Aftermath - Ch 5: Reason to Live
Chapter 5: Reason to Live
After their unplanned disaster sleepover, Marinette and Adrien fell strictly back into their routine. She came over six days a week, and stayed home for one. She didn’t risk any more late night visits, and he didn't ask her to stay. And he hadn’t mentioned her slowing down or stopping her visits again even though he could take care of the place and himself almost on his own now.
He really didn’t need her.
But as long as he didn’t send her away, she was going to keep coming. The guilt for taking advantage of his kindness, for making him put up with her usually only haunted her as she was falling asleep or while she wallowed pitifully during her seventh day of “rest”.
But every time the guilt became almost unbearable he would ask her to teach him something new.
First, it was laundry. She taught him all the basics of washing, folding, and ironing in an afternoon, though she insisted most people their age didn’t bother with ironing. Modern fabrics and detergents didn’t need it nearly as much, especially if you put things away right out of the dryer. Nino still came over to take care of the chores, but now, the three of them tended to do it together, which made the folding and stowing parts way faster, and more fun because neither one of them would stop cracking stupid jokes.
Adrien’s sense of humor was far too reminiscent of a certain cat.
She quashed that thought before it could sour her mood, instead trying to savor every bout of unrestrained laughter shared between them.
Then, Adrien suggested out of the blue that they go for a walk.
“Like outside?” she asked.