Dance with Me, Chaton

Giving up

The designer's department was the first place Adrien checked. Marinette's stuff was at her desk, but she wasn't. A bit bewildered by Adrien's urgency, Marc informed him Marinette wasn't back yet from M Agreste's office and promised to call Adrien if she'd come back.

Adrien raced down the hall to the elevator. Repeatedly pressing its button, he waited for a few moments before deciding that the stairs would be a faster option. He quickly found the staircase and leaped down a few steps at a time. Marinette wasn't on the ground floor. Adrien sprinted outside and looked around. She was nowhere to be seen.

He reached for his cell and looked for Marinette's number, only to remember that to give her the necklace during their date was not the only thing Adrien had forgotten. Asking for her cell number had also slipped his mind. His head was just not working properly when she was around.

Adrien swore under his breath. He could type her a Discord message, but there were no guarantees she hadn't blocked him yet. Plus, out on the streets, every second was critical if he wanted to find her. He didn't have time for Discord, and to be honest, he'd rather talk to her in person, anyway.

"Think, Agreste. Think," Adrien murmured to himself. "Where would she go?"

Home? He knew where she lived! At least he knew her apartment building. He could drive there and beg her for a moment of her time to explain. Although Marinette would probably take the metro, so he should too if he wanted to catch her. More time to talk on their way. Plus, no delay.

Adrien sprinted to the nearest metro station and ran down the stairs. Tickets! The lines were huge. Adrien pressed his lips into a thin line. Great! A teenager stepped away from one booth, holding a stack of tickets. Adrien quickly approached him.

"Excuse me," he said. "I'm kind of in a rush. It's an emergency. Would you be willing to sell me one of your tickets? Name any price you want."

The teen quirked an eyebrow and scoffed. "Twenty-euro, old man."

Adrien pulled a bill out of his wallet and offered it to the boy.

The teen's eyes widened. "What are you rich or something?"

"I said it was an emergency. I don't have time to wait in line. Are you selling me a ticket or should I look for someone else?"

"Stupid rich people," teen mumbled, exchanging a bill for one of his tickets.

Adrien didn't linger around. As soon as the ticket was in his hands, he rushed toward the entrance. Marinette would've taken the west-bound train, so he ran in that direction. The train had just arrived and people flooded the platform, but no one looked like her... except for a girl at the very end.

"Marinette!" Adrien sprinted towards her just as the train signaled the door's closing. The girl stepped inside; Adrien followed a few cars behind. He walked to the end of his car and jumped into the last one on the next stop. The girl wasn't there anymore. Must have been a mistake.

His breathing heaved, Adrien decided that continuing to Marinette's place in the metro would probably be faster than going back to pick up his car. He pulled his cell phone and quickly researched which lines and stops he had to take. Thirty minutes later he stood in front of Marinette's building, barely catching his breath.

Adrien looked around. No Marinette in sight. He called her name a few times, hoping to catch her attention if she was nearby, but no one answered. The door had a security code, so he couldn't just walk into the building and start knocking on every door. Losing hope, Adrien reached for his cellphone again. Discord it was. If she'd blocked him, then she did. But he'd lose nothing by trying.