Appreciating Chat Noir

Chapter Twenty-Three

Mr. Agreste stared at his son as he approached the dinner table. He didn't look heartbroken. In fact, he looked perfectly content. If Marinette had really broken up with him, it didn't appear to have affected him in any way. Strange.

Adrien went to sit down and then looked up at his father, his facial expression changing in an instant. He looked surprised and perhaps unhappy. That was more like it. But why did he appear to be unhappy with... him?

"Father?" Adrien asked, voice filled with surprise.

"Hello, Adrien. I thought I would join you for dinner." He had extra made sure to be there to comfort him when he was inevitably heartbroken. Obviously.

"Oh okay...?" Adrien looked around to check for something. "Why?"

Mr. Agreste sputtered. "Does there have to be a reason?"

"Oh. I guess not." But his face said otherwise.

They sat down and began to eat dinner. The two ate in silence, the only sounds that could be heard were the occasional sounds of cutlery scrapping on plates, or the sound of breathing. The tension was so thick with the silence of what was left unsaid, one could choke on it if not careful. Mr. Agreste looked up and sighed. This wasn't getting them anywhere.

"Adrien?"

"Yes?"

"Did Marinette break up with you?" He decided to ask the question point-blank, there was no reason to waste time.

Adrien's eyes widened. So, they were actually going to talk about it? The Agreste's never talked about things, only skirted around them. The last time they had actually dealt with their issues properly was before his mom had died. "No, why would she?"

Mr. Agreste bristled with impatience. "Why didn't you tell me you two were dating?"

It was Adrien's turn to look confused. "You don't tell me about things happening in your life, why should I tell you about things happening in mine? Besides, you aren't really around enough. I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to."

Mr. Agreste was speechless though he knew deep down these things were true. This all came as a shock, however, as his son had never spoken quite so directly at him before. "Well, I'm here now. And I do tell you things that are happening in the company. I make sure to let you know."

"You get Nathalie to let me know. I eat meals alone. When I go out there into the world and finally make friends and even start dating Marinette who is my girlfriend by the way, suddenly there is a problem. Why is me making a life outside of this home a problem? As far as I am concerned those things are perfectly normal actually-

"Yet you didn't tell me about these things. Or these life developments. You act so hard done by when I have done so much to take care of you and this family-

"You and I are this family, father. We are all that is left. The least you can do is to spend some time with me before I graduate." Adrien swore under his breath. "Oh, and by the way I noticed you said 'in the company'. Not what is happening in your life."

Mr. Agreste wanted to correct him, wanted suddenly to tell him that he was so close to bringing his mother back. But he couldn't of course, it was too late. Perhaps Adrien really had grown up without him, right under his nose. How could he have missed this?

"Well, there are things you don't know about Adrien. Things I wish I could explain to you but I'm not ready yet."

"Well while you are 'getting ready' to finally let me in your life, I have grown up in mine. There is nothing wrong with that. I'm almost 18 Father. Haven't you noticed?"