Affairs of the Heart and Mind

Chapter 1

He needed to get out of there. Out of the hollow space and away from his father with the empty heart.

He needed to escape.

Without even asking Plagg, Adrien immediately transformed into Chat Noir, and leaped through the main window in his room. He kept running. His anger roared out of him as the rain poured on his face, hiding his tears. He didn't stop until he was completely out of breath.

Eventually he found himself on the roof of some shop and crumpled to the ground with a melancholy cry.

He couldn't hold it in anymore.

The freedom that usually came with his suit was overshadowed by his pain. Adrien was finished with all of this. His father ignoring him and forcing him into a world he despised, his mother gone, the pressures of being Chat Noir, school, it was all too much.

He wanted Ladybug. He wanted his lady, his best friend, to come tell him that things would be alright, that she would never ignore or leave him.

But, she doesn't love him that way, does she? She is always focused on the task at hand. Whenever he gets to talk with her it is glorious. Even so, they are a duo. They need to stay focused on protecting the city. If only she could see how he cared for her, but he respected her too much to confess his feelings. They were business. Strictly business.

There was someone else though.

A bright and shining light that had appeared in his life, but he couldn't trouble her.

He rolled over onto his back and faced the storm clouds. Each raindrop was a gentle dagger on his face. He did not want to move. He just lay there. Blank. For what felt like hours.

"Kitty?"

He shot up in surprise to see Marinette coming out of the ground underneath him.

He was on her balcony. Chat hadn't even noticed where he had landed.

He had to admit, he was drawn to her.

They both stared at each other for a moment. Still. Until Marinette went back down the hatch.

He sighed.

He had needed to run to her and embrace her just then.

What had he expected though? All those times the two of them had shared, gotten to know each other, they must not have meant anything to an amazing girl like her. What was he kidding? He wasn't good enough for her.

Adrien's thoughts were spinning endlessly in his head.

He layed back down with another deep, pained sigh, and continued to stare emotionless at the sky.

A few minutes later, she reappeared, and this time with a umbrella and fluffy white towel.

"Comme inside, Kitty." she requested softly.

Chat was filled with joy to see his dear friend, and let her help him up and into her room. As they fell down onto her bed, he felt that rich warmth flow through his body. He cherished it every time.

He dried himself off with the towel she provided, and eventually sat down across from her.

They were silent.

Adrien began to feel tense, a knot tied up in his stomach. He did not know what to say, and was too exhausted to consider the possibilities. He curled into the corner of her bed, arms wrapped around his knees.

He had just come to her in scattered pieces. A puzzle she shouldn't have to fix, yet here he was.

Thankfully, she spoke first.