It Wasn't Pere

Reminds Me Of Mom

"So who were you speaking to, Adrien?" asked my father.

"Oh, uh. No one. I like talking to myself sometimes." I said.

I looked at his facial expression. He clearly wasn't buying my lie.

"Anyway," he said as he adjusted his cuffs, "I'll need your ring."

"Why?" I asked.

"To make sure no crazed fan steals it from you, of course." he said.

I knew he was lying. It was all over him. He smelled of lies.

"I can't, really..." I trailed off while fumbling with my thumbs, thinking of an excuse.

"Why is that?" He asked, sternly.

"It- it's lost, I think." I said and looked anywhere but at him.

"I know when you lie Adrien." He stepped closer to my hospital bed. My heartbeat began to fasten and I began to sweat. What did he want? Why is he getting closer?

He moved so quickly. I didn't have much time to react. He grabbed onto my wrist and inspected my fingers.

"Like I said, I don't have it anymore." I replied, pulling my hand out of his. "It wasn't even that important anyway." I said, trying to play it off.

"Did your friend stop by to see you?" He questioned. "No." I glowered.

The environment was quite toxic in this room right now.

"Could you please leave? I need to rest." I bellowed.

"Don't use that tone on me, boy. I know what you're hiding and I'll get it one way or another. I don't care who I have to use or even kill in order to get what I need." He yelled.

"You're a horrible father but first and foremost, a horrible person." I snapped.

"I don't care what you think of me." He said with anger and agitation.

He began walking away from me and just when I thought he was about to leave through the door, he stopped by it and turned to me.

"Oh, and your friend? You may want to tell her to watch her back. I'm coming for her next. Well, again. I know she has it and I know she's Ladybug." He declared.

"And to think... It all could've been done so simply. You two could have just handed over the Miraculous from day one and none of this would have happened." He snickered and left through the door.

I felt my blood boiling. Oh, how I wanted to just jump at him!

My grip on my blanket tightened as tears began to pour. My mother disappeared and was presumed dead. My father had turned into a monster that the whole world now knows of as a villain. And now, my best friend and love of my life is being pursued and I can't stop any of it.

I am powerless.

As my tears dropped, I heard someone in the room and looked to the window. It was Marinette.

"Marinette, you can't be here. My father is after you!" I exclaimed.

She ignored what I said and shifted closer to my bed. I don't know what it was but her aura comforted me. Just seeing her made me calmer. She came up close and put her hand on my cheek. She began wiping my tears away.

"It's okay, Adrien. I know that everything seems hopeless right now. It's as if we'll never make it out of here alive but trust me, we always find a way. Right?" She tilted her head and smiled.

"Yeah." I sniffled.

A few moments passed as I calmed myself down. There was pure silence but then I broke it.

"How do you do it?" I asked.

"Do what?"

"How do you stay all positive all the time? How do you stay optimistic even when the world is falling apart? I mean, the sky could fall and the earth could be shattering but you'd still say something light and positive." I questioned.

"Well, Adrien..." she paused. "I guess, I am actually really scared, if I'm being honest. I'm terrified." she began tearing up. "But it's my job, I was given this honor, this responsibility, so I need to put away my fears and worries and put on my brave face on. A hero doesn't have the time to be scared." She said as she trembled.

It was at this time that I realized that even the hero of Paris, the protector of people, the smart, the responsible, beautiful, creative, kind, loving, caring and honest Ladybug had fears. It was because she was just like me, just like Alya, Nino, Rose, Kim, Natalie. She was just like any other human. Humans have fears. Humans can cry. Humans worry.

What Marinette did was remarkable. She put her humanity aside and allowed her heroism to take over. Perhaps the reason I was so infatuated by Ladybug was because she seemed to have no fears. She always dove in head first, she always saved the day, she always consoled others, she always put others before herself.

Although, now that I am realizing that she is just like anyone else, my infatuation for her broke.

I'm coming to realize what I felt wasn't love. I was simply admiring her. I wanted to be her. I thought she was all brave, fearless, I thought she didn't have problems of her own. I thought nothing bothered her.

I'm coming to realize that it's now. It's now when I can accept her. Accept her with all her flaws, her fears, her worries, her troubles and her humanity. The moment I saw her tear up, I realized that I can't always cry on her shoulder. Sometimes she has to cry on mine too but she's never even once asked for any help. I was never really there for her.

She reminds me a bit of mom. Mom could be the most terrified person in the world and still comfort others around her.

Maybe that's why I've always felt comfort around Marinette and Ladybug. They both reminded me of mom. That's why I admired her.

That's why now... I'm willingly falling in love.

"Marinette?"

"Yes, Adrien?"

"I love you."