Harbored

Calamitous

"Well, this majorly bites," Adrien hopelessly grumbled.

The two were barely lucky enough to be chucked into the same dungeon cell. Unfortunately, their wrists were shackled to the ancient stone wall by means of lengthy, chained handcuffs. The floor was grimy and the room was dark, suffused with the melancholy hope of waking up from this nightmare. 

There were no other prisoners inhabiting nearby cells, making them lonesome, despite having each other.

"If I knew which cell we were in, we could escape. Shitty guards decided to blindfold me on the way in so I would be completely oblivious," Marinette pouted. She crossed her arms and huffed, the chains clinking gently against each other in the process. Adrien knew he had to get Marinette to see the positive in this dreadful situation. 

It was his turn to restore her spirit.

"Hey, look at me, Marinette," Adrien reached out to touch her cheek. He required her attention, raising her head to be paralleled with his. "I know things look grim right now, but we will have our happy ending. We just need time to figure out this ordeal," he continued.

She nodded in agreement, sniffling back her teardrops in the slightest. "And I will see you see you wear that striking green gown once more, even if it's the last thing I do." Adrien confirmed, longing to view such a sight again. He cursed the fact that it had only cloaked her body for a few smattering of hours, when it should have been the entire evening. 

Possibly even longer.

Adrien neared her, his hand still resting on her heated face. Gently, he nudged her closer, placing his other hand to rest on her hip. Their lips met for a slow, loving kiss. It felt as though they had all of the time in the world for the primary purpose of relishing each other's mouth.

They participated in slow, slight movements, practically taking turns with sucking on the other's bottom lip. Marinette groaned into Adrien's throat, wondering what in the hell took her so long in the first place. All she needed to do was swallow her stubborn pride, and ridiculous emotional thoughts, and lock lips with him already.

Adrien leant for the daring side, swiping his tongue on her lower lip. She complied, gratefully allowing his lovely intrusion. There was no need for Marinette to instruct his movements, as his instincts were sort of sloppy, but welcomed with warm arms. He look his sweet time tracing every tooth and cavity encased inside her mouth. 

Finally, Adrien was able to kiss her in the way he dreamed.

Their lungs burned from oxygen deprivation, yet continued to pursue the other. The longer the kiss lasted, the more disheveled it became. Neither particularly cared, only wanting to feel genuine love from their counterpart.

"How sweet. The accomplice and the thief are in love," a guard sickeningly proclaimed. The two hastily parted, wiping the spilled saliva drooling from their lips, longing for nothing else than to reconnect. However, they had enough self respect to not grant the middle aged men with such mental pictures. 

"Well that ends tonight. Marinette Dupain- Cheng, you are hereby sentenced to death for committing multiple heinous crimes, effective immediately," the other palace guard said, moving to unlock the cell door.

Adrien had the hardest time deciphering the forlorn news that was disgustingly bestowed upon them.

"Wait, but she is the King and Queen's daughter. Surely they will not stand for such a thing," he said, tears springing from the socket of his green eyes. 

"Kid, they are the ones who signed the order," one of them explained.

"But..." Adrien began, yet was cut off by Marinette herself. "Don't, Sweetheart. I knew this day would come sometime soon. This is why I never wanted to get emotionally involved with you. But, who could resist the resilient heart pounding feeling I get around you. I am sorry, Adrien. Truly, I am. But let me go. Society has no use for me here. Not even my own parents want me alive.

"Please, go find another love, one that can give you everything and more. I have told you, from the beginning, that I was not the one you were destined for. I love you, so much. But I need to do this," Marinette stated, a continual string of tears slipping off her face.

Adrien sat his hand on the nape of her neck and pushed her forehead upon his. No words were verbalized; the two rested on the floor, exchanging sadness and strength, as if through diffusion. Soft sniffles and distressed sobs were all that materialized.

Mysteriously, the dark dungeon cell grew darker, laced with an indescribable sadness.

Adrien knew Marinette was the love of his life, ever since she mistakenly kissed him in the castle the night of the King's prestigious supper. He was also painfully aware that there was no escape for them this time.

Adrien wanted to grow old with her, but knew the remainder of her life would only be filled with resentment and bitterness toward him. Living that way, with that anger, would be her very unraveling. 

No amount of joyous occasion (engagement, marriage and having children), would fill the void of not wanting to live. Knowing how worthless others think she is could only add to Marinette's potential depression.

Marinette's wellbeing required this to be her ending. And for once, he listened to her deepest desire, grievously seeing it as the singular solution to her endless suffering.

With a final nod of his head, Adrien let her know that he would be okay. Devastatingly in mourning for a few weeks or months, but eventually okay.

"I love you, too," Adrien said.

Marinette lavished him with one final kiss, melding her lips with his in a heartbroken stupor of proclamation. He could practically taste the cheerlessness on her mouth, attempting to focus on the beautiful sensations she was providing him.

"Alright, break it off plunderers," a guard proclaimed annoyingly.

Making certain to finalize their last kiss, Adrien snagged Marinette's bottom lip gently with his teeth, languidly receding from her magical mouth. While parting, their lips smacked loudly, making everyone aware of their prominent feelings.

"Promise me one thing, Adrien. Name at least one of your kids after me," she quietly whispered. Marinette stood up at the guards' demands as they unlocked her daunting shackles from her nimble wrists. Adrien did reply to her by way of nodding at her simple request. Whether or not she registered, or even saw it, he had no inkling of knowing.

Watching her being led off by two brute men was enough torture to last an eternal lifetime. Her prison rags dipped down to expose her slender back. Adrien savored the bared skin, shoulders and muscles. If he squinted hard enough, it mimicked the emerald dress he so hungered to clothe her in.

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So. Here's the situation. The next chapter will be the last one. However, I am writing another book. It will not be a sequel, but hopefully just as interesting as this one has been (at least for me to write anyhow). Thank you for reading, Pals!

♥️ Bubbles