Behind My Smile - EDITING SOON

XIV) Brighter Future

Adrien could barely contain his smile, a genuine one to note. Marinette was sprawled on the floor after having tripped over his suitcase in the doorway. Everything was finally coming together. All of Adrien's belongings were wedged into Marinette's living room, which technically was also his. Her furniture were pushed against the back wall to allow room for his stuff, which seemed strange to put in the living room in Adrien's opinion. Marinette seemed to know what she was doing though, so he ignored the odd directions and had just went with it. "Alright, are you going to be a gentlemen, or are you gonna continue to make fun of me from up there?" Marinette's sarcasm and enthusiasm had helped Adrien a great deal in the insanely rushed moving process. If anything, she was just offering a glimpse into his new life as her housemate.

"O-oh, sorry. I gotcha" Marinette's giggles died down as their arms connected and he pulled her from the floor. "So, um... I've never moved before so if this is a dumb question please bear with me... if I have a room, why did we put all my things in the sitting room?" Marinette cocked her head in a bird-like fashion, computing his question before breaking into a grin.

"Because we've got a DIY project to do first."

"And that is?"

"Painting." She sang and twirled. "Being surrounded in your own personalized space can really put you at ease." Marinette gestured for him to follow, which he responded to instantly, and led him to his bedroom. The door quietly creaked open as Mari's foot pushed it. Inside was practically sparkling with disinfectant, a gleaming white blank slate. In the middle of the room was a ladder, a folded tarp, brushes, rollers, painter's tape; the whole shebang. "Now, I didn't know what colors you wanted, so I called up Nathanael and borrowed a little bit of everything. They're in the kitchen. I stacked them in front of the cabinet. Be right back. Start brainstorming, Golden Boy" Marinette fluffed Adrien's hair before leaving the room in a swift turn.

Adrien's eyes scanned the bright room, the wide windows allowing the warm sunlight to shine through. He felt a strong urge to lay in it, but controlled himself to focus on the room itself. He could imagine his bed in front on the windows, the head and feet boards perpendicular to the wall. He saw his mother's lamp on his worn desk, beside it, his most functional monitor and computer. In the closet, he imagined an all new way to organize his clothes. On the floor, a simple black soft rug for his sore feet to touch first thing in the morning. And accompanying all that, he couldn't stop thinking of the soothing green walls with a singular black. He could see it all, and was ready for every bit of it.

"Adrien? You alright?" Marinette's voice penetrated his plans, pulling him back to the empty white room where he realized he was surrounded in paint cans.

"Yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking of plans. I think I got a little carried away in my thoughts."

"That much was apparent. I was able to get all the cans in here before you even noticed I was here. So... sense you were doing so much thinking, got any ideas for the walls?"

"Oh yeah. We've got her all figured out. I just need th- it's the perfect shade!" Adrien crouched down beside the paint cans and held up the one to which he was referring. "Basil Green." he read from the label. "This is the color. It's perfect, with..." his eyes scanned the rest of the cans before landing on his intended pigment. "black as an accent on this wall!" he exclaimed, setting his hand on the wall opposite the windows. Adrien stood proud, beaming like a fool. Marinette couldn't help but be proud. Adrien had at last gotten away from his father. He was finally taking his own steps and holding his own reins. He was in control of his life instead of being force fed his opinions and decisions.

"So, you want to start?" Marinette's chipper voice made his heart flutter with happiness. Her smile shook his world. But, he still couldn't help but think how much of a burden he was to her. The only reason he was moving in was because Marinette was kind, and he basically guilt tripped her into asking him.