Private Practice Adrienette ( sin🍋)

Chapter 12 - Fathers

I close the door, resting my forehead against the smooth wood, and let the tears burn their way down my cheeks. The image of Adrien driving off with Dad is still painfully fresh in my mind. There are worse catastrophes than having my father show up drunk...and punch the man I'm sleeping with. None of them spring to mind, but realistically, you know they must exist. Sniffling back tears, I trudge down the hall to my bedroom. Big mistake.

The hot pink vibrator lays on the bed, reminding me of the excitement, passion and plain old fun Adrien and I shared earlier that evening. A sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob hiccups from my throat. I  press a fist over my chest and face facts. I'll be lucky if Adrien ever speaks to me again, much less lays a hand on me. Even if he does call me, what on earth would I say?

"Sorry about my dad. I promise it won't happen again?" I can't even promise that. If I had the power to make Dad behave the way I wanted, tonight never would have happened. I cross to the bed and toss the vibrator into my nightstand drawer. It makes me sad to think I might have lost him.  Which doesn't make any sense since our arrangement had been temporary by design.

Restless, I stand up and head to my closet. Sitting at home talking to myself does no one any good. Driving out to check on dad at least puts my medical training to use.

15 minutes later, I turn into the suburbs I called home for 18 years. A black pick up truck coming from the opposite direction flashes it's headlights at me.

Adrien...

I pull over. The side of the road is as good a place as any for him to officially cancel the rest of my classes. My heart thumps hard in my chest as he approaches creating an anxious backbeat to the crunch of his boots on the roadside. He crouches by my window and looks at me. I stare back at him, throat tightening as I inspect his bruised jaw. My fingers twitch with the need to inspect the area. To make sure he's okay. Through sheer force of will, I keep my hands on the steering wheel.

Adrien gives me a knowing look. "It's fine Marinette." He says.

"It's NOT fine. My father hit you! You're not fine. He's not fine. I'm not fine!" Suddenly, Adrien has me out of the car and wrapped in his arms in the next instant. He pulls my face against his chest. The steady, calm beating of his heart making me feel reassured. I shiver uncontrollably despite the hot summer night and the warmth of his body surrounding me. Worse, I sob like a deranged Banshee.

Adrien just holds me, patient and silent as if I'm not standing on a roadside in the middle of the night bawling my eyes out. He lets me cry myself dry, which takes a while. finally, light-headed and raw in my throat, I raise my head and wipe the rest of my tears away. First Adrien had to deal with my drink dad and now he's having to deal with me being a mess. I should apologize.

"I...I am so sorry." I try to pull out of his arms but he only holds me tighter. "I really didn't mean to literally pour all this out on you." I look at the huge soggy spot in the center of his T-shirt. Tears and sweat and god only knows what else. "I think I owe you a shirt." I chuckle.

"I owe you a pair of panties. We will call it even." He tips my chin up and inspects my face. "Feeling better?" He asks, his thumb caressing my cheek, wiping away the rest of my tears.

"Yea... thanks. And again, I'm sorry-"

"Dont apologize. What happened with Tom tonight? It's not your fault." He pressed a kiss on my forehead.

"He drinks too much."

"Not your fault."

"He's angry because...well...he...is always angry, misses my mom and also his health is overwhelming."