Catching Wire [The Miraculous Games Book 2]

One

A/N - Best understood if you read 'The Miraculous Games' prior to 'Catching Wire'.
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I sit just outside District 12 and hold my flask between my icy hands. The frost of winter is beginning to set over the meadows outside of district 12. I look at the ice warm glow around me and consider everything I need to do today.

My prep team will be arriving later this afternoon to get me ready for the Victor's Tour. This will include removing any unwanted hair from my body, getting a new selection of clothing from Audrey, which I will be wearing during the tour, and also scrubbing the top layer of skin off in a milk bath to make sure I am 'glowing' for my tour of the districts.

I look up at the suns position in the sky and see it is just past noon. The shadows are starting to form in front of me as the sun lowers from the sky. I stand up and place my home made yo-yo in the tree trunk and cover the end with grass. Grabbing hold of my hunting bag I make my way back to the fence which separates District 12 from the meadows and climb under at my usual spot, just on the outskirts of the Seam.

I make my way to Luka's house to leave some of my game for his family. Anarka greets me in her usual friendly way. She works as a washer woman to aid the merchant area of the district.

"Will you be seeing Luka on Sunday? I know he misses you." She asks me, I miss my friend greatly too. Since turning 18 he works all week, plus Saturday, in the mines. His only day off is a Sunday which he uses to spend with me. He still tells me he loves me even though he knows I don't reciprocate the same feelings. I love him, just not in the way he loves me.

"Unfortunately not, Anarka. We leave for the Victory Tour in a couple of hours."

"Oh yes, I had forgotten. Well keep safe, darling." She gives me a quick kiss on the cheeks before waving me off.

I make one last stop at the Hub to see if I can gather any alcohol for Haymitch and sweets from Adrien. I look for his favourite mint candies and purchase two bags; one for Adrien and one for Manon. I grab some bandages for my mother and some white liquor for Fu. With a pocket full of coins, I also purchase an ice cream from Andres ice cream cart and a bracelet from the jewellery stand before leaving.

With an empty game bag, I trek my way through the seam and into the merchant quarters. The people live marginally greater here; they have the better jobs and more money, making their life seem like a luxury compared to those working tirelessly in the Seam. The recent frost has created ice on the streets making me slip and slide around as I walk down the path heading towards the Victors Village.

The grandeur of the houses are alien to the rest of the District. They were built specifically for any returning victors from The Miraculous Games; four on each side of a flowered reservation. Mama, Manon and myself have moved into a house on the right, where Adrien and Fu are on the left. I head over to Fu's house before the prep teams arrive with Nadja.

His house is old and broken. He's lived here alone since winning the 50th Miraculous Games, close to twenty-five years ago. The shutters are hanging off the windows and as I walk up the steps I can see the weeds growing strong in his flower beds. I open the door and a strong stale, musky smell hits my nose, I hold back a cough and make my way through the hall to the second door which is the entrance to Fu's kitchen/diner area.

Stepping over the empty alcohol bottles on the floor I make my way carefully to the dining table where Fu has his head lay on his arms. Most would say he's asleep but I know he's passed out from too much alcohol. I give him a little shake to try and wake him up. No luck. I walk around the room and notice a flower vase in his bookcase. I take out the dead flowers throwing them out the window and take the vase back to sleeping Fu. Standing back a short distance, I tip the water over his head. He jumps up waving his cheese knife at me as though I'm one of Hawkmoth's mutts.

"Film crew will be here in an hour." I state as I make my way to the door.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" He's shaking the water off himself and glaring at me.

"You told me to wake you up."

"Not with hypothermia! You really are quite dislikable!"

"If you wanted to be babied you should have asked Adrien to do it!"

"To do what?" A new voice to the conversation startles me. I turn around to see Adrien with two loaves of bread in his hands. I feel my face blush to a tomato red and look away. Adrien walks past and places the bread on the table for himself and Fu.

"Woah, you two. You need more than that if you're going to keep up the star-crosses lovers act."

"I told you Fu, we're just taking it slowly." Adrien states as he cuts into his bread.

"If you go any slower you'll both stop." Fu bites a chunk out of his bread.

"I'll see you both in an hour." I begin to walk to the door when I hear footsteps chasing after me.

"Marinette, wait!" I turn to find Adrien behind me scratching the back of his neck, it's such a cute nervous twitch.

"I need to talk to you about you and Luka."

"I told you, he kissed me. It's not him I want, it's you."

A couple of weeks ago whilst I was out hunting with Luka he'd approached me about Adrien. As much as I love Luka, I just don't love him like I do Adrien. He didn't take this too well and kissed me. Of course I told Adrien what happened and I know it's made him insecure ever since. I haven't kissed Adrien on the lips since our arrival back two months ago. I want to take it slow, I want to know everything about him and then I want to give him it all. But it just doesn't seem that easy.

I walk up to Adrien and wrap my arms around his waist, resting my head on his chest I can feel the rapid beating of his heart. He wraps his arms around me and places his cheek on the top of my head. I close my eyes feeling his surrounding love and warmth, I could stay here forever but we've got work to do. I move away and give him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll see you in an hour, we'll talk on the train. I promise." I start to walk out the door before remembering the items I had brought from the Hub.

"Could you give these to Fu for me please, Adrien?" I hand over the clear alcohol bottles and then turn to continue to rummaging in my bag.

"Of course." He replies.

"And these are for you." I hand him the mints and see his eyes light up.

"My favourites. Thank you, m'lady." As soon as I hear my nickname leave his mouth my stomach is filled with a party of butterflies. Saying one more goodbye I step out the door and over to the house opposite. As I open the grand front door my mother approaches me from the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel.

"Welcome home, honey. There's someone here to see you." I look down the corridor and notice two akuma's standing outside the study. My mother looks at me with a smile but it doesn't reach her eyes. I looked closely and could see fear all over her iris'.

I walk cautiously down the hall, keeping my back as straight as I can. The akuma's open the door and I step inside.

"Arrrr ... Ms Dupain-Cheng. It's nice to see you again."