Always, Marinette • adrienette au

28 || healing

To say he was drained was an understatement. Adrien was tired and he wanted to go home but couldn't. Bridgette was sitting across from him a warm mug in her hand. The scent of the tea tickled his nose pleasantly. She must've sensed him gazing at it because she raised her eyebrow at him. "Are you sure you don't want anything?" She asked, eyeing him carefully.

How could he tell her he hadn't really an appetite in months? That everything he tasted was bland and made him feel sick? Adrien couldn't. "I'm fine." He smiled at her. Bridgette no longer wore her sunglasses inside, they remained balanced on her head so if she did become too sensitive she could always pull them down. She hadn't been doing that much  lately which meant she was healing and that was a good thing.

"Felix asked me to marry him." His new friend said nonchalantly. If he had been drinking something he was sure he would have choked. Bridgette and Adrien had a sort of weird friendship. They were extremely close despite only knowing each other for such little time.

"What did you say?" Adrien asked stiffly. It felt like everyone else around him was moving on and he would forever remain stuck in place.

"I told him that I left my coffee in the kitchen and I'd be right back," she said numbly. There was something about her eyes that caught his attention. "I walked out the door and I ended up calling you instead." She blew on her tea softly letting the steam dissipate in the air.

"You love him," Adrien noted. Her eyes were sad and he didn't want to see them that way but that was all he could see. "So why aren't you with him right now?" He asked slowly, testing the waters.

"He doesn't mean it. He thinks he does but he doesn't," Bridgette said softly. Adrien was still confused. "All of our friends are getting married. His parents have been asking us about it and my own mother has been pressuring him about proposing. Felix doesn't mean it. He loves me and I love him and that won't ever change but I don't want my engagement to be forced or not something he feels obligated to do." Bridgette smiled sadly at him. He knew she felt guilty about talking to him about her love life.

"Well how did he ask?" Adrien suddenly wished he had a coffee. His mind sort of wandered to Marinette's diary. It cane right back when he saw how upset Bridgette was.

"I was reading a book and he was sitting on the couch watching me I guess and he just asked." She waited for him to respond as he just stared blankly at her. How could she not realize that was anything but forced? Bridgette was sometimes exactly like Marinette. She was completely oblivious. Despite himself and his friend's situation Adrien laughed. She made a face at him. "What?"

"That wasn't planned. That was spur of the moment. He just looked over and realized he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you," Adrien laughed so hard that he started to cry. Bridgette tried to comfort him but he ignored her. "And you just left." He cried harder because part of him longed for what she had. To see Marinette curled up on the couch reading a book. Adrien knew she'd look so beautiful. He'd probably ask her to marry him then to.

Bridgette was sobbing but still took in a shuddering breath to speak. "Stop crying," she scolded. "Every time you cry I start crying." Adrien knew she didn't want to admit how sad she was. Nobody paid attention to the crying pair.

"Bridgette, you have to go. You have to tell him your answer." Adrien mumbled. Tears still streaked his cheeks but he had regained some semblance of control.

She shook her head and a horrified look flashed over her features. "He's going to hate me." Bridgette was hyperventilating. "Felix is going to hate me." Adrien stood up and walked to her side of the booth and hugged her close to his side. Letting her bury her head in his neck as she sobbed. He felt her tears on her skin and he gently rubbed soothing circles into her back.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "You must think terribly of me. I'm crying over an engagement and you're comforting me while still mourning your love." She sobbed again with a new vigor.

"I don't think terribly of you." Adrien had stopped crying. His voice sounded shaky and his eyes had that familiar sting but he was no longer crying.

"You should." Bridgette mumbled. "I'm terrible. My boyfriend probably thinks I just left him." She curled in on herself, using him as an almost shield from the real world.

"You should probably go fix that." Adrien said simply. "Felix will understand. You do want to marry him right?"

"God yes. I do. I can't imagine my life without him." She sighed contently and finally sat up, pushing her mug away. She had barely had a full sip. "I'm going to tell him I want to marry him, that I love him, and that I didn't even make coffee this morning and left because I was scared." She nodded to herself, wiping at her cheeks as she uttered the words.

"Kiss him. Make sure he knows how much you love him." Adrien smiled and after a moment Bridgette finally smiled back. The grin took over her whole features and it made her eyes sparkle. He moved and let her out of the booth and she threw down a few bills for the tea.

"You should just have it, it'll be a waste," she nodded to the mug and he glanced down at it. "I'll call you later," she promised and practically ran out the door. Bridgette hadn't put on her sunglasses when she went outside and he watched as she left. He sunk back into the booth's seat when she was no longer in his line of sight.

The mug seemed to taunt him and he picked it up. It was warm and felt nice in his hands. He held it chest level for a minute before finally lifting it to his lips and taking a small gulp.

It tasted good. He let out a shaky breath of relief and sadness and happiness. Adrien almost started crying again. He drank his tea in silence letting the time slip through his fingertips.