AN: We had an episode where Marinette got in trouble for not being where she was supposed to, but what about Adrien? I feel like his absences would be noticed more than Marinette, and thus this thing came to life. Please don't expect all that many updates, I don't know if I'll continue it. End of my senior year is coming up after all and I already have enough trouble with anything not a one shot. So for now, this is a stand alone thingy.
I'm also so upset with how short this came out to be? I've been working on it for over a week in my notebook, where it's like ten pages? I feel shitty about it lmao
A
The wind howled over the rooftops of Paris, urging Chat Noir to run faster, jump further, and get farther away from the cold confines of the mansion. He let the wind at his back take him where it may, uncaring of it's cold fingers creeping along his body.
The day had started out well enough. The weather outside was absolutely gorgeous for early spring, a warmth spreading through the air that had not been felt in months. Somehow, Adrien was able to convince Natalie to let Gorilla walk him to school instead of drive, in order to better appreciate the weather. Perhaps they too had longed for this sunshine.
It was this weather, perhaps, that seeped into the minds of students and teachers at school, and shades were pulled back with windows opened. What little taught that day was easily broken apart by aimless chatter, feeling Adrien with a light-hearted love of this freedom to be with friends. Even his photo shoot after school was a breeze. The normally uptight photographer didn't comment as much on how Adrien should be posing, or to look happier or more solemn.
It wasn't until he returned home that evening after the photoshoot did the day turn dark. As he entered the mansion, his father Gabriel stood on the top of the stairs, peering down at him with a tight frown. Normally, Adrien would be happy to see his father, but something about this encountered made his blood turn to ice.
"Adrien." Gabriel raised an eyebrow at the blond teen. "Care to inform me of why I have been told that there have been multiple occasions of you not being where you are scheduled to be?"
Well. Shit.
Adrien could feel the blood drain from his face as he stared at his father. He had no excuse, he realized as his brain scrambled for one. He very well couldn't tell his father he had been gallivanting around Paris as a leather clad superhero with cat ears and a belt for a tail.
"Well?" His father demanded, causing Adrien to flinch at the sudden rise in volume. "I… have no excuse father." Adrien murmured dejectedly, eyes downcast to the cold marble of the floor.
"I have half a mind to pull you out of that ridiculous public school and have you home schooled again!" Gabriel all but shouted, finger pointing accusingly at his son. "At least here I can keep an eye on you and rid you of whatever god forsaken influence is corrupting you and causing you to ditch!"
Adrien's stomach clenched in on itself as he floundered for a reaction- anger, fear, anything.
"Are you even listening to me?! Go to your room! I shall discuss your punishment with you in the morning."
"... Yes father." Adrien all but whispered, before his feet carried him to his bedroom in a hurried run.
Panic crept up Adrien's throat, threatening to tear him apart with a scream of despair.
"Hey…" Plagg flew out of Adrien's jacket once they reached his room. The small black kwami was unsure of what to do, watching his chosen with wide green eyes.
Adrien took no heed of the kwami, instead running over to his bed. All he could feel was the desire to run, to escape. He grabbed what pillows and spare blankets he could, shoving them under the duvet haphazardly, before running to the window to throw it open.
"Plagg, transform me!"
It was only when Chat was forced to did he stop running, bent over and hurriedly trying to refill his lungs with the precious air that they craved, that they screamed for. Somewhere idly in the back of his mind, Chat noted he was in the park. He dropped his weight to the ground, slamming against a tree, though he couldn't bring himself to care about the pain from the less than gentle impact. It was something that felt real, at least. He tried to focus on something, on anything, but his mind was a whirlwind of emotions, one never stopping long enough to really let Chat feel anything than horror. "Fuck." He groaned, punching the ground with a tight fist. "Fuck!"
"Chat?"
M
Marinette scowled and slammed her sketchbook closed, cursing her ill timed art block. She could only hope it would disappear before her art class project was due.
"Maybe some fresh air would help, Mari!" A small voice piped up from Marinette's shoulder. "It was so nice out today, after all!"
"Yeah, that might be a good idea Tikki. Thanks." The teen smiled at the kwami, and stood up, stretching and grabbing her purse. Rushing down the stairs, and barely keeping herself from tripping, Marinete headed out the door with a quick cry of "I'm heading out for a walk I'll be back soon Ma and Pa!"
Marinette didn't know what she expected to find on her walk. Inspiration, maybe, but not this. Not Chat half collapsed on the ground at the park, shaking, swearing, and being close to hyperventilating.
"Chat?"
His head shot up in a panic, as if he only just noticed the fact she was standing there. His face was pale, eyes wide. Immediately Marinette dropped to the ground in front of him, gently pulling his hands into her own.
"Hey, breathe with me ok? In, out. That's it." She coaxed gently, making a show of breathing evenly.
A
Perhaps if Chat was even close to being in his right mind, he would be embarrassed that his classmate found him in such a state. But now? He was just grateful for the help to stop his panicked breaths. As she helped him calm down, Chat felt a rush of affection for one of his first friends.
That he met at school.
That he might not ever see again.
Well, there went any chance of calming down. Right out the window. Chat choked back a sob, panic returning to him like a tidal wave, and he lunged forward to pull Marinette into a tight embrace, burying his face into her shoulder. He barely registered the fact she froze in his grip before she relaxed, and felt her hands rubbing soothing circles onto his back.
"It's ok, kitty. It's ok."
It was that statement that broke the dam holding back the water works. It had been years since Chat had cried like this. Even when his mother disappeared, it was an aching numbness that his tears followed. Detached. Unreal. Couldn't be real.
But this? This was all too real. His eyes burned harshly with tears, his chest so heavy it felt like he could barely breathe. He desperately wished he could feel the numb detachment instead of this fire of anguish.
He was going to be alone again. He'd never be able to see his friends. Nino. Marinette. Alya. Hell, he'd even beg to be able to spend time with Chloe if he couldn't leave the mansion again.
Alone.
Trapped.
He could never go back to that. Not after gaining his dear friends. Not after the taste of freedom Plagg and the ring granted him. He wouldn't. He refused. Chat would sooner run away than go back to that desolate life.
However, for now, exhaustion hit him like a train as soon as the tears stopped. The only words he could mumble before passing out were "Sorry for getting your jacket wet."
M
"Don't worry about that, you silly cat."
Marinette was at a loss of what to do. It had seemed, at first, that Chat had been calming down. He had nearly completely even out his breathing when it suddenly came back, worse than before, clinging onto her as if she was a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. She tried to help keep him calm, but he had instead started sobbing, which was so gut wrenching that Marinette herself almost started crying as well.
And now? Her partner was asleep. Marinette wasn't even aware they could sleep in their suits. She was almost impressed.
Tikki peaked out of Marinette's purse, large eyes filled with worry. "What should we do?" Tikki whispered, gaze flitting between the sleeping Chat and Mari.
"We can't just leave him here Tikki. He's my partner. What kind of person would I be to just leave him here in the park after that?" Marinette shifted her grip on him, hoisting him up into her arms, and thanking the muscle gain she's gotten since becoming Ladybug, carefully stood up.
"Let's go home Tikki."
After nearly a half an hour walk, which involved many an impromptu hiding to avoid explaining why Marinette was currently carrying a sleeping superhero, Marinette stood at the back door of the bakery, which led to the upstairs apartment. "Now, just to avoid my parents…." Mari muttered, eyes darting between the building and the still somehow sleeping Chat in her arms.
"You can do it Marinette!" The kwami cheered on her chosen from Marinette's purse. Filled with determination, Marinette nodded.
"Could you please unlock the door for me? My hands are a bit full." Tikki flew out of her purse and grabbed the keys from Marinette's pocket, which was almost hilariously disproportionate to the kwami's body. She opened the door, and the teen crept in quietly, waiting for Tikki to close and lock the door to be able to hide again before slowly starting to creep in.
Miraculously, Marinette made it up the flights of stairs to her room undetected, dropping Chat Noir on her chaise lounge with a grunt. "That went better than expected." She then ran back downstairs to inform her parents she was home, and grabbed a plate of baked goods that had gone unsold that day, and a glass of water for the sleeping visitor whenever he awoke.
Marinette would be damned if she didn't at least try to help her friend.
Somehow.
A
It was a beautiful day outside. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming. On days like this, kids like Adrien…. Should be panicking.
Because this definitely was not his bed.
This was his first thought. Adrien's second thought was 'Oh fuck, I am so dead.'
The next realization was that this was Marinette's room, and he was on her couch, no longer transformed.
What a lovely start to his morning.
"Plagg!" Adrien hissed, sitting up and poking the cat kwami. "We need to go right now!"
"Five more minutes." Plagg groaned, a little too loud for Adrien's liking. He didn't want Marinette to wake and see his civilian identity. "Your little joy ride last night really tired me out you know!"
"Shush! We can't let Marinette see us!" Adrien nearly begged. "I'll get you a whole wheel of Camembert! Provided I'm not disowned or straight up murdered, that is. Besides, we didn't even use cataclysm!"
"You are so lucky I'm so nice and generous." Plagg sighed dramatically.
"Plagg, transform me!" Chat crept over to the window, hoping to slip out silently while Marinette slept.
"Chat, wait."
Plan failed.
"I must thank you for your assistance last night purrincess, but I'm afraid I must be going now before anyone notices my absence." He tried his best to smile at Marinette. He really did. But he was so afraid that this would be the last time he could see her, that even he knew how fake it looked.
"Just… can you come back tonight?" Marinette blurted out, grabbing his wrist. "I want to try to help you. Please." She was too nice for her own good sometimes, he thought idly.
"I'll try, but I can't make any promises. I might be in a tight situation in my civilian life. If you see my lady, will you please let her know this? I don't want to let her down, but I'm afraid it may be inevitable."
"I'll be sure to tell her if I see her. But Chat? You could never let her down."
"I desperately wished that were true." And with that, Chat slipped from Marinette's grip and disappeared out the window.