The Agreste Internship - Book 2

Chapter 21: Things Fall Apart

{Author Note: As always, I don't want to do any spoilers so I'm trying my best to make the storyline unique for this Alternate Universe. Also, I made guesses in 2019 and some were wrong (most actually especially Feast) but it's hard to change things after the fact, so my apologies for anything that contradicts the show, or anything that seems confusing. Anyway, enjoy.}

At the doctor's office, Adrien sat on the edge of the examination bench and waited for the results of some blood tests. They also ran a cat scan-- and he didn't even feel like making a pun. He looked outside the window as it started to rain.

********Flash back*******

Rain pelted against the window as a young boy of 8 years sat up in the hospital bed that he was tethered to by IV's and electrodes and all kinds of medical equipment. He caught a glimpse of his reflection, pale skin from lack of ever seeing the sun, no golden blonde hair from the ongoing treatments, and a pair of large sad green eyes. A feeding tube was inserted into his nose to give him nourishment in substitute for all the food he could not eat.

What he would give to have a croissant. Or a cinnamon roll. Or cookies and cakes. The smells of those sweet treats always made his mouth water, but he knew it would only make him sicker. Everything made him sick.

If I live to grow up, I want to buy a bakery. Then I'd eat all the cake and croissants that I could ever want. He put his hands on the window and breathed a small puff of breath onto the window. The window fogged up and he drew a smile.

The glass seemed like an ever-present barrier between Adrien and the outside world, and as the rain continued to roar down in a turbulent storm of cacophony. He didn't mind the rain. It was comforting somehow.

In the glass reflection, he could see a blonde woman with green eyes. "I see you, mom!" The eight-year-old Adrien said as he spun around and edged to the end of his bed. He wanted to get off the bed and jump into his mother's arms, but the nurses and doctors didn't like it when he disconnected the sensors without their help.

"Ah, you got me. I got you a surprise for your birthday." His mother had a small box behind her back, with holes poked in the top. The box was heavier than it appeared, and before he could guess what was inside it, he heard a soft purring noise.

"A cat?" Adrien opened the box, and an adorable black cat with green eyes stared up at him. It continued to purr as it jumped into his lap and snuggled up against him. He gathered up the kitten in his arms and brought it up to his face. "I love cats!"

"What are you going to call it?" His mother sat on the edge of the bed and watched Adrien play with his new kitten. Her bright emerald green eyes shone with tears she was trying to hide.

"I don't know... what do you think I should call it? "

"You are not going to name it anything." A stern voice entered the room before the man did. There were two doors to get into Adrien's room, the first was the door to the hallway of the hospital, and the second was in the large glass wall where visitors would be cleaned of germs or any other threatening pathogens. Gabriel stood there behind the glass wall, stoically like always, as he waited for the room to sanitize the germs using uv light and a variety of mists. As he opened the second door and closed it behind him. He took a few smooth steps with his hands clasped tightly behind him. Even today, on the little boy's birthday, Adrien's father was dressed up in his finest tailored suit. "We are not keeping it."

"Gabriel... can we talk about this later?" His mother said, with a sharp tone that usually indicated the start of a fight. Adrien didn't want them to fight on his birthday, but he also wanted to keep the cat.