*KNOCK* *KNOCK* 

Adrien startled awake, at the thundering sound echoing through the dim room. Adrien's eyes blinked, opening slightly, but when silence filled the room once more he convinced his half asleep self that he dreamed the noise and closed his eyes again. He snuggled into something soft, and held whatever he was holding a bit tighter. He was having the most pleasant dream...

 *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* 

Adrien's eyes flew open as he felt whatever was beneath him shift. He jerked his head up, his heart in his throat, when his brain finally processed that it was only Marinette. He blew out his breath in a sigh of relief, settling his head back onto her chest. His eyes flew wide open again as he woke up a bit more, and realized the position they were in. He had been lying on her shoulder (her chest really, but it was early in the morning and Adrien wasn't ready yet to see past his denial) with his arms around her waist. Adrien shifted his feet, feeling them brush against the bare skin of Marinette's legs. 

  *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* 

The knocking became louder and even more insistent. He sighed and wondered how long Nathalie would keep knocking, but as the knocking continued he felt Marinette shift in his arms. He saw her eyes blink: she was waking up. He breathed another sigh, before disentangling his legs from hers and prying his arm from out from under her as gently as he could. Adrien rolled off his side of the bed, and made his  way to the door. Opening it with a yawn, forcing Nathalie to pause mid-knock. 

Nathalie observed his appearance with a frown on her lips and a wrinkle in her brow, and he felt his cheeks flush as he remembered he didn't have a shirt on. He crossed his hands in front of his chest and mumbled out a sleepy good morning. 

"Good morning, Adrien. It is six o'clock." 

"It is six o'clock." He repeated after her drowsily. 

"Yes, Adrien it is six o'clock and we are supposed to be starting photography sessions at eight. And here you two are, still sleeping. We still have to dress you two, and there's hair and makeup and of course you two will have to be fed...

As Nathalie droned on, Adrien could feel exhaustion overcome him. He raked a hand down his face and tried to wake himself up. Suddenly he perked up as his sleep deprived brain finally processed what she said.

"Wait, its six o' clock..." He started slowly. 

"Yes, Adrien, that's what I said. Now please listen to m---" 

"Six, in the morning?" 

Nathalie took in such a deep breath that her eyes closed, she released her breath with a sigh. 

"Yes, Adrien. It is six o'clock in the morning. Six o' seven, by now, actually as I was knocking for quite a long time. And we have a very busy day ahead of ourselves." Nathalie sighed again as she looked up at the boy with messy hair and blood shot eyes. 

"Can you and Marinette get yourselves up, showered and fed, following your dietary restrictions, in an hour? I need you to meet us in the hotel lobby at seven." 

He nodded at her languidly. She returned to her apathetic air, and nodded back. Turning on her heel, Adrien heard another sigh as he watched her disappear into the elevator. He closed the door, and slumped against it. His face skidding downwards against it as he groaned. 

"Looks like our beauty sleep is over." 

Adrien responded to Marinette's comment with a strangled sound, his face skidding even farther down the door. After he was done contemplating death over actually functioning, he glanced at Marinette out of the corner of his eye. She was sitting up in bed, looking just as dishevled and tired as he felt. They both stayed where they were, pausing a moment, trying to convince themselves that they didn't really have to move. Adrien probably would have stayed longer, but Marinette breathed a heavy sigh and moved off the bed to open the curtains. He winced at the brightening light that now streamed across the room. 

Marinette made a squawking sound, and Adrien straightened up and turned around in alarm. Moving towards her, he was half way across the room when she turned to him, her eyes sparkling. 

"Adrien, that's a lake!" 

He chuckled as he came up behind her and looked over her shoulder. 

"Yeah, its Lake Lugano." He reached around Marinette and dragged the sliding glass door to the terrace open. Marinette rushed out, leaning over the balcony to get a better view. She was leaning so far, that it caused Adrien to panic and scramble after her. Hands hovering over her hips, ready to grab them if she tipped forward anymore. 

They stayed that way for a while, Marinette soaking in the view, and Adrien hovering over her like a mother hen. After a moment, Marinette lowered off her tip toes and leaned back. Adrien breathed a sigh of relief, and moved to stand beside her, leaning his arms on the railing. 

"It's beautiful." She said softly, as if she were afraid her volume would somehow ruin the serenity. Adrien looked up at her to see her eyes shining, and such a happy contented smile gracing her lips that he couldn't help but smile too. 

His parents used to take him on vacations here when he was young, his mother loved the quaint and enticing little town. The view has long been lost on him, but seeing Marinette's reaction made him look out upon Lugano with a bit brighter eyes. 

They stood there for a moment, in contented silence. But it could only last so long, after all a moment isn't much time at all (but perhaps it's just enough). 

"Ah, we'd better hurry. We both have to shower after all, and go eat breakfast downstairs." Marinette turned towards the door, and began to hurry through, but turned to cast one more look over her shoulder. As she started to turn her head back, she caught Adrien's eye, and threw him a smile. Then she was gone. 

Maybe, this trip won't be so bad after all. He thought before following her through into the room. 

Adrien stepped into the steaming shower and let all his muscles relax. He'd had let Marinette shower first, so he was quite surprised that there was still hot water left. He had just finished his taxing shower routine, when he heard a knock and Marinette calling through the door. 

"Adrien! Can I come in and do my makeup really quick?! Its already 7:40!" 

Is it already that late? 

"Yeah, give me a minute, I'm almost done!" He called back. 

He shut off the water and got out, quickly toweling himself off. He put on his expensive lotion that was supposed to help his skin look glowy and youthful. He grabbed his clothes, put on his boxers and pants, then the shirt but didn't bother buttoning it up before he scrambled to the door. He threw the door open, letting all the steam escape. Marinette dashed in as he dashed out to go grab his hair dryer. 

He grabbed it from his open suitcase and sprinted back into the bathroom. He plugged it in, and started blow drying his hair, ignoring the amused looks Marinette was giving him as she finished her eye shadow. She had already finished her eyeliner and mascara and was applying lipstick as he finally finished his hair. Quickly he grabbed his moisturizer and squirted a too large amount on his hands. He smeared it on his face, and looked down in distress at the amount still left on his hands. His head jerked up as an idea crossed his mind. 

"Marinette, come here." 

"Why?" 

He lifted his hands to her cheeks and began slathering all over her skin. He rubbed it into her cheeks, squishing them together before beginning to move up the sides of her face to her forehead. 

I swear, Adrien, if you mess up my eyeliner..." She let the warning trail off as he carefully went around her eyeliner and up over her forehead. His touch got more delicate and gentle as he went in between her eyebrows and down her nose. He was again cautious when he reached her cupid bow, and continued around her mouth to her chin. He returned back to her cheeks to rub in the product he distributed. 

"There, now you're moisturized." 

"If I break out, I'm blaming you." 

Adrien glanced at his phone; 7: 51 am. Taking Marinette by the shoulders, he spun her around and corralled her out of the bathroom. Now not so much in a hurry, he noticed the off white sundress she wore. It was a halter top, with embroidery on the top. Cinched in a bit at the waist, the skirt was loose and flowy and stopped at midthigh. The dress was a white that almost seemed blue in certain light and wasn't very opaque. She had styled it with a simple pair of silver sandals. It looked very nice on her, but then again, Adrien hadn't really found anything yet that didn't look nice on her. 

"You can, but later. Right now we have to get going. 

"Adrien." 

" If we hurry maybe we can swing by the breakfast bar and grab a muffin or something." 

With a hand on her back, he lead her through the door, grabbing his wallet, the room key and her purse at the last minute. Resolute on his muffin, he started towards the elevators, when Marinette's voice called him back. 

"Adrien." 

He turned towards her, trying not to seem too impatient, but he really wanted a muffin before Nathalie could catch him and make him eat something that fit into his dietary restrictions. 

Marinette shook her head a bit and started towards him with an amused smile. He cocked his head and looked at her with slight confusion and concern. As she reached him, he opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, when she reached out and tugged at the bottom of his shirt. He looked down, his mouth stretched into an O, as he realized he forgot to button his shirt. Marinette's long and nimble fingers quickly and deftly buttoned to the top, leaving two unbuttoned just as he liked. 

"Now we can go get your muffin." She patted him on the chest and moved past him into the open elevator. 

He grinned at her and romped into the elevator, nearly bouncing on his toes from excitement. 

As the entered the lobby, they stealthily went around Nathalie and her team and ducked into the dining area to grab something quick to eat. Adrien chose a delicious chocolate chip muffin in a package(scandalous) and Marinette grabbed a pastry of some kind.  The both moved to the coffee, taking the to-go cups, Adrien poured in his coffee black while Marinette dumped creamer in sugar in hers. Heading back to the lobby, Adrien shoved the muffin in his mouth whole and then had to gulp the hot coffee. Marinette tried to shake her head disapprovingly but she let out a small giggle that ruined her act of disdain. 

The made their way back to Nathalie, with two minutes to spare.

Nathalie whisked them off to the Piazza Della Riforma,( the main square of Lugano) for a photo shoot. And so this was how the next couple of days were for them. They did photo shoots in scenic areas, they went to recognizable shops for more photo shoots, and guess what, they went to fancy restaurants to do even more, you guessed it, photo shoots. Everywhere they went, they were told to show more affection, less affection; to stand a certain way, but not that way; to tilt their heads a certain angle, now its too much angle. All day, from seven in the morning until eleven at night. Publicity, publicity and more publicity. But Marinette had negotiated (bullied) Nathalie, into giving them the last three days to themselves to do whatever they wanted in Lugano. 

Only one more day, Adrien thought as he threw himself down onto the bed beside Marinette where she had plopped down only seconds before. 

One more day. I just have to get through one more day, it'll be a piece of cake. 

Or so he thought. 

"AdRiEN!"

"Yes?" 

"Go talk to Marinette! Make her be reasonable! Get her down to the pool, we need to get water shots today! We'll just have to do hair and makeup touch ups down there!" Nathalie huffed, as she stalked out the door taking the crew that was crowding around their hotel room. Adrien had been waiting for half an hour in his predetermined swimming trunks, for Marinette to be declared ready by the stylist and hair and makeup team.

Adrien headed to the bathroom door and knocked lightly. 

"Marinette?" He called softly. 

"I'm not coming out." Her voice came through the door muffled but resolute. 

"Why not?" 

There was a pause. 

"I can't go out in this. "

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's-It's-I'm not comfortable...in it." 

"Marinette, just let me see it, " He coaxed, 

The door opened slowly, and just enough for Marinette to stick her head out. Her entire face was the color of a firetruck, Adrien stood back from the door to give her enough room to come out. She glance around, chewing on her lip. 

"It's just you, right?" 

He looked down at her softheartedly, she really was uncomfortable. 

"Yes, its only me. The others are waiting down at the pool." He said gently. 

She looked around again, before hesitantly opening the door. 

Adrien's eyes widen and he inhaled a sharp breath. They had dressed Marinette in a black string bikini, that was a lot more string than actual bikini. 

"See! I can't go out in this!"Marinette turned away from him, trying to cover herself with her hands, her hair cascading to hide half of her face. 

Adrien went to lay a hand on her shoulder to comfort her, but hesitated. She was already so uncomfortable, would it make it worse if he touched her? He hesitated for a moment more before touching her shoulder lightly, the pads of his fingers barely touching her skin. 

"Do they have anything else you could wear? Something that you'd feel more comfortable in?" He asked softly. 

Marinette seemed to shrink in on herself. With her hair covering her face, Adrien couldn't make out her expression. 

"Well, it's just that a designer sent this to Nathalie to have me wear, and if the designer saw in the photos that I didn't wear it, it'd be an insult to her. It'd would also look bad for the Agreste company and might cause even more issues than Agreste already has." Marinette finished softly, and still refused to look at him. 

Of course, the company takes priority over all else. He thought bitterly. 

Acting on an impulsive decision, and without considering the consequences, he gently pulled Marinette into a hug. 

"Sorry." He muttered into her hair, ashamed(not for the first time) of having a connection to the Agreste company.

Marinette gave a watery chuckle. 

"It's not your fault." 

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she squeezed tightly, drawing in a deep breath before releasing both it, and Adrien.

"I'm alright now, really. We only have one more day anyways."

As she walked towards the door, he reached out a hand to grab hers. He didn't really know why, he couldn't truly do anything about the situation, but he wished he could.  She stopped but didn't look back at him. 

"I'm fine now, Adrien, really. Let's just go and get this over with."

Those words caused his heart to sink just a little bit more. "Let's just get this over with." The phrase echoed in his mind. It was his entire mindset since...well, since his mother disappeared. He knew that with that phrase came putting your feelings to the side and forcing a smile. He knew that in order to do so, you had to numb yourself; so you didn't feel anything at all. Real emotions didn't have a place in his world, and it broke his heart than Marinette just learned this lesson like he had to, so many years ago. 

He let her fingers slip from his hand, feeling powerless and frustrated. And as Marinette reached the door, she turned and gave him a bright smile. With that smile, brought a stab to his chest. 

"Ready? They're waiting for us." 

He went to join her at the door silently, once again reaching out to hold her hand, but this time only to continue to illusion. It seemed Marinette had already learned the lesson, perhaps a little too well. 

Author's Note: Hello, my lovelies! I know, I know, its been too long. I've had a lot going on; finals, AP exams, wrapping up school stuff, graduation stuff, graduation, job hunting, graduation parties. Just a lot of stuff. But I'm back. Idk why all of my chapters have to be so angsty¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I hope to have another chapter out by the end of the week though, so there is that. As always, thank you for the love and support you give this story. Love you all!