A/N: As always, I do not share any views expressed by any characters in this story. And I own nothing in this story.
Okay, please read, review, and enjoy!
Marinette Dupain-Cheng woke with a start at the buzzing sound of her alarm clock. She groaned, rolling over and covering her face with her pillow. Today was going to be her first day at her new school. This move had really taken a toll on her, and she wasn't looking forward to having to introduce herself over and over. Maybe this school would be like the last one, and she could fade away into the background.
She frowned at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a wreck, and she didn't really have time to wash and dry it. Instead of putting in a lot of effort, Marinette brushed her hair before throwing it up in a ponytail. Her bangs fell down over her forehead, and she blew the black hair out of her eyes. She contemplated using a barrette to pin them back, but she didn't like leaving her face that exposed.
Today she wore her favorite pink jeans with a black Spider Gwen t-shirt. After brushing her teeth and putting on a little mascara, she hurried down the stairs to the kitchen, where her parents were putting breakfast on the table. Her father smiled up at her. "Good morning, sweetheart. Sleep okay?"
She paused. "Why? Do I have bags under my eyes again?" Marinette rubbed her eyes self-consciously.
Her mother giggled at her. "Don't fret so much, Marinette. You look fine. Are you excited for your first day?"
The teen smiled half-heartedly. "I don't think I'll ever be excited about school, but I am looking forward to meeting everyone." She sat down at the table, and her mother placed a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs in front of her. "I've been thinking I might try being a vegetarian," she announced, scooping some eggs onto her fork. "Lots of people are doing it nowadays."
With a little laugh, her mother patted her head. "You just have to realize that, just because you stop eating meat, doesn't mean all the meat-packing plants will go out of business. Changing your diet wouldn't make much of a difference. Besides, it's difficult to be a vegetarian. It's hard enough having limited food choices, not to mention that it's bad for your immune system. You don't need to miss a lot of school, like last year."
"Okay, okay, you've made your point." Marinette laughed and continued to eat her breakfast.
"Here you go, Adrien."
The teen looked down at the plate of food set in front of him: half a grapefruit, a poached egg spackled with red caviar, and two triangles of toast. He smiled, looking up at the woman on his left. "Thanks, Natalie."
She turned, leaving Adrien to eat alone in the low light of the kitchen. Only a sliver of sunlight burned through the curtains, and Adrien watched the rays shine off of his knife and onto the counter. His cat, Plagg, pounced, repeatedly slapping the light with his paws. Adrien chuckled, tilting his knife so that the light moved around the room.
"Adrien."
The boy froze, then turned to see his father standing in the dark archway of the kitchen. "Yes, Father?"
The older man pushed his glasses up his sharp nose. "Are you sure that you want to go today? It's rather sunny out. With no cloud cover, I'm afraid you could-"
"I'll be fine, Father," Adrien replied. "Thank you for your concern," he said in a lowered voice, his face blank. He swallowed, looking down at the food on his plate, waiting for his father to either speak or leave. When he did the latter, Adrien let out a deep breath. He poked at the egg on his plate with a fork. His eyes drifted up to the glass in front of him, filled with red liquid. Adrien picked up the glass and took a sip. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, and pressed his lips into a line, fighting the urge to moan. No matter how many times he drank blood, it always felt sensational. Drinking a glass of blood in the morning helped to curb his appetite for the rest of the day. Plagg watched him with curious eyes, so with a smirk, Adrien dripped some blood on the floor for his furry comrade. The cat lapped it up, purring.