The sun approached the horizon with practiced indolence, as if to grant the sleeping young girl an extra moment of rest with what little it could spare for the silent hero of Paris. The light of dawn lit the lavender room with a soft brilliance, shining over her sleeping form with a measured cadence. The mild rays of gold enveloped her gradually, slanting across her form until the illumination reached her closed eyelids. A deep breath heralded the rise of a cobalt head of hair, in slight disarray due to unintentional slumber, yet still tied back into two signature ponytails framing her face. Eyes the color of bluebells fluttered, somewhat bloodshot and engulfed in mauve shadows, not unlike the familiar blossoming of bruises. With a groan her head fell back on her folded arms and tablet, leaden with sleep-deprivation and exhaustion. She didn't even have the energy to stare at the photo of Adrien on the wall before her with dreamy appreciation.
"Marinette! Wake up! Or you'll be late for school again!" Tikki called from her elbow, nudging her awake with infinitesimal, insistent hands.
Marinette squeezed her eyes shut tighter before blinking. "Hm? Oh!"
After a number of garbled murmurs and protests Marinette bolted upright, shaking off her incapacitating stupor to dash about the room in preparation for school. It wasn't long before a presentable, though haggard Marinette wrenched the front door open with a quick au revoir to her parents and their startled customers. Cramming her breakfast, a freshly baked croissant, in her mouth she jogged to school in the brisk chill of the spring morning, determined to be on time. Please don't be late, please don't be late. She chanted like a mantra as she neared the school building. She arrived just in time to see Alya, Nino, and Adrien ascending the steps to attend first period.
When she was within a few feet, Alya turned with a knowing smile at the doors and an indulgent shake of her head.
"Girl, you need to stop staying up so late. C'mon, you're just in time."
She ran up the steps and followed her down the hall. "I know, I'm sorry. Did I miss anything Adrien-related?"
"No, he was just talking to Nino as per usual. I managed to keep Chloe busy." Alya waved her off but her devious smile made Marinette nervous. "Now don't you change the subject on me, what had you up so late?"
Marinette held up her tablet, her default excuse when crime-fighting was the true culprit. "History essay. I haven't had a chance to work on it all week so I had to finish it last night."
"Makes sense." Alya nodded, "Just promise me you won't lose sleep over Adrien, we'll get you there girl. I've got you covered." She added with a wink.
Marinette cringed. "I don't even want to know what you're scheming."
As they took their seats on the bench behind Adrien and Nino, all she received in response was a smirk and a pair of lifting brows. Marinette laid her head on the desk, dreading what was to come. She knew resistance was futile. Alya was already watching the two boys intently, waiting for an opening in their amiable conversation. When she did, she pounced.
"So guys, if you don't mind me interrupting, what do you think about a double date tonight?"
Nino perceived her intentions with immediate precision. "Sure thing, I'm game. Hey Adrien do you mind if you go with Marinette, as friends, with us? No pressure or anything, but a double date sounds like fun."
Adrien smiled with a nonchalant shrug, concealing his bubbling excitement. He wouldn't have to go back to that empty house sooner than he'd like, and he would be with his friends, no less. "That does sound like fun, count me in. I don't mind if Marinette doesn't, of course." He directed a shy smile to the blushing girl above him, his arm reaching to the nape of his neck sheepishly.
"I don't m-mind." She managed to say, for once able to articulate herself in his presence. Perhaps it was due to the amount of time they had spent with each other lately, during the video game competition and her uncle's arrival to Paris. Whatever it was, she thanked her rarely lucky stars.
"It's settled then! We can decide a venue later, is it okay if we meet up at the bakery at say, five o'clock? That will give everybody some time to prepare after school." Alya suggested.
After a trio of affirmations, Nino and Adrien were soon immersed in conversation again when Alya turned smiling like the Chesire cat. Or worse, like a certain cat-themed hero that dubbed himself the cat's meow.
"Somebody's got a date with Adrien." She singsonged in Marinette's ear, careful to keep her voice down.
Marinette grinned and hugged Alya tightly. "You're the best Alya! Thank you!"
Warm arms reciprocated. "Anytime, Marinette. But I will tax you in baked goods."
Marinette pulled back, laughing as the instructor entered the room. "Feel free."
"Good morning class! Time to begin, please take out your history textbooks and turn to page-"
Each bench of students turned to attention while Marinette daydreamed of the date to come, each class period passing in a state of both fantasy and reality.
When school ended the four gathered at the front steps to reaffirm their attendance to the double date later that evening before each departed to their respective homes. Adrien, as always, was retrieved by his father's limousine and Nino now walked home with Alya. However, a certain best friend of Alya's had transitioned from a state of enchanted glee to hysterics, demanding her assistance and therefore presence on the way home.
"Oh no Alya, you have to help me! What on Earth am I going to do? What am I going to wear? How will I stop myself from becoming an incoherent puddle at his feet like I always do? This is going to be a disaster." Marinette groaned as they walked, her head falling into her hands. "Just forget it. Tell Nino to tell Adrien that I can't go."
"Oh no you don't, girl, this is the chance of a lifetime. I am not letting you pass this up. Just take a deep breath, okay? You'll be fine. I'll be there to help coach you through it too, or if there happens to be a mix-up. " Alya reassured, placing an arm around her friend's shoulders.
"Are you sure?" Asked Marinette, defeated.
"Positive. Now come on," Alya said while opening the front door to the best bakery in Paris, "We need to get you ready to dazzle Adrien."
It was five-thirty and Nino, Alya, and Marinette were still waiting outside the bakery. Alya was fuming, tapping away at her phone. Nino was pacing, throwing nervous glances at his girlfriend while trying to think of a reason why his best friend would be so late. Marinette stared at the floor, knowing that the arrangement had been too good to be true. Maybe his father had decided not let him go. After all, Nino had mentioned Mr. Agreste's stranglehold on his son's life, forbidding all leisure activities Adrien proposed, much like his disastrous birthday party earlier that year.
Or maybe, her subconscious proposed, he didn't want to be roped into a date with you. Sure he was amiable enough at school, but wasn't he obligated to be polite? After all, Nino and Alya are now a package deal. As her best friend, he would exhibit the proper decorum and kindness towards you for Nino's sake.
"Hey guys? Please go on without me. I really don't want to keep you, and I certainly don't want to be a third wheel. Go enjoy your date."
"Marinette are you sure? We can wait for a few more minutes-" Alya looked up from her phone, communicating with her eyes that she wanted to help make this happen, no matter how long it took.
Nino felt much the same after all that Marinette had sacrificed to let him be with Alya. Not to mention how excited she had been to be a part of this date. His heart went out to her. "Yeah, I'm sure he's on his way, something probably just came up and-"
"Thanks, guys, but I'll be fine. Really! I have to work on my particle physics project anyway. I'm a little behind in the class what with how busy I was this week." Seven akumas and counting, and it was only Friday.
"But-" Alya immediately tried to protest.
"No butts! Only buns in this place. Now you two lovebirds go have fun!" Marinette giggled as she pushed the two out of the store, determined to let them indulge in their night together. Laughter bubbled at her play on words, trying to imagine Chat Noir's subsequent grin and lifting brows before her mind returned to Adrien's absence. Leaning against the front door, she let herself slide down to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her head on bent knees. She was such a fool for placing so much faith into a double date.
A tiny laugh escaped her lips, her chest constricting as she thought of the confused and somewhat repulsed expressions Adrien had showcased at the sight of her incomprehensible responses to a simple greeting. Of course he didn't come, she was just the weird girl in his class that hid from him and made no sense on a daily basis. He was a model for crying out loud, he was more than capable of finding a superior date. Somebody just as attractive, charming, and sweet as he was no doubt. Somebody that could speak to him without stumbling over words. Somebody he felt comfortable confiding in whenever something brewed behind his polite smiles. Somebody worthy of him.
Scrubbing away the traitorous tears that had lined her cheeks unbidden, she washed her face in the bathroom carefully before ascending the stairs. Studiously ignoring her parents and their imminent invasive questions at the sight of her dressed in a skirt, she was halfway up to her room before she overheard the news channel they often watched as they waited for the last influx of customers.
"Chat Noir was spotted near the Eiffel Tower moments ago, fighting what appeared to be another supernaturally created criminal, turning the citizens of Paris into grotesque stickers. What was most shocking, however, was not the blinding pink appearance of the culprit but the fact that Chat Noir's partner, Ladybug, has yet to arrive at the scene to assist her onyx compatriot. What will the valiant hero do without the assistance of-"
Marinette climbed the remainder of the stairs and closed the door behind her, clicking open her purse to free Tikki. She supposed it was too much to hope for a peaceful night after getting her heart crushed.
Tikki shot up without delay. "What's wrong, Marinette?" There was a short pause before she added. "Have you been crying?"
"No time to explain Tikki, Chat Noir needs our help right now! Spots on!" Marinette commanded, eager to help Chat to ease both her conscious and think about something other than today's recent date debacle.
Tikki was only able to shoot Marinette a concerned look before she transformed her into Ladybug, one that suggested a discussion was going to follow tonight's excursion. One in which her guts would be spilled and Tikki would offer her a plethora of advice and encouragement that she greatly appreciated. But in that moment, she didn't want to think anymore. She just wanted to partake in the catharsis that was saving Paris from another wretched akuma.
And yet it appeared she would not have the satisfaction of her heroic duties. When Marinette arrived at the Eiffel Tower, Chat Noir stood rather triumphantly over what appeared to be an akumatized young girl beneath the colossal landmark. She resembled a student from Marinette's school named Rose, who had an overt interest in scrapbooking and anything related to stickers, sparkles, and the color pink. Her hair was a disconcerting shade of highlighter yellow, dyed hot pink at the ends fringing her forehead to complement her equally blinding face paint. Her clothing was a strange array of colors, like a deranged rainbow had possessed the cloth; each color was irregularly shaped and matched. Under her arm was a book half her size filled to the brim with the pictures of civilians she had possessed that afternoon and stickers she had made out of the surrounding scenery. She was presently trapped by Chat Noir's staff and a number of rusted bars likely removed from the icon of the city.
"You're just in time Milady. I am in need of your impurresive purrifying powers. Care to join me?" He extended the hand that held a gaudy pair of scissors with a graceful bow of his head, flamboyant as ever.
Marinette rolled her eyes beneath the mask, trying to supress the bubbling amusement that followed his theatrics. It would only encourage him to become more radical in his glorification and affections. But she couldn't help feeling the sting of uselessness. Chat had handled this enemy entirely on his own. How long would it be before he realized that he didn't need Ladybug and left, independent and tired of being rejected? How long before he dreaded her company just as much as Adrien did? She was never perturbed about conducting her duties alone, she had been saving Paris for months before Chat Noir appeared. But something about his potential absence was upsetting: never to hear those ridiculous puns, or see those flirtatious grins, or celebrate a victory with him ever again. Never to see the adoration that made her feel as though she were truly unique and heroic. Somehow he had become an irrevocable part of her life, just as her family and friends were.
Without meeting his eyes, Marinette retrieved the pair of scissors and snapped them in half over her knee, releasing a small tainted butterfly.
"You've done enough harm, little akuma." She said as she opened her yo-yo for the purification process. "I'm freeing you from evil!" She spun the yo-yo around and around until she captured the blue violet entity and retrieved the device. With a final practiced flick of her wrist, she released the alabaster aviator into the late afternoon sky. "Bye bye, little butterfly!"
She watched it depart before she turned back to Chat Noir.
"Did you see that Milady? I handled her all by myself! This stray saved the day." He glowed with pride, revelling in his victory.
She was proud of him, but she couldn't quite dredge up the recognition he deserved. Her mind was elsewhere, focused on the fact that not only did Adrien not want her but Alya, Chat, and the whole of Paris didn't need her anymore either.
From afar, a sinister smile formed in the dusk of a concealed room filled with fluttering tufts of snowy insects, creating a cocoon around an immaculately dressed individual.
"How tragic it is when doubt strikes our most prestigious heroine of Paris. With such heavy responsibilities, the stresses of daily life, and the lack of consideration from those around you, it can be terribly difficult to maintain one's self-worth, no?"
A butterfly landed into his waiting hands, and he infused the once pure insect with every ounce of despair Ladybug was emitting.
"Now fly away, evil akuma! And overtake her righteous heart!" His laughter echoed, demented and recursive.
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" He smirked, rubbing his knuckles across his chest. "I know I'm irresistible Milady, but I don't think I've ever rendered you so speechless. It's pawsitively heartening."
It was when Ladybug continued to remain silent that Chat lifted his head, his brow furrowing at the lack of deadpan expressions drilling into his head or angry groans invading the surrounding air. His eyes focused with concern on her blank expression, until a fluttering mass caught his attention inches from the yo-yo that now hung lifelessly at her side. His eyes widened and he dashed over to her, a burst of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He wouldn't-couldn't- let her be corrupted. She would never forgive herself for whatever she might do in such a state, and he would never be able to forgive himself for his carelessness. He was so consumed in his accomplishment that he didn't notice the telltale signs of her precarious emotional state.
But she was too far away. By the time he was within a foot of her yo-yo, the vermin had already entered the device, tainting her.
"No," he gasped. "No no no no no." He repeated as he tried to gain her attention. She did not respond.
"Now you shall see the world for what it truly is," Hawkmoth intoned in her mind, "A place where you are not wanted or needed. A place that would not be changed by your absence, where you are as insignificant as the root of your namesake."
Her vision was murky and waned, a strange haze lacing every sight. Chat's figure was distorted, however his words were crystal clear.
"Look at you, absolutely pathetic." He sneered. "Some heroine of Paris you are. Without the mask you're just that plain, boring, blathering idiot Marinette that everybody knows to be the resident try-hard. And rightly so, you have nothing noteworthy about you other than your foolhardy persistence. I could never follow or love somebody so wretchedly unappealing. Count me out from here on out. I'm sure that boy, what was his name? Ah yes, Adrien. I'm sure he's just as appalled by your mousy presence. It appears he barely had the stomach to converse with you, much less join an affable excursion with friends. He will never love the incompetent and unworthy daughter of a mere baker, one too frightened of rejection to simply spit out her feelings. You're lucky he gives you the time of day. He deserves someone much more charming and beautiful and honest, wouldn't you agree?"
Chat Noir placed his hands on her shoulders, shaking her gently as desperation infected his words. "Ladybug, please, speak to me! Whatever nonsense Hawkmoth is trying to plant inside your head isn't true! Don't listen! We can talk about this, whatever it is! I'm sure there is a solu-"
She threw him off violently, her eyes wide and panicked, her voice a pained whisper. "Get away from me."
He looked up from the ground in utter shock, her dejection like an icicle slicing straight through his chest. She was trembling with fear, tears coursing down her mask in streams, staring at him as though he had insulted her to the worst degree possible. As if he had exposed and attacked her every fear and insecurity.
Wait…had he?
He didn't have the chance to ask before she ran as quickly as she could to the streets of Paris, eager to escape him. He crouched, retrieving his staff to follow suit until a familiar alarm filled the air. A frustrated growl ripped through his chest as he entered a nearby alley way, changing back into his civilian form.
"I don't have time for this Plagg," Adrien paced as he waited for his kwami to finish replenishing its energy.
"Cheese must be savored. Plus it's not like Ladybug will be able to get that far anyway." He placated.
"That's not the point, Plagg!" Adrien fumed. "Did you or did you not see her nearly catatonic state? She look at me like I verbally ripped her heart out!" He let out a harsh sigh, trying to rein in his anger but it quickly converted to despair, "I can't imagine what kind of pain Hawkmoth is putting her through. I've never seen her cry like that." He placed a hand over his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm almost done. Deep breaths, Adrien. And what about that double date you skipped out on?"
Adrien frowned, looking down at his companion. "I know it was wrong of me to leave them hanging but Ladybug needs me right now. She will always be my priority. I'll just explain and patch things up tomorrow, reschedule or something." He mused.
"We're all set to go." Plagg admitted with reluctance, wishing he could eat his cheese and laze about in peace.
"Plagg! Claws out!"
The next two hours of the evening were spent in high speed pursuit of a rather elusive Ladybug, in which his shouts for her to stop were drowned out by sobs and incoherent shrieks. From the bakery, to the hotel of Le Grand Paris, to the schoolyard, to every conceivable location in Paris she escaped him until he chased her right back to where they had started: the Eiffel Tower.
She was gasping, her breathing shallow and labored as she clutched at her heart, wringing the spotted material at her chest. She fell to one knee as he joined her at the summit of the enormous structure, retracting his staff and holding his arms up in a universal gesture of peace. He had detected the strangely lethargic beating of her heart from afar, but now noted with alarm that it was slowing further with each passing minute. Almost as if it was willing itself to stop. Swallowing his panic, he shoved back all thoughts of what could happen and focused on what needed to happen: he needed to help her regain her senses.
"Please, Milady, let me help you." He approached her slowly with the utmost care, as he would a startled animal.
She only had the energy to cringe away, curling in on herself and muttering, "No, no more." she managed in between gasps. "Can't take Chat Noir hating me anymore. I know I'm no hero. I know I'm not interesting or special. I know nobody needs me or wants me. Stop yelling. Please, stop." She covered her ears, hunched over.
He froze, paralyzed by the toxicity of her thoughts and choking on assurances before he steeled himself with determination. He didn't care what he had to do, even if it meant revealing the depth of his feelings. He was going to get Ladybug back. Stalking forward he lifted her in one lithe movement into his arms, holding her close. In the goldenrod tones of twilight the perspiration on her face glistened, the sky blue eyes he adored darting in every direction but his own before she squeezed them shut, likely trying to push out the traitorous voice he could not hear.
"Let me go!" She cried, her voice feeble. She pushed at his chest, but he did not budge.
"Please," She begged, near her breaking point. "Let me go." She went limp in his arms, and he cradled her head beside his own.
"Ladybug, I love you," He began, allowing every emotion he left hidden under each frivolous remark to surface, hoping that his honesty would break through whatever fabrication Hawkmoth lorded over her. He felt her stiffen, but forced himself to continue. "Always have, always will. I don't care who you are beneath the mask, I know you're equally amazing in that form. I don't care that you doubt yourself sometimes. I doubt myself everyday, but the knowledge that I will always have you beside me gives me the strength to try anyway. Your friends, your family, and I will always want and need you in our lives, even if we don't expressly say it. Never let a single person, yourself included, ever convince you otherwise. And if you ever doubt the impact of the beauty of who you are, think of me. I never feel more valued or appreciated in a single person's presence than your own. Think of Paris. You change this city for the better every single day, risking your life to help those in need. Don't you think it's time to give yourself a little more credit for all that you do?"
There was an elongated pause before she placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled back just enough to look into his vulnerable eyes with a watery smile, the curve of her lips growing at the honesty she found in his expression. She heard him loud and clear, and she couldn't deny the burst of positive emotion, perhaps love, that surfaced in return. It was something too pure to be distorted by Hawkmoth's magic, and they both noticed a small white butterfly emerge from the yo-yo she had dropped minutes ago.
"Thank you, Chat." She whispered, hugging him tightly back before she heard the alarm on his ring chime. He pulled away reluctantly with his two-fingered signature salute and a wink.
"Anytime, Milady."
And as she watched him leap away, she wondered if she would ever harbor the same love for Adrien when this silly Chat took up so much room in her heart.