When Duty and Desire Meet

Ribbons Part 1

"I can't believe you almost confessed to Ladybug when you were concussed!"

Adrien pressed his palms into his eyes with a whine, leaning his forehead on his hospital room window. "Wow, Plagg. This is, what, the eight millionth time you reminded me? Maybe give it another million and it will sink in. Ow!"

Plagg pulled back, poking his tongue out from between his little fangs. Fangs which had just nipped Adrien's finger. "Don't sass me! If it weren't for my army of cats, Ladybug would never have spotted the trail of skid marks Derek's car left behind. AND you would be in an even deeper mess right now if you actually admitted your identity to Ladybug."

That much was true, but Adrien didn't want to think too much about the implications of it all. The idea of confessing when in such a state sent shivers down his spine.

He was tired. He wanted to go home.

Turning around, Adrien hobbled towards the bed and flopped face-first onto it with a sigh. He'd already gotten dressed into normal clothes, so lying back down felt weird. Flipping over and sitting on top of the bedsheets (which he'd tried and failed to remake as tight as they had been originally), he stared out of the window again. The morning sky stared back at him, pale blue and maddeningly normal. His parents had left the hospital an hour ago, along with the police, who'd asked him a few questions. They'd gone to make a joint statement to the media, as word had broken that he'd been kidnapped by another model and there was now a complete frenzy around the situation.

At least the media was now so focused on his kidnapping, the news about his and Marinette's fake relationship had died down. Adrien hoped she wouldn't be subjected to any harassment about it anymore.

When his parents left, the security guards outside his room had stayed, and he hated it. It made him feel like a cat in a cage. He wished Ladybug was there instead, but she'd left after the paramedics had taken him away.

According to the doctors, he'd gotten a lot more beat up than he'd realised. The ankle he'd landed on awkwardly was sprained and would need at least two weeks rest. He'd been kept in the hospital all of yesterday and overnight to make sure his concussion didn't worsen. They'd also conducted some scans to make sure his brain wasn't damaged.

Adrien had the feeling that, in any other situation, once his scans had come back clear he would have been let go. But with the ongoing investigation, coupled with his parents overprotectiveness, it seemed like he wasn't going anywhere for the day at least.

"When we go home," Adrien said, scratching under Plagg's chin, "I'll buy you the biggest, smelliest cheese wheel I can find."

It was a thank you in the language Plagg could understand most, if the toothy grin was anything of an indication.

Before Plagg could properly respond, a disturbance outside startled them both. Adrien tensed on instinct, and Plagg hid away.

"I don't care if you're the freaking DGSI, my buddy is in there and IT'S VISITING HOURS!"

"Nino?" Adrien called, mouth agape.

"Adrien?" Nino called back.

"Nino!" Adrien sat up. His whole body felt brighter at his voice.

There was the sound of scuffling and a nurse admonishing them all, before the door burst open and Nino hurried in. "BRO!"

Genuinely tearing up, Adrien beamed at his friend. "Bro!"

In a feat of acrobatics Adrien hadn't seen outside of a superhero costume, Nino launched himself halfway across the room into Adrien's arms. "YOU'RE SAFE! YOU'RE OK!" he cried, pulling away and patting Adrien's head gently. "At least I think you're ok? You look ok, a little roughed up but ok."