Sixty Beats Per Minute

Chapter 20

Adrien sat down on a chair next to Marinette's hospital bed, their hands intertwined in her lap. Both of their eyes glued themselves to the romantic movie playing on TV. A ballroom scene had appeared onscreen, where the main couple of the movie started dancing.

Out of impulse, Marinette's fingers gently squeezed Adrien's hand, completely unaware that they did so. Until now, she has never realized how badly she wanted to share a dance with him but never got it. Their school never had dances, but if she made it long enough to have their own wedding, they could have had their first dance.

Adrien, as if sensing her desperation, let go of her hand. He reached into his pocket to take his phone out. Marinette tilted her head in confusion, watching as his thumb scrolled through along his touchscreen.

Romantic piano music began playing from his phone at a relatively quiet level of sound. Adrien turned the volume up just loud enough to be heard from a short distance. He set his phone down on the table, allowing the soft piano to ring through the room. With a smile, Adrien held a hand out to her with his palm up.

"May I have this dance?"

Marinette blinked. A smile spread itself upon her lips shortly after, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. Both her and Adrien knew she could still walk on her own, and they only had so much time before she could no longer move by herself.

Marinette took the blanket off her lap, reaching to grab Adrien's hand. Adrien helped her as she slowly slid her way to the edge of the bed. He reached forward to grab her other hand as her legs swung down from the soft white mattress. Her legs shivered underneath her weight the second her bare feet touched the cold, hard floor. Adrien kept his grip on her, prepared to catch her if she were to fall.

Just like at the ice rink.

"I don't know if I have enough strength to reach your neck," Marinette said.

"That's okay," Adrien took her hands and placed them on his chest, "Do whatever you can, I'll catch you if you fall. It's just the two of us, after all"

Adrien placed his hands on her waist. Marinette smiled and rested her head on his chest as the two of them swayed to the music. Perhaps a small hospital room wasn't the most romantic place to have a dance in, but if they could at least share one dance before her time runs out, they were both willing to do it.

Marinette moved her hands from his chest and wrapped them under his shoulders, causing them to come closer until their bodies touched. Adrien smiled and held her tightly as he dug his face into her hair.

Marinette turned her head so that the side of her face rested on his chest. She closed her eyes, canceling out her sense of vision as the steady rhythm of his heartbeat echoed in her ear.

The music continued sounding throughout the room. The two of them didn't break their position one bit, longing to stay like this forever. Dancing for the remainder of her life.

The romantic piano music stopped playing, being replaced by upbeat funky music blasting in their ears. Adrien and Marinette snapped out of their moment. Their eyes widened as their eyebrows lifted above their heads at the sudden great change in music. Marinette rotated her head upwards as Adrien turned his head downwards, causing blue and green to connect. They still had not broken their position.

A small chuckle escaped through Adrien's closed smile. His contagious smile spread to her like a virus, making her own lips mimic his.

"Maybe I should have made a playlist for my instrumental music," Adrien laughed.

Marinette giggled, "You think?"

Adrien stepped back from her, taking both of her hands back into his. Marinette shakily made her way to the bed, her fingers gripping his hand tightly. She lowered herself into the mattress, where Adrien disconnected their hands. His fingers gripped onto the pure white blanket, bringing it over her lap.

As if his body had a mind of its own, Adrien instinctively leaned his head down to her short height. His eyes closed shut as he planted a small kiss on her forehead. Marinette smiled at the subtle contact of his soft lips against her skin.

Soft, candle-like heat radiated from her cheeks and spread to her forehead. The warmth absorbed into his lips, causing him to crack a smile against her forehead.

The door clicked open on the other side of the closed curtain. Ears twitching, Adrien's eyes sprang open as he took a step back from Marinette. Tom and Sabine stepped through the curtain just in time for him to straighten his posture. Adrien stepped to the side, letting the married couple make their way to their daughter. Sabine stood on one end while Tom stood on the other.

"How are you feeling?" Sabine asked.

Marinette shrugged, "Not too bad"

"I suppose I should make my leave," Adrien pointed his thumb at the door, "I'll let you two have some time with your daughter"

Adrien said goodbye to the family, shooting them a rather sad wave. He pushed himself through the curtain and out the door, closing it behind him. A deep sigh exhaled through his parted lips, where his smile had faltered and his eyes darkened with despair. He took one final glance at the closed door before stepping away.

His footsteps echoed loudly against the glossy floor as doctors and nurses roamed about, rolling carts full of medical supplies to their desired destinations. Adrien stopped in front of the door to the waiting room and pushed it open, where Alya and Nino sat with their arms around each other. Adrien stepped up to them, and they turned their attention to their blond friend.

"How is she?" A red-eyed Alya asked.

"She's still alive and breathing," Adrien replied, "She can still walk and move on her own, but she's pretty weak"

Adrien sighed shakily, tucking his hands into his jean pockets, "Let's go home, I can't stay here any longer. It's... Bringing back memories"

Alya and Nino understood how he was feeling. The two of them rose to their feet and stepped up to him, wrapping their arms around him.

Back inside the hospital room, Marinette had broken down into tears. Tom and Sabine rubbed their daughter's back from either side of the bed, attempting to comfort her. Though, they needed comfort as well, as they were not ready to lose their only child.

"I feel so bad," Marinette sobbed, "I know I'm only causing Adrien more pain. His mother died of the same disease"

Her parents remained silent, not daring to say a thing. Marinette was glad, though. She didn't want to break down in front of her parents, but she was tired of holding her tears back. She was tired of attempting to look strong in front of them.

She didn't know what to do about Adrien. She couldn't ask the doctors to keep him away from her, she knew how badly he wanted to stay with her despite the lingering trauma that stuck with him. If the doctors banned him from visiting her, she didn't even want to know how he would react to that. And, she didn't want to sound selfish, but she wanted Adrien to stay with her, too.

In her last moments, all she would want is Adrien.