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“Shouldn’t we be at Marinette’s already?” Plagg circled around Adrien’s shoulder pestering him on the little ‘date’ she set up for them at the bakery with her parents.
Whatever the blonde was going to say was cut off by his father’s faithful watchdog coming into the lonely cold room, “Adrien, you have twenty-four minutes to finish your lunch before needing to study your Chinese lessons.” Her voice is neutral and distant as always.
“Is my father too busy to have lunch with me again?” he asked with a sliver of hope as he moved his food around aimlessly on his plate.
However that sliver like all the others was crushed. “Indeed, your next lunch with him is scheduled next Thursday.” the empty reply came.
Adrien bit his cheek to stop his lip from quivering and betraying him. ‘ Agreste’s don’t cry, Agreste’s don’t cry.’ he repeated in his head several times before the tear in his eye dissipated. “In that case I’ll just go eat in my room and practice my Chinese, at least then it will feel like I have some company.” he took his plate and left the room to his own part of the prison he called home.
On the other side of town a certain hero waited on her balcony with a smirk, “See Tikki, I told you he wouldn’t come.'' She turned her back to walk away and join her family for brunch.
“Uhh, Marinette? I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” the little sprite called over her shoulder watching an all too familiar cat pole vaulting across the city to their location. “Looks like you underestimated Chat’s love for macaroons.”
“That glutton! What if he actually fell in-love with me?!” She started to panic at the thought of the feline hero actually having the hots for her. “Is a couple measly seconds all it took? Is that all his love for Ladybug is worth to him?” She growled slightly at his easily swayed heart, falling for any girl that gives him the time of day. She then proceeded to spiral downhill in her own logic right until the moment she was called down to greet their guest of honor.
A very nervous hero stood at the doorway with a rose in hand. “H-hello Marinette.” He smiled scratching the back of his head sheepishly for someone usually so bold.
“Welcome to our home!” Tom exclaimed scooping the young man up into an excited hug before anyone else got the chance to speak.
“Tom let him have some air would you?” a gentle voice suggested from the kitchen calling the husband back over to let the kids, rather awkwardly, say their greetings to each other while the parents just beamed at them.
“Listen I have something-” both of them started only to be cut off by the happy father.
“Well now kids let’s come sit down and I’ll get the first course out!” he brought them over to the table seating them down next to one another before going back for the appetizer.
Marinette began to panic internally once again, ‘ Oh no I gotta find a way to end this fast before anyone starts thinking this is a real thing!!! ’
As her husband bulldozed the first couple minutes of conversation, Sabine watched the interaction with a pleasant slime glad that Tom was kicking it off so well with the nice boy their daughter found before she finally decided to step in again. “Tom, why don’t we let Chat Noir talk too Honey? Tell us Chat, what are some of your hobbies?” her smile was warm and gentle to the practical stranger.
“Hobbies? Well aside from hero work I don’t really have a lot of hobbies.” He tried thinking of anything he could say that wouldn’t give himself away as Adrien Agreste; the most famous model in Paris. “Oh actually I like to study and play video games.” he responded in an upbeat manner at finding something any normal teen would say.
“Oh boy, look at that, our Marinette just loves to play video games! In fact she went to lead her school to a state championship not too long ago playing with a classmate.” The large man cheered as he brought out a dish of baked pasta.
The girl in question blushed at being spoken of so highly in front of herself. “It wasn’t that big of a deal dad.” she tried brushing it off along with the attention it brought to her.
As lunch continued Adrien could feel himself being torn between enjoying this meal with a friend and their family, and feeling a sadness wishing his father could be a fraction as nice as Tom was. And when both parents excused themselves from the table to clean off the dishes and give the two kids some privacy the silence decided that battle. “Your dad’s so nice.” the smallest of voices came out almost as a plea.
“I’m sure your family is amazing too.” Marinette responded, after all being a superhero herself she imagined him having just as good of a secret life as she did.
“I wish.” the feline said almost coldly, with some emotion lacing his words that Marinette wasn’t able to catch.
“Chat…”
“I can’t remember the last time I saw my father. I have to wait for weeks before we even have a meal together.” he could feel the magic material of his gloves squeezing against itself. “I tried so hard to be the perfect son for him, I do everything he asks hoping that he would just look at me and smile.” He could feel the tears welling up under the mask, but the emotions he was dragging up wouldn’t stop bubbling over.
Marinette felt a cord struck deep within her heart. All this time as Ladybug she had no idea her partner was suffering like this. “But, you’re Chat Noir. The hero of Paris.” She tried providing some comfort, any comfort, to the poor hero with a gentle hand on his back.
The tears finally escaped from under his mask leaving streaks down his face as he tried to remain strong. “I’m sorry, tell your family I really loved getting to spend time together. I just can’t do this right now.” he said getting up and practically running out the door.
“Marinette? Is Chat okay, Sweetie?” Her mom asked worried as she came back hearing all the commotion.
“I don’t think he is, and I don’t know how to help him.” Sadness made her own voice tremble as she spoke. “I need to call a friend mom, she’ll know what to do.”
Ladybug flew through the city swinging by her yo-yo making leaps and bounds to reach the top of the Eiffel tower as fast as she could. When she got there in the shadows she found her black cat sitting curled into a ball as tight as he could be. His quiet sobs came to a hult as she touched down onto the metal flooring.
“M-My Lady, I was just thinking of a funny joke. What do you call-” whatever made up joke he was trying to say never left his mouth as the heroine threw herself onto him, squeezing him like his would disappear if she ever let go.
“I’m so sorry Chat. I’m sorry I never noticed.” she choked her own sob down as she held him. “A little birdy told me that you could really use a friend right now.” she turned her head into him more.
Chat slowly came out of his shock and wrapped his arms around his one and only support. “I- I just thought, maybe that’s how every father is, you know? I’ve never really had any friends to compare it to, or see how it’s done. But after seeing Marinette's family and how nice they are. I Just thought maybe I’m the reason he doesn’t love me.” his voice quivered more and more with each word as tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Chat that is not your fault.” She lightly scolded him and she pulled away to look him in the eye. “Nobody, nobody. Deserves to feel unloved by their family. It doesn’t matter who you are under that mask Chat, I am your friend and will always be here for you.” A lopsided sad smile was on her face as she gripped his shoulders. “I will always have you back Kitty. No matter what you need, or when you need it. You can count on me.” Ladybug pulled him back into her embrace.
“Thanks Bugaboo.” The feline held onto her feeling the weight of the world finally off his chest.