Not So Different After All

Interview

As she approached the large and intimidating building, her heart dropped in her chest. Memories of every time she visited here to see Adrien or to try to gift him something, or to try to confess feelings flooded Marinette's mind.

But that was long ago. She didn't have time to sit here and freak out over who she used to be. She had a meeting. An important one. One she couldn't afford to miss.

Putting on the bravest curt smile, she took a deep breath and rang the doorbell, awaiting to be let in. Every second that passed burned into her soul as she impatiently waited, looking at the camera every once in awhile. She wondered if she looked stupid, and fixed her posture a few times in case someone was watching.

It wasn't long before the device chimed and the camera opened its mechanical eye, an electronic sounding voice ringing through the bluenette's ears. "Good afternoon. Who is this, and why are you here?" Nathalie asked, and Marinette jumped a little, looking at the camera.

She crossed her arms behind her back. "I'm here for an appointment with Mr. Agreste. This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

The voice paused for a moment, Nathalie looking over her schedule from the inside. She flipped through to the page of June 15, and hummed. Sure enough, there was an appointment scheduled. "Of course, Ms. Dupain-Cheng. Thank you for attending," she said, and the lock beeped, the gate to the manor slowly swinging open with a soft buzzing.

Marinette agreed and then went inside, walking up to the door. Crossing this gate was about the most terrifying thing she'd ever done in her life, but she was determined to not mess this one up. The door was already open by the time she reached it, and she was greeted by Nathalie and Gorilla, before being ushered to Gabriel's private office.

She slowly pushed open the door, looking inside before barging in. "Mr. Agreste?" she said softly, and the stoic man who sat at his stand up desk, aggressively scribbling on his tablet, looked up.

He hummed and cleared his throat, putting his pen down. "Ah, Ms. Dupain-Cheng, it's a pleasure to meet with you this afternoon. I expected an interview with you," he chuckled softly. "Do come in, it would be much more effective if we could see each other fully," he nodded, gesturing to a desk that sat on the opposite side of the room.

As much as Marinette had prepared for this moment, absolutely nothing could prepare her for the way her heart dropped when she heard his voice. He sounded so stern, so taciturn that it was near impossible to believe that this was Adrien's father. If anything, his personality much better fit the menacing cousin of his, Fèlix.

"Thank you, Mr. Agreste," she said, pushing the door open and entering the room, making her way to the desk, her heart racing even faster out of pure nervousness.

The man nodded and sat in his seat, scooting in his chair and folding his hands neatly atop the desk. His eyes moved to the portfolio in her hands. "May I?" he asked, nodding towards the folder.

The girl agreed and pushed the folder towards him, hoping the papers didn't fall out of it, or get smudged, or weren't good enough. There was so much riding on these drawings and if it wasn't up to Gabriel's standards, her chances would be down the drain.

The man hummed and flipped through the folder, taking out a few papers at a time and placing one or two on the desk with every stack of around ten he took. She watched him curiously, wondering what was going through his head. "Sir?" she asked quietly.

The man looked up through his glasses, arching his brows. "Yes, mademoiselle?"

"May I ask... how it's going?" she asked curiously, smiling sheepishly.

He nodded, closing the rest of the portfolio and picking up the six papers he'd separated from the rest. "I really love these works you've done," he said, putting them out in front of her so she could see them. "I'd be happy to send you to London, although," he paused and arched his brows, looking at her. "I'd like to see your progress. I'm interested in you as a designer, Ms. Dupain Cheng. In all honesty, these interviews," he paused and leaned on the table. "They're just to see who is the bravest. Who I can trust my son with the most. And you, Ms. Dupain Cheng," he smiled curtly, "have passed with flying colors. Enjoy your trip," he said, nodding as he stood up. "Please, do let me know when you're out of high school. I'd be happy to take you on as an intern, if Amelie doesn't first," he chuckled, now towering over her.

Marinette's eyes traveled up the man's suit, focusing on the glasses that framed his cold blue eyes, one's that sent shivers down her spine, and not in the good way. She gave him a nervous smile and nodded, standing up and backing up, about tripping over the leg of the chair. She yelped as she felt herself falling backwards, and only anticipated the feel of the ground.

But she didn't.

"Are you alright, Marinette?" a voice chirped from above and behind her, and immediately recognizing the voice, her face flushed red, closing her eyes in hopes this was a nightmare.

Scrambling to her feet, she turned around just in time to see the smiling blonde behind her. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Adrien, I am in the middle of a meeting. Did you need something?" Gabriel's thick voice cut through the tension in the room, and Marinette's mouth immediately shut again.

The boy gave Marinette a fraction of a smile before returning his gaze to his father. "I just came to ask if I could go see a movie with Nino," he asked. "The movie starts in a half hour, so I'd have to go soon. I apologize for interrupting."

Gabriel looked at Adrien and then at Marinette, then back at Adrien. "Hmm... alright," he agreed hesitantly. "Please be home by dinnertime," he said, and the boy agreed.

"Good luck, Marinette," Adrien smiled and winked at the bluenette, before leaving the room.

Marinette took a deep breath and turned back to Gabriel, hoping the embarrassment from falling was gone now. It seemed to be, and Gabriel handed her back the portfolio.

"Here you are, Ms. Dupain Cheng," he said, and handed her another packet on top of that. "Here's the information for the trip. You may go," he nodded towards the door with a curt smile, and the bluenette nodded, a smile growing on her face.

"Thank you, Mr. Agreste," she grinned, and quickly made her way out of the manor, hoping that maybe she could catch up to Adrien on the way.