Ladybug Gone Bad

Chapter 28

For the next few days, I barely got a glimpse of Adrien. He avoided me like the plague. Adrien's mom was still recovering and getting her energy back. Sometimes she would fall asleep and remain unconscious for more than twelve hours but Master Fu assured us all that it was a normal part of the recuperation process. At least she had woken up. That was all that mattered. I couldn't wait to go back to Paris and take Hawkmoth down.

I frowned, remembering how afraid Gabriel Agreste looked when he was giving me the items and the cruel grin on his face only minutes later when he tried to kill me. Bipolar much? I caught a glimpse of blonde hair in Emilie's ward and crossed my fingers, hoping it would be Adrien before I opened it.

"Hey, kitty..." He got up and tried to leave. I blocked his path. He sighed and sat down. I sat opposite him, his mother's bed between us. "How's she doing?"

"Asleep. Again." He rubbed his face, looking stressed. "I just... What if one of these days she sleeps and... Doesn't wake up?"

"Hey, I thought I was supposed to be the negative one here. Don't say stuff like that, she'll be alright. She's Steel Peacock, remember? Strong, confident and beautiful." He smiled weakly but his smile didn't reach his eyes. I stood up to hug him but he kept away from me, making me sit down.

"Sorry. I just... I..." He hesitated before letting it out. "I hurt you, Marinette. Last week, I almost killed you. With my bare hands. You'll never understand just how horrible it feels."

"I do, actually. Weeks ago I was the one trying to kill you. But I'm okay, Adrien. I'm still here and I'm breathing. Just let me hug you. I think it'll be good for both of us to get a little comfort." I cracked a small grin. He stared at me blankly, shaking his head. I groaned. "Dude, it's fine! What's it going to take for you to understand that? You could never hurt me. You're my partner."

"My father was my mother's partner, too-"

"Don't you dare compare yourself to him. He's insane, not right in the head. You're you." His jaw hardened. I stared at him, feeling the tension in the room. For almost an hour, I tried to start a conversation, receiving nothing but a cold, blank stare. I fiddled with my thumbs before taking his mother's right hand and holding it in my own, making his gaze rest on me.

"U-um... This is weird but I need your son to talk and he won't listen to me so here it goes. I want you to make him understand that he's amazing and that I couldn't have a better partner or friend. No one has ever done so much for me. He makes me feel special... Loved kinda." I cleared my throat, not bothering to look up. "S-so... You're his mother, he'll listen to you so please pass the message on, will ya?"

I finally looked up. There was a ghost of a smile on his face. Weak, frail, but still, it was a start. I tapped my foot, unsure of what to do after my little speech. Suddenly I felt someone grab my hand and my fingers were intertwined with Adrien's. I looked up, surprised to see his mother smiling up at both of us. I pulled away, glad to see a full smile on his face.

"Kitten, you seem to have found yourself a keeper here-" he flung his arms around her, tears rolling down his cheeks. Nothing moved me more than seeing a man crying on his knees. Brought me back to when I broke Felix's heart that day. It also reminded me of a man I had forced to beg for mercy before I shot him point blank. Not exactly good memories.

I left the room and told everyone else that she was awake. I got my parents and Master Fu into the ward. Felix and Bridgette were nowhere to be found, probably off to one of Felix's well thought out "romantic rendezvous" or as Bridgette preferred to call them, "site observations". I thought their relationship was pretty adorable, to be honest, and my cousin was a straight out boss which was an added bonus.