When Is It Love?

Chapter 2

1 Week After First Flashback

"The cleanup crew did a nice job, huh?" Adrien asked with his sucker in his hand, twirling the stick around. Marinette sighed as she stopped her swinging and looked at the green-eyed boy sitting on the twin swing beside her. In just a few hours, somehow, Adrien's 'cleanup crew,' as he called it, took care of her mother's body and prepped it for her ceremony. He had explained to her that he was 'connected' to powerful people and was able to sneak her mother out and have her proffecsionally treated, leaving her to rest peacefully. At that time, Marinette had finally learned what it really meant to rest in peace.

"I want to know who you are, under that mysterious mask." Marinette said as she tugged on the blue scarf she recieved from Adrien a week before. He had said it was no big deal to who he was as he retorted to her.

"Since when does a little girl know such extravegent words?" He teased her, letting a small chuckle out while the girl stayed her poker face. Adrien's laugh subsided as he looked at her face, clearing his throat and awkwadly pulling out the collar of his winter jacket.

"I don't understand why this had to happen. First my dad, then my mom. I'm all alone." Marinette whispered, letting her feet dangle off the chair. Adrien looked at her with his chubby cheeks wrinkling into a frown. Had he said something wrong, he had only been joking. Being an only child, Adrien never had any true, really close friends. His father had been stirct about his freedom.

Marinette let out a sniffle, Adrien giving her a shocked look. He was scared he made her cry, not wanting to see those golden tears drip from her eyes like they did a week before.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what to do. I miss my mom." Marinette sobbed as Adrien got up from his swing and walked across the sand to stand in front of Marinette's drooping head. She looked up to him with glossed eyes, misted with tears. Adrien put a hand over her shoulder which caused Marinette's head to turn slightly to the right.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry this had to happen to you." Adrien said as he kneeled down to her eye level.

In a week's time, the two children had gotten closer to becoming actual friends. He had watched her mother being carried out of their abandoned mishaped home. Adrien felt like helping the little girl on the street could have gone either way; a good or bad turn if things played out. He had watched a girl, not only about a year and half younger than him, being pushed back by a man who had worked for Adrien's dad. It was sickening how this had to happen to such a small girl, and her not wanting to risk her mother's last wish and giving her a proper funeral. It was eye-opening most of all.

Marinette was a confident, young girl. She had seen a side to the little boy who seemed distant after that hour he had watched her mourn over her mother's body. They had visited her grave, hand in hand, the next day. Both of them learning about the other.

Throughout the next year, the kids would se a side to the other they hadn't seen the day they met. It occured to both that they had both characteristics a normal pre-teen wouldn't have. Marinette was right about Adrien being ten, and Adrien had proven that Marinette was smarter then the normal eight-year old.

After her mother's death, Marinette had liven by herself, working the designer shop, and learning how to properly sew. She had forged money from the safe she had gotten when her mother passed. Marinette didn't eat much, which made her incredibly skinny over the next few years.

Adrien patted her shoulder as he got up and handed her a napkin. He stuck his lollipop in his mouth again before returning his cool composer. It was true he was more elegant then most ten-year olds, however, this has sparked Marinette's attention. Even under the mask, he was this caring kid who helped her in his time of need. After all, not some normal person wouldn't not go to the police when a girl said her mother died. It was odd how he agreed to not going to the police. Marinette decided it was best not to question it as she swung her legs.

"I'm going to go, see you later, Marinette." Adrien said as he waved his back hand towards her, his body already turned to leave. Marinette hummed in response and pulled up the scarf so it covered her nose.

It wasn't safe out for a little kid to be alone, night reaching upon the earth. Marinette walked back to their apartment on her abandoned street. She unlocked the door, finding the key under the doormat, and putting it in a new hiding space. During the absence of her mother, she's taken into liking of reading, creating fairy tails with her imagination. Adrien, she found out the hard way, didn't like to play games. He did, however, like to read books.

Marinette sighed as she went over to the pantry, grabbing a loaf of bread she had made herself, successfully not burning down the house. The girl skipped over to their broken down cpach, resting her back along the cushions. She popped a piece into her mouth as she sighed, releasing the puff of air from the back of her mind. It didn't seem real--the death. How was a little girl supposed to live by herself? School started the next week, how was she going to get there? There was always walking, but the school was at least a mile away.

"I miss you, mom." Marinette whispered to herself.

Yeah!

So new chapter is up. I'm not sure how I feel about it but yeah.

Next chapter will be like when she's older so yeah.

Alrighty. Love you guys.

-Author~Chan