Chapter 18

                                    

                                          
Adrien
                          
He pulled the hood of his jacket harder over his face, trying to block out the afternoon sun. He had woken up around an hour ago, still at that house. He must have passed out at some point. He couldn't remember anything beyond beginning to chug that stupid bottle. He groaned at the thought, his stomach twisting violently at the memory. That had been massively stupid. He should have just ignored Luka. Nino had caught him up on what happened, down to Marinette coming to get him, and puking before passing out on the floor. Nino had even thought about calling the paramedics, but claimed he was still coherent when he did wake him up. He doubted it. He didn't remember a damn thing.
                          
"You look rough."
                          
Plagg peeked out from Adriens hoodie, and he sighed. He felt rough too. Everything was way too bright. And loud. Even his footfalls made his body jolt in pain. He had never been a big drinker. And this was exactly why.
                          
"Quiet please. I'm thinking."
                          
"Of an excuse to give your father?"
                          
Adrien groaned loudly, his gaze drifting to the mansion gates in the distance. He hadn't even thought of an excuse. His phone was dead, so he probably had a hundred missed calls. He hadn't called them, he had slept past noon, and he reeked of booze.
                          
"I'll come up with something."
                          
* * * * *
                          
He swallowed hard as he pushed open the front door, flinching as his gaze landed on the police officer before him. He couldn't believe they had called the cops.
                          
"Where have you been?" His father shouted, and Adrien looked up to him.
                          
 Gabriel Agreste. World renowned fashion designer. The god of the fashion industry. The ruler of the ins and outs. The absent father, both emotionally and physically. Should he tell the truth? He got super wasted and passed out at a party? Nah. No sense in tainting his father's image of him, especially so close to the end.
                          
"I was at a party."
                          
Gabriel seethed, his hands clenching into fists.
                          
"You didn't call! You didn't have permission to go!"
                          
He was eighteen. He didn't need daddy's permission for a damn thing.
                          
"I couldn't."
                          
Natalie glanced between the two, before whispering something to the police officer. He nodded, quickly heading past Adrien and out the door. That stranger was his last line of defense. His father was really going to let him have it now.
                          
"You just didn't want to. Is this what I'm supposed to expect from you from now on? Parties? Drinking? I can smell the booze from here. You're going to drag this families name through the dirt!"
                          
"I doubt I could do much damage before tomorrow."
                          
Gabriel's face twisted in confusion, but Natalie's didn't. Her expression morphed into one of pain and horror, and he watched her drop her tablet. It hit the marbled floor with a loud clatter, the screen shattering. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth, and he looked down at the ground.
                          
"I don't understand." Gabriel whispered, and Adrien chose to lie.
                          
 He wouldn't tell him about Marinette. There was no use.
                          
"Last night was my first night in the sky. It's why I didn't call. I couldn't."
                          
His father said nothing, turning and stalking back to his office. The door slammed, and the second they were alone, Natalie wrapped her arms around him.