Too Young For Love (On Hold) ~ A Miraculous Love Story

Chapter 6: Missing You

"If I see that blonde bimbo I'll knock all her precious teeth out!" cried Alya, sitting forward on the sofa.

Nino shook his head and calmly pulling her back to his side. "Chill, Alya. Violence doesn't solve anything." Alya grumbled as she relaxed against him and he turned his attention to Marinette, "So where's the little dude?"

Marinette gestured upstairs to her attic bedroom, frowning into her empty mug, "He's playing Ultimate Mecha Strike Three. I tried putting him to bed, but he won't sleep unless I will too."

"Is he as good of a pro as his mom?" asked Alya, smiling to try and lighten the mood.

Tikki had prompted Marinette to call Alya and talk things through after the incident with Chloe. Her mother had taken over things that required leaving the house and Marinette decided to use her time to start studying for a final she had coming up.

She'd called her friend the day after and Alya had been furious, practically dragging Nino through the bakery door by his ear to get them both inside. They'd already been there an hour with Alya asking Marinette to explain the entire situation to them, including what Hugo had said.

She still hadn't had the chance to speak with him, but when she'd told him about Aunt Alya and Uncle Nino's visit he hadn't asked any questions like he usually did. He was oddly quiet and went along with everything she'd said. He'd brushed his teeth without complaining about the flavor of the toothpaste and didn't make a sound when she'd unknowingly been brushing over the same knot relentlessly in his dark hair.

It worried her.

"He's better actually." Marinette forced a grin and tried to think of something besides Chloe's monstrous words, "I knew the minute he asked to play I might be harboring a serial gamer."

"I can't say I didn't see it coming," said Nino, "He totally destroyed me last week. We played six rounds and I lost every single time."

"Aw, did you get beat by a little kid?" cooed Alya, reaching up to pinch his cheeks.

Nino's eyes lit up in amusement, but he kept his face stoic as he stared her down. "You don't get it, Babe. That kid's a machine when it comes to Ultimate Mecha Strike Three. He'd be able to take out Adrien in seconds."

Marinette's grip on the mug tightened and Nino's face paled, his head snapping to her. "No –Wait! That's not –,"

"Is he here?" asked Marinette, her voice cracking as the words passed her lips, "Do you know if he arrived yet?" Nino shrugged and moved his gaze to the floor. Alya sighed, sitting straighter and pushed away from him.

"After he phoned Nino, telling him he was coming down...Nino switched off his phone," she said.

Marinette blinked, shocked, and turned fully to see Nino digging the tip of his All Stars into her carpet. "You...switched your phone off? What? Why?"

"He abandoned us all, Marinette. He didn't make a single effort to even pick up the phone and call. Now he phones us out of the blue after seven years to tell us he's coming back? It's his fault if Nino doesn't want to talk to him."

"But maybe he had a reason." Marinette couldn't tell them about Gabriel being Hawk Moth –it was something only Ladybug and Chat Noir could know. Adrien finding out had nothing to do with either superhero, and it had even less to do with Marinette.

"What reason?" asked Alya, gritting her teeth, "He's been off our radar for years, Marinette. I bet he doesn't even know about our marriage, never mind the fact that you have a son!"

"Not so loud!" hissed Marinette, "My parents are sleeping and I don't want Hugo hearing about this." Alya's expression softened; her tone sympathetic as she murmured a quick apology and retreated back into Nino's arms.