Thief | Lukadrien

Part 16 - Abuse (flashback pt. 3)

(TW: depressive thoughts, discussion of abuse)

(Third Person)

Adrien's friends exchanged concerned glances as Adrien ran out of the room. Mlle. Bustier, who was at the front of the room, had seen the tears on her pupil's face, and was worried for him.

"He must have gone to the bathroom," she concluded to the class. "Nino, could you please check on him to make sure he's alright?"

"Oh, I can go, Mlle. Bustier!" Lila called from the back of the room. "I have to go to the bathroom anyway."

"You already went just a few minutes ago," the teacher responded flatly. "Besides, it would be highly inappropriate for you to enter the boy's washroom. So, unless you're nonbinary or transgender, please sit back down. Nino?"

Nino nodded and went out into the hallway. He found Adrien kneeling beside the wall, trembling uncontrollably.

"Dude, you okay?" Nino asked, bringing himself down to Adrien's level and putting a hand on his shoulder.

Adrien was surprised by the touch and quickly turned his head before wiping the water off his face. "Yeah, fine."

"You don't look so good."

"I'll be okay. I just wasn't feeling well."

"You sure? I can take you to the nurse's office if you want."

"No, thank you. I just... can you leave me alone for a bit?"

"Mlle. Bustier wants you back in class, I think."

Adrien sighed. "Oh."

Nino offered him a hand, and helped him stand up. He put an arm around the blonde's shoulder as they headed back into the room.

"Adrikins, what happened?!" Chloe demanded as soon as she saw Adrien's tear-stained cheeks. She rushed over to give him a hug.

"Nothing, Chloe," he said softly.

"Oh, don't be sad Adrikins! I hate it when you're sad."

After pulling away from the embrace, he forced a smile for her sake, then took his place behind Marinette. Alya turned around as soon as the lesson started up again and asked if everything was okay.

No, Adrien thought. Everything's not okay.

But of course, he couldn't say that. He simply nodded, to which Alya breathed a sigh of relief and gave a thumbs up.

...

(Adrien's POV)

At lunchtime, everyone rushed outside for their break. Even Mlle. Bustier was excited to go out on a sunny day like this. I took my time, however, and told Nino, Marinette, and Alya not to wait for me. I didn't see Luka leave with them, so I assumed he had already left. Unfortunately, I was wrong; he was still in the room, and because I was staring at the ground, I ran right into him.

"Sorry, Luka," I said with a stutter. "I didn't see you there."

"It's okay! It's my fault, anyway. I shouldn't have stopped in the middle of the aisle."

I smiled, a genuine one this time, and picked up the book that the boy had dropped.

"Thanks," he said, then tried to talk a few times before getting the words out. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"You don't have to pretend, Agreste."

My lungs stopped working again, and I had to remind myself how to breathe. "I... I'm fine... I mean, I think so..."

My voice was breaking. I took a step back, but tripped and fell onto the stairs. I brought a hand to my head as I tried to stop the world from spinning.

"It's okay not to be okay, you know," Luka said, crouching down beside me. "You don't have to perfect all the time."

That last sentence sent me over the edge. The tears spilled out again, and I covered my mouth so no sound would escape. After a moment, Luka shakily pulled my wrist away from my face, causing me to hiccup.

"Don't hold your emotions in. You're meant to feel them."

"I don't want to," I whispered, my sobs becoming audible.

"You're in a safe place. You can cry, we can talk, whatever you want. But you don't have to go through this alone."

For the next few minutes, I held onto Luka as I wept. He rubbed my back gently, assuring me that everything would be okay.

"Is that a little better?" Luka asked once I finally pulled away.

"Yeah. Thank you."

"Anytime." He lightly punched my shoulder. "You wanna talk about it? I'm a good listener."

I shook my head again. Even if I wanted to talk, I didn't think I could. My thoughts weren't forming coherent sentences.

"I like your shirt," I said, wiping my eyes and feigning confidence. "Is it Jagged Stone's merch?"

"Adrien, are you trying to change the topic?"

"Yes, is it working?"

Luka shook his head. "I'm still worried about you. You don't have to open up to me if you don't want to, but if you tell me what's going on, I can help."

"I don't think you can," I sighed, thinking about my situation at home; a missing mother and a stone-cold father. "It's not like you can change my family."

"Is someone... hurting you?"

"N-no, I don't think so."

"You don't think so? Why don't you know so?"

"Well, I don't see my father very often. He stays locked up in his room most of the time. If he had it his way, I'd be locked up in my room, too."

"Adrien, that isn't normal."

"I know it's not normal! But neither is my family! We've got eyes on us all the time, so of course we're going to be different."

"Adrien." Luka grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face him. "I'm worried that your household isn't safe. Has your father ever hit you?"

"I... yes. But not often! Only when I disobey."

Luka took a deep breath in and pushed his fingertips against his temples. As he exhaled, he brought his hands over his mouth and nose.

"Adrien," he said looking straight into my eyes. "This... what you're describing... is abuse."

"Wh-what?"

Luka struggled to find his words. "I think we need to go to someone about this. A social worker, maybe."

"It's not like they can help. Nothing anyone ever says to my father actually goes through to him."

"He'll listen to the police, won't he?"

"The police?!" I stood up. "Are you crazy?!"

"No, I'm completely serious. I've never been a situation like this before so I don't really know what to do, but I don't want you to be in danger!"

"Please don't call the cops. My father is the only family I have left. If they take him away..."

"You can come live with me; my offer still stands. If you don't like boats, I'm sure anyone else in the class would be more than willing to help you."

I shook my head. "Promise me you won't tell anyone about this."

"Adrien—"

"Please."

"I can't let him—"

"Please. Promise me."

He sighed. "Okay. I won't say anything. But if your dad hurts you again—"

"He won't. I know he won't."