Hiiii, yep. I need a coffee. ;-;
It had been six months since Chat had encouraged her to create Instagram account as Ladybug, only five months since she had actually done it.
The constant stream of new followers was encouraging and having people actually worry for her if she didn't upload every month made her feel wanted. Long story short, she loved it.
But, despite the positivite buzz she got from her new account. Her life was far from perfect, Marinette was shy and didn't want to share her anxiety laced thoughts with anybody other then herself.
So she joined an anonymous support group...
It actually help her, and she found her worries slip away because, hell- strangers wanted to help her! It was encouraging as all heck.
She went to school with a new stride, an extra bounce in her walk and posted more to her online accounts.
Except one day, it all went to hell.
Snapping a picture of an extra encouraging comment on her thread about anxiety, she uploaded it to what she thought was her "PrincessStitch" account. (Because she loves designing and stitch is adorable, also Marichat), with the caption 'Nothing like getting support from strangers online, don't worry about me tho! I'm just peachy'
She shut of her phone with a sigh, and smiled. Because it was friday, a whole weekend ahead of her. Not to mention she had planned two patrols with Chat and was extra excited.
Marinette fell asleep happier then she had been in a long time.
What she didn't expect was to wake up to a phone notification, telling her she had 678 new comments on her latest post.
Odd, usually she didn't get more then 14 likes in total, had she accidentally turned her privacy settings off somehow?
She skimmed through them, shocked. Why were they all calling her LB or Ladybug?
"Ladybug! The search bar literally says 'please help me, my anxiety is so bad I have frequent panic attacks,' I'm worried LB! Talk to us, we care. Believe me, YOU ARE NOT PEACHY"
"LB what happened"
"OMG why didn't u tell us sooner?"
"Stop preaching online get a therapist,"
Replies to comment above - "Shut up!" "LB is struggling we need to be supportive" "You suck! Stop hating" "If somebodies going through a hard time you shouldn't be rude," 68 more replies
"Ladybug talk to Chat Noir about it okay sweet heart? You know what the other goes through, so he'll understand"
"Guys look at the serch bar u can c wot she was lookin at, it says plz help me anxeity is so bad i have freqent painic atacs,"
Replies to comment above - "Learn to spell" "Omg! I'm worried for her!" "Why is your spelling and grammar so bad?"
Marinette was frozen, she had just revealed that she wasn't perfect, wasn't confident. They wouldn't trust her as a hero anymore, sure they were being supportive now! But what about a few weeks after it had sunk in?
Marinette slipped on her Chat Noir themed hoodie, and some shorts before going down stairs. She turned on the news and sat down with some left overs from the bakery her parents refused to sell.
As they talked about the news, a caption flashed across the screen "Akuma attack in Paris, near local park"
She shot up from her seat, a mix of pillows and cushions flying every where. Dashing out the door, her bare feet hitting cold pavement.
She yelped, and kept running. Why she hadn't transformed in her house and then left, she didn't know.
But she found an empty alley and transformed, and leapt up onto the building. Using her yoyo to swing across Paris's rooftops. Ladybug followed the sound of screams, and terror.
When she arrived she took her spot next to her leather clad partner, he sent her a worried look before continuing on with the fight.
As soon as she waved goodbye to the white butterfly- old akuma. Chat was dragging her away from the scene,
"C'mon bug, we have to talk."
She tilted her head to the side, feigning confusion.
"about' what?" She asked, for some reason she was having trouble meeting his eyes.
He huffed, clearly frustrated.
"I think you know that putting off talking to me won't help!" He cried, perhaps a little louder than needed
She thrust her bottom lip out, and crossed her arms, stomping her foot. Making her seem like a young child having a tantrum.
He frowned, and gently tugged on her arm. Asking, but still giving her a chance to say no, to back out.
Why did her Chaton have to be such a gentleman? Sighing she took him off to a rooftop that looked somewhat private.
"So."
"So..."
Well great, just great. She couldn't even start a simple conversation with her best friend
"About your post," He began
"I uploaded it to the wrong account," She rambled on, looking up at him she expected anger. A slap to the face only to be told how dumb that she was but,
He was shaking with held in laughter, his face bright red.
"H-Hey!" She screeched
Here she was opening up to him, and he had the audacity to laugh at her?
"Sorry" He inhaled deeply before calming down "Its just that, you tried to open up to your friends and you ended up telling the whole world? Or most of Paris," He giggled, but somehow managed to be attractive at the same time.
"Don't remind me," She groaned flopping forward onto her stomach
Chat rubbed calming circles on her back smiling to himself.
"So, anxeity?"
She stiffened
"Yeah," She curled into his touch, feeling her worries wash away
"I'm a stress-head, its just me. I wanted to talk to someone about it I guess," The spotted heroine said, Chat took a sharp intake of breathe before replying to that comment.
"Understandable, I won't pretend it doesn't hurt that you didn't come to me, but I understand how scary it is and that you might not have wanted to,"
He closed his eyes, ignoring the way his stomach felt so heavy. Trying to think of how reasonable she was being and trying to remember why he had just said that.
She made a wounded noise,
"I didn't do it to hurt you Chaton," She said nuzzling into his shoulder
"I know," He said,
She smiled before moving her face to his ear only to whisper
"I love you,"
He froze and looked at her, taken aback, eyes wide.
"As a friend you alley cat,"
He set his eyes downcast, looking like a scolded puppy.
A laugh tinkled from her lips, like echoing church bells.
Before hugging him tightly and muttering a "Thank you," into his shoulder
"I needed this," She said before zipping off, no doubt heading home.
I know, he thought sadly, oh how I know.
Two mornings later, Marinette walked hesitantly. Her late night making her wish she could sleep in and catch a few extra hours.
Bumping into Chloe as she ran round the corner, she fell into a locker and her arm stung. Marinette snarled with a ferocity that surprised Chloe.
Chloe went to pull Marinette up and apologise before she remembered who she was talking to, and walked off. Muttering something to Sabrina about people needing to watch where they were going.
Marinette glared after the two, before standing up and brushing herself off.
Walking to her locker and slamming it with a rage she didn't know was there, she walked into class only to find Alya gushing over something on her phone.
Alya's gaze snapped up and imediatley reached Marinette.
"Have you seen Ladybug's Insta?" She asked jumping up and down excitedly,
"Um, yeah? You seem happy, how is this good?" Marinette asked confused by the reporters actions
"Isn't it obvious? Ladybug is opening up to her fans! Plus," She squealed happily "Look at all these cute photo's a lucky person caught of her talking to Chat Noir about her problems," Alya leaned back into the wooden chair back, smirking proudly.
"Ladybug is starting to recover!"
Marinette coughed in surprise
"From what exactly?"
"Her anxeity, Mari! Girl have you even been listening?"
Marinette frowned, not at all pleased that somebody had photographed her and Chat Noir, it was private and if stupid nosy reporters couldn't respect that- needless to say it just really pissed her off.
"That's private, its not exactly terrific news that someone stole a private moment between Ladybug and Chat Noir," She glared down at the posts opened on Alya's phone.
"I'm sure they don't mind," Alya retorted
Marinette quirked an eyebrow back at her friend,
"You know this how?"
"Why are we even fighting over this," Alya's features softened as she realised how silly they were both acting.
"Sorry Al, didn't get much sleep last night. Bare with me while I'm grumpy,"
Alya laughed and rubbed her hair playfully.
Their teacher took that moment to walk into class, the rest of the day dragged on. It was all the same to Marinette, get ready for class, talk to Alya about Ladybug's anxiety (extra not fun); wait for the bell to ring while taking notes and go to the next class while her reporter friend yapped on about how mental health problems could be good.
The last bell signified that the school day was over and Marinette packed up her books placing them in her bag, she yawned aloud. Before slowly making her way to the door.
Chloe had the audacity to walk around the Bluenette
"Hey," Chloe turned to Marinette
"What" Marinette sneered back, in no mood to talk.
"Your blazers on inside out," Chloe's mouth turned up, into a sincere looking smile.
That couldn't be right, Chloe was like; the biggest bitch she knew. A quick glance down at herself confirmed that Chloe was indeed telling the truth.
Chloe turned on her heel and turned her nose up, as though she didn't just smile at Marinette and left.
Marinettes mouth was slightly agape, had Chloe been mocking her or simply trying to help? She shook her head, Chloe wouldn't help her out would she? Deciding she had been standing there a little to long thinking about Chloe of all people, Marinette left the classroom.
She walked down the cobblestones that lead home, waited patiently at the crossing and got home in time for dinner.
Her parents forced her to eat three serves of soup, each time she finished topping her bowl up. She told them that she was full and they gave her a skeptical look before backing off.
She loved her parents but they always over fed her, commenting on how skinny she was. The designer was often jealous of her Mothers perfect plump body and wondered if other people saw her as some twig who flaunted depression for attention. She hoped not, that would be awful.
Moving on, she checked her watch; noting that it was not long till patrol. She really did have to clear her mind and thought about going early, it wasn't unusual for her and was something Tikki usually agreed with.
Speaking of Tikki the poor kwami was probably not keen on having to stay in her purse all this time. Marinette excused herself from the table thanking her parents for the food, and headed up into her room.
Tikki flew out and smiled at Mari,
"Ready for a run?"
The aspiring designer nodded,
"I think I need to get out of here and get some air,"
"Just say the words,"
Marinette muttered the transformation sequence under her breathe, pink light filled her room and seeped out of her windows. She climbed up from the trap door, and swung.
The reassuring sound of her yoyo reaching her ears, zip click, zip click.
Finally reaching the meeting place, she waited for her partner to arrive. Minutes later the tinkling sound of a bell and a loud thud behind her told Ladybug that her partner was there.
She stood up with confidence, because she was Ladybug now.
"Ready?" Her partner asked, a signature cheshire grin upon his features.
"Only if you are,"
He clapped a hand onto her back and smiled, this time one of pure happiness. What he was happy about she couldn't fathom, but his joy made a smile of her own bubble up.
and the two of them began to chase, and laugh, send puns and come backs all night. Ultimately they called it a day, but for the first time in a long while. Marinette slept easy.