Akuma - A Dark Miraculous Ladybug AU

Chapter 13 - Old Friends

Adrien Agreste walked along the snowy Parisian streets, his face half-buried in a thick gray scarf. He blankly looked ahead of him, trying to keep a somewhat low profile.

It was really his own need to get out that had him take a walk outside in ankle-deep snow. He hadn't actually listened to Nathalie's requests to take a breath of fresh air. 

It wasn't the first time he had faked being sick in bed, but it felt as if Nathalie was acting as if he weren't even sick this time. 

I mean, burns and being sick is sort of the same thing right?

Though, despite it all, it was rather refreshing to not have to turn his head practically 360 degrees every second to make sure that no civilian or cop could spot him.
His burns were increasing in pain, but they weren't too severe. For once, he was rather glad he had a large empty room in which no one could enter. 

He breathed out a small fog of air as he continued along. 

Was I too harsh on Bug last night?  

I mean I called her insecure. Yeah, I probably was.

He felt a pang of guilt hit his chest. 

I guess I just wanted her to see things my way... 

"Adrien Agreste!" A voice squealed from behind him. 

Adrien swallowed hard. 

"Uhh, hey Chloé, haven't seen you out of school in a while," Adrien grinned artificially when he turned toward her. 

The girl was covered with a coat and winter clothing, her hands holding over 3 shoppings bags on each hand. 

"Adrien, did your school have a snow day too?" Chloé smiled, her voice holding the slightest bit of hesitation. 

"Well, no," Adrien admitted. "I'm sick and Nathalie kept insisting I get fresh air."

"I see," Chloé replied. 

An awkward silence settled between them. 

"Well I better-"

"I went on a date last night."

Yeah, I know.

"Oh really, that's great Chloé," Adrien stumbled through his words. "A-anyone we know?"

Chloé's expression dropped and she stopped making eye contact with him.

"No...I was just...curious to see what you had to say about it."

"Well I'm glad that you're trying to find that someone special," Adrien laughed lightly, unsure of where to put his hands. "I better get going, the walk's...I mean Nathalie's...I...need my medicine."

"O-okay," Chloé said blankly. She walked away from Adrien hurriedly, as if she didn't want to see him right then. 

"Great," Adrien replied awkwardly. 

With a painful sigh, he jammed his hands into his pockets and walked back home. He pursed his lips in a thin line and breathed inside his scarf. 

He hadn't realised how long it had been since he had talked to Chloé. 

For a moment, he almost thought that he had completely forgotten her voice. It was starting to get harder to see Chloé most of the time. He had completely lost contact with her, failed to return her texts, rarely visited. 

He had suspected it was his father's fault for how distant Adrien and her became, but he held his father too highly to even do that. 

A snowflake fell on his nose and shook his head, his previous thoughts disappearing.