The Princess and Her Criminal

Punished

A light tap echoed throughout Marinette's bedroom, lighter than usual. The girl shrugged it off and set aside her homework as she went to let her kitten in. As she opened the trapdoor Chat Noir fell into her arms, shivering. The bluenette sighed as she dragged Chat inside her room, laying him down on her bed, not forgetting to lock her trapdoor afterwards. "What happened now?" she curiously asked. "I...failed my training and my mission father was u-upset," the cat whispered, but Marinette heard crystal clear. Marinette was furious but at the moment she wanted to know a bit more about what happened "O-oh... Mind telling me anything else?" And so Chat told her everything. 

Earlier that day
A certain blonde in a black cat suit ran from roof to roof, a bit late for his mission today. Yes, that means no school today for him, he badly wanted to see his princess and tell her about last night, but that had to wait, he knew what happens if he skips a mission, and he hates disappointing his 'father', Hawkmoth. Sighing, he picked up his speed hoping the enemy had not already reached. Finally, Chat reached his destination, the same place he first met the love of his life, the museum. Cutting through the glass, he quietly made his way inside, and snatched the gem, replacing it with a fake, not to trigger the alarm. As he was about to jump through the window, someone shouted his name. The next thing he knew, was the police sirens could be heard from a distance. "Ugh, why'd you be so complicated? Now I'll have to kill you...oh well," he turned around, shooting the guy in his stomach twice, blood trickled downwards as the guard's body fell, a pool slowly forming under him. Chat smiled, a fake of course, "I'd love to watch you die, but I better be on my way, see ya!" he jumped out the window, the police not too far behind, trying to shoot the criminal, actually succeeding. Shock spread on his face as his right leg felt numb, and his eyes heavy. That's when it happened, his hand slipped, his baton fell and he could barely feel his legs, but he wouldn't let them know that. Headquarters wasn't far, but he needed to take the long way, to lose the police that was on his trail. Then it snapped, of course, that gas that was used in his training, he had snatched some of it this morning. He could use that! He needed his baton, too much information was in it and that was way too risky to leave behind. "Alright! You got me!" Chat noir walked into the open, his hands in the air, the gas in a small tube, however, the police could see it not, chat was too high up. "Come down with your hands in the air!" One of the police officers shouted through a loud speaker. Boy, was chat glad there were no helicopters on the scene. He made his way down, his leg stinging awfully. Ugh, why did he had to be shot in his LEG! Of all places, he couldn't run now! He sighed as he walked towards the police. "Drop any sort of weapons you have within your possession!" Chat mentally laughed. These idiots, how many times did he have to trick them before they understand that he won't surrender that easily?! But hey! The said drop it, all he has to do is hold his breath, which isn't such a good idea if you're bleeding out, but his blood was clodding and it wasn't too far from his destination. "If you say so, " he dropped the glass tube and held his breath, picked his baton up, and left the confused cops behind. He enjoyed seeing them struggle and ask questions, as the tried to either fight their fears or their weaknesses, though he had to get going for it was only a little bit of the gas he managed to get, so he hurriedly made his way to headquarters, where he gave Natalie the gem and got his wound treated, it wasn't too bad, it should fully heal in about two to three weeks. He called Nino and they talked about the entire situation and how school was. The guy still hadn't confessed to Alya, even though it was obvious that the two were head over heels for each other, however, the call was cut short when Natalie told him his father wished to see him in his office. Adrien knew something was wrong, if it was to congratulate him, then he would have sent the "congratulations" with Natalie or came himself. "Ok, thank you, Natalie," The emotionless woman left the room and returned to doing her work. Adrien sighed as he made his way to the office. "You wished to see me father?" Hawkmoth looked up from his desk. "Did I not say to knock before entering?" The man's voice was colder than usual. "S-sorry father, " Adrien looked down, apologetically. "I'll let it slip this time, but don't ever let it happen again, understood?" Adrien shook his head, yes, for he was sure that he'll stutter. "Good, now, explain yourself, " Adrien gulp as he asked his father what he was speaking about. "WHY IS THE GEM FAKE?!" The sudden outburst and harshness in Hawkmoth's voice caused the poor teen to flinch. "W-what? I stole it this morning! At the museum, just as you a-asked me to, " Adrien hated the fact that he stuttered so much, but what could he do? His father can be very frightening at times! An awkward silence filled the room as Hawkmoth was deep in thought. "You idiot..." His father once again spoke. Adrien remained silent, though he wanted to know what exactly his father was thinking, but he patiently waited. "When you arrived was the enemy there?" "No sir, " was Adrien's simple answer. "Do you know why?" Adrian again answered, "No sir." "Tell me, what happened when you arrived at the destination, " his father was surprisingly very calm. "Well, I cut the glass of the window and made my way to the gem, then swapped it with the fake, father, " Adrien tried to act and speak normal, and he was doing a sort of a good job, but mentally he was freaking out! What in the world could his father be speaking about? "Then, there's only one explanation, you were late!" Hawkmoth's voice rose almost instantly and that terrified Adrien. "Y-yes father, " Adrien shook from head to toe, he knew what happens if you fail a mission, especially if it was because you did something wrong. "S-sorry father, " was all he could whisper. "By how many minutes were you late?" His father ignored his 'apology'. "Um...10 minutes, father, " Hawkmoth sighed. "Don't lie to me, Adrien, " Adrien trembled, yes he lied but how did his father know that? "30 minutes, " Adrien was dragged to a room and chained to an iron bar, he put up no resistance at all, it would only make the situation worse. "Each tear you drop will add 2 lashes!" Hawkmoth grabbed a whip from a nearby table. "30 minutes, 30 lashes!" After that Hawkmoth was quiet only the teen's screams could be heard. Adrian counted in his mind, 1...2...3...4...5...6..Adrien bit his lip, tears in his eyes, but he couldn't, well...refused to let them drop. 7...8...9...10...11...12...13...14..15...16, he could feel his skin become softer, it was going to burst soon. 17...18...19...20...21...22...23...24, the whip slashed through his skin as blood trickled down his back. 25...it stung as his father lashed him directly inside the cut, bruising it. 26...27... Another cut through his skin. 28... The whip strikes again, and three tears dropped, Adrien hoped his father had not seen them, but the light blue cloth underneath him, did not really assist him in this situation. His father frown, "so soon Adrien, you only had two more," Adrien cursed within his mind before resuming his counting. 29...30, only 6 more to go...he tried to encourage himself to stay strong for the little remaining lashes, he was tired and felt drained, his eyes were heavy and he knew he would blackout any minute if his father continued but he tried to stay strong. His father raised his hand but... stopped midway?! Why? He didn't understand. "Go home, and NEVER let this happen again, " the chains we're unlocked and he left to go see his precious princess though the tight leather suit wasn't the best idea. Why did his father spare him? Did his father actually felt sorry for him? The question lingered in his mind as he hoped to arrive at Marinette's home soon as he was very weak.