The Line Between Love And Hate

Chapter 17: The Environment

~Marinette~
As I walk around I peak into classrooms hoping to find someone who can help us. I get to a familiar classroom and peer inside to see the trainees sitting and paying attention to the teacher. There's these 2 students sitting in our old seats. They're whispering to each other and laughing.

"Mari." "Mari." "Marinette!" "I heard you the first time Agreste. I'm not answering for a reason." "What's the reason?" "I don't want to get held after class again." "But that means more time with me. Don't you want that?" "Like if all day everyday already isn't enough." I say sarcastically and he laughs.

"You know you'd never be able to live without me."

"Marinette." I blink back my tears before pulling my gaze away from the window and see Master Fu." "Fu. It's good to see you again." "I can say the same thing. To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

"Mari I found absolutely nothing." Adrien comes up the steps. "You guys together again? I never thought I'd see the day where you two rekindled." Fu grows a smile on his face. I roll my eyes as Adrien reaches my side. He greets Fu. "Don't get used to it. Once this mission is over so is this duo." I roll my eyes and turn my attention to Fu.

"Is there any way we can look at your security cameras?" "Of course." He guides us to the room. "I need to go. I am trusting you with the keys Marinette." "Have I ever lost anything you've given me?" He smiles and shakes his head.

After he leaves, Adrien takes a seat and we start looking over the feed.

~Adrien~
As we go through the videos, I feel Mari's gaze shift from the screen to me back to the screen.

"Whatever you want to say just get it out already." "How'd you know I was going to say something?" "You were staring." She nods. "And I'm assuming it wasn't my good looks that's captured your attention." She smiles a little. Its quick and it's small. But it's a smile.

"So? What is it?" Her chest rises up and down as she inhales and exhales. "Do you visit them often?" "Who? Your parents?" She nods. "Yes." "Why?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Marinette shrugs. "I don't know. I just assumed you wouldn't talk to them because of- well you know. Us." "I know we don't have the best history, but I wouldn't cut your parents off just because of went down between us. That's our bad blood. Not theirs. You of all people should get that."

"What do you mean?" "I know you still talk to my father." I see her body tense and I laugh. "H-how do you know?" "Gorilla keeps me updated." She smiles. "You still call him that?" I nod.

"You know it's not a bad thing right?" She looks up at me with her eyebrows furrowed. "Talking to my dad. I get it." "I know, but sometimes I can't help but feel guilty." "You feel guilty?" She nods. "I don't think it's fair for me to talk to your dad when you don't even get to do that." "It's whatever Mari. I stopped caring."

"Did you though?" I look at her and furrow my eyebrows. "You just got so tense the last time I mentioned him. I feel like a part of you isn't over it." "That's not why I tensed up." "Then why?" I shrug. "I guess it was just the fact that I was talking about it with you." "Me?"

"It's just- I don't know Mari. We haven't talked in years and suddenly we're forced back in each other's lives and when you start asking questions like that it-" I stop myself. "It takes you back to the time where we didn't hate each other." I lock my eyes with hers. "Exactly." I give her a soft smile and she returns it.

"You know my parents never learned how to shut up about you." "They talk about me to you?" "Not really talk, but occasionally I'll get a  few How's Adrien?, Have you talked to Adrien?, You should go visit Adrien. Do you ever miss Adrien? questions."

I let out a soft chuckle. "And how do you usually respond to those questions?" Her smile grows wider. "You really want to know?" "Your smile says it's something good. Now you have to tell me." "I don't have to tell you anything." She says with a smile still on her face. "Mari don't be like that."

She laughs and points to the screen. "Aren't we supposed to be looking through the footage?" "I think we're more important?" I tease. "More important than saving people's lives?" "Is this person still XY?" I ask and she nods. "Then yes."

She laughs and shoves my shoulder. "Look through the tapes." I turn my head to the screen just in time to see a tall man walk inside.

"There!" Mari basically pushes me aside to get a look. "It's not a clear enough shot. We have no way of finding out who that is." "No but we know more about him."

"Tall, white hair. That can be anyone Agreste." "Yeah, but now we're one step closer." "We've nailed it down to about 3 thousand people. Yay." Marinette says with a hint of sarcasm. "When did I become the optimistic one?" She rolls her eyes and walks out of the room.

"Whatever. Talk to me when it's down to 10 people." "So you want me to talk to you?" I laugh as I hear the sound of her footsteps go quiet. "That's not what I meant and you know it." The footsteps start up and grow quieter.

Something inside me craves more time with her. Maybe it's the history we share or the environment we're in right now. I don't know what's shifting between us, but I just don't want her to walk out of this building unless she's walking out beside me.

I don't know what motivates me to do it, but my legs push myself out of the chair and rush into the hall.

~Mari~
"Mari!" I turn around to see Adrien standing behind me hunched over. "Are you really out of breath from catching up to me?" "Just- just a second." He says. "Isn't your specialty fighting?" He nods.

He's stays standing there panting. "Is there something you wanted to say or are you just wasting my time?" He finally stands up straight and takes one final deep breath. "I was just wondering if maybe you'd want to go on a walk or something?"

"A walk?" "A walk." "With you?" "With me." "Uh... why?" "I don't know. I just figured that we have so much to catch up on. Maybe we could..." "Catch up on a walk?" He nods. "I'm sorry. I still don't get it. We can't stand each other Agreste. Why would we spend more time together than what's necessary?"

"I don't know. It's just-" He looks at me for a moment and shakes his head. "Never mind. It was a stupid suggestion. Just forget about it." He gives me a soft smile and walks past me.

"20 minutes." He turns around and gives me a confused look. "A 20 minute walk. That's it, but if either of us start arguing we go our separate ways. Deal?" "Deal."

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A/N: Y'all I have been so unmotivated to write.😩

And I have so much planned for this story, but I want to make sure Marinette and Adrien don't warm up to each other too fast, but with how long it's taking it's taking that much longer for the plot to thicken.

But hopefully within the next few chapter they can stand each other for a long enough time to throw in the scenes I want to throw in.

I have a lot of the scenes written already and I'm actually so excited for the drafts to become actual chapters and for you all to read them! I just have to keep pushing through with this story before I can actually publish the drafts.

I didn't even proofread this chapter so if there's any mistakes feel free to let me know so I can fix them. <3