Hay :) I have no idea of how this chapter got so long but here it is :D One extra long chapter to make up for the late update last week ^^
So me and my partner are going to be cosplaying LadyNoir for an upcoming comic con that has a cosplay ball in it so we're doing formal versions of them and since I got my partner addicted to Miraculous he's taken to calling my 'My Lady'. HOW DOES MARINETTE NOT JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM? It's the soppiest but sweetest thing ever! Like seriously everytime he calls me it I melt XD
Anyways, Miraculous Ladybug and it's characters is property if Zagtoons and Unexpected Surprise is the intellectual property of Totally Lucky. I own nothing.
Adrien took a slow leisurely walk towards the port where his next photo shoot would take place, on the owner of the label owners private yacht on the Hudson. Although it was officially the first day of spring, there was still a wintery chill in the air that had him hugging the soft green scarf tightly around his neck. He had hours before the shoot started but Mark calling to say he was down with the flu left him without a driver and he decided a nice walk would do him some good. He kept his eyes trained on his phone as he flicked through his playlist, readjusting his headphones into a more comfortable position and he turned a corner without looking up, oblivious to the chaos that had cars piled up to the ends of the street. When he did eventually look up, he took his headphones off, shocked to see people getting out of their card or running in the direction he was walking. Looking for the source of all the chaos, he finally caught sight of a building a few blocks ahead that had several police cars pulled up around it and a small crowd of people where beginning to form around the building. As if on instinct, he sprinted in the direction of the building, a place he vaguely recognised as the restaurant he had spent half of Christmas day at and he gasped as he noticed the abnormal orange glow coming from the ground floor. Fire.
It didn't take him long to reach the crowd formed around the building and he waded through the mass of observers until he reached a wall of officers who had formed a perimeter around the area, blocking off civilians from getting any closer. Over the shoulder of the nearest officer and spotted a familiar looking brunette with a much taller and broader version of him arguing with an officer who was blocking them from entering the building. Even from this distance and with the roar of the fire and crowd and sirens Adrien could still pick up their arguing.
"My wife and daughter are in the top floor! If you don't move I will move you myself!"
"Sir, Please stay calm and step back, there are trucks on their way, they'll be here any minute and we'll get them out safe and sound." The officer speaking knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with the infuriated men and just continued to block them from running into the fire. Adrien observed the fire, saw it as it seemed to raise through the building, the windows on the third floor where already starting to glow from the blaze within. There was an ear splitting bang and the windows of the restaurant exploded outwards, showering the model and the rest of the crowd with glass as the flames flared out and scorching everything it touched. The restaurant owner and his son's fight to run head first into the building where renewed tenfold and several officers ran to restrain the two including the one closest to Adrien who had been keeping the crowd at bay. Someone screamed from above and Adrien spotted a silhouette against the glare at the top most window. Adrenaline pumped through him as the crowd around him screamed and shouted and he finally heard the very distant blare of sirens approaching. Every voice of reason in his head screamed that they would be okay, the firemen would arrive and the woman and child trapped on the seventh floor would be hauled to safety but upon observing the flames, he judged that they had about three minutes before the entire building was engulfed in flames and given the traffic, the fire truck wouldn't get here for more than that. Without a second thought he ducked under the people surrounding him, discarding his gloves and ran to wall, testing his grip in the cracks between the bricks and hoisted himself up, using the various sign posts that had been lodged in the brickwork to hoist himself up quicker. By the time an officer noticed him he was already past the third floor row of windows and he ignored the shouts of people behind him, out of their reach for them to pull him back down. Despite the situation, the climb was exhilarating. He felt a freedom he had long since forgotten although it was a hell of a lot harder than the last time he remembered. He reached the window with the woman and her daughter and climbed in with their help. The flames that had engulfed the door at the other end of the room where slowly making their way across the walls and catching onto the furniture and heavy black smoke clouded his vision the moment he stepped into the room, he covered his mouth with the scarf.
"Right, I'm getting you out, is there a fire escape close by?" He asked, praising himself a little for how well his English was coming along and unable to stop himself for putting his hands on his hips like he used to, oozing confidence and feeling right in his element. The woman held her daughter close to herself calmed down a fraction, looking him up and down as if he was an insane person who had just broken out of an asylum and straight into her house.
"No, the fire escape is on the other side of the building, by the time I noticed the fire it had blocked the stairs," She shook her head, her panic rising as she tried to comfort her daughter by shushing her and rubbing circles on her back.
"Mommy, is the fire fwghter coming soon?"
"Yes dear, They'll be here any minute." Adrien frowned and looked back out of the window and at the door. The fire truck still hadn't pulled up and the flames had spread half way through the room already and where gaining speed as they consumed the spacious room. He turned back to the woman with a look of determination and put a hand on each of their shoulders.
"I'm getting you two out of here, I can climb down with you one at a time. Do you trust me?" The woman's eyes shot wide open and she stepped away.
"You're insane! I don't even know who you are or how you got up here but you can't possib-"
"I've done this before, don't worry, I promise I will get you two down safely, trust me on this," He cracked a cocky grin even if he was only 95% sure of himself. He had rescued people from burning buildings before but non this high up and not without his superpowers or his baton. The women eyed him up and down, eyes widening in recognition and she looked worriedly from him to her daughter and back before slowly setting the little girl down on her feet.
"Promise you will get her down safely?" Adrien nodded and knelt down to the child's eye level as her mother prayed her off her legs and turned her around towards him. "Sky, sweetie? This man is going to get you out of her, You be a brave girl and do whatever he says okay?" She gave the little girl a squeeze and she finally turned around, looking up and recognition lighting up her face.
"Adwien Agwetse?" said blonde smiled and nodded, leading the girl to the window.
"Hello Sky, now I need you to be a really big brave girl and climb on my back and hold on as tightly as you can, we're going to have a little game of Spiderman and I'm going to climb down outside with you on my back. If you think you might let go, just tell me okay? Your daddy and big brother are waiting for you at the bottom." The little girl nodded and he squatted so the girl could climb onto his back as instructed. He unwrapped his scarf and swung it around Sky's back, tying it tightly across his chest for extra security. "Are you ready?" He felt her nod against his shoulder and carefully climbed up no the window frame, lowering himself and being extra careful in finding his footing. He gave the worried mother a reassuring nod and began his descent. The journey back down was a lot more nerve racking than up and the screams from below didn't help. Heartbeat pounding in his ears, he stopped half way down and dared to look around at the little girl he could feel shaking, her grip on him tight. "Now don't look down, I need you to look up and keep an eye out for goblin and make sure he does not come and try to fight me. Can I trust you?"
"Yes sir! And why would the Gobwin come to fwight you?" Adrien puzzled but continued his descent, carefully shifting to avoid a window that was spouting flames.
"Because I'm Spiderman, why wouldn't he come to find me?" He kept his focus on his grip but kept up the conversation, glad Sky had stopped shaking as it was making it hard for him to shift his weight when he needed to.
"Because you're Shwah! Shwah always fwought against Akmahs!" Adrien didn't try to understand what the young girl was talking about and continued down, happy to find his foot hitting the sign he had passed on his way up, he only had a few feet to go.
"Sky! Keep holding tight! You're almost there!" Adrien finally got low enough to let go and let himself drop to the floor and he was immediately assaulted by the terrified father and his son, not waiting for him to untie the scarf Sky's father lifted her out of the hold and into a hug. He didn't wait another second before climbing back up, this time getting to the top window much quicker than the first time having memorized the best places to grip and pulled himself onto the window ledge. The whole room was ablaze by now and the mother was pressed against the wall next to the window as the flames inched towards her, less than a meter away from her.
"Get on my back quickly! Sky is safe! There isn't much time!"
"I can't do it, I'm to heavy! You won't be able to carry me down, we'll both fall!" Adrien caught the woman's arm and gave her a reassuring squeeze, trying to give her the most self assured grin he would, his tone firm and confident.
"No we won't, Your family are waiting for you, are you going to let me face them if I don't bring you down to?" She eyed him again, breaking into a coughing fit and trying to wipe soot out of her eyes before pursing her lips and letting him pull her towards the window. She climbed on his back as her daughter had done minutes before and he descended once again, her legs around his waist and arms locked around his shoulders. His breath was coming in pants and he had to stop to rest every floor, his arms beginning to scream at him in protest as he fought to keep his grip with the extra weight, sweat beading on his forehead and making it harder for him to find leverage on the rapidly burning building. Running purely off adrenaline, he stopped just below the third story window.
"What's wrong?" The woman asked immediately, adjusting her grip. Adrien looked down biting his lip and testing his next step down and took a deep breath.
"I'm going to fall if I try to go further, Don't panic! HAY!" He shouted as loudly as he could, grabbing the men in uniform below's attention and snapping them out of their daze as they watched him climb down. "In a minute I'm going to drop her, Can you catch her?" The officers looked at each other dimly before rushing below.
"You're what?!"
"Don't worry, I'm going to lower you down and drop you, there are," He did a quick head count, "eight officers below who will catch you so don't worry, it's only a couple of feet. I need you to move to my side." She trembled but did as he instructed and move around. He tightened his grip on the window ledge, ignoring the burning he felt on the top of his fingers and let one hand go, hooking an arm around her waist firmly. "Okay, Now slide down me, yes that's it. Now let go of me." The woman took a few breaths and he lowered her so she was only holding onto him by his hand. His grip on the ledge was slipping but he forced himself to remain calm so as not to terrify the civilian. "Now I'm going to let go in three okay?" She nodded briskly, "Okay, one...two...THREE!" She did as he had instructed, her grip sliding from his clammy hand more than letting go and he swung his hand back to grip the ledge, watching as she was caught awkwardly by the officers below. He took a few seconds to readjust himself when there was a mighty explosion from in the building. His fingers slipped from their grasp and he fell backwards, nothing to grasp onto as he plummeted towards the ground and out of reach of anything to catch himself on. Out of force of habit he reached for his lower back but remembered he wasn't Chat anymore and gasped. He hit the pavement and his head snapped backwards meeting the stone and all went black.
"Are you sure you guys don't mind helping me? If it's to much trouble I can get my parents to help." Marinette fluttered around her bedroom, moving small items around and looking at the stack of large, flat pack boxes stood against her wall that contained her new baby furniture. Alya and Nino had arrived a few minutes ago, Alya dancing on the balls of her feet in excitement at helping her best friend convert her bedroom into a part nursery. Marinette was fretting and continuously brushing her hair behind her ears as she danced back and forth trying to plan out how everything should be arranged, her baby bump big enough now that she had had to start buying maternity clothes as her old clothes no longer fit her. Alya cought her by the shoulders and forced her into her pink and white desk chair, tutting at her the raven haired's antics.
"Calm down mummy, remember? No stress. We wanted to help right Nino?" Nino nodded happily behind her with a goofy grin. "Okay, You sit here and tell us where you want everything." Marinette looked horrified. "Don't argue with me gurl, heavy lifting is bad for Emma, or Hugo. Lets go with Emmago for now since you keep changing your mind." Marinette crosses her arms. deadpanning.
"I'm pregnant, not an invalid!" Alya laughed and straightened, surveying the room. "Are you going to redecorate if it's a Hugo?" She asked, frowning at the pink that was...just about everywhere.
"Well I'm not planning on staying here for to long, I graduate from design college soon. just before Emmago is due and I can help my mum and dad while I'm here and do some work from home until I can find a job and move out. Hopefully I won't have to bother my parents for long after the baby is due." She chewed her lip, looking downcast and Alya rolled her eyes, having long since gotten used to how her friends moods went up and down in an instant and how she fretted over her future.
"What's the rush? I almost miss my little 'angel' sisters at home. No bills, no having to wake myself up of a morning-"
"And no having to deal with my dirty laundry or snoring?" Nino cut in with a smile. The girls chuckled.
"Anyway, back to business. You don't even need to rearrange the furniture much, just childproof everything. Sewing supplies need to be in a locked cabinet, that shelf needs to go, it's an accident waiting to happen," She pointed at a pink set of shelves with a variety of knick knacks piled on it. Marinette nodded and pointed at the open space in the far corner of the room.
"I was thinking of setting up the crib and rocking chair there, it's the quietest corner of the room and it's just above the kitchen so it should be the warmest. And the changing table can go over there. The little wardrobe can go over there next to the crib. The stuff on that cabinet can be boxed up and put in the loft and get rid of the shelf, mum already bought me a new one so I can put that up in it's place and use it for sheets and nappies and stuff like that." Alya followed her friends description, making a list of things she would need to do and squealing slightly at the picture of what the room would look like once it was done, she knew Marinette would only pick the cutest of furniture and could already see it. She trotted towards the pile of boxes she had brought with her and picked the first one, tossing it to Marinette, chanting much like the two girls had when they where in school.
"Okay, project nursery is a go! Me and Marinette will clear these shelve, Nino, you can start putting together the wardrobe-" She pointed at the flat pack boxes, "-Once we're done, you can disassemble this unit and we can put the crib together. Then we stop for snacks and then," She listed off a plan of action while Marinette and Nino rolled their eyes and nodded. Soon Nino was opening the top box from the leaning pile while Marinette and Alya began taking books, plush toys and all sorts of small items off the large shelving unit. After an hour or so, Nino caught sight of a small black box shoved behind the tower of Marinette's computer and glanced around at the preoccupied women who where busy laughing and chatting as they cleared the shelving unit. Risking it, he slowly reached towards the box, leaning over as if he was working on the wardrobe and grabbed at the tiny box, glancing over his shoulder in regular intervals to make sure he hadn't been caught in what felt like an illegal act. He opened he box and found the familiar looking white gold band set with a single yellow diamond and surrounded by many smaller ones, recognising it from the video he and Alya had watched only a few months ago. The ring was dazzling and undoubtedly ridiculously expensive. Just who was Chat to be able to afford a ring like this? What struck him much harder was the unbearable nagging thought at the very back of his mind that he had seen this particular ring somewhere before.
"Nino? How're you doing with that?" Nino almost tossed the ring in the air in surprise as his back shot up, straight as a board and he turned his head, snapping the box shut and hiding it from sight in his hands.
"G-great! The instructions aren't helping much." He fumbled over his words but thankfully, he would live to see another day as the two weren't looking his way.
"Well hurry up, we're almost done here, Do you need help?"
"Nonononono, I'm fine. Leave the man jobs to the man," Alya stopped and turned at him with a raised brow and a hand on her hip.
"You're having trouble with it aren't you? Let me see those instructions." She walked towards him and he shook his head while Marinette was turned away. She stopped and tilted her head to one side and he flashed the box he held for a fraction of a second and Alya's eyes widened.
"Is it to much? I can get my dad to help me assemble it if it's to much trouble."
"No, all good here." Alya said quickly, giving Nino the clear sigh to put the ring back right this second before he was caught red handed and returned to help the expecting mother. Nino quickly replaced the ring and quickly assembling the wardrobe. Once the women where done clearing the shelf, Nino went to disassemble the unit and Mr Dupain-Cheng appeared from the trapdoor that lead downstairs with a platter full of various crackers, cheeses, snacks and treats.
"How are things coming along here?" He asked with a smile. Marinette snatched the plate up and placed it on a clear part of the fleer after planting a kiss on her fathers cheek.
"Great! We where just about to stop for a break, Everything should be done by tonight."
"Yeah, We'll only be a few more hours. Tom gave an encouraging smile.
"Well don't hesitate to call me up if you need help, it's pretty quiet downstairs so your mother can handle it on her own for a while. Don't overdo it Marinette." Said girl rolled her eyes as she sat cross legged on the floor, Nino and Alya joining her around the platter.
"She's in good hands Mr Dupain-Cheng." Tom chuckled.
"I don't doubt that but you know what she's like," He winked at his daughter fondly.
"Daaaaaaaad." He smiled and closed the hatch, leaving them to it and they talked as they ate, Marinette sitting with a hand resting protectively over the swell of her baby bump she could no longer disguise under loose fitting clothing.
"What's that you're working on anyway?" Alya asked, pointing at a pile of fabric at her crafts table she had noticed earlier.
"I'm making baby clothes! They're going to be so cute! I'm making some pink and some blue, when I know the sex I can sell the ones I won't need and-" Marinette caught herself and stopped, pursing her lips. "I'm sorry, you guys must be sick of all the babytalk. Let's talk about something else."
"No not at all, I love baby talk! I'm going to be Auntie Alya after all!" ALya did an excited little shuffle where she sat and Nino rolled his eyes. Marinette bit her lip and looked at Nino.
"Umm, I was actually wondering.. Umm. Have you heard much from Adrien?" Nino paled a shade or two, having been made quite aware that talking about his best friend was a definite no no. His eyes shifted to hers and she narrowed her eyes in a way that clearly read 'watch what you say'.
"Um, I haven't spoken to him in a while... He wasn't doing so hot at Christmas," He saw a flash of anger on his other halves face and tensed and groped for a different topic, laughing as the memory surfaced. "Chloe sent him a pin up photo of herself along with the underwear she work in the picture!" The group erupted into laughter, Marinette being the first to sober.
"Why wasn't he doing so hot?" She asked, worry etching it's way into her features. Nino mentally kicked himself for bringing it up.
"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me. I think he was just a bit lonely or something because he's up there on his own. He was fine the next time I spoke to him," He chuckled, "He may or may not have got wasted Christmas day." Marinette's mouth hung open in shock. Alya gave him a warning frown and he started panicking, he was sure to never see the light of day again.
"I hope he's alright," Marinette looked down sadly, cradling her stomach and looking lost in her own thoughts. Nino immediately felt guilty for saying anything. He viewed Marinette like his little sister and he didn't like seeing her upset.
"He's fine, he had a tough time with his father when he was younger and it wasn't until he was in school that he made any friends besides Chloe if you can even call her a friend. He really is aright now, last time I heard, he was at an interview for a magazine and because he said he didn't have a girlfriend and wasn't interested in a relationship, the interviewer tried to make out that he's gay." Both girls looked up at this and burst into hysterics once again wiping tears from their eyes.
"Oh no..that's to much.." Marinette wheezed.
"Hay, you never know, he never showed any interest in anyone back at school, we just knew he liked someone." Alya bit her tongue, regretting her words the moment they slipped from her mouth. Marinette immediately went from happy to downcast and you could almost see the storm clown form above her head. Alya would have shot him a dark look but she was more concerned with cheering up the mother to be.
"I wish he would come back but I don't even want to know what he would think of he like this, pregnant and single and all."
"Now that's the hormones talking, nobody and I repeat, NOBODY looks this hot pregnant!"
Before thinking, Nino said the absolute worst possible thing he could have said, his over protective, big brotherly side getting the better of him as he watched the innocent girl looking so helpless.
"Man, As much as I doubt it, if it turns out he was Chat all this time, I'm going to beat the living daylights out of hi-" He realised far to late as two pairs of brown and blue eyes widened, the brown ones in rage and the blue ones in shock. "-um...ah crap."
"Nino!" Alya looked nervously between her boyfriend and Marinette, said girl petrified, not moving an inch.
"you... what do you mean?" Marinette's voice was so quiet but each word hit Alya's heart like a bullet, gilt overwhelmed her and she bit her lip.
"Um, I..I came across a video of you and Chat the last night he was seen." She swallowed the lump that had began forming in her throat and shot a look at Nino who paled. "We where going to break it to you geantl-"
"What do you mean break it to me gently?" Marinette snapped back to her senses and stood up, backing away from the couple, her words laced with betrayal and hurt. "Why did you look into... I asked you to..." She stuttered, backing into her desk and tripping over her feet as she fumbled to grasp the edge of her desk and failed. Alya and Nino immediately dived forward, catching her under the arms before she hit the floor but she shrugged out of their grasp and backed away again as soon as she found her footing.
"Marinette, I just wanted to try and find who he was, try and find him and bring him back after I kick his ass for leaving you." Marinette looked at them angrily, trying to find the words to argue for invading her privacy but struggling. Alya pressed her defence. "I had an idea to get him back. It's a stupid idea but it's better than nothing. Since you don't have your miraculous anymore, you could make a Ladybug costume and make a video asking him to come back, wherever he is he'll see it eventua-"
"No."
"But Mar-"
"No, I already have to live with the fact that I chased him away and hurt him. I don't want to publicly humiliate myself again. I'll find him my own way," She announced firmly, hands balling into fists and shaking slightly.
"But you don't know who he is! And I'm sure he just needs a reason to come back, He freaking proposed! Don't look so surprised, I saw the whole thing, I saw you arguing." Marinette flushed in embarrassment, her eyes glazing over as her expression turned to regret.
"I...I need to be alone. Thank you for helping me today but I think you should go." Alya approached the raven haired, guilt tearing away at her.
"I'm sorry Marinette, I was only trying to find him so I could... I just wanted to... I'm sorry, I just hate seeing you so down about everything...I"
"I'll find him my own way. It's all my own fault." Alya saw her friends eyes glaze over even though she looked away to try and hide it and embraced her best friend as best she could with her bump. She could feel the smaller shaking under her and it made her feel even worse.
"Okay, I promise I won't dig anymore unless you want me to. I'm so sorry. I want to see him pay for leaving you and I couldn't stop myself." Marinette blacked away to look at the brunette.
"Non of this is his fault, I chased him off. I want to see him so I can say sorry for what I said, I told him I wish I had never met him because I was so in love with someone else!" Alya immediately wanted to argue, angry at the smaller for blaming herself for everything. How could any of this be her fault? He got her pregnant and left after a stupid argument, sure the timing was bad but that's no excuse. The words died on her tongue as the smaller gave her a squeeze and then dried her eyes, putting on a brave smile.
"Let's just forget this conversation. Thank you, for caring I mean, but just let me deal with it okay? If I ever find him I want to be the one to do it. Can we get this stuff finished?" Marinette gave a pleading smile and anything Alya had to say froze in her throat, the tension in her disappirated and she smiled, Nino still in his place on the floor watching the exchange like his life literally depended on the outcome.
"Alright, Nino, you take down that shelf, we'll start working on the crib." The three got back to work ,trying to act as if nothing had happened and the tension in the atmosphere eventually gave way for the easy air that had been there earlier. Alya swore to herself as soon as she got home she was dumping all the files and research she had gathered and would never bring it up again.
It was bright, unbearably bright when Adrien slowly drifted back to conciousness, dark shadows loomed above him and his head throbbed with a passion, blurring his vision and blanketing his senses. His ears rung with white noise, drowning out all other sounds and he blinked several times, trying to clear his vision and raising an arm to block out the suns glare as it partially blinded him.
"Everyone move back!" Someone was shouting and the shadows above him vanished, one remaining and he felt himself being forced into a sitting position. A torch was flashed in his eyes and he squinted against the intrusive light, his head pounding as he tried to shoo it away. "Easy there, You'll live, you're insane you know that? Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up." Adrien blinked again and a paramedic holding his hand in front of him. He groaned.
"Four fingers and a thumb?" The paramedic chuckled and let him drop his head into his hand so he could try and rub the fogginess away.
"Okay wise guy. Think you can stand? Looks like just a graze and a concussion, consider yourself THE luckiest idiot to walk away from a fall like that." Adrien managed to get to his feet and was escorted towards an ambulance, mainly being held up by whoever was linking him. They urged him to sit down on the edge of the back of the van and an oxygen mask was held over his mouth, breathing deeply as directed. A Space Blanket was put over his shoulders and he sat hunched over as he let the clean air from the mask cleanse him of the smoke he had inhaled, his back aching with a passion and making movement uncomfortable. Someone was behind him examining his head where it had hit the pavement and an icepack was put into his hand and he held it to the back of his head with some prompting.
"Shwah!" A little bundle of excitement ran towards him and gripped his knees, looking up at him with wide, worried brown eyes. Adrien leaned back, startled as she jumped up and down in front of him. "Shwah are you okay?" He nodded and smiled, putting a hand on her head and ruffling her bouncy curls. An older, male version of her ran up behind her and picked her up.
"Sky! You need to stay by the ambulance," The man turned towards him with rage. "What where you thinking? You idiot! What would have happened if you fell? Jesus do you have a death wish?"
"Is your mother okay?" He cut across the boys scolding rant and it threw him off guard. He looked back at another ambulance, seeing his mother being checked over and sighed.
"She's find."
"I'm fine!" Sky pipped up excitedly. "Shwah saved me! Shwah saved me!" The temporary manager let his sister down as she began jumping up and down in his grip, rolling his eyes with a chuckle and knelt on the ground, giving her a severe look.
"Sky, please stop pestering Adrien, the paramedics need to make sure he's okay and they need to give you a check up aswell, you can thank Mr Agreste later." The little girl turned back at the blond with those worried eyes again, her lower lip bobbing.
"Do you pwomise?" Adrien hummed in amusement and nodded slowly, regretting that decision as it made his head spin.
"Yes I'll see you again, I really like your Restaurant." The girl broke into a toothy grin and ran back over to the ambulance, leaving her brother alone with the model.
"I don't want know if I want to punch you or hug you, you nearly gave me a heart atta- No, that's not what I should be saying. Thank you. Thank you so much, I don't know what would have happened if you weren't here." Adrien shook his head - cursing himself - feeling uncomfortable under the brunettes gratitude.
"S'nothing. They're safe, that's all that matters. By the way I never caught your name?" The brunette regarded him, raising an eyebrow at how he dismissed his injuries like they where nothing.
"Dude you really are insane. Kevin, call me Kev. Do you happen to remember being here at this restaurant on Christmas day?" Adrien nodded, smiling at one of the first pleasant memories he had made here in the US. "Do you remember me saying about a certain little sister who was obsessed with you?" Adrien looked back at said little sister and snorted.
"Why does she keep calling me 'Shwah?' At this, Kev burst into laughter, declaring;
"She thinks you're that French hero Chat Noir because you're French and sorta look like him. She thinks you came to New York after you had a fight with that...Ladybird? Lady-Ladybug! She has this whole story that you had a fight with Ladybug and ran away, I'm guessing you've heard of them? Honestly I don't know where she gets she from." Adrien's eyes shot open, eyeing the little girl who was being checked over by one of the paramedics. He forced a chuckle and rolled his eyes.
"She certainly has an wild imagination." Kev nodded, carding his fingers through his hair in embarrassment.
"Anyway, I better head back over there. Umm, if you even wanna hang out, here's my number. All my old friends moved away an I'm going to have a few weeks with nothing to do while the restaurant is being renovated. If you're ever free... and you said you wanted to learn how to cook..." He gave the blond flushed and gave a nervous smile, holding his phone up. Adrien's owns shyness took over but he grinned ear to ear, clumsily fumbling for his phone. The two exchanged numbers and Kevin left to join his family with another round of thanks. Adrien tried to stand but a paramedic immediately rushed over and forced him back down.
"I need to get to wor-" He tried to excuse, the paramedic looking down at him with amused disbelief.
"Kid, you really are insane. Is there anyone you can call to take you home? You need to go home and rest until that concussion passes." Adrien tried to push against the paramedics hold but gave up as it only made his head spin more. "Easy!" The blond bowed his head in defeat and tried to make his fingers coordinate but the simple task of opening his contacts proving more than he could handle as the screen swayed and split into two as he tried to focus on the words. "Here." The paramedic offered a hand and took the phone from the smallers hands. "Who are you trying to call?" He thought about that for a couple of minutes and then looked at him in frustration.
"There isn't anyone, my assistant is sick and I don't know anyone else well enough, I only moved here a few months ago."
"Seriously? It wouldn't be a good idea for you to be on your own. And you won't go to the hospital?" Adrien shook his head. "What about your friend over there?" He followed where the elder was pointing and saw Kevin talking to his father.
"I don't really know him very well." Adrien couldn't help the warmth flair up inside of him like the very first time he made a friend on his first day at school. The paramedic frowned and stood tall with his hands on his hips.
"Well since you saved their lives and all I'm sure they can sort something out for you, It wouldn't sit right with me to let you just go home in a cab." The man walked over and Adrien watched in horror, trying to call out to stop him but coughing when he tried to raise his voice. The paramedic jogged over, to far away for the model to hear their conversation before the paramedic came back with Kev in tow.
"Hay, do you need a lift home?"
"He needs someone to watch him for the next few hours." The paramedic gave the brunette a nudge with his elbow.
"No worries, I can stay with you for a couple of hours, my mom and sister are alright, My dad will be with them."
"It's really not nessecer-"
"Yes it is, you can't go home alone." As they where arguing, Adrien's phone started ringing, still in the paramedics hand. He took it and answered it with some trouble and was greeted by the fretting voice of one of the agent, Darla, who was supposed to meet him at the port for the shoot. He listened silently while the woman ranted about how he was supposed to be there fifteen minutes ago, completely oblivious to the sound of sirens that where still going off in the vicinity. Adrien tried to say something in his defence but was completely ignored so he settled for sitting silently until Darla was done with her rant, growing increasingly more irate as her voice grew more and more shrill. Eventually he put her on loud speaker and spoke close to the mic so he would get her attention.
"I'm sorry I can't make the shoot, the paramedic won't let me go anywhere other than home!" There was a few breif moments of silence.
"Wait, paramedics? What happened?" Adrien heaved a sigh.
"It will probably be all over he papers tomorrow. I'll call you later. Sorry again I couldn't make it, I'll be at the office tomorrow." With that he cut the call and turned his phone off, breathing deeply from the oxygen mask he was still holding at the thought off the ear bashing he was going to get for this tomorrow. He eyeing the reporters who had raced to the scene and where running around after several officers with cameras and microphones in hand, snapping pictures of the building and him. He averted Kevin's eyes, feeling pathetic and hating having to burden someone like this. "Okay, Where is your car?" Much to his surprise, Kev beamed.
"I'll bring it around, think you'll be okay to walk?" Adrien let himself be ushered to his feet and leaning heavily on the brunette, they slowly started making their way to the car parked opposite the restaurant.
The next morning it only took twenty minutes of his co-workers crowded him, calling him 'Mr. Hero', flashing the morning newspapers in front of him and handing him letters from a variety of local news papers and letters from fans for him to decide he couldn't deal with this as his head began to spin and he had to grip a nearby desk to stay upright. They fussed over him, forcing him into a chair and handing him a water, even Kendal looked mildly concerned, before one of the directors approached and sent him home, saying he didn't want to see him back for a couple of days. Someone called im a cab and he was slightly relieved to be able to sit on his sofa reading over the letters that where currently piled up on his coffee table. He cast the pile aside, still occasionally feeling dizzy and rubbing his temples as another headache flared up and sinking further into the comfortable chair in his own happy little bubble. He remembered spending hours talking to Kev who, when not in front of customers at the restaurant or with his family, reminded the blond a lot of Nino, goofy and a bit of a dork. Sighing happily, he felt giddy at the realisation that he had finally made a friend after five months of leaving his life behind.
Sorry if there are a lot of mistakes in this chapter, I didn't have time to proofread it properly AND get it uploaded on time. Hope you enjoyed and please leave a review! They keep me motivated and I really need it at the moment since any time I get for writing generally cuts into my sleeping time at the moment with how busy I am haha.
If you're wondering why Adrien was having trouble scaling the building, he's worn out and all adorably angsty and I think I did mention in the last chapter that Nino noticed he looked thin, poor guy just doesn't eat enough! T.T Anyways, There was supposed to be another chapter after this which I've cut out because I decided I didn't like the idea so there is only 3 chapters left to go for this fic, I'm going to be so sad when this finishes as I've enjoyed writing it so much!
Thank you all so much for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing, I will respond to them! Until next week :3