When it was almost time for Chloé to leave, she broke the news to Adrien, outlining why they couldn't be together. But she didn't do it selfishly, she did it for Adrien; she didn't want to "keep him tied down" or "hold him back". Marinette had been watching the painful exchange: Chloé had only been able to grab Adrien at lunch.

When Chloé finished, Adrien nodded, walking back towards the table. Marinette pretended she hadn't seen anything. Instead, she hooked her pinky over his under the table, rubbing circles on the back of his hand with her thumb. Adrien stiffened, but Marinette continued, pretending nothing had happened. They still hadn't properly apologized.

The day Chloé left,  she swore to come back as soon as possible. It was one in the morning, and the good bye was filled with tears and hugs. "Come back soon." Marinette whispered, giving Chloé the last hug.

"I'll try my best." Chloé promised.

The group stayed until the plane took off. They stayed until dawn broke, light spilling across the sky, and then Marinette drove everyone home. Last to leave was Adrien, and for a while, the two sat there, watching the sun crawl higher and higher. "Sorry." Marinette said.

"Sorry." Adrien repeated.

His hand slid over to Marinette's, which was on the center console, and he clutched it tightly. "She'll be back." Marinette reminded.

"But she'll move on."

"And so will you." Marinette replied, so sure that Adrien could almost believe it.

Adrien finally turned his head to face Marinette. Her eyes were closed and her head was against the headrest. "Thanks." Adrien said, also resting his head on the headrest.

"Anytime." Marinette said, giving a reassuring squeeze.

"I...." Adrien trailed off. He couldn't say I love you without being a total sap. Or implying other things, because he meant it in the literal sense: he loved Marinette. But he wasn't in love with her.

"I, too." Marinette replied, eyes opening as she smiled.

"Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime."

Adrien went home then, feeling a touch lighter.

---{-}---

"Adrien, get your ass over here." Marinette commanded, hanging up.

It was movie night, and Adrien had not shown up. Checking her watch, Marinette decided that she most definitely had enough time for a shower and hurried to take one. Before she finished, she heard Adrien come into her room, and then the computer chair squeaking as it turned. Flipping off the shower, Marinette grabbed her towel. "You really need to oil this thing!" Adrien called, voice muffled through the door.

"Really? And what would you know about that?" Marinette teased, drying her hair.

"Less than you. But I'm sure I could figure it out!" Adrien cried indignantly.

Wrapping the towel around herself, Marinette opened the door. She made her way to her partition, where she'd left her clothes. As she crossed the room, Adrien jokingly whistled at her. "Shut up, asshole." Marinette said, changing her clothes behind the separation.

"Wanna go on a date? I'm single." Adrien said, spinning circles on Marinette's chair.

"Well, I'm not." Marinette said, crossing the room to grab socks.

"Put on a shirt, Marinette." Adrien commanded, chucking a shirt at Marinette.

She caught but didn't put it on. "It's hot."

"It's the middle of November." Adrien pointed out.

Although to anyone looking, the two may have seemed like a couple. But after spending so much time with each other, there wasn't really anything they hadn't seen before. "I just took a shower." Marinette pointed out.

"Marinette, are we watching a movie?" Adrien asked, stopping his lazy movements.

"I don't know, are we?" Marinette asked.

"I don't care." Adrien said, watching as Marinette turned towards him, pulling her shirt over her head.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Marinette asked, adjusting her top.

"I don't know. And damn your abs." Adrien tacked on.

"I work out in the bakery." Marinette joked.

"Is Mr. Dupain your personal coach?" Adrien asked.

"Nope. Mrs. Dupain-Cheng is." Marinette replied, shoving Adrien off her chair.

She took him by surprise and he fell to the floor. "Really, Mari?" He asked.

Marinette nodded and scooted up to her desk, clicking through programs to find her movies. "Choose." Marinette commanded, crossing her legs on the chair.

"I don't wanna." Adrien whined from his spot on the floor.

Lowering one leg, Marinette prodded him."What?" He asked, drawing out the word.

"Stop sulking and get off your ass." Marinette commanded.

"Why are you so bitter today?" Adrien asked.

"Fuck you." Marinette replied.

"But you're not single?" Adrien retorted, finally getting to his feet.

"And that's not what I meant." Marinette replied.

Adrien paused, watching Marinette. Something was flashing in her eyes, like a warning light to Adrien. He shifted, ready to lunge. "Marinette...." Adrien trailed off.

"Don't you dare." Marinette said, glaring.

She got off her chair, stepping away. "I will..." Adrien said, taking a few steps towards Marinette.

"No- Ah!" Marinette said, breaking into laughter as Adrien tickled her.

"Get- no! Sto- stop!" Marinette commanded, trying to get away from Adrien. Her words were punctuated with laughter.

Adrien knocked Marinette onto her chaise, sitting above her. "Adrien!' Marinette cried, gasping for air.

He stopped for a split second, to let her breathe, and then Marinette's fist was punching his face. "Jesus, Marinette." Adrien said, sitting up.

"I asked you to stop." Marinette said, turning her head to the side.

"So you hit me?" Adrien asked, holding his jaw.

Marinette stayed silent. Adrien got up, stopping next to the chaise. "What's going on?" He asked, incredulous.

"I'm sorry." Marinette whispered, looking up to meet Adrien's eyes.

She glanced down at the bruising on Adrien's chin. "Tell me what's going on." Adrien demanded.

"Nothing's going on." Marinette said.

"With you and Nathanaël." Adrien clarified.

"That's not the only problem in my life, you know." Marinette said.

"But it's the biggest."

"But it's the biggest." Marinette repeated, sighing.

"So?" Adrien said, watching Marinette expectantly.

For a long while, Marinette was quiet. She was thinking about what she'd done, how it felt when her fist met Adrien's jaw, feeling his pain as her own. She took a breath after going over the scene for the fiftieth time. "He doesn't hit me." Marinette started.

Adrien had sat down on the chaise and had his eyes trained on the floor. "And every fight we have is within reason, I guess. I mean, it's not, but when we do fight, that's the only time he says... things." Marinette.

Adrien glanced at Marinette in his peripheral. "What kind of things?" Adrien asked.

"Mean things. Bad things. And I say some stuff back, too, but I never mean it. I never meant to be so mean to him." Marinette said, thinking back to their latest fight.

"What happened last time?" Adrien asked.

"I don't even know why we fought." Marinette said, nearly ignoring Adrien's comment. "I don't know why. It was stupid, that's for sure. But then he called me some names, told me I was worthless, useless... that he absolutely hated me. Those things.... they shouldn't hurt me. They never have. But when he says them... I don't know... It hurts a whole lot more than it would coming from anyone else." Marinette paused, sitting up.

She moved closer to Adrien, turning his head to inspect the damage she'd dealt. She didn't hit light, especially when she wanted to hurt. Across Adrien's jaw was four bruises, each the size of one of Marinette's knuckles. "I'm sorry." She whispered, hugging Adrien.

"Me, too." Adrien replied, burying the bottom half of his face in her shoulder.

"I wasn't scared of telling you, I was scared of what you would do." Marinette said.

"You know I wouldn't have done anything if you asked." Adrien said, voice muffled.

"I know, and I'm sorry." Marinette said, biting back tears. This whole time, she could've been telling Adrien, telling Alya, telling anyone, and then she'd have the courage to stand up for herself.

"You don't have to be." Adrien said, giving a reassuring squeeze.

Marinette fell silent, wincing as a hot tear rolled off her cheek and onto Adrien's shoulder. "But I screw up so much." She whispered.

"Who doesn't?" Adrien asked.

"You." Marinette replied, looking off, away from Adrien.

"Well, that's not true." Adrien said, releasing Marinette.

Marinette let out a breath, confused. "I mean, what about a few weeks ago when we fought? That was all me. And today, when I pushed you?"

"You didn't realize what you were doing." Marinette argued.

"Well every time you... "screw up", did you realize you were doing it?" Adrien asked.

"A piece of me always knows. I want to hurt that person, and I ignore the rational part of me that says I'm screwing up. So, yeah, I do realize it. And I enjoy it." Marinette said, standing.

Adrien finally ran out of things to say. "And you wanna know what else? When someone else is screwing up, because that's exactly what Nathanaël does, I don't say shit, because I feel like I deserve it. I should be in trouble for something that's out of my control." Marinette said, pacing.

"But you don't des-" Adrien tried.

"But I do!" Marinette said, hands flying out.

"You don't!" Adrien replied, standing up to shadow Marinette.

Marinette shrunk back, once again stooped at the height difference. "You can't berate yourself and say you deserve it! Everyone screws up! Everyone makes mistakes! You think I'm so perfect, but I'm not!" Adrien said, barely keeping his voice low.

Marinette's lost words, mouth opening and closing as she attempted to form a coherent sentence. "I...." Was all she managed to get out.

"You can't belittle yourself 'cause someone else does. And yeah, you mess up. It's part of... growing, as a person."

"I think I do too much growing." Marinette said, unable to stop herself before the words popped out.

"Maybe you're doing more growing right now, and everyone else will have to catch up. Good on you, Mari, coming prepared to life." Adrien said.

Marinette tipped forwards, cutting the small distance between them. Her forehead hit Adrien's lower chest, and she sighed, arms crossed. Adrien grabbed both of her arms and moved her back into a standing position. "And that's a good thing." Adrien assured Marinette.

"Thanks, Adrien. I don't know what I'd do without you." Marinette said, stepping forward to properly embrace Adrien.

"I do." Adrien beamed.

"What's that?" Marinette asked, stepping back.

"You'd be a mess on the floor." Adrien said, smile still in place.

Marinette grumbled, but still reached up to ruffle his hair. "Let's watch a movie." Marinette insisted, going to switch the computer back on.

---{-}---

Adrien woke up tangled with Marinette. They'd fallen asleep on her chaise, underneath a fleece blanket. Glancing at Marinette, Adrien began tying his hair back, tucking the bun up so it was practically hidden. Looking over at the time, Adrien sighed. He was due back in an hour. Tucking Marinette in tightly, Adrien kissed her forehead and left, making sure the bakery door was shut tightly. And so commenced another day in Adrien's life.

---

AN

===

This is the first of a triple update. AN at the end of that.