Miraculous LadyBug & Chat Noir Random Shots

Adrien's Competition part 7

        Adrien shifted from foot to foot just outside his father's office. His father was going to be annoyed with him but this was serious. He had to do this for Marinette, he promised to protect her... even if she didn't know it was him. he raised his hand to knock but then he stopped for Marinette he silently reminded himself as he pushed the door open.

"Father." Adrien tried to make his voice strong, tried to channel some of his Chat Noir confidence into his voice but his father always made him feel so young and small.

"You know better than to barge into my office like this, Adrien." His father didn't even look up from his work.

"It's an emergency." Adrien said.

Mr. Agreste shifted his eyes to his son and looked him over "are you hurt?" He asked Adrien. Adrien shook his head. "no, not me." come, Adrien, speak

"Then why is it my concern?" Mr. Agreste turned his eyes back to his work.

"It's about Ethan." Adrien went on. "Ethan Baldock

Mr. Agreste sighed, annoyed "don't cause drama with the other models, Adrien."

Adrien tried not pay any attention to that comment. "My friend, Marinette, Ethan is bothering her and he won't stop." Adrien dared a few more steps inside his father's office.

"He keeps texting her and sending her gifts and boxes of chocolates." Adrien was getting angry all over again, he almost regretted not hurting Ethan last night as Chat Noir but it wouldn't have worked. Ethan was the worst combination of stupid andstubborn and as Adrien recently discovered, obsessive. 

Mr. Agreste flipped a page and detailed a design that he had started but not yet finished. "Adrien, this does not concern me in the least. Please, don't bother me with it."

"Don't I matter to you, father?" Adrien demanded, his hands curling into fists. Mr. Agreste didn't expect that answer, he looked over at Adrien.

"Of course you do." Mr. Agreste hardened his gaze "and frankly this doesn't concern you either, stay out of it.?"

"I won't, it matters to me." Adrien said finally finding some strength in his voice "it's my fault they even met and I have to fix it now and if you're not going to help me then I'm going to figure out how to make him stop on my own..." Adrien's lip curled into a sly smile, a very Chat Noir kind of smile "and that is going to concern you if a fight breaks out between your son and another model." Adrien turned to leave, he didn't really think his father would stop him but it was worth a try.

"Adrien." His father's voice stopped him just before he closed the door.

"Pick the girl up and bring her here," Mr. Agreste was actually looking at his son this time. "Tell her to bring cell phone and the cards he signed with the gifts."

"Father..." Adrien didn't know what to say.

"Hurry, or you'll be late for school." Mr. Agreste turned back to his work.

"Right away, Father." Adrien's face was nearly split in two with his smile "thank you."

Adrien arrived at Marinette's house with The Gorilla driving. As usual The Gorilla had driven silently, only grunting occasionally as Adrien talked about Ethan and how much he was bothering Marinette and how stupid he had to have been not to be able to take a hint.

Marinette stumbled out of the house with a full garbage bag, Adrien rushed out to help her.

"Here." He took the bag from her, it wasn't actually heavy but man was it full.

"Oh, you don't have to..." Marinette trailed off when she saw his smile.

"I know." He said, "I want to."

"Th-thank you." Marinette stammered out. "they're all the cards Ethan's sent in the last couple days." She sighed sounding exhausted. "I try to throw them away as I get them but they pile up so quickly."

Adrien rested a hand on Marinette's shoulder, offering her a reassuring smile "it's going to be okay, we're gonna fix this."

Marinette gathered her Ladybug strength and nodded "yeah." She kept nodding "yeah..." she wanted this to be finished but she didn't see an end anytime soon.

Marinette followed Adrien into his gigantic house, she clutched her phone in her hand, of course she remembered to delete the conversations between her and Chat Noir and between her and Alya in case Adrien saw her phone too. There were some things he probably would feel better if he didn't know.

Adrien met his father in his office and for once, Mr. Agreste was not working but he was waiting patiently for his son.

"So, this is the girl." Agreste recognized the girl from the hat contest. She had redesigned her hat with fake feathers for Adrien's sake. She actually cared about him too. Mr. Agreste softened just the slightest bit knowing what girl it was he cared so much about

"You've picked a girl with talent, Adrien." Mr. Agreste gestured for Adrien to dump the contents of the bag onto his desk.

Even Mr. Agreste was surprised at the sheer volume of cards. He held his hand out for the phone next. Marinette typed in her password and handed it to him. Her hands shook a bit, Adrien took her other hand and squeezed it for support.

"and how long has this been going on?" Mr. Agreste scrolled through the messages but it kept going back to the present because this insufferable boy was still texting her.

"Four weeks now." Adrien answered for her, he knew his father could be intimidating. "these cards are just from the last few days.

"days..." Mr. Agreste shifted through the cards, each saying a variation of the same dumb thing.

"I see..." he sighed and handed her phone back to her. "Adrien leave me her phone number, Mademoiselle..." he trailed off, he had never really remembered her name.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Adrien filled in.

"You will ride to school with Adrien today while I deal with this mess." Mr. Agreste abandoned the cards and shifted his gaze to the gorilla standing near the door.

"keep the Baldock boy away from Adrien and his girlfriend."

"Girlfriend..." Marinette squeaked looking to Adrien and waiting for him to correct it.

The gorilla nodded and pushed the door open for Adrien, Adrien led the way out, Marinette still stunned from being called his girlfriend.

Adrien helped Marinette into the car like the gentleman he was raised to be and slipped in beside her. Marinette was walking on clouds as she and Adrien drove together.

Adrien reached over and patted her hand. "don't worry, Marinette." Adrien smiled at her "my father will take care it."

Marinette just looked at him for a moment before she smiled back "okay." She said, "I trust you."

Adrien froze at the words I trust you he smiled inwardly I trust you he played the words over and over in his head. I trust you. He squeezed her hand as the drove.

I trust you

---------