"Mom?" Adrien asked.

"Yeah?" Emma replied.

"Did you know you were sick?"

Emma's head turned towards Adrien. She paused. "How would I know?" She tried.

"Please don't lie to me." Adrien said, brow furrowing.

"I'm... not." Emma said.

Adrien cast his eyes away, fighting the tears pooling in his lids. "I knew. But only because I couldn't breathe anymore. They told me I was useless if I was dead." Emma said, shoulders shaking as she let out soft sobs.

Adrien crossed the room and embraced his mother. "Does it hurt?"

"What?"

"Everything."

"It's hard for me to breathe and feels like my lungs are breaking. Yeah."

"It's okay, you know." Adrien said.

Emma's eyes widened and shut again, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Adrien..."

"If it hurts, it's okay. You don't need to fight this hard." Adrien said.

"Isn't that the cowards way out?" Emma asked.

Adrien moved back a bit, smiling despite the tired moisture on his cheeks. "You're no coward, mom."

Emma broke into sobs and wails. "Adrien." She said, again and again, never finishing her sentence.

"It's alright." Adrien said again.

"No!" Emma cried.

"I'm thankful for the time I got with you here. You don't need to worry." Adrien said.

"But you and Gabriel-"

"We'll be fine. We won't be scared anymore."

Emma broke into a fresh round of tears. "Adrien, I want to give up! I want to stop everything right here! But I don't want to leave you. I don't want to feel relief from you saying this. What do I do?" Emma wailed.

"Just know that we love you. And it's okay." Adrien said.

"Is it really?"

"Yes." Adrien said.

Emma wiped at her tears. "Okay." She said, frowning.

"This doesn't mean give up." Adrien said. Emma nodded. "It means that you don't need to hold on if it hurts. It's alright to relax. You can let your guard down."

Emma let out a weak laugh. "Look at you. Lecturing your mother." Emma said.

Adrien smiled and closed the gap again with another embrace. "But I'll be damned if that wasn't the best goddamned lecture I've ever received." Emma said.

Adrien grabbed her hand as he shifted back to his chair. "Adrien?"

"Mm?" Adrien asked.

"Could you get Gabriel?"

"Yes." Adrien said, pressing a kiss to his mother's forehead.

He left the room and sent for his father before going back to his room. He finally let loose there, curling into a ball on his bed and shaking with quiet sobs. Why did I have to say that?  He wondered.

You want her to be happy, don't you? Adrien asked himself.

Yes.

So then I suppose it's alright.

Adrien nodded to himself. "Adrien." Natalie said, voice muffled by the heavy door.

"Coming." Adrien said, pushing himself up to the door.

"Your mother would like a word." She said, eyes cast away.

"Oh. Alright." Adrien nodded.

He wondered if her words would be her last.

---

AN

===

I'm gonna throw this here since some of you were onto me when I voted and commented on a bunch of Kagehina fics

IM SORRY I WATCHED YURI ON ICE WHICH STOLE MY HEART, AND THEN I FINALLY GOT AROUND TO WATCH FREE, HOPING THAT IT WOULD HELP ME GET OVER YOI (It didn't because I'd watch 50% previously and already had a vague idea of the plot. (the plot is shirtless guys in a pool. and they're probs gay)). THEN, I SAW THIS PIC WITH VICTOR EDITTED INTO HAIKYU, AND I WAS LIKE WTF IS THAT SO I STARTED WATCHING AND

GO GO LET'S GO DATEKO

"FLY"

"RULE THE COURT"

"HINATA, YOU DUMBASS"

BUT I'M STILL NOT FINISHED. SO NO SPOILERS.

i HAVE LIKE 12 EPISODES LEFT AND THEN THE OVAS AND SPECIALS

OK ENOUGH ABOUT ME HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

SORRY NOT SORRY FOR MY DISAPPEARANCE.

'''''~Morose Dolly (that bich)

also kagehina is OTP with DaiSuga kuroken (or whatever it is idfk) and the rest of the ships i dont emember the names of