Back to Back 2

Confession

It was a long night.

Banned from leaving his house, Adrien had no option but to stay in his bedroom. But just because he was lying in bed didn't mean that he was getting any sleep. He had to stay awake to make sure that Felix wouldn't try to leave and visit Marinette.

Felix seemed to have the same idea about Adrien, because he stayed awake on the couch the whole time. They stared at the same ceiling for hours, craning their ears for any hint of a noise from the other.

At two different points, Emilie stopped by the room to check that they were still there. Already angry with them about their little scuffle, the sight of the busted bedroom door only soured her mood even more. It's too bad Ladybug didn't call for her Lucky Charm while she was there so the magical ladybugs could fix all the damage from their fight. But alas, the door would be a constant reminder of the chaos.

Then finally, around three in the morning, and with sleep not being a possibility, Adrien sighed and got out of bed.

"You can't leave, you know," Felix said from across the room.

"I'm not leaving the house," Adrien spat in his direction. He walked out of the room and down the hallway. When he reached the door to Felix's bedroom, he knocked softly.

For two whole minutes, he stood there waiting. When nothing happened, he knocked again, a little louder. Another minute passed. Then, much louder.

When the door still wasn't answered, Adrien slowly turned the doorknob and cracked open the door. He paused again to wait. And finally he opened the door completely and walked inside.

A quick search revealed that the room was empty.

Now starting to panic, Adrien spun around to head back to the hallway, but he didn't need to go very far.

Gabriel stopped short in the doorway as he realized that Adrien was right there. Neither said anything for a moment as they stared at each other.

His heart beat returning to a normal rate, Adrien could finally speak. "Where were you?"

"I was... using the bathroom."

That seemed doubtful. "What's wrong with this one?" he asked, tilting his head toward the bathroom in the corner of the room.

A pause. "I guess the staff are regrouting the tile. Amelie asked me not to use it for a few days."

Adrien stared at him, still not fully believing him but needing to move on. "I've been thinking," he said. "When you go back to London, you should take Felix with you."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows.

"You and Emilie are his parents. He should be living with you two, not here in Paris."

He took a moment to think before replying. "This suggestion wouldn't have anything to do with the events of yesterday, now would it?"

"Of course it has to do with yesterday, but that doesn't mean that he shouldn't be here. He should be with his real parents."

"I don't think Felix would want to live with us."

Who on earth would? "Well, it doesn't matter if he wants to, or not. Just tell him that he has to, and that will be the end of it."

Gabriel closed his eyes in exasperation before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sending him away to London won't solve your problem."

"It sure worked with Monarch," Adrien replied with a frown.

He was not amused as he looked down at him again. "And yet he's standing right in front of you, so clearly it didn't work as well as you would have liked."