Miraculous - Revive

Chapter 10

A long, silent hour passed as Clair and Marinette sat across from each other, quietly eating their expensive meals, all under Clair Raven's name. Finally, Clair twirled his knife on his hand, "so. You're awfully quiet. I miss when you would flirt with me."

Marinette nearly choked on her food, "what?! I was not flirting!"

"Hm? Well, my baddie. I, for sure, thought you had a thing for me. Oopsies." He shrugged and sighed with a smile, "anyways. Let's get down to business, shall we? But first, of course, we start with your questions."

"Right." Marinette slammed down her fork and clasped her hands under her chin, "who are you, Clair Raven?"

He stared at her for a moment, then burst out in spontaneous laughter, catching the attention of other dining couples around them, "you're so wonderful, my dear! Me? I'm only your everyday, happy-go-lucky, 17 year-old."

She rose a brow, "hang on. You're a seventeen year-old working at a law firm?"

Clair wiggled a finger, "ah, ah, you're observant, but you don't think things through entirely. You see, I told you I work at Raven Law Firm, correct? Well, I work there, but not as any part of the company, as my older brother and my father run it. I have no intentions of becoming a lawyer. I work in my own little office as the info-broker that I am."

"You said that was part-time."

"It is. I really work and earn money at this very restaurant. In fact, I bought it."

"You're kidding..." Marinette rubbed her temples, "you mean..."

"Of course. I have that money to even hire someone to manage everything."

"You're such a spoiled little thing..." She rolled her eyes, "it almost sickens me to think of it."

"Why thank you!" his eyes glimmered. He suddenly turned to a woman that happened to pass by, "hello. Thank you so very much for coming." With a charming wink, he sent a smile, making her stop in her tracks and smirk as she pulled out a slip of paper and set it on their table, next to his plate, before walking off. He picked up the slip and read through it.

Marinette felt a nerve pop in her forehead, "you can't be serious... You're such a playboy... How many slips of paper with girls' numbers do you even have in that pocket?!"

"I don't know. I lost track."

"That's so disappointing..." 

"Love is pretty serious." Clair shrugged as he slipped the paper into his pocket, completely forgotten.

She stood up in rage, "'Love'?! How can you even call it that! That's not love! That's glorified attraction! You only like her because she has a body!"

"And what, you don't?"

Marinette's face burned, "you know what? I can walk right outta here..."

"Can you really?" He smirked, "you're here for only one reason, aren't you?"

"Then get to the point!"

He sinuously twirled the knife in front of her, "ask, and it shall be given unto you, my dear."

I hate that charming act... She internally groaned as she calmly sat back down, "Fine. Where's Adrien?"

"He's with you."

"Huh?"

Before Clair could have a chance to speak, there was a muffled boom outside the building.

"D-did you..." Marinette looked around, got up, and ran out the doors of the restaurant. As soon as she turned towards the far end of the street, she caught sight of smoke rising from a nearby building, about eight blocks down.