The Loss of Innocents
.4.
Marinette reread the message again.
Heads up girl he knows you're here and he's on his way
up, NOW! Sorry I couldn't stop him… Be warned he's
really pissed off! Good luck x
"Shit… shit… shit… What am I going to say to him Tikki? Maybe I should just leave." Marinette started to pace wringing her hands together, then trying to smooth her messy hair. She was surprised she had even managed to sleep at all. Maybe it was knowing she was home that helped or the fact that it had been over 24 hours since she'd last slept. She still felt exhausted and was seriously doubting her decision to rush back… Maybe Talon was right…
She wasn't ready…
It was too late to run now, she could hear him unlocking the hatch and she knew she would only make it worse if she disappeared again.
"You can do this Mari… I'm right here." Tikki reassured her before landing on her shoulder.
Too nervous to watch him climb up onto the roof she turned away, walked over to the edge and looked up at the dark sky before closing her eyes.
Adrien climbed onto the rooftop and froze. Marinette had her back to him and was leaning against the railing. Her black hair was longer than he remembered and tumbled down her back in soft messy waves.
He was surprised to find himself so drawn to her that his anger was slipping away and the only thing he could think about was wrapping his arms around her and snuggling his face into her soft black hair.
Her feet were still bare and she wore the same black sweat pants, her hoody looked way too big for her though and he couldn't help the thought that it must belong to him.
Jealousy stirred inside him and with it his temper was back. Rubbing the back of his neck with his hands he looked up at the dark sky that matched his mood. The sky was a dark shade of grey and lightning flashed in the distance confirming what Nino had told him earlier. He wouldn't have long before the rain started, it was now or never.
"Well, well, well I'd say look who the cat dragged in but this cat hasn't seen you for what? Almost two years." Adrien's words were cold and flat. He didn't want her to know what she was doing to him. She jumped a little and he instantly felt bad. 'Get a back-bone Adrien Agreste' he told himself knowing that he was possibly about to unleash almost two years of heart ache on her. How could he be polite to the girl that broke his heart… even if he did still love her.
Marinette slowly turned around, she always knew this wasn't going to be easy but his words felt so cold. He didn't even sound like her Adrien anymore but she knew that it was all her fault.
Swallowing the lump in her throat she forced herself to look up into his eyes. She didn't hear the thunder that rumbled over the city and she didn't feel the rain as it slowly started to fall… she was completely and utterly lost in his intense green eyes to notice anything, including how to breath.
His green eyes seemed to glow in the dull light and she found herself wondering if they'd always been this green. Struggling to remember how to fill her lungs with air, she allowed her eyes to trail over the rest of him.
He looked taller and his shoulders were wider than she remembered but his strong jaw twitched like it always did when he was irritated.
Adrien looked every bit the model he was from his messy wet hair to his leather jacket, tight fitting black jeans and worn boots. Fighting off the impulsive thoughts running through her head, she forced her lips to move.
"Adrien… I umm… I'm sorry." It was barely a whisper but it was all she could manage as tears started to run down her flushed cheeks. Jumping off the rooftop at this point felt like a less painful option but she didn't think she could move even if she tried. She had dreamed about this moment since she left but it had never involved being incapable of speech and turning into a blubbering mess.
She had somehow turned back into the nerves fifteen-year-old who could barely talk to her crush out of fear she wasn't good enough for him.
"Sorry for what exactly? Leaving after I let my walls down and gave you my heart?... Or was it because I let you into my bed? Cause really that ones on you princess. You were such a feisty little thing how was I meant to resist. And here I was thinking that it meant something… You know being first time and all you can imagine my surprise to find out I was nothing more than a hit and run victim to you." Adrien could see the damage each one of his words inflicted on her and he hated himself for it but he couldn't stop. His pain was too raw and he couldn't hide it anymore.
"Adrien… please it wasn't like that." Marinette felt her cheeks burning and she knew she was turning a deep shade of red. He made that night sound like it meant nothing to her when in reality it was one of the memories that kept her going. It wasn't his fault though how was he meant to know when everyone kept him in the dark. His anger radiating around her and she knew she wasn't the only one who could feel it… What if she couldn't control her?
"I'm guessing you only came back to see your Mum and Ayla, a bit late don't you think? Leaving me I guess I could justify but how could you leave your own mother after everything she was going though?" Adrien kept his voice calm unlike his insides. His eyes never left hers and he felt his heart ache as her bottom lip trembled. She nervously bit her lip and he knew she was trying to keep it together. He grabbed the back of his neck again and stretched his elbows out feeling frustrated. He wanted to move towards her or maybe away from her but he couldn't decide, either way he wasn't sure his feet wouldn't work even if he tried.
"I never wanted to leave… any of you… I… I…" Marinette couldn't finish her sentence, she knew she needed to gain control again.
"Just like you didn't mean for me to stumble across you and your… your what is he anyway Marinette?" Adrien could feel his hands shaking, his chest still ached and he didn't know how much longer he could hold off from grabbing her face between his hands and kissing those tears of hers away. He could see she was shivering as the rain soaked her clothes and he hated that he still wanted to protect her even from something as harmless as water.
Her blue eyes gave everything away, she looked miserable but it didn't change anything he told himself. She still left you… she broke you…
Marinette didn't know what to say. So, he was jealous, that gave her hope that maybe just maybe he still cared.
Taking a shaky breath, she looked down at Tikki and her little red Kwami nodded, encouraging her to at least try to explain some of it.
"Talon was assigned to watch over me. He's been training me for about a year and I guess we've become friends." Marinette felt trapped in his glaze and his eyes burned into her soul. Taking a deep breath, she tried to stop her hands from shaking as she wiped the rain out of her eyes. The panic continued to rise and she knew if she couldn't get her shit together she was putting them both in danger.
Adrien was watching her closely and he felt his chest lighten when she explained who he was, maybe there was hope still for the two… but why the hell was someone assigned to watch over her. Then he remembered last night… They didn't look like just friends and why is she wearing his clothes.
"Bullshit… I'm not an idiot Marinette. He was all over you and you're wearing his fuckin' clothes." Adrien snarled crossing his arms defensively over his chest careful not to squish Plagg. He knew his temper was getting the better of him as he watched her take a step back… he felt like shit… he might be furious at her but he hated the thought of his princess being afraid of him. Shaking his head, he reminded himself of the painful truth, 'she's not yours, she never was'.
Marinette felt like she was drowning. She hated seeing him like this and the fact that it was her causing his pain made it even worse. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and tell him that she loved him… that she never stopped loving him but she couldn't. It wouldn't be fair and for all she knew he'd moved on, so a shitty explanation was all she could offer for now.
"He knew you were watching me last night and did it to get a rise out of you. As soon as I worked out what had happened I rushed home. You weren't meant to know I was back yet. Master Fu wasn't sure if… He wanted to wait but… Anyway, Raven followed me, I refused to leave. I couldn't get in so Raven gave me his hoodie so I wouldn't freeze then he left." Marinette was tiring quickly. It wasn't easy trying to keep her under control and she knew she was feeding off Adrien's anger.
"Why would Master Fu try to keep us apart and who the hell is Raven?" Adrien was struggling too process everything. So, she had a handler for some reason, Master Fu seemed to want to keep her locked away from him and who the hell was Raven and why was he following her.
"Raven is Talon. He has a miraculous too…" Marinette was struggling to keep it together and she was starting to think she wasn't strong enough to keep her at bay. She knew she should leave but it was too late. She felt the ground start to sway and the only thing she could think about was keeping him safe even if it meant risking her own life.
Adrien saw the blood start to run from her nose staining her cheeks red as she started to fall. With his cat like reflexes he was moving before he even realized what he was doing and Marinette fell into his arms. Cradling her against his chest he looked down into her blue eyes and he knew he still belonged to her… He always would…
"Marinette?" Adrien whispered as he sunk to his knees still holding her against his chest. He felt responsible for all of this but most of all he was starting to think that there was something much bigger going on.
"I'm so sorry… I'm trying… it hurts…" Marinette whispered before closing her eyes.
Adrien felt like someone had ripped his chest open. There was no way he was going to lose her again only moments after she re-entered his life. Leaning over her he tried to protect her face from the rain as he held her against his chest.
"Don't you dare think about leaving me again Mair… Wake up… please." Adrien felt like his world was crumbling around him… again. He was about to transform when he heard Tikki.
"Adrien, you need to get her to Master Fu. You have to take her, not Chat Noir." Tikki her little red Kwami ordered Adrien to hurry but within moments Rena Rouge and Carapace landed on the roof followed by an angry Raven.
"Hey, asshole get away from her you've done enough damage." Raven snarled at Adrien.
Adrien Looked up at the bird boy with his huge black wings and instantly hated him. Like hell he was going to hand her over to him.
"Adrien, we need to get her to Master Fu… Please I'll explain later but you have to give her to Raven." Rena kept her voice soft as she gently touched his arm. He looked up at her with pleading eyes and she felt his pain.
"I promise you'll see her again Adrien, it wasn't meant to go down like this." Carapace took Marinette out of the shocked Adrien's arms before he could protest and quickly handed her over to Raven.
Raven spread his wings and took off with Marinette in his arms before Adrien could stop him. Standing up he watched them vanish into the clouds then turned to Carapace and Rena.
"What the hell just happened and who the fuck was that?" Adrien's voice was low and laced with anger like a cat's hiss.
"Calm down kid, there's something Tikki needs to show you." Plagg emerged out of Adrien's jacket sounding serious, something Adrien had only witnessed a handful of times.
"Calm down… are you serious Plagg? You knew, didn't you? All this time and you knew why she left… I can't believe this you all knew and you let me suffer…" Adrien yelled at his so-called friends. He wanted to get as far away from them as he could but he couldn't leave… not when he was so close to finding out the truth.
"Adrien, it was the only way to keep you safe… You would have followed her and put both of you in danger… I need to show you to make you understand and for that you need to transform. Please trust me I don't have much time I need to be with Marinette." Tikki's voice was soft, she knew the dangers of being away from Marinette but she also knew how important this was to her charge. She had witnessed her struggles over the last eighteen months… all her pain and torment and she felt responsible. If she could at least make Adrien understand she knew they still had a chance.
Up until now Adrien hadn't noticed that Tikki was still here. The little red Kwami hovered in front of his face waiting for him to answer. He looked over at Rena and Carapace and they both nodded. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and willed the transformation.
He had done this a thousand times before and each time he felt the familiar tingling sensation as his black leather suit wrapped itself around him. His green eyes changed into bright cat eyes, his cat ears emerged and his tail grew. Stretching lazily, he looked at the red Kwami and nodded.
"Chat Noir this might hurt and you're going to feel disorientated so try to focus on something until you get your bearings. Okay?" What Tikki was about to do made her nervous, she had only done it once before but she felt like it was the only way to make him understand.
"Get on with it Tikki." Chat snapped feeling impatient.
Without warning Tikki moved his messy blonde hair off his forehead and put her tiny hands on his temples. Adrien didn't have time to react as he suddenly felt like he was falling into a dark abyss.