From Ashes to a New Beginning: A Miraculous Fanfiction

Chapter 14: Forced smiles

Marinette stepped out of the shower, smiling as she let out a sigh. She put on her favorite pajamas and dried her hair in the towel, letting her damp hair fall down to the middle of her back instead of putting it up. She opened the bathroom door and she walked over to the bed and stopped, almost dropping her phone out of her hand.

There was a brand-name brand new, off-the-shelf sewing machine sitting on the bed. She walked up to it and saw a little sticky note on it. She picked up the sticky note and read it.

"Saw you out shopping today with loverboy. Didn't see you pick one of these up. Can't let lover boy sway my princess. -Romeo"

Marinette let out a giggle as she rolled her eyes and held the note to her heart, wishing he would have stayed just a few minutes to see her but knew it was probably best that he didn't in case Adrien walked in. How would she even begin to explain her relationship with Chat noir?

She heard footsteps behind her and she turned around to find Adrien standing there.

"Oh hey." She smiled, still a blush across her face.

"What's with the box?" He asked, smiling.

"Oh... uh... my boyfriend dropped it off." She said, still feeling her cheeks singeing pink..

"Dropped it off? Where?" He asked. "I didn't see it on the porch."

"Uh... It was inside, I brought it up here and sat it on the bed." Marinette smiled nervously.

"Why?" Adrien asked, crossing his arms.

"Why? Uh... what do you mean?" She asked.

"Why... would you bring it up here just to take it back down later?" Adrien asked, smirking.

"I... it must have slipped my mind. I was so tired today. Would... you mind?" Marinette asked.

"Sure, I don't mind. So... your boyfriend bought you this?" He asked, picking it up.

"Yeah... he is the sweetest." She smiled, blushing.

"How did he know you didn't have a sewing machine?" Adrien asked.

"Uh... he said he saw us together today, shopping," Marinette said.

"He didn't say hi? Is he intimidated by me?" Adrien laughed.

"I don't think he is, if anything you probably would be of him." Marinette laughed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Adrien laughed.

"Huh? I-I mean... Well... uh... He's... pro..tective?" She said, a little unsure how to word it herself.

"Protective huh? So... his name is Romeo?" Adrien smiled, seeing Marinette's eyes widen.

Marinette looked down at the sticky note that was clutched in her hand near her heart and then looked back up to Adrien.

"Uh... that's just... a nickname he gives himself." Marinette laughed.

"So, you're his Juliet, I presume?" He smiled, teasingly.

"Your guess would be correct." She laughed.

"Out of curiosity, did you decide to stay because of him?" Adrien asked.

Marinette was going to smile and start to make a joke but stopped when she saw that Adrien wasn't laughing or teasing. He was asking a serious question.

"Uh... yeah, actually. He convinced me to stay. I still need to talk to my parents." She said, frowning, almost worried about what they were going to say. His eyes widened and he turned around to avoid her eye contact as his face started to turn red.

"Well, you can go talk to them, while I take this box downstairs. I'm sure they will be ecstatic that you'll be getting your own place soon." Adrien said, walking away.

"I... uh... may after dinner." Marinette tried to say but knew he couldn't hear her because he had already darted out of the room in a panic.

Marinette walked downstairs and found her parents sitting down at the dinner table waiting for everyone. Adrien was just sitting the box down in the foyer and he nodded to her while smiling, walking over to the dinner table with her.

Marinette sat down beside Adrien, sitting across from Sabine and Tom. Sabine and Tom smiled as Gabriel sat down at the table with them, Nathalie beside him as well. A woman brought their meals to them and parents had a light conversation amongst themselves.

"Marinette? We have great news." Sabine said, sitting her fork down, looking over to her daughter.

Marinette looked up from her meal and saw her mother smiling at her, then looked over at Adrien. Adrien motioned for her to answer her mother and Marinette smiled nervously and looked back at Sabine.

"Y-yes, mom?" She said.

"We found a home! You won't believe where it's located." She said excitedly.

"Uh... where?" She said, a little unenthused.

Adrien turned to look at Tom and Sabine and noticed Tom could notice Marinette's uneasy reaction to Sabine's suggestion, but he remained quiet regardless.

"It's a nice three-story home in the U.S. We can make another bakery dear!" Sabine smiled.

"Uh... that's great mom." Marinette forced a smile, for her parent's sake, but looked back down to her food.

"Marinette? Are you... unhappy about this decision?" Tom asked looking over to Marinette.

"Uh..." Marinette glanced up at her father and mother and found herself pressured. She didn't want to disappoint them. She sighed and looked up and forced another happy smile.

"No! That's amazing. The U.S. sounds like an amazing place. I... can't... wait to see it!"

Tom saw Adrien's eyes widen, almost as if he was expecting her to say something completely different. Dinner that night went on rather awkward and silent, other than the light talking between Gabriel and Nathalie about business matters.

Adrien followed Marinette upstairs and gripped her hand to stop her from going onto the roof, clearly seeing that she was upset. She turned to face him and he could feel her shaking.

"Why didn't you tell them you wanted to stay?" He asked.

"I can't stay, this was a mistake. They are so excited, Adrien. I can't hurt them like this!" Marinette said, fighting back tears as she pulled her hand away from him.

"But Marinette... I don't want you to leave!" He said.

"I know you don't but I have to. They are my family. I love them." She exclaimed.

"But- I love you too." He yelled.

His eyes widened, seeing hers widen as well as there was a pause of awkward silence.

"Marinette... I..." He began. "Let me explain please."

"Adrien... I already told you... I have a boyfriend." She said. "I think... it might be better if... I slept on the roof tonight."

"N-no, you can still sleep in the bed! You don't have to sleep on the roof! I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Please..." He said, begging her to come back as she climbed up the ladder after grabbing some pillows and blankets.

"I need some time to myself." She said, disappearing, shutting the door to the roof.

Hearing the door to the roof shut, felt like a punch to the gut. Just when things were starting to go right... they did a 180.

"Tom..." He said to himself, turning his gaze to the door.

Adrien ran downstairs and to the guest bedroom, taking a breath to calm himself down before gently knocking on the door. He heard footsteps approaching and the light from within entered his emerald eyes as he saw Tom looking down at him confused as to why he was at their bedroom door.

"What is it, Adrien? Is something wrong?" Tom asked.

"Can... we talk?" Adrien asked, frantic yet worried.