PHOTOGENESIS

Chapter 2

Adrien and Marinette sat awkwardly on the expensive leather sofa in the receiving room of the Agreste mansion. Marinette was nervously twisting the hem of her blouse with her fingers. Adrien was idly drumming his fingers on his knees. They kept sneaking glances at each other and looking away.

Finally, Adrien broke the silence. "Umm...so...this is really, really awkward."

Marinette giggled through her nose. "Y-yeah, it...it is," she agreed. "Totally. Totally awkward."

Adrien sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I dunno," he said. "We should—I mean, this whole thing is so messed up. My father can't just..." He gesticulated. "Force this! Not like this."

Marinette sighed. "I know," she said. "Mademoiselle Sancoeur explained the whole thing to me on the way over here. I...I don't agree with what he's doing at all. But..." She glanced at Adrien. "I think there's good intentions behind it, I mean..." She coughed. "Or rather, I think there's something good about all this, even if it's coming from a really stupid place? Ah! Not that your dad's stupid, he's brilliant, he's my idol! It's just—"

"Father is a cold and distant person," Adrien said quietly. "It's been that way since Mother..." He bowed his head.

Marinette studied him, her eyes clouding. She hesitantly reached over and took hold of his hand, feeling an electric tingle at the contact. "Hey," she said softly. Adrien looked up, and Marinette fought down the tomato-red blush threatening to take over her entire body. "This whole thing means you'll get to hang out more and do more normal stuff, right?"

"Well...yeah," Adrien said. "On Father's terms, but—"

"Forget his terms," Marinette said. "Just...just forget the parts of this you don't like, and...and maybe find what you do like in this and enjoy it?"

Adrien blinked, then looked at Marinette. "Well...yeah," he said. "But I can't enjoy it at someone else's expense. Especially not when it's you."

Marinette ducked her head coyly. "Why especially me?" she asked.

"W-well..." Adrien blushed faintly. "It's just...you're one of the most amazing people I know," he said. "I mean, you're creative, talented, everyone respects you, everyone looks up to you..."

"No they don't," Marinette said, her ears burning.

"But they do," Adrien insisted. "And I...I respect you," he said. "I...I just don't want you to get dragged into this mess when you've got your own stuff—"

"I want to get dragged into it," Marinette interrupted breathlessly. After a moment of moving her mouth soundlessly, she added, "I mean..." She cleared her throat. "I...I want to spend more time with you. I mean...we don't really, y'know? Spend time. And stuff."

Adrien scratched the back of his head. "Heh...I guess not, huh? I mean, I used to think you still hated me, but I know better than that now. I mean, we've had some good times together...even if some stupid supervillain always shows up and ruins it."

Marinette laughed. "Oh yeah, like when my uncle got turned into Kung Food, or when we got chased by that game robot..."

"Yeah, yeah!" Adrien laughed along with her. "It just seems like any time we really get a chance to hang out and talk and be, y'know, normal friends, something comes up. Or you..." He paused, then scratched at his cheek. "Well..." He coughed. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you..."

"Umm...spaz out around you?"

"Yeah."

Marinette let out a shaky breath, practically burying her face between her drawn-up knees. "Yyyyyeeeeeah..."

"Uhh...so why is that?" Adrien asked. "I mean, if it's not because you don't like me, is it...is it because of who my father is? Is it because I'm a model? Because—"

Marinette looked up at him with a face that made him stop dead in his tracks. Something changed in her eyes, and then softly, quietly, she said, "Did you ever stop to think...maybe it's just because you're a really cute boy?"

Adrien blinked. His mouth moved soundlessly. Slowly, his eyes widened. "...huh?" he managed.

Marinette sat back and took a deep breath. "I...I flake out around you because...you're cute," she said. "There. I...there."

"Oh," Adrien said softly.

"And so..." Marinette picked at her jeans. "And so...that's why I want..." She stopped, then started again. "That's why I'm cool with...with all this. No matter how crazy it is." She looked up at Adrien again. "That's...that's okay, right?"

Adrien blinked again. He felt his own ears heating up. "Uhh...y-yeah," he stammered. "Yeah, that's..."

And suddenly, Marinette was no longer simply the amazing, talented, somewhat clumsy and spastic girl from his class that was one of his first friends.

Marinette was a girl. And an incredibly cute one.

"Y-yeah, I...yeah," he said softly, no longer trusting his words.

Before things could grow more awkward between them, Nathalie returned, her fingers flying across her ever-present tablet. "I've scheduled dates for the two of you tonight, tomorrow, Wednesday afternoon, and Friday evening," she said. "Two of those are cinema dates, one is a concert, and tomorrow is a free date for the two of you to do whatever you like." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a phone which she handed to Adrien. "I've set up your social media apps and profiles. Make whatever basic changes you see fit, but keep it clean."

Adrien blinked as he accepted the phone. "When did you—" He shook his head. "You could've just asked me to hand you my phone instead of—!"

Marinette almost thought she saw a smirk cross Nathalie's face. "You were distracted. It was easier just to take it. Now, the details for your dates will be e-mailed to both of you—I already have your number, Marinette, as well as your e-mail, and have put them into Adrien's phone."

Adrien went through his contacts and frowned slightly. "Huh. I think I've seen this number before..."

"Ah! I—I might have called you once," Marinette said. "But it went to voice mail and it wasn't important so I, um, I didn't leave a message."

"Oh," Adrien said. He shrugged. "Alright."

(In Adrien's pocket, Plagg narrowed his eyes suspiciously.)

"So, uh...you have my number already then?" Adrien asked.

"I...think I do," Marinette said, pulling out her own phone. Nathalie swiftly plucked it from her and spent several seconds going through it, then handed it back. "H-HEY!" Marinette protested.

Nathalie pushed her glasses up with her index and middle fingers. "Adrien's number and e-mail have been updated and you're following him on Twitter and Instagram," she said primly. "Anything else, you can do later."

"...thanks," Marinette said in the same wry, sour tone she used when addressing Chloé.

Nathalie handed Adrien a slip of paper. "Your social media passwords," she said. "Don't lose them."

"Alright," Adrien said, nodding as he folded it into his pocket. "Thank you, Nathalie."

"You're free for the rest of the afternoon," Nathalie informed Adrien. "You may do as you wish. I suggest you explain things to Marinette's parents. The car will collect you for the cinema at 18:00." With that, she turned and left the room, her heels clicking sharply.

Marinette stared after her, then turned to Adrien. "Is this...is this normal?"

Adrien sighed. "Around here? Yes." He stood, grunting. "Umm...do you wanna maybe...go back to your place, talk to your parents?"

Marinette grimaced. "Yeah, that's...that's probably a good idea," she said. She looked Adrien up and down. "Umm...n-not that you look bad or anything, but maybe change? I mean, if we're..." She blushed. "If we're going on our first date tonight?"

"Huh? Oh! Oh, umm...yeah," Adrien said, rubbing the back of his head and laughing sheepishly. "Gimme a few minutes." And with that, he hurried out of the room.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Marinette slumped against the back of the couch. "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa," she half-moaned, half-croaked.

Tikki floated up out of her purse, giggling. "Well, this is interesting!" she tittered.

Marinette glared at her. "If by interesting you mean a completely insane train wreck!"

"Oh? What's so bad about it? You're Adrien's girlfriend, and you're getting to spend time with him!"

"Yeah, but I didn't...! I mean, it's...AAUGH!"

Tikki rolled her eyes. "Marinette. You've heard of arranged marriages, right?"

Marinette eyed her. "Yeah?" she said guardedly.

"Well, a lot of couples who were arranged to marry back in the old days fell in love and were lifelong, inseparable friends!" Tikki offered Marinette a bright smile. "Sure, this is a strange way to start a relationship in this day and age, but this could be exactly what you need! And exactly what you've wanted since you met Adrien!" She did a loop in midair. "Have some faith!"

Marinette sighed. "Maybe," she said dreamily, a silly smile crossing her face.

The door opened. Tikki hurriedly dove back into Marinette's purse. Adrien walked in, dressed in black slacks, black leather shoes, a dark blue shirt, and a black jacket. "Ready?" he asked.

Marinette's face heated up. "Y-yes," she said.

* * * * *

The Gorilla drove them to the boulangerie, despite their insistence on walking the short distance. "Is it always gonna be like this?" Marinette asked.

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Get used to it," he said. Once the car stopped, the two teens got out; the driver waited until they had opened the front door before leaving.

The front of the store was empty; Sabine was polishing the counter. She looked up and smiled. "Adrien! Hello! It's so good to see you again!"

"Ma'am," Adrien said with a polite nod.

"You're all dressed up," Sabine noted. "Just got out of a photo shoot?"

"Not...exactly," Adrien said.

"Mama?" Marinette said softly. "We need to talk about something important."

Sabine stopped working, her lips pursed in mild confusion. "Oh?"

"And...and if Papa isn't too busy right now—"

Tom walked in from the back, dusting flour from his hands. "I'm just about to take a break," he said. "Hello, Adrien!"

"Hello, sir," Adrien said with a slightly nervous smile.

Marinette fidgeted. "So, umm...can we all go upstairs to talk?"

Tom and Sabine exchanged a glance. Tom nodded. "Close up down here," he said as he went into the back to remove his apron.

Once the 'Closed' sign had been put in the window and the front door locked, the little group went up to the living room on the second floor. Once everyone was seated, Sabine folded her hands in her lap. "Alright, what's going on?" she asked.

Marinette picked at her blouse and kicked her heels against the sofa. "W-well..." She coughed. "Adrien and I...we're sort of...going to start dating now," she said.

Sabine gasped. "That's wonderful!" she squealed.

"Yeah," Marinette said.

Sabine tilted her head. "Honey? Isn't that what yo—"

"There's more," Marinette said hurriedly across her, making Adrien blink. She closed her eyes. "The thing is, it's sort of an...well, you've heard of arranged marriages? This is a, well...arranged...being boyfriend and girlfriend...thing." She gestured lamely as she finished, a sickly smile on her face.

Her parents blinked in confusion, looking at one another, then at Adrien.

Adrien shrugged with a 'please don't kill me' expression. "My father suddenly wants Paris to see me doing normal teen stuff," he said. "Social media, hanging out with friends...dating. So he decided to, well...assign me a girlfriend." He gestured vaguely with his hands.

Sabine frowned. Tom's moustache twitched.

"We're both okay with it!" Adrien said hurriedly. "I mean...we're both okay with it. I'm okay with it, Marinette..."

"I'm super okay with it!" Marinette insisted, nodding rapidly. "Because we're friends, and...and we can have a lot of fun together, hang out...have fun...you know?"

"So you're going to be dating because Monsieur Agreste decided it," Tom said, scratching his chin.

Adrien sighed. "My father's rules are strict. And strange. But when he gives me certain permissions..." He hung his head. "And this whole thing does come with a lot of new permissions I really want...I have to put up with it or I risk losing the privileges I have."

Sabine and Tom exchanged a worried glance. "That's...no way for a child your age to live," Sabine said.

Adrien shrugged. "It's how things are at my house," he said simply. "Oh, I'm...I'm not mistreated or anything! Just..."

"Lonely," Marinette said, her hand straying to Adrien's.

Tom and Sabine let out soft sighs.

"Anyway," Adrien said hurriedly, "I just...we wanted you to...we wanted to make sure this is okay with you. Marinette, umm...dating and stuff, I mean..."

"Of course it is," Tom said reassuringly. His moustache twitched upward. "I hope you two have fun together." He chuckled. "But not too much fun, non?" He winked.

Marinette choked and spluttered. "Papa!" Her entire face lit up crimson.

Sabine laughed and playfully slapped Tom on the arm. "Seriously," she said, "as long as you kids are having a good time, it's fine with us." She winked. "I always thought the two of you looked cute together."

Adrien blushed furiously, glancing at Marinette, who ducked her head.

"Why, you almost look as cute together as Ladybug and Chat Noir!" Sabine went on. "Don't they, Tom?"

"They sure do," Tom agreed, grinning.

Fortunately, neither of them noticed the sudden pale sheen of sweat on each teen's brow. Nor did the two teens notice each other's reaction.

"So!" Sabine said lightly, clapping her hands together. "When are you having your first date?"

"Tonight actually," Adrien said. "My driver will be coming back in about two hours to pick us up for the cinema."

"How lovely!" Sabine said. "Oh, but after that, you must join us for dinner here!"

"Really?" Adrien asked.

"We insist!" Tom said with a broad smile.

"Alright," Adrien said. "I'll have to clear it with Nathalie, but...if you insist..."

"They insist," Marinette said, nodding rapidly. Sabine giggled at that.

Adrien shot Marinette an odd glance, then texted Nathalie. While he did so, Marinette cleared her throat. "So, umm...I'm going to go upstairs to change clothes, then I'll come back down here and we can...talk..."

Tom and Sabine looked at each other. "We'll leave you two to talk and hang out," Sabine said. "I think Tom's break is just about up, right?"

"Oh, yes," Tom agreed. "I have to get back to work on those rush orders!"

With that, Marinette hurried upstairs, while her parents ambled back downstairs, leaving Adrien alone in the small living room with the pale pink sofa.

"They seem nice," Plagg said.

"Yeah," Adrien agreed quietly, looking around.

"Doesn't this place seem a little cramped to you?" Plagg asked idly.

Adrien shook his head. "No," he said. "It's...cozy. Comfortable." He leaned back against the somewhat worn sofa and smiled. "I like the smell here."

Plagg wrinkled his nose. "Too much bread, not enough cheese," he said.

Adrien rolled his eyes. "If you ask me, bread smells a lot better than cheese..."

Plagg gave him a sly grin. "And Marinette?"

Adrien didn't bother answering.

À SUIVRE...

Chapter 1
Chapter 3

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