The Waiting Game

Chapter Eight - Snap Out Of It

Adrien always loved December, it was his favorite month. Colorful fairy lights decked the street lamps, mistletoe was hidden at the openings of cafe doors and the crisp snow blanketed the city making Adrien feel warm and fuzzy, oddly enough. He remembers his first Christmas here in New York like it was yesterday; he and Marinette had agreed to just stay inside all day, Marinette made cookies and Adrien introduced her to the wonders of anime (she really liked Say 'I love you'). She made him some dark green, fluffy socks and he bought her a book she had been hunting down for a while. 

All in all, it was the best Christmas ever. 

Even though his father never celebrated Christmas that much with him, being with Marinette made up for it all, and he always did love the decorations. He never really received presents from Gabriel either, besides the odd pen. Adrien reflected on every present he had ever received in his life, but none could compare to seeing his best friend on the other side of his apartment door.

"Adrien!"

Nino ran into Adrien and gave him a tight hug, which was greatly reciprocated.

"Nino! What are you doing here?"

Nino pulled away and adjusted his red cap. Time had greatly aged the cap, but Nino still stuck by it. "I'm here shooting a short film for my studio. We were supposed to shoot it in Paris but when my assistant suggested New York I jumped at the chance. I guess I just wanted to see you, man."

Adrien felt a warm smile grow on his face. "I've missed you Nino, but why didn't you call?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Nino cheered as he hauled in his blue suitcase. "think of this as an early Christmas present. My presence, from me to you."

Adrien laughed. "Thanks, Nino. Is it just you here?"

"Alya came by as well. She invited herself along for the trip, wanting to 'see my girl Marinette'." Nino impersonated Alya as best he could. "She's going to Mari's first, but she wants to swing by later." 

"Okay...what do you have in these bags?" Adrien wheezed as he helped Nino carry in another blue suitcase.

"Well, the first one is my clothes, toiletries etc. The one you're carrying has my laptop, hard drive, and camera in it." Nino said nonchalantly.

Adrien rubbed the red mark that the bag had left behind on his hand. "How heavy are those three things combined?"

Nino scoffed. "Dude, my camera is in a very tough, very strong smaller case to keep it from being damaged. That's why it's heavy. I gotta protect my baby."

"Your baby?" 

Nino glared at Adrien. "Don't judge man, it's what I call my camera. And besides, apparently, you have a baby now too."

Adrien tensed up slightly. "Ho-how do you know?"

"Alya told me on the flight over. I don't know why you didn't tell me, but I understand, I think." Nino grabbed both of his bags and carried with them with ease to Adrien's guest bedroom. Thanks to his father's riches he could afford a large, yet comfortable, apartment. He could have done that before with Marinette, but she refused to accept any money off of Adrien.

"I'm sorry Nino. I just didn't know how to bring it up, it's been an unusual time." Adrien leaned against the open doorway of the second room. He could see pain etched slightly across Nino's face. 

"I guess if I were in your position I would be nervous too, but I'm not. I don't even really know what to say, or what to ask," Nino quelled Adrien's guilt with a cheesy smile. "Let's start with the basics. How has it been? Alya didn't give me too many details."