To Heart's Content

CAREfree

"You got the property, Miss. Dupain- Chang."

Marinette had hoped and prayed for this moment. All of her so called 'pipe dreams' of opening her own gallery were finally coming true. She was now able to celebrate her success by having a physical front for her artwork. All of her life was leading up to this moment. And she had finally captured everything she could have ever wanted. All except for Prince Charming, but her mind was anywhere but in a romantic setting currently.

"Thank you! I'm in utter shock! T-Thank you so much!" Marinette spoke to her realtor over the phone. She had to speak in rather hushed tones, due to being currently stuffed in a busy subway car. The train was enroute to the busiest part of the city, but none of that mattered to the easily excitable young woman. It reeked of the color grey, her least favorite color. The bell dinged, signaling the opening of the doors.

Marinette raced out of the stopped vehicle, sprinting up to the outside street. Once the crowded sidewalk was somewhat clear, she giggled loudly as she twirled about the pavement. Among the raindrops and colorful, blurry faces of complete strangers, she was prancing in a haphazard manner, not giving one, single, flying flip about who observed. The excited young woman was sure she must have accidentally hit a few strangers, continuing to dance to the music an electronic billboard emitted from the middle of the square.

"Mari! You have got to stop dancing around in public. People are gonna think you're nuts," Alya, Marinette's best friend, proclaimed while dragging her into their usual coffee house. It had entirely slipped her mind that she was meeting Alya up for their traditional rainy day lattes. Marinette let her clumsy forgetfulness roll off her back like the raindrops that trickled off her rain jacket hood.

Not even the soppy wetness of her bangs sticking to her forehead could bring her zealousness down. "You look like you got laid last night. Tell me, who was the lucky guy?" Alya asked, searching for details. "Alya!" Marinette exclaimed, turning bright red at the mention of such things. "You know that I'm saving myself for marriage!"

Alya simply laughed at her embarrassed friend, it was too easy to mess with her. Alya was a little more crude when it came to natural experiences and the human body. Marinette, on the other hand, was totally innocent, not even having her first kiss quite yet. She was twenty-three, to be exact. "I know, I know! I just couldn't help but notice how happy you are. What happened?" Finding herself seated in a chair near the window, Mari said, "I got the space! I'm going to have my own gallery!"

Alya was just as thrilled, reaching over the small table to hug her best friend. "Oh, Marinette! This is amazing news to hear! You're going to be an owner! I'm a little saddened I couldn't have been the one to help you bag the space, but I'll live." Giggling, the pair settled, still waiting on their lattes to be created. The shop was about half filled, most inhabitants finding another excuse to either remove themselves from the rain, or spend unnecessary money. The motivations of some were easy to spot, others proved more difficult. A few turned their heads at the squealing young women, others went about their day with and air of normalcy.

"Order up for Alya and Mari!" a tall barista announced. Giddy with joy, they grabbed their drinks and other chosen refreshments, residing back into their chairs before sipping and eating. The warm liquid squelched any lingering frost from the city weather outside. Marinette moaned at the shear delicious taste. "So, where is your new storefront going to be?" Alya quizzed before she nibbled on her cinnamon bun. "Several blocks to the East. Oh Alya, I can't wait!" she bubbled.

Marinette dug into her own pastry. She had carefully selected a slice of sweet lemon pound cake to ingest. As the pair of friends commonly did, they both dug their work out from their similar satchels. Gone were the days of schoolgirl backpacks with charms and colorful fabrics. Hello adult world, canvas and boring. Alya was a high stake realtor, selling millions of dollars daily on luxurious apartments and studio complexes. Marinette was both a surrealism artist and she also did freelance work designing clothing. Once a month or so, she held bidding events for rights to her designs. Sometimes she had huge successes selling to major brands, while other times were huge busts. It wasn't a stable line of work, but the blue eyed lady found it thrilling nonetheless.

Marinette had dug herself wholly into the structure of a dress she was crafting. The clothing item was a deep, bold red and hung to the floor, backless in nature and beautiful just the same. The piece was part of her collection in which she married both of her jobs, painting gorgeous women in her clothing items in an ornate fashion, dripping with opulence. She could practically smell the jewels that would be adorned on the model's neck and how the diamonds would positively drip from her earlobes. Yeah right, as if she had enough money set aside to make that possible.

Getting slightly distracted, Marinette plucked at a huge scratch she had received from the sharp and stabby corner of a poster frame she was adjusting earlier this week. For some reason, it had caused her much irritation ever since it came to fruition on her skin. "Mari, girl quick picking at your battle wound," Alya insinuated, raising her eyebrow in disappointment. "I'm sorry, it's just uncomfortable, you know?" she retorted.

"Sadly yes, but that doesn't mean I'll just allow you to get a scar on my watch."

"Okay, Mother Alya."

"You'll thank me someday, Dearie."

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"Marinette Juniper Dupain-Chang do not sass me, young lady."

"Yes ma'am."

Marinette rolled her eyes and snickered. Alya was the type of person who mothered her closest friends, monitoring them constantly. Usually, it was too intrusive, but it could be loving and endearing in nature too. The dark haired girl usually went along with her best friend and her nit-picking. She typically benefited from it, no matter how much she wasn't willing to admit it.

By the time both young ladies had finished their rejuvenating coffee, treats and enough work to feel productive, the rain had started coming down in troves. It looked relentless and daunting to trudge through. Regardless, Marinette had to get to the subway station to return home and make dinner for one. That, and she needed to feed her aquarium full of fish. Hugging her best friend and wishing her well until their next visitation, Marinette embraced the rain. As time continued, she could feel the sweater she sported underneath her raincoat wet down, grasping onto her freckled skin. Others might have thought the sensation uncomfortable. Marinette was a real lemons to lemonade type of gal.

Somewhere between the coffee shop and the downward staircase to the underground transportation platform, Marinette collapsed, not breathing. Nothing convulsed, nothing about her physically moved, except the thoughts written in cursive on her mind. Blue eyes wide open and facing the grey clouds, her eyelids collected rain from the weeping sky before closing in suffering.

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Hello and welcome! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! As always, feel free to leave a vote, comment or prediction below. Also, big yay for my boredom & executive decision to publish early! Love y'all!

P.S. when you see the nickname of Mari, do you mentally pronounce it Marie or Mary? I'm totally team Marie, even though I feel like it should be the other one.

Bubbles <3