He was tired.

The photoshoot lasted longer than he had expected. He didn't mean to stay over past lunch hours, but they had a couple wardrobe malfunctions, and it went without saying that Kagami had an eyeful. The lights were so intense, Adrien swore he attained a sort of sunburn. He quite enjoyed Kagami's company, but today he grew weary. Every second he got away from the camera to collect his bearings, Kagami had him by the mouth.

He enjoyed their moments together, but lately it had gotten to the point where his face was hurting. His lips were sore, and the passion mustered behind each kiss felt more of a competition than a sentiment. Adrien was sure she treated their kisses as a form of competition. Like she was doing it to substantiate a purpose she was meant to get out there. That purpose remained completely undivulged to Adrien. Though he may have been a bit disinclined to find out rather than eager.

Adrien felt sluggish. As insane as it sounded, he couldn't wait to curl into the makeshift bed he had created on the hard floor. Even that sounded better than standing all day. Adrien stepped inside his home, almost afraid of bumping into Marinette. He enjoyed the house, it was nice and thoughtful. He loved being on his own, than to be kept away under the tight confines of his old bedroom wall at home with his father under the same roof. Hell, even here he could run around his home completely naked if he wanted to because Marinette avoided him like the bubonic plague.

He exhaled, closing the door behind him. The blonde was just about to hurry up to his bedroom until a salubrious aroma caught his attention. Almost instantly, Adrien's belly began to growl feverishly. He pressed his lips together, his feet carrying him to the source of the smell in the kitchen.

His curiosity outweighed the tiredness he was feeling. He had grown suspicious that his father had sent in a chef against Marinette's wishes. He only half expected that she was in her room, hiding away from all company. Adrien poked his head into the kitchen, his eyes darting around the area for his suspected chef. The model paused, his green eyes landing upon his female companion.

Marinette placed a plate of fresh bread on the counter, a small blush of exhaustion deepening against her freckles. The blunette wiped sweat from her brow with the back of her oven mitts. A dust of flour rested on her pink cheek, her hair slowly coming undone from the bun atop her head. Her pink lips pouted as she took a seat at the kitchen table. Marinette reached behind her to untie the apron from around her waist.

The blonde's eyes widened. It was as if he was struck by a bag of bricks. He felt completely dumbfounded, he was almost sure this wasn't the same person from the night before. He couldn't help but to wonder if she had turned a new leaf, or if she was beginning to warm up to the fact that they were both stuck with one another whether they liked it or not. Part of Adrien suspected that he walked in at the wrong time. Perhaps she was caught off guard, he wasn't meant to see her so... human.

Adrien turned on his heels, walking back towards the steps. His heart raced as he was perhaps a bit too noisy, but his main focus was to haul ass to avoid dirty looks from his future betrothed. Adrien had just made it to the steps when he heard Marinette exit the kitchen.

"Wait!" Marinette called out to him, her eyes wide as she was more than able to tell that he wanted to avoid her.

Adrien pressed his lips together, halting at the steps the moment he heard her voice. Adrien immediately began to worry, he was caught. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable or push her buttons. He wasn't the confrontational type, anyone could ask his father. Adrien avoided his father all the time because he was simply intimidating. Marinette was nearly the same. As far as Adrien was concerned, she was just another person that didn't care for his existence.

Adrien exhaled, slowly turning to face Marinette.

Marinette pouted as she stood in front of him. She held the plate of freshly baked bread in her hands and she held it up to him, offering it to him nervously.

"I... I made bread!" She exclaimed wryly. A weak smile spread across her face, the dust of flour still stuck to her cheek.

"Its an old family recipe," She glanced down at the bread. "My father taught me. It's really good, I hope... You can try it?" She glanced up at him hopefully.

Adrien was at a loss for words. The way her blue eyes glanced up at him, and the way she smiled at him. He was feeling an array of emotions he couldn't quite decipher yet. It was the first time he had seen her smile since they first met. He couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of trick. Adrien wasn't really the one to see the worst in people, but lately Marinette had kept him on his toes.

The blonde cleared his throat, relaxing as Marinette continued to smile at him.

"Erm... y-yeah!" He spluttered. "Sure! I'd love to try some..." The blonde smiled at her weakly. He rubbed the back of his neck as Marinette nodded and then she turned around, sauntering over back to the kitchen, implying that Adrien followed.

"Great!" She replied, glancing down at the bread, nearly falling onto her face. She quickly caught herself before actually falling. She placed the bread on the table and grabbed a knife to cut into it. She cut out a piece and placed it on the napkin.

Adrien chuckled at her enthusiasm. She was actually pretty adorable when she smiled.

Adrien took a seat at the table, his stomach growling at the pleasant smell of the bread.

"I'm... kind of relieved to know you don't completely hate me..." Adrien conceded bashfully, taking the bread and scooting it in front of him for proper consumption.

Marinette sighed, utterly despising the fact that she left that impression due to her abrasiveness. She didn't mean to come off as a total bitch to an unsuspecting person.

"I-I'm not totally keen to the fact that we are getting married or that we have to move in together..." her blue eyes glanced up at him. "It's nothing against you, it's just a lot to take in within a short period of time..." she began to pick at the bread on the plate. "But I did some reflecting and I think it would be better if we got along. I mean... strangely we are both in this together, it'd be better if we got through it as friends..."

Adrien smiled weakly and subtly nodded.

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea too..." he began to eat a few pieces of the fluffy bread Marinette had made. It sat on his tongue like a buttery dream. He could have passed out right then and there if he wanted. Adrien could tell by the texture, the taste and the feel of the bread that she was no amateur at baking. He almost felt entirely too lucky to have the privilege of tasting what she made. It was better than what any of his dads professional chef had ever made him.

"It's been awhile since I've had a home cooked meal..." Adrien disclosed apprehensively. "My mom used to make the best cakes." He smiled fondly at the memory. "She made bread too, but it's a really nice change of pace."

Marinette glanced up at him, a small frown tugging at her lips. She couldn't possibly imagine how hard it was to lose someone that close to him. Marinette wouldn't know what to do if she lost her mom. The thought made her almost want to break down.

"The bread reminds you of your mother?" She asked, smiling sweetly at him. "I'll try to make it more often. My papa taught me how to make it. I think bread was the first thing I learned how to make..."

Adrien chortled at the offer. She was actually kind of cute when she wasn't shooting daggers at him.

"My mother would make bread, but, as callous as it sounds, it wasn't as good as this." He gestured to the treat in front of him. "But she made amazing cookies, and she told the best bedtime stories..." his voice trailed off at the memory.

Marinette folded her hands against the table, her warm smile remaining on her face as she tried to keep up the hopeful atmosphere.

"It sounds lovely..." she murmured softly. "I'm sure your mother loved you more than anything else..."

Adrien sighed, picking at his bread. He didn't mean to full into a realm of memory and self deprecation.

"My father wanted us to marry because the jewels my mother was in love with was promised to my parents as a wedding gift..." Adrien looked up at Marinette dryly. "Apparently my mom was obsessed with those jewels." He sighed, leaning more so into his chair.

Marinette pressed her lips together, perking her brow. "O-Oh..." she sputtered out, blinking at the disclosure.

"Part of me thinks that he wanted me to do it to preserve moms memory," he hummed, his eyes staring off onto the table as he was lost in thought. "You'd think I would have been enough... I mean... her blood runs through my veins. But of course I'm more of a marketing product than I am a son. I don't even like modeling. It's weird that I have a ton of people watching me under burning hot lights, especially when its underwear or a swimsuit. It's a lot more tiring than it looks..." he reached up and rubbed his temples, realizing that he was just sat around venting to her.

Marinette frowned, placing her hand on her cheek and rubbing the flour off her skin.

"I-I'm really sorry your father mistreats you... and that he's forcing you to marry me for the jewels..."

Adrien sighed, rubbing his temples before he glanced over at her.

"No, I'm sorry for venting." He exhaled. "I don't want to dump all my problems on you..."

Marinette sat up, shaking her head.

"No- No!" She retorted with a light smile. "I-I like the stories you tell me. Granted, they all aren't happy ones, but I like getting to know you..." she reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. "It makes you appear more... human?" She mused, chuckling slightly with embarrassment. "I thought that because you were rich and a well known model that you'd be a snob, but you haven't been rude since we met..." she shrugged. "I'm really sorry that I jumped to conclusions..." she cleared her throat, suddenly feeling embarrassed at her admittance.

The blonde scoffed, a slight smile on his face as he brushed off what she said.

"You wouldn't be the first." He leaned more so into his seat, his thumb running across his top lip as he contemplated. "I was always told the jewels were a myth. They were unheard of... a fairy tale..." he stated, his green eyes glancing up at Marinette who caught his gaze with her own eyes. "I mean, have you seen them before? I know they belong to your family, but my father really wants them-" he explained, his curiosity growing.

Marinette frowned, a small pout on her pink lips as she shook her head.

"I...I've never seen them." She looked down. Her finger nonchalantly traced invisible patterns on to the table tops. "My parents say their owned by an estate. So even if I could just give them to you to stop this from happening, I couldn't..." she explained. "Because a marriage was contracted. So those are the only conditions we have to give them to you. My parents thought about selling their bakery, but I couldn't let them do that. So I agreed to the marriage."

Adrien frowned. So she agreed to this in order to save her parents' bakery, while he did it because he was constantly a disappointment to his father. Adrien forgotten what it was like to have parents that loved him. It sounded nice.

He bit his lip, running a hand through his thick hair as he exhaled with frustration.

"I really hope those jewels are real and that all of this isn't for nothing. I'd be really pissed off." He laughed nervously.

Marinette swallowed hard, not entirely thinking about whether the jewels were real or not. Up until a couple days ago, she didn't even know they existed. Though she had to admit, the thought of a possibility that they didn't exist and all of this was on a sliver of hope was quite disheartening.

"Well, we can just hope that they are real, and all of this isn't for naught." Marinette sighed, leaning on to the table.

Adrien shook his head, his arms folded at the thought of it. He reached up to rub his eyes before he leaned forward.

"I guess I'm going to take a quick nap. I got up early, got burned by lights and I'm exhausted." He offered Marinette a weak smile.

Adrien shuddered at the memory of his wardrobe malfunction, and the look on Kagami's face afterwards. He inwardly groaned at how many times she's convinced him to make out with her. His face already hurt from thinking about it. Adrien stood up, stretching as Marinette looked up at him.

"Oh!" Marinette exclaimed, her eyes widening. "I wanted to ask if you were doing anything tonight?" She asked, standing up alongside him.

Adrien paused, his brow perking as it almost sounded like she was asking him out on a date.

"Are we contracted to go on dates, too?" He asked, chuckling as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Marinette rolled her eyes, leaning forward to grab the pan of bread.

"No. It's not a date. Trust me. I don't want to upset your girlfriend anymore than the situation already has." She looked up at him. "B-but... I work at a bar in town..." she admitted, slightly worried that Adrien would look down at her.

Adrien nodded.

"Do you get free drinks?" He asked, glancing at her with a smile.

Marinette snorted, relief washing over her as he didn't seem as judgeful as she initially expected.

"No-- I mean yes- but my friend Alya wanted us to go down there tonight. She's been hanging out with one of your friends. She says that they have a surprise for us and its important that we go..."

Adrien ran his hand through his hair. He had a feeling that Nino approached Alya the night before. It was obvious the way he was gawking at her. He was actually quite surprised that they appeared to have gotten along pretty well.

"Should I be nervous?" He asked, reaching back to rub the back of his neck.

Marinette shrugged, scoffing slightly before she nodded awkwardly.

"Yeah...probably." she smiled at him weakly. "So go get your nap. I'll wake you up in a few hours. I can make some dinner before we leave."

Adrien froze, his heart racing at the thought of a homemade dinner. If she made amazing bread just as a snack, he couldn't imagine what dinner she was capable of.

The blonde hesitated, his modesty washing over him instantly.

"Marinette- it's fine. You really don't have to do that." He assured. "I promise."

Marinette placed the pan of bread on the counter, before she looked back at him with a small sweet smile. She offered him a smile so sweet it nearly knocked the air out of him from utter surprise. "That's okay, Adrien. I really want to..." she replied, her blue eyes looking into his.

____________________________________

The blonde sighed, laying into his makeshift bed. The floor was harder than usual, but he figured it was because he was incredibly sore. Kagami had thrown herself on him almost every moment he had time for himself. Adrien held on to his pillow, a little grateful that Marinette had given them the chance to know one another better. He knew this marriage wasn't meant to last, in fact he wasn't sure what the future held for them. He wanted to marry Kagami. She was the one he loved, one he knew he was meant to be with. Even after all of this was over, Adrien had hoped that he and Marinette would remain friends for as long as they could. Perhaps when it was valid for he and Kagami to get married, maybe Marinette would like to attend.

Adrien was aware of Kagami's resentment towards Marinette. He knew if the circumstances were different, they'd probably be good friends too. Although he could understand her reasons for being this way, he kind of wished that Kagami was nicer to Marinette. Marinette didn't have a say in this marriage either.

Adrien yawned, his brow furrowing as he tried to decipher what he planned on wearing for whatever surprise Alya had for the both of them. His eyes closed, his body relaxing into the blankets. He decided he'd worry about that later. Just as he was falling asleep, he could already smell cooked vegetables. His tummy growled, but it wasn't enough to get him up.

Whatever Marinette was cooking, Adrien could already tell it was going to be amazing.

____________________________________

Marinette had to admit she was disappointed in Felix's parents.

For a couple of rich folks, the least they could do was put more furniture in the place. She kept the flame low on the stove as she wandered into the living room. The blunette sighed, her eyes wandering around the grand stairs and large windows. She knew she had to take some time off later to actually do a thorough walk through of the house.

"Why do I need all this space?" She murmured to herself, a look of distaste etching into her features. Her lips pressed together as she crossed her arms.

In her mind, Marinette could see every corner. She could visualize where every piece of furniture she owned could go. The place was lonely and empty. She knew that if she couldn't keep her old apartment, at least she wouldn't have to throw out or sell her stuff.

She knew she could attempt to make this place feel more like home. The bluenette smiled hopefully. She hung on to the fact that this could turn out better than she had initially anticipated. It just depended on what way she looked at it. She turned on her heels, strolling over to the kitchen to continue cooking. The female hummed, her mind wandering as she mixed the stir fry.

Her face conformed to that of a grimace as she wondered if Felix used to live in this home. She had to wonder, his parents did gift them this home. She shook her head, trying to rid the thought.

The master bedroom must have belonged to his parents, his childhood bedroom had to be somewhere down the halls.

She clenched her pot spoon, her eyes glaring straight ahead. Her heart felt heavy once more. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. She wasn't going to do this to herself now.

The blunette grabbed the salt and began to sprinkle the stir fry. Her face distorted as she began to wonder again.

Was felix here last before he decided he was going to up and leave her?

Felix lived the ravished luxury lifestyle, but complained about it constantly.

Reflecting on it, realising how cocky Felix was when he just left without explaining or second guessing himself, he was actually quite of a dick. Marinette sighed, instantly feeling guilty that she allowed her anger to cloud her thoughts of him.

She glanced down, her eyes widened as she noticed a white pile of salt melting into the center of the stir fry. Marinette nearly threw the container of salt across the room. Her heart sank, she had ruined the dinner she prepared.

"Fuck-" she cursed under her breath as she dropped the spoon into the pot and started to panic.

She had to find some way to fix this.