"Paris fashion show, uh? Do we need to get your autograph now?" Nino was putting the cakes Marinette had brought round onto plates ready for the final arrangement meeting ready for the bachelor/bachelorette party.

Alya was currently still at work and Adrien was meeting with the guy who's villa they were using. They should have their keys this afternoon ready for the trip to Monaco the following Friday. Marinette and Adrien had arranged to go one day earlier to set up some decorations and supplies. Marinette wasn't sure if she was ecstatic or terrified about the nine hour drive with Adrien. All the others were catching a flight. What was she thinking agreeing to drive with him? Perhaps it was the hope of another kiss? It'd been three days since she'd had the last from him.

"I can give you an autograph for sure, but it'll cost you." She went to the cupboard and started to pulling out wine bottles.

"So how's things with you and my best pal?" Marinette smiled as she placed the drinks onto the table. Things were going well. When Adrien had left her house a few days earlier, he'd left her with a sweet, delicate kiss. To be honest she wanted more but she wasn't complaining. She'd had very pleasant dreams that evening.

"It's good." She didn't want to go into anymore details. For some reason, as public as the relationship actually was, she wanted to hold it close to her chest. She didn't want everyone knowing everything, which was bizarre as the idea was everybody did know everything.

"Is he behaving?" Nino asked, setting the sweet treats around the wine glasses Marinette was currently pouring out.

"Why wouldn't he be?" She looked at him. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I was just checking. I know for a fact he hasn't been with anyone else whilst you've been dating which is amazing for that douche bag. He's usually sleeping around after date number two." Marinette's stomach became a washing machine. She didn't know whether she should have butterflies because obviously he was keeping his end of the deal, or whether her stomach should churn because she actually didn't know if he was sleeping with anyone else.

She hadn't seen him in a few days perhaps he'd been going off with other women. After all he was a developed man with needs. Needs that she wasn't fulfilling.

She thought back to the texts and phone calls they'd had over the past few days. Unless he was texting during intercourse, there was no way he'd be able to meet a woman until about three am. They'd been talking for hours. Reminiscing about the past, thinking about their futures once this is sorted and, of course, Paris Fashion Week. Adrien had made her work on it tirelessly. Refusing to come around until this evening. Each evening he'd appear on FaceTime to check in on her daily progress.

This would have been simple if he hadn't have always been lying fresh from the shower, and topless on his sofa. Many nights his naked torso filled her dreams, making her do an extra thirty minutes of working out the following morning to relive some of her tension. She must admit her body was looking good because of this. So good in fact that she decided to put extra effort in her outfit for today. She really wanted Adrien to want her as much as she wanted him.

She'd spent time straightening her hair so it fell in a silk river down to her mid back. The colour radiated blue from the sheen it was giving off. She loved it when it looked more midnight blue than black. She always felt unique and special, not just another number in a crowd. She'd created herself a new pink summer dress. It had a well fitted corset top, trailing into a delicate mini skirt. It was a cross between day fashion and night life, and she loved it. She loved it so much she created it in three other colours and uploaded it to her website.

"You're good for him you know. His life would be so less messed up if he had just had the guts to ask you out in lycée."

"What? He didn't like me then. We were just good friends."

Nino sighed, he wasn't sure how much he wanted to give away without betraying Adrien's trust. They'd always talk about Marinette and even though he wouldn't ever admit it, the admiration in his voice was apparent. She was the one girl he would talk about. It was the one girl he actually cared about.

Nino remembered back to prom night. Adrien had decided to ask Marinette out to see if they could actually work as a couple who dated. They were such great friends Adrien didn't want to mess up that one stability in his life. Nino remembered how worked up Adrien had been about it all and how he wanted everything perfect.

Nino considered what would and would not help his friend. After all they hadn't had sex yet. That was something Nino was sure about, and he felt sorry for his friend. Everyone knew Adrien Agreste needed continuous loving.

"Why did you think he asked you to prom?" Nino stated. He believed he had approximately fifteen minutes to give Marinette this history before someone arrived at his house and kicked his ass. That could be either Alya or Adrien.

"Because I beat him at Ultimate Mage Strike and that was the bet?"

"What if I tell you he made sure he could take you?"

"Nino, stop talking in questions and tell me what the hell it is that you're on about." Marinette was getting annoyed. She sat down at the table and grabbed one of the glasses of wine.

"He was too scared to ask you out straight so he planned it via a game." Marinette looked at Nino and her eyebrows pulled together.

"Ha! Yeah right. Come on Nino, stop making things up."

"Mari, I swear I'm not. He wanted to take you. He wanted to try and date you, but then all that shit went down with Lila and he hadn't got a choice but to ditch you for her." Nino sat opposite Marinette and grabbed a pain au chocolate, taking a humongous bite and playing a game of staring with one of his best friends.

"What happened with Lila?"

"You don't know? I thought someone would have told you. Everyone knew."

"Nino, honestly stop this prolonging and tell me what the hell Lila did."

Nino sighed and placed the remainder of the pastry on his plate. He didn't know how he was going to phrase this without sending Marinette either straight into a fight, or straight into Adrien's pants. Every girl wanted to have a hero save her. Didn't they?

"Lila had ... well ... she'd some how gotten pictures of you."

"Pictures? What type of pictures?" Marinette felt sick to her stomach this wasn't going to be a normal picture. She knew Lila. This wasn't going to be good.

"We believe it was from the trip to Italy we went on a few weeks before prom. You know when we all stayed in her aunts villa? Well Lila came over to us guys and said that she had naked pictures of you in the shower ..."

"What?"

"And she wanted to know if we wanted to see how ..." Nino rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"How what Nino?"

"How undeveloped you were."

"What!" Marinette grabbed her glass of wine and downed it in one. Nino's eyes widened. Marinette was not a drinker.

"Why?" Marinette began to top her glass up again. What the hell was going on? How had she never been told?

"She wanted Adrien and as far as she was concerned you had him."

"So what happened next?"

"Adrien said he'd do whatever she wanted to get rid of those pictures. He regretted it so much, I don't think he thought he'd hurt you as much as he had. He saw you leaving with Luka and just thought it was better for you. He always thought you two were kind of together anyway."

Marinette sat silently. This changed the whole of her past. This changed everything. He'd stood up for her - again. He was always there for her even when she didn't know it. The front door opened and closed as Marinette sat staring at Nino. She didn't know how to react. Adrien deserved so much from her. He'd been fighting for her all along.

"Wow! Have you two fallen out or something?" Marinette turned her head to see both Alya and Adrien in the doorway. She let out a fake laugh which fooled no one. As Adrien studied her face he knew she was keeping something back from him. What had Nino told her? He moved forward and placed a kiss on her forehead as Nino went to greet his fiancée.

"Let me go and get changed into something more comfortable and then let's move this party outside." Alya made her way upstairs followed by Nino, and Marinette was still yet to lift her eyes to meet Adrien's. She had no idea what to do, or to say, or how to react and she was now quite sure this 'thing' was more than just friendship. It had always been more than friendship.

"Princess." Adrien crouched down beside her. "What's wrong?" He lifted her head up, placing his fingers underneath her chin. Her bluebell eyes met his green ones, lost in a moment that she was sure was going to change their relationship. Before he could ask her anything else she leant her lips in towards him, and kissed him passionately.

He kept his one hand under her chin as the other positioned on her thigh. Completely taken aback by what she was doing, not that he minded it of course. To be honest it felt like Christmas had come early. She placed her small hands lightly on his shoulders, continuing to kiss. Pulling away she looked at his eyes which had gone their usual serial killer black. Smiling smugly, she leant in again and kissed him just as fiercely.

A cough was heard in the doorway. The couple stopped their lip locking and looked over to the door.

"Are we interrupting something?" Marinette's face went a bright shade of red as she looked over at her best friend currently crossing her arms inquisitively over her chest, and her fiancé raising his eyebrows behind.

"Sorry, I just haven't seen her in a couple of days. I couldn't control myself." Adrien stood up and covered for the pair. Marinette still sat in silence as they all began to move around her laughing and joking. What the hell had she just done? She hadn't even considered her actions, she just went for it. What an idiot?

Remaining sat on the chair she covered her face with her hands, every now and then licking her lips to taste what was left of him. She already knew she was addicted. That once was not going to be enough. She eventually got her body to respond and move.

She hadn't realised that Adrien was standing at the doorway watching her interaction with herself. The hand over the face. The continuous lick of her lips. He felt himself mirroring that action, wanted nothing more than a deeper taste. He had had the perfect opportunity but had been too slow to take it. Too slow to realise what he wanted.

She stood up slowly showing the most gorgeous pink dress and her beautiful midnight blue hair. He'd seen the dress on her website. He was always looking at something related to her, or something that reminded him of her. It's a good job she couldn't see his Instagram history, we was quite sure he'd be had for being a stalker.

He watched as she grabbed the remaining plates from the table before walking towards the exit to the patio. She stilled when she saw Adrien leaning against the wall.

"How long have you been there?" Her voice was quiet, breath like and embarrassed.

"Long enough." He replied.

He stepped forward and placed his hands on her hips. For some reason she still wasn't looking at him.

"We need to talk. Can I come back to yours for a bit when we've finished up here?" Her head shot up to look into his eyes. He wanted to talk? That was never a good sign.

"Not like that." He continued. Keeping a close eye on her, he saw her body relax. She nodded and walked around him out to the patio area.

"Come on then you two. What have you got planned for us?" Nino was sitting with his arm slung over Alya's shoulders. Marinette smiled as they made their was to the chairs opposite them. Adrien pulled her chair out for her before seating himself. He could be such a gentleman and her heart couldn't help but flutter.

"Well, the villa is situated at the Fairmont which Bryce owns so he has given us vouchers and additional extras we can use up at the hotel. As long as we post socially that we're their. Apparently having such a group of "famous" friends staying at the hotel will do it tremendously good in the ratings." Adrien grabbed a glass of wine and took a drink.

"You've done good, Agreste."

"I can't believe you ever doubted me, Césaire" Adrien raised his glass at Alya before taking another drink. Alya laughed before taking a drink out of her own.

"Myself and Adrien are driving down the day before so we can stock the villa with supplies and sort out a couple of the activities we have planned." Marinette continued, looking at Adrien.

"Activities?" Nino asked.

"Jet skiing, a boat trip, guys and girls separate nights out." Adrien continued. "Me and M'lady here make a pretty good team. You have nothing to worry about." Adrien winked at Marinette who could feel herself blush.

"We just need to sort out rooms now." Marinette continued. There were seven rooms in the villa; five double beds and two twin rooms. After a lengthy discussion and a poster page, the rooms were planned.

Nino and Alya would be taking the master suite, with Marinette and Adrien taking the room in the separate annexe. It seemed everyone had refused to sleep in the room next to them.

Kim and Ondine, Kagami and Chantelle and Ivan and Mylene taking up the doubles. As shocked as everyone was to find out Kagami's news, everyone was very excited to meet Chantelle. Especially since she'd been putting a permanent smile on Kagami's face. The twin rooms would then be taken by Alix, Max and Luka. Unfortunately Rose and Juleka had to pull out, they were in the midst of adopting and it looked like next weekend could be the make or break for them.

Unfortunately for Adrien and Marinette, Luka was still planning on coming. Both knew he was only doing it to cause problems. As friendly as he is with Nino and Alya, they couldn't really say he was more than an acquaintance.

As the night began to draw in Marinette could feel the wine taking over, and a warmth flooding through her body. She said goodbye to her friends ready to began to walk down the path to her home, with her boyfriend by her side. As they reached the end of the path at Alya and Nino's Adrien wrapped his fingers around hers.

"Is this ok?" He asked her as they began their two mile walk.

"Of course." She responded. Again not looking at him. She didn't want to be pulled into his grassy green eyes again. She knew once she was in, she wouldn't escape.

"Why aren't you looking at me?" He stopped. The join in their fingers stopping her too.

"I can't." She whispered.

"Marinette please. Look at me." In response to his demand she shook her head and looked away.

Adrien noticed a park to the left.

"Come with me." Keeping a tight hold on her he began to pull her over the road and to the empty park, strewed in the perfectly positioned lights. He sat them down on a bench and kept Marinette's hand locked with his, placing it gently in his lap. He takes a deep breath and lets it out.

"I've screwed up haven't I?"

She turned her head sharply to look at the beautiful man sitting next to her. How could he think he's screwed up? He's been nothing but perfect.

He raked his hands through his perfect hair and she swore she could hear the fabric of his tee ripping due to the movement. The tee lifted slightly and Marinette had a wondrous view of Adrien's incredibly toned centre.

"Listen Marinette, I don't know what I've done and I really am sorry but I don't want us to fall out. I want us to be friends, or something."

"You've used an interesting word there. Or something?"

"I can't keep pretending I'm not feeling more than friendly about you, Princess. I can't deny that I don't think about you a lot, but I know I can't give you everything you need. I'm screwed up, Mari and I'm being selfish. But I need something, even if it's just until we're done what we set out to do. I just know I need you. This has become more to me than fake." Adrien sounded needy, vulnerable. Something no one but Marinette ever sees from this sporting superstar. He looked away afraid of her answer. He didn't want her to leave him, he couldn't stand it if she did.

After a long silence, she finally broke it. His heart stopped waiting for the response.

"Kitty..." Adrien looked up into her bright blue eyes, that were filled with something "I-I want to. I want to try whatever this 'or something' is."