A Little Fall of Rain

Adrien Wakes Up

Adrien's head was pounding. That was the first thing he noticed. The second was the smell of disinfectant. It was so strong it made his nose hurt. Licking his dry, cracked lips, Adrien turned his face over into his pillow, trying to get away from the annoying scent. He heard all sorts of noises around him. People were talking far away, and there was some kind of machine that hummed. It was probably a hospital, he guessed. Marinette must have brought him here.

Or, rather, Ladybug did.

Adrien's thoughts drifted to Marinette. His everyday Ladybug. The real Ladybug. She had been in front of him the whole time. A warmth filled his chest; he had finally discovered his Lady. And she was just as amazing on the other side of the mask, and every bit a hero.

Of course, it was Marinette that had saved his life. But... no. She shouldn't have done that. Adrien was supposed to be the one to take the hits. He was the one that was dispensable, not her. It was his job to protect her.

Adrien turned his head to face the other direction. Oh, man! That hurt even more. And there was something fuzzy in his ear. Adrien winced and turned his head back.

He had always hated the secret identities. It had never mattered to him who Ladybug was; Adrien knew he loved her all the same. Knowing Marinette was Ladybug wouldn't change how he fought next to her.

But now, Adrien felt like he might understand. The secret identity rule wasn't for him at all; it was for Marinette. Would she really be able to send him into danger knowing he was Adrien? She had taken a bullet for him, sacrificing herself for her friend. Of course, she would. She was loyal and protective like that. It was those qualities that make her Ladybug.

Adrien sighed. If she knew that he was Chat Noir, would she be able to fight next to him? Could she use her partner the way Chat Noir needed to be used? Or would she jump in front of another attack?

No. Chat Noir needed to be nameless, faceless; just a tool in her arsenal against Hawkmoth.

Adrien squeezed his fingers together, noticing that his ring was gone. On instinct, he felt himself beginning to sweat. It's okay, he told himself. It's all part of the plan. Wayzz will bring it back when he can.

But for now, it was Adrien's job to protect Marinette's identity. He couldn't let anyone know that Marinette was alive. It was up to him to protect her friends and family. The Kwamis had knocked him out somehow. All he needed to do was pretend it happened at the Heroes Day festival.

Adrien could do this, after all. His Lady was counting on him.

With a wince, Adrien opened his dry eyes. His gaze fell to his father's form sitting near his bed. Gabriel was slumped to the side of a chair; his normally pristine clothes were wrinkled and unkempt. His father's eyes were closed, and his jaw relaxed in sleep. In his hands, Gabriel loosely held a small book. Adrien recognized the cream and purple cover right away. It was "The Little Prince". His mother used to read it to him as a bedtime story. Adrien felt his chin quiver. Was his father reading to him?

"Father?" Adrien choked out.

Instantly, Gabriel jerked awake. He grabbed Adrien's hand and squeezed it tightly. Huh? Were those tears in his eyes? "Son! You're awake! Oh, thank goodness!"

Adrien stared back; he had never seen his father look so terrible. It had obviously been several days since he had shaved. Instead of his hair being immaculately styled, Gabriel's greasy hair hung in disheveled locks.

"I'm so sorry, Adrien," his father's bloodshot eyes met his. "So very sorry."

For a moment, Adrien forgot his mission completely. Not even after his mother's disappearance did his father seem so distressed. Adrien's heart sank with guilt. He hadn't considered what his father must have been going through. Still, he couldn't let that distract him from what he needed to do. Adrien drew a shaky breath.