Putting her on my bed in disaster, I slammed my door shut and prayed my father didn't hear me entering. At least I'm lucky the maids left a window open today, otherwise i would have had to enter from the front door, and that definitely would have been a much less easy task to escape the vigilance of the house.
I felt her getting tense in my arms as I released her on the bed, but I smiled as best I could to comfort her. Only then she relaxed, spreading out on the bed in a pout of suffering.
Her wounds, well… It really wasn't pretty to look at. Her legs were flayed on all sides and her whole abdomen seemed burned under her costume; I had to act quickly or she could have serious aftermath, but I had absolutely no idea what to do.
« Shit... »
I couldn't help but swear, i was only working on stress right now. While biting my thumb, my eyes met the shut screen of the computer. I was going to need a very quick online course to take care of that.
I jumped on it and turned it on in less than a second, but at the same time i couldn't get my eyes out of Ladybug for a moment. she kept moaning and twisting in one direction or the other, every breath seemed like so much suffering, i just kept praying for her to fight the pain.
After scrolling through a dozen of forums, I realized that I wouldn't be able to help her completely alone, I'm gonna need the help of a real doctor here. She seemed to have a burn at the second or third degree, maybe a stadium between the two: I had to content myself with rinsing the burn in a cold bath and try to remove the part of her suit that was stuck to her flesh, but that would obviously not be enough; what was next seemed way more worrying. I wasn't really sure what to do, and most sites were pretty vague about it. Some people mentioned a special cream in this type of case, but I didn't have it available immediately.
Following this short session of brainstorming, I went back to take Ladybug in my arms and rushed to my bathroom to put her as gently as possible in the bathtub. I turned on the shower, checking the temperature that had to be between 15° and 16°, and watered her wound really softly.
I couldn't really tell what was that reaction: she seemed relieved, yet her entire body was fidgeting. Was it making things worse?
« Please calm down Bugaboo, it's over soon... »
She half-opened her eyes and settled them in mine. Her expression made me skip a heartbeat; seeing her in that kind of grief hurts me way too much. I smiled again, that's all I could do for now both to convince her and I that everything was going to be fine. At the same time I unsheathed my staff from my back, lighting up the top screen to contact Rena Rouge: She was the only other person who could help us, omitting Magma Doll -but his help was simply out of question, even in such a serious case as this one-. The phone rang, yet no answer. Maybe she was busy with something else. I left her a vocal message, hoping she would listen as quickly as she could.
« Rena? I beg you, answer me! There's been an Akuma near les Champs Elysees, Ladybug is really badly burnt and I need help right now, i have no idea what to do! Please come as quick as possible, i'm at- »
I took a break in my rapid flow of words. Telling her the place we were at right now means selling my identity: Rena is smart, she wouldn't miss to understand that in a panic moment the only place where I'd immediately head for is where I live. But I have no choice. Ladybug's more important.
« Meet me at the Agreste Mansion. There's an opened window in the back of the house, come join me and please don't make much noise when you'll be here. Hurry up! »
I turned off the communication: all I have to do now is to hope she'll arrive quickly. Maybe she was more experimented in that kind of situation? A strange feeling in my head told me Rena was a good choice.
About ten minutes had passed. I just turned off the water flow from the shower when I heard someone tumble on the floor of my room. I turned back to the door of the bathroom: It was Rena, holding in her hands what appeared to be a great care kit.
« Chat! Is she alright?! »
She rushed towards me as I couldn't restrain a sigh of relief.
« She's right here. Do you have enough to cure a burn in there?
- Of course. Keep that a secret but i'm working at the medicine academy. You're incredibly lucky, you know that right? I have the ointment we need, it will bend the wound with rest. Have you tried to remove the burned clothes ?
- Not yet, I was about to do it…
- Good, i don't think you could have done it. »
I pulled back as Ladybug tried to wring my hand in a gesture of despair. She was on the edge of unconsciousness, it was unbearable to watch. Rena seemed to notice that, she put her hand on my shoulder, gently smiling.
« Chat, you made the right choices this far. Let me take over and go to rest now, okay? »
I nodded, and turned back to leave. She closed the door behind me once I had crossed it, and I found nothing to do but plunge my head into my bed in a deep sigh.
With all that, I didn't even paid attention to my own wound on the chest. I hope it didn't open back in the meantime, otherwise I'd have to sew it myself again, and it's not really my favorite part of the job. I walked in front of the bay window, as my reflection stared back at me with its tired eyes. I slowly unzipped my suit to look at the state of my abrasion. At least it looked fine, I wasn't bleeding and only a long crust was running through my chest. I'll have to take care and remove the stitches by myself.
A few minutes later, I saw Rena coming out of the bathroom wiping the sweat off her forehead. I closed my suit and turned to her with a face that probably seemed too pitiful for her, since she smiled again.
« All right, she's resting now, i've left her in the bathtub so she doesn't have to get up so soon. And you, how do you feel? Can you tell me what happened exactly? »
I sat up on the bed, rolling my eyes, feeling guilty for my inattention. If I had stayed with Ladybug instead of helping these stupid people with no worth, maybe she wouldn't have been hurt. I focussed back on the conversation while rubbing my eyes.
« It's… It was a bureaucrat, you know how they are. The guy must have been fired or something, it was one of… "the cases". Ladybug asked me to help people stuck in the buildings while she took care of the thing, but she's been hit by some kind of… lava ball? It's so blurry, damn it. I just remember killing the guy right after coming here in a hurry. If i'd been here earlier to help her she wouldn't be like that, it's entirely my fault...
- It really isn't, trust me. These are the risks of the job, i thought we all accepted that a long time ago.
- It's been five years… Five fucking years we're hunting that asshole and we still don't know his true identity nor have been close to, not a single once! Our job hasn't really been successful lately, huh. »
As soon as i finished talking, a voice could be hard through the door of the room.
« Adrien? I heard noise in here, are you back? »
I jumped, Rena too. She probably didn't understood before who i really was in the hurry; at least there will be no more doubts from now.
My eyes shouted her to go and hide with Ladybug in the bathroom, and she did so without waiting a second longer with a smirk on her lips. Weird.
« Yes, yes i came back... »
I de-transformed as the door of the room opened. Nathalie entered, and gave me a relieved smile for a few seconds before losing that warm face that was so rare, even for her.
« It's been two days you've disappeared, your father was worried.
- Bullshit. »
Her gaze got caught away when a noise came through the bathroom, before she could lecture me about my language.
« Do you have any guest? You don't have time for that on your planning Adrien, you have a fencing course in less than an hour.
- I just disappeared for two days, and all you have to tell me is that i have a fencing course? Is that some sort of joke i'm not aware of?
- Adrien, it's important that you continue to train yourself. That's the only way for you to take your father's place in the future.
- Take my father's place? More like conforming to a mold! I'm tired of him and his stupid rules, I'm tired of you and your schedules, I'm tired of this life! Just let me breath for a second! »
I screamed that one last sentence under the stunned gaze of Nathalie. I felt a bit responsible deep inside, afterall she was just the one getting paid to keep an eye on me and father must have severely shrieked after her when i disappeared. But i just could not stand it anymore, in any way. Why couldn't I just be myself?
Nathalie didn't add another word. She just turned back with a saddened expression on her face, closing the door behind her. I finally was alone, just the time to sigh and sit on the bed before Rena came out of the bathroom timidly.
And that was the first time she was seeing me without my suit.
« Are you… Adrien?
- Adrien Agreste himself, and you've had the honor of meeting my babysitter. »
I had almost spat this word without realizing it. It was terribly ridiculous to have someone watching your every move, especially when you're over nineteen.
« I'm deeply sorry you had to attend to that.
- Oh, don't worry! I've been through a bunch of arguments too, believe me, and that clearly wasn't the worst i've seen. But you're right, you know? Your father shouldn't contrain you so much, you're not a teen anymore after all.
- That's what i'm desperately trying to tell him. »
Our discussion got stopped by the whimper of a Ladybug barely standing on her feet in the doorway of the bathroom, a hand leaning on her bare stomach covered with a white strap clamped around her size. She was trying to walk towards us with pain, staggering at every step.
« Ladybug, calm down! »
I rushed to help her keep stood, and she nearly fell on me when I caught her in my arms.
« Adrien…? »
She seemed to be dazing, both here and elsewhere. I smiled at her, nodding to keep her focused as I moved her to my bed.
« It's fine my lady, calm down. I managed to heal you as best as I could, so please do not move too much and try to rest, okay? »
Rena had come to help me install her while talking to reassure her. I could see questions burning on Rena's lips every time her eyes were glancing at me, but I couldn't answer right away. Not while my lady was in this state.
Ladybug fell back asleep a few minutes after this scene. I could already see the sun going down from the windows of my room. It felt like this entire day had been both eternally long but also so hasty. I could finally take time to breathe, and that was what I was going to do.
At the same time, when Rena left her focus on Ladybug, I felt Plagg coming out of my back pocket to stand in front of me, avoiding the fox's field of vision.
« Finally, she's looking away from you! »
I grabbed him from the tip of his tail and walked straight to the bay window, to talk a bit.
« Why the sneak? You're just a Kwami, you have nothing to hide.
- Habits. Well, now I'm starving! Can't you go get me a piece of cheese?
- Plagg, I ... I'm not really in the mood here. I can't get out of my room without meeting my father, and unless you've prepared a stock of odorless Camembert in the library then you won't have any tonight. I'm sorry. »
I lowered my head in disappointment. Disappointment in myself. I was getting tired of having everything to take care of, and the longer the day the worse that was getting.
« Fine, fine I get it. Just tell me if I'm such a bother! »
Plagg seemed to understand, but in his own way. He left away, flying to the Zipline rope through my room to hang on there and look the room with more height.
« Look, Rena, I think you should go home. It's getting late and your parents might worry if you don't go see them right away. I'll take care of her, I promise. »
Her eyes turned to me for the first time in the past dozen of minutes, and she nodded skeptically.
« Okay, watch over her. And i insist, if you have any problem call me immediately.
- I will. »
She walked to my still opened window, and threw a last caring eye on Ladybug before stepping over the frame.
« By the way Chat, don't worry about tonight's patrol. I'll call Magma Doll and we'll replace you two.
- Thank you very much Rena. »
She flew away and fell on the ground in an artistic swagger, then ran furtively out of the property to blend in with the colors of the crimson sky. Once she had disappeared behind a further building, I turned around and deeply sighed. Ladybug was there. Her chest was gently raised by her painful breath only to drop noiselessly, as the wind played with a lock of hair from her forehead. I closed the window, then walked a few steps to cover her in the bedsheets. She didn't need to catch a cold in top of everything else.
Sitting right next to her, I kept an eye on her sleepy face. Rena Rouge said truth, this kind of incident was part of the job; but I blamed myself so much, that guilt prevented me from thinking properly. My Ladybug, my poor lovely Ladybug.
I already knew at some point in her sleep she would detransform, as so I went for a piece of torn tshirt hanging in the closet to blindfold myself, in await for her to wake up. I knew that's what she wished. However, no long after, I found sleep myself.
The night was long, but finally morning was settling in. I could feel the sun rays on my cheeks. Still blindfolded, I tried poking on the side to check if Ladybug was still there - and my fingertips came to rub a piece of fabrics that felt like a jacket. Ladybug left her costume.
« Are you awake? »
I heard a growling followed by a deep yawn. I guess she was waking up, but i could barely see anything.
« A-Adrien?! What the hell?
- Sorry my lady, I had to look after you for the night. But look! I'm blindfolded.
- Oh... »
An awkward hush settled in while i felt her getting out of the bed. She was on her two feet. That relieved me to know she was fine.
« What happened, yesterday? I have such few memories, and… My stomach hurts so much.
- You remember the lava ball from the akuma? You took it, full force. That wasn't pretty at all. Hospital wasn't a good idea so i took you over here, and then Rena helped me. Please stay still my lady, it'll take a few days to heal at least. »
A new awkward hush, I was awaiting an answer.
« Ladybug ?
- S-Sorry, Adr-... I mean, Chat. It was nice of you, really. »
I smiled and sighed again. These deep sighs were getting a habit in the end.
« Are you gonna be fine? If it hurts too much i can bring you home, and… I don't know, call your family or friends? You have a family right?
- No worries kitty, I think I'll be fine on my own. Afterall we heal faster than the common, I can already walk just fine. »
Some steps on the flooring echoed followed by a thud that sounded like a drop. I straightened up, wishing she didn't hurt herself.
« Okay right I'm still a bit clumsy, but it's a nice beginning!
- I'll bring you back home then, I'm not really sure how we'll handle that though. »
She shyly laughed, which sounded like music to my ears. A symphony rhythming my heart. I laughed back until both our voices slowly shut.
« You know, Chat... »
She sat back on the bed that flopped under her light weight, I could feel her get closer to me as seconds passed mid-sentence. I could feel her breath on my face, and when i tried moving back she caught my hand in a quick move.
« … Ladybug? Are you fine? »
Her other hand slipped to my hairs as a cold chill ran through my spine. Part of me was screaming that she wasn't in a normal state and I shouldn't let that happen. What if she regretted it? What if she got mad after? But another part of me was begging to let things go. I waited for her to be so close, for five whole years…
Her tender lips were finally mine; they had a spice of a sugar taste when they settled for the first time. That febrile kiss intensified by seconds.
But suddenly, Ladybug stopped and started getting agitated. I felt her figure getting out from the bed and far away from me, as i searched her presence from my fingertips through the blindfold.
« My… My lady?
- No Chat, we can't do that. I'm sorry, I don't know what took me, I think i was just… Scared. Scared from the imminent death. »
Her voice was meters away from me. I quickly stood up and faced her, catching her hips between my hands in a desperate gesture that I wanted soft. But she quickly stepped away.
« Ladybug, I beg you-
- I'll go back home by myself. I'll call Rena if anything happens… Thank you. »
I tried getting of the blindfold to see her - I couldn't get any of this anymore. The closer I was getting, the further she'd run away. What just happened? Was she trying to get protection in weakness, or was she trying to hide her feelings? It just felt like i didn't know her anymore despite all these years of friendship.
When the fabric fell from my eyes, Ladybug had transformed back. She jumped from the window without even a look in my direction. I let my arms bounce on my sides in abandonment. Destiny really was against me, huh? I had such a hard time holding in.
Emptiness settled in my heart as she left. Two nights at her side and already was I getting used at the closeness I seeked for so many years. She must hate me now.
I let my head fall on the pillow while closing my eyes; I was exhausted. Simply exhausted. Just like all these numerous nights where I couldn't close an eye. Between my insomnia and my hypersomnia, I wasn't in a great shape most of the time. But right now was worse.
Was that our destiny? Were we cursed to flirt together without ever being able to touch?
Plagg laid next to me.
« What do you want now?
- Adrien, I have no idea why you're seeking for such a complex girl. You two are literal yin and yang! She's life, you're destruction. It's not that complicated. »
Plagg was right, but I didn't want to hear that truth. We weren't that different, there must have been a way.
« You're just a kwami, you don't get anything about humans. »
I turned around not to see him anymore and get a bit more of sleep.
Plagg understood I didn't want to talk anymore and sighed away to do something else. That was the first time i heard disappointment in his sigh.
I woke up to the violent swing of the door against the wall of my room and the step sound from my father's shoes.
I suddenly stood up, like a plastic soldier in front of his commander, and stared right in his eyes. His eyes were severe and dissatisfied.
« So, you disappear two entire days without giving any news.
- Father…
- While walking back home as if nothing happened, you choose to scream after Nathalie in my absence for no reason whatsoever.
- It's a-
- Silence, Adrien. Do not talk back at me. »
I lowered my eyes. I thought my disappearing would show at least a bit of worry from him, as Nathalie said yesterday, but even if that had been the case he very quickly took back his old and mean habits. Everything was my fault, afterall.
« Consider these past three days the only rest you will have for the rest of the year, from now on I want to see you go back to your daily tasks. You have a piano lesson in thirty minutes, and I seriously hope you will get ready by then and presentable. I also made an appointment with a hairdresser for Friday, he will cut… All this, on your head. You are an Agreste, not an hippie, you need to be respectable.
- Father, no! I... »
My heart was pounding so hard in my chest. So much happened in the pace of thirty seconds. I had to do it, I had to tell him that I couldn't take all this anymore, just as I did with Nathalie!
His pale and cold figure was freezing me on the spot, I was terrified.
« I don't want to. »
Both his eyes opened to my words in surprise, at least until his sagging eyebrows go dark and furious. His menacing lips opened and got a thrill out of me.
« Pardon ?
- I tried to tell you, father. I can't anymore, what you are trying to make out of me… This isn't what I want!
- I'm giving you every chances to succeed, yet you refuse my help?
- Yes. »
That last word meant the end of the conversation. My father looked at me head to feet with distant eyes lulled in disappointment, not knowing what to answer. He simply threw his last words right in my face before turning away and leaving the room without a look back.
« I don't want to see you in my house anymore. You are not my son. »
I looked away on the spot. That was sudden, but obvious. I disappointed him just as I disappoint everyone else.
I got out of my bed as the door slammed behind him. Plagg was in a corner of the room, he had listen silently until now and said nothing more. What was there to say?
The window from which Ladybug left me was still open. I glanced at it for a few second, approaching it with tired steps. The cloud were rumbling in the sky. Were they blaming me for everything that happened too?
I stepped on the window sill, and dropped off it.