Adrien paused hearing Felix and Kagami talk. He narrowed his eyebrows, what were they discussing?...this felt-bad…something was amiss, he moved away, he had to find out somehow but who would know the dark secret Felix held apart from Felix himself and Felix's mother?, his father maybe?.
Adrien sighed, it had been a while since he had called his father on his phone. Adrien generally assumed his father would be too busy, but now he needed to know this, just one thing. He waited while his phone rang, Adrien looked at the phone and swiped up, deciding to go to the camera on his phone…Chat Noir the hero, Chat noir the one to help the world, the one to help his lady, the one that has so many responsibilities as his civilian form, the one that has to do one thing or the other, be safe, don't ruin Ladybug's plans, be helpful, be kind, don't be impolite, don't act rashly!.
…when was it enough?. When he dies will it be enough? When he was free from his father, it was never enough. He could do his very best but it wasn't enough!, it isn't enough!-he has a wobbly smile, pained eyes staring back at him-weak, you can't help her. Was it true?, maybe-you are so pathetic!, if you can't help her then what is your purpose?! Ha! Even your dad hates you!, you're ugly and not useful…he bit his lip shaking his head softly, these weren't his thoughts, they were too dark…it's because he knows they aren't, whose thoughts are these?. His father's thoughts about him? Adrien turned to the right and leaned against the right wall with tears in his eyes. I want to be worth it. These aren't true. I am thinking too much about it, everyone likes me and I know I am not ugly. I know I am not ugly, it is the pressure-the pressure it is too much!.
He crouched down staring at his phone, something felt off. He hated this. Why did it have to be like this?! Marinette smiled at Alya and waved "Got to go see ya'!" she ran off Nino and Alya looked at each other Nino said "What is going on with her?" Alya shrugged. Marinette ran but tripped. Adrien looked up and gasped running to her side phone left behind on the ground, "Marinette are you okay?!" she smiled and chuckled "Ye-yeah I am!" her bluebell eyes caught Adrien's light emerald green eyes, he was crying!, she gasped "Adrien is something wrong?!-I-I mean what is wrong?! Wh-what happened?!. I-I um-I-!"It-it is fine just…" he sighed looking down.
His voice soft "I don't know when it will be enough Marinette…" he looked to the right "when is it enough?, when can I be free and not do what others want or what I need to do?..." his lips quivered, his voice breaking "When I die?! I don't want it to end then though!" he wiped at his right eye with the heel of his right hand. Marinette looked at him frozen, he needed comfort but was she the right one?...If not then what?! Now what?!, she could hug him but what if it was awkward!. Then she let out a loud sigh and hugged him tightly. No hesitation this time around Marinette she thought, Adrien's eyes widened and he slowly lifted his head. He stared at her shocked, this felt nice he hugged her tightly "Thank you".
His voice a whisper, she smiled nodding. He closed his eyes, slowly he backed away when he felt better "I have something to do so see you around!" He smiled at her and ran off with skips. Marinette nodded, she ran to the art club and said breathlessly "I am here!" She helped them paint the banner, do a few art projects, sew a thing she needed and then ran off with what she needed, she saw some people that needed help. She skidded behind a wall "Tiki spots on!" she swung over and helped the person out from under the rubble and helped them up "Thank you so much!" she grinned "Anytime! Bug out!" she swung off.
Marinette-now Ladybug swung over to some people needing help, she de-transformed and walked over to them in a hurry "Do you need help?" the person nodded and she helped tidying it all up and gave it to the man he grinned "Thanks! She grinned as well "Happy to help at all times!" he nodded, walking off. Marinette looked at the bakery and ran off "Mom dad! I am here!" they smiled at her, her mother said "Oh dear your back! Can you help bake with your father?" she nodded, walking to put on her apron".
"Gladly" she put it on and went to her fathers left side helping knead dough, put goods in the oven, place foods in their respective shelves and behind glass display cases. Marinette took off her apron and hung it up and went to clean her hands at the sink, her dad took care of the other goods he had to make. She turned on the tv that was downstairs and placed the remote on the coffee table. It was just the general news, this happened and that happened blah blah blah, until it reached Ladybug. It was about her activity in keeping others safe was increasing, leading to worry and a racket on the news that something could be amiss and speculating that something bigger is going on which was why she has upped her game and done more to help.
None of which were true, Marinette sighed. None of it is true, now what? I can't just tell them 'Oh sorry nothing is going on! Just that I saw Chat cry because I could have died and now I decided I have to be better!' that won't do. I need an excuse, an excuse right but what?. She couldn't reveal that, it was too personal, too vulnerable of a moment for Chat, he would get mad and he would have the right to be mad. She went upstairs calling to her parents "I am just going to my room to-erm do homework and the usual! Goodbyeseeyouatdinner!" her door slammed shut. Sabine looked over at Tom "What was the last part?" he shrugged "Probably the usual, that she will see us at dinner and goodbye".
She nodded "I agree" she carried on organizing a few things sweeping, helping out in the kitchen and other areas of the house "I hope she is doing fine" he smiled right hand to his chest "She is our daughter! She can do anything!" he put his hand to his side "I am confident that she can do anything. If she isn't fine she knows we will be there to listen to her anyway!".
Sabine smiled "You are right Tom" she walked over to him kissing him "You are so enthusiastic, I love that about you" he hugged her "I love you too". She chuckled, hugging him then moving back, going back to what she was doing. Marinette flopped on her bed on her back "Now what Tiki?" she groaned her hands over her face, shoes kicked off in different directions far away. Tiki sat in front of her computer cookie in her paws "I am not sure, but I think you could just explain it as wanting to ensure further protection for Paris that has nothing to do with Hawkmoth. And add that you care a lot about Paris, it would do for now until you can figure out a more satisfying response so that they don't try seeing if Chat has anything to do with this". Marinette sat up with arms to her sides "That is great Tiki!" she looked at her "Thank you soooo much!" Tiki giggled "Anything to help Marinette" she bit her cookie.
Marinette hopped up, slippers on while walking around her room in circles, in different directions, playing with her hands thinking of what to say and how to say it. "Should seem honest and not have any hint of hesitation". Tiki flew about near Marinette's left side "Don't worry too much about it you are young anyway, just do your best" Marinette grinned nodding. An idea of what to say in her mind.
"Tiki spots on!" Gabriel sighed sitting at his desk. He glanced at the time briefly, Adrien should be home around now. He considered calling him, it might just make Adrien panic that something was wrong. He hardly ever called Adrien as is, but he had to know…or he could just go to the school?. He would be hard to miss, but his car has been driven about before to drive Adrien to school so if he just kept his head low would that work?, or he could go ahead and call his nuisance nephew, Felix.
Felix probably was around where Adrien is, he cares a lot about Adrien as far as Gabriel could tell. Or maybe he shouldn't call Felix, he could ask Nathalie to but she would be annoyed and probably bug about it for ages the next time he decides to do something concerning Adrien. Or the easiest and simplest thing he could do-call Adrien. Well it would be if Adrien wouldn't think something is wrong if he did so, why was life so complicated?. He huffed turning on the television with a remote, it was large and great he had it mostly for discussions with associates that helped his business or for meetings, he occasionally turned it on most times to see if there was anyone he could use or if anything interesting was going on (also helpful to know what others thought of his latest designs but he definitely didn't care about what others think not at all!). It was the news, random stuff, drama, fashion, his latest designs which everyone loved and thought were great by the way and the marketing was also going fabulously smooth.
He smiled, no complications whatsoever and no complaints about the clothes so far. The manufacturing was going well also. He wrote it all down in some notes and locked it away. He found it easier to write notes like that to not have to scroll up and down on a screen and also because he can mark up anything or do what he wants with the writing easily to remember some specifics. His brand was doing well, next on the news was issues on other things-oh and Andre Bourgeois, someone he wasn't too fond of for his lack of spine and succumbing to others wants and needs too easily, it was a wonder how Paris was able to stand with such a spineless man. What a mess that man was. "Barely able to keep a hold on his daughter" he remarked to himself. How could someone barely able to keep a hold of his daughter be able to control Paris with an iron fist?.
None at all, the mayor was utterly hopeless. No one took him seriously, it was a wonder how he managed to become mayor in the first place-Gabriel mostly attributed that with his kindness and bubbliness and also his devotion to Paris, why Gabriel was able to have more respect and authority in other areas than Andre did. Many took him seriously but Andre?, "He would fit better in the circus instead" he chuckled at that. The news flicked to Ladybug, he raised an eyebrow "Ladybug hmm?". She was everywhere by now, so famous, and so was Chat Noir, she was everyone's favorite heroine.
He never did consider the other heroes much, apart from Chat Noir who was not just a 'Sidekick' or 'Second fiddle' as others loved to remark. No he took Chat Noir into account as well, that cat was suave and maybe in more ways than one, how he noticed?. Well the few times Chat had to fend for himself he proved quite competent, and so he took Chat Noir as seriously as he could in spite of the endless trail of puns, now back to Ladybug it was about how she was doing more to keep others safe, he smirked considering the implications.
"She's burning herself out more than usual", the usual was already quite a lot but more?. This could easily be his moment to rise and win, the why was obvious to him. She had something that pushed her to be better, he had thoroughly looked into her in the past. That was obvious to him then, and it still is now, she is the type to rise to be better if the situation proved dire and right now it could be dire.
He looked around. He already took care of seeing how everything in his business was going-good, and saw the latest things, he would gain nothing mulling over the thought of Andre and how he is doing, controlling Paris. He'll get involved when it proves itself to be an issue to him, for now he'll keep his distance, he got up and went to Nathalie. "Nathalie get the car ready" he started walking to the car "I'm going to see what is taking my son so long". Nathalie stared shocked, he sighed looking over his shoulder "Are you going to just stand there or do I also have to take you to the car?" she shook her head "Uh no…just that this is-" she walked over to him "well unusual of you sir".