To Heart's Content

RAINdrops

"Can you hand me a scalpel, Dr. Agreste?"

The only thing Adrien could think of was how it had all gone so wrong so fast. Surgery was supposed to be a routine ordeal to him. How had he missed a step? And a rather important one at that? All these pressing matters and more stamped his overthinking brain. It had been one full day since his formal release from work. It was doubtful that he would ever be able to practice medicine again. Well, unless another person were to drop unconscious on the sidewalk again, then he could.

A slight grin tugged on the very corner of his mouth at the thought of the sugary sweet Marinette. Shaking his head, he couldn't allow his mind to drift to seeing her again. The innocent girl wouldn't deserve it. She was an individual who had the world going for her, while he was moping on his couch, nursing his second six-pack of beer since his termination, and hadn't showered in three days. During this time, he had grown stubble that took form into a nearly full beard. Adrien was almost unrecognizable.

Maybe that's why when he heard a polite knock on his apartment door and opened it up to one Marinette, she stood with a gaping mouth, blue eyes widened so. She was dripping wet with no umbrella or raincoat insight. He surmised that the storm had rolled in early, unexpectedly to the girl standing before him. "Take a picture if you're going to stare so rudely," he snickered, making sure the door was only cracked enough for him to stick his head out of it. If the girl saw how messy his rather upscale pad was, it would only make matters worse.

"I-I'm sorry, Adrien! I just wanted to bring you this to thank you for saving my life the other day. I heard you no longer work at the hospital. So, I found your address from a doctor who had too many red pens and viola! Here I am," she said, holding the slightly dented box up, awaiting his reaction.

"Well, I'm fine and I don't need extra sugar or a babysitter, thank you very much." Adrien slammed the door, annoyed that she was in his presence. Sinking into the corners of his sofa and watching the rainstorm that had graced itself a day early, Adrien took another pull of his tastebud burning alcohol. Just when the blonde man thought that was the end of their encounter, he was dead wrong. With a series of obnoxious knocks, she had managed to make an angry Adrien fling the door open once more. Due to the force exerted, the door hit the wall, causing a resilient dent in the drywall. "What the-"

"That was rude, Adrien. How dare you lock me out when you clearly need a friend right now," she demanded, fighting with the bangs that were glued to her forehead. "Are you kidding me?"

"No. I am not. You will take these cookies, not because I think you need to gain weight, which you are a little twig-like now that I think about it," she paused, taking a once over of his shaggy body, "That's not the point. Take the dang cookies because I slaved over them with the intent of putting a smile on your face. Three words. Get over yourself." His eyes bulbed out of their sockets at her brave words. "You have no clue about the hell I have endured today, Marinette. I think it to be your best interest to leave before you can."

"As if I won't ever have the option to leave anytime I want," Marinette stated while crossing her arms and tilting her head to see if he was willing to challenge her. "At some point, you won't have the choice to come and go as you please. You see, I'm a bit of a vacuum with my closest friends, Marinette." Adrien stood taller, shoulder blades pushed back, taking a few steps toward the sopping girl. "When a person knows more about me than they really ought to, I tend to hold them captive and have much trouble releasing them out into the vicious world. Trust me, think twice before choose you stick with me," he whispered, standing close to her frame, near enough to breathe on her ear as he spoke.

She didn't respond for a few minutes, just letting Adrien fiddle with the skin of her neck, tracing lines and circles, calming his brisk words with a soothing touch. Eventually, they made eye contact, blue connecting with a vibrant green. "And if I get Stockholm Syndrome?"

He chuckled, fingers moving downward to stroke her collarbone. "All madness is welcomed, Twizzler." Her dark brows furrowed. "Twizzler?" Laughing again at her befuddlement, he said, "You confuse me more than the first time I tried to eat a Twizzler." He moved back to the couch, sipping from his beer again. Marinette followed, standing in front of him. "Have you figured out how to eat one?"

"Nope. I have not."

A soft smile resided on her face before a frown took over. "Stop drinking. I can tell you've had too much." Adrien rolled his emerald eyes as he saw her sneak a glance around the room, surely spotting littering cans of intoxication, dirty clothes and dust bunnies. He blew her off, opening up a medical magazine, studying its contents. He was never going to learn to stop ignoring the petite firecracker. Suddenly, Marinette smacked the beer can out of his grasp, grabbing his hand and pulling him to a standing position. "Listen here, Adrien, you will take a shower and you will obey. That's my great beef. Deal with it, Mister. Now, hop to it."

Without any other protest, he did as she said. Marinette was right. Every other time Adrien had met with her, she was a relaxed and easygoing person. Mental note, the sweet sunflower was rather vicious when angered. Too lazy to shave, he didn't bother. She had no right to be upset about his sporting a beard, it wasn't in her shouted instructions and therefore, not required of him. When he toweled off and wrapped the white cloth around his middle, Adrien exited the steamy bathroom into his bedroom. Gathering clothing from the floor and collecting trash, Marinette was about to start a load of laundry and take the trash out to the dumpster.

"Oh good, you're out. Come here," she demanded. He accompanied her, not having the time to change into something else. When they arrived to the bathroom sink, she pulled a chair out from his kitchen table, setting it down and assembling his razor, shaving cream and aftershave lotion together. Adrien cocked an eyebrow upward. "Relax. I've done this a million times," Marinette assured. He let his posture go slack as she lathered the white cream in her hands before frothing his face in the fluff. It was a peaceful experience, much unlike her attitude earlier.

His eyes never left her face as she grew nearer to get a better view on what the razor was removing. With a slowed breath, unmoving hands and a lidded eyes, Adrien traced her movements, not being able to soak up enough of the dark haired girl who wanted nothing other than to help him out a little bit. After she had ran a warm washcloth over his face and applied a moisturizing lotion to his skin, Marinette cleaned up. "How do you know how to shave so well?" he asked, observing her work in the mirror. "My ex was crap at grooming himself," she regarded, emitting a quiet giggle at the memory of the struggling numbskull.

"So I see. Am I allowed to change now?" he questioned, increasingly growing more uncomfortable with the possibility of his towel slipping lower than necessary. Nodding, she let him go, exiting his room to the kitchen area, tidying up more.

When Adrien met up with Marinette in the living room, he defeatedly sunk into the cushions of the couch, tears brimming his lower eyelids. Reality was finally catching up with him. After Marinette saw the look in his eyes, she hugged him close, cuddling and comforting his shaking frame to the best of her ability. Adrien held onto her tightly, wailing and sobbing his pain aloud. She ran a hand through his clean hair, tangling the locks with her fingers.

"It's all going to be just fine, Adrien."

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As always, I hope you enjoyed! Or maybe not so much, considering the amount of sad emotion in this chapter. Any who, I'll talk to you guys later!

Bubbles <3