He Can't Forget | ✓

14 | revelations

"You don't like it here anymore?"

Marinette paused in front of her apartment door with two grocery bags loosely hanging on her arms. The door was cracked open, but the question leaving her daughter's lips had her hesitating to step inside.

Because that question wasn't directed at her. It was meant for Adrien.

"I love it here," Adrien's voice answered softly, "But me being here is making other people sad, and I don't want to make anyone sad."

"You're not making me sad." That was her daughter's simple answer. Of course, Emma saw the simplicity in it all. She didn't understand just how truly complicated it all was.

That thought in itself had Marinette smiling sadly. Leaning forward, she gently pressed her ear closer.

"Please stay." Emma pleaded.

Adrien's voice was filled with remorse and guilt. Marinette didn't have to see his face to know he was hurting too. "I can't. Being here makes your mama unhappy."

Marinette's eyes widened slightly at that. That wasn't how she expected him to answer.

"Why do you make Mama unhappy?" Emma asked.

She heard Adrien inhale shakily. "A long time ago, I hurt your mama's feelings real bad. I didn't mean to... but I guess because I was hurting too, I hurt her by accident."

Marinette couldn't help but lean in a closer. Adrien had been hurting during their relationship? Why didn't he ever tell her? She could have helped—

"Did you say sorry?" Her daughter sounded incredibly serious now.

Adrien let out a sad chuckle. "Yes, but sorry isn't always enough."

"Why not? I say sorry to Mama all the time, and she always forgives me."

"I'm sure you haven't hurt your mama like I have." Adrien answered her.

A few seconds of silence ensued after that. The only sound that could be heard was the shuffling of limbs along carpet as Adrien assumingly continued to pack his suitcase. Marinette considered using that as her chance to step inside, pretending as if she had just come back from the car and hadn't overheard a single word.

But Emma spoke up again. "Did you tell Mama you were hurting?"

It took Adrien a moment to respond. "No... I didn't."

"Why not?"

Another beat of silence. Marinette leaned in closer. She heard a shuddered breath leave his lips.

"I-I don't know. I guess I'm just... stupid."

The frown on Marinette's lips deepened. Whatever Adrien had felt or was currently feeling he should've told her about. Marinette wouldn't have judged him; didn't he know that? She loved him even if she didn't want to admit that to his face for the sake of her own pride. She loved him so much that all she wanted was for them to be a team; to raise their daughter together; to be a family. Finding out who he was under the mask didn't change her love for him. It didn't change the future she wanted with him.

Why couldn't he see that? Why couldn't he trust her?

"Are... are you leaving because of me?"

A shuddered gasp slipped past Marinette's parted lips. It was too whispered for anyone else to hear it, but that question leaving her daughter's lips had just overall shattered her heart into a million pieces.

"What?!" Adrien gasped, sounding horrified. "No! Of course not. None of this is your fault, Emma. This is between me and your mama, okay?"

"Okay." That was her daughter's passive answer. She didn't sound like she believed him. In fact, she sounded like she was convinced him leaving was her fault.