Sorry about the wait! I'm finally getting back into the swing of things after a very awful summer… I hope you enjoy!
"We're just at the park with Nath, how did it go?"
"You're with Nathaniel? Now?"
Adrien turned around to see Marinette glancing past the redhead next to her and looking at him with worried blue. The way she bit her lip, along with the tone in Hugo's voice, made the blonde feel like they had made a mistake.
"Yeah, we've just seen him and Lila-"
"Is she still there?"
"No," Adrien rubbed at the back of his neck and furrowed his brow while turning his back to Marinette and Nathaniel, who was now also watching him on the phone. "She left after we interrupted their conversation about getting a publisher for your comics, how does that work by the way, with you, y'kno-"
Adrien was cut off by a tap on his shoulder and turned to see an upset and confused expression occupying Nathaniel's features. "Can I speak to Marc please?" He held out his hand hesitantly and it was clear that he felt really uncomfortable.
"Put him on."
Adrien complied and handed the phone over to his classmate as Marinette came to his side and the artist walked a few paces away. The young man's tone was quiet and unsure as he curled in on himself whilst speaking on the phone. Nathaniel's face was hidden by his hair, but it was obvious that the teen was hurt.
"What's going on?" Adrien asked Marinette as they could not make out what the artist was saying. "Is he okay?"
Marinette sighed, "Marc told him he was with his parents today, so when you picked up the call thinking it was your father…"
Adrien let out a laboured breath and dropped his head in realisation, "then said Marc and Nathaniel thinks something's going on."
Marinette simply nodded and then leaned sideways to rest her head against the blonde's shoulder while the redhead continued to speak quietly. Adrien put a comforting arm around her waist and pulled the heroine closer.
"Have we made a mistake?"
"I don't think so," she replied while troubling her bottom lip, "but I don't think it was meant to happen quite like this."
The pair watched as Nathaniel stared at the phone once the call had ended, and waited for him to approach them. He eventually did, but when the red haired teen lifted his head, and handed the phone back to Adrien, he stared a little too intently at the blonde's eyes.
"Marc's told me to come back with you."
Lila: Alya! I really need to speak to you! You'll never guess what I've just seen and I don't know what to do.
Lila: Can I ask you something which you promise to not tell anyone including Nino?
Alya: Hey! Yeah course. What's up?
*Alya rejects Lila's outgoing phone call*
Alya: Sorry I cant talk right now, can only text s with Nino.
Alya: As*
Lila: OK. I think its best to talk about this though, but its really important so here goes…
Lila: I think Adrien is cheating on Kagami with Marinette.
On the way to the Agreste mansion, there was an uncomfortable tension which had descended over the trio. Nathaniel stayed quiet, but the frown on his face told the heroes he was mulling over whatever had been said to him by Hugo on the phone. Not wanting to say anything that would make the situation worse, Marinette and Adrien walked in an apprehensive silence a few paces in front of their classmate.
The blonde glanced at the mother of his future children and squeezed her hand, in response, Marinette twisted her lips and raised a halfhearted brow: they both hoped that any damage done was going to be easy to fix.
Rounding the corner of the mansion's outer wall, Adrien was not surprised when the gates automatically opened, Nathaniel however, seemed reluctant to follow them, and stayed back away from the entrance. Marinette gestured for Adrien to go on ahead while she spoke to her long time friend.
"Hey," she started soothingly, hoping to coax the teen into speaking with her, "you've been really quiet, do you want to talk before we go in there?" By placing her hand on Nathaniel's shoulder, Marinette brought his bright eyes to meet hers, and she could see the distress he was feeling.
"I'm just, it's…" he began emotionally, speaking so quietly that the ravenette struggled to hear him, "Marc wouldn't say much on the phone, he sounded off… pissed… I think he's mad at me for meeting with Lila." Nathaniel's shoulders slumped, his eyes becoming hopeless as he gestured outwardly towards the mansion, "but he lied to me today. Why would he tell me he was with his parents if he wasn't?"
Marinette twisted her lips while she thought about how to respond. Hugo was the best person to explain this, as the heroine had no idea where to start without possibly making the situation worse. She settled for trying to sound understanding, while also encouraging him to see Hugo in the mansion.
"I honestly can't answer that Nath," she tapped her index fingers together nervously, "it won't hurt to come in and speak to him though? I'm sure whatever-"
"But what if it's the end of our p-partnership?"
Marinette's mouth dropped open and she shook her head quickly in order to collect her thoughts. The tears that began to accumulate in the redhead's eyes just proved how worried he was about the whole situation; and Marinette was kicking herself for allowing him to stew on his thoughts for so long while they made their way to the mansion. 'If only I had spoken to him sooner!'
"I really doubt it will be an end to your partnership," the heroine smiled kindly, "if you have an argument, then it happens, but it's how we move past those arguments and disagreements that truly matter."
Nathaniel glanced around their surroundings and took in a deep breath to calm himself, "okay. I'll come in. But can you make sure there's no chance of me being left alone with Adrien's father… that man scares me."
The ravenette quietly chuckled at Nathaniel's words: she did not see it being likely, but so far, everything about the day had been out of the ordinary.
Adrien had not been able to get much out of Hugo about how it had gone with his mother, so the blonde was feeling very nervous about what was in store for him. With a pleasant nod from Su-Han and a big smile from Hugo, who were currently waiting outside, the blonde proceeded to open the door with excitement building in his chest.
Upon entering the mansion, Adrien stopped dead in his tracks.
His mother stood at the bottom of the stairs, as if she had never left. The relief that flooded his entire being was overwhelming, and the blonde felt tears of joy spring from his eyes instantly. The youthful looking blonde woman held out her arms to him, "Adrien!"
In only a few steps, the teen found himself enveloped in his mother's embrace, and it seemed like only yesterday she had done exactly the same thing. The difference this time though, was how tall the blonde had become during her absence; a harsh reminder that so much time had passed since the last time he was able to hold her. However, Adrien felt the bitterness, due to how much time had been missed, seeping away the longer he was in her arms. 'It doesn't matter now, she's back, and that's all that matters.'
Minutes ticked by as neither of them said anything. Nathalie and Gabriel had joined the embrace at some point too, and Emilie simply stood there and basked in the ambience that was full of love and happiness. For the past so many years, she had been completely aware of her surroundings, and hated what Gabriel was doing in order to bring her back, but the woman understood. Emilie did not like what she had been a witness to at times, however, after deliberating with herself during the lonely hours only surrounded by butterflies, the newly awakened woman knew that if it had been the other way around that she would have done whatever she could to get Gabriel back.
He was the love of her life and nothing would ever change that.
And Nathalie… well Nathalie had already kind of spoken with Emilie…
…through the glass of her chamber…
…when Nathalie was not aware that the blonde could hear her.
They could have a talk when the time was right, but for now, talking could wait.
Thank you for being patient with me! and thank you for reading, the reviews, the follows and the faves =). I love this little fic, I have to admit, and its been great to be able to work on it again.
Let me know your thoughts on whats coming next!
Take it easy =^.^=
Lady Rhi X