Chapter Text
“AAAAAUUUUGGGHHGHGGHHGGH!!!!!!” Adrien’s cry was guttural and harsh. It could be heard throughout almost every room in the mansion.
What is the point! He’s never gonna let me out from under his thumb! If he can do this, then he’ll never see me as a grown up! I’ll never have a life of my own. Adrien silently fumed as he stomped around his room.
“Kid,” Plagg floated up and noticed tears were forming at the corner of Adrien’s eyes. “Awe Adrien.” Plagg flew up to his chosen’s neck and started to rub his face against his skin. A purr rumbled deep in his throat as he offered what comfort he could.
Adrien stopped walking when he felt Plagg against his neck. The tears started to flow freely. Adrien slowly crouched, and then knelt on the floor, cradling his kwami.
After a few minutes the crying slowed. Adrien stroked Plagg’s head and said quietly, “I guess I‘m gonna take your advice.”
Plagg moved and floated in front of Adrien. “Which bit of my awesome advice are you going to take?”
Adrien stood up and walked over to the windows of his room.
“Kid?”
A hand brushed the final tears off. Adrien raised his chin and looked out over Paris. “I’m getting out.”
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Ladybug was waiting on the top of the The Hôtel de Ville to start their patrol. She saw Chat Noir slowly looping towards her. He was moving rather slower than usual for her kitty.
Chat gracefully landed beside Ladybug and slightly bowed. “Echante my lady. It’s a beautiful night and the company is ever so lovely.” He reached for her hand and raised it to his lips for a kiss.
Ladybug let him. Which was kind of unusual. Normally she would pull her hand away and boop his nose pushing him back, but the sadness in his eyes belied the flirtatiousness of his words. “Chat? Is everything ok?”
Chat sighed and let Ladybug’s hand slide from his. “Can’t hide much from you Bugaboo. Yeah, something is .. not wrong .. but not right.” He sighed and sat down on the roof, dangling his legs over the edge. Glancing down at a space beside himself he sighed, “Can we just sit and talk for a bit. Skip patrol?”
Chat wouldn’t meet her eyes and Ladybug sat down next to him, “Sure Chat. Whatever you need right now.” Ladybug had never felt so much sadness off him. She noticed the slight hunch to his shoulders, the slouch in his back. All signs of dejection. She waited for him to speak, silently letting him know she’d wait until he was ready to talk.
Chat tilted his head to the sky. Took a deep breath. “You’ve know that for a long time I haven’t had the best home life.” Ladybug hummed in agreement. “Well, the last few months have been really strained between my father and I.”
Chat shifted a moment and twiddled his fingers. “I’m not sure how old you are but I’m going to be going into Lycee next year. I mentioned to him that the papers had been handed out for our selections on what we want to do, which courses and path we want to take. Prepping for the BAC. He barely acknowledged that he heard me. I tried to ask for his help in picking things out and he then told me to deal with it myself and just hand the papers over to ... his secretary and he’d sign it. So I picked out my path and classes, gave it to her and we went into his office. She handed it to him. He didn’t even look at it. He asked if it was complete and the secretary said yes and he signed it.”
Ladybug let out a horrified gasp. For a father to have absolutely no interest in what their child wants to do with their life.... She never thought anyone else could be as bad as Adrien’s dad. She gently placed her hand on Chat’s thigh. He placed his hand over it.
Chat sniffed and continued on. “I thought that was bad enough. You know, no interest at all. I handed in the forms and after a week got back that response that I was cleared for it, and took that paper home. Left it with the secretary and did homework.” Chat grasped Ladybug’s hand tightly. “A few days later the teacher gave me another set of papers. Told me that my classes had been changed as per my father’s request. Everything was fine and good to go.”
Chat let go of Ladybug’s hand and stood up. “Good to Go!” he shouted. “I can’t believe it. There is nothing good about this! He let me set it all up and then he just went and redid everything to the way he wanted without even telling me.” Chat Noir paced around the roof.
“Chat,” Ladybug had also stood up and tried to put her hand on his arm. Hoping to calm him down a bit.
“He always does this.” The tears started to seep into his words, “He doesn’t ask me what I want to do. He doesn’t find out what interests me. He just sets things up and tells me as almost an after thought. He could have told me when I first got the paperwork on what classes he wanted me to take at least. But this. This!” The tears had overflowed and Chat had to stop as they blurred his vision.
“It was...” His voice got quiet, “This was like he let me think that I had a choice in my life only to show me that I didn’t. That I am his to control.” Chat wasn’t aware of when his lady had come up behind and gently wrapped her arms around him. His face turned to the sky again, the tears rolled. After a moment Ladybug slid around to his front and just held him.
Ladybug tightened her arms around Chat and held him until his breathing grew steady. She pulled back and looked at him. “That is intolerable Chat. You don’t deserve that. You deserve better than that.”
“Yeah, I...” Chat nodded and pulled out from her arms. “I think I’m going to do what my kwami has been suggesting. I’m leaving. It will be hard for my civilian side. I’m going to have to leave school. I can’t stay at my friend’s place. Father would look there first and force me back home.”
“He’d do that?”
“I think so. I’d try running away to like, another city but I can’t leave Paris, can’t leave you to defend it on your own. And I’d miss you too much.” Chat glanced down at his boots before looking back at Ladybug. “So, anyway, I’m kind of wondering if you know of any place I could go? I have some funds from my working for him. I can move them over to another bank or something. But I was also wondering if I should go to Master Fu. I know I shouldn’t stay with him in case Hawk Moth finds us, but do you think he can help or offer advice? What do you think I should do?”
Ladybug thought for a bit. He watched the ideas and feelings cross her features. It was why he wanted to ask her. She always comes up with the best plans.
Ladybug seemed to reach some kind of decision, then it seemed like she started an argument in her head. She muttered under her breath, “Tikki’s not going to be happy.” And then reached a decision by lightly smacking a closed fist into the palm of her other hand. With determination etched on her face she declared, “Here’s what were going to do.” She looked at Chat. “We’re going to reveal our identities and then you’re moving in with me.”
Chat was gobbed smacked. “WHAT?!” he cried.
“Well, technicality you already know me and I know you like my folks, my folks like you too, so we’ll take you in.” She grinned at him.
Chat shook his head, he knew Ladybug was kind and would help out anyone in anyway she could, but this, this was beyond what she should do.
“Ladybug, I can’t impose on you and your family. If my dad ever found out...”
Ladybug waved a hand to shush him. “Don’t worry. My parents and I will fight tooth and nail for you Chat. I’m hoping we won’t have to tell them we’re heros though. I’m going to have to come up with a reasonable reason for why I want to help a stranger so much, but when we explain to them about what your dad is doing they should be more than willing to help you out.”
Ladybug had looked off towards where Chat assumed, was the direction of her home when something clicked in his head. “Wait,” he put a hand on her shoulder and gently turned her back to face him. “First you say I know you and then you said we’re strangers. My Lady, we are strangers. You’re talking about convincing your parents to let a stranger into their house to live with them. I could be a criminal for all you or they know.”
Ladybug puts her hands on her hips, “First of all Chat, you’re a hero of Paris. I seriously doubt you’re a criminal in your civilian life. Secondly,” Ladybug stepped back from him, “you do know me. Tikki! Spots off!”