The Boy and His Ladybug: A Miraculous Story

Chapter 4: A Different Patrol, And A Broken Heart

Adrien woke up to the sound of Nathalie knocking on the door to his room. He looked at the clock. It was almost time to patrol. He forced himself up and got to the door.  If he wanted to go on tonight's patrol with his lady, he'd have to get this over with right now. 

It had been a few days since that strange encounter with that one akuma.  So far, His Lady's been recovering quite well.

"Hi, Nathalie." Adrien greeted.

"Your father would like to see you." said Nathalie.

"Alright, I'll be right down."

The model headed to his closet and put on his usual clothes. Plagg, his Kwami, woke up as well. Adrien brought him the cheese when his pants were on.

"Thanks." Pagg thanked.

Adrien then got on his clothes fully and started out the door. Plagg quickly went into the blonde's pocket. Adrien soon got to his father's office.

"Hello, Adrien." said Gabriel, in a cold voice.

"Good morning, Father." Adrien greeted, slightly nervous already.

"Your grades have recently been dropping. You've got 99% on your previous test."

"Father, it was simply a single percent lower."

Gabriel's eyes darkened. The boy was shocked to see that his father was so hypercritical. Or really more extra hypercritical than usual. Gabriel soon rose slowly from his desk and walked almost sinisterly to his son. Adrien and Plagg (quietly of course), both gulped in slight fear now:

"Oh boy."

"Are you talking back to me, young man?" Gabriel asked in a rather literally life-threatening voice.

"N-No..." Adrien defended, "...l-like I said, '...it was simply a single percent lower'."

Gabriel's hand suddenly exploded onto Adrien's face. The boy stumbled to the ground. He felt his cheek, only to realize that it was already numb. And yet, pain still somehow represented itself at the same time. Adrien got up and started to leave. He hoped that it wouldn't be noticeable.

"Did I say you could leave?" asked Gabriel in a stern voice.

"N-No..." Adrien answered.

"Then next time..."

Gabriel then hit his son's arm, causing Adrien to tremble down again, this time bumping into a wall.  He looked up, scared of his father's disturbing lifeless face.

"...listen to what I say!" Gabriel warned, "And also...I have some more things to explain."

"Y-Yes, Father." replied Adrien. 

...

Ladybug waited impatiently on the top of the Eiffel Tower.  She had called Cat Noir about 10 minutes ago.  He should be up here, making his ridiculous cat-related puns and asking to go on a date with her by now.

That was when she heard the sound of someone climbing the metal.  Ladybug looked down to see Cat Noir climbing slowly (which was already new) up to the tower.

"Well you certainly took your time." Ladybug scolded, "Just be grateful that no akuma showed up right now."

"Sorry, Ladybug..." replied Cat Noir.

Ladybug then turned to him as he perched over the railing.  That was new now.  Usually, he'd call her either his lady or her initials "LB".  He'd only say, "Ladybug" if things were intensely serious, or he just wasn't up to it.