Adrien sat in Dr. Fu's office and picked at his thumb nail, finding something else to focus on. Anything else to focus on, but Dr. Fu's words. Anything else than having to face reality. He would be happier just living with Marinette and hearing her beautiful voice.
Plagg spiraled around him as he heard his father's name on Dr. Fu's lips. Adrien leaned back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling, watching Plagg spin.
"Are we going to respond to him today? You don't want to let Marinette down do you? Leave her behind?" Plagg snickered as he swirled around Dr. Fu and back around Adrien. "Is that your great plan? To be left behind by Marinette?"
Adrien shook his head and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. He tried to push his thoughts away, but it wasn't working out.
"You know everyone knows what you're thinking? They all know what you're doing right now. They can hear your thoughts." Plagg smiled as he laid back along Adrien's lap, peering up at him. "They know your every move. Dr. Fu does. So predictable."
Shut up, Plagg! Adrien yelled at the creature in his mind as his knuckles turned white.
"Adrien?" Dr. Fu posed the question again, grasping at anything to grab on to. "If you don't talk then you'll never get better. You were pretty open with me before. What changed?"
Adrien cleared his throat and shook his head, causing Plagg to disappear. "Sorry. What were you asking?"
"Would you be stable enough to meet your father today? It's been a while since you saw him." Dr. Fu smiled for him and Adrien sighed.
"If you want to see me back in restraints… go ahead." Adrien crossed his arms across his chest.
"Son, if you end up in restraints again… you won't be going home with Marinette." Dr. Fu threatened him and Adrien sat up straight.
"Sorry." Adrien hid in his hair. "Yeah, that's fine. I'll behave." Plagg reappeared and slithered around his neck, choking him. Adrien fought against the tears as he felt them burn his eyes and make his throat swell.
"Would it help if Marinette was there?" Dr. Fu tested out his theory that he would be stronger with her there.
Adrien took in a shaky breath. "No, I don't want her to deal with him."
"Okay. Your father's assistant should be here within the next few hours." Dr. Fu closed his file and let Nurse Bustier escort him from his office.
Adrien walked down the hallway with her. He didn't want Marinette to deal with his father anymore. Didn't want to see her stripped down and measured again. A shiver ran through him as they reached their bedroom again.
"I'll come back when she shows up, okay?" Nurse Bustier tried to smile for him and he nodded without looking at her.
Adrien walked back into the room to see Marinette sitting on her bed, drawing. He sat down beside her and leaned his head on her shoulder. "What are you drawing?"
"This outfit that I thought would look good on you. I hope that when we get out of here… I can make it for you." Marinette smiled over at him as she showed it to him. "What do you think?"
Adrien stared at the drawing and focused on the ensemble. It was all black. He looked over the bomber jacket, how the base was leather and the sleeves were made of satin. His eyes scanned down from the black deep v-neck tee to the black belt that had a steel buckle. He took in the black skinny jeans with textured ridges along the knees and finally his eyes fell to the combat boots.
"It's edgy. I like it." Adrien smiled and kissed her cheek.
"Do you really or are you just saying that?" Marinette rolled her eyes and peered at him.
"I mean it." Adrien set her sketchbook down by his hips and touched her chin, capturing her lips with his own.
A knock sounded on their door and Nurse Bustier walked in. "She's here, Adrien."
"Thanks." Adrien stood up and Marinette grabbed his wrist.
"Who's here?" Her expression was concerned for him and he smiled for her.
"Nathalie." Adrien let his hand fall into hers and kissed along her knuckles. "I'll be back. Promise."
"Do you want me to go with you?" Marinette peered at him with a worried expression.
"No. I don't want him to do what he did last time." Adrien shook his head.
Marinette nodded as she became worried about him. Adrien walked out of the room and down to the visiting area. His heart beat fast in his chest as he tried to prepare himself.
Nurse Bustier opened the door and let him inside. Adrien peered up to see Nathalie without her tablet. His eyes grew wide as he searched around for it, along with his father, finding both of them to be non-existent.
"He's not with me today. I came here to talk to you alone." Nathalie smiled at Adrien.
Adrien sat down as shock set into the pit of his stomach. "Why?"
"I'm worried about you and I know your father can be difficult." Nathalie sighed as she touched the table. "I wanted to listen to you. I know I found you in a not so good situation. I want to understand why."
Adrien ran his hand through his hair. "You know why."
"I know why your father believes you to be here. That it's a phase and you're just acting out to get attention, but I want to know Adrien's reason. Not Gabriel's." Nathalie leaned towards him from across the table.
"I lost my mother at an age when I really needed her. My father lost his shit. He beat me. Put me on a diet and threw me into as many extracurricular activities he could. Anything to make me not be around him because my face reminds him of my mother. Hell, even my personality does." Adrien crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not stupid. I know this; yet, I still bend over backwards for the man."
"Don't we all…" Nathalie sighed under her breath as she sat back in her seat. "So, you wanted a way out?"
"Seems logical doesn't it?" Adrien spoke with his hand and Nathalie nodded. "Wouldn't you escape his talons if you could?"
"Well, I don't think this is just some phase. I understand why you did what you did. I don't approve of it and I'm worried about you, but I get it." Nathalie sighed as she focused on him.
"You can be worried all you want. You can watch it all you want. But you can't truly understand… until you've been in my shoes. And so far? You've only been my father's bitch." Adrien pushed himself away from the table and stood up from his chair. "When I get out of here? I'm breaking all contracts and living on my own. It was nice seeing you, Nathalie."
Nurse Bustier opened the door and Adrien walked out, leaving a stunned woman sitting in her seat with no words to say.
Adrien walked down the hallway to the common area and out to the porch. He picked up a random rock that was sitting on the banister and threw it over the edge. It landed in a bush and Marinette walked up behind him.
"You okay?" Marinette kissed along his shoulder blade.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Adrien cleared his throat and turned to wrap his arms around her shoulders.
Nurse Bustier's voice echoed from the distance and caught their ears.
"And this is our common area." Nurse Bustier lead two new girls around the room. "All of our guests hang out here between their therapy sessions."
Marinette and Adrien peered over to see a girl with blonde hair beside a girl with red hair and glasses.
"Great..." Adrien sighed as he peered at the two girls.
"Now, I'll show you to your rooms." Nurse Bustier smiled as she lead them away.
"What is it?" Marinette peered up at him and he clenched his teeth.
"I know the blonde one. Her name's Chloe and she's a pain in the ass." Adrien rolled his eyes and leaned back on the banister, crossing his arms over his chest.
"What? Why?" Marinette was confused as she was suddenly yanked back to their room.
Adrien shut the door and pushed her onto the bed to sit down with him. She parted her lips and stared at him with a perplexed expression.
"Her father has a deal with mine. He probably had her admitted to watch me." Adrien whispered and Marinette raised an eyebrow at him.
"What deal?" Marinette got hung up on that fact.
"A deal that I model with her when asked. We've had that since we were little. She's clingy though. She's been saying she was going to be my wife since we were little kids." Adrien rubbed his eyes as frustration set in. "I now want out of here faster than ever."
"You'll get out soon. We will." Marinette cuddled his arm and kissed his bicep.
"Not fast enough." Adrien sighed as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close to his side.
"Tell me more about her." Marinette laid back with him and ran circles along his chest with her fingertip.
"Her father runs the city and her mother is a famous model. She's full of herself and gets whatever she wants with ease. She blackmails her father and is used by her mother. It's really not surprising that she is in here." Adrien rolled his eyes. "I don't know the girl that's with her."
"So, your father thought that you should have a deal with this girl?" Marinette peered up at him.
"Yeah. When we were kids… he felt like it'd help his brand. Her mother jump started it and caused it to blow up. Without her, my father wouldn't be where he's at." Adrien sighed and put a hand behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.
"This all sounds so complicated." Marinette groaned as she peered at the ceiling too.
"It is." Adrien chuckled as he drew one of his knees up. "It's never easy. I just want to break all of my contracts."
"All of them? More than one?" Marinette's eyes grew wide.
"I don't just have contracts with my father's brand… I have them with others too." Adrien sighed and grabbed her hip, pulling her closer.
"That's a lot." Marinette's eyes widened and he chuckled.
"I have contracts from when I was an infant. The stack has to be massive now." Adrien shook his head at how ridiculous it was.
"I'm sorry." Marinette pressed her lips together.
"It's not your fault." Adrien smiled and stole a kiss from her. "It's my life. I just need to take control of it for once."
Marinette nodded as she grabbed her sketchbook and began to draw.
Adrien got up to grab a novel from his shelf. He laid back down and opened it up.
She set her sketchbook down and put her head on his shoulder. "Can you read to me?" She wrapped her arm across his chest and he kissed her on the top of her head.
"Of course. I'll start from the first page." Adrien smiled and opened it to page one.
Marinette sighed and nuzzled her cheek against his chest as Adrien wrapped an arm around her, holding the book open with his other hand.
"Okay." Adrien settled in and got comfortable as he began to read in a soft voice. His voice calmed her nerves and made her transcend to a better place. A place with less turmoil and pain. "The house sat in the middle of a forest. Dew coated vines climbed up the side with blooming violet hued flowers. She had never felt the sun on her skin. Had never been outside of the stark walls, but she dreamed that one day she would. That one day she would feel the grass beneath her toes and feel the warmth of the sun on her rosy cheeks." Adrien licked his lips as he continued to read.
Marinette yawned and peered up to kiss him. Adrien smirked and leaned down to capture her lips; before, he began to read again. "She had been locked up by King Aregan. He thought she was too beautiful to be set free. So he kept her caged in his home. The only time she got to escape was when she read books and she read plenty." Adrien turned the page and Marinette pushed the book down onto his chest.
"Is that how you felt? Caged?" Marinette stared at him with a concerned expression.
"Always. I do now." Adrien sighed as he tried to smile for her.
"I'm sorry." Marinette swallowed hard.
"It's not your fault. One day I'll be free and so will you." Adrien shrugged and picked the book back up. He continued to read the story to her until her breathing steadied to a slow pace. "You missed the best part, Princess." Adrien whispered with a warm smile. "The Prince is about to set her free."