Chapter Text
Adrien stirred awake as sunlight streamed through his window, the blaring alarm dragging him fully into the day. With a groan, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and made his way to the bathroom, the familiar routine of getting ready for school waiting for him.
He ran a comb through his hair, smiling at his reflection in the mirror. Instantly, memories of his mother helping him comb his hair as a child surfaced, warm and tender. Adrien’s smile turned bittersweet as he remembered those precious moments, him, his mother, and his father, all together, a perfect family that now felt just out of reach.
Adrien headed downstairs to the kitchen, where Nathalie sat at the table, scrolling through her tablet. His father was flipping pancakes at the stove. He didn’t care much for his father’s cooking, but he kept the thought to himself.
Nathalie looked up and asked in her usual calm tone,
“How’s school, Adrien?”
Gabriel set a plate of pancakes on the table, his expression as unreadable as ever.
“Adrien,” he began, his voice measured, “have you given any thought to Kagami? She’s a refined young woman, disciplined, with a strong family background. I think the two of you would make a suitable match.”
Adrien froze with his fork halfway to his mouth. He forced a small smile, not wanting to argue, but inside his chest tightened. His father’s words felt more like an arrangement than genuine concern for his happiness.
Adrien didn’t know how to feel. He hadn’t even met Kagami yet, and the idea of being pushed toward someone he barely knew left him unsettled. He wasn’t ready, not for that, not when his heart was already tangled in feelings he hadn’t dared to admit to anyone.
Adrien only nodded, not trusting himself to say more. Pushing his chair back, he grabbed his bag and headed out the door. The walk to school felt heavier than usual, his father’s words still echoing in his mind.
Adrien only nodded, not trusting himself to say more. Pushing his chair back, he grabbed his bag and headed out the door. The walk to school felt heavier than usual, his father’s words still echoing in his mind.
But things always seemed a little lighter when Nino was around.
“Yo, dude!” Nino called the moment Adrien stepped through the school gates. He waved from across the courtyard, grinning ear to ear. That easy smile never failed to melt the weight off Adrien’s shoulders.
The day passed quickly, classes, chatter, the usual chaos. By the time the final bell rang, Nino had already slung his arm around Adrien’s shoulder.
“Come on, let’s ditch homework for once. Park day. Just you and me.”
Adrien laughed softly. “The park, huh? What’s so special about today?”
Nino smirked. “Nothing. That’s the point.”
And so they went. The two of them sprawled out on the grass beneath a stretch of sky so blue it almost hurt to look at. They swapped stories, teased each other about their teachers, and shared the kind of laughter that carried farther than the breeze.
Adrien found himself watching Nino more than he should have, the way his eyes lit up when he talked about his music, the way his hands moved animatedly as he told a joke. The sunlight caught in Nino’s hair, and something inside Adrien’s chest stirred unexpectedly, leaving him both warm and uneasy.
He didn’t know when simple friendship had started to feel so different. He only knew it was happening.