Tell Me Why You Love Me

One Word

Adrien's favorite time of the night was now tainted by the absence of his dear partner. Transformed as Chat Noir, his foot swung back and forth off the side of a tall building. He sat alone, his phone in one hand and binoculars in the other. The winter was growing harsh with the new year right around the corner. Plagg's suit kept him warm for the most part, but that didn't stop Chat from sensing chills spike through his spine as soft snow powered in his hair and on the roof beside him. Icicles formed into points down maybe rooftops, glistening in the scintillating smoky moonlight. The streets bathed in its light, the snow sparkling down crosswalks and roads.

This was supposed to be the time for escape and the practice of breathing. He sure needed that. It was a beautiful sight, after all. Now, his heart had never pounded harder and his nerves staticized a blanket over his body. He never thought he'd be in this situation, and it killed him every second he thought about it. He never stopped thinking about it.

Earlier in the day, Adrien left to visit his father, asking for Marinette. His father had told him Marinette did, in fact, come into his house but left shortly after to go home. Sure, any sensible person would nod their head and continue the trail for any clues on their missing person's whereabouts, but that wasn't Adrien.

While his father rarely spent time with him, especially after his mother's disappearance, Adrien knew him very well. He had to in order to sneak around the rules and have fun living his life while in school. During his years of being isolated in his own house, he watched and studied his father's expressions, mannerisms, and tone, which could indicate when he was angry or sad. It also indicated when he was in a good mood which was the rarest of emotions his father ever displayed in front of his son. So, when he asked his father about Marinette, he watched carefully through any change or shift of facial features that he might not catch in the blink of an eye.

When Adrien first asked the question of whether he had seen Marinette, his lips and jaw stiffened. It was as if it was the last thing he needed to hear coming from Adrien's mouth. That was the first suspicious sign. The rest of their short-lived conversation had his father glancing around. His eyes were rarely on Adrien's. He even asked if he could come inside, and his father refused. That was a surprising response.

Adrien desperately wanted him and Alya to be wrong about his father. But he was giving Adrien every reason to suspect him of being involved with Monarch even more. He wished his father would give him something to work with, something that would lead Adrien to the conclusion that his father was innocent. No matter what his father put him through, he hated to admit it, but he was still family. And now, knowing his father likely had an extent of a hand in Marinette's disappearance only made him disappointed and angry. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't deny it. Not after the disappearance of the email and his father acting short with him.

So he left, his hand clenched into a fist as he walked off the property and onto the sidewalk. He immediately called Alya, but there was no answer. So he texted her that he got nothing from his trip. She sent a quick text after that saying:

Alya: Sorry... I'm getting stuff together. Will call you later.

Chat truly hoped she wasn't talking about wedding stuff because that is the last thing that should be on her mind right now. But he trusted Alya. She wouldn't leave her best friend behind. However, it had been all day, and there was no word from her. Chat could only assume that it was something as important. Maybe she was gathering evidence of some sort since she couldn't be there physically.

Throughout the whole rest of the day, he tried to put the missing pieces together and gather what they knew. There were holes and dead-ends that he couldn't quite place. The fact that his lady had still not responded to his messages made him all the more certain of the seriousness of this case.