MARINETTE

"Such a bold question from a mere private who doesn't even know what she is doing."

I glare at him but he ignores it by raising a taunting eyebrow at me.

"You must be curious, princess."

"I am not your princess, sir." I say. "I just want answers."

"Answers." He scoffs and watches the sun set at the horizon. "For years I haven't received any answer as to why they did it..." He mumbles. "I too have my unanswered questions."

I pause upon hearing his words. They were said out of the blue but I have a feeling that such words might be the answers to my question.

"Pardon?" I ask. He looks at me and shakes his head, like as if he was dismissing a thought.

"None of your business." He utters, "Give me time, princess. And I will tell you everything you want to know." He shows me a soft smile but despite how gorgeous he looks at the moment, I can't stop myself from rolling my eyes out of how petty he is.

"Sir, I am not your princess. Do I have to keep reminding yo-"

"I know you aren't my princess." He says, "But you sure act like one."

"What are you trying to imply, sir?" I ask, skeptical.

"I mean you're regal like a princess." He starts, shrugging his shoulders. "And you have the beauty of one..." He doesn't look at me as he utters his last statement. And I really thank the heavens for giving me enough time to cool down my blushing cheeks.

"O-oh...Thanks? I gue-"

"Um, you should go to your uncle." He interrupts, still not looking at me. "He...he might like your company."

"R-really?" I immediately show him a hand salute before leaving. He becomes shocked upon facing me.

"Oh please don't do that." He groans and runs his hands on his face, "After such compliments from me, it's embarrassing for me to even watch you showing your respect for me. Leave me and go to your uncle!" He shoos me away with his hands.

"And don't tell your uncle about our conversation!" He continues, "Especially the 'princess' part. He will kill me if he knows..."

"Don't worry, sir." I say with a reassuring smile, "What happens between us will stay between us."

He chuckles, "I trust you, private." He winks at me before I hastily turn away and proceed my walk to the General's office.

Don't look back. Don't look back. DON'T LOOK BACK.

I repeat the mantra in my head as I walk away from him.

Flirting with a superior?! What the heck is wrong with you, Marinette?

But I can't help myself...

I pause to look back. His back is facing me as he enjoys the view of the horizon. The sun is halfway gone and the stars have started to come out. The view alone is amazing but with Adrien in it, it becomes picturesque. He makes everything seem so perfect.

And to think that I will be betraying him soon...

Or have I started the betrayal already? Ever since I said, "yes"?

I look away in guilt and start my way again to the office. A frown takes over my face and I start to worry. I rub my sweaty hands together and try to calm myself.

I don't want to let him down. He trusts me.

Adrien TRUSTS me.

I am becoming one of his comrades but he doesn't know that I am going against everything he wants from me...

I couldn't stop myself from worrying over Adrien. I did not notice then that I was standing in front of my uncle's office.

"I'm here..." I whisper to myself. I'm betraying my uncle too...but it hurts more when I think of Adrien.

I knock on the door before turning the door knob. The door opens and I take a step forward, entering his office.

"Uncle?"

"Marinette!" General Hugo exclaims in glee. He stands from his chair and brings me into an embrace. "You haven't visited me for such a long time!"

"Oof!" I stagger a little by the impact of his hard pats on my back. "T-that's why I decided to visit you right now!"

"Oh good!" He says. Then suddenly I hear a click of a gun. "Because you are just the right person I want to see right now." He menacingly utters. His whole demeanor changes and I feel something pushing a small portion on my back.

Is that...a gun?

My eyes dilate out of shock as I can't move. One of his arms is still wrapped around me while the other is holding a gun that is faced right at me. My uncle is holding me at gunpoint.

"U-uncle..." My voice wavers out of fear. But I know that at times like this, I shouldn't let fear conquer me. "What are you doing?"

"I heard that you're acting." He sneers and pushes the gun some more into my back.

He knows?

He knows that I work for the government?!

I look around the room and try to think of a way out of this. I can't stop my unsteady breathing and I know that I have to focus here!

"I'm not a-actin-"

"Who are you working for?" He interrupts. His teeth clenches in anger and I am scared that in any moment he would pull the trigger.

"General-"

"Who are you working for?!" He shouts once again.

I can't stop trembling. The fear of my life ending at this very moment is killing me.

"I...I work for no one. K-kill me if you want to but you will never take anything valuable from me!" I shut my eyes as I wait for the gunshot. But instead I feel nothing on my back anymore and the arm around me a while ago is gone.

I slowly open my eyes and I am greeted with a happy smile from my uncle.

"And that is how you risk your life to save this mutiny." He says whilst putting the gun on his desk.

"Wha-what?"

"I played a scene that could happen to you in the near future. People would start to suspect that you're hiding something which you actually are doing as of this moment. You're hiding the mere existence of a mutiny."

"So..." I start wearily, "so you were just testing me?"

"Exactly!" He exclaims.

I let out a sigh of relief. "And did I do well?" I ask. He rubs his chin in thought but a soft smile plays on his face.

"You did well for a newbie...you even wanted me to push through with killing you and at the same time you acknowledged the fact that you know something I didn't know! It makes me proud to think that when someone from the government will hold you at gunpoint, you'll do everything to keep our plans a secret."

I'll actually be doing the opposite, uncle.

"With more practice, you'll get to fight back. Instead of me holding you at gunpoint, it will be you." He continues, his hands in his pockets. "Speaking of practice, is Lieutenant Agreste treating you well?"

"Adrien?"

General Hugo forms a teasing smirk upon hearing his first name. I curse myself for such a sudden slip-up.

"I-I mean, Lieutenant Agreste!"

"I heard you the first time, missy. So now you are at first name basis? Seems like you guys are close..."

"Just starting to treat each other as friends." I confess, "And that is the truth."

"And stay as friends...I'm scared that that boy will not know how to take care of you in that manner."

Uncle. I think that the both of you should be scared of me.

"Nothing more will happen between us. And him as a trainer, he is good. I learn a lot in a day. He is preparing me for the initiation..."

Uncle places a palm on my shoulder. I flinch at his touch, afraid of another surprise attack from him. "I forgot that you still have to undergo the initiation. I wish that you could skip it."

"Why?" I question.

"It will hurt, Mari."

"In what sense will it hurt? Physically or emotionally? Because if it is emotionally, I think I can handle it." Most of the training I got from the government were mostly targeted on controlling my emotions and handling my thoughts.

"Physically, Mari. Damn, since when have my niece decided to go deep into thought? You're thinking too much."

"Physical? Like, you're going to cut me with a blade?" And I realize that from his silence, I answered my own question. "You're going to cut me?!"

"Woah, it will just be a small letter 'M' on the shoulder blade! Nothing serious about it!"

"I don't want to get hurt..." God, I sound so petty right now. I may be a nurse but I can't stand the sight of my own blood.

"And I don't want to hurt my niece." General Hugo says, "I have to ask someone else to mark your back."

Maybe Adrien can do it-

What the heck, Mari? Why must you think of Adrien right now?

"And I'll leave that problem to you, uncle." I utter, "But for now, it's getting dark. I have to check up on the infirmary." I smile before walking to the door and opening it.

"Okay. I'll see you a day after tomorrow, private. I will be looking forward to your initiation."

"See you, uncle." I say before closing the door behind me.

---------------

Practice makes perfect.

And it truly does. But as I nurse, I can't stop practicing.

With a scalpel on my gloved right hand and a dummy on the counter, I get to work.

"I press down on the body here." My left hand holds a part of the dummy. "And I cut...here." I steady my grip on the scalpel and start to cut the dummy in a straight line.

"I knew that I would find you here." A voice interrupts my focus and I jolt in shock, causing me to cut a curve.

"Shoot!" I shout and throw the scalpel away. "I was so close!" I face the culprit who started to look guilty. "What do you want, Adrien?"

"I am so sorry!" He apologizes immediately. "I didn't know that you were so focused on what you were doing! How can I make it up to you?"

I sigh heavily and rub my forehead. I can't stay mad at him. I promised that I will be patient around him.

I push the dummy towards him and grab a needle and thread. "Stitch it up." I instruct, handing over the needle and thread to him.

"You're aware that I can't do that, right?"

"Have you ever tried sewing your own clothes?" I ask instead of answering his question.

"O-of course!" He answers, "I had to learn in 4th grade in order to pass my Home Economics subject..." He threads the needle and brings it to the dummy.

"Start." I command, "I want to see your strokes before I teach you the real thing."

"Yes ma'am..." He mutters and starts to pierce the dummy with the needle. He starts with his first stroke then his second. His strokes are consistent judging from my observation.

Although the loops are too near each other, he actually made it look neat and pleasing to the eye.

"You're doing well for a first-timer..." I compliment him.

"I was the top of my class in this 'sewing' subject." He whispers as his cheeks flush.

"Then you still have it in you, Adrien."

I cut the thread and take back the needle from him. "But you still need to improve." I continue. He nods in agreement.

"I know. But as long as you're the one teaching me, I won't mind learning new things..." He looks at me then smiles. I look away and start to put the materials away.

"I talked to my uncle about the initiation," I try to change the topic."and I didn't know that I had to be 'marked' with a blade of some sort."

"I never got to mention that part to you yet, but you shouldn't worry. Your uncle will be gentle when he does the procedure-"

"He won't be doing it." I cut him off. This time, I look at him and his face shows that he is surprised. "He can't afford to hurt me."

"May..." I start but now I am starting to hesitate. Is this a good idea? "May you take over his place? It will just be for my initiation. You are one of the only people I can trust as of the moment..." My face starts to flush in embarrassment and I shake my head. "N-never mind..."

"No!" He exclaims and my head shoots up to him in surprise. "I-I want to be the one to mark you. You trust me as much as I trust you. I can't let down your trust for me."

"You'll do it?" I ask unsurely.

"Yes, Marinette. I'll make sure that it won't hurt too much." He assures me.

I smile at him and look at the clock. "Well then, you still have time to tell my uncle about that. And tell him that it was my decision, please."

He grabs my hand and softly kisses the back of it. "I'll get right on it, princess."

"I told you to stop calling me that." I groan despite my red face.

"I can't help myself." He says with a smirk, "You are the only princess for me in this garrison." He coos.

I'm at a loss for words as he exits the infirmary with a wide smile on his face. As he exits, I slump on the wall and fan myself.

"He calls me a princess. He is willing to help me. And he trusts me." I walk to the window just in time to watch him enter my uncle's bunker.

"And here I am betraying him..."

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Hi! I'm back :) How was the chapter? Honestly, I can't wait for the two of them to get together!

And thank you for waiting :) I spent my two weeks in Rome and I prayed for everyone I care about there :) You guys were part of my prayers there 🙏

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