16. Childhood and Broken Lenses

"It's too early for this shit." You groaned sleepily, hunched over, as you kept bumping into Adrien as the two of you walked to class.

"That's what you get for staying up all night." He answered stoically, but you knew he had a smug smirk just itching to show itself.

You shoved him. "You didn't even come over last night, don't act like you know." You scoffed and he simply chuckled.

"Feisty this morning." You could've sworn he made a purring noise.

Your eyes widened as you stared up at him. "Bold this morning." You simply repeated back as the two of you finally made it to your classroom.

You walked over to your seats and the bell instantly rung. Right on time. You sighed to yourself as you stared forward, noticing your teacher was standing alongside the principal.

"Today your class representative Marinette will be passing out these fliers." Mr. Damacles began as your sister went row to row passing out the thin pamphlets.

"It is filled with a questionnaire with study options you can take after school." As he spoke, she hesitantly placed one on your desk as she quickly moved to visit your other classmates.

You opened it slowly and flipped through the pretty basic career aptitude questions.

You knew what your passions were; music and traveling. Your parents had always told you that a career shouldn't feel like work, it should be something you loved. You furrowed your eyebrows as you tapped your pencil softly against your desk.

"If you still aren't sure, there will be a career expo all over Paris! You can visit the booths and I'm sure you will find something that will inspire you." This caught your attention.

Inspire me?

**

"I'm defined by my choices and what I want out of life, eh?" You asked yourself with a chuckle as you shoved the questionnaire into your bag.

"Struggling too?" Adrien asked with a shy smile as he approached your desk.

You let out a snort. "Yeah, I've never really thought this far ahead about things. Sure, I know what I love to do, but can I really make a career out of it?" You spoke with a shrug as the two of you made your way back out of the class.

"I think you can make a career out of anything."

You glanced up at the boy with a quirked eyebrow. "What about you Agreste? Don't you already have a career?" You questioned with a hum.

He sighed and nodded softly. "Technically. I only model because my father asks me too. I guess I've never though beyond that."

You grinned cheekily. "What? No dumbass childhood dream of becoming a astronaut firefighter who saves the aliens on Mars?"

He looked at you with a blank expression, "Don't tell me that was your dream..."

You we're flabbergasted. "Of course not!"

"What was yours then?" He snickered, obviously expecting it to be something silly.

You were flustered and turned away from him with puffed out cheeks. "It's too prestigious for your immature self to handle."

Adrien laughed and ruffled your hair. "Whatever you say Y/n."

"What was your childhood dream then?"

"I'm not telling you mine since you won't tell me yours." He retaliated.

"Fine! See if I fucking care!"

The two of you were laughing but in all honesty, Adrien couldn't remember a time he had ever dreamed about anything.

***

"What's this dear?" Your mother approached you and picked up the questionnaire your teacher had given you.

You sipped on your orange juice and shrugged as you scrolled through your phone. "Just some shit my teacher gave us." You spoke with vulgar language, almost as if you were forgetting who was talking to you.

Sabine had a stern look on her face, but then sighed as she opened the pamphlet, knowing she will never make any progress with you and your bad mouth.

"You haven't filled it out at all." She mentioned as she slid it towards your. You peered down from your screen and then sighed as you pushed it off to the side.

"It doesn't matter anyways." You grumbled.

Your mother quirked a brow before placing her hands firmly on her hips. "It doesn't? Then I'm guessing you'll be working here in the bakery with your father and I for the rest of your life?" There was a small smirk forming across her lips as she saw you stiffen from her response.

"No way." You stared up at her with dark eyes.

"Then why don't you take this a little more seriously, honey?" She slid the questionnaire back over to you with a soft expression.

You sighed as you picked it up again. "Fine. I'll try." You grumbled about her being manipulative as you stomped towards the stairs, forgetting your orange juice.

****

As the weekend rolled around, people all across Paris were setting up their stands for the high school students to come visit.

"You have your own booth?" You asked with an audible gasp as you laced your shoes, your phone pressed tightly to your ear, propped up by your shoulder.

"Yeah! I totally forgot to mention it when we were writing the other day." He chuckled.

"That's really great Luka." You were smiling as you stood and reviewed your outfit in front of your full body mirror. "You inspire those kids, okay?" You we're excited he was going to share his dream of craftsmanship.

"Thanks. I hope you find what your searching for, Y/n." His calming voice sent shivers down your spine and you found yourself stupidly nodding your head when you knew he couldn't see you.

"I'll try, I promise." Your voice was determined.

"See you later."

"Right."

You grabbed your bag that had the questionnaire stuffed inside and headed downstairs.

Your parents were down there alone and the rest of the house was strangely quiet. "Where's Marinette?" You asked as you grabbed a pastry you knew your parents weren't going to miss off the shelf.

Your mother was helping your father roll out and the knead the dough. "Oh she's off at the job fair. She's very conflicted these days about what she wants out of life. Poor girl." Your mother sighed as she shook her head.

"Is that where you're heading off to kiddo?" Your father asked without looking up from his work.

"Yeah." You spoke gently and walked over to them and hugged their sides, leaving them a stiff and shocked. You had never been extremely affectionate with them.

"See you later, love you guys." You heard them call their response out to you as you left.

You walked into the center of the city and found someone handing out maps and directing students to specific locations based on their interests.