Adrien laid back on the floor after correcting the fiasco that had occurred literally at closing time. The worst part of it? He'd been too distracted to properly get Marinette's number for the second day in a row.

He jumped when his phone rang, interrupting his internal griping. "Yeah?"

Nino's voice came through the line. "Dude, where are you?"

"Still at work. Some kid knocked over a whole shelf of fabric, and then the mom practically threatened to sue us because he was climbing on it! Freaking Americans." Adrien picked himself up and started shutting off lights.

"Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"Please do. I don't want to be in the Forsaken Land of Fabric any longer than I have to today." He yawned. "Shit, I still have to do the registers and take out the trash. And hold on, someone is knocking on the door." Adrien turned his phone away from his face and unlocked the door, barely peeking his head out. "Can I help you?"

"Are you open?"

Adrien looked back at the store with the lights half off and contained his frustration. "Sir, we closed two hours ago."

"But you're still here! I just need one quick thing!"

"Sir, with all due respect, I just want to go home. We are closed. We will open tomorrow at seven. Is there anything else I can help you with tonight?"

"Well, I never! That's absurd! I'm a paying customer!"

"And we're grateful for your business, sir, but we are closed. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to continue closing the store." Adrien pulled the door shut, ignoring the man's yelling. He locked it and walked away, holding his phone to his ear again. "Sorry about that, Nino."

"Did he not read the sign that's literally on the door he was knocking on?"

"Nino, that would require paying attention and not being selfish. Wow, when did I become so cynical?" Adrien put Nino on speaker and closed out the cash registers for the day.

"If I had to guess, it would have something to do with your father."

"Ugh, don't remind me of him. Hold on, counting money." Adrien mumbled to himself for a few seconds, sorting through the euros and facing them properly. "Okay, sorry. Anyway, don't remind me of my father."

"He's the reason you have relative success on Instagram, dude. Hey, watch it, dumbass! Sorry, nobody knows how to drive, either."

Adrien clipped the money together and left it in the safe. "See, we keep getting interrupted when we talk about him. That's a conversation for another day and another licensed therapist."

"I never actually got my license for that when I lived in the States, by the way."

"You mean I've been confiding in a non-professional all this time? Dr. Lahiffe! I should sue you for malpractice!" He tied the knot at the top of the trash bag and made a quick run out of the building to the dumpster. "What did you even do in the States?"

"I majored in drinking. Got addicted to watermelon schnapps. Damn, I could really go for some right now. We're stopping at the store on the way home. We're celebrating."

Adrien locked the door and turned the lights off, making his way to the front of the store. "What are we celebrating?"

"Does it matter?"

"You drink too much."

"Only on Wednesdays."

"And every other day of the week!" Adrien turned the rest of the lights off and slid out the front door, quickly locking it so he wouldn't have to deal with more stray customers. "How close are you?"

"Turn around, bright eyes."

Adrien turned around and saw Nino parked right there. He hung up and got in the passenger's side. "Hey."

"You hung up on me! I'm so offended!" Nino held a hand over his chest in mock hurt.

"Shut up and drive."

"Be nice to the driver. He's your best friend and the most attractive man you've ever dated." Nino pulled out from his spot and turned towards home.

Adrien snorted. "You're the only man I've ever dated." He rolled his window down and took a deep breath. "Ah, gotta love that polluted Parisian air."

"Hey, be nice to our fine city. It's the only place that has a full-sized Eiffel Tower." Nino signaled and switched lanes.

"It wasn't that long ago that we had that whole pollution scare, you know." Adrien hung one hand out of the window, moving his hand as if it were flying.

"We're fine! We lived through it!" Nino shook his head. "Why does everybody has to be so mean?"

"That one lady sued the city for it, though. Remember that?"

Nino readjusted his grip on the wheel. "I think so. What even happened with that?"

Adrien shrugged. "Don't know, honestly. Hey, weren't we buying alcohol?"

"Confession. I already bought some earlier. I even got your favorite."

"Nino, I could kiss you. Tonight, we drink!"

Sunlight filtered into their living room.

Adrien squinted against it, curled around a pillow on the floor. "Nino?"

A loud groan sounded from the couch.

"Exactly how much did we drink?"

Another groan.

"What time is it, anyway? I have to go to work today." He pushed himself up, holding his head. "Can you call my phone?"

Nino pointed to his phone on the table. "Do it yourself."

Adrien typed in the passcode on Nino's phone and called his own phone, eventually finding it under the couch. "Um, I texted Ladybug last night. There's a drunk selfie I took, another drunk selfie...Nino, these are practically sexts. Holy shit! Dude, look at these!"

"Too loud. Also, Adrien, I've seen you naked. This is literally nothing I haven't seen before. Wait, are those boxers new?"

"You got them for me, remember?"

"Obviously not." Nino buried his head in the couch cushion.

Adrien rubbed his forehead. "My head hurts, dude."

"Take some painkillers before you go to work."

"Work! Shit!"

Nino cringed. "Adrien! Too loud! Give me some painkillers before you go to work."

Adrien squinted, fumbling around without his glasses and getting them water and pills. He put the appropriate things on the table and stood up, rubbing his forehead. "I'm taking the car to work." He gagged. "After I put my glasses on and go throw up, in some order."

Nino shot him a thumbs up. "You do that, bro. Good luck."

A/N: Hey folks, it's been a while...

I haven't been doing so hot (still), which is why I've barely published anything (except for that birthday fic I posted a couple of weeks ago), and I'm basically very tired all the time. It's kind of terrible, honestly. And on this specific fic, while I had the chapter written, I got a review that said (and I quote) "Update love please" from a guest; it kind of irritated me because I've been so open about not doing well in almost all of my notes that it's like...no. I probably misread it and overreacted, but that was literally the same day that I texted my best friend and told him that I didn't see the point in living (he eventually sent me the number for the suicide prevention hotline). So, for someone to ask for an update when I wanted to die...yeah, pretty crappy timing. (Sorry if that was too personal or heavy or anything.)

On that note, LazyWorkaholic on ao3 went through and left nice comments on everything this evening, so I figured it was time to end the silence on this one. I do enjoy writing and updating this one, and I especially love seeing your reactions. I don't know where this fic would be without you guys.

I love you all and please take care; the wait won't be so long next time.

xoxo -wwot

If you or a loved one are suffering from suicidal thoughts, please call this number if you're in the States (other numbers are available through Google): 1-800-273-8255