Not Alone: A Miraculous Ladybug Story

Chapter 30

Marinette quickly called her parents, who while angry that she was just calling now and hadn't told them beforehand where she was going to be all afternoon and if she was okay during the akuma attack, were easily placated by Mr. Agreste talking to them briefly. That and the fact they were accustomed to their daughter being a bit absent minded at times. If only they knew the real reason I'm always all over the place, Marinette shook her head and said good night to her parents, before hanging up and going to sit on the couch in the living room.

Gabriel walked over to Alya and Nino, who were also on the phones with their worried parents, and checked to see if their parents similarly needed his reassurances. She closed her eyes and leaned back into the plush sofa. She could hear the soothing chatter of the five kwamis on the coffee table, catching up and eating from the platter of mishmoshed food articles that Gabriel had put together for them; cookies and camembert, obviously, and then lettuce for Wayzz, fruit juice for Nooro and berries for Trixx. Interesting that he knew each kwami's taste without having to ask, Marinette noted this to herself, but found herself far too tired to really think about it further.

The cushion next to her shifted and she slanted towards the added weight. She opened her eyes as Adrien put his arm around her shoulder and she wedged herself closer to him. He looked remarkable better than he had fifteen minutes ago. Color had come back to his cheeks and he was much calmer than before.

"Sorry about that up there," His free hand reached up to rub the back of his head in that adorable nervous manner she loved. "I was a bit hysterical."

"Well, you confronted the villain that has been terrorizing Paris for a year, face to face, who also happens to be your father and convince him that we were on his side and wanted to help, and then when your girlfriend and her best friend showed up and almost spooked him, you managed to calm him by giving up your identity. Then, for fear of being an under-achiever, you both released emotions that have been festering for a year. All in about twenty minutes. I think I'll allow a hysterical moment or two. Just this once."

"Thanks, so much Bugaboo." He vibrated slightly with a laugh. She placed a hand on his chest and rested her head against his shoulder. His laugh turned into an almost-purr and it was her turn to chuckle at him.

"Are you okay? Really, kitty?" He smiled down at her and squeezed her shoulder.

"I really am, Mari. I feel...more solid? I feel more whole than I have in a while. You're here. Nino and Alya are here. And now my dad feels like my dad again." He stopped and looked pensively in the direction of the fireplace they were facing, seeming to study the undulating flames. "It's not that I've been empty this past year, I was just very aware of the hole that had been left by the loss of my parents. It was getting better. I was becoming accustomed to my new reality, and it would have been fine eventually, but I never wanted that. I still have memories of before my father started pulling away, even before my mom disappeared, when I was really young and we were tighter knit. I always had hope that it would be like that again. I had started to give up on that the last year, but now.." He looked back at her. "Now I feel like I have my family back, and it's bigger than ever." he gazed at her meaningfully.

"You were always meant to be loved, Adrien. Maybe you needed to go through this to find your whole family. Your parents, obviously, but me, Nino and Alya, and even my parents too. They keep asking when you're coming over again." She laughed softly, but didn't look away. "You are so loved."

"So are you, Princess."

They gazed at each other, neither saying what they knew the other felt, but content to just be for a moment. Cuddling back into his side, Marinette closed her eyes. Hopefully, Nino and Alya would take fifteen more minutes and she could grab a mini-nap.