Shortly after his departure, she allows herself to finish eating and calls it a day. Stepping out of her office, she catches the last few rays of sunlight disappearing behind the buildings. She sighs as she walks through the empty design floor towards the glass doors. She rests her hand on the protruding door handle for a moment before stepping outside.

She keeps a hand on the door, not wanting to lock herself out accidentally, which has happened a few times. The chill of the AC from the building nips at her ankles as the rest of her body warms in the last drops of sunlight. She had locked herself in her office before the sun rose this morning, as she, more often than not, does due to deadlines and scheduling. So she revelled in what natural light she could obtain, before the shadows inevitably take over.

The air is still warm, but she can feel when the sun has disappeared, signaling her to retreat back inside.

She closes the door and pulls out her phone to text Alya: 'Hey how was lunch? Sorry again i couldn't make it'

Her phone chimes before she reaches the elevator. She reads Alya's text on her way up. 'It was really nice! I think nino was just glad to have someone new to show manny off to. We exchanged numbers, memories etc. It pretty much turned into a 4 hour lunch.'

Marinette smiles at the screen as she steps into her apartment, flipping on the lights, 'I'm glad you guys got to catch up'

'He stopped by ur place right?'

She grabs a bottle of water from her fridge before sitting on the couch. She knew she shouldn't feel embarrassed by Alya's question, but she did. 'Yeah, dropped off some food.' she replies, hoping that will be the end of her questioning, but she knows it isn't when her "typing" icon lingers a bit too long.

'I think he was low-key-high-key bummed when I read that text you sent me about being too busy. We told him that it was normal for you but he seemed distracted sometimes and then he insisted on buying your food and dropping it off. He asked about you and your business (AND IF UR DATING ANYONE). So TELL me what happened. Or I WILL facetime you.'

Mari feels her cheeks burn, something she wouldn't be able to hide from Alya face to face. So she types 'we JUST talked like NORMAL friends do.' and sends it. 'Yeah, we only talked about his regrets and his father being arrested and his anxieties from being in the public eye and how I'm probably going to work myself to death some day.' She elaborates in her head, realizing that they really did dig a little deeper than she previously felt in the moment.

'-rolling eyes emoji- if you say so' Alya replies, effectively ending the conversation.

She leans her head back against the couch, "Tikki? What even happened down there?" she moans.

Tikki emerges and sits in her lap, "I think it was two stressed out friends finding comfort and understanding in each other's shared past."

Marinette lifts her head to look at her Kwami, "When did you study sociology?" She asks, a little impressed.

"Late 1800s." She says in a matter-of-fact tone, ending with a giggle.

Her eyes widen at this knowledge, "Right..."

"But seriously, of course you guys still feel a connection. That's what good friendships are like, when you may not talk for years but can pick up right where you left off when you do." She shrugs.

Marinette nods, "You're right. Friendship. That's all it is. And I don't want it to be anything else." She speaks it into the world, trying to convince herself. "If Adrien needs a friend, I'll be his friend; I know he'd do the same for me."

~

'What even happened over there?' Adrien's mind buzzes all the way home. His mind had wandered during his drive, but luckily driving through Paris was like muscle memory to him. He only realizes he's spaced out once he puts his car into park in his driveway.

Stepping inside the Manor, a voice calls out. "Adrien!" Chloe shuffles around the corner wearing a golden robe. "Why is there a picture of you eating with your hands at some dirty diner?" She holds out her phone, practically shoving it in his face.

He takes a step back to help focus his eyes on the screen. "'Adrien Agreste Takes in Local Fares with Friends'." He reads the headline, scanning further through the uneventful article, "I told you I was having lunch with friends. And this article is pretty neutral on the event anyway." He shrugs.

She yanks her phone back, "Ugh! I cannot believe you sometimes." She holds her fingertips against her temples, "This photo captured you, in a wrinkled shirt, shoving a sandwich into your face like a barbarian. It paints you out to be like a common Parisian, and you are better than that." She stomps her foot on the marble floor.

Marinette's words ring in his mind; to act 'inconsiderate', worry free. A privilege he's weary of acting on at this moment, despite what he had brewing on the tip of his tongue.

"I'm sorry, dear. I guess I didn't see the photographer." He answers in a level tone before walking past her towards the stairs.

She huffs, mumbling to herself just loud enough to make sure he hears, "I knew I shouldn't have let you go out." She continues at a normal volume, "Well, I did warn you, Adrikins; the dangers of going out with these people." She follows him up the stairs, "I'll be soaking in the tub if you need me."

He nods, "I'll be in our room."

Chloe saunters off towards the bathroom while he stalks into the master bedroom, his father's old room. He settles onto the edge of the bed, a bit of the light he had accumulated from seeing his friends drained away into the carpet.

Being in this room still made him anxious, even with his father locked up miles away he feels as if he'll be scolded for even stepping foot in here. It's sleek and clean, not unlike the office downstairs. The only thing that's changed since his father slept here was the small array of Chloe's possessions now scattered around the room: her slippers, her makeup, her clothes.

He removes his shoes diligently, tucking them away in the closet before changing out of his clothes and stepping into the shower attached to the bedroom, happy that Chloe preferred the tub in the guest bathroom.

The steam builds as his brain tries to reply his day, grasping for that light again.

He smiles to himself at the memory of Nino gleefully recounting the highlights of their wedding reception as if it were yesterday, and the loving look Alya gave him as he did. Apparently Alya's sisters and Nino's brother had coordinated a prank where at the end of the 'first dance' they bombarded the dance floor with confetti and started their own choreographed dance to upstage the couple.

Everyone laughed at the memory, even Adrien who, thanks to Nino's vivid retelling, now felt like he was there.

Would he have stories like this after his wedding?

He finds it easy to imagine the reception of Chloe and his wedding. Colleagues instead of friends. Expectations and a schedule instead of pranks and laughs.

'Whatever makes her happy.' He reminds himself, locking himself back into the present where 55the regrets of the past can't catch him.

'No, she's not dating anyone' Alya's voice reaches out and grabs him from lunch, not letting him get away that easy.

He was only slightly surprised by this response. Marinette is a busy woman with a lot on her plate, she reminds him of himself in the early years of running Agreste Fashion. Romance was the last thing on his mind until Chloe started hanging around the company. Her familiarity amongst the constant change and unknown territory of his career made her a desirable foothold.

'No, she's not dating anyone'

Alya said Marinette had briefly dated Luka Couffaine because they attended the same university, but only lasted about a year since Luka dropped out during her sophomore year. Anyone else was not worth mentioning because they only lasted a few months or just weeks together. And since she started the company a few years ago, she hasn't dated anyone at all.

'No, she's not dating anyone'

Seeing her as "M", versus seeing her the next day with her pencil clamped in her hand, was a stark contrast to say the least. The fact that Alya and Nino knew that Marinette overworking herself, cancelling social plans, was a normal occurrence, it worried Adrien.

A large part of him feels guilty, being the direct cause of her burnout in a way. 'Maybe I'll surprise her at work again, to check on her' he justifies, 'afterall, we didn't get to hang out as much since she missed lunch.'

He shuts off the shower.