Red And Black [AU] - ON HIATUS

Agreste

Adrien Agreste, son of world-renowned fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste, has had a rough life.

Ever since the disappearance of his beloved mother, Emilie; he was unable to feel even the most minuscule pang of happiness, no matter how bright the world had seemed or how many colours of joy had tried to fill the expressionless canvas of his cold existence with stunning shades of paint. He felt empty, as if all of the reason and purpose in his life had somehow vanished without a trace; dissipating off into oblivion along with the final unbroken shards of his crushed spirit. He couldn't accept the fact that one of the most prominent role models of his childhood, someone that he loved and cherished, had just faded as if she was never there in the first place; and because his father felt that it was too painful to face the son that he'd tried to raise, he locked himself up in the office all day, everyday.

It pained him.

Not only because he'd lost a mother that day, but a father as well.

After years of unwavering hope, his mother was never found and he just decided to give up knowing that he'll never feel contentment ever again; believing that his only companion would always be the lingering feeling of litost that inexorably engulfed him. The world had seemed dark for the young boy, unwelcoming and cold; and without a familiar face to keep him stable, he felt as though the demons of the world kept on trying to push him overboard until he fell off the sinking ship of hope and plummeted down into the deep unknown. He would be lying if he said he didn't consider just jumping off, it wasn't as if there was anyone who would've cared enough to stop him; and it would've been so much easier to accept his role as the shriveled husk of a no one and just stop trying to get better. For what felt to him like the longest forever, Adrien Agreste thought he had nothing left in this daunting world.

Until he met Marinette.

The girl's name flickered through his mind, like lightning in a raging storm; short but painful and nerve-wrecking.  He missed the times they had and the adventures they went on, he missed the stories they told and problems they shared; but most of all, he missed her. The girl who remained as his one true friend through thick and thin, staying loyally by his side as he'd done for her. They were partners in crime, they were each others' second half, and they were inseparable.

The fact that he had forgotten her last name made it harder for him to even make an attempt at tracking her down. When he'd left for London - years ago -, they had promised to keep in touch; but those words proved to be empty when the letters stopped coming and the final ties that kept them connected were severed. She used to make him so happy, and yet, he'd lost her. Yet another someone special who he cared endlessly for, who had disappeared from his life.

Just like that.

He thought of the way her beautiful bluebell eyes shimmered when they locked eyes - ethereal halos pirouetting amongst the spiraling seas of blue -, the way the dark curls of her hair fell all over the place and how much it had annoyed her - something he'd come to know about with her tireless complaining about it -, and he thought about the way she could always pose a smile.

Marinette was always happy, no matter what; never ceasing to effortlessly grin even when the situation seemed hopeless. She was strong; even when her parents divorced when she was merely six years old, she could still at least plaster on a smile for the greater good. And even though she consistently appeared to have an aura of joy surrounding her, he knew more than anyone that it wasn't real every time. He hoped so much that everyone, anyone or at least someone would come to realize that and make sure that she wasn't still repressing her emotions into bottled-up remains of haunting memories; because someday, it would all come bursting out. And the sweet little girl would finally snap.