The idea here is that something has happened with Adrien's father, (it might be that he has been identified as Hawkmoth and has been taken into custody/has a warrant out for his arrest). It could also be that he's disappeared, etc. I left it vague because I'd rather not write a story based on speculation. Yet, here we are. Bottom line, Adrien's dad isn't in the picture for shady reasons, and it's public knowledge.
Home
Marinette walked home after delivering three-dozen cupcakes to Manon's birthday party. She thoroughly believed that being assigned tasks like this were a true testament to her parents' undying love for her, since her clumsiness was unparalleled, and they trusted her to deliver baked goods anyway. The weather was perfect for walking, with a cool breeze that softened the heat of the sun.
She hummed a happy tune as she strolled down the street, waving to the elderly woman who always came in on Wednesday to buy dessert for date night with her husband. It was no secret that Marinette based her own ideal marriage off of their cute interactions.
She saw a little girl running alongside her fluffy white dog in the park, and beamed widely at their antics. Marinette spotted the Agreste Mansion in the distance, and her smile fell as it reminded her of Adrien.
Poor, sweet Adrien, whose life was just so unfairly sad. Her mind immediately ran over things she could do to cheer him up, but kept coming up blank. He couldn't be seen in public without being hounded by reporters nowadays, so she couldn't take him to an amusement park or a movie, or anything else of the sort. Alya told her that Nino was especially worried, since Adrien continued to act like everything was normal, when it most certainly was not.
She was still lost in thought when she wandered through the door of her parents' bakery, and headed toward the stairs that led up into their main house. "Marinette, sweetheart! Please be quiet when you go up, our guest fell asleep," her mother stated with a gentle smile. Marinette frowned thoughtfully, "Guest?" Sabine immediately looked sympathetic, and nodded as she dried her hands on a towel.
"Yes. Please try not to wake him up, the poor thing looks like he hasn't slept in days," her mother replied with a concerned smile. Marinette nodded, having a feeling that she knew where this was going.
She tiptoed up the stairs anyhow, and when she reached the living room, her suspicions were confirmed. Adrien Agreste was asleep on her couch, a blanket was draped around his shoulders and his head rested on the back of the sofa in a position that was bound to hurt when he woke up.
Marinette's motherly instincts kicked in, and before she realized what she was doing, she had grabbed an extra pillow from her room, and was hovering over Adrien's sleeping form. She warred with herself over whether she should disturb him or not, but ultimately decided it would be better to save him from neck pain later. While he was asleep, every trace of sadness seemed to have been wiped from his expression, making Marinette realize just how sad he was most of the time.
She steeled herself for what she was about to do, clutching the pillow in one hand while she carefully slid the other underneath his head and tried not to think about the fact that she was touching Adrien Agreste's golden blond hair. She took a deep breath and cleared her mind of the offending thoughts as she gently lifted his head and slipped the pillow underneath it.
A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she took in his serene expression, and she nearly started when her mother spoke. "He's such a sweet boy," Sabine noted from her place in the doorway. "He really is," Marinette murmured softly.
Her fingers ghosted across his forehead as she lovingly swept his fringe from his face before standing up to join her mother. Sabine grinned knowingly, and Marinette rolled her eyes. "We're just friends, Mama."
"I know, but I've also seen the posters in your room, dear," Sabine replied, a serious expression adorning her face. Marinette spared a glance back at the sleeping model, "I…really care about him, Mama. His life has been so hard, and…I just wish I could make it better." "You do. Just by being there for him, you make a difference," Sabine assured her, resting a hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"He loves you, you know? Maybe not like that yet, but he told me how much he appreciates you," Mrs. Dupain-Cheng explained as Marinette followed her into the kitchen to help prepare dinner.
"R-Really?" the girl squeaked as she pulled out the cutting board. "Really." Sabine assured her. Shortly after Marinette finished cutting up the vegetables, her father came in after closing the bakery and ushered her out.
Tom and Sabine always cooked dinner together, and Marinette knew it was their bonding time, so she allowed herself to be pushed out of the kitchen with a smile. She retreated to the living room and took a seat on the opposite end of the couch from Adrien, who was still fast asleep.
She grabbed her sketchbook and began drawing up a design for casual dress to wear on warmer weekends. As her pencil traveled across the page, she began humming the happy tune from earlier, blissfully unaware of the world around her until she finished the dress.
She continued humming as she turned her gaze to the sleeping boy beside her, and realized that somewhere along the way, she'd moved closer. The steady rise and fall of his chest was soothing, and she tentatively raised her hand, still humming as she gently threaded her fingers into his hair. He didn't stir, and she stared out through the window as she combed through his hair, his breathing and her cheerful song being the only sounds to interrupt the silence.
"Marinette?"
Her humming ended in a strangled squeak, and she jerked her hand away from his hair as if she'd been burned. She met his drowsy gaze, and felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "A-Adrien! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have touched you without permission! That was terrible-" "It's okay," he interrupted, dazzling her with his camera-ready smile.
He yawned and stretched, arcing his back and frying Marinette's remaining brain cells in the process. He relaxed back down into the couch and met Marinette's gaze, the ever-present sorrow swam behind his beautiful green eyes.
"Could you…do that again?" he asked, gazing at her with an expression the she couldn't place. The girl blinked owlishly, "Do what again?"
He bit his lip nervously, "Play with my hair? My mother used to do that. And she'd sing, a lot like what you were doing. It was nice." Marinette paused for a second, and before she could freak herself out again, grabbed the pillow and placed it on her lap, patting the spot invitingly.
Adrien smiled, and it actually reached his eyes for once. He lay down on the couch and placed his head on the pillow. Marinette began running her fingers through his hair again. Before she knew it, she was once again humming the cheerful tune that had been stuck in her head all day.
Adrien sighed contentedly and his eyes slid shut as he listened to Marinette's song. There was something about Marinette that made him feel whole, despite the fragmented nature of his life.
"Marinette?"
"Hm?"
"Thank you."
