Chapter 3: Jigsaw Falling Into Place (thumbs down version)
Song: Jigsaw Falling Into Place (thumbs down version) - Radiohead
Marinette has some realizations, enter Master Fu, Gabriel is sneaky.
After a horribly frustrating day of avoiding Adrien at school without looking suspicious at the same time, Marinette was finally home. She sat on her desk chair, dropping her bag carelessly on the floor "OUCHH! Marinette, watch it!" Tikki protested.
"Sorry, Tikki! It's just today was so exhausting, between avoiding Adrien, the classes, and evading Alya's questioning stares, I'm so tired."
"Well, you don't have to avoid Adrien, you know? You need to stop putting him on a pedestal, Marinette! What will he think of your behaviour? You might have given him the impression that you're angry at him or something. You're being so unfair to him, he didn't do anything wrong, and it's like you're punishing him."
"I know Tikki, and I feel so awful for that! But what am I supposed to do? I need to put some distance between us if I want to focus on school. I wish I could just talk to him like a normal person, and simply be his friend, but I can't. At least, not for now, give me a few days, and I'll start to talk to him and be there for him." Marinette rested her head on her arms, she wanted to give a chance for their friendship to blossom, but she would start to do that after she stopped stuttering and shaking like a leaf whenever he was present.
The designer and her kwami stayed in a comfortable silence for a while. Tikki was eating a macaron, while Marinette was still resting her head on the desk, thinking off all the events that happened in the last days. Suddenly, she came to a realization, a dark thought crossed her mind making her eyes go wide.
"Hey, Tikki?" she jumped from her chair.
"Yes?" The kwami stopped eating, turning all her attention to her chosen.
"If I and Adrien still remember what happened, do you think Hawkmoth knows as well? Since he has a miraculous?"
"OH… I hadn't thought of that! I honestly don't know, Marinette, but I think that might be a possibility" Tikki answered slowly, she as well worrying that that could have happened.
"Adrien might be in danger, we need to see Master Fu, now! We should prepare ourselves for the worst. Tikki, SPOTS ON!"
She transformed quickly and after climbing to her balcony, she started her journey to the massage parlour.
Ladybug jumped to a secluded alley and detransformed, she waited for the last customer to leave and then went inside the parlour. She knocked twice on Master Fu's door and after hearing to come in, she stepped inside the room.
"What brings you here, Ladybug?"
"Master Fu, something happened." She said, sitting crossed-leg in front of the Chinese man. The guardian stood, and grabbed a kettle.
"Do you want some tea, Marinette?" He offered.
"No thank you, I'd rather go straight to the point of my visit, it's kind of urgent" Marinette answered getting restless.
"You know, Marinette, sometimes is better to slow down and enjoy a cup of tea, you don't imagine the wonders that can make to the mind" He sat again holding two cups of tea, offering her one.
The heroine was getting impatient by now. She saw Master Fu like guidance, but sometimes he was just too patient. Master Fu seemed to notice her fidgeting "Okay, tell me what happened."
Marinette proceeded to tell everything that happened during the Akuma attack, and how everyone forgot the reveal. "So, do you think Hawkmoth knows?"
"Well, I don't remember anything related to that, which means the restoration spell also affected me, and I'm a miraculous holder. But we're not taking chances, we're going to activate the others, you'll give them their miraculous, and they'll keep them until this situation is solved. We need as much help as we can get."
"Thank you, Master. We won't disappoint you, I promise!"
"I know you won't, Ladybug." Master Fu smiled. He went to the gramophone and opened the Miraculous box, taking the fox and the bee, he then reached for the bracelet on his wrist and handed them to Marinette "Take these with you, Ladybug. Use them wisely and guide your team as I know you can. Good luck!"
"Thank you, Master Fu!" She bowed and left.
Nino and Alya were studying together in Nino's bedroom. French was a total nightmare for Nino, he just didn't understand how knowing about Verne's writing style was important for whatever he chose to do in the future. Alya, on the other hand, loved anything related to literature, so she helped through the homework.
"I don't know Alya! Maybe he really means what he's writing, why do we have to overthink everything?"
"C'mon Nino, this one is super easy!" Alya sighed.
Suddenly, they heard tapping on the window, and when they looked, there was Ladybug, signalling to let her in. Alya was the first to react, as she rapidly climbed to her feet, and opened the window, allowing the superheroine to come in.
"Ladybug, what a surprise! Is there an Akuma?" Alya questioned excitedly.
"Don't worry, there's no Akuma." She said, taking two octagonal boxes and raising them in front of them "Alya Cesaire, Nino Lahiffe, once more Paris needs your help, are you willing to take the mantle of Rena Rouge and Carapace again to aid me and Chat Noir?"
"YOU'RE RENA ROUGE?" Nino asked perplexed.
"Of course, dummy, can you imagine anyone better?"
"Well, actually, no. Aren't you surprised that I'm Carapace?"
Alya chuckled and bopped his nose "Oh sweet, innocent Nino, you can never fool me."
Nino stared in awe at his girlfriend astuteness, he then shook his head as he noticed something "Ladybug if there's no Akuma, why do you need our help? And you forgot to tell us to return them"
"Well, something happened, I can't tell you what, what matters is that me and Chat Noir need a fixed help, for now, so you'll be able to keep your miraculous for a while, at least until the situation is solved." Ladybug explained.
Alya quirked an eyebrow, her curiosity was getting at her "Are you sure you can't tell us? We promise we won't tell anybody!"
"Sorry, Alya. All I can say is that's something related to identities, I promise I'll tell you everything after it's over, can I count on you?"
"ALWAYS!" They said in unison.
"Thank you, I should go now. Take care!" The heroine said leaving immediately.
Chloé was in her bedroom, laptop on her lap, looking at the latest Gabriel catalogue "I'm am so going to buy these shoes." She muttered to no one.
"You should totally do that!" Chloé jumped at the voice behind her. She looked at the origin of the voice and was met with a smirking Ladybug.
"Ladybug! You scared me!"
"I'm sorry, Chloé! That wasn't my intention."
"I can see that!" Chloé muttered sarcastically.
"Anyway, something happened, I can't tell you what, but I need your aid, Chloé Bourgeois, will you accept the miraculous of the Bee, and aid me and Chat Noir? In a more permanent way?"
The blonde gasped "That means I get to keep Pollen?"
"For a while, yes."
She squealed in excitement and opened the box, which shone immediately, revealing the bee kwami.
"My queen!"
"Pollen, oh I missed you so much! Thank you, Ladybug"
"You welcome. Use it wisely, Chloé, I'm trusting you with this." The heroine warned.
"Of course, I promise you, I won't abuse my power."
"Great! I need to go now, goodbye!" She smiled and left.
Chloé ran to the window, to watch the spotted heroine leave, getting smaller and smaller at every leap. "Thank you for trusting me, Ladybug" she whispered.
Adrien dropped to the bed, face hitting the pillow and closed his eyes for a second.
"Well, no one knows, we can celebrate, let's eat cheese!" a voice said right next to his ear.
"Plagg, you glutton!" He sighed, raising to his elbows.
"What's the matter lover boy?"
"Don't you think Marinette was weird today? She seemed more nervous than usual."
"Ohhh! Is baker girl digging a hole in that heart of yours? You seem awfully worried about her today." Plagg teased.
"Marinette is just a friend, Plagg!" Adrien laughed "She just seemed so fidgety today, maybe a certain cat should visit her tonight!"
"Well, I know of a certain cat who won't be able to go anywhere, if he doesn't give any cheese to his source of power!"
"Okay, Plagg, I got it!" Adrien chuckled, messing with Plagg's small fur, he stood and went to the cabinet where the cheese was. He then opened the door, clamping his nose with his fingers, not to smell the atrocious aroma and grabbed a wheel, throwing it to Plagg, who caught it graciously. For a creature so small, Plagg was fast. A knock on the door interrupted Adrien's contemplation of his kwami, he signalled for Plagg to hide, and said, "Come in!"
Nathalie stepped inside, sporting her usual emotionless expression "Your father is waiting for you in the dining room, dinner is ready to be served."
The model stood incredulously "He-he's in there? I'm going to eat with him?" He knew he shouldn't get so excited at such a trivial activity, however, although for other families eating meals together was a daily occurrence, in the Agreste household, meal times, usually meant Adrien having to eat alone, while Nathalie or the Gorilla, stood next to the table waiting for him in silence.
"So, are you coming?" Nathalie asked impatiently.
"YES! I mean, of course, let me just turn off the computer, and I'll meet you there."
"Okay, I'll tell your father."
"Thank you, Nathalie!" Adrien answered. He was so happy, he couldn't even remember the last time he ate with his father.
"Isn't this wonderful, Plagg?"
"Kid, you are way too excited! It's just a meal." Plagg commented.
"I know, but I can't help it! Please stay here while I'm downstairs, I'll bring you cheese when I come back."
"Okay, kid, have fun with your old man."
The model smiled and left.
Gabriel was seating at the end of the table, Adrien's seat was placed next to him, everything should be ready by now, all he had to do was wait.
Adrien walked to his seat, the designer could see how excited his son was, he looked like he was trying to hide his bouncing. "Good evening, father!"
"Good evening, Adrien. How were classes today?" His son took a while to answer, looking at him like he grew a second head. Eventually, he said "Good! I mean, it was normal."
"Well, I have some news for you, but I'll tell you after dinner, for now, let's enjoy the meal. Bon Appétit."
"Merci, bon appétit, père!" And so, they started to eat in silence.
Adrien couldn't be happier, he was eating with his father! Yeah, maybe the room felt a little tense, and they weren't talking that much, but who cares? He wasn't alone for once, so he was going to enjoy it! Even if he was starting to feel sleepy, and his body surprisingly heavy. He lost force on his arm and dropped his fork, the world started to move slower. The blond looked at his father and tried to apologize for his behaviour, however, it seemed that he didn't have the energy to speak. The world got slower and slower until suddenly, everything faded to black.
Gabriel watched as his son's body sprawled on the table, his face not hitting the plate by luck. He stood and approached his son from behind, grabbing the boy's right hand softly, he brushed his fingers on his son's fingers in a gesture that held such tenderness from an outsider's point of view. He grabbed the ring and pulled it, holding it between his fingers, and sliding it to his pocket. The designer then proceeded to tuck Adrien on his lap, carefully not to hurt him "I think it's time for you to go to bed, my son." He whispered, kissing fondly his sleeping son's forehead.
Hope you liked the chapter, now the real action has begun! And once again, thank you for the amazing reviews, I'm really happy that you're liking the story.
Next chapter: "I hope you rot in hell for what you did! He will never forgive you, and you will never control me!" Guess who says this line? Ahahah, this one is easy.
I also want to inform you that I have exams every two weeks in college, but I'll try to update every weekend, if I fail a weekend, I'll post two or three chapters to compensate on the next one.
See you next chapter :)