Natalie's POV:
"Sir, I do not know if you are aware of this, but Adrien has a crush. It seems he is smitten with this Marinette person," Natalie says. She figures she might as well get this off her chest.
Natalie is unprepared for Mr. Agreste's reaction to the announcement though. She thought for sure he would be amused, or relieved. It seems he was in disagreement from the start about it. Sure she can tell he means well for his son. However, she is sure Adrien loves Marinette.
"Natalie, this is my son we are talking about right?" Gabriel replies as if the notion were the furthest thing from his mind.
"Yes, but what has that got to do with it?"Natalie asks with a glare to show her annoyance at once with his stubbornness.
Gabriel's POV:
Gabriel Agreste shakes his head at Natalie's suggestion that Adrien has a secret crush on Marinette.
"Why is it so impossible to believe, sir?" Natalie asks.
"It is out of the question there is no way he likes her," Gabriel protest.
"Ah, but that is just what he wants you to think," Natalie states.
"Believe me when I say I know my son better than anyone. He does not have a thing for this Miss Dupain-Cheng as you say," Gabriel states as he rolls his eyes.
Natalie's POV:
Natalie shrugs her shoulders in defeat. She figures if he does not believe me to bad. She knows she is right. She is sure of it regardless of what anyone else says or does.
She saw the truth before her eyes only the day before when the young boy was giving the girl in question a hard time. She knows they are adults, yet sometimes those two behave like immature teens. She wonders if he knew about the scrabble between the young seamstress and the lawyer if Gabriel would be so quick to question her theory.
"Gabriel, I will be busy with work then," Natalie says. She leaves the kitchen ticked off.
Marinette's POV:
Marinette looks over the completed suit and smiles. She still can not believe Adrien gave her a compliment about her sewing earlier. She did not think he had in him being the rich son of a rich man and all. She rolls her eyes though as she recalls all the trouble it took just to get his measurements for it.
Right at noon, Marinette knocks on the door to his office.
"Well, what do we have here?" Adrien asks in a mocking tone.
"I was just about to show your father the complimented object," Marinette says.
"Oh, is that all, well then do not let me step on your toes Miss Dupain-Cheng," Adrien scoffs.
Marinette rolls her eyes once more and knocks again. She hears a voice say, "Well do not just stand there do come in Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
Gabriel's POV:
Gabriel hears a knock outside his study area which he calls his office on occasion. He knows it must be the seamstress so he answers as soon as he can. He wonders why she hesitates on her entry.
"Well, do not just stand there do come in Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng," Gabriel repeats himself.
Gabriel sees the door open, watches as the young lady enters the room with a piece of cloth in her arms, and can see the angry expression in her eyes. He thinks it is a shame she is so moody. He says nothing about her attitude though as she approaches him with the finished item.
"No need to be shy, just let me see the product," Gabriel says.
Marinette hands it over to him. She takes a seat in a chair as she waits for his approval. She smacks some gum and does not notice when he cringes from the sound.
Adrien's POV:
Adrien knows it is rude to listen in to others private conversations so why then does he stand in the doorway to his father's study? He does make a peep as he watches to see how things go for Marinette on her first real first full day on the job as she just started yesterday. Somehow, he feels this hardly counts since his father has not seen her work yet.
He watches Marinette hand the clothing to his father. He sees her take a seat and watches her pick at some of the loose polish on her nails. He hears her smack her gum. He sees his father make a funny face at the sound.
Adrien thinks to himself, wow, she is more like me than she knows. It is funny how things turn out now is it not? He wishes for a moment he could just barge on in there and stake his claim on the young lady. He sighs as he recalls how well that worked out the last time. He stays put. He remains silent in the hopes to remain unnoticed.
"Adrien, take a seat next to Miss Dupain-Cheng, or go busy yourself with something else," Gabriel says.
Adrien gulps and does as instructed. He feels the ladies glare on him as he sits. He does not say a word to her though.
"Well, father how is all this working out so far?" Adrien asks as if he thinks the whole thing is a bad idea.
Gabriel's POV:
"Son, I hardly think it is your place to question how I run things around here," Gabriel says.
"Father, I just want to know if you think you should keep her on or not?" Adrien says with a scowl.
Gabriel finishes his examination of the suit, ignores his son's snood remark, and states, "Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng, this is just what I was looking for now."
"It was sir?" Marinette asks in surprise as if she doubts what she hears.
"Yes, and I would like a few more like these, but with different colors," Gabriel explains.
"Also, I would like to see a few hats, and ties too," Gabriel tells her.
"Yes, sir," Marinette says. She stands up and starts to exit the room.
"Ah, you are dismissed, but from here on out must let me do so before you exit a room," Gabriel explains.
Marinette nods her head in agreement as she leaves the room.
Adrien's POV:
Adrien stands up as well. He sits back down his father gives him a puzzled look.
"Yes, my father is anything wrong?" Adrien asks.
"Son, I advise you quit being such a snoop," Gabriel blurts out.
"I beg your pardon, father," Adrien retorts. He walks out the door in a huff and lets the door bang shut behind him.
Adrien grins when he sees Marinette in the hall. He is not sure why, but he thought she would have left already.
"Marinette, you are still here?" Adrien tells her.
"Yes, so?" Marinette says as she sticks her tongue out at him.
"So, you know for a pretty person you sure are a puzzle to solve," Adrien blurts out. He walks off before she can respond.
Marinette's POV:
Marinette thinks why that Junior Agreste, I will teach him a thing or two, yet. She is not too happy that he should call her pretty, then a puzzle. Whatever could he have meant by this anyway?
"As if I care, the whole thing makes no sense anyway," Marinette says to no one in particular.
Marinette enters her sewing room there in the mansion and gets to work on the next suit design right away. She only takes a small break to inform Tikki that Mr. Agreste loves her designs and wishes to see more of them.
Tikki's POV:
Tikki grins when she sees the lastest response from her sister. She thinks well things are going good for her after all. She is happy to hear this, then frowns. She can not help but notice Marinette has not brought Adrien yet.
"What could it all mean Plagg?" Tikki asks as if he were in the room with her. She knows he is not, but she does value his opinion.
Plagg's POV:
Plagg thinks, oh, goodness cousin why not just either confess to her or move on soon? This whole thing is enough to drive me nuts. He can tell by the tone of voice Adrien uses around Marinette, and how he sneaks a chance glance at her that his cousin despite his denial does love her.
Adrien's POV:
Adrien hides under the staircase so she will not notice him. He sees her enter the sewing office. He grins and sneaks inside after her. He has no clients today, so what else is he to do?
"Marinette, what you doing?" Adrien asks. He has a hand on his chin as if he had not a care in the world.
"Ah, Adrien Agreste, do not you ever knock?" Marinette asks.
"Nah, knocking is for people to come to see my father, but not for me," Adrien replies.
Marinette gives him a look as if to say beat it Agreste.
Adrien just smirks and closes the door.
Marinette's POV:
Marinette gives him a look as if to say beat it Agreste. She rather he leave her alone as she sews.
To her surprise, Adrien just smirks as he closes the door. He looks as if he is up to no good.
"Wh-what do you w-want?" Marinette mutters. She thinks, strange why did I just stutter?
"Do not worry, I promise not to tell anyone," Adrien says in a voice she can hardly recognize.
Marinette yells at him, "Get out while I am working, Agreste junior!"
"Not happening," Adrien says huskily. He leans over her enough for her to smell his breath.
Adrien's POV:
Adrien teases her when he hears her stutter. Then, she yells for him to get out.
"Not happening," He says huskily. He leans over her enough for her to smell his breath.
"What are you doing, Agreste?" Marinette asks.
"Shh," Adrien says as he places a finger over the edge of her lip line. He smirks as she tries to regain her composure around him. He finds it to be rather amusing.
Adrien hears her gasp and pulls her hair loose from its ribbons. He likes the look much better than the previous one. He does not hear the door creak as it slowly swings open. He pays no attention as someone else enters the room.
"Agreste Junior, d-do n-not,..." Marinette says.
"Do not what, hmm?" Adrien asks. He places a few kisses on her left hand, then the right one, and sees her flench. He then kisses a few slow wet ones across her eyelids. He sees her eyes remain shut at his touch.
"Mari, I know it makes no sense, but can this be our secret?" Adrien asks. He then kisses her lips. He can not resist any longer. He knows it is so wrong, but he has to show he cares. He feels as if the whole thing is a lie anyway. He can not hate her.
Marinette's POV:
Marinette feels his lips brush against hers and is not sure why she does not pull away. She hates him so why then does not she stop it. Why does she let him kiss her?
She feels a soft slow moan come from herself as he kisses her. She does not know how or why she even does this. She opens her eyes in confusion and sees someone standing behind him. She almost pushes him away and screams. She can not seem to move.
Gabriel's POV:
Gabriel hears a few soft noises in the room. He turns to see his son kissing Marinette. He thinks, whoa, wait what? He can not believe his eyes. It seems Natalie is right, but the question is for how long? Since when did Adrien feel this way for the young seamstress. These are thoughts that go through his mind.
"Adrien, what do we have here?" Gabriel asks.
Find out more in Chapter 11
-Summer out!