Because He Loved Me First

31

Adrien peeked over at Marinette for the 10th time as she helped Sabine out with the bakery, wondering whether he should go to her now or just wait. Marinette took the orders from customers and walked inside the kitchen, where Tom and Sabrina were busy baking the pasties.

"Hey," Adrien cleared his throat, afraid of saying the wrong thing. "Do you need help?"

"Nah," Marinette took the order from the last customer and started heading towards the kitchen. "There are no more left. When more customers come, you can take over if you want." Adrien nodded at her response.

A few minutes later, they recieved a knock coming from the door. "I'll get it!" Adrien instantly stood up and rushed over to the door, opening it to see who was out there. His face changed to a surprised look once he saw who it was. The Mayor himself.

"Yes?"

"May I come in?" Mr. Bourgeois politely asked, and knowing this wasn't his place, Adrien told him to wait so he could ask the real owners of the bakery. Tom and Sabine didn't seem to mind and allowed him in, while Marinette stood behind them, standing beside Adrien.

"Ah, well first of all, I'd like to congratulate you on finding your daughter. I'm so glad she's safe and sound now," Mr. Bourgeois continued, earning smiles from the Cheng's. "I wanted to personally apologize. It didn't seem to me like I did enough to help you out, and I'd like to apologize on behalf of my daughter. If it wasn't for her, none of this would have happened."

Adrien listened to the three adults talk, feeling that it would have been better if Chloe came to apologize herself, but now he knew that was never going to happen. At least, not so soon. When he got tired of listening to the three, he grabbed ahold of Marinette and pulled her back. "Let's go up to your room," He whispered in her ear. Marinette stared, confused by his words, before she slowly nodded and followed him up the ladder, the both of them entering the bedroom.

"Why are we up here?" Marinette asked, still confused. "Did you not want to listen to the Mayor apologize?"

"Nah, it would have been better if Chloe herself apologized," Adrien replied back honestly. "The Mayor didn't do anything wrong. He doesn't need to apologize."

"Well, it's very nice of him." Marinette shrugged and sat down on her bed, looking down at the floor. Silence fell between them, as if they suddenly didn't know how to speak anymore, or what to speak about. Truth be said, Adrien had tons of questions, and so did Marinette, though neither of them knew where to begin.

Finally mustering up enough courage, Adrien sat down next to her. "You look different, Marinette."

Marinette looked up at him with a frown, and Adrien looked away. It hadn't been what he had wanted to say. The words had fallen right out of his mouth. "What's that supposes to mean?" Marinette asked. "I don't look that different."

"That wasn't what I meant. Sorry," He still refused to look up at her as he buried his face in the palms of his hands. "I have a lot of questions, but I feel like it'd be a bother to you if I ask them all. I wish I knew where you were, Marinette. I wish I'd found you sooner, or stopped you from running away, at least. I'm just. . .a little confused as to why you decided to run away without saying anything. I thought we were close enough for that." A large unexpected sniff came out, and Adrien could finally understand why Marinette was staring at him with wide eyes.

He was crying.

Instantly realizing it, he rose up and quickly wiped his tears off his face, his back facing Marinette. How embarrassing, he muttered to himself. He was crying. He hadn't wanted to cry. And why was he doing it anyway? Marinette was here, safe and sound, right behind him, looking better than she had before; much braver and all. Adrien was about to turn around, apologize to Marinette all over again, when suddenly he felt two pairs of arms wrapped around him.

Adrien immediately realized Marinette was hugging him from behind as soon as she placed her head on him, and the more he listened, he could hear the small whimpers coming from her as well. Adrien didn't say anything. Instead, he stood still while he listened to Marinette apologize to him with teary eyes.

~

Marinette felt her eyes flip opened, and she took in her surrounding. Getting the idea that she was in her room, she calmed down and rested her head on her pillow again. It was seconds before she sat up again because her door had opened, and Adrien had walked inside the room carrying a tray of cookies.

"Hey, Mari," Adrien took a seat right down on her bed, chewing on a cookie. He placed the tray down and looked at Marinette with a small smile. "You look so cute while asleep."

Marinette turned away, wanting to look annoyed by his comment but instead found her face heating up with a deep red blush. When she was sure all the blush had faded, she turned to Adrien again. "What happened?"

Adrien put down the half eaten cookie he had been holding. "I slept with you."

Marinette almost choked on her own saliva.

"No, I mean. . . Not like that." Now Adrien was the one blushing. "You cried a lot last night, and went to sleep right after. I stayed over."

"Last night?!" Marinette gasped loudly, before jumping out of her bed and grabbing her phone, turning it on and checking the time. "Oh my goodness, it's 8:23 a.m. Why didn't you wake me up earlier, Adrien?! And instead you're here, chewing on cookies?!"

Adrien chuckled loudly. "You looked really peaceful while you were sleeping. I decided to let you sleep a little longer because I thought you needed it."

Marinette sighed. "We have school."

"It's okay, Marinette. Just get ready and I'll take you in my limo." Adrien picked up another cookie. "You better hurry before I finish these delicious cookies I baked for you."

Marinette just laughed as she left the room, and Adrien couldn't help feeling warmth inside of him, and it sure wasn't from the cookies.