MLB: Leave Me Be

Chapter 4 : Unannounced Visitor

~~Recap~~

"Thanks. I'll check up on Marinette soon too. Don't worry." He replied with a heartwarming smile and left the room. Finally, Alya could feel a bit more relaxed.

~~Recap Over~~

Adrien's POV:

Oh Alya! Believe me, I know exactly what you're going through right now. The feeling of being abandoned is truly scary. Ever since mom died, father has been different. He's always so distant and secretive. Always busy in work. Never having time for me. I feel neglected and unloved. But it all changed when I started school. I made friends who care about me and stand up for me- Marinette and Nino in particular. Their friendship means a lot to me. But it wasn't till I met Ladybug that truly lit up my heart. When I'm with her, I feel free and more like myself than I ever had! But then... Things changed between us. I never knew why. But she's kinda neglecting me too. First mother, then father and now her. I won't lose Marinette too! I can't.

The thought of losing Marinette hurt him. He couldn't bare to see the people he cared about, leave him. As he sat in his limo, the first thing he did was ask Simon (aka Gorilla) to drive him to the Dupain Cheng bakery. Though he was declined, he quickly came up with a lie that Marinette had his notebook and he needs it back to study for a test tomorrow. The driver sighed and headed for the bakery.

On his way, Adrien looked out the window. As the tall buildings passed by him in a blur, he sighed. The memories of him jumping on rooftops with his crush flooded his mind. The sense of freedom he experienced as he swung across the city was unlike any other. But it would have meant nothing if it wasn't for Ladybug. Her warm smile, the spark in her eyes, her courage, her intelligence, and her will to do the right thing was all it took for her to win his heart. If only she saw him more than just a partner. If only she saw him as the kind, smart and caring person he is. But now, he only wishes she would see him at all. She constantly shows up late, leaving Chat on patrols all by himself. She barely talks to him, with long pauses between every word. Almost like she's afraid to talk to him... Or just hates him. He tried calling her, but she never attended them. And that only increased his tension.

The car had stopped. But the young boy was still lost in thought. As if he didn't even notice the bakery in front of him. Simon eventually used the (car) horn to snap him back to reality. The sudden sound interruppted the silence. Having Adrien to shake his head for a few seconds to fully process the world outside his memories right now. A hesitated "Um... I... I'll be back soon." escaped his mouth as he opened the door and stepped outside.

As he stood outside the bakery, he took a second to examine it. 'It must be nice to be surrounded by people who love you. Am I right Marinette?' he thought to himself before walking inside.

As the bell on top of the door rang, Sabine and Tom turned to see who it was. A mixture of shock and happiness spread across their face.

"Hello Adrien. What brings you here to the store today?" Sabine asked with her heartwarming smile.

"Hi Mrs. Dupain Cheng. Is Marinette home?" He asked.

"Oh yeah. She's in her room right now." Tom answered while he placed a tray full of unbaked macaroons in the oven.

"Thank you." He smiled as he headed towards the stairs. But before climbing up, he stood there for a few seconds. He turned around to face the couple who were already dealing with another customer.

"Um... Did something happen to her recently?"

"I wish we knew. She refuses to share anything with us. She said she's just worried about the final exams next month. But I don't thinking that's the case." Sabine answered trying to hide the sadness she felt for her daughter's condition.

"I don't think that's it either." He mumbled back.

"What was that?" Tom interrupted.

"Oh nothing. I just hope she's okay."

"It's so nice of all of you to check on her from time to time. She's lucky to have such friends." Sabine passed a warm smile. Adrien only smiled back and headed upstairs. Whereas Sabine continued to deal with the customer.

As Adrien reached to the top floor, he gently knocked on Marinette's (trap) door. But no response came. He knocked again. This time louder and a bit harder. Still no response.

"Marinette, it's me, Adrien. I came to talk to you. Could you open the door?" He called out. Still no response. Curiously, he leaned in closer. As he placed his ear on the door, he could hear a few muffled cries. They weren't clear or anything, but he knew he heard them. He stepped back from the door again and knocked louder. "Marinette, I know you're in there. Open up... Or should I let myself in?" He cried once more. Still no response.

He sighed and lifted the door slightly to open, quietly. He promised Alya he'd check on her, but he didn't want it to seem like he's invading her privacy. After all, he did come to her home unannounced. As he lifted the door to fully open, he gasped in shock at what he was witnessing.

"Marinette!?"
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Sorry this chapter is a bit short. Also, thank you to all for helping me reach 50 followers! Love y'all ♡♡♡
And as always, you're welcome to try to guess what he saw.