settled into his lap the moment he placed his hands on her hips.

Even Adrien was surprised with his course of action, a deep blush flushed his cheeks and his ears as his eyes fell down to her lips.

His heart squeezed in his chest as the urge to kiss her swept over him.

He wanted to kiss her.

His fingers lightly dug into his hips as he drew her closer to him, the heat of her skin permeating through her fishnet stocking and beneath her skirt. His jaw clenched as there was a sense of electricity radiate throughout his body, and Adrien scolded himself.

The last thing he needed was to scrape the hell out of himself with his zipper. If it had turned out the way it did the other night with him storming out the room with an erection, he'd likely hang himself this time around.

His green eyes moved away from her lips, his mouth going dry at the smudges of makeup on her neck. 
Beneath that layer of foundation, he could visibly see the teeth marks and the purple bruising he had left behind with his mouth the night before.

Marinette squeaked, her heart pushing against her chest as Adrien wrapped his arms around her and drew her into a taut embrace. She bit her lip, leaning into him as Adrien buried his face into her neck once more. 

The young woman reciprocated the gesture, wrapping her arms around him softly. She pressed her face into his neck and kissed his skin softly.
Marinette felt at peace in his arms, and lately it has been the only place she had ever felt safe.

Adrien slowly opened his eyes, a grimace on his face as he recalled the little noises of anguish she made when he toyed with her breasts the night before. It tore at his heart relentlessly and all he wanted to do was Express how sorry he was but he worried that bringing it up now would possibly make things much more awkward. 

"You'd tell me if I'm hurting you, right?" Adrien asked, his hands sliding up and down her back. "Physically and emotionally?"
Adrien closed his eyes again, a small blush on his face as he tried to remind himself to be more gentle with Marinette.

Marinette furrowed her brow, a smirk on her lips as she had a hunch as to why he had asked such a thing.
The young woman groaned as she wrapped her arms even tighter around him.

"Of course I'd tell you." She assured, her hands reaching up to play with his hair gently. "You're doing fine so far. I promise."

Adrien smiled, turning his head in to press a soft kiss to her cheek before he rested against her completely.

"I'm sorry about the marks on your neck. I didn't realise they were going to be that bad. I suppose I got too carried away." He murmured, closing his eyes.

Marinette giggled softly, her legs tightening around him as she wanted to cling on to him.

"It’s okay,” she breathed, her heart fluttering in her chest. Marinette recalled how she craved to wear kisses from him from the first time she had spotted marks on his neck from his ex girlfriend. 

A small smile remained on her lips as a strange sense of accomplishment pulsated through her veins at the thought of wearing Adrien's kisses on her skin. 

"I promise, it's alright."

_________________________________________

Alya yawned, her feet and her back aching as she clambered into her apartment building.
The brunette sighed, jamming her finger into the elevator button to the seventh floor.

Alya wasn’t sure when pregnancy symptoms started but she already knew when her feet started to swell. She was often sick in the morning and ever since learning she was pregnant she had trouble sleeping and she suffered with a ton of pregnancy cravings.

Most of her pregnancy cravings were ice chips and chocolate pretzels, but the thought of them only ever make her sick.

Alya would be lying to herself if she said she wasn’t worried about her current occupation.

She didnt want to leave the bar she worked at, she genuinely loved her job. She loved the people she worked with, she loved the hours and she enjoyed the people she met at the bar on a nightly basis. It was true that Alya did carry on a second catering job, but she knew that with a baby, she couldn't keep up with those jobs. This was especially once she started growing.

She wasn't sure if she could handle standing on her feet for hours until the early morning hours. She was getting tired earlier in the day, and when she tried to sleep she often couldn't.

Alya never suffered with anxiety before in her entire life, at least not at this level before.
She was tired, emotionally and physically. 
All she wanted to do was try and get some sleep so she could wake up early tomorrow to go job hunting.
Alya rubbed her eyes, trying not to be sick from the movement of the elevator. Her heart skipped a few beats as the thunder rumbled throughout the entire space.

Alya enjoyed a good thunderstorm, but only when she was in bed and watching it from her window. 

The brunette stepped out of the elevator, fumbling with her keys inside of her hand and she hummed, trying to keep herself awake.

She glanced up, her eyes widening as she spotted a familiar figure leaning just outside her down.

She nearly shook her head, her heart doing flips inside of her chest the moment she could recognize Nino waiting awkwardly outside her apartment door with a bag and a bouquet of red roses. 

Alya paused just before she made it halfway down the hall, a small smile on her face as she couldn't believe how much of a dork Nino was. 

The more she thought about it, the more she was kind of glad that she revealed to Nino that she was pregnant.
It certainly felt a lot better to have someone else share some of the weight. The fact that Nino was still willing to be around and support any decisions she made, somehow made the experience so much more helpful.

"Are you stalking my apartment now?" Alya asked with a teasing lilt. She perked a brow as she slowly approached him. She dug through her keys before fishing out the appropriate one. 

Nino chuckled, a small blush coating his cheeks as Alya stood beside him to unlock the door.

"Actually, I was waiting for you to get back. I wasn’t sure when your shift ended so I made sure to show up a little early." Nino explained, lifting the plastic bag to show her.

"I brought some food! I mean, in case you were hungry. I'm not sure if you haven't eaten already." Nino cleared his throat, feeling as awkward as ever.

Alya chuckled, turning the knob and opening the door so that he could step inside with her.
Her eyes followed him as he walked in. The male wandered over towards the kitchen so that he could place the plastic bag of food on to the kitchen counter.

Alya closed the door behind him, locking it securely before she turned to glance at Nino who stood beside the counter, clutching on to the roses. 

"So...are those roses for the kitchen?" Alya asked, a light chuckle emanating from between her lips as Nino's blush only grew more and more deeper.

"Erm...uh. No." Nino breathed, using his other hand to rub the back of his neck. He shyly offered her the roses, a timid smile on his lips as he glanced up at her once more. "I actually brought these for you."

Alya lightly shook her head, finding his posture completely amusing yet cute at the same time. She approached him with a warm smile before she gingerly took the roses from him.

"I figured as much." She murmured, running one of her finger tips through the soft petals. "But I thank you. They're beautiful." She commented before she moved back into the kitchen.

Nino watched her as she dug through the cabinets for a proper vase.
He wasn't sure where their relationship stood, but he wanted to wrap his arms around her and pull her into him like old times.

It had been awhile since they had actually spent time together and Nino was just grateful that he was able to see her again. He was happy that she allowed him back into her life once more. Alya being pregnant certainly didn't change how he felt about her, and granted, they were both nervous about having to raise a child, but Nino had high hopes. 

Their dynamic was going to be a little different from now on, but Nino loved her and was willing to ride out any wave their lives had to offer.

"I've missed you." Nino confessed, sliding his hands into his pockets. "I don't think you have the slightest idea of how much I've missed you."

Alya froze, pressing her lips together as she hated to admit that she missed him just as much.
She was a little flustered that he wouldn't give her space in the first place, but her anguish was only exacerbated by her hormones.

The brunette sighed, allowing her chest to be free of the breath she had been holding as she filled the glass vase.

"I don't want you to think I wanted you to be out of my life permanently. I understand that they way I went about showing you how much space mattered to me wasn’t the best idea." Alya placed the roses into the vase and carefully set them aside onto the counter.

"But you need to understand that I was scared of ruining your life." Alya explained, slowly turning around to face him. She leaned on to the counter and crossed her arms as she tried to make the conversation as less tense as possible.

"I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for abandoning you without explanation. I know I should have talked to you about this." Alya reached up to lightly rub her temples. "I'd blame my pregnancy hormones about this but I'd like to think I'm passed that point."

Nino frowned, inwardly scolding himself not to run towards her and take her into his arms.
"I'm sorry for not giving you the space you needed. It wasn't my intention to force you to come out with this truth before you were ready..." his voice trailed off as he glanced down at the floor briefly.
"But I want to assure you that this isn't ruining my life. As cheesy as it sounds, you not being in my life pretty much ruins my life."

Alya chewed on her bottom lip, letting his words sink in.
She wanted to believe that everything would be okay, but considering her financial situation, she knew that there were gonna be bumps along the way.

Nino ran a hand through his hair, worried that Alya's silence meant that he was just digging himself into a deeper hole.

"I've learned my lesson. I know you're an eccentric woman and I fully accept that." He chuckled, his face growing warm as Alya shyly glanced away.
"But I know that one thing will never change, and that's how I feel about you."

Alya blushed, trying to remain impassive as she could despite her heart threatening to leap from her chest. She couldn't help it, but she had somehow wanted to hear those words.
She knew she hadn't been the best to deal with, but she needed that assurance that he'd accept her flaws and all.

"You're not just saying that in the moment?" Alya questioned, her voice quivering as she cursed her hormones for making her so emotional. "How do I know you won't leave when the baby is born?"

Nino widened his eyes, he felt his heart sink into his stomach at the face that she thought he'd do something like that to her.

"Alya, I love you. I've always loved you since the moment I first saw you. I mean, sure you cringed when I approached, but the conversations we've had, the time we spent together, the connection I have with you- I don't feel that with anyone else. Even when you told me you were pregnant, I knew I wanted to be here. I wanted to remain by yourself and I want to continue loving you." Nino ranted, his voice breaking with every last word. He was desperate then, and he was desperate now for Alya to see how much she meant to him. He needed her to see how much he didn’t want to lose her. She meant everything to him. 

Alya quickly glanced away, her chest feeling tight as tears pooled into the edges of her eyes. She had tried for many weeks to keep herself together, but as time went on, she was coming undone measure by measure. She couldn't bottle it inside anymore.

The fear, the emotion, the mutual love and understanding she had for him only tugged at her heart relentlessly. 

Alya didn’t utter a single word, she could no longer fight the tears that began to ebb down her blushing cheeks. 

Nino felt his heart shatter in that instant.

Out of reflex, he only moved in on her. 
Alya gasped, her eyes widening as Nino held her hips and brought her into him.
His warm arms swathed themselves around her, drawing her flush against his body. 

She trembled, her body growing warm as his lips touched her, sealing her cries with a passionate kiss.
Nino deepened the kiss, his hand cupping her face as he kept them close and Alya couldn't help herself.

She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck and she kissed him back. Their lips moved against one another passionately.

Alya furrowed her brow, a low whimper escaping from between her lips as Nino leveled the kiss. He pulled away softly, resting his head against hers as his hand slipped into hers, holding it tightly.

Alya immediately buried her face into his chest, her lungs expanding as she attempted to catch her breath. She was thankful he stopped the kiss where it did, or they'd be leaving the food behind for another night.

The air grew silent, nothing but their breaths and the rain could be heard in the quite space they were in.
Nino was lost in contemplation but he couldn't think of anything else to prove to her how much he loved her.

He wanted to do it.
The thought almost made him shiver with joy.

Nino pulled back, bringing Alya's hand to his lips to press gentle kisses to her knuckles. 

"If we're having a baby,” Nino breathed, his cheeks reddening. "Let's make this official. Let's take this relationship to the next level.

Alya furrowed her brow, her mind still clouded from the kiss she had experienced earlier. It was almost like she was in a tornado, and then she was suddenly thrust back into the real world. She was literally dizzy.

"Next level?" She asked, her voice breathy as she pulled back to glance at him properly. "You mean to date publicly?" She asked, perking a brow.

Nino chewed his lip, his fingers lacing into her tenderly. He knew he was walking on a fine line, but he only lived one life. Love was about chances, and if he didn’t take this chance, then he'd live his life with regret. 

"No, Alya." He murmured softly, his eyes moving back to glance into hers.

"I want you to marry me."