Chapter Text
Three days into their recovery and Dr. Kimishima stopped coming by to check on them. Dr. Reyes informed both Adrien and Marinette that the surgeon had to return to her own hospital in England, but he would be providing her with a progress report. On their final day, he gave them both an address which they could send her anything if they so wanted. Adrien, of course – once settled back home – wrote the doctor a letter thanking her profusely for saving his life, unaware that Marinette would be doing similar back in the bakery.
For the two teenagers, and everyone around, life resumed without any more delays outside of the usual akuma. Both heroes returned in form, Chat Noir taking it on the easier side though, or doing his best to try. For the first two months, Ladybug would be seen occasionally scolding him on the Ladyblog when he pushed himself too hard, but those gradually stopped with the duo in full form by the time spring returned. When summer arrived, Adrien pulled off his pajama shirt and examined his chest in the mirror. As the doctor said, the scar was practically gone, having healed so faintly that only if he stood closer could he make it out. Fingers tracing where it had been, he inhaled and exhaled slowly, smiling when he felt nothing but his lungs expelling air through flared nostrils. Plagg appeared above his shoulders, paws crossed and head nodding.
“Not bad, but don’t admire yourself all day when you could pick up any magazine to do that. I thought you wanted to meet your friends on time,” the black kwami tutted. With a huff, Adrien grabbed a white shirt and pulled it over his head.
“I just wanted to see how the scar was fading. Father’s not going to be disappointed.”
Speaking of his father, things had gotten better between them. Sure, he was still busy, but he seemed to be trying to reconnect through the occasional dinner together and by taking a minor albeit active interest in his schooling. No birthday parties still, but like today, he was actually allowed to go out with his friends just as long as the Gorilla remained nearby. Awkward, but the Gorilla at least gave them space.
“It takes a near-death experience for your dad to pay attention to you,” Plagg grumbled, bumping his head against Adrien’s cheek. “I guess it’s better late than not having the chance at all.” Adrien wasn’t surprised that his kwami was still huffing over that. Throughout, the little cat of destruction had been plenty panicked, the feeling growing exponentially when he had to slip away with the Miraculous ring shortly before they arrived at the hospital. He didn’t like having to be a passive observer while his Chosen suffered, but there wasn’t anything he could do. Scowling, he accepted a few scratches behind his ear before diving down.
Ducking into Adrien’s pocket, the young boy hurried out of his room, almost running down into the foyer, but slowed at the sight of his father standing at the stairs. The usual intimidating stare was there, icy blue staring firmly back into his son’s emerald green. Seconds of silence passed before his father spoke, “Where are you going?”
“We’re going to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, so, not that far. If we don’t stay there, we’ll probably head to Marinette’s house,” Adrien replied, “And, if we head anywhere else, I’ll send you a text.”
“Good. What time will you be home?”
“Five o’clock, five-thirty at the latest.”
With a satisfied nod, his father said nothing more, turning away to ascend up the opposite staircase while Adrien walked down to the first floor landing where Gorilla stood silently, waiting for father and son to finish their conversation. Turning, he opened the door, saying nothing as Adrien passed, and closed the door behind him once both outside.
Two years later…
Their final year at Lycée would be upon them soon, but there they were, fooling around, ignoring the final question on their literature assignment at Parc de Belleville, and trying not to disturb too many other groups visiting. Fortunately, from his photoshoots over the years, Adrien knew the best places to go if you wanted to avoid people or just high foot-traffic in general. Marinette brought snacks from her parents’ bakery for them to enjoy, Nino delivered the tunes during their study session, and Alya had a handle on the entertainment with her phone and spare portable chargers on hand – or, she would be providing entertainment if they weren’t currently in a dog pile laughing.
“C’mon, you guys are heavy!” Nino whined, flailing beneath Adrien, but he couldn’t get up either considering Marinette and Alya were weighing him down. Still, he could push himself up, and turning his head to speak to the girls, his eyes snapped open upon discovering Marinette’s face was barely a few centimeters away. He felt his cheeks warm, and noticed the pink blooming beneath her freckles and he couldn’t look away. Beneath him, Nino grinned and behind Marinette, Alya was smirking. The reporter shifted her hand to between Marinette’s shoulder blades, ready to ‘help’ them close the gap. Unfortunately, both looked away at the same instance instead causing them both to crash together and for all three to spill off a groaning Nino.
“Augh, I think you dudes crushed something…”
Marinette was standing up first, one hand hurriedly dusting grass blades off her clothes, her head turning as she tried pinpointing something. “Did you guys hear that?”
“Hear what?” Alya asked, straightening her plaid button-up before cleaning off her pants, “I don’t have your weird super hearing. Consequences of younger siblings, remember?”
“Same. I didn’t hear anything…” Nino readjusted his headphones around his neck, hands swiping blindly at his back. He paused when he noticed Adrien was acting similar to Marinette. “Adrien?”
“… It’s coming from this way.” He had said nothing for a full minute, and set off at a jog before the others realized save for Marinette. “Stay there! We’ll be right back!” He called to Nino and Alya before running faster, Marinette running in step next to him. “Crying, right?”
“Yeah,” was all she had to say. They were up the slope in a moment, and slowing outside of the tree lines when they spotted a young girl. She was crying – no, calling a name as she clutched her orange sundress and rubbed at her face. Her shoulder length brown hair swayed, small form moving left and right before stopping again where she started. Besides a few scuffs to her single-strap shoes, the girl was fine despite being upset. Marinette frowned, noticing how people were just walking past, “She’s lost.”
“And I think she only speaks American English,” Adrien noted, hearing how the young girl attempted to speak up. It was distinctive just from a few words that she wasn’t French, and the accent accompanying wasn’t British English.
A soft gasp at his side, he glanced at Marinette, but she was only staring at the girl still. “Is she supposed to be at a hospital?”
“What?”
His head whipping back, Adrien didn’t know how he missed it. One of the girl’s eyes was covered by a patch, and the side of her body away from them was swathed by bandages. Could people possibly be avoiding her because of those? Oddly enough, he could pick up on Marinette’s anger slowly rising and he placed a hand on her shoulder, “Let’s go help her out. She must have wandered away from someone here, right?”
“… Right.”
Nodding once, he knew they had to be careful approaching. A lone child in need of help maybe, but they were still strangers, and they didn’t know how she might react to them approaching. And as he assumed, one large green eye was on them once she noticed their presence. Between Marinette and himself, they should know enough English to help her… hopefully. The designer appeared hesitant, her confidence in foreign language lacking considering her last few times.
“Hello. I’m Marinette.” The introduction was very by-the-book, but at least Marinette had the girl’s attention. “This is Adrien. You need help?”
The girl stared at them longer, and Adrien worried that she might start crying again. However, she merely sniffled and nodded. “I… followed a butterfly… a-and now I don’t know where Naomi is.”
Adrien hummed, relieved to know that this was just a lost child who wandered away from their guardian. Kneeling down to the girl’s eye level, he smiled, “We’ll help you find Naomi. What does she look like?”
His English was a little more articulated, but hopefully, the young girl did not go into a complex description. She was thinking about it, raising a hand to her mouth and biting a finger. “Naomi has… blue eyes, and she wears black… and her hair is white.”
“… White hair?” The two teenagers exchanged looks, wondering if they were looking for an older woman now. It wasn’t as though they hadn’t seen a white haired woman before, but what would be the chances that it that same woman?
“Alyssa? Alyssa!”
“Ah, Naomi!”
Standing, Adrien turned and Marinette stepped aside to allow the young girl to run passed. She might have injuries, but she was sprinting towards Alya, Nino, and a woman in their accompaniment. Though her outfit was now a black and orange pinstripe suit, both were surprised to see who it was. Her hair was shorter and tied in a ponytail, and her skin somehow paler, Dr. Kimishima was hugging the girl clinging onto her hip. She was speaking in English to the small girl, firm while she scolded her, but relieved all the same.
The girl, Alyssa, remained clinging to Dr. Kimishima with a bright smile while the doctor looked at all of them, one hand resting on Alyssa’s head. “I thought sticking with your friends would prove fortuitous when I encountered them.” Behind her, Alya and Nino stood straighter, eyes open a margin wider. Adrien guessed they were surprised that the doctor remembered them. Naomi bowed somewhat to them, “Agreste, Dupain-Cheng, thank you for looking after my daughter. I told her not to leave the Little Guy’s sight, but she has her moments. Now I need to call him before he tries rallying the police…”
“Rallying the police?” Nino murmured, voice wavering at the thought. Alya sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head.
“A normal overreaction from the Agent… you’ll have to excuse him,” the doctor replied, but she was quick to put the topic aside. Instead, she focused on Adrien and Marinette. “I’m glad to see you two are well. I came to personally see Dr. Reyes for your latest post-op records, but decided to take the opportunity to have a vacation. It’s been needed…”
“The life of a surgeon, right?” Adrien asked, but Naomi shook her head, smiling.
“Medical examiner now,” she answered, not commenting at their bewildered gazes. Instead, she pressed on, “Your operation was one of the last I performed. The rest is a long story, but… let’s just say the career change was a calling that I accepted.”
Naomi’s lip quirked. Staring at Adrien and Marinette, the knowing in her eyes, but she said nothing on that matter, nodding once to them instead. Her hand fell from Alyssa’s head, and she took one of the young girl’s hand into hers, holding tight. “Anyway, again, I’m glad to see you all in good health, but we must be going. Perhaps we’ll meet once more before we return to America, but that will be for fate to decide.”
Exchanging goodbyes (Naomi teaching Alyssa how to say goodbye in French too), the four watched mother and daughter walk away in better spirits, and soon talked about getting back to school work. Allowing Alya and Nino to go ahead, Adrien slipped his hand into Marinette’s, a familiar feline smile stretching on his face, “Shall we visit later, My Lady?”
Blue eyes flicking in his direction, she playfully shrugged. “It’s not like us to pop in and visit random citizens, but I think we can make an exception. Ladybug should thank the woman that saved her kitten after all.”
A faint chortle and soft purr, he leaned down to bump his forehead against her temple, knowing his tail would have curled in delight hearing her giggle. Her other hand pressing his chest and pushing, he pulled back, but they didn’t let go of each other’s hands once they finally started walking, going to catch up with their friends.