Something new

chapter 44

"Adrien it's been 10 minutes and you haven't said a word or moved an inch. Come on, let's just go home." Plagg begged, feeling hungry and tired, with the worry of him getting sick.

Adrien shook his head, "Can I talk to you before we go?" He asked, finally having let out a sign of consciousness. Plagg flew towards his face, looking into his eyes that were red and glossy. He sighed, giving in, "Let's talk the whole night if you need it."

And so, Adrien started whining about how unfair his job as Chat Noir is, about how he knows he could trust (Name) with his secret.
Plagg sighed again, feeling pity for the boy. "Adrien, you know you can't. No matter how much trust there should be, you can't allow yourself to misuse this responsibility you have as Paris' superhero."
Adrien waved with his hands, "I'm not doing anything reckless. I have been doing this job for almost a year now, I know my rules very much." Plagg tried to argue, "You heard them yourself. They don't know anything about Chat Noir! Do you want to force them to let you in?"

"But they do know me!" He snapped back, standing up.

"No one knows what Chat Noir's current favorite color is. They do. What is my favorite series? Oh no one knows, except for them.", Plagg watched as Adrien was letting all this built up frustration out.
"Not even my own father knows my favorite food. They know Chat Noir's favorite food, snack AND drink. They knew about my love for Ladybug, heck, they were the one who motivated me to actually properly move on. They were the one who knew about me being left out in the Akuma attacks. They know my favorite game and character."
He was pulling his hair, his voice was starting to strain itself.

But Plagg didn't say anything, he just watched.
"(Name) knows more about Chat Noir than some of Adrien's closest friends know about him. They know more about Chat Noir than they do about Adrien."
Adrien finally exhaled, his body relaxing from mental exhaustion.
"They know everything about me but my name."

His gaze fell to the ground, and so did his legs, he sat down on the roof, his legs dangling down.
Plagg finally decided to say something.
"Why didn't you tell them that?"

Adrien's back was facing his Kwami. He didn't respond verbally, he just shrugged. "My mind was blacked out. I couldn't even process what they were saying." Plagg held one of Adrien's fingers, "You have to understand that they don't know that. Of course they think they don't know you. You're a masked superhero with a fake name for your safety."
"Why is my identity so important for them anyway? Our trust is real nonetheless!" The boy complained irritated.

_________________________________

It's better that way.

Why did I even ever let him in?

God I am stupid.
What's wrong with me?

I could've avoided all of this.

(Name) was alone with their thoughts.
Thinking they did the right thing was something they wanted to feel proud of.
But what they were thinking and what they were feeling weren't matching.
While they knew this was a smart thing to do, their heart and stomach were aching as if they did the most stupidest thing in the world.
It's better this way.
They groaned, their head starting to throb as well.
"It's not even that big of a deal."
Yes it is.
I need him.

Trying to ignore the regret, they went to bed at 10PM.

That night they didn't get any sleep.

_________________________________

Adrien finally got to rest when the time reached 4AM, though, his resting wasn't necessarily making him feel rested.

When he woke up the next morning he felt nothing but a massive head ache and cramps all over his body.

Felix walked towards him. "Adrien, you have 20 minutes left until your first lesson starts.", he reminded his cousin, already in his clothes. He knew that Adrien came back at around 3AM last night. He just pretended to be asleep.

Adrien shot up, getting dressed in a flash and running into his bathroom. Felix was waiting for him in his room, packing his backpack so that he didn't have to waste even more time waiting for his cousin. "Your bag's ready.", he yelled from his room.
Adrien came out shortly after and grabbed it, "Thanks, let's go."

The two identical blondes left the room and were ready to be escorted to school.
The drive was silent.
This made Felix wonder what could have happened yesterday. Usually Adrien would talk a lot and especially ask a lot. But now he was just quiet. Looking out of the window.
"How was your walk yesterday?" He whispered to him.
"It was great. Refreshing." Adrien answered, with a nonchalant tone.

Felix stared at him unimpressed, 'L I E' was practically written on his cousin's face. He sighed and let him be though, he was no one who had to deal with his personal issues.

When the two arrived all of the students were already in class.
All except for (Name). Adrien immediately noticed and sat down next to Nino. Felix, like last time, squished himself next to him, making Adrien sit in the middle.
"Where's (Name)?", he quietly asked his best friend who just shrugged. "Probably overslept again."
Adrien wanted to ask more but got distracted by a message from his father.

Your appointment will be at the park, it's important. Be there after school.

Felix also read the message and watched Adrien's already unhappy face get even worse.
"I thought you talked to him about not wanting to model anymore?" "I did like a month ago, but he won't even consider it."
Felix stared at his cousin, feeling pity for the boy who still couldn't escape the control of his father. "Then show him that you really mean it."
Adrien looked at him as if he was insane. "Felix, you know i can't disobey him!" "If you want your freedom you have to start somewhere." Not once did Felix show any emotion.

During break Adrien wanted to text them, but the scenery of yesterday just flashed his mind again. He shouldn't be afraid of talking to them as Adrien, after all it was Chat Noir that they didn't want to talk to. He still felt bad and sort of guilty even, so he couldn't bring himself to talk to them first.

He wanted to put his phone into his bag when suddenly he heard Felix talk to them on the phone.
When did he get their number??

He listened to the two talk, he couldn't exactly hear what (Name) was saying but he saw his cousin start laughing.
Felix LAUGHED at something (Name) said.

Now Adrien needed to know what they could have possible said that it made him laugh.
When Felix hung up he gave the phone to Marinette and thanked her.
"Did you just have a call with (Name)?" Adrien asked his cousin who just nodded and then properly turned to him.

"I asked them when they would arrive to school." He replied to him with a sort of irritating smile, if Adrien had t describe it.

"What were you laughing at then?" He asked again, curious on what they said, since it must be really funny if Felix laughs at it.
"Them. They're pretty funny, I can see why you like them." He winked at his cousin, who was shocked. His mind blacked out for a second until he decided to laugh it off, "Yeah.. I told you you'd like them!" He smiled, his voice a bit dejected.
Felix just smirked at him and then asked Marinette for their number.

What. The. Fuck.

Adrien could hear a faint snicker coming from his pocket.