When Is It Love?

Chapter 1

Flashback

Sabine Dupain-Cheng was dying. If you've ever felt death you know it's slow and painful. Agonizing even, everyone with sad faces to haunt you while those last few moments tick by.  Black is the color of death, bright colors are for the living.

Another tear slipped from her only child--a daughter. It was her only child that was there for her in her last moments. The little girl with ocean blue eyes felt the need to put yet another wet cloth upon her mother's head. They both knew this was the end for Sabine Cheng. She wasn't at old age but it was by mere chance she got a disease that infiltrated her body, injecting bacteria through her blood stream. It was horrifying the first month, little Marinette running around to find medicine and work the designer shop by herself.

Thier past wasn't to bad, it could have been worse in their eyes. They had survived multiple attacks from business companies and people out to get Sabine's little girl. Marinette's father had run out on them after she was born. It wasn't his fault, he couldn't feed his family and decided it would be best if he left it to them, Marientte not understanding his logic to the day. It was sad to hear Tom Cheng had passed in a car accident a year later, Marinette not aware at the time.

Here was an eight year old girl, weeping over her mother's death bed. Sabine had worked till she passed out since Tom left. She worked a bakery and even a designer shop--a two in one kind of deal. The agencies soon caught up with them and dubbed that the place was to unsanitary to contain a shop full of sweets. However, the Sweet Boutique still stood tall and proud, becoming number two in the city of Paris. It was strange how it became so popular in a year. The money was just enough to pay for rent and buy food every couple weeks to last them. Even though it was a renowned place, it still didn't get the recantation it deserved.

Gabriel Agreste was not only the number one fashion designer in Paris, but the world as well. Marinette as a small child could always tell he was the one to put others out of business. She figured that is why her mother's business was number two, because no one else could keep up with Mr. Agreste. It wasn't such a bad thing to be ranked second, that was Marinette's opinion, her's didn't follow the rest of the citizens of Paris.

"Mom, please get better." The eight-year old whispered as she grabbed her mother's hand and rubbed small circled along her knuckles. It was touching as the mother turned to her child, putting a limp hand on her cheek. Her thumb brushed away a tear as she coughed a rasp cough.

"Don't cry, child." Sabine whispered to Marinette. "I want you to..." Her mother trailed off as Marinette shook her lightly, her mouth opening to call out to her. The women opened her eyes slowly before trying to give a recouraging smile. "Sorry, Marinette...i'm just tired." Marinette nodded, still not fully understanding the situation. She had drawn lines together to know that her mother wouldn't be there the next morning to wish her a good day. She was going to be alone for a while, still not sure why.

Sabine cleared her thoart and glanced up with droopy eyes. "I want you to run this shop. Never give into Mr. Agreste. However...there is something...you should know...Marinette, please, when Mr. Agreste comes on your eighteenth birthday...listen...to...him..." The once lit, cheerful eyes fluttered closed as her soft breaths subsided.

"Mom? Mom!" Marinette shook her mother's shoulder as she sprang up from the bedside. She could see her mother's chest slowly release one last dip of the stomach before not moving. The tiny girl scrambled out of the room, calling to whoever was near them.

"Somebody, help me! My mom...!" Marinette's screams echoed down the abandoned streets as she ran without a coat. Her footsteps clobbered the gravil below her rainboots as she flew through the roads. Her hands were in small fists as she clenched her teeth, partly freezing to death as she aimlessly ran through the pavements.

A flick of blonde hair flashed it's way into her mind as she took a doubletake to glance at a boy, around her age, maybe ten. The child stood, eating a sucker in his mouth while swirling it around. He gave the girl a confused smile, trying to get her to say something in the awkwardness that lowered between them. Marinette was to dazed and frantic about her mother's death, she didn't know what to say to the stranger. She couldn't just flat out tell him her mother was a dead corpse in their house, he would call the police and take Marinette away from the shop.

"I-I need help, but you have to promise to keep it a secret." Marinette mumbled as she looked at the boy. He shrugged before taking out the lollipop and began to speak, his voice much higher then she would have expected a boy to sound like.

"Sure, what do you need?" The blonde asked as he tugged on his coat. Marinette looked at him before breaking down into sobs, not expecting he'd help her that easily. From her persepctive, granted by her mother, men were selfish and would want something in return for their services. This boy was different, willingly cooperating with Marinette as if it was normal, like a friend would.

The boy raised an eyebrow as she looked at him with teary eyes. Marinette explained herself to the boy, leaving out her life story and skipping to her mother's death. It was a pretty odd conversation since Marinette wasn't still fully aware what had happened, the blonde knowing right away that her mother had passed. He explained to her that there was companies that would take her body, make it pretty, and would have a service with all her loved ones gathered. The little girl shook her head sadly as she looked at him.

"I'm her only family." Marinette whispered. "Please don't tell the cops, they will take me away from my home." She pleaded as she clasped her hands together and glanced at the green, captivating eyes the boy wore. He was like a model in a magizine, even for a little boy, he was pretty cute in Marinette's opinion. Him being so willingly to help her was couragious and what a true man would have as a qaulity.

The boy was quiet for a second before sighing. "You're a very complicated girl."

Marinette smiled at him, a weak, but still there, smile. She nodded her head as he pulled her closer, explaining a plan he came up himself.

"You got it?" The blonde asked as he pulled away from their close stance. Marinette nodded her head twice before playing with her hands, words not able to come out of her mouth to thank him. He smiled before patting her head, starting to walk away.

"I'm Adrien by the way." Adrien told her as he shoved his hands in his pockets, raising an eyebrow at her shivering body. Marinette looked at him as he unwrapped his blue scarf and pulled Marinette closer as he tied theblue material around her neck. Adrien chuckled as the scarf was a little to big on her, her red cheeks adding to her adorable confusion.

"Marinette..." She whispered as he walked away. Adrien turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "I'm Marinette."

Hey my beautiful people.

My second fanfic!

Oh yeah, I'm sorry it's sad but I promise it gets better. This is kind of just like a prologue. So yeah.

I hope you guys are doing fine. I'm extremely tired but oh well.

Love you guys.

-Author~Chan