Marinette took in her surroundings, from the carpeted floors to the high ceilings, as she settled into the elegant ambiance and felt grateful to the gut feeling she had to wear her (only) fancy red silk dress, which turned out to be perfectly suited for the occasion.

Even though her feet throbbed in the stiletto nightmares she had on her feet, she felt completely relaxed for what felt like the first time in months, sipping champagne and observing people interact from the corner of the room, forgetting for just a moment the very real (and very blonde) reason why she was at that party.

There was something about the fashion industry that transfixed Marinette, and she couldn't help but feel in awe as she watched models and fashion icons strut around the room, in pieces of clothing designed by some of her ultimate idols. She could stand there all day, admiring each one of their outfits and the way they were worn.

Her tranquility was interrupted however, when the doors to the salon were suddenly burst open and shouts drowned out the slow music playing. Flashes of cameras followed as she heard reiterated calls of, "Mr. Agreste!" before the man himself appeared at the entrance, only a couple of meters away from her.

Gabriel Agreste, for the first time in his entire career, seemed to have lost his composure. He looked flustered and angry as he argued heatedly with a woman Marinette assumed to be his secretary. They were speaking loudly enough that Marinette didn't have to inch closer to be able to hear what they were saying.

"- ordered you to find him hours ago, how incompetent do you have to be to not be able to find a teenage boy?"

"Mr. Agreste, every officer in Paris is out looking for Felix but no one has been able to find him. We are doing everything possible."

And just like that, reality crashed down on Marinette. Dread settled in her stomach as she remembered her task for the night. She watched with a heavy heart as the secretary struggled to maintain control over the situation.

"Clearly you are not doing everything possible, since you are here and proving me of your inutility. Of all nights that I ask of you to not bother me and simply do your job, you choose the launch of my fashion line to disobey my orders."

"I am deeply sorry, Mr. Agreste -"

"If you do not find my son by tonight, you are fired."

Fixing his secretary with one last hard stare, Gabriel Agreste turned around and immediately locked gazes with Marinette. A shiver ran down her spine as she looked into his cold, hard eyes. They looked lifeless and pierced into her mind without mercy, showing absolutely no kindness nor grace in them; the gaze of a man who could watch someone die without blinking. He hesitated in his step and she averted her gaze quickly, turning her back abruptly as he seemed to turn direction towards her.

Her quick movement didn't give her time to realize there was a person behind her and she promptly crashed headfirst into a solid chest, causing her to spill all the contents of her glass down her own chest.

"Oh, shit!"

Two large hands flurried to keep her steady as she went backwards, grabbing onto her arms.

"I am so sorry, I wasn't expecting you turn around that quickly. I - Marinette?"

Marinette lifted her gaze from where she was looking down horrified at the mess she created to a pair of familiar electric green eyes.

"Marinette, right?" Adrien Agreste prompted again, inching forward and crowding further into her personal space.

"Yeah. Adrien, right?" Marinette regained a little bit of her composure when she saw his lips lift a little at the corners and she took a step back. His arms around her fell at his sides but one hand returned to the small of her back as he looked at something behind her shoulder.

"Let me take you somewhere to get cleaned up. Follow me." Marinette simply let herself be guided, feeling warmth radiate onto her skin by the hand on her back as her nerves jumped in her stomach.

Marinette felt eyes on them as he paraded them around the salon, briefly greeting people as they passed. She was slightly embarrassed with everyone scrutinizing her and felt relieved when they finally made it to a small private lounge that included a bathroom.

Adrien shut the door behind them and followed Marinette as she went to wash up. There was a silence between them as Marinette dabbed at her neck and chest with paper towels and Adrien watched silently from the doorway.

"That dress looks great on you. Red is really your color." His compliment made Marinette blush, and she saw him smile from the mirror as he spotted it. She cleared her throat to try to ease her nerves.

"Thanks. I designed and made the dress myself."

"Talented and beautiful. Anything else about you I should know?" She thought, there are a lot of things you should know, starting with the fact that I was your missing superhero brother's partner. Instead she offered:

"I'm a movie buff. I can quote any line from any movie there is." Both of his eyebrows arched up, and he nodded as if impressed.

"You had me at hello." The way he looked at her when he delivered the line made her blush again, and she could see him grin from the mirror.

"Jerry Maguire." She returned his grin and willed the blush away, "You think I wouldn't know? I didn't consider you to be a romantic."

Adrien shrugged his shoulders at her statement and grinned even wider.

"Every now and then. Truth is, watching a film takes the tension off after work. My profession is filled to the brim with unrealistic motherfuckers who thought their ass would age like wine."

Marinette couldn't contain the snort that slipped out.

"Okay, Wallace. Pulp Fiction. One of my favorites. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

"Casablanca. Classic. But I agree, Miss Dupain-Cheng. What else do you have for me?"

"Well, you've already been witness to how clumsy I am. It's gone from being considered a simple flaw to a handicap by now."

"It's not so bad. Because of it you got this amazing opportunity to be with me." The glint in his eyes told her he was joking but still, she silently agreed with him in her head.

"You should check that ego. It's getting pretty big."

"I've been told it's fine just the way it is."

"That person was either sucking up to you or lying right to your face." He chuckled at her reply and slipped out of the doorway back into the lounge. She stared at the space where his figure was previously reclining and let out a long breath. She didn't have the heart to tell him, and better yet, she didn't have a clue how.

She considered breaking the news to Adrien as Ladybug, but how would she explain Ladybug's connection to Felix Agreste? She was not going to trust a guy she just met with the biggest secret of their lives, even if he is her partner's brother.

Her train of thought was interrupted by Adrien as he popped back in the doorway, this time with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

"What do you say, we get out of here?"

"So, how do you know about this place?" Marinette broke the comfortable silence that had grown between them as she looked at the clear dark sky above her.

"My father always hosts his events here." Adrien nodded at the tall, elegant building across from them, where lights were flashing and the music from the party could still be heard even from this distance.

"Felix, my brother, never really liked them. He would sulk all night until father finally looked away from us, and he would sneak us out to climb up here to share a bottle." He reached over between them and refilled their empty glasses. "It was like a ritual."

Picking up his glass, he motioned for her to do the same, and the ring of their glasses clinking together echoed in the night.

"Was a ritual?" Marinette inquired, taking a sip of hers.

"He doesn't come to these events anymore. He has other things to do, I suppose. I never really see him anymore." Marinette thought she saw a glimpse of sadness in his expression before he recovered and shot her a look.

"His loss. You're much better company." Marinette couldn't help the grin that stretched across her face.

"You don't seem to like these events much either. I'm starting to think you crashed into me on purpose as an excuse to run out of that salon."

"God, I hate them. When you have a father like mine, these things get even more tedious than they're supposed to be. Endless hours of kissing ass and listening to snobby people go on and on." He rolled his eyes as he spoke, his expression turning sour.

"You mean people like you?" Marinette couldn't help the quip and she laughed as his expression soured even more.

"You think I'm a snob? I'm the reason you're not in there! You should be kissing my ass to thank me." Marinette internally responded, I would gladly kiss your ass. Instead, she visibly rolled her eyes.

"You got it all wrong. If anything, you should be kissing my clumsy ass." His eyes glinted as he looked at her intensely and her cheeks started heating up.

"Is that an offer?" He asked with amusement. Marinette cleared her throat to ignore the way her heart was beating rapidly in her chest and looked away from his eyes.

"I've already told you about myself, but I don't know anything about you. Tell me something." She avoided his dangerous question and changed the topic to a much safer one. He looked at her knowingly before replying.

"Anything you could ever know is already on the internet or the newspapers. What else could I tell you?"

"You know that's not true. That's all superficial. I want to know about you." Adrien's expression turned serious suddenly and he looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. His eyes softened, and his lips rose a little at the corners.

"Okay. Let's do this, you ask me questions and I'll answer them as honestly as I can." Marinette hummed as she thought about her first question.

"Alright, let's start with an easy one. Who do you like best, Ladybug or Chat Noir?" She grinned cheekily up at him and he smiled back, all teeth.

"Oh, ladybug all the way. Have you seen her ass?" Marinette's mouth fell open at his crass statement. She must have looked quite comical with her eyes wide as saucers and her red cheeks because he started chuckling lowly.

"What? I can't help it. She wears a bodysuit for Christ sakes." Marinette didn't know whether to feel offended or flattered. She knew that she didn't look hideous in her suit, but a little subtleness never hurt anyone. She couldn't believe he had the audacity to say that to her! Well, to be fair, he didn't exactly know he was talking about Marinette as well as ladybug.

"That's not the reason I like her best though. She's so strong. I can't imagine what it would be like dealing with what she goes through every day. She seems so young, yet she's so brave and kind. She risks her life every day for the lives of others. It's hard not to admire someone like that."

Marinette felt a lump in her throat that prevented her from swallowing. She felt her heart beating a thousand miles a minute as she soaked in every word he said. He spoke as if in awe of ladybug, as if he truly meant every word he said, and she felt it warming every inch of her body. She had a hard time pulling her eyes away from him, but she managed to get her mouth moving at least.

"Where would you live if you had the chance to pick?"

"I think I'd always stay in Paris. I love my city. I love the people and everything in it. I can't imagine my life without it. What about you?"

"I think I would like to try living in China. It's my mother's native country." He rose his eyebrows, looking impressed.

"I've been to China for a fashion show. It's a beautiful country." Marinette wondered how every time he smiled he made her heart stammer. She now understood how he had so many girls trailing after him.

"How many girlfriends have you had?" She blurted out, blushing slightly at how direct the question was.

"None." He answered, surprising Marinette, "The people I'm mostly surrounded with are models or my father's business partners. They aren't exactly the best crowd to be involved with. They're selfish and always looking for opportunities to get famous. The few girls I've tried to get involved with always ended up wanting something from me, not me."

The more she heard about his life, the harder and less glamorous it started to seem.

"What about you?" He asked her, glancing at her briefly, "Someone like you must have a boyfriend."

"No, I don't." She laughed slightly at the notion and she thought she saw him exhale slightly as if in relief. "Well, I thought I was in love with someone for a long time, so it wouldn't have worked out with anybody else."

He looked curious as he asked, "You weren't in love with him?"

"No, I just misinterpreted my feelings. I do love him, just not as the kind of partner I want to spend my entire life with."

Adrien nodded his head in understanding.

"What about favorite movie?" She asked.

"Gone with the Wind." He replied after a moment, looking away from her teasing grin.

"I knew you were a romantic." She teased. He gave a small smile and looked at the city splayed before them.

"Some of my earliest memories include watching that movie. My mom loved it. She would sing along to the songs in the movie, despite them being in english."

Marinette perked up at the mention of his mother. Felix rarely talked about her, as it was a touchy subject, and listening to Adrien talk so openly about her felt strange.

"She had an amazing voice." Adrien said, as if remembering. He had a faraway look in his eyes. There was a small silence as Marinette gathered up the courage to ask the question that had been so taboo between her and Felix.

"Adrien, what happened to your mom?" Marinette questioned softly. He turned to look at her with an impassive expression.

"She passed away when I was a child."

Marinette fell silent. Adrien looked so different to the model on magazine covers and billboards right then, with his shoulder slumped as if they held the weight of the world on them.

"I was about three years old. Felix was six, almost seven. He took it a lot harder than I did."

There was a brief silence before she said, "I'm sorry for your loss, Adrien."

"That's alright. It wasn't your fault." He stated, offering her a smile to lighten the mood. Marinette, however, started to feel guilty. Adrien was being so open with her, while she still hadn't told him that his brother had left the city.

"Adrien, I have to tell you something." She started nervously. He looked at her patiently and she felt her stomach churn at what she was about to say.

"Meeting you wasn't exactly a coincidence." He looked at her questioningly. She didnt know how to approach the subject.

"Your brother's disappearance, why he hasn't been found yet -" She cut herself off as he furrowed his eyebrows. She started over. "Felix was my friend."

"My brother Felix?" He said, surprised. "Are you sure we're talking about the same one? Felix doesn't have any friends."

"Well, he has one. I've actually been his friend for a long time now." She stated.

"How come I've never seen you around before?"

"We weren't like that. He was very reserved about his family." He stared silently at her, waiting for her to go on.

"About a week ago, he came to me one night and told me that he was leaving the city. He didn't say when, but he told me he didn't want his family to know until he left. He was afraid your father would try to stop him."

Adrien shook his head. "That can't be true. Why would he leave?"

Marinette pondered whether to tell Adrien the truth about what Felix was doing and who he was really looking for. Did Felix want Adrien to know about everything?

"He didn't tell me. He just said it was really important."

Marinette chose to not tell Adrien about Felix and his mother. She didn't understand what was going on exactly, and Adrien had told her his mother had died. She didn't want to upset him even more.

"Look, Marinette, I don't know how well you know my brother, but he disappears all the time. He wouldn't just leave Paris, not without saying goodbye at least." Adrien started getting a little flustered, and he started fidgeting.

"Adrien, all I know is that he was really focused on what he wanted to do. He looked convinced that he had to do it. He wouldn't lie to me." Adrien looked at her incredulously. He let out a breath.

"I don't know about you and my brother, but I know that he wouldn't leave me here. He wouldn't." Adrien said firmly, looking angry as he started clenching his fists. Marinette sat up a little straighter, trying to calm him down.

"Adrien I'm telling you this because I care about you -"

"What do you mean you care about me? You just met me!" He stood up abruptly, looking down at her angrily. "You don't know anything about me."

"That's not what I meant. I just -"

"I don't need this bullsh*t." Adrien interrupted her for a second time as he started to head towards the door that led off the rooftop. Marinette scrambled to get on her feet and shouted after him.

"Adrien! Will you listen to me for just a second?" Adrien stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. His lips were pressed together and he looked a second away from bolting.

"I cared about your brother a lot. I still do. It broke my heart to pieces when he told me that he was leaving. I wouldn't have let him go if it weren't for the fact that he needed to desperately." She tried to transmit sincerity through her eyes, hoping to be able to reach him.

"That night, he said that he needed to do this for his family. He told me that his family was the most important thing in the world for him, and that it was his responsibility to take care of you.

He wanted me to find you and tell you myself because he loves you more than anything, and he wanted you to hear it from someone that feels the same way as you do right now." She spoke softly, taking one step closer to him. "I miss him too. He's doing this for you, Adrien."

The slam of the roof door echoed through the night and Marinette felt her eyes dampen as she stood on the roof alone.