Genesis | Origins of Shadybug and Claw Noir

Chapter Two | Rebellion

Everything about Adrien's father was insufferable. The fact that he hardly spoke to him, hardly saw him, hardly even knew him. All he did was design his silly little costumes in his room all day. Couldn't he sacrifice some of his time to take care of his own son? Couldn't he just sit down and talk to him about his mother for once?

He had been fuming all morning. His father made the decision to force him to go to school for his 9th grade year. According to him, "making friends might be a nice distraction." Distraction? How dare he try to force his lack of grief onto him? Adrien didn't want a distraction, he wanted his mother back and for his life to go back to the way it was before. When he was happy. When his father didn't neglect him.

All that claimed his mind was memories of how his life was before. He hated to admit it, but it seemed as if his father died the same day his mother did.

"Adrien, it's time to go. The car is waiting for you," Nathalie said. Adrien clenched his fists.

"I'm not going anywhere, Nathalie! Tell my father he can get lost!" Adrien shouted. He heard Nathalie sigh from behind his bedroom door and turn the handle. As she stepped into the room, she stared around in shock.

"Adrien?" she breathed. The state of his room was horrid. All of his games and movies along his bookshelf had been thrown over the balcony and scattered across the floor. His couch cushions and blankets had been thrown at the walls. His foosball table had been overturned with the handles still spinning. Adrien turned away from her with a scowl across his face. Nathalie adjusted her glasses. "Adrien...please just do this for your father." Adrien turned to her with tears in his eyes.

"What has he ever done for me? Other than leave me with all of these useless things instead of actually being here?" Nathalie reached out her hand, but Adrien turned away. "Don't pretend you care, if you really cared, then you would have made sure that I didn't lose both of my parents nine months ago!" He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder as he barged out of his door.

As he walked down the marble balcony towards the stairs, he couldn't help but feel bad for the way he had spoken to Nathalie. She was only an assistant, with little say in the happenings of his father. Speaking of which, there he was.

Standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for him, was his father, Gabriel Agreste. "Good morning, Adrien. How did you sleep?" he asked, opening his hand for a handshake. Adrien shouldered past him. His father gasped as he lost his balance. Adrien quickly walked out of the door and sat himself in the backseat of the car. His bodyguard was already sitting in the front seat. He looked at Adrien through the rearview mirror with concern in his eyes. He returned the glance reassuringly. Just then, his father stepped into the backseat beside him.

"We are ready to go now." Adrien's bodyguard nodded at Gabriel and began pulling out of the gate.

He turned away from his father and looked out of the window. His father wasn't always this pathetic man trying to weasel his way back into his life by playing nice. For the first five months after his mother disappeared, he had been manic. He never spoke to Adrien unless it was another modeling job. Adrien enjoying modeling, and seeing his face plastered everywhere gave him a sense of importance. However, for the past two months, his father begun to move on. His work schedule went back to normal. He began eating some meals with his son once again and cooked occasionally. It seemed like he was trying to mend their relationship, but Adrien would never let him. Since his mother died, he struggled every single day to get adjusted to life without her. He hadn't gone more than an hour without remembering the love and affection he received from his mother not so long ago. He could never try to have good relations with his father after he moved on so fast. He never spoke to Adrien about his mother. One day, he just decided to move on and leave his own son behind? It was so cruel, and his father didn't even seem to care that he abandoned his son just like he abandoned his mother. How could he forget about her so fast?

There was no time to get an answer, he could already see the school approaching his window. It was large and bright. His father just wanted an excuse to get rid of him, he was sure of it.

"Have a good first day at school, Adrien," his father smiled. Adrien scoffed and rolled his eyes as he opened the car door.

Walking up those stairs finally brought everything down on him. He didn't even think about how his classmates might react to having a model in their class. Surely, someone must have heard by now that he would be attending. He walked over to the foldable table that held his schedule. His was the last paper. No one else was in the courtyard. He stared down at the paper and began to feel intimidated. First block, Literature. Second block, Physics...

He folded up the paper and shoved it in his bag as he walked up the stairs. As he approached the door, he heard the sound of Chloé's voice.

"Mrs. Bustier, we have to wait for Adrik — I mean, Adrien Agreste to get here! I saw his paper on the table, I know that he should be here. My daddy would never lie to me. Are you telling me you're going to teach without a very important student present? How would my father, the Mayor of Paris, react to that?" she shouted, banging her fists against the table. Just then, Adrien turned the handle.

"Welcome, Adrien. Please, take a seat in the back row with Marinette," Mrs. Bustier said. Adrien lowered his head as he passed Chloé in the front row. He could feel her eyes on him. She only shows interest in me because I'm rich, it's her only standard. He hid his frown from his classmates as he approached the desk at the back of Chloé's row. It wasn't until then that he looked up and saw her.

"Marinette..." he repeated in his head. He had no idea who she was, but she seemed like someone who didn't like to talk much. Perfect.

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The bell rang and Adrien left his desk. School was now dismissed, and he should be waiting for his car to come and retrieve him. It had begun raining, and he had forgotten to bring an umbrella.

He stood at the entrance to the school, staring at the curtain of rain that was in front of him. He saw his classmates walking past him, all wearing jackets or umbrellas on their way home.

He sat down on the ground. The last thing he wanted was to climb into the car drenched. Soon, he saw the familiar black vehicle approach the school's sidewalk. He stared into the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of mercy from the downpour.

Suddenly, a black umbrella blocked his view. His eyes followed the arm that held the umbrella to the face of Marinette, his classmate. She gave him a blank stare, but there was something about the way her eyes met his that made his stomach flutter. She pointed her head towards his car. Move, you idiot! Slowly, he stood and walked with Marinette as she led him down the school stairs. He couldn't help but glance at her as they walked. Her soft features glowed in the foggy light. She was so beautiful, how come he had never realized? She turned and stared at him with her enchanting blue eyes. She seemed to be waiting for something. Adrien hadn't even noticed that it had been several seconds since they had reached the car door, and Adrien still hadn't moved.

"Thank you," he whispered. He slid into the car and shut it slowly. As the vehicle pulled away, Adrien stared at Marinette as they passed. Her head was lowered and her face looked pale in the clouded light. Adrien felt himself blush as they rounded a corner and disappeared into the rain.