Criminal

Chapter 10: Tension

Note from author: This chapter contains the sketches created in Marinette's perspective, I would suggest reading this chapter with the white setting on- in my opinion the sketches fit in better that way.
Please don't be too harsh- I'm not a great artist but I took inspiration from a few photos I saw in the miraculous fan fiction. I figured why not draw it myself since its just sketches and wanted to Give you guys a better visual. Please don't forget to vote, thank you my lovelies!
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Marinette walked briskly into the building, not bothering to check in with the front desk as Natalie seemed to have already seen her. She had stayed up a bit late working on designs after studying, it was a miracle she was able to get enough rest to push through her fever. Let alone make it to work on time and surprisingly energetic... Thanks to her two extra pumps of caffeine.

She nearly slammed open the door to Adrien's office, after knocking of course. She raced into the room without hesitation, placing her already open sketchbook on Adrien's desk before she could even greet him.

"IT'S PERFECT." Marinette remarked, her hands on each side of her sketchbook. Adrien frowned and looked at the detailed drawings of each design set for his upcoming photo shoot. His lips parted, his eyes softening as he stared at the page. Her manicured nails gracing each side of her sketchbook, he could tell it meant a lot to her.

She wanted him to like it. She wanted him to feel like it was made just for him, because it was. She didn't do it for Gabriel, she did it for him, and she wanted him to see that.

He smiled as his eyes trailed across every detail of her first design, his masculine hand tracing the page.

"The first sketch is how I first perceived you when I first met you and how others might see you at first glance... Polished and very sleek, in a kind of mischievous way. So I thought this was a good introduction outfit." Marinette said, "The accessories kind of stand for your classy sense of style and possessive attitude."

He turned the page to the second design, a small smile naturally making its way onto his lips. She clearly put a lot of effort into it, and it made him feel good.

"When I really listened to you I kind of felt a sense of calmness and gentleness. You seem to hide a lot behind closed bars, in a mysterious sort of way. You can also be really caring and sweet like when you helped me when I was sick, and I saw that when you called to check up on me as well."

He felt his heart rate begin to accelerate, wondering how she saw through the facade that others never even cared to pay attention to. The act his father asked him to play ever since his mother disappeared. Marinette pointed to third sketch on the next page, her delicate finger hitting the sheet of paper.

"I wanted the last design to portray to you that you can finally be yourself and explore a different sense of style. You're not your father Adrien, and you don't have to be perfect either... which is why I decided on this for the last design. It's more of a guinea pig project. So I'm not sure your father will approve, I know its not exactly Gabriel-Agreste-Brand material."

Adrien looked up from the small sketchbook, his eyes meeting hers. His heart ached when he stared at her, being thrown into a sea of blue so suddenly. Marinette looked at him with a small smile on her pink lips, she was proud of her work. She could have simply designed the usual, a bland and sleek piece of work his father expected to get into the designing business. To achieve her dream.

What Adrien realized was that he had never modeled for himself, it was always for his father or a company.

Marinette didn't want him to model for her designs, she wanted him to express himself during the photo shoot.

Had he ever wanted to kiss someone so badly? The answer was no... He never wanted someone so bad and so desperately. In a sense that he was willing to give up everything he had for her... If she was willing to give up her dream, just so he could finally be himself...

He was willing to give up Chat Noir for her.

He'd stop all the robbing and commotion if it made her happy. He'd stop the one exciting thing in his life that was actually his, if it meant that he'd have her. He knew that the second his eyes met hers in that moment.

"The point of all the different styles of clothing is how you can clearly pull off each one, but also the variety of sides to your personality. I may not have known you for a long time, but from what I've seen I couldn't just settle on one aesthetic. So I came up with this approach." The bluenette smiled and placed her hands on her hips.

He stood up, still quite stunned at the young woman who stood in front of him. Her eyebrows knitted together in a worried expression, "Oh no... Do you not like it?" She asked, like a hurt puppy who had just been crushed. Adrien abruptly walked around the desk, and took her hands in his.

She looked at him like she was afraid. He could feel the thick tension. He squashed it the moment he pulled her into a hug, a small gasp escaping her lips at the sudden move. "I like it, I like it a lot." He whispered softly, and she seemed to relax in his arms. She settled comfortably in his embrace before he let go.

"If my father doesn't approve, you won't be able to design here anymore, Marinette." He said, as if he wanted to make her aware of the decision she was about to make.

But she was smiling, a tender look in her blue bells eyes.

"I know."