Harbored

Clash

Free, full hearts clamored chests while Adrien and Marinette persisted in their journey towards a barely known destination by some. Digestion systems full of berries helped with fueling energy for their trek. Or at least, that was the case last night.

Marinette's pace slowed as time wore on, to the point of Adrien noticing. He raced in front of her, which was not a difficult feat, and kneeled down, his back to her. "Hop on," Adrien said.

"You're a saint," Marinette mumbled under her breath. She clumsily threw herself upon him, hooking her arms around his neck.

Their closeness was enough to send shivers down Adrien's spine, pooling in his stomach. Intuitively, Marinette's nimble fingers gingerly stroked his protruding jaw line. Her comforting breath swept Adrien's ear, nearly sending him over the edge.

"You know you cannot tell anyone about our rendezvous back at the palace. Especially not where we are going. Also, because it only happened to save our lives," Marinette whispered into his ear. Contradictive to her previous statement, she distributed sweet, uneven kisses to the flesh of his neck, ear and shoulder; some lasting longer than others.

"I know," Adrien replied, swallowing his disappointment to hiding their truth. Each delicate smack of her mouth made his hair stand on end. "You are making this awfully hard on yourself, Sweetie. Getting attached will only hurt you further. Once I get to my destination, I have to go for a little while.

"As for you, you will get your bookstore. I can feel it. Ellory, Elsinore and Elliot make good children's names. I can picture you with a perky brunette, and a cute yellow house with the perfect white picket fence. Adrien, you are going to have the best life, I just know it," she said as she rubbed her nose along his skin.

Adrien marched on, taking a slight pause to collect his words. Their surroundings changed from a tangled forest, to a nestled village. He thought nothing of it and continued down the graveled path, Marinette not yet dictating a change in direction.

"From the moment I met you, I caught on to your casual attitude towards me. But, my half of the story is much, much more complex than that. Marinette I... I lo-," Adrien was hastily interrupted by an obnoxious squeal. 

Flinging off from his firm grasp, Marinette sprinted towards a certain hut like establishment. He knew it was too late, and that he had lost his chance, as well as his mind.

Angered at himself for not properly confessing, Adrien followed, feeling quite stupid. A brash wind flung his bangs into his eye, stumbling his walk of faux confidence.

Upon entering the small home, Adrien cowarded like a shy puppy dog. Who, he assumed, was Marinette's boyfriend's mother ushered them in, quizzicality glancing at him. Marinette practically flew to a certain room down the hall; a loud, yet evidently happy, reunion taking place.

A tuft of fiery red hair with turquoise eyes shot Adrien's last shred of self assurance to shrapnel. Not to mention his muscular build, or at least what was visible through pillowy bedsheets and loose pajamas.

"Oh, Nathanael! I missed you so much, my Darling," Marinette proclaimed. Adrien stuck to monopolizing the farthest corner of the room, not wanting to interrupt sloppy snogging.

He understood Marinette's beauty, and foolishly thought he was the only one who could recognize it to its fullest. What he did not count on, was just how handsome her boyfriend was, sickly appearance and all. Despite it only being true that her significant other was quite the looker too, Adrien gathered the inkling that the guy was next to cheap trash.

Adrien's heart shrank four sizes as he noticed tongue being used between the two. He longingly wished for Marinette to teach him how to perform such romantic acts. Also, Adrien wanted the happy couple to make it snappy. For the meantime, he stuck his hands in his pockets, fighting the emotional pain.

Nathanael opened his eyes and caught a wry glimpse of Adrien holding his eyes captive, continuing the outrageous kissing that ensued. Even though Adrien was basically blending in with the outdated wallpaper, Nathanael never lost eye contact. 

He broke apart from Marinette asking, "Who is the blondie?" Nathanael's face glowered, pupils shrinking in hidden aggravation.

"Oh! That is Adrien. He is the one who helped me bring the medication to you. He has been pretty helpful," Marinette vocalized. Nathanael's hands continuously rubbed her body, tracing her sides and her back, even daring lower. Nonverbally, he was communicating dominance and possession to Adrien, animalistically staking his claim. 

He hoped her boyfriend would stop his repulsive behavior and let Marinette peacefully be.

"How much did you two kiss?"

Marinette shrugged off his tight grip, furrowing her dark brows. She did not know quite how to respond. Seemingly, she was fishing for an answer to give her dying boyfriend.

Marinette could not tell him of the practical religious experience it was to kiss Adrien. If Nathanael caught wind, it would greatly devastate his last, dying moments.

Adrien saw her mental dilemma and hesitation. He took pity on her, despite the fact that their shared kiss was solely initiated by Marinette. 

He needed to save her, just as she did on the night they first met.

"I kissed her. She shut me down immediately, telling me all about you. If there is anyone to blame, it is me," he said. His words were distal from the actual truth, hoping Nathanael would buy it.

"That is doubtful," Nathanael sighed, "Princess Marinette of France, a word?"

Her heart increased its speed, concern washed over her body. She had yet to disclose that juicy tidbit of her past, and did not want Adrien to figure that out just yet.

"Oh, is he not aware of your history, Princess? This is delicious," Nathanael menaced with a glowering expression.

Adrien left anyway, much to Marinette's relief. She would tell him, she knew that much. However, now was definitely not the time for such matters.

He stalked the hall, running into Nathanael's mother. Awkwardly, Adrien shoved his perspiring hands into his trouser pockets.

"He is expected to pass within the next two days. It has gotten worse, the pain unbearable. Marinette has been a real sweetheart to him, even though Nathanael has been a perfect jerk. It is not his fault. He was never this way before. Just please take care of her. She is gonna need a strong man to cry on," she stoutly stated, carrying little to no emotion, just stating fact.

He only nodded, wondering how deep the couple's conversation was going, and how it would result.

A loud bang erupted, shaking his thinking process. It appeared as though the front door had been slammed open. A man dressed in blue overalls exuded fake confidence, his eyes shifted nervously. "Uh, come with me young man. My sheep ran away and I need help retrieving and he likes tall blondes?" the man said, looking highly unsure. He gave Adrien relatively no option, grabbing his shoulder and pushing him outside.

Adrien was too confused to put up a fight or ask a question and allowed himself to be blindly lead; he noted how this has started to be a steadfast trend.

Upon entering a red barn, he saw Marinette, hysterically sobbing into her knees while sitting on a bale of hay. She glanced up tearfully mumbling, "Thanks, Big John." The man took his leave.

"Oh, Marinette," Adrien rasped. He ran to her, picking her up and settling her in his lap, hugging her to closely his torso. For the second time that week, she cried, using Adrien as a solace of comfort.

"I killed him, Adrien."