Author's Note: This is a fic based off of a comic written and drawn by hogeky on tumblr by the same name. Please go there to view images and support her comic!
Permission was received to write this fic.
Marinette woke groggily, her neck and back aching as she opened her sleep filled eyes. Joints popped and muscles stretched. It wasn't the first time she had fallen asleep on the couch in her room, but she would have thought she'd learned not to by this point. It always resulted in sore everything for at least two days.
Today's awakening differed ever so slightly, in partial to the warmth she experienced on the left side of her body. Curious, her eyes shifted over to see the blond head of hair that sat messily atop a sleeping face. In a manner most painful, Marinette's eyes widened and she woke in mind as well as body. The panic sent a shot of adrenaline into her it took too much of that energy not to cry out with an inappropriately loud voice.
"Wha-?!" she gagged. Immediately, her hands went to cover her mouth, reacting faster than her consciousness.
It wasn't a dream.
Hands still untrusting of her voice, Marinette leapt from his side, fearful of waking him with her shock. Evidence of her body next to his took form of an indent in the couch, and a ghostly shape where the blanket had rested on her shoulders. There was obviously a person missing from the view, and she wondered how long Adrien would be able to stand it before waking. She checked up on his hesitantly, not wanting to be caught staring, but for a moment, it was all she could do to tear her eyes away from his sleeping visage.
We fell asleep.
Her eyes lingered, observing his calm expression, and allowing the situation to wash over her.
He looks so peaceful.
A part of her realized that he must have been waking up, because a smile quirked onto his cheeks. This part of her was likely not a conscious part of her, since Marinette continued to stare at him until his eyes slowly opened, and she was found standing from a distance, displaying an intense amount of prolonged eye contact.
Adrien opened his mouth in an attempt to dissolve the tension, but never got the chance to make a fool of himself, as Sabine called from the lower level of the house in a volume that only a mother could achieve.
"Kids! Come down and eat breakfast, or you'll be late for school!"
For a moment, neither of them responded, allowing their hearts to catch up with the shock of the situation. Before they could think to make another move, Sabine's voice rang out once more.
"Oh, and Adrien! Eat quickly and get dressed. Nathalie will be picking you up!"
In no time at all, Marinette and Adrien cleaned themselves up and were sat at the breakfast table with lovely displays before them. And yet, regardless of the bountiful amount of food, neither found it in themselves to touch any of it once the realization had settled in that Adrien was having breakfast at the Dupain-Cheng home.
Nobody made eye contact; Marinette focused on a spot on the floor beside her, Adrien stared intently at his food, and M. Dupain-Cheng was absorbed with the morning paper. The silence was nerve wracking, and Adrien gripped at his seat with the desire and fear of breaking it. Even though he wanted to say something, he found himself unable. He had been brought up so long not to speak unless spoken to, particularly in cases of being in the presence of strangers, and particularly in the presence of adults. Not only that, but he had also been an imposition to Marinette and her parents, and regardless of their kindness and seemingly willing hospitality, it still made him anxious at the thought that he had burdened anyone at all.
Tom caught sight of the boy who appeared to be sweating himself into a fit. He could practically see the thin string of his sanity about to snap. The side of his mouth twitched into a smile as he amused himself with the idea that this boy felt uncomfortable in his home. He had no reason for this discomfort (or rather, at least no reason Tom could fathom) and thus was creating panic for the sake of panic.
The large man reached a hand out to place on Adrien's shoulder, causing the blond to jolt at his touch.
"Don't worry about a thing, son," M. Dupain-Cheng chuckled, "Any friend of Marinette's is like family to us." The strain in Adrien's shoulders and face visibly relaxed, and in his eyes were a look of awe, confusion, and longing.
"Of course, you're always welcome," Madame Dupain-Cheng cheered, appearing behind them with a smile on her face. "Come visit us anytime you want!" Adrien's lips thinned. A part of him couldn't fully understand the scope of their kindness, and he truly didn't know how to respond to it. He wasn't sure how to feel. Even if he decided that he did know what he wanted to do at the end of it all, he wasn't sure if his father would ever approve of his choices. Their kindness would all have been for naught, regardless of his decisions, and he hated that.
His father. He had almost forgotten.
"Uhm, excuse Madame Dupain-Cheng," Adrien asked tentatively. "May I ask how you convinced my father to let m stay the night?" The smile on Sabine's face remained unfaltering, which only gave it a more worrying impression to everyone at the table.
"We just had a little talk," she said, her reply curt, but her voice infallibly sweet. The colour drained from his face, partially in fear of what Madame Dupain-Cheng had said, partially in fear of how his father had handled it, and partially in fear of Madame Dupain-Cheng in general.
"Maman! What did you do?!" Marinette cried. Still her mother's smile remained.
"Don't worry dear. We just talked like grown ups!" Sabine repeated, walking back behind the kitchen counter. Tom leaned closer to the two at the table.
"If your mother goes 'grown up' mode, you can expect trouble," he jested in a mock whisper.
"Dad!" Marinette shrieked. The level of embarrassment in the room had risen to an all time high and she was not having the best of times, especially when Adrien looked as shell-shocked as he did.
"So honey, are you going to the game tonight?" Sabine interjected, her tone terribly cheerful.
"Of course! It's the finals!" Tom replied.
"You're changing the subject," complained their daughter. Lightheartedly, their conversation continued as if she hadn't spoken. Both were enjoying this tremendously.
"I got good seats too!"
"Oh!" Madame Dupain-Cheng exclaimed, bringing out a tray from the oven. "Kids, take these macarons to school. We made them fresh this morning. Hope you like them!" Marinette got up to help her mother in packing the pastries away and Tom remarked on the smell of the room. Adrien remained seated and gathered himself.
There was something about where he sat that made him want to cry. His seat alone was not particularly uncomfortable, nor was he in any physical pain. But still, the pit of his stomach felt hollow and a lump formed in his throat. Marinette was commenting on the macarons, but he couldn't really hear her anymore. Above the hollow feeling, was an ache that pounded strongly in his chest. There was warmth, a warmth that filled him indefinitely and melted his entire body until every muscle relaxed into nothingness. And yet there was also pain, a pain that yearned for… this; everything that this was. A pain that yearned for the jolly man that welcomed him into their home with such ease. A pain that yearned for the gentle woman who defended him and cared for him. A pain that yearned for a girl who cried for him when he felt that he could not cry for himself.
Adrien looked over at the three having a conversation beside him. Despite his lack of reciprocation, they never spoke as if he were not in the room. In fact, currently, Marinette's parents were teasing her about the fact that a boy had snuck into her room at night and whether or not they should be worried. He smiled.
So this is what a real family looks like.
Author's Note: Hello friends! I have reached a point in life where job stress (or lack thereof) has taken over, so writing is going to be very slow. In fact, shit hit the fan mid chapter, but I still need to write to get some piece of mind so, don't worry about that. No big deal! Sorry for delay and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Also, I totally realize I called Sabine "Mrs. Dupain-Cheng" earlier, but I'm changing it now to Madame, only because French.