Ch3
Ladybug held the cat miraculous in her hand as she looked at Alya Cesaire. It's only temporary until I can find out what happened to Cat Noir.
Taking a deep breath she looked at her friend, "Alya Cesaier I need your help. This is the cat miraculous would you be willing to fight beside me for the time being?"
Alya stared at her in shock. "Of course I would. But what about Cat Noir?"
She swallowed a lump in her throat, "Cat Noir is unavailable at the moment and I need help. Will you fight beside me and return this miraculous to me at the end of the day?" Master Fu hadn't decided who could be a good candidate so they decided she could temporarily give the cat miraculous to people like Alya when an akuma attack happened.
Alya looked at her and nodded, "Of course I will."
She smiled at her friend as she handed Alya the cat miraculous. This is only temporary. Kitty please come to your senses, it won't be the same without you.
Adrien sat up on his bed and looked at his phone. He ignored the various text messages from Chloe and his other classmates in part because he didn't know what to tell them and also he didn't want to take any chances that Ladybug would find him and convince him to return.
Frowning he noticed that a lot came from Marinette who seemed to have sent him more messages than Chloe or Nino put together. Man she was nice and all but wow she seems to be taking it harder than I thought even if we weren't close. He internally cringed as he didn't even bother reading her messages they were all large blocks of texts and he didn't have the emotional energy to read them. "Well I might as well get up," he muttered setting his phone on his desk.
Stretching his body he looked himself in the mirror, he hadn't bathed or changed in a few days. Damn dad would kill me if he saw me right now. His hair was a mess, bags were under his red eyes, and his skin was in serious need of some moisturizer.
Grabbing a towel and a change of new clothes he headed to the bathroom in his room. I wonder if there have been any new akuma attacks? He hadn't noticed anything in the news bulletins, a part of him wondered out of curiosity while another out of a growing sense of apathy.
Stripping off his dirty clothes he tossed them into the hamper and turned on the water of the shower. Would she find another person? The thought made his insides as he entered the warm body.
No try not to think of it. Shaking his head he quickly scrubbed himself forcing his mind to not think about Paris, about Ladybug. Instead he focused on the warm water and on cleaning up his body.
I can't be like this forever. If she doesn't want me there is nothing I can do about it. Taking a deep breath he rinsed the soap and shampoo off of him before turning off the water. What should I do if I go back? If Plagg comes back in my life do I want to be Cat Noir again?
He got out of the shower and grabbed his towel. He tried himself off as the steam quickly went away. Looking up at the mirror he cleaned the fog off and looked at his reflection. His body was toned and had some muscle on it from all his time as Cat Noir along with his exercise regimen.
"I learned so much when I was Cat Noir," he said placing his hand on the mirror and looking himself in his tired eyes. "I grew and experienced freedom for the first time. I don't regret meeting Plagg, I just wished he trusted me." He would've done anything for his kwami and Ladybug but in the end he wasn't worthy of their trust and that hurt him more than anything.
He shook his head and tried his hair with the towel. Wherever you are Plagg I hope you find someone you can trust, someone who will be a great partner Swallowing the lump in his throat and ignoring his aching heart. I do miss you Plagg I just hope you can find someone who is worthy of your trust.
After changing into a fresh set of clothes he quickly left the bathroom and made his bed. I might as well unpack some of my things. He had stayed at his aunt's place before but this time it felt different as he unpacked his things. I don't know how long I'll be here, I don't even know if dad wants me to come back.
He hadn't spoken to his father since he arrived. After they fought he could feel the resentment boiling over at how his father had treated him. Who knows maybe this can be a mini vacation or whatever.
His mind was spinning with countless thoughts as he exited the room and walked towards the living room. "Hello Adrien how are you feeling?" His aunt Amelie Graham Vanily said with a big smile as she hugged him tightly.
"I'm fine auntie thank you," he said. Looking into his aunt's eyes he saw genuine concern in them.
"That's good to hear," his aunt said holding his hand. "Do you need anything? I'll have the cooks make anything you want ok? Or if you need clothes I can send my butlers to get them."
"Thank you," he said. "Maybe just a light sandwich or something for lunch, I haven't eaten in a while."
"Got it," His aunt said before she turned around and told her butler to prepare some food. "Come on Adrien lets talk in the living room," she said placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
He nodded, knowing that he should probably say something to his aunt about his sudden arrival. His aunt led him to her living room, it was a mixture of traditional British and modern design with a fireplace and old furniture.
He sat across from his aunt in an old comfy chair looking into his aunt's concerned eyes. "Adrien I don't mind you staying here but I would like to know what's wrong with you," His aunt said resting in her chair as a butler brought them some tea.
He thanked the butler and sipped his tea thinking of a response. "I fought with my dad," he muttered.
"I can see that," His aunt said sipping some tea. She looked at him with her calm gaze, it was almost like his mother's. "But Adrien I can tell that this more than just a fight with your dad."
He swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked down at his reflection in the tea. I can't tell her about being Cat Noir. "It's just I'm tired of being treated like I'm unimportant," he said softly. "I'm just sick of it all." It was relieving in a way to say it, he was sick of being treated like he didn't matter by everyone around him.
To his surprise his aunt came over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder looking at him with a warm gaze, "Adrien it's alright I understand," she said softly. "I miss my sister too and I know your father can be cold at times."
He avoided her gaze and nodded, "He wouldn't let me go to your husband's funeral." He still was sad about that, even if he wasn't close with his uncle Felix and his mom were always there for him and he should've gone.
"Don't worry dear it's under the bridge," His aunt said firmly. "We are family and we should watch out and take care of each other. If something is wrong me and Felix will have your back ok?"
He fidgeted in his seat. He knew his dad loved him deep down, it was just his cold exterior that made it harder for him to relate to him. I couldn't even see her body when she passed. His father's excuse still rang in his ears when he asked to see her body. Agrestes have to be strong.
"Anyway dear feel free to stay as long as you need ok?" His aunt said as she stood up. "Here eat something you haven't eaten all day." She took a tray with a sandwich and fries on it and placed it on the side table.
"Thank you auntie," he said with a smile.
His aunt smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek before leaving him. He turned on the TV and ate his sandwich while channel surfing. His stomach growled as he had not eaten in a few days.
"Looks like you are finally out of bed," Felix said walking into his room.
"Hey," he said as he stopped on a channel on French news.
"Miss home already?" Felix asked sitting down on the chair next to him.
"I'm not sure," he said as he frowned a the TV. A part of him froze inside as he watched the akuma fight.
The announcer was talking about an akuma attack and showed footage of Ladybug alongside other heroes taking it down. Glaring at the TV he clenched the remote tightly. Good to know she has partners she can trust. His body shook as tears formed in his eyes.
He couldn't tell the identity of the new Cat Noir except that it was a female and she already seemed pretty adept at working with Ladybug.
"Did you get to know her?" Felix asked snapping him out of his thoughts.
"I never did," he said flatly eyeing the images of Ladybug with a mixture of sorrow and anger. She was fighting alongside a female in a dark catsuit. She found a new partner. He stared at the screen in shock feeling a mental shelf break. Was I that replaceable?
"They say she is the hero of Paris," Felix said folding his arms. "Seems like a remarkable person."
"Oh she is something alright," he said watching Ladybug and her new sidekick fist bump. "I'm going to be right back," he said softly quickly cleaning his wet eyes.
Felix gave him a curious look but said nothing as he headed to his room. He closed the door behind him harder than he should've but he grabbed his phone and quickly went through it.
I gave her everything and she couldn't even trust me. His blood boiled, all the resentment towards Ladybug and her secrets was starting to boil over.
If I'm nothing to her then I don't have room for her in my life. He scrolled through all the images he had of Ladybug and deleted them all. Time to clear my mind. Everything remotely Ladybug related he deleted from his phone, he wanted to clear his mind of her and everything related to them.
Taking a deep breath he noticed a new message from Kagami. I heard you left Paris hope you are ok. He responded to her saying he was fine, he considered responding to his classmates but there were too many messages to respond to and at the moment he didn't care.
Shaking his head he turned off his phone and put it in his bag and headed back to where his cousin was. Felix was still watching the news and playing with a deck of cards. "Everything alright?" His cousin asked.
"Yeah just organizing some things," he said sitting across from his cousin. He frowned at the TV as the broadcaster talked about Ladybug. "So any new magic tricks?" Forcing himself to look away from the TV.
Felix looked at him with his usual neutral expression. "Just some card tricks."
"I see," He said as he watched his cousin shuffle through the cards and organize them. I know he is still angry about me not going to his dad's funeral, it must have hurt him.
Felix nodded and continued to shuffle and organize his playing cards. "So heard you fought with you dad?" His cousin asked set some cards down.
"Yeah its a long story," he said resting in the chair. "I guess you can say I'm just tired of being treated like a toy."
Felix set his cards down and looked up at him, "Your father was always controlling and kept you in a golden cage. Yet you can't fool me Adrien I know something else happened, something more than just a fight with your father."
He avoided his cousin's gaze, Felix was a smart guy and could solve many difficult problems. But what would I tell him, hey I'm Cat Noir but quit because Ladybug didn't care about me as a partner?
"If you don't want to talk about it that's fine," Felix said as he went back to shuffling his cards. "But if I had to make my deductions I would say someone you trusted hurt you." His cousin set a few jokers on the table. "It could have been someone at that school or elsewhere in your life."
He avoided his cousin's gaze. Sharp as always Felix. "It was nothing," he muttered.
Felix looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, "You see right there. You don't look after yourself, you always expect others to be their best and treat you how you treat them. Well news flash Adrien but people are going to use you for their own benefit. Only you are responsible for your own interests."
He shifted in his seat his cousin's words hitting him in the heart. Chloe warned me that people will use me. So far no one at school has but as Cat Noir was I not an accessory for Ladybug?
"I just wanted to be trusted," he said softly. It was like a dagger being thrust in his heart, thinking of how he was constantly sidelined and mistrusted by Ladybug. "I wasn't good enough to be trusted."
"You trust too easily Adrien," Felix said shaking his head. "You're a nice person but that doesn't mean people won't take advantage of you. You have to stand up for yourself and your own interests."
He looked down at his hands thinking of all the times he had given Ladybug his trust and how she never returned it. I did nothing but help her. I always did my best to be a good partner but in the end I guess I wasn't good enough. Ladybug had already found another Cat Noir.
Swallowing the lump in his throat he forced himself to not cry. I really did enjoy being Cat Noir. I had freedom that I had never experienced before, if Plagg had just trusted me a little we could've worked things out.
"Anyway do what you wish," Felix said as she shuffled his cards again. "You are free to stay here as long as you like."
"Thanks," he muttered as he got out of his seat. His cousin watched him from the corner of his eye as he headed to his room.
Felix looked down at his cards. Just what is going on with Adrien? He knew something was off about him, this was something more than just a fight with his father. It was eating him up, despite everything he still considered Adrien to be his best friend and he would go to hell and back to make sure he was happy.
A part of him did care out of respect for their childhood friendship, but he still viewed his cousin as a friend even if he didn't go to his father's funeral. To be fair it wasn't his fault his father is an asshole.
"Felix dear how is Adrien doing?" His mother asked sitting across from him with a glass of wine.
"Oh he is ok. I can't figure out the reason for his depression though," he said folding his arms.
"Well maybe he is still processing his mother's death?" A sad expression passed over his mother's face. "Felix be extra nice to him ok? He is still our family and I know his mother would've wanted me to protect him in a situation like this. Don't blame him for not always being there for us, his father is a cold person."
You could say that again. His own father was an abusive twat. Yet he and Adrien were always close, his cousin was one of the few people who lightened his mood and now he needed help.
"I will," he said firmly as he organized his cards. "I just don't know the real cause of his pain."
His mother smiled at him, "You're a smart boy. I'm sure you can figure it out if you can. Don't let what his father get in the way of your relationship with him, he needs you."
"I will," he said softly as he put away the cards, looking down at the last Joker card he frowned. Problem is I just don't know where I would begin. Yet a part of him was telling him that it wasn't just his father he was upset at.