Sometimes We Just Need A Bit of Cheering Up

Marinette

   There was a long, silenced car ride back home. I turned the music on, but it just didn't make my boyfriend, Adrien, sing.
   We found out that his father has cancer, so he's kind of upset right now. Sure, Gabriel wasn't the best father with all the mental and emotional abuse he had caused Adrien over the years, but he's still Adrien's father.
    I try to start a conversation just to have something to talk about. That doesn't make him talk though.
  "So... How was your day today?"
     He shrugs.
    "Oh c'mon you can't even say 'good, I guess' or at least just 'good'?" I try to keep my voice calm, and my tone light and even, but fail.
     He sighed.
    "I'm sorry," I pause for a bit. "I didn't mean to make it sound so harsh. I know your upset about your father. You know what? I'll just stop talking."
     "No, no, it's okay, it's just I..." Another sigh. "Look, I should be the one who's saying sorry. It was rude of me not answering your question"
    "Yeah, but what I said was a bit mean— er, on how I said it, I felt like it was a bit mean."
     Adrien groaned
     "Can we please just talk about something else?"
      "Sure. What do you want to talk about?" I asked
      "I don't know," Adrien said
       I moved my hand, and let it rest on his back. Adrien relaxed once he felt it. Softly, I moved my hand around just to let him know I was there for him.
     When we came back home, he killed the engine, and leaned on the car seat. Adrien jerked his head around, close to my face. His lips a couple of centimeters away from my own. I shut my eyes tightly, and felt his lips touch mine. I opened my eyes and quickly pulled away. Adrien cupped my face with his hands and pulled me close again. And again kissed me. I closed my eyes softly this time. It was a long, passionate kiss and I kissed him back.
    He stopped and looked at me for a moment.
   "Can I ask you a question?"
   "Ask away."
   "Do you actually like me as your boyfriend?"
    "Why would you ask me that? Of course I do. Why do you think I'm here with you, and why do you think I kissed you?" I asked.
     "I don't know, probably because the first time I kissed you a little while ago, you pulled away quickly." He fumbled out.
    "Oh, uh, that... you just caught me off guard. That's all. I didn't expect you to kiss me like that, so suddenly" I stammered.
   "Marinette-"
   "Adrien, how about we just focus on the akumas for now? That way you have something to do to take your mind off things." He nodded
    After a long pause, he turned around to open his door. I gathered my stuff only to find Adrien standing beside my door, looking ready to open it. As we got into the small apartment he and I live in, we went our separate ways. Even though it was late, I still had to make dinner and since he had been a little upset all afternoon, I decided to make him his favorite meal. Sure, he was still a model for his father's company, but that doesn't mean he can't break his strict diet every once in a while. Though his favorite meal wasn't the healthiest, it also wasn't the unhealthiest. Plagg opened the fridge just to take a huge chunk of Camembert cheese. He looked at me with sad eyes.
    "Pigtails...?"
    "Yes, Plagg?" I looked at him, his face said it all. Something was very wrong with my Chaton. It wasn't just the illness of his father, something else was also bugging him.
    "How much longer is he going to be like this? I don't know how long I can handle my kitten being like this. Sure, he could blab his mouth off all day and it got annoying at times, but seeing him being this silent... I might just go crazy at some point!" He may not be very good at showing his emotions, but deep down inside, Adrien was his favorite Miraculous owner. Plagg deeply cared for him, and it pained us to see him so quiet and sad.
       "I guess we just have to be patient. There's no way of telling how long this pain of his will last", Tikki chirped.
      "What do you think is bothering him, sugarcube?" asked Plagg.
     "I don't know, Plagg."
     "Well," I said. "We can't just push him to tell us. He'll come around at some point. He's gonna tell us soon enough. If I'm too pushy he's not gonna say", I explained.
     "Marinette is right, Plagg." Tikki announced.
     "Yeah, I know. Adrien is strong, but there's only so much time before the volcano explodes", said Plagg.
      "Just give him some time", I told him as I pet him. Purring, he flew back to Adrien.