Another slow, dragging two weeks.
The doctors said Marinette's condition was stable, at least, but she was in a catch twenty-two. They had taken her off anti-nausea medication. For whatever reason, she was completely unresponsive to it and they found no reason to continue the drug. They had tabled the anti-nausea medication as a contributor to her inability to keep food down, but they weren't sure. Possibly too many chemicals in one body and they felt that this was a spare drug she didn't actually need, unlike antibiotics and…everything else they had her hooked up to.
Removing one of a hundred drugs from her body was supposed to increase her appetite, but by now she'd become so accustomed to an empty stomach that eating repulsed her. At first everyone was worried that she was developing an eating disorder, but when Marinette was given a full meal—well, a small meal to anyone else but probably big for her—for the first time in months, she practically attacked it and wanted more.
He still remembered walking in and seeing her feel good. Seeing her smile and talk without feeling forced. Hungry, with a growling stomach, but she wasn't in pain. Unfortunately it hadn't been more than a minute before she turned colors, commanded him to get a bag, and threw every single bit of it up. She was put right back in hunger pain and tiny food rations that she still said made it worse.
She tried to eat though, even now. She didn't want to keep starving and he supposed she finally got desperate to get rid of the pain because she would choke down what she could. The nausea accompanying any "meal" was very much present, and sometimes wouldn't allow her to keep her food down regardless of how little there was. She was still tied up most of the time, having lost the doctors' trust, but she was untied so she could eat on her own. No more spoon feeding. There was no more risk of her eating too fast. Before, she couldn't slow down, and now she couldn't speed up.
The doctors also considered it a small possibility that there was something else affecting her stomach that was causing all this. However, nothing appeared on the scans or blood work, so they stuck to the idea that it was just her body not used to eating.
"Homeostasis:" the body trying to correct an imbalance within itself. Normally this would only apply to common discomforts like temperature changes, triggering a response to either sweat or shiver to cool down or warm up respectively. The doctors used this as a comparison for Marinette's current condition. She'd gone so long receiving nutrients through alternative methods that her body began seeing real food as an imbalance, and to correct it, got rid of the food. It even rejected a feeding tube they'd tried to use.
Their solution was to keep giving her tiny rations and hope for the best.
Her lungs were showing decent recovery, at least, and she could go for around two hours or so without an oxygen mask before she felt like she needed it back. The goal was to get her down to a more supplementary oxygen supply. Right now that mask seemed to be giving her most of her oxygen. She loved the idea of being free from it soon but was convinced that the doctors were lying or exaggerating about her recovery. He didn't blame her for not believing them. The only time she ever felt good was when she slept. And it had been that way for a long time for her. He would start to have his doubts too, if he was in her shoes.
Although the doctors' primary concerns were her lungs, oxygen saturation, and of course stomach, they'd mentioned several times that her mood had been declining more and more. It had moved past frustration. She had the determination to get through this, which was great, but only because she was so uncomfortable all the time. Her parents had been with her the most and combined with information from the doctors working with her, they concluded she was slipping into a depression. The pain and hunger weren't making it any better.
"Did you get everything?"
Nobody had been able to get her motivated about anything. She didn't care about her health at all, she only cared about getting out of the hospital and getting rid of the pain.
"Not yet, Adrien."
It was a last resort to improve her mental state but…
"Make sure you have your book with you."
…they'd decided to go directly against Marinette's wishes…
"And lots of pictures."
…and bring Erek to see her.
"Don't forget your juice boxes," Adrien reminded him, pulling out three small boxes of apple juice from his refrigerator. "Which pocket?"
Erek looked over his backpack and pointed to the frontmost one.
"Good choice, buddy."
He fitted the juice boxes inside the chosen pocket and checked to make sure Erek hadn't also forgotten snacks. He wouldn't let Erek eat or drink in front of Marinette, finding that cruel, but Alya had told him early on that little kids needed snacks or they would start acting up. He didn't want Erek to misbehave at all while he was spending time with his mother, if that could be avoided.
Right now the boy was just excited to see her again. It had been so long…four months…maybe…? Much too long for a child to go without their mom. Or…that was how he saw it anyway.
"Did you get all your pictures?" he asked Erek. "We're not coming back to get any."
"I got my whole book."
He rummaged through the duffle bag to make sure he was completely prepared. Extra clothes. More of Erek's drawings. A picture frame because…somehow Erek thought it would be a great gift for a hospital patient. A scented candle because Erek saw them in movi—wait…how did that even get in here…? That little sneak… He had to take that one back out of the bag before moving on. A random video game—again, Erek—without any consoles or controllers. Then the necessities, like toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair brushes, and other essentials, just in case of an overnight stay. It was doubtful the hospital would allow it and he wasn't entirely sure Marinette would want that but at least he would have everything ready if it happened.
He also made sure to pack some activities for Erek to keep him occupied in one of the most boring places to exist. Coloring book and colored pencils, a plastic yo-yo, some building blocks, a couple of easy puzzles, a few children's books, tiny army men, and Erek's favorite Chat Noir action figure.
"Let's go now!" Erek whined.
"Alright, alright. I just needed to make sure we have everything," Adrien replied.
He flipped down his sunglasses and pulled his hood over his head. He still didn't want to be seen publicly with Erek but this was a somewhat unique circumstance.
The two walked down to the parking lot, where Adrien tried to sneakily get into his car with a little boy in tow.
"Can we get Mama some flowers?" Erek asked as he got in his car seat. "She loves flowers."
Adrien turned on the car and checked the mirrors. Erek had fastened his seatbelt and was kicking his short legs in excitement.
"Erek, do you remember what I told you?" he asked.
He backed out of the space and pulled out of the lot, now on the main road towards the hospital. He suddenly hated how short this drive was going to be… Marinette would probably kill him for this…
"Yeah," the boy answered. "We can't be loud—"
"No, about things you can smell," he interrupted. "I saw that candle too…"
"But these smell good, she'll like them."
"I'm sure she'll like them but what did the doctors say?"
He breathed a sigh of relief when he came to a stop at a red light, one he knew was a long light.
"They saaaaiidddd, thhaaaaaat…Mama has to wear a piece of plastic on her head…aaaaaand…"
"Your mama's chest hurts," he said. "She needs really clean air. No smells, okay? Not even the good smells."
"She can smell them when her chest feels better though, right?"
"Yes, but for now—"
"Hey, hey, what about a balloon? They don't have a smell."
Alya and Nino had already tried balloons and cards from their whole family, but Marinette couldn't bother herself to care about them. She'd opened them out of courtesy, dryly thanked them, and that was the extent of her acknowledgement. He didn't want Erek to be subject to that. It would break his little heart. Not to make Marinette out to be evil or anything, just, pain and hunger had pushed kindness and understanding out.
"I'll think about it," Adrien decided. "Let's just go see how she's feeling first."
Erek wasn't even disappointed. He looked like this was the best day of his life.
The light turned green and he crossed the intersection. Now it was basically a straight shot to the hospital. One road and two floors up. He could only hope this would work. Bringing Erek could go one of two ways: Marinette would hate what he did and break Erek's heart in one way or another, or she could appreciate what he did and Erek would stop bothering him to see his mother. Marinette could end up becoming either more downtrodden or more uplifted. There was no way of knowing or even guessing.
He arrived at the hospital all too early. He wished he was as excited as Erek but he was only filled with anxiety, stressing over Marinette's reaction to this.
He brought his cargo, and Erek, inside the hospital. Both were given a visitor's pass, once again by a nurse who didn't seem to care who saw who or who entered where.
"He's cute by the way," the nurse said as he passed her.
Wrong idea but. Whatever. Maybe she thought he was his nephew…or he was babysitting…?
"Thanks," he said over his shoulder.
He continued down a variety of hallways, entered an elevator that for some reason was nowhere near the lobby, and waited patiently to elevator music. It always reminded him of the time Marinette was in this hospital the first—errr, the first time he saw her in this hospital. Cold. Unconscious. Bandaged. And he didn't even know about Erek yet… Where had Erek been during that time?
"Erek," he said the moment they stepped out of the elevator. "You remember the rules, right?"
"No smelly things," the boy answered.
"Do you remember the others?"
"No yelling."
"Yes, and what else?"
The boy stayed silent in thought as they approached Alya, who had thankfully already been informed of Erek's arrival even before Erek himself knew.
"Alya, good to see you here. A little early for you though, isn't it?" Adrien asked.
"Well…I may have left the kids with a babysitter," she admitted. "I wanted to see for myself how Marinette would…um, react to…this…situation. Nino sends his regards, too, he's at work right now though."
"And Marinette's parents?"
"The bakery got slammed but one of them will come as soon as they get the chance."
"Are the nurses…getting her ready?"
Marinette would have to be untied before Erek could come in. Seeing her hooked up to everything else would be hard enough on him. Marinette wouldn't know why they were untying her. Then again, she probably wouldn't care.
"I'm not sure, they haven't kept us updated," Alya replied.
Adrien went to view the room through the window. Thankfully it was too high up for Erek to see, but the boy jumped in an effort to anyway.
Marinette was stubbornly looking to the other side as an attending nurse untied the second wrist. She was saying something to Marinette, maybe about Erek but that was unlikely. Probably just telling her she had a surprise today, or a surprise visitor. Something she still wouldn't care about.
He bent down to eye level with Erek before the nurse could come out.
"Remember, your mama doesn't know how long she's been asleep, so don't talk about that," he said. "Don't touch anything either, okay? You need to behave yourself. We're just here to say hi."
"Can I talk to her?"
Possibly…? That all depended on Marinette's mood. He could see her keeping up the absolute bare minimum of conversation while Erek kept talking, only bothering with it because he was her kid.
"Do you think your mama is strong, Erek?"
"Yes."
He sucked in a breath.
"Well…right now she's not." He put his hands on Erek's shoulders and continued, "So we have to be strong for her, okay? Can you do that for your mama?"
"Yeah."
"Okay…then as soon as the nurse—"
He was cut short when the door almost hit him from behind, the nurse appearing immediately after.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said. "I didn't know you were there."
"No, no, you're fine." He stood back up to face her. "Is Marinette ready?"
The nurse looked uncomfortable as she saw Erek waiting to see his mother.
"Ummmm…she's a little…"
"Is she alright?"
"Physically speaking, yes, but…she's not really…"
She wasn't really feeling up to it. Until she could at least eat again, she would probably stay this way.
He started second guessing his decision to bring Erek but it was a little too late now.
"We'll…take our chances," he decided.
Alya kept a respectful distance as he entered the room holding Erek's hand. Perhaps she would look on through the window but she wanted to keep this moment a little more private. He himself was only there because he was Erek's current caretaker.
He knew Marinette heard footsteps, but she refused to speak, wordlessly turning her entire body to face the opposite side of the room. He of all people knew being imprisoned—or at least feeling imprisoned—was one of the worst things ever, but it was getting increasingly difficult to see Marinette as the same person anymore. Antisocial, no laughing, no emotion…except for the one time she managed to eat something slightly filling. Then life decided that was just too easy and forced it all back out. Points for effort though…there was only so much she could do for herself now.
Before Erek could say a word, Adrien tightened his grip on the boy's little hand. Nothing painful, but enough to tell him to stay put for the time being.
"Marinette?" he said quietly.
She didn't respond.
"Marinette, I, um…I-I know—"
"Go away," she said.
"You should probably look over here first," he replied. "I know you didn't really want me to do this but…I brought you a little surprise. It might make you feel better."
She scoffed in disbelief but slowly propped herself up on her elbows and turned towards him. Her eyes went wide and her skin immediately paled.
He was surprised Erek lasted this long without saying or doing anything, but when she looked at him, he simply couldn't hold back any longer and ran up to the bed to greet her.
"Mama! I came!" he exclaimed. "I brought gifts for you!"
The boy climbed up on the bed beside Marinette before Adrien could grab him, but he didn't need to either way. Marinette scooched over and helped him onto the bed so he could sit beside her.
He couldn't tell if she was genuinely happy or if it was a front for Erek.
"E-Erek…you're here…" she said through a toothy, very fake grin.
She wasn't looking at Erek when she said that though, noooope, she was giving Adrien the death stare of a lifetime.
"You're not happy to see me?" Erek asked.
The death glare had to stop so she could smile at Erek.
"No, no, I'm very happy to see you, I just…I just wasn't expecting you."
There was a certain undertone he caught that was undoubtedly directed at him.
"Mama, Mama, I made you pictures!" Erek said excitedly.
He slung off his backpack, set it on Marinette's shins, opened it up, and started shoving picture after picture in her face. She didn't get the chance to look at one before another blocked her view. Erek had so many more pictures… Adrien didn't even remember him packing or coloring this many.
"These are beautiful, baby," Marinette said once the last picture had been forced on her.
"You like them?"
"I love them, these are the best gifts I've ever gotten. Thank you."
"I also got a yo-yo for you." The boy turned around and held out his hand. "Adrien, can I have the yo-yo? It's Mama's favorite toy."
Adrien nodded and rummaged around through the many items in the duffel bag he'd been carrying. He assumed the yo-yo was for Erek and found it a little odd that he'd picked out his mom's "favorite toy," but maybe a little entertainment might do Marinette good. If he had to pick a favorite toy, he would've picked a slinky. Putting those on an up escalator could easily keep him occupied all day. Never got boring watching the slinky perpetually slink.
He handed Erek the yo-yo, who shoved it in Marinette's chest.
"Now you can do tricks," Erek told her.
Marinette forced a few chuckles and looked around nervously.
"Ummm…maybe you should practice yours first?"
"You could probably lean over the bed and walk the dog," he suggested.
"I…I don't know how to…"
"Yes you do," the boy argued. "Chat Noir told me all about Ladybug before he kissed you, I bet you're way better than her."
Her heart beat a little faster but her breathing was still even. No monitors screa—
Did Erek just say Chat KISSED HER?!
"Uh…um… Baby, wh-when did um…when did Chat Noir kiss me?"
Adrien felt his whole face burn. Erek was talking about the day he revived Marinette, that must've looked like the kiss of life to a little kid. Like bringing Sleeping Beauty back.
"When you stopped breathing, Mama."
"I…stopped…?"
Marinette took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Yeah, you were on Chat Noir's back and he asked you a question and you didn't answer."
"That doesn't mean I stopped breathing," she laughed. "I was just tired, I stopped talking."
"Oh…why didn't you wait until we got home to sleep? Chat Noir had a lot of stories, I'm sure you would've liked them. He was going to talk to you about the Evillustrator, and he said you were Ladybug that day. But…you fell asleep."
Why the volumes of blood that had poured out of her mouth went completely overlooked, Adrien didn't care. He was just grateful Marinette didn't know about that, or at least didn't know how much her young son had seen.
"Oh…" Marinette looked to the side for a moment but came right back with a smile. "Well, the answer is yes, I was Ladybug for a day. Not to brag or anything."
"You really were Ladybug?! Mama, tell me the story! Did you help Chat Noir? Did you fight a supervillain?!"
"Slow down there," Marinette said, smiling again but this time smiling as though she was watching that day play back in her head. "This was a long time ago, back when I was still a kid myself. I lived with Grandma and Grandpa at the time, still at the bakery. One day, a boy at my school developed a little crush on me—"
"Ewww, Mama…noooo, get to the part with Chat Noir and the Evillustrator," he whined.
"Hey, if you want to know the story, you have to listen to the whole thing."
Erek crossed his arms but relented.
"Anyway, as I was saying, one of my classmates had a crush on me. A bully in my class made fun of him for it though, and he was akumatized because of it. That boy became the Evillustrator. The real Ladybug had something else to do, so Chat Noir came to the bakery and asked me to fill in for her. The Evillustrator could draw something on a tablet on his arm and anything he drew would come to life."
"That's a cool superpower…"
"It sure is. And that night, he drew a beautiful scene that came to life just for me."
"Why?"
"He was trying to take me on a date so he drew things he thought I would like. He had a full moon, candles, a boat…"
Pfft, yeah…some romantic fake thing for her. Pathetic effort to get Marinette to like him… She would've preferred real candles and real flowers and a real moon and everything else real.
"It was really something special…"
Wait WHAT? She LIKED THAT?! He always thought she was just humoring the Evillustrator. She actually liked all that fake stuff?
"But, anyway, the Evillustrator's akuma was hidden in his pen. I had to trick the Evillustrator into giving me his pen so I could break it and free my classmate from Hawk Moth's control."
"How did you trick him?"
"Well, it just so happens that it was the Evillustrator's birthday that day. I asked him if I could draw him a gift for his birthday. He agreed. I had my hand around his pen and I was so close to pulling it away…but he saw Chat Noir hiding behind him. I gave Chat the signal too soon and he rushed in. We didn't get the pen but the real Ladybug came along and together, she and Chat Noir finished the job and freed my classmate."
There were a few details she left out but Adrien wasn't supposed to know anything about that.
"Wow…so you were kind of a superhero too?"
"I wouldn't say super, but—"
Adrien cleared his throat and smirked.
"Oh, Marinette, don't be so modest. Sounds to me like you were pretty brave, helping Chat Noir trick a supervillain and all," he said.
She giggled and shrugged.
"Well, okay, maybe a little super," she corrected.
Erek snapped his head towards Adrien.
"My mama was a real live superhero!" he exclaimed with more admiration than he'd ever seen in anyone before.
There was finally a spark in Marinette again. She was engaging in conversation…she found out Chat kissed her but hopefully she came to the conclusion of CPR…she was, dare he say it, enjoying herself right now. Maybe she still wasn't thrilled about Erek seeing her this way but this was such a huge jump in her mood. It made him glad he went against her wishes. As long as she stayed this way, that is.
Erek demanded more of the Evillustrator story. Marinette would start filling in smaller and smaller details, but many small details had been lost to time. Even he couldn't remember what day of the week it was, or what the exact time was, or even the exact date. He couldn't remember how long it took Marinette to ask for the pen or really anything about the boat. He had to go off her word on any of that but Erek took whatever he could get.
Alya eventually knocked on the door to be let in and Adrien gave Marinette a questioning glance. He'd already pushed his luck with Erek, he needed her permission with Alya.
Marinette reluctantly nodded and took a steady breath as he opened the door.
"Hi, Alya!" Erek greeted, refusing to leave Marinette's side to give her a hug as he normally would when he saw her.
"Mama, this is Alya," he explained to his mother. "Adrien lets me visit her sometimes. She has kids too and they're super nice to me. And she makes good cookies all the time. You should try one!"
"I'm sorry, Marinette," Alya chuckled. "I sort of spoil him a little, hope you don't mind."
"No…no, not at all…um, hi…again…" Marinette nervously said.
Alya and Nino still had unfortunate tendencies to catch Marinette sleeping, but she still knew they came and had seen them a few times already. She was never pleased to know they visited, probably because she didn't look too great right now.
"You know Alya, Mama?" Erek asked.
"I do…um… She's, you know…uh… She's an old friend of mine."
He could see the hurt in Alya's eyes when she was described as an "old friend" but in Marinette's defense, they were all just old friends. She had to be on the cusp of death for them to make enough time. Himself included.
"Why aren't you friends anymore?"
"Well…we just… We just…um…"
"W-We just grew apart," Alya said, sparing Marinette a difficult explanation. "Everyone was so busy all the time."
"But you visited Mama when she was sick," Erek said.
"Of course I did. Just because I was busy doesn't mean I ever stopped caring about your mama."
At first Marinette had a somewhat tender expression at Alya's words, but it quickly disappeared when Erek snatched the collar of her shirt so excitedly and yelled out, "That's what happened with Papa!"
Adrien and Alya both made instant, loud noises of discomfort and disagreement with Erek's choice of words. A mixture of their own uncertainty about how else to react and sympathy for the woman with the most shocked expression he'd ever seen on a human face.
And Erek didn't understand any of it.
His features dropped sullenly at everyone's collective reactions and he added, "Papa doesn't love you anymore?"
Marinette tried to regain control of the situation by grabbing Erek's shoulders and explaining whatever it was she was trying to explain, something about how she and his papa were best friends, but her words were betraying her, not unlike her awkward high school days when she would go about stammering in her conversations whenever she was around certain individuals.
"AAAADRIEN," Alya called to him, the undertone in her voice suggesting they leave immediately. "I'm a little hung…" Alya paused in regret, becoming aware that Marinette had been hungry for a long time and her complaining about fake hunger wasn't a great idea right now. "I'm…a little…have to do a thing. You should—"
"I'll come with you to help," Adrien quickly said.
He reached out and took Alya's hand, uncomfortably escorting her out of the room with a curt, polite wave to Marinette, who was still struggling to make excuses for her ex.
Excuses neither he nor Alya had the right to hear.
The moment Marinette's door closed behind them, they let out two huge breaths they didn't even know they'd been holding in.
Alya was actually the first to start laughing, something he couldn't quite understand. It was at complete random, too, as if she'd remembered a funny joke out of the blue and couldn't contain her laughter.
"What?" Adrien asked.
"Nothing, nothing!" Alya giggled. "I could see my oldest saying something like that too. Kids aren't…appropriate. I guess I was kinda glad it wasn't me for once."
Adrien allowed Alya a moment or two to compose herself again—he wasn't a mother, he wouldn't know what that kind of embarrassment felt like. But…hopefully this would give Marinette someone to relate to.
"Don't think you're immune," Alya slyly told him.
"I'll…be praying that day never comes…"
She simply laughed again, this time not randomly and more in false pity.
"But, being serious now," Alya started. "Do you know the deal with all…that?"
"'That?'" he echoed.
"Yeah…you know, with her ex…?"
"Oh, that! Yeah…a-a little bit. Mostly just what Sabine told me about it though," he answered.
Alya looked at him expectantly, silently encouraging him to go on.
"Marinette met a man named Pascal shortly after she got her career off the ground. Sabine described it as an 'instant connection.' They started dating, Marinette got pregnant, and sometime during that pregnancy, the relationship started to fail. I guess they couldn't keep it together and they broke up when Erek was still young—younger. Marinette was left to raise him alone, for the most part."
Alya scoffed.
"Did he at least pay child support?"
Adrien shrugged.
"That's pretty much all I know. You can ask Sabine, maybe she'll tell you more, but…"
Chat knew slightly more but Adrien had absolutely nothing to go on aside from Sabine's summary. Erek hadn't really brought his father up either, until today anyway.
"He had something so good…" Alya sighed disappointedly. "It's a shame he didn't see that."
She couldn't have possibly been righter. His opinion on family was a solemn one. Family was something serious and sacred, something worth his life and then some. Family was supposed to be protected and nurtured. If he ever knocked a girl up, he wouldn't dare abandon her. Even if the relationship couldn't work out, he still would've gone through a trial by fire to remain actively involved in the child's life, and he would treat the mother with the utmost respect.
And if that girl was someone as kindhearted and strong as Marinette? He would've considered himself the luckiest man alive, regardless of how or when the relationship ended. And he would most definitely have come to visit her in the hospital or taken care of her when she was sick.
Any man who refused to do those things for the mother of his child was scum in his eyes. Pascal refusing to do that for Marinette sickened him at his core. Honestly, he couldn't say for sure he wouldn't let Marinette go after Pascal if she was ever akumatized.
…Okay. That was a lie. He would stop her as Chat but he would internally be rooting for her.
"I wouldn't have left her…" Adrien muttered under his breath.
He hadn't intended for Alya to mentally translate that one little sentence to him being jealous of Pascal, but the surprised look Alya gave him after he said that made his face flush.
"I-I don't mean I like her that way," he said, rising to his own defense. "I mean, of course I love Marinette but I don't love Marinette."
He already realized how much he sounded like a bashful teenager with a crush he couldn't admit to, but this was the truth and as adults, surely Alya would understand this.
"Haaahhhh…" she hummed curiously. "Odd thing to say about a girl you want in your home…"
"Alya, come on, it's not like that," he groaned.
Alya giggled and playfully punched his arm.
"Yeah, but I like messing with you. Besides, it's kinda funny you said that."
"Funny how?"
"Well…let's just say it wouldn't have come as such a huge surprise if you said you and Marinette had a little 'accident.'"
The very thought of him doing anything like that with any woman, let alone Marinette, sent shivers up his spine. Yet, in a very roundabout way, he probably would've preferred that "accident" to have been made by him than her ex.
A/N
Thank you again soooo much for your support and kind thoughts! :) It warms me to know people are enjoying my work! I got a new job recently so writing has had to take a back seat, so I'm proud of the longer chapters I've been able to write!
Oh, Alya...you scalawag. :D Still up to your old tricks anyway, sort of.