Unclean Hands 🫴🏻 (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction)

23 | The First Text

Adrien sat up fast as he stared at his phone. No, this can't be happening.

Someone knew what he did. How? Is this a joke?

Marinette looked over. "What's wrong, Adrien?"

"Yes, Adrien. What's wrong?"

Hearing that voice made Adrien jump up and spin around. His father stood at his desk, arms crossed behind his back, and like before, he had a disappointed look on his face.

Adrien stumbled back and tripped over the coffee table and into the tv.

"Adrien!" Marinette ran to his side and helped him up. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

He couldn't stop staring at his father. How was he here? He couldn't be. He killed him.

"Uh..." Adrien looked at Marinette and as he glanced over at his desk, his father was gone. He rubbed his eyes and said, "I'm sorry. I'm just... out of it, I guess."

He bent over and grabbed his phone off the ground. As he reread the text again, another one came in.

Unknown: That was quite an act you put on. Do you think those officers bought it?

Whover this person was texting Adrien, they knew everything. They knew he killed his father and covered it up. But how? And who?

"I get it, Adrien," Marinette began to tell him, and he looked up at her. "Well, I can't really imagine what you're going through, given what's happened, but..." She paused as she played a loose thread on her jacket sleeve. "I get that you're scared, and that's okay, but we're in this together. I promise, I'm not going to leave you. You can count on me."

Adrien looked back at his phone. She was right, he could count on her. He could tell her about this. Before he could say anything, a third text chimed in.

Unknown: Do you think Marinette will look good in a prison jumpsuit?

Adrien's hand began to shake. Did this anonymous person just threaten Marinette?

"Adrien, what is it?" She asked.

He turned his phone off and threw it on the couch. "N-Nothing."

Adrien didn't want to involve Marinette anymore. Her life was already in shackles because of him, but it'd be completely ruined if this continued. But he knew she was stubborn, so he'd keep the texts a secret... for now.

"You're right, I am scared," He told her after a quiet moment. "I'm scared of what will happen to you if we get caught."

"I don't care what happens to me."

"You should."

There was a loud chuckle and then, "That girl was always devoted to you, wasn't she?"

Adrien's head snapped up and he saw his father sitting at the end of his bed. His heart pounded hard against his chest.

His father shook his head. "It's almost admirable, if she wasn't such a stain on the Agreste name."

Adrien shook his head as he tried to ignore him.

"Maybe you should take a nap," Marinette suggested.

"Maybe I should," He agreed. "Will... will you stay?"

She nodded. They climbed in bed together and faced each other. She grabbed his hand and said, "Sleep, you need it."

As Adrien closed his eyes, he heard his father's voice again.

"You know how I feel about girls in your room."

He opened his eyes to see Gabriel leaning close over Marinette.

"This is unacceptable!"

Adrien pulled her closer and hugged her tight, humming to drown out his father's voice. After a few restless minutes, the two eventually doze off and fell asleep.