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Chapter 39 – A Slow Morning
The city wasn't in a hurry to return to normal. It stretched, shuffled, and carried on, as if the battle had only been a bad dream—one that left scars, but not enough to stop the daily rhythm of life.
Outside their apartment window, the streets bustled softly. Delivery bikes weaved between cars. Cafés spilled with people who wanted coffee more for company than for caffeine. Construction crews hammered away at walls still darkened by soot, and scaffolding leaned against buildings like forgotten bones. Children hopped onto buses, chattering without concern, their laughter spilling through open windows like wind chimes.
Adrian stood by the window, resting his hands on the sill. He didn't speak. He just watched as a bus pulled away from the curb. Through the windows, kids waved at each other, laughing loudly, unaware of the silent weight that hung over the city.
"Adrian!" Natalie's voice called from the kitchen.
Startled, Adrian turned away from the window. "Coming!" he replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
She entered carrying a tray—toast, eggs, a side of fruit—and placed it on the table. "You slept in today."
Adrian rubbed his eyes. "Guess I needed it."
"You're lucky," she teased, but her eyes softened. She set the tray down and waited, calm and attentive.
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Midtown High
The school hallways buzzed more than usual. Students swapped stories, checked their phones, and laughed at inside jokes. Posters about counseling and community rebuilding hung along the walls. Flyers announced events to help those still struggling to recover.
Adrian and Marinette walked side by side, backpacks slung loosely over their shoulders.
"So you finally came," Marinette smiled.
"I did," Adrian said simply.
"Good," she grinned. "I thought you'd take the whole year off."
He gave a small shrug. "I was planning to, but Ned wouldn't stop calling me," he joked.
"You say that now," she teased, bumping his shoulder. "But how hurt are you really?"
"No, all good," he replied, smiling slightly.
Nearby, Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy shared a tray of fries, laughing like kids who forgot they'd once been fighting monsters. Their easy banter brought a small smile to Adrian's face.
In the gym, students filled the room for an emergency preparedness session. It wasn't mandatory, but curiosity won over apathy. Nerds and jocks stood shoulder to shoulder, scribbling notes about fire drills and evacuation routes—an attempt to pretend everything was back to normal.
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Later that morning, Natalie stood at the door of their apartment, a small satchel slung over one shoulder.
"Can I… go,should I ?" she asked softly.
Adrian, sitting on his bed, gave her a reassuring smile. "Yes. Go on," he said. "See what's out there."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."
She stepped into the hallway, then opened the door. Sunlight streamed in like a blessing. For the first time, she left the apartment alone.
The city swallowed her senses whole—horns blaring, people shouting, the smell of warm bread wafting from a street vendor, and sunlight that danced off windows like glitter.
A young boy holding an ice cream cone stopped in front of her and grinned.
"Hey! You look new!"
Natalie blinked, unsure.
"I guess I am," she said with a small smile.
The boy giggled and ran off waving enthusiastically.
She stood frozen for a moment, then laughed softly to herself and stepped forward.
---
From his window, Adrian's eyes followed her as she crossed the street. His lips curved into a smile before he whispered to himself, "If she has free time… she should enjoy it."
He leaned back against the wall, breathing deeply. For the first time in weeks, the world felt ordinary again, but the memory of exhausted faces, broken buildings, and grieving families still lingered like shadows.
He thought of the people he'd seen over the past week—teachers who barely slept, parents who clung to fading photographs, children who didn't understand why the world had turned on them.
His smile faded slightly.
"I was wrong," he murmured, "this world… it's more fragile than I thought. It needs all the help it can get."
---
The television flickered on in the living room without ceremony.
"…reports of a small incident near the industrial district…" the anchor read in a flat voice. "No casualties confirmed, but police advise residents to remain cautious."
Adrian's eyes flicked toward the screen. He didn't comment, but his jaw tightened briefly.
---
At a secure government facility, Tony Stark sat at a sleek metal desk, a projection of the Guardian destroying the Leviathan hovering before him. Nick Fury sat opposite, arms folded. The room was quiet except for the hum of equipment and the occasional beep from monitors.
"We still don't know where they are," Fury finally said, breaking the silence.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "The Guardian and Mayura, you mean?"
"The council wants them found. Fast," Fury replied.
Tony leaned back. "Of course they do. We can fight fury, but we can't save the dead. He… he saved some of them. Not all, but still."
Fury's expression didn't change. "So what did Thor tell you?"
Tony hesitated before replying. "Nothing that helps. He just wants to throw Loki on trial and move on. But… he did say one thing. Guardian isn't a person. It's a title. The Guardian of the Miraculous."
Fury's eye narrowed. "And what's the Miraculous?"
Tony gave a faint shrug. "No clue."
The room fell silent. Neither man smiled.
--
At the Stacy home, Gwen sat at the kitchen table as her father poured coffee.
"So… who's she?" she asked, frowning slightly.
"She's Natalie Ross. My cousin," Adrian replied.
Mr. Stacy, polite and curious, poured wine and smiled warmly as they sat at the table.
"So, Adrian…" he began casually, glancing between the two. "And this is… Natalie, right?"
Adrian's smile didn't waver. "Yes," he said softly.
Mr. Stacy nodded thoughtfully, but his eyes lingered on Natalie, as if trying to understand more than what was being said.
The evening continued with laughter and small talk—but that question remained hanging, a gentle reminder that even in ordinary moments, secrets never stay hidden for long.
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End of Chapter 39