Adrino Mixtape - Family

Thanks to @bbutterflies for organizing Adrino week! I'm loving all the adrino artwork and stories!! Feeling absolutely spoiled and well fed!

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Day 5 - Family

Nino was stupidly early to school, but he still hadn’t managed to beat Adrien who had been arriving a solid hour before school started every day for the last week. Nino had been trying to come earlier to spend more time with Adrien, but it wasn’t always easy when he had to get Noёl to school. Noёl had been super low energy this morning though, which made things way easier.

Adrien was sitting on their usual bench in the school’s courtyard. Nino greeted him with a grin and their usual handshake before sliding onto the bench beside him, leaning over into his best friend’s space to show him his phone’s screen.

“Dude! I managed to book the studio this afternoon. There’s a mixing board there, and you’re gonna get a total kick out of it.”

Adrien grinned. “I can’t wait. I can’t believe this is finally happening.”

“Me neither.”

It had taken over a dozen back and forths with Nathalie Sancoer over the last ten weeks to set this afternoon up. Nino was not going to let a minute of it go to waste.

“After that, there’s an anime-nerd store on the same block that I think you’ll love, and a food truck on the way back to my place.”

“A food truck?” Adrien repeated skeptically.

Nino laughed. It was one of his missions in life to introduce Adrien to authentic street food. “It’s really good! I swear! The owners of this truck in particular have only been in France for a few years. I forget where they’re from. Madagascar, I think? The point is they know how to make really good food from where they’re from - food you can’t get in a restaurant!”

“I’m excited to try it. Ezra has to be with us the whole day, but he’ll probably be willing to keep his distance.”

“Sounds good!” Nino agreed. This was finally happening!

Now they just had to get through the school day.

It had started out well enough, but in the middle of third period his phone buzzed with a call. He slipped it out just far enough to see who it was.

His heart rose up into his throat at the sight of his mother’s smile lighting up his screen. He didn’t ask for permission to leave. Ms. Bustier would be cool about it anyway. He just stood up, and ducked out of the classroom into the hallway.

“Hey Ma, what’s up?” He already knew it couldn’t be good news if she was calling.

“Noёl’s throwing up at school.”

Disappointment surged through his chest, and his throat felt tight. Nino swallowed all of it down.

“We’re in the middle of inventory. If I leave, I’ll probably get fired. Your father just started at the factory, and we need him to be reliable for the first few months. I tried to call your cousin–”

“Ma, Ma,” Nino interrupted.

“-but she absolutely cannot risk getting sick this week.”

“Ma, it’s fine,” Nino insisted.

“It’s really not. I’m so sorry. I know today was your big day with Adrien.”

“We’ll reschedule,” he said, not knowing if that was remotely possible. If he canceled here, he wasn’t sure Nathalie would bend any of the rules for him again, but what else could he say? He couldn’t not step up for his brother.

“Nino, I don’t tell you this often enough, but I’m really proud of you. You’re such a good boy, and such a good brother.”

That’s because it didn’t need to be said.

“I love you,” she said. “We’ll make it up to you.”

Nino knew not to get his hopes up. He knew his maman wanted to make it up to him, but doing so wasn’t often in their means and Nino understood that especially when they had to work around the Agreste elitist expectations and rules at the same time to make anything happen. But his parents didn’t need to make it up to him anyway. He knew that they worked so hard to support him and Noёl both, to give them the best life that they could. Nino couldn’t ask for more than that.

“I love you, too,” he said. “I’ll let you know when we’re home and how he’s doing.”

“Thank you, Nino. I’ll call you out from school, but please don’t wait for the slip.”

“Yeah, I’ll head out right now.”

“I’ll be home as soon as I can, but it’ll probably still be after seven.”

“I’ll take care of Noёl, Ma.” He hoped she didn’t worry about them. “See you when you get home.”

He ended the call and dropped his phone back into his pocket. He gave himself a few seconds to collect himself before heading back into class. He went to Ms. Bustier first, though he could feel Adrien and Alya’s eyes on him.

“Ms. Bustier, sorry for bailing on class just now. I have a family emergency, and I have to go. A slip will show up for me soon, but my maman doesn’t want me to wait. I hope to see you tomorrow.”

“Thanks for letting me know, Nino. I hope everything is okay.”

He nodded in acknowledgement and trudged back to his desk to pack up his stuff.

“Are you okay?” Adrien asked.

Nino nodded. “Yeah mec. Noёl’s just super sick. I have to go pick him up from school and take him home.”

“You’re leaving now? But we have an exam next period,” Adrien objected.

Nino shrugged. “I’ll plead my case to Mendeleiev tomorrow. Right now, Noёl is more important. But I’m super bummed that I can’t hang out this afternoon. Any chance we could try again next week?”

Adrien winced.

Nino sighed. It was never going to happen. “Don’t sweat it, mec. We’ll figure it out.”

Adrien smiled at him. “I’m sure it’ll happen eventually.” Nino wasn’t sure he believed it, but he wasn’t going to stop hoping or trying. “I hope Noёl feels better.”

“Thanks mec,” Nino said, pulling his bag to his shoulder.

“Nino,” Alya called. He looked up at her. “If you want me to grab anything from the corner store on my walk home, just text me.”

He grinned again. “Thanks, Al!” Then he waved goodbye. “I’ll see you all tomorrow if I don’t get sick.”

He left to a chorus of “Bye Nino!” from his friends.

…

Noёl was curled up into a ball on his side in the nurse’s office. He was pale and his eyes looked sunken.

Nino kneeled down next to the edge of the long padded bench to be closer to eye level. “Hey little dude. How’re you feeling?”

Noёl just wrapped his arms around Nino’s neck in answer.

That bad, huh? Great.

“He doesn’t have a fever, but I would keep checking every few hours in case one develops. Most important thing is to keep him hydrated. Diluted juice or gatorade is better than water right now. Even a sip every fifteen minutes over the course of a few hours is beneficial. If he throws up again, you have to start over. If he doesn’t pee for twelve hours or he gets really listless and you can’t wake him up, you need to take him to the ER.”

Nino nodded. “Thank you.”

Noёl didn’t want to walk, so Nino carried him on his back. It was less than a mile of a walk home, but today it felt a lot longer. Noёl was almost completely dead weight.

All things considered, Nino would have preferred to be taking his Chemistry exam.

It could be worse, he supposed as he swung the door to their apartment open.

He set up Noёl on the couch in the living room to keep him closer while Nino prepared some diluted apple juice and found the instant head thermometer. His brother wasn’t asleep, but he didn’t move from the spot Nino had set him either. He just sat there, blinking. Another sign of how miserable he felt.

Poor guy. Of the two of them, it was fair to say Noёl was having the worse day.

He checked Noёl’s temperature first. Still no fever. He took a picture of the readout next to Noёl laying sprawled out on the couch and sent it to his maman. He didn’t wait for her to text back.

“Alright buddy. Time for some juice.”

But Noёl pressed his lips together and turned away.

“Dude, I need you to drink some of this. The only thing that would make today worse for both of us is having to go to the emergency room. Just a spoon full. Please?”

“No!” Noёl said, rapidly shaking his head, pressing his lips together tighter to seal them closed.

“What about a popsicle? Would you take a popsicle?” Nino negotiated. His maman used that trick on him when he was younger all the time.

It was yet another sign of how terribly he was feeling that Noёl hesitated, but he eventually nodded. Nino breathed a sigh of relief.

It was short-lived because the box of otter pops that was absolutely still in the freezer for some reason was completely empty.

Noёl had probably snuck a few last week. He thunked his head against the freezer door.

He shot off a text to Alya, glancing at the time. It was halfway through fifth period.

Nino:

He’s refusing juice.

Can you grab some ice pops? He likes the tropical flavors best.

Alya:

On it. Do you want me to go now?

He bit his lower lip, considering the question. He didn’t want to ask her to go during class, or even lunch, but school wasn’t over for another four hours. He wasn’t sure he should wait that long.

Alya:

Nevermind. Ice pops are on their way!

Nino breathed out a sigh of relief.

Nino:

Thx! You’re a lifesaver.

He came back to Noёl and offered a blanket. Noёl snuggled into it immediately.

“What about the popsicle?”

“We’re out of popsicles. Looks like someone’s been swiping them.”

“Wasn’t me,” Noёl whined petulantly.

Nino laughed. “I guess it was the popsicle monster then.”

Noёl nodded sagely. “Must’ve been. Can you sit with me?”

“Yeah, of course!”

Nino settled in next to him, pulling Noёl into his side. Noёl was a cuddler when he was sick. The rest of the time, he would never let you catch him long enough for a head pat, let alone a hug.

Nino scrolled through his phone with his other hand for lack of anything else to do. “Do you want me to put something on?”

“Ninja turtles?”

Nino smirked, reaching for a remote and setting up the show on streaming before going back to his phone. There really wasn’t anything worth seeing. Nino kept scrolling anyway.

“Nino?” Noёl asked softly while the theme song was playing.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry that I messed up your day,” Noёl said, burrowing deeper into Nino’s side.

Nino shook his head, his heart rising into his throat, hugging him tighter with one arm. “Don’t even worry about it, little dude. It’s not your fault. I will always be here when you need me. Even if it’s inconvenient for me, you got that?”

Noёl nodded and then fell asleep a few minutes later.

The peace lasted all of ten minutes. Noёl woke up, looking panicked and then promptly threw up violently on both of them. Nino bolted to his feet, and kicked the coffee table away to clear the space in front of them. Nino cringed in sympathy, stroking his shoulder and back as Noёl continued to gag and heave whatever was left of his stomach contents onto the floor.

Then Noёl started sobbing.

“It’s okay. You’re okay,” Nino reassured, stroking Noёl’s back as he took stock of the room. Luckily, the vomit was all over the two of them and on the blanket, and not on the couch.

Noёl continued to cry, wracking quaking sobs.

“Shhh.. You’re okay,” Nino kept saying. “C’mon, let’s get you out of those clothes,” Nino said, gently urging Noёl to his feet and shuffling him into the bathroom. He slowly peeled off each layer of Noёl’s clothes. Noёl’s cries slowed down into occasional whimpers and sniffles. Nino didn’t bother with his own clothes while Noёl was still so upset.

Once Noёl was rinsed off with new clothes, Nino settled him into bed.

“Will you please take a sip of water? It’ll get the nasty flavor out,” he sing-songed.

Noёl cooperated for once, taking a very small sip of water. But it was something.

“I have to change and clean up out front, and then I will come back, okay?”

Noёl nodded.

Nino chucked his clothes straight into the washer and put on a new outfit. He had just pulled out the mop when there was a knock at the door.

He swung the door open. “Thanks Al–”

But it wasn’t Alya at the door. Adrien grinned at him, holding out a box of otter pops, tropical flavors.

“Special delivery for one Noёl Lahiffe!”

Nino accepted the box. “Dude! What are you doing here? Isn’t it fifth period? How’d you convince the Gorilla to let you come here? Won’t your old man throw a fit?”

Adrien grinned. “Actually, today your address is on the approved list of locations! Ezra is totally used to us changing up the itinerary last minute and we don’t have to tell my father. Nathalis is the one who gets calls from the school. And Alya had a presentation so I volunteered to come in her stead. As for fifth period, I’ll just have to plead my case to M. Boucher tomorrow.”

Another lump had taken up residence in Nino’s throat.

“Would you… uh… like some company?” Adrien offered.

Nino very much wanted some company. “You don’t want to be here, mec.”

Adrien’s brows furrowed. “What? Why not?”

Nino kicked the door the rest of the way open, and gestured to the floor. “Because there is a puddle of vomit in the living room! And I can’t really hang out anyway. Noёl’s super cuddly when he’s sick, and you don’t need to get sick on my account.”

“Nino, it’s fine. If you really want me to go, I’ll go. I just… I was excited about today, not because of anything we were going to do. I just like spending time with you, which we never get to do. And if that means sitting next to you silently while you tend to your sick brother, so be it. And if I can help you or Noёl in any way, even better.”

“Nino!” Noёl called. “Are you done yet?”

“Not yet!” Nino yelled back.

“I could go to him, while you finish cleaning?” Adrien offered.

And Nino wasn’t going to say no to that. He waved rapidly for Adrien to come in. Adrien beamed at him like he had just invited him inside for a party and not to play nurse to a sick child.

Nino shook his head in exasperation. “But if you get sick, it’s not my fault!”

Adrien was already down the hall, poking his head into different rooms until he found the right one. Right, Adrien had never actually been here before, but the apartment wasn’t that big. Adrien would figure it out. Nino went back to the mop.

The floor didn’t take too long to clean up. He collected Noёl’s soiled clothes, the blanket, and added them to the washing machine, and started the load before joining Adrien and Noёl in his bedroom.

Adrien and Noёl both sat at the head of the bed, with Noёl curling into Adrien’s side, halfway through an ice pop while Adrien read him a story. Adrien was quite the entertainer, giving each character a different silly voice. Noёl was still remarkably low energy compared to normal, but he was getting water through the popsicle, and he was smiling.

Adrien grinned at him as he came in and settled at the foot of the bed, but didn’t break from the story.

Nino just listened, kinda in disbelief that the scene before him was even happening.

When the story was over Noёl immediately piped up, “Can Adrien come over again tomorrow? He’s way better at telling stories than you.”

Adrien looked horrified. Nino just laughed. “Probably not tomorrow. Adrien is very busy, but I hope he can come again.”

Noёl nuzzled into Adrien’s side again. “Will you come again, Adrien?”

Adrien smiled down at Noёl. “I would very much like to. Maybe next time, you’ll be feeling better and we can play some games.”

Noёl lit up. “Yes! I have a board game about a girl who fights the monsters from her nightmares. We could play it together!”

It was a game they had gotten after Noёl had been akumatized the first time.

“Sounds like an awesome plan to me,” Adrien agreed.

“Will you read another story?” Noёl asked.

Nino grabbed another storybook and handed it over to Adrien who somehow had a whole other set of cartoonish voices because of course he did. Nino wondered if he practiced imitating different cartoon characters or something.

Noёl fell asleep before Adrien got to the end, but then Adrien was trapped. He didn’t seem to mind though, smiling fondly down at Nino’s little brother.

“I’m sorry. I know this isn’t what you had in mind for today,” Nino said.

Adrien shook his head. “No, it’s okay. It’s nice to see you with your family. I don’t– I don’t really know what that’s like.”

“You’re so good with him,” Nino observed. He hadn’t expected that. Did Adrien have any experience with kids at all? “You’ll make a great dad someday.”

Adrien grinned. “You think so?”

Nino nodded. “Most definitely.”

“You’re super good with him, too,” Adrien told him. “I imagine you’ve had to be.”

Nino barked a laugh. “Sometimes, I feel more like a third parent than an older brother. I’m not always good at it. He gets on my last nerve sometimes.” Then he shrugged. “But our parents have to work a lot, so what else can I do?”

“It doesn’t seem fair,” Adrien said. “There’s so much you don’t get to do.”

Nino shrugged again. “That doesn’t matter. It’s family. They come first.”

“That must be nice,” Adrien whispered.

Nino’s expression fell off his face. “Shoot, mec. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to rub your face in it like that.”

Adrien smiled in reassurance. “No, it’s okay! I didn’t mean to be a downer. It really is nice to see what a warm caring family can be like. It’s what I would like mine to be like someday.”

Nino smiled. “Or maybe you don’t have to wait.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you kinda dropped everything for us today, didn’t you? You’re here now. That’s what family does, mec. Today, you totally adopted us, and Noёl obviously already adores you. Today, you’re part of this family.”

Adrien’s eyes turned glassy. “You mean it?”

Nino pushed down his laugh. This meant so much to Adrien, and to him, too if he was being honest with himself. “Yeah, I mean it. Thank you for adopting us today. You definitely made today suck way less.”

Adrien laughed. “You saying even with me here, it still sucks.”

Nino nodded emphatically. “I was covered in puke for like twenty minutes dude. It’s hot, wet, and smells terrible. It’s hard for a day to come back from that.”

Adrien laughed. “Fair enough, but I’m gonna keep trying to turn it around anyway.”

The third lump that day appeared in Nino’s throat. Just like the others, he swallowed it down. But unlike before, this one was coming from a place of joy.

“Thanks mec.”

“For what?”

“For being here.”

…