Marinette is tired.
She loves being Ladybug, but she guessed being a superhero came with some kind of price. Now she knows what it is.
Nightmares.
Her mom being captured by an akuma, turned into a creature of evil, a slave for whoever is trying to get their miraculous. Marinette having to fight her own mother, who wont even recognize that it's her behind the mask.
Her family's bakery burning to the ground with her parents still inside. Their screams echoing long after they're both gone. She's left all alone.
Nino finding out she's Ladybug and telling everyone. Her school gets attacked, her home gets attacked, Nino gets captured by an akuma. She doesn't think she has it in her to fight him again.
Chat Noir dying. Because they are superheroes and they do get into dangerous situations. But she has too many scenarios where Chat dies, too many.
Adrien being possessed by an akuma. How could she possibly fight him?
But the one she fears the most is Tikki leaving. Deciding that she isn't good enough to be Ladybug anymore, and finding someone else.
Every night without fail she wakes up drenched in sweat and shaking uncontrollably. Her parents chalk it up to the stress of school and overall being a teenager. Yeah she thought, and the weight of all of Paris on my shoulders.
They had decided to take a vacation for a week.
Of course, she had objected. As nice as a little vacation sounded, she had a duty to this city. She couldn't just leave it vulnerable while she walked along a beach somewhere. She had told her parents that missing a week of school would make her even more stressed out, she had told them that her friends needed her. She had come up with every safe excuse she could think of, but they just wouldn't take no for an answer.
"Don't worry," Tikki said as she flew around a pacing Marinette, "Chat Noir will still be here, he can watch over everything until you get back!"
"I don't know Tikki…" She trailed off, "I don't want him to get hurt while I'm away. We're a team, I cant just abandon him."
"Oh Marinette, Chat will be fine! You need this vacation! Stop worrying!"
"Okay," she sighed, "I guess you're right. Chat can take care of himself."
But the doubt lingered.
She was late.
She had been pacing her room, trying to think of the best way to tell Chat about her one week break, that she completely lost track of time. Now, she was racing across Paris to their meeting spot, mentally slapping herself for the slip up.
The rooftops were dark but she could see her destination in the distance like a beacon, drawing her in. The Eiffel Tower.
This is where they always meet up for patrol. Its big, its bright, and no matter where you are you can always find it.
Marinette reached their meeting spot and looked around, stupid cat always likes to hide in the shadows, she thought.
She scanned the area and sure enough there he was, green eyes flashing in the dark.
"Come on out Chat Noir I don't have time for your silly games," She called to him before taking a seat and staring out at the sleeping city.
He joined her, and they sat for a moment in comfortable silence. Marinette tried to tell him several times that she would be away, but she couldn't find the words. She kept opening and closing her mouth like a fish. This is silly, she thought, just say it! "Chat?" she began tentatively.
His gaze turned to her and she felt all her courage fizzle away, how could she leave him on his own? What kind of partner did that?
She swallowed her doubt and kept talking, "I'm kind of taking a week off because I haven't been feeling so great lately and—and this is my last patrol until I come back."
He stared at her, no emotions crossing his face. She felt herself start to panic, "I know superheroes aren't supposed to take breaks or anything, but I really just need a week to sort stuff out and I really don't want to leave you all on your own, it's only 7 days and then I promise I'll—" She abruptly shut her mouth.
He was grinning at her.
"Whats so funny?"
"You don't want to leave me all on my own?" he asked.
"Of course not Chat," she reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, "we're a team."
He looked at her hand on his shoulder and back to her face, eyes glinting mischievously.
"Okay." He said, still grinning from ear to ear.
"Okay?" Marinette echoed, confused. Thats it? He's not upset? He's not going to ask why I'm leaving?
"Okay." He repeated, giving her a sly smirk before reaching up and bopping her on the nose. He raced away, calling over his shoulder, "You're it!"
It took her a moment to get over her shock but then she was up and running after him,"You stupid cat!"
She heard him laughing across the rooftops and felt herself smile.