Running from the Night (A Ladybug and Chat Noir Fanfic)

Chapter 27

Adrien stepped out from behind the partition. Marinette was wringing her hands as he moved in front of her. She had her dark hair in two buns sitting on top of her head tied with pink ribbons. A few pieces of hair fell around her cheeks framing her face. She wore her usual white tank top with flowers decorating it and her pink jeans. He took in her nervous smile and the way her eyes were trained on his own.

"Your eyes are still green," she breathed. He felt, more than saw, her move her hand as if to touch him before stopping herself and hesitating. He waited as she chewed on her lip and her eyebrows knitted together.

"Can.. can I touch you?" She asked, searching his eyes. He felt something in his stomach twist. He didn't want anyone to touch him but the idea of her skin on his made his heart hurt in anticipation. He swallowed the lump in his throat and desperately tried to quell the rising panic.

"Yes," his voice came out strangled and quiet. He wasn't sure he was telling the truth. He closed his eyes and tensed as he waited.

Marinette's warm fingertips grazed his cheek. He sucked in a breath. Her palm came to rest on his jaw and her thumb began to rub softly against the edge of his mask. His eyes fluttered open. He felt warm. There was no pain or fear. His body had relaxed.

"You're safe," Marinette whispered. Her eyes still had not moved from his own. He felt something in him snap. Tears streamed from his eyes and he wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her into a tight hug and began to sob into her shoulder. He moved the mask up to avoid ruining it with his tears.

They stood in an embrace as Adrien cried hard enough that breathing became difficult. He squeezed his arms around her as tightly as he could. Her small frame held so much love and comfort that he wanted to drown in it. A sniffle from Marinette surprised him into breaking the hug. He wiped his face and pulled the mask back down. He pushed her back so he could see her face.

Marinette's own cheeks were stained with silent tears. Her eyes were red and she sniffled again. She gave him a half hearted smile and tried to wipe her tears away.

"Please tell me what happened," she sniffled again. She moved her hands so they were resting at his sides. The warmth from her hands seeped through the thick cloth.

"Be more specific," he laughed dryly. A frown formed on her face and he immediately regretted the bitterness that had infused his tone.

"Let's start from the beginning, you stopped answering my texts, why?" her voice was soft like she would understand any answer he gave. There wasn't a hint of accusation. He bit the inside of his cheek. How was he supposed to answer that?

Sorry I stopped messaging you. I couldn't handle the guilt of cheating on you and I could barely take care of myself let alone pick up my phone. Then just when I started to feel again everything went wrong and I didn't have my phone anymore and I couldn't transform into my better self.

"I had a lot going on, I- I know it wasn't okay and I understand if you hate me," he looked at the ground preparing himself for her anger.

"I love you and I always will," his eyes snapped up to look at her face. She was smiling at him. Why wasn't she angry?

"What about Chat, how come you weren't fighting akuma's?" She continued as if his answer was acceptable.

"I was grounded, if you could call it that," he said under his breath, "my family was watching me and I couldn't risk it."

"Hmm," she hummed.

"Did they stop watching you?" She asked again. He could see something turning behind her eyes, like she was figuring out a riddle that had previously eluded her.

"No," his throat was tight. He didn't want to think about this part. He didn't want to remember how he left, why he left.

Silence hung between them. He looked anywhere but at her. He could feel her eyes boring into him. His own eyes settled on her shoulder. There was a green thread sitting on her. She must have been sewing his new clothing all day. She deserved so much more than him. He shouldn't even be here.

"Chat," her voice called softly.

"I ran away," he admitted for the first time out loud. It felt like a foreign language on his tongue. He still couldn't believe he had left but he knew it was the only option.

"I couldn't stay there anymore," the dam broke, words tumbled out of him before he could stop it, "my father is- he's a horrible man. I don't want any part of him, I never asked to be put on a pedestal like some kind of puppet for him to use. I didn't want to be used and he didn't care. He didn't care that she was- was touching me, hurting me. I'm so so sorry Marinette, I didn't mean to- I didn't want-."

Adrien could barely hear what he was saying over the sound of his heart pounding. He knew that in any moment she would realize he was a cheater and kick him out and he wouldn't be safe anymore. He didn't want to be alone again, he didn't want to be so hungry it felt like his stomach was clawing him from the inside.

"Oh kitty," her voice caught with emotion. He felt her arms wrap around him and pull him into a tight hug. She was surprisingly strong. He felt her body racking with sobs. He squeezed his eyes tight. He savoured every moment of her holding him. It ended too soon.

Marinette pulled back and furiously wiped away the tears on her face.

"I'll go but you can yell at me first if you want," he couldn't bear to look at her.

"What?" The question exploded from her with a sharp tone. He flinched back.

"Chat Noir, you look at me," she put her hands on his face and guided him to look at him, "I am not angry with you. You are staying here. End of sentence. If I look angry it's because I am, if I knew who your father was I would be giving him a piece of my mind and a punch in the teeth."

The mental image of the petite Marinette stomping up to his towering father and promptly punching him popped into Adrien's mind. He couldn't help but let a laugh escape his lips. He smiled at the love of his life.

"That would be meow-velous," he grinned. A smile spread across her face.

"Speaking of," Marinette turned around and crouched down to the clutter under her desk, "not the punching, but you staying here."

She spun back around and held up a paper bag. He took it with a questioning look and glanced inside. There was more clothing underneath a variety of toiletries.

"I had a feeling you didn't have this stuff so I went and got you some basic supplies, of course if you need anything else I can get it too," she smiled and clutched her hands behind her back. He riffled through the items finding a toothbrush, toothpaste, a comb, deodorant and more new clothing. He smiled as he inspected them and a thought popped into his head.

"I actually do have a request, I would get it myself but I can't exactly go shopping these days," he said with hesitation in his voice. The last thing he wanted was to stretch thin her generosity.

"Anything," she replied with a smile.