What if 'the one' split into two...?
Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Lady Luck herself, has finally fallen on her feet after years of playing catch-up. Her boss, Mary Humphries of The House of Humphries, has invited her to be first assistant at an important...
The Galgorm Manor Hotel was situated on the outskirts of Ballymena, a city in Northern Ireland, nestled in the picturesque West, seemingly in the middle of nowhere beside a wild, flowing river. At first, Marinette couldn't understand why they had chosen this place, but after strolling from the hotel down to the Phantom House, the reason became clear—it was stunning!
When they had arrived at the hotel late the previous night, it had been too dark and cold to explore the grounds. Both had decided to call it a night and head to their respective bedrooms—which turned out to be a single room with one luxurious Queen Sized bed.
Adrien had risen early to attend to his best man duties for Félix, followed by his 'bridesmale' duties for Kagami. Meanwhile, Marinette had spent the morning entertaining herself in the pool before preparing for the day's events and making her way down to the venue over the uneven path. Gammy had offered her the chance to join her in the spa, but Marinette had declined. Everything was already awkward enough.
She had been stumbling over her words with Adrien for the past week, her mind swirling with feelings like a relentless carousel. Conversations with Chat Noir had also shifted, reduced to minimal answers and sparse quips as they watched TV together. The awkwardness had grown palpable, and she knew exactly why—her heart was well and truly torn in half. While she loved Chat Noir, she was developing strong feelings for Adrien, finding herself thinking about him more and more.
"This is stunning!" Her partner's voice sounded near her as they made it closer to the venue.
Other voices behind her made Marinette turn, offering a smile and nod to a couple dressed in exquisite outfits heading towards the Phantom House. As usual, she pulled her phone from her clutch bag and pretended to talk.
"I bet you'll be glad when you don't have to keep doing this. Pretending to talk to people," Chat Noir chuckled.
"Of course," Marinette replied into the phone. "Not that I don't enjoy having you with me 24/7, but it'd be nice to actually be able to hug you. I feel we need one after all this." She turned back towards where Chat Noir stood and flashed him a smile, a free-flowing waterfall creating a perfect backdrop behind him.
The gentle, hushed tones of the river's flow covered the deep sigh that escaped her lips. She felt stuck in limbo at the moment, unsure of what direction to take. A future with Chat Noir seemed impossible, while the thought of a future with Adrien felt not only possible but also appealing. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to delve into her thoughts—a luxury she hadn't indulged in for a long time.
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"Did you ever think about if we got married?" Chat Noir asked abruptly.
Marinette felt a sorrowful smile tug at her lips. "All the time, Kitty," she whispered, her heart aching with the painful truth. "Until recently."
She recalled the look on Chat Noir's face when Adrien had comforted her. The gentle caresses, the solace she had sought and found in another, leaving her partner to witness her falling for someone else—a pain she had never wished to inflict upon him.
