Chapter Twenty-Nine
Hi.
It was such a simple thing, a small word to text, but Blue Wing couldn't help but grin as he laid on his bed, looking up at the holographic image that was popping up from his folded fan. He had always had the latest phone, but unlike most upgrades he got this was by far the best thing that had happened to him in ages.
hey my dude!
Blue Wing sat up slightly as Nino replied, and it felt so nice to actually be using Nino's number. He had gotten it a long time ago, Nino telling him to call if anything happened, but he hadn't had the courage to put it in his phone, as his contacts were pretty bare and it would stand out. After his bodyguard had made it known that all his screens were monitored he had been glad that he hadn't.
But this cool holographic communicator within his Miraculous? Fair game, and it was all his.
guess who was able to finally split an illusion today!
Tell Trixx I say congratulations! ^^
really dude? -_-
:P
is that weird? me calling you dude?
Why would it be? :(
that's what I call my friends and we're not exactly just friends anymore
right?
I mean, I guess we haven't decided anything
I just assumed we were.
Are you asking me out?
I believe I already did that
True. Since you got to do that, I suppose I should do the next step.
Nino Renard Lahiffe, will you be my boyfriend?
dude did you just give me the middle name of 'fox'?
I don't know your middle name!
you don't know your own boyfriend's middle name?! :'(
Well you don't know your boyfriend's first name!
got me there. xD
So, um, was that a yes?
yes all the way, dude!
btw my middle name is Oscar
Better than fox?
fraid so, dude!
so... can I get your middle name, or is that more than you'd like to say?
Blue Wing hesitated, fingers hovering over the fan. The offer to back out was right there, Nino wouldn't push him or question him... but at the same time he wanted Nino to know something about him. And a middle name was less recognizable, something less easy to attach to him.
Which one do you want to know? I have four.
what?!
4? what are you doing with 4 middle names, dude!
I collect them. :)
why does that sound ominous?
What do you mean? :(
sounds like you're going to come for my middle name next or something xD you take middle names and replace them with the name 'fox' instead.
Well it's your fault for not telling me your middle name!
you haven't told me any either!
Hugo.
Hugo?
One of my middle names.
Nice to meet you Blue Hugo Wing.
For my four middle names I was named after my grandfather, father, uncle, and a saint.
Hugo wouldn't happen to be your father's name would it?
Afraid you're not getting that one out of me.
can't blame a dude for asking
Blue Wing jumped as he heard a knock on his door, and quickly shut off the holographic screen on his fan, just in time for Nathalie to open the door to see him lying on his bed, Pollen near her shoulder.
"Why are you transformed?"
His mind scrambled for a response. "I, er, thought it might help me with my feather allergies?" Blue offered. "Like, exposure, you know?"
Nathalie closed her eyes. "Detransform, you shouldn't be expending energy unless it's necessary. Your father wants to see you, he's downstairs with your mother."
Blue felt his mouth go dry. Once upon a time such a phrase wouldn't feel so chilling, but the last place he wanted to go was down into the repository where his mother's comatose form laid. Still he found himself sitting up, muttering the detransformation phrase as he swung his feet off of the bed. Adrien rose as a flash of blue surrounded him, Duusu materializing from his brooch, landing in his outstretched hands as she appeared.
He stumbled as he stood, a wave of dizziness washing over him, black engulfing his vision. He managed to stay standing, leaning against the wall. Adrien heard a few voices– Duusu and... Pollen?– but they sounded faint as his vision came back to him. He blinked a few times, and found Nathalie watching him from the doorway, tilting her head for him to follow.
Her heels clicked against the tile floor as she walked ahead, Pollen sticking near her. The kwami's gaze was locked straight on Adrien, however, those golden eyes not leaving him. He shuddered slightly under the intense stare, but said nothing, his hands wrapping tightly around Duusu for any form of comfort.
They went into his father's atelier, to his mother's painting, and down the elevator– all in silence.
His father was standing at the end of the chamber, his back facing them as he stared down at the coffin that held Emilie, Nooroo hovering by his side. Only the kwami turned to face them as they approached, the Butterfly drifting as far from Gabriel as he could. Pollen bolted forward so she was right next to him. Adrien glanced down at Duusu to see if she would join– but the Peacock had swept her tail around herself with a huff, looking away from her fellow kwamis.
"Did you bring Adrien?" Gabriel asked.
"He's here, sir," Nathalie replied.
Gabriel looked over his shoulder at him. "Come here."
Adrien stumbled forward, not sure if it was fear or his dizziness that made him do so, but soon he stood by his father's side. Gabriel's hand wrapped around the back of his neck, and he found himself looking down at his mother's form. It hurt so much to look at her like this, skin pale and absolutely still. The machine whirled and beeped silently, the only thing that was probably keeping her tethered here.
Gabriel pressed a button on the top of the pod, and the glass slid open. Duusu drifted out of Adrien's hands, looking down at her old holder in worry. Adrien felt like something was clawing at his throat, and he had to swallow to keep it down. Gabriel's hand tightened on his neck, forcing him forward and closer to the coffin.
"Touch her," he ordered.
"Wh-what?" Adrien croaked.
"Take her hand," Gabriel said, gray eyes locking on him.
He didn't like this, and he didn't know why. It was just his mother, she looked just like she was sleeping– yet fear seemed to cling around him. He felt his father's grasp tighten, and his hand reached out for his mother's form. Vision blurred slightly from tears, ones that shouldn't be there. He should have no fear of his mother's comatose form– she was merely asleep, waiting for them to heal her, yet within his mind it was not that simple.
Was it because he was being forced? Because she was hidden away and not in a hospital?
Still, his hand found hers, fingers carefully wrapping around the hand of his mother's, which he hadn't held in so long. Chills raced through him at the coldness of her hands. It wasn't the warm and gentle grasp that he remembered so fondly, but stiff and icy. He felt himself choking on his breath, moving to pull away, but his father's grasp tightened– telling him not to move.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This didn't feel right. He didn't like this, he didn't want this, he didn't like this–
Nooroo winced, and Duusu was immediately in front of Adrien as tears welled up in his eyes. He didn't even react to the kwami, the only thing that seemed to exist in the moment was his parents' touch– his father's burning grip, and his mother's icy hand. He didn't dare make a noise or pull away, he couldn't give his father any reason to think he didn't want to be near his mother, he couldn't make him angry, so instead he stood there with knees that felt weak.
"Fa-father," he croaked out when Gabriel's hand finally pulled away, snapping out of his trance, and he wasn't sure how long he had been standing there. Duusu had curled up in his hair, paws wrapping tightly around him.
"You will stay here and connect with your mother," Gabriel said in a low voice. "I will be back after I'm done with my work, you will not leave your mother's side– is that clear?"
"Y-yes," Adrien stammered out, and he knew that his father did not want him to let go of her hand. "Father, I– can I–" A question was on the tip of his tongue, but yet he did not know what he wanted to even ask. "Can I– can the kw-kwamis stay here with me?"
He didn't want to be alone, not right now, not down here.
"You have Duusu for company," Nathalie said evenly.
"Your mother should be far more suitable for company for you than mere kwamis," Gabriel said coolly.
Adrien's hand trembled as he held his mother's stiff fingers, listening to the fading footsteps of Nathalie and Father, staring down at her still form.
"An interesting combo you got there," Lucie said, looking at the tray in Nino's hands.
"It's– it's not that weird," Nino muttered, glancing down at the food he had prepared. Pineapple and ham pizza along with some soda for himself, lettuce wraps for Wayzz, and grape tarts for Trixx. He also had a cup of strawberry tea for them to share, hoping that the fruit-flavored tea would be a good middle ground for the two of them.
Lucie smiled. "Well, it's definitely an improvement from when you usually have leftover pizza– tea and soda though?"
"It's, um, a trend at school," Nino said quickly. "Figured I'd try it."
His mom just shook her head. "Well, let me know if it's any good."
With that he hurried off to his room, making sure not to spill any of the food. As he approached the door he could hear a bit of noise coming from within– the sound of two deities that knew they needed to keep quiet, yet were still managing to fail. He sighed, nudging the door open, looking at the two kwamis at his desk.
"...Really Trixx?" Nino asked, seeing the set up he had left them with had changed.
Trixx had his hamster bed set up in front of the laptop in the center of his desk, while the beanie that Nino had given to Wayzz had been nudged off to the edge of the desk. The Turtle was hovering in the air, looking tired.
"The desk is my turf, we already agreed on that," Trixx yipped.
"Well right now it's all of ours," Nino replied, setting the tray down, and picking up the beanie. He placed it in front of the laptop, propping the inside up so the small nest of cloth within could be seen.
"Thank you, Nino," Wayzz said, zipping inside the beanie, settling in like it was a small cave. "I look forward to this movie, it sounds interesting."
"We're celebrating the progress he made with my Miraculous," Trixx muttered.
"And it was Wayzz's advice that helped me be able to actually split an illusion," Nino replied, stuffing a small piece of pastry into Trixx's mouth before he could protest. "Now these snacks are supposed to last us the whole movie, so don't go eating them all at once, okay?"
The pastries were giving to Trixx and the lettuce wraps to Wayzz, and finally Nino pulled out the small decorative tea set he had gotten for Trixx a while back, taking a moment to pour the strawberry tea into the tiny porcelain cups– but they were the perfect size for a kwami once they were set down in front of them.
"I think you guys will like this one," Nino said, turning his attention to his laptop as he pulled up the movie. "Tangled has always been a favorite of mine."
"Is there a fox in it?"
"No."
"A turtle?"
"Nope, but there's a chameleon," Nino said, pulling his pizza towards them. "Any chameleon kwamis out there?"
Trixx grinned. "There's Verriti– she's basically my opposite– the kwami of Truth."
"She is far more reasonable than you," Wayzz replied.
Trixx rolled his eyes. "Reptiles."
"Do you have an opposite, Wayzz?" Nino asked, hoping to shift the topic.
"The only kwamis with true opposites are ones such as the Black Cat and Ladybug," Wayzz replied. "Such pairings are rare, and powerful. However, if you're asking about a Miraculous that contrasts mine, I would say that would be Sotaa's, he being the Wolverine of Conflict."
"...There's a lot of kwamis out there, isn't there?" Nino said.
"One for every concept in the universe," Trixx said.
Nino had more questions about kwamis– but he didn't get the chance to answer, as the opening credits had ended and the movie was starting. Trixx immediately settled down, wrapping his tail about him as his eyes peered up at the screen. At first Wayzz only emerged from his makeshift cave to get to his food and tea, but eventually he dragged one of the bandanas in the beanie out to sit in the open as Rapunzel's and Flynn Rider's adventure continued on the laptop screen.
Both kwamis were forced to retreat into the beanie though as his bedroom door was thrown open without warning. Nino's hands wrapped around the hat where both kwamis had taken shelter, to see Chris standing in the doorway.
"Little dude," Nino said. "What have I said about knocking?"
"I heard the song!" Chris said, pointing to the screen where Tangled was still playing. "How come you're watching a movie without me?"
"I thought you said princess movies were for babies," Nino replied with a smile, pressing pause as he turned towards his brother.
Chris crossed his arms. "Princesses are– but Flynn Rider isn't!"
Nino let out a small chuckle. "Well, come on then, the movie isn't over yet."
He felt a bit bad that the kwamis were forced to spend the rest of their movie night hidden away in the hat, Chris sitting on his lap. But they had a good view still, angling the opening of the beanie so they could still watch with them.
It was late by the time credits were rolling, it was late, and Chris was drifting in his arms– head occasionally snapping up as he tried to stay awake. Nino smiled, picking up his brother, carrying him off to his own room; Chris' head resting on his shoulder as he insisted that he wasn't tired.
Nino was surprised to find that his room was still quiet as he entered, and he looked to where the beanie hat was laying– still as before. He picked it up and peered inside, and found the two kwamis curled up next to each other, fast asleep. Wayzz sprawled out comfortably at the bottom, Trixx's tail wrapped around him, who was sleeping on top of his shell.
Nino smiled, before setting the hat back down so as to not disturb them, and went to get ready for bed himself.
It was the middle of the night when Adrien was free to leave the basement and return to his room. And while he was physically and mentally exhausted, he did not go to bed. His father must have already been asleep, and so he just had to wait long enough to make sure Nathalie wasn't going to come check on him.
Then he transformed and took to the sky.
The lack of sleep was getting to him, his wings feeling heavy as he leapt from his window. He strained them to keep himself aloft, a shudder running through him as he flew over an air current. He stretched his sore wings as wide as they could go to catch the lift, pushing him higher into the air, allowing him to glide over the city with a moment of rest.
Soon Blue Wing could see Nino's apartment in the distance, relief running through him. He was almost there, almost to safety, where he could finally rest. Where he could wrap himself into Nino's warm embrace instead of his mother's frozen grip. Look into his bright eyes instead of hers that seemed forever closed.
Guilt flooded him, knowing it was wrong to want to be near the one fighting against his family instead being with his mother, but he couldn't stop himself from being selfish, angling his wings so he swooped down towards the fire escape outside of Nino's window. The sound of metal echoed as he landed, disturbing the silent night.
It was there that Blue Wing found himself hesitating, his hand reaching out to knock, before he stopped himself. Nino had said that he could come over anytime, no matter what... but that didn't change the fact that it was the middle of the night. That he was asleep. That those words had probably meant to be reassurance, not to be taken literally.
Blue quickly withdrew his hand, heart pounding, staring at the curtain-drawn window. He shouldn't be here, how could he have flown out here without even thinking about the fact if Nino would even want to see him or not? Blue Wing stumbled back slightly, the fire escape creaking under his boots. He couldn't go home right now, his body didn't have the energy to do so. But that was okay, he could stay out here, being near Nino would be good enough.
He stepped back a few more steps, feeling dizzy. His hands flew out, trying to catch himself on the railing as blackness dotted his vision, quickly closing in on him...
...
"...Blue? Blue!"
Blue Wing's vision came back slowly, eyes fluttering– and he found himself looking straight up at the rows of fire escapes above him. Confusion ran through him as he realized that he was laying on the ground, and he attempted to sit up, only to feel pressure on his chest, forcing him to keep laying down.
"Don't sit up so quickly," the voice insisted, and his eyes shifted– looking at the concerned amber gaze staring down at him. "You're only going to make yourself black out again."
"Nino?" He asked, blinking in confusion. "What are you doing...?"
He let out a small scoff, but the worry in his eyes remained. "What am I doing? What are you doing– you woke me up with the thud of you collapsing!"
"Sorry..."
"Don't you dare apologize," Nino hissed, pulling his head into his lap. "Okay, I'm going to transform real quick so I can carry you inside, okay?"
"I didn't mean to wake you up, I was going to leave..."
"Let's pounce," Nino whispered softly– and a burst of golden light came flying in through the window. A flash of light surrounded Nino, leaving spots dancing in Blue's eyes from the brightness.
Silver Paw stood above him, carefully shifting so he could scoop him up into his arms. The moment his embrace was around him Blue Wing felt himself sagging, a tension he hadn't realized he had been carrying leaving him. No words passed between them as he was cradled in Silver's arms, who climbed back through his window and into his room.
Silver carefully set him down on his bed, Blue's wings awkwardly spread below him as he laid there. Another flash of light indicated that Nino had detransformed, though Blue didn't look his way– just staring up at the ceiling. He was aware that there was talking– probably Nino saying something to Trixx– but he didn't listen, just laying there as he looked up.
"Blue," Nino whispered softly, placing a hand on his shoulder, and he looked towards him. "Blue, is there anything I can get you?"
Blue Wing blinked. "...I'm thirsty."
"Water then?"
Tears stung his eyes. "I'm sorry, Nino, I shouldn't have come here, I shouldn't have bothered you, I shouldn't have woken you up–"
The bed dipped as Nino sat next to him, his hand resting on top of his. "Blue, you can come here any time– no matter what. I don't care if it's the middle of the night or the middle of school– this room is just as much yours as it is mine."
"Why?"
He smiled softly. "Because I love you, you idiot," Nino said, picking up his hand and holding it against his chest. "And I'm not going to turn my boyfriend away for any reason."
"Boyfriend," Blue breathed. "That happened, didn't it? Feels like so long ago..."
Nino chuckled. "It hasn't even been a day."
Blue's fingers wrapped tightly around the hand that held his. "I felt like I was down there for so long... that's why I'm so thirsty, there wasn't anything to drink... I should have gotten some before I came but I just needed to get out of there..." He clutched Nino's hand tightly. "You're so warm..."
"Thank you?"
More tears welled up in his eyes, and he could feel them running down his face. "She was so cold, Nino, she was so cold and I couldn't let go of her."
"…Of who?"
"It's messed up, isn't it?" Blue whispered. "Me wanting to get out of there, not wanting to be with my own family. She's just laying there yet I wanted to run…" More tears welled up in his eyes. "She's my mom, Nino, I shouldn't want to run."
"Has she ever…? Is she like… your father?"
Blue let out a bitter laugh. "She's in a coma, Nino, she's in a coma and I don't want to look at her, I don't want to touch her– what kind of monster am I to not want to be near her?"
"Don't call yourself that," Nino whispered. "Please."
But he was already drawing his knees up, tears falling down his face. "I just want this to be over, Nino. I just want her to come home, then this will all be over, it will be over..."
"Is that why your family is after the Miraculouses?" Nino asked, yet his voice didn't sound questioning– as if he already knew what the answer would be. Blue dipped his head slightly in a nod, twisting his face so it was buried into Nino's pillow.
"I'm... I'm tired," Blue whispered. "I'm so tired, Nino, and I don't know why."
Nino closed his eyes. "I'm... I'm going to go get you some water. I'll be right back, okay?"
With that Nino rose, and Blue Wing could hear the echoes of his footsteps. Blue Wing sagged against the bed, much smaller than his own, but that only brought the feeling of safety, the small space being like he was being embraced. If he had the energy he would have burrowed himself into Nino's covers, which surely must still be warm, but instead he just laid there on top, waiting. He opened his eyes, and he thought he saw a flicker of a moment within the dark room.
"...Trixx?" He croaked out quietly, and he could see the movement of a kwami zipping away.
Nino came back soon after, a glass of water in his hands. He slowly helped Blue Wing sit up, who didn't feel quite as dizzy as before. One of his wings brushed up against Nino as he sat down next to him, almost wrapping around the teen as he offered the water. Blue Wing drank it greedily, though it stung his dry throat. The moment it was gone Trixx took it, allowing Blue to lean his head against Nino's shoulder, and for a moment it felt like he could just truly relax. He didn't have to have his guard up, there was no sense of dread.
For a moment it felt like everything could be okay.
"Blue... we need to talk," Nino said quietly, instantly shattering that peace.
He didn't move his head away from Nino's shoulder, heart pounding. Those words were never meant to be good ones, and his breath hitched as Nino continued. He placed a hand on top of his, as if trying to calm him.
"It's– it's something Trixx told me awhile ago– and he didn't want me to say anything to make it worse– but I can't keep it to myself anymore. It's wrong for me to, and I don't know what's right."
"Is everything okay?" Blue asked in a quiet voice.
"When... When Trixx went to talk to Duusu he said that– that Duusu was... broken," Nino began, before his words became rushed as Blue tried to figure out what exactly he meant. "The way she was acting, Trixx said it wasn't how Duusu usually is and the only reason why he thinks a kwami would be acting that way was if their Miraculous is... is broken, and that it can affect a kwami's mind and the Miraculous' magic– and– and he's really worried about you and Duusu because of it but he's afraid that making it known the Miraculous is broken could make the magic more connected to you and make the effects worse and I don't want you to get hurt but you are either way and–"
Blue raised his head, and saw that tears were running down Nino's face. He wasn't meeting his eyes, the words just rambling from him. Blue found himself struggling to swallow, a hand reaching out to grab his shoulder.
"Nino– Nino, what are you talking about?" Blue Wing whispered.
"Your Miraculous is hurting you!" Nino blurted out, a sob escaping him. "Everything– everything that's happening to you– it isn't allergies, it isn't medicine– it's your Miraculous! It's dangerous, it's hurting you, and the more you use it the worse you're going to get. Trixx says with enough time it could– could kill–"
Nino couldn't get the last word out, just giving into his tears. For a moment amber eyes flashed up at him, laced with guilt, before looking away just as quickly. Blue Wing just sat there, a part of him wanting to hold Nino, comfort him– but the other part of him was trying to make sense of what had been told. His head spun slightly as he sat there, his words seeming impossible... yet it made sense.
"Mother," Blue Wing said quietly. "Father said it was dangerous magic that put her in her state..." He touched the Miraculous on his chest. "It was the Miraculous he was talking about, wasn't it? She wore it before me."
"I'm afraid so, chick," a soft voice said, Trixx sliding off of Nino's shoulder– who couldn't bring himself to speak. "Duusu... she told me a bit about your mother, and from what I could gather that was her fate. One that will be yours too if you keep up your transformations."
"...That's why Na– um– Mellifera didn't want me transformed at home," Blue said, blinking.
"She knows," Nino whispered, an angry hiss in his voice. "She knows, and so does Hawk Moth– they know what it's doing to you and they gave you that Miraculous anyways."
"I guess so," Blue Wing said, because a part of him didn't want to believe it... but it made sense. It made a lot of sense.
"You can't keep wearing it," Trixx said, zipping in front of Blue Wing's face. "Your knowledge will only strengthen your connection– it could become even more dangerous. You need to stop transforming."
Blue Wing's eyes widened, and he swiftly shook his head. "I– I can't do that. Father, he would– and Mother! She needs me, we need to get the Miraculouses–"
"Stop!" Trixx snarled, and Blue Wing jumped when he saw his fangs. "You– you– you need to worry about yourself, Blue Wing! You can't keep putting others before you, not when it's destroying you from the inside out!"
His vision blurred. "I'm being selfish enough already."
"Selfish?" Nino whispered. "How– how can you think–?"
"Being with you," Blue Wing whispered. "It's– it's all for me, it's not what I need to do."
"Your father is killing you!"
His words echoed through the room, the silence that followed ringing. No one said a word, and Nino's head turned towards the door, as if worried someone would hear them. Blue blinked slowly, taking in these words. And when the silence lingered with no sounds of anyone else in the apartment, Nino looked back towards Blue. He didn't look good– eyes desperate, his breathing heavy as he looked at him pleadingly.
"He won't let it get that far," Blue Wing whispered, his heart hurting that Nino thought… that he could think that Father would…
"No," Nino whispered. "No– you can't keep going, please– Blue, please, you can't–!"
"Nino," Blue Wing whispered, and his hand cupped his cheek. "I'll be okay, I promise. Once Father gets the Miraculouses... he can heal both of us, Mother and I, and all of this will be over... all of this can finally be over..." His throat felt tight. "I... I want it to be over, Nino, I want it to be over."
"You can end this," Nino whispered, their eyes locking. "Give me a name, Blue, that's all– and this will end. I promise nothing will happen to you, you can walk away from all of this, I'll make sure of it."
"I can't do that," Blue whispered. "The city hates me, they fear me," he closed his eyes, throat feeling tight. "My mother, Nino– I can't walk away from her– I can't."
"What about you?" Nino pleaded. "You matter too, Blue."
He just shook his head, tears stinging. "My family needs me, Nino, I need to do this, I have to, I can't– I can't– I... I just can't."
"I need you," Nino whispered.
Blue's hand laid over Nino's, keeping it cupped to his cheek. Nino's touch was so different from any other, it wasn't harsh, it wasn't cold, and he didn't want him to pull away. He leaned against his palm as he cried, and he felt horrible. Nino was hurting, and it was because of him. He was dedicating so much time to him that he didn't deserve. He pressed his forehead against Nino's, struggling against his own tears.
"I'm sorry," Blue whispered. "I'm so sorry, Nino, you deserve so much more than worrying about me."
"Shut up," Nino muttered. "Shut up, don't talk about yourself like that, just don't."
His breath was washing over his face, warm and close. Their eyes locked, no more words passing between them. He just stared, realizing how much he understood looking into Nino's eyes. He wasn't drawing on his powers, feeling his emotions, or even listening to his words; just watching him yet knowing.
They moved slowly, but he didn't know who moved first. The little space between them had closed, and Nino's lips were pressed against his, soft and warm.
Everything about Nino was warm and safe, and it was all too easy to let his world become his embrace. Lips gently pressed on top of his. They pulled away for a moment, foreheads still touching, those brilliant amber eyes watching him. Blue Wing leaned back in, not knowing if it was wrong to want another kiss, not knowing if he should even ask.
Nino's breath hitched slightly, and he wondered if he had made a mistake, before Nino closed his eyes again, hands gently holding the sides of his face as he kissed him once more. Blue leaned in close, hands wrapping around Nino so they didn't part. Everything felt right, sheltering him from all that was outside– only Nino seeming to exist in the moment.