Behind the Mask (Book One)

Chapter 13

(Marinette's POV)
"Tikki, spots off"

I detransform just in time for Adrien to come back.

"Plagg, claws in"

Adrien sits down on my bed, exhausted from the battle.

I walk over and sit down next to him, "You good?"

He nods and lays down, flinching and grunting in pain. He immediately sits back up.

"Hey, what was that?" I ask, concerned.

"Nothing. It was just from the battle," he says.

I could hear a lie in his voice.

"Adrien," I say quietly, "Please tell me the truth"

He looks down, taking a deep breath.

"Adrien?"

"I don't know how to explain it," he takes off his button-up shirt, revealing the cuts I saw earlier on his left arm and some burns on his right arm.

He then turns his back to me, "Look at it yourself"

I blush, touching the bottom of his T-shirt. I look at him for permission and he nods. I lift his shirt up slightly, revealing a series of cuts and bruises on his back. I close my eyes and let go of his shirt.

"My father did that to me," Adrien says quietly and turns to face me again, "It's been happening ever since my mom died a year ago and he tried to forget her by getting drunk"

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" I ask, keeping my voice gentle.

"I don't want to lose him," Adrien says sadly, "I already lost my mom. I don't want my father going to prison"

"Besides," he continues, "People will just think I'm looking for attention"

He puts his button-up shirt back on and I scoot a little closer to him.

"Everything will be okay," I say, trying to comfort him, "I'm here for you"

"Thank you," his voice was trembling, along with his bottom lip. I could tell he was trying to hold his tears back.

"You can cry," I say to him, "Let it out. You've been through a lot. Crying doesn't make you weak"

That's when his tears began to flow. I come even closer to him, careful not to touch him.

"Thank you, Marinette," he says, looking at me with tears in his eyes.

He uses his sleeve to wipe them away, taking deep breaths to calm down.

"I've never opened up to anyone before," he looks down at the floor, "I can't thank you enough. Thank you for being someone I can open up to"

"Thank you for letting me in," I say.

Suddenly, Adrien's phone rings and he picks it up, "Hello?"

There was silence for a couple seconds.

Adrien sighs, "Alright, Father. I'm coming"

He takes his phone off his ear and hangs up.

"Sorry, Marinette. I didn't know I had a photoshoot today and my father noticed I was gone," he stood up, shaking at the fact that he needs to go back home.

"I'll see you at school then, I guess," he says.

"Oh... Okay"

Adrien transforms into Chat Noir and jumps out the window.

I hope his father doesn't do anything bad to him... If he does, it's my fault for inviting Adrien over.

(Adrien's POV)
That's strange. Normally I would know like a week or two ahead of time before I have a photoshoot. Why wasn't I notified beforehand?

I leap over buildings as fast as I can before landing in a nearby alleyway to detransform. I make my way to the house and walk through the front door, finding Father at the top of the stares. He didn't look very happy (he always looks angry, though, so it's not like there's a difference).

"Hi, Father," I greet, trying to hide the fear in my voice.

"Where were you?" Father asks bitterly.

"I was just at a friends house," I look around the room, "Umm, where is my photographer?"

Father doesn't answer and walks down the stairs, coming closer and closer with his hands behind his back. My feet are frozen in fear. Both at the fact that my father, Hawkmoth, is right in front of me and because I know what's coming.

I guess my father just wanted me home so he can punish me. Looks like I don't actually have a photoshoot today.

My father places his hand on my shoulder, making me flinch. He walks me towards the "torture room" and shoves me inside the dimly-lit room.

He takes his hand out from behind his back, revealing his stick.

"I believe you know the punishment for sneaking out," He says calmly.

I nod and close my eyes in preparation for the series of hits I'm about to get. His beatings aren't as bad when he's sober, but it still makes me tremble with fear. Sober or drunk, he's still evil. Literally.

I sense him raising the stick and my body tenses up, bracing for the stinging sensation.