"Her name is Marinette. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Her parents own the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. They make the best bread in the whole of Paris. Maybe even the whole of France. We met when I started school, and Chole was being mean to her, but she thought I was because of a misunderstanding, but I apologised and… well we've been friends since my first week. She's a little awkward when she's nervous, but it's adorable really. When you get to know her she gets more confident, and she can make the best jokes, and she listens – really listens – which means she's the best at buying presents for people…"
Adrien trailed off. he hadn't meant to be so sharp when he said that. He hadn't realised how annoyed he was that he'd had that scarf for so long and not known who had given it to him. Gabriel leaned forward in his chair, leaning his arms on the table. He was used to treating his son like an employee, especially in his home office like this.
"carry on," he stated.
Adrien took a breath, uncertain of how to continue. "she's… she's smart. She helps me study. And she's a designer. She made this!"
Adrien gestured to the waistcoat he was wearing. He had put it on – and this is going to sound pathetic – he had just it on, because he knew he was going to face his father, and he wanted something to remind him of Marinette. She gave him the confidence to stand up to his father. Gabriel's gaze lingered on the waist coat for a moment or two. There was no indication of approval or disapproval until he spoke.
"It's a wonderful piece. I'd have to check the stitching and minor details, but for a prototype, it's very nice."
Adrien's mouth twitched up at the corners when he heard his father complement her too.
"And she won that derby hat competition at school. The one with the feathers, remember?" Adrien said, eagerly.
"ah, that's where I've seen her before. I remember now. carry on. Not about her designs, about what makes her special."
Adrien frowned. He could really only thing of one big thing that summed up what made Marinette so specially.
Being ladybug.
Being his princess. Being his perfect partner. The one he tells secrets because she won't tell anyone else, ever. Because she always had his back. Because he always had hers. because loved her.
"I don't know what makes her special… but I know that I trust her. completely. If I was ever in danger, I know she'd be there to help, no matter how much effort it took. Because she cares. Really cares. Truly… Not many people do anymore. She's special, because she just is. I can't tell you why. You'd have to see it for yourself."
Adrien looked down at his feet, nervously. He felt Plagg's head rub against his side from inside his pocket. Adrien smiled softly at the feeling. Gabriel didn't say anything. Slowly, he leaned back in his chair, never taking his eyes off his son.
"What happened on Friday Adrien? What really happened?" Gabriel asked, calmly.
Adrien shifted awkwardly. He had tried not to think of Friday. Thinking about it lead straight back to thinking about the kiss. or the almost kiss. that lead to thinking about what would have happened if they had kissed. If they would have turned up at school yesterday morning and met up, and sat together. If he would have fallen asleep on her shoulder in class. If she would have brushed his hair to the side to kiss his forehead. Yes, he would have still been exhausted, but would he have had something to look forward to when he finally woke up. Then they would have gone fighting crime together and they would have worked together like they were one person, because they knew what the other was thinking. They'd be perfect. The perfect crime fighting couple…
Unless she didn't kiss him back. That would have thrown everything off. if she started avoiding him, he wouldn't be able to figure out what she was thinking, and he'd get stuck inside his head. Then one of them would get hurt while being Ladybug and Chat Noir. Or God forbid someone else did. The whole of Paris would lose faith in them. Hawkmoth could take that and run with it. akumatize more people, knowing they couldn't be defeated. Then he wouldn't be able to stay in school. He wouldn't be able to stand facing Marinette every day. But if he left school he'd never see Nino. Nino wasn't allowed in his house, so they'd never get to spend time together.
Adrien was struck by his first panic attack. His heart was going to explode and he was going to die right here, right now, because if he kissed Marinette he would either make or break everything he had. Terrified for his son, Gabriel called for an ambulance. The paramedics had to fight their way through a crowd of reporters who had heard the emergency services had been phoned to the Agreste house for the first time since Mrs Agreste went missing.
"But will he survive? He's got a fitting tomorrow; will he be able to go?" Gabriel demanded.
One of the paramedics had removed him from the room so that Adrien could have some space to try and catch his breath in, and he was not happy about it.
"Don't worry Mr Agreste, your son is fine. It's just a panic attack," the paramedic explained.
"a panic attack?!" Gabriel demanded.
"Yes. Has he suffered anything like this before?"
"No of course not. My son is a model. They ooze confidence!"
"Models often have large egos too. Maybe he didn't want to have to tell you he had one of these before. Is that possible?" the paramedic asked, gently.
Through gritted teeth, Gabriel spat, "My son is not that arrogant."
Adrien could hear him from the office. He bowed his head a little, feeling slightly ashamed of himself. he pulled away from the oxygen mask that they had given him, because he didn't want to look as pathetic as he felt. the paramedic watched as the shamed expression took over his face.
"Adrien, has anything like this happened before?" they asked, gently.
"Once… just after mum… but I thought it was grief," Adrien admitted.
"it might have been. Have you got any idea what caused the attack this time?"
Adrien bit his lip nervously. "if I do… do you have to tell my father?"
They laid a hand on his shoulder carefully. "You don't even have to tell me if you don't want to. But if you feel one of these happening again, you need to try to breathe through it. try going somewhere quiet if you can. If not, focus of breathing, like this."
The paramedic took a deep breath, held it, and let it go slowly. Adrien copied. After the third one, Adrien was feeling calmer, and very embarrassed about having called the paramedics all this way for nothing. the paramedic ruffled his hair with a soft smile and told him not to worry about it.
"Sleep will help," the paramedic said, "by the bags under your eyes I'd say you weren't getting enough. You need to cut back on the stress. Less photo shoots. Less late nights. More sleep. Understood?"
Adrien nodded obediently. If it were up to him, there would only ever be one photoshoot he had to do. and Marinette would be holding the camera.
Speaking of, little Ladybug came swooping in through her bedroom window, just as the paramedics got to Adrien's house. She sat in front of her computer to finish some edits on the photoshoot. When she clicked through to the next photo, she was taken by surprise.
Barely in focus, Plagg was holding the camera out, taking a selfie, with Tikki leaning out from behind him, waving. Colourful flowers lead her gaze behind them. there, clearly in focus, she had her arms around Adrien's neck, fixing his collar, and his hands were out at her sides, ready to catch her if she slipped off her tip-toes. At first glass, it was as if they had been caught mid-dance. Adrien's gaze was fixed completely on her, warm and affectionate.
It suddenly hit her like a truck.
Alya was right.
She had been so blind!
"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette cried.
Tikki groaned heavily from the pillow she'd curled up on. "now?! but we just got back! I'm tired."
"Oh… right… it's late…"
"we can go if you want, but then I'll have to sleep right away…"
"No, you rest Tikki. I can't have you end up like Adrien," Marinette chuckled.
Tikki chuckled back, quietly. She laid her head back on the pillow, with a yawn. Marinette looked back at the picture. She wanted to show it to Adrien. A cute photo of the four of them. if anyone else saw it they'd ask questions, so it would have to be a secret picture that the two of them shared. She printed off two copies, and framed one, to put on a low shelf, where no one ever looked. Just so she and Tikki would know it was there.
"He'll love this. I'll give it to him tomorrow," Marinette said to Tikki.
Tikki was too busy sleeping to listen. Marinette curled up beside Tikki. The two of them slept sound side by side, blissfully unaware of Plagg tucking Adrien in, and keeping one eye open all night, just in case this "panic attack" happened again.
