Claws In 🐾 (SEQUEL to Spots Off) ( A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic)

20- When Push Comes To Shove

Adrien's POV

"I'm sorry..." Marinette blinks at me. "WHAT?!"

"I—"

"How long, Adrien?" She asks, eyes wide in anger. "How long have you been visiting your father?"

"Since he was arrested," I admit, waiting for the inevitable fight.

Marinette starts pacing back and forth, her hands shaking. "But that was over eight months ago! Wait..." She looks at me. "Since the beginning? The whole time? The whole time!"

"Mari—"

"We talked about this, Adrien!" She shouts. "We both agreed it wouldn't be smart—or safe—to go see your father! Even your mother said so herself. That he would try and manipulate us."

I shake my head. "It's not like that at all, Mari."

"No?" She crosses her arms and says, "So, he wasn't Hawkmoth? He wasn't terrorizing our family and our friends?"

"Mari—"

"Your father didn't try to kill me?"

Sighing, I look away and whisper, "This is why I didn't want to tell you, because I knew you'd—"

"If you say I'm overreacting, Adrien, I swear I'm going to throw you off the balcony."

And I know she could.  "I know my father is a horrible person! Okay? But it's hard for me to let him go. He's... he's my father."

"He hurt us! He hurt you, Adrien! On purpose. He doesn't care!"

"Maybe there's a chance he could change!"

Marinette steps forward and grabs my hands. "Adrien, I know you see the good in everyone. It's one of the qualities I love about you. Your father... all his good is gone. There's nothing left but an evil shell."

"You don't understand!" I yell, pulling away from her. "I didn't know what to do! I feel so alone without my miraculous. I don't feel like myself anymore. I haven't in a long time. Without Plagg, without my ring, I feel useless. Worthless! How could I ever help you?"

"Adrien—"

"So I went to my father—the first time—to try and get him to reveal the identities of Miss Farfalle and Monsieur Paon, or even if he knew them. If I could do just one thing to help, then maybe I wouldn't be so useless after all. If I could just help you, maybe you wouldn't see how pathetic I truly am. But... but he wouldn't tell me. My father would never give a clear answer. He said that each time I came to see him, he would decide if that was the time he was going to tell me the truth."

Marinette bites her lip. "And... has he?"

"No." I shake my head. "He hasn't."

"Well, I do..."

"You do, what?"

"I know Miss Farfalle's and Monsieur Paon's identities."

I look at her with wide eyes. "What? How?"

"Monsieur Paon told me himself."

"Was that before or after he kidnapped you?"

She rolls her eyes. "Adrien... look, if you just let Felix explain—"

"Felix?" I question, confused. "What does my cousin—" It clicks. "Felix is Monsieur Paon."

"He goes by Argos now, actually."

Crossing my arms, I mutter, "What, are you two friends now or something?"

"No, but we talked earlier and—"