Venom: A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction

Marinette-Chapter 21

Marinette continued to visit Adrien in the hospital and every day, he continued to grow stronger. She was so relieved to have him back, more than once she had to stop herself from telling him her own secret.

"Why don't you just tell him?" Tikki asked, giving Marinette a puzzled look one night back in her room. "You already know he loves both sides of you, what's holding you back?"

Biting her lip, Marinette shook her head. "Because, Tikki. If Adrien knows who I am, Alyssa could use me as leverage against him. It's safer this way."

"He could use you as leverage anyway," Tikki pointed out. "Everyone knows Chat is in love with Ladybug."

Marinette nodded. "I know, but if he knew that I'm Ladybug, it would make it even worse. I'll just have to wait to tell him after this is over."

But, if she was honest with herself, part of her still wondered if Adrien would be upset that she was Ladybug. True, they were dating now, but Marinette wondered if he was just filling the gap because Ladybug had rejected him. She wanted him to love her, both sides of her. And she wasn't sure yet how he felt.

"Tikki, why didn't you tell me?" Marinette asked, glancing at her kwami. "You knew, didn't you?"

Tikki nodded. "I did know. But, I think that it was better for you two not to know. It would have changed your partnership completely and it might not have been as strong as it is now."

Marinette shrugged. Tikki might be right. Still, she was glad she finally knew the truth about Adrien—her kitty cat.

The hospital was quiet when she came to visit him two days before Christmas. Adrien's father was inside when she arrived and Marinette hesitated in the doorway, her hand hovering less than an inch away from the door. Before she could turn away, Adrien spotted her.

"Hey, Mari!" he smiled. "Glad you came to see me."

"Yeah," Marinette shuffled her feet, trying not to be intimidated by Gabriel's icy stare. She held out the tin she carried. "My parents sent over gingerbread cookies from the bakery."

"Good. All I've had for days is bland hospital food," Adrien licked his lips with a laugh. "Your dad makes the best cookies. I could get fat being around your parents' shop."

Marinette smiled, sitting down on the hard wooden chair opposite Adrien and his father.

"How are you, Mister Agreste?" she piped up after an uncomfortable pause. Why did she have to sound all squeaky like this in front of Adrien? So embarrassing...

Gabriel's cool gray eyes met hers. "I'm as well as can be expected after the fashion show fiasco and my son almost dying. I owe Ladybug a debt of gratitude for saving my son."

Marinette nodded, schooling her expression to one of concern. "I'm grateful he's alright too. Ladybug really saved the day that time."

"She did indeed," Gabriel agreed, pushing his wheelchair backward. "I better be going. I have lots of fallout from the failed fashion show to attend to."

Marinette and Adrien nodded as Gabriel wheeled himself close to the bed to give his son a hug. Adrien stiffened with surprise for a moment, but then quickly relaxed into the embrace.

"Have a good time," Mr. Agreste said, wheeling himself out of the room. As soon as he was gone, Adrien turned to Marinette with a grin. Marinette's' stomach flipped. How had she missed that his smile and Chat Noir's were the same for so long?

"The doctors said that if I continue to show signs of recovery, they'll let me out of the hospital for your Christmas party."

"That's great!" Marinette said happily, taking Adrien's hand on top of the covers. "Let's hope you get 'feline' better quickly."

She wrinkled her nose at the awful pun, reminding herself that Adrien didn't know she was Ladybug yet.

"Sorry. My jokes are getting to be as bad as Chat Noir's."

Adrien laughed, giving her hand a teasing squeeze. "Oh, I don't know. I happen to think he's kinda funny. Now, how about those cookies? I'm starving for real food."

Marinette giggled, opening the tin with one hand so she could keep holding Adrien's with the other.

"Thanks for coming to visit," Adrien said seriously, biting into a cookie. "Dad can't come very often and Alya and Nino are visiting his cousins until tomorrow. It was getting pretty boring here."

Marinette's heart hurt a little for Adrien. He didn't have to say it, she could tell he was feeling lonely. She couldn't imagine being that alone, especially around the holidays.

"So which way is the right way to eat gingerbread?" she asked, hoping to cheer him up. "I always start with the arms."

Adrien shook his head in mock disapproval. "No way, you've gotta go for the head first. That's where all the good stuff is."

"But then if you do that, you don't get all the good stuff on your last bite," Marinette protested with a laugh.

They debated the proper way to eat gingerbread men until the bag was empty and then talked for another hour about everything they could think of until Adrien began to yawn, his eyelids drooping.

"I should let you get some sleep," Marinette said softly. "You need to rest if you're going to make it to the party."

She stood up to leave, but Adrien's hand shot out to grab hers so fast it startled her.

"Don't go," he said softly. "Stay and watch TV with me for a little while."

Marinette agreed as Adrien turned on a comedy. He patted the bed next to him and she curled up beside him, resting her head lightly on his shoulder. She felt his arm slide around her, still warm and strong in spite of everything he had been through.

"Thanks, Mari," he mumbled sleepily, his hand pulling her closer and causing Marinette to thrill to the tips of her toes. They sat together in the darkening room, watching the movie together—sometimes talking, but mostly enjoying a comfortable silence. When he finally fell asleep, she edged gingerly away, stroking his hair affectionately.

"I love you, Kitty Cat," she whispered in his ear before leaving the room. Under her breath, she added, "Maybe someday you'll love me too. Not just the Ladybug part of me."