the broken butterfly

chapter 8 (how do you people name these omfg)

Marc's POV

'Well, how do you feel?' Asked Ziggy.

'How do you mean?' Said he.

'Well, your crush has just professed his love to you, and you have made out about as passionately as you wanted to when he was akumatised. So, how do you feel?'

'I guess I'm excited.'

'Okay, that's okay. Now, I want to speak about food. I find the food I'm getting is becoming rather stale. I do want to eat something other than cookies, you know.'

'Okay, what do you want to eat?'

'Perhaps some cheese, or grass. Just, make sure that you don't have only cookies on you all the time.'

'I'll try,' said he uncertainly.

'I guess that's the best I can get.' Sighed Ziggy, making Marc feel guilty; he didn't say anything about it, though. Sitting down again, he put his head into his hands. 'Hey, don't worry,' said Ziggy, 'he's going to be alright with your support. So long as you and your friends support him, he'll come out of this alright.'

'I- . . . I hope so.'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Adrien's POV

His father sat at the head of the table at dinner when his hand shot to his head.

'What's wrong, father?'

'N-nothing, Adrien. Just some dizzy spell.' He felt his heart constrict. For a while now, his father had been getting more and more tired. As if there was something that made him so. And now this. A dizzy spell. 'Just continue your meal, Adrien.'

The rest of dinner was eaten in silence, and as he was leaving the room, his father got another dizzy spell. In his room, he fell on the couch and started sobbing.

'What's wrong, Adrien?' Asked Plagg.

'My mum used to be tired and get dizzy spells. Just before she went away. So did Natalie.'

'Oh yeah, it's going to come alright, Adrien, but you do need to let your friends know, so they can help me help you.'

He took out his phone, still sobbing. Having dialled Marinette's number he called her.

'Hey, Marinette,' said he.

'H-hey, Adrien, is something wrong?'

'Yeah, my father's been getting the same symptoms as Natalie.' He began sobbing harder once again.

'Oh, Adrien. I don't know how to help you, but how are you coping?'

'I don't know. He's been getting worse and worse over the last few weeks, I don't know whether I can go to the Netherlands next week.'

'Don't worry, it'll all come alright. We'll be there for you, Adrien. Alya, Nino, Nathaniel, Marc, Juleka, Rose and I will be there for you.'

'Thank you.' Said he, wishing to be another person, or at least have another father, another parent he loved, he could love. He sank down further, remembering his mother. The tears continued to fall. He fell asleep on the couch.

When he awoke he clothed himself and went to school after sitting alone in his room for half an hour, conversing with Pagg. In the car he looked at the streets of Paris that were starting to come alive. They all seemed so happy, so free of the pressing might of his father's inevitable disappearance. The Gorilla grunted in what Adrien took as support.

Having arrived at school he went to his class in a sour mood, but was made a little glad when all his friends told him they were always ready for him, and that they would drop everything, were he to call.

The school day was boring, like usual, and afterwards would come his Chinese lesson, like usual. He felt bad. He wanted to be alone so he could cry his tears and frustration.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Marc's POV

Adrien had been more bummed down than usual, which Marc had expected. He gave Adrien the assurance that he'd be there if he called him. After school he went home, having told his parents already that he'd not eat with them that morning. Taking out his phone, he looked again at what Nathaniel had told him he could wear, which was basically anything. He dressed up anyway, thinking it better to dress well on a first date.

Having changed he looked in the mirror, seeing his own reflection he marvelled at the black hoodie accentuating his hair, the trousers a midnight black he wouldn't have worn had it been summer, and the bonnet on his head. The last was something his mother had told him to do, though he didn't know why. It looked out of place, even though it was black as well, bearing a bouquet of black flowers. When he arrived in the common sitting room, his father burst out laughing and a smile was plastered to his mother's face.

'Marc, dear, are you certain that you should wear a bonnet?' Said his mother, barely keeping a grin off her face.

'Mum!' His shout made her burst into a massive fit of laughter. Carefully lying the bonnet down, it was his mother's favourite, he turned to the entrée rigidly. Putting on his gloves with perhaps a bit more force than actually necessary and taking the coat to the common sitting room. Stalking in, glaring thunder, he put the coat on roughly, just to show them. It made them, especially his mother, laugh even louder.

He left a room full of joyous laughter when leaving the house, stalking to Nathaniel's house. Knocking on the door he hadn't expected it to be opened so quickly. Nathaniel's mother smiled at him, inviting him in. In their sitting room, he saw Nathaniel in a beautifully decorated shirt and equally decorated trousers. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.