Niu Note: Thank you for your support and love so far! It means me A LOT! 3
By the way I check out both tags and words "niuniente" and "wingman visits" in Tumblr, so if you want me to catch your thoughts, drawings, fics, feedback ect. tag either one of those or use either one of those in your post, and I get to see them (which I love!)
And doesn't English Chat Noir have a lovely singing voice? *listens more extended theme song*
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Marinette's breath was shallow as she pushed herself up from the floor, her legs and arms shaking like leaves in a wind. She tried to hold her phone and walk quickly upstairs to wait for him, wait for Chat Noir or Adrien, like she had promised, despite of all the shakiness which ran through her violently. She had to take support from the hand trail, breath becoming small hiccups. In her mind Marinette told herself she had to keep her together now, she couldn't have a meltdown until everyone was safe, until this scary sudden situation was under control, but she couldn't stop the big tears rolling down on her cheeks as a stream, her vision getting blurrier by every step.
It took her a while to stumble up to the rooftop's door and when she got there, she sank on the floor, back against the wall. She wanted to wail out loud but she couldn't. Not now. It was too dangerous. She had to pull her inner Ladybug out for now. She should wait for him, as much as Marinette wanted to run out and never return.
This was too much.
This wasn't anything she had hoped, dreamed or even expected to happen.
It felt like a nightmare.
Despite of Chat's wishes Marinette left her phone's light on. It made her feel a bit better than the complete darkness around her.
"Calm down, Marinette," she spoke to herself with a shaky and thin whisper, shivering. "Breath. Stop crying. Breath."
Her stream of tears didn't stop despite of her commands.
Her breathing didn't get as steady as she had hoped either.
Sinking her head against her knees Marinette let out a sob, hugging her legs.
This was a true nightmare.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Chat Noir managed to solve the situation quick, as it turned out to be a gang of some underground group after the famous photographer due the debt he owed for the gang and the whole debt deal would later lead into big headers on all newspapers. The gunshots had been nothing but the bullies' mock play to scare the people inside, gallery's ceiling now full of holes from the shots. Luckily no one was hurt and when the group wasn't that professional from Chat's opinion he had no problem to kick their asses. He made sure the criminals were beaten up unconscious before he helped everyone outside where the police were already waiting. He learned that his father had left the building twenty minutes before the gang had broken in, so there was no need to worry about him. What he did worry was Marinette. He excused himself and ran back inside, telling he was going to check out if everyone had gotten out.
While dashing inside Chat Noir hated himself. He was worried, anxious and horribly afraid to confront Marinette now. His plans for revealing his identity had back wired in the worst possible way and he wondered if he had acted irrationally based on fear of his father's and Marinette's safety. Should they have just waited inside the staircase with Marinette and let police handle everything? Would it have led to a hostage situation between the criminals and polices, if he hadn't intervened? Would it have caused casualties, if he didn't stop the act before it really even got started?
Running like having a fire under his leather tail Chat kicked the staircase's door open and hurried up, his heart becoming colder and colder the higher he got.
Finally, he made it to Marinette. She was hugging her knees, head pressed against them in the corner next to the door. She was awfully quiet, trembling visibly. Her phone laid next to her, illuminating the area brightly.
"Ma—Marinette," he called her quietly, feeling guilty and awkward. She lifted her head up slowly, eyes full with tears and mascara running down on her cheeks. It pierced Chat's heart to see her like that, to know he was the reason for her tears.
"It's alright now," he extended his hand towards her, but Marinette stood up in a one bounce, smacking his hand away.
"No it's not!" she sobbed out an angry hiss, eyes fiery.
"I—I'm sorry," Chat spluttered with a stammering voice. Marinette stepped closer to him furiously.
"I bet you did this because of the Ladybug. I know you love him and what would be better than figuring out I'm the Ladybug and then lure me in for your own joy," she howled out an accusation, tears running freely on her wet cheeks. "All those kisses and caresses, everything from Ladybug! Must have been fun!"
Chat lifted his hands up as a peace sign.
"I swear that's not true!" he tried, but Marinette didn't listen to him.
"Liar! You have wanted to get into Ladybug's pants since the first time we met!" she took breath in and wailed. "You have been leading me on both as Adrien and Chat Noir! How could you?! Is this some kind of a sick joke? Was it fun to laugh at me behind my back and feed me all that crap of the friendship with Adrien? Give me all those stupid hints of yourself and act as your own goddamn wingman, you stray alley cat!" her tears became bigger by every single shaky cry she shot at Chat Noir's horrified face.
"My macaron, I cross my heart and swear over my grave that's not the case," Chat's tone of voice rose up with the level of his desperation, his hands spreading to his sides. "You know I love you, Marinette, just as who you are! I'd never hurt you!"
"But you did!" Marinette let out a hopeless yell, burying her face into her palms and crying with a heart-breaking sob. "My heart hurts so much and it's all your fault."
"I swear I was planning to tell you...!" Chat's spoke shakenly, despair decorating his eyes.
"When?" her question was barely audible.
"As soon as I could have," was the best answer Chat could give to Marinette. He took a step closer to her and tried to touch her shivering shoulders, but she stepped away from his touch.
"I tried to give you hints and I asked you many times if you wanted to know who I am", he added, throat tight.
"You shouldn't have listened to me and just told me the truth!" her sob was more violent than the previous one.
"But your wishes are my commands!" Chat cried desperately, placing his hand over his chest to prove her that he was talking the truth.
Marinette's head shot up from her palms, her eyes full of hurt anger.
"Then I have a new wish for you," she hissed angrily, her crying turning into a rage of betrayal, big tears on her cheeks. "Leave! Don't show me your face anymore, ever, neither one of them!"
Chat's mouth opened in disbelief and shock, his eyes size of a two broken plates. He gasped for air, unable to say anything. Hastily he searched for something, some other answer, from Marinette's face. She watched him back like an ice queen, tears rolling.
"Now!"
Chat's eyes narrowed, turning as fiery and sad as Marinette's. He let out a strangled growl, fists clenching, teeth baring as he gritted his teeth together. Then he jumped over the hand trailing with a suffocated sobbing hiss, leaving Marinette alone, just like she had wished.
She dropped her head, hearing how Chat Noir left the building. All the emotions Marinette had suppressed down came pouring out and she cried, cried like never before, sliding down the floor.
Chat Noir rushed out from the backside of the gallery, avoiding the masses of people swarming around the crime scene and made his way up to the roof tops. The evening had slowly made its way over Paris's sky but this evening had nothing romantic in it. It was heart-breaking, soul stabbing, cold and aching. Empty.
Chat felt how his eyes filled with tears, making the running on the rooftops dangerous. He needed to get away from this all, from the scene that had ruined his life and most importantly, made him ruin Marinette's life, shattering her heart. He was still hearing her crying in his head. His breathing was hitching and hot, his lungs aching like someone would have tried to squeeze all the air out from him. His legs and hands ached and when the running became unbearable with the hot, giant tears blinding him, Chat Noir stopped and let out a heart wrenching cry from the bottom of his broken heart.
He loved her. Loved her so much. Marinette was his everything.
He cried inconsolably from the bottom of his soul, head thrown backwards and angry wails of loss, guilt and hatred echoing over Paris. When Chat Noir couldn't yell anymore, when his burning lungs begged for him to stop, he crunched down, curling into a tiny ball and holding his head sobbing miserably with shaking shoulders.
There was no way he could make this up to Marinette. She would hate him till the day he was dead.
He had made her loathe both Chat Noir and Adrien. He could have avoided this. He had acted too hasty, just wanting to protect Marinette from the shooting. Just to save everyone. It was his fault. Everything was.
He wasn't even near of the gentleman he claimed to be. He was just the lonely young man trying to figure out what the love was and wailing miserably, breaking the heart of the woman he admired the most in the whole wide world.
Chat Noir didn't move from his spot for a long time, leaving only when the alarm of his transformation forced him to disappear into the safety of his own home, his sad wails following on his trails.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
At the same time Marinette dragged her feet out from the building, meeting the surprised police officers when she stepped outside the gallery. She thought they asked about Chat Noir, but she wasn't sure about it. It was hard to hear or see anything. All the crying had made her more or less numb. Marinette just wanted to go to sleep and forget everything.
When it was made sure Marinette wasn't hurt or anything, one of the police men promised to driver her home after hearing how far she lived. There was a fuss and worry over Adrien not being anywhere to be found, but then a rumor of him leaving with Mr. Gabriel started to spread around and the matter was dropped.
She arrived her home in a complete silence and broke into tears when her parents came to hug her. Later she explained she was upset of what had happened in the premier, but said nothing of Chat Noir or Adrien to them.
Tikki saw through her immediately when she stepped inside her room. Marinette couldn't stop the next wave of her sorrow surfacing, so she cried from her heart's content, Tikki caressing her hair motherly and looking worried. She said nothing to Marinette about her knowing Chat Noir's real identity, only assured her that this was most likely a misunderstanding, and that Chat Noir nor Adrien would never hurt Marinette. She didn't listen to Tikki and the kwami couldn't blame Marinette for that.
She deleted all the messages Chat Noir had send her and took down Adrien's pics, staying up all night, unable to stop crying.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Three days passed, neither one of them smiled during that time.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Four more days passed and Hawkmoth made his move after a silence that had lasted forever. Marinette woke up in the middle of the night when Tikki was nudging her frantically.
"Marinette, Hawkmoth has send out a butterfly! We have to deal with it when Chat Noir brings it here!" her voice was hasty.
Marinette rubbed her eyes sleepily while sitting up, not really understanding first what Tikki was saying, as she was sleep deprived from all the badly slept nights and loss of appetite.
"Quick now, Marinette! Chat is almost here!" Tikki was urging her to raise up and she finally woke up from her haze.
She nodded, turning on the table light and transforming into Ladybug from the old habit, everything happening basically on its own. Her injuries were still there and Marinette felt like she would have taken a few steps backwards with her healing during the last few days. Her stomach and sides were aching, and she could feel stiffness in her shoulders. Marinette knew Tikki could also feel that she wasn't ready for Ladybug action yet and it was a blessing Hawkmoth had been quiet for whatever reason.
She looked sadly at the balcony's hatch's lid, and for the first time since getting Tikki and her responsibility as a super heroine, Marinette wanted to strip her outfit down and forget everything. In her mind she understood it wasn't wise and it wouldn't solve anything, but right now she hated Ladybug. Hated to be Ladybug. Hated to think she was loved only because she was Ladybug. That she was enough for someone like Adrien only because she was Ladybug.
It made her feel empty and so hollow.
The sound of a stomp echoed from the rooftop and Marinette could feel herself hesitating the idea of going up there. Chat Noir was there, waiting for her and they would need to deal this butterfly attack like professionals. She had expected it to be easy, always thinking that if emotions became involved with their work, Chat Noir and Ladybug could still fight together and figure things out. Now, Marinette wasn't so sure about it. The worst part was that she really couldn't tell anyone about this.
She took a deep inhale and exhaled loudly through her mouth, reaching for the lid and cracking it open cautiously. Her heart was sinking down into a complete empty pit when she thought about seeing Chat Noir's face, the events of horrible revelation still tormenting Marinette's mind with guilt and blame, but when she peeked out, there was no one to be seen. Only a glass jar with a blue lid stood in the middle of the balcony, a dark butterfly flapping its wings against the jar's wall trying to get out.
Marinette was a bit surprised to see this. She rushed out and scanned the night sky, but there was no sign of Chat Noir anywhere.
The cat was truly following her wishes like commands.
Marinette let the butterfly out and purified it with her yoyo, looking how the white creature fly further away from her. It looked fragile and so small and it was hard to think that such a small creature was able to cause so much havoc. It kind of reminded Marinette of emotions – how they lingered in the air, fragile and beautiful, and yet capable of destroying everything down to ground at the same time.
Quietly she returned back inside, taking the glass jar Chat Noir had left behind with her, and released Tikki. The kwami popped out, immediately turning to Marinette, who was eyeing the glass container in her hand with a sad look.
"Marinette?" she asked with a whisper.
Her brows knit together.
"Tikki… I think I'm ready to talk. At least a little," Marinette murmured suddenly with tight lips, rolling the jar between her hands. "I'm too tired to keep this inside of me. It makes me hate this work, hate miraculouses, and that's something I can't let happen, for everyone's sake."
"I'm all ears," Tikki promised, flying to sit on Marinette's shoulder as she returned her bed, placing the jar on the floor next to the bed's leg.
"I've been thinking what Chat said. He said that he gave me hints and asked my permission many times, which he did. I wonder if I was too harsh with him…" she spoke sadly, burying under the duvet, while Tikki shifted to sit on a pillow's edge. "I told him I don't want to see him anymore, ever. Not as Chat Noir or Adrien."
"That was quite harsh, but I hope he understands," Tikki wished with a sigh and continued, "human emotions are very strong and a heart can be hurt very easily."
"Has there been cases like this before where Ladybug and Chat Noir drift apart?" Marinette was afraid to ask that, but she did it anyway. Tikki gave her very warm look and patted her hair.
"Yes, you are not the first ones."
"Have things worked out?"
"Some have, some haven't. It depends of the individuals and what they want. It's impossible to restore a relationship, any kind, if both aren't willing to work for it. You can't heal alone something which requires two or more people," Tikki explained with her kwami wisdom.
Though Marinette couldn't really say that her answer would have been helpful, as it contained so many what-ifs, but in a strange way it brought a small smile on her lips. However, it said there only for a second.
"It's sad to think that he likes me only because I'm Ladybug", Marinette half-sobbed, feeling how the hurt was coming back on the surface again.
"What makes you think of that? That doesn't sound like Adrien or Chat Noir, for what I know them," Tikki's eyes narrowed a bit.
"…You are right; that doesn't sound like Adrien. Chat Noir… Well, I still have hard time to believe they're the same guy," she tottered, wiping her moist corner of an eye. "It's just unfair he didn't tell me."
"He was looking for a right moment to tell you. I spoke with him about this all once, but I didn't tell you because I promised to keep it as a secret," Tikki revealed with an apologetic fidgeting.
Marinette's head shot up from underneath the duvet in an instant.
"Tikki! Not you, too! Has everyone else known about this but me!" she was frustrated and hastily Tikki jumped into the air and flied closer to Marinette's face.
"No, no! I heard just a few days ago. Chat Noir came here because he wanted to tell you who he was, but he didn't know how he should do it, so he asked my opinion. He was very concerned of hurting your feelings and giving a wrong impression if he didn't find a right time to tell you. I can assure you, Marinette, his eyes were purely sincere. Chat Noir aka Adrien didn't hurt you intentionally. He wanted to avoid hurting you and ended up actually causing you pain because of it," Tikki's little mouth was flooding with word, leaving Marinette speechless.
"You didn't tell me anything until now?" Marinette was a slightly miffed.
"I wanted you to be ready to hear that. You needed time to grief first," the kwami noted back.
"—What did you tell to Chat Noir?" Marinette's voice was barely stronger than a whisper. She laid down and squeezed her duvet's edge tightly.
"I told him that while it's good to let things flow naturally, he shouldn't postpone the revelation too long. What happened in the gallery was an accident, something which was out of your or Adrien's control. Maybe we could say it was a destiny, Marinette. Sometimes something or someone makes decision for us like that, just like when you got me and became Ladybug," Tikki continued with a steady tone, "You should also think this from Adrien's point of view. I think you are ready for that now; his father was there, you were there and there were people with guns shooting around the gallery, while you two are locked behind doors unable to get out or help anyone. Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing to protect the people you love and also to fulfill your destiny as a protector of every Parisian if you had me there with you but Adrien hadn't got Plagg with him?"
The longer Marinette listened Tikki, the more foolish she felt herself. Tikki was right; Marinette would have acted the same as Adrien. She had been so caught up with her own feelings and emotions, her own fears of not being loved as Marinette, that she hadn't even thought about how Adrien felt. What he had gone through. It surely had been a difficult and painful decision for him to transform in front of Marinette, at a moment which he hadn't planned before hand as the perfect for the revelation.
Besides, Tikki told about destiny. As destiny gave her powers, maybe it also guided both Adrien and her to the truth, even though when it was painful.
Perhaps this was a chance for Marinette to understand herself more and grow into better heroine.
"Tikki… I think I need to talk with him tomorrow, Adrien or Chat Noir. I've said some very bad things to him because I was so upset. We need to solve this like adults, like the heroes we are," Marinette said with a firm voice, eyes fixated at Tikki.
"You've got his contact info, so you can reach either one of them", Tikki smiled brightly agreeing with Marinette's thoughts.
"I'll do that. First thing tomorrow. It Saturday so I have the whole day time to catch Adrien," she swore, sighing slightly "It's too bad I don't know where he lives. Perhaps it would have been good idea to see at his place and talk in private, face-to-face."
"You can always suggest that to Adrien," Tikki pointed out, earning a small smile from Marinette.
"Yes. I'll ask him to meet me. And I'll kiss him for good for everything. We are both at fault and yet I feel there's something happening here, something which isn't neither one of us fault."
"That's the destiny alright," the kwami made a small circle in the air, happy that Marinette had spoken to her and also understood her kwami wisdom.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
The night was heavy and suffocating to Adrien. He couldn't sleep. God, he couldn't remember when he had fallen asleep the last time. He had gone through school and one client meeting with the power of strong coffee, telling he was probably getting sick when his classmates had asked what was wrong with him. His eyes were still red from all the tears and it felt like someone would have been scorching his eyeballs, stomach and heart at the same time. It was like Adrien would have been drinking poison for days, though the coffee didn't fall too far from that.
If Adrien was suffering, so was also Plagg. The kwami was tired and exhausted, begging for Adrien to settle this and make up with Marinette, as his strong connection to his host Adrien was also eating Plagg's energy levels when Adrien was extremely upset and it had lasted for a week. "Go to her!" he had begged sadly, but Adrien was as stubborn as ever. Every single time Plagg suggested something relating to Marinette, Adrien's eyes flashed with hatred and he hissed that he was going to follow her wishes and not to show his face to her. She didn't even want to see him. It didn't help when Plagg pointed out that following blindly woman's wishes had lead Adrien into this trouble in the first place. The young man didn't listen. He had shut himself completely, each day dwelled in his own bad feelings making both him and Plagg weaker.
It was another sleepless night for Adrien, another day more for Plagg to get his energies drained out by Adrien's emotional suffering. All kind of negative thoughts and feelings whirled in Adrien's mind as he sat in front of the TV this Friday night, not really watching anything specific. Plagg was resting on the pillow, sleeping tightly, looking exhausted. The transformation today had been almost too much for Plagg and he had called Adrien as a "stubborn idiot" for dwelling so much in pain. It had hurt Adrien, as the small kwami really didn't know how his life had been. He had been lonely, always left behind by everyone.
Now Marinette, his sweet Marinette, was one of those persons.
And it was his fault. He couldn't ever make Marinette love himself again. She had been so heartbroken, so furious, when she had commanded him to disappear, go for good from her life. Marinette had clearly yelled at him to run away for the rest of eternity from her life, not to bother her anymore.
It hurt Adrien. Hurt like nothing before. He felt the tears and anger rising up again from his chest as he crossed his fingers and sobbed against the back of his palms.
"You love her. You love Ladybug and you love Marinette," a voice next to Adrien spoke.
"Yes. I do."
"More than anything?"
"She's my everything," he sobbed back, the image of Marinette flashing in Adrien's mind.
"It is quite horrible, to be pushed away like that. All you did was thinking her best and how did she thank you?"
"…No, she didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one to blame…" Adrien spoke shaking his head, eyes still closed while the tears now made their way on his cheeks.
"It must be difficult to lose the one you love so much," the voice was very understanding. Adrien thought that Plagg was kind today, to wake up and soothe him instead of groaning how Adrien was making his life difficult with his negative human emotions.
"How many of them have you lost exactly?" the voice asked.
A pain hit through Adrien's soul, teeth gritting together.
"My mother… She's gone. My father became a lost case when mother disappeared. Nino is in studying in England and Marinette…" his voice hitched when he spoke the name of the woman he loved so dearly. Loved so much he was willing to do anything for her. Anything to make her love him, love him as he was. To get her back to his side, as he missed her warmth. Her jingling laughter, her soft kisses, her playful palms all over his bare skin, her supportive shoulder, her sassiness and most importantly her embrace, the embrace which felt like home he had always missed without realizing something so essential was missing from his life.
"Isn't it unfair that she brushed you off like that? That she didn't trust your words and understand that you did it for her good? Have you ever done anything to hurt Marinette?" Adrien heard these questions interrupting his own thoughts.
He stopped to think, opening his eyes. It was quiet, though the tears still rolled on his cheeks slowly, dropping on the ground between his feet.
Was it unfair? Yes. Yes, it actually was. How many years they had worked together and known as regular human beings with Marinette? Had he ever done anything bad to Marinette or Ladybug? No. Quite opposite. He had always been there for her. There was no reason why Marinette shouldn't believe his words, as he always talked only truth with her. The fact he had kept his identity as Adrien secret those moments he had approached her as Chat Noir was for Marinette's sake. It wasn't like he was cheating her, it was that he was looking for the best possible time to reveal himself for Marinette. The best possible time for Marinette to learn about him as Adrien. It wasn't that he was trying to keep his own hide safe. It was all for Marinette.
Everything he had ever done around her was only for her.
And she seemed to forget that, forget it so easily.
"Perhaps she hadn't seen your efforts. Perhaps she doesn't believe in your love. Perhaps she thinks it's just a mere teenager boy crush and nothing more. But that's not the case. You love him", the voice spoke again about the love.
Love.
The thought of Marinette not truly loving him, not in the past, not now or not in the future, was like a death sentence to Adrien. He didn't understand how deeply involved he had gotten with Marinette. It was true what Plagg had always hinted – that he was Marinette's second half. There was a good and valid reason why the miraculouses had been given to them. They were meant to be.
That's how they worked. Those miraculouses.
"Yes…" said the voice, like hearing Adrien's mental reasoning.
His eyes got fiery, narrowing suddenly. There were no tears anymore, just moisture lingering in his eyelashes while he kept repeating pictures of Marinette in his head, now those mental images both inviting and ignoring him at the same time.
"She doesn't understand hints. You have to be straight with it," the voice continued, sounding clearer this time.
Adrien pressed his lips together, staring emptily before him, a deep frown running across his forehead.
"I have to be honest," Adrien agreed with the voice. The more he thought about Marinette and how she had brushed his love off, the more hurt and angrier he became. The emotions he had poured out and battled with while he had cried his heart out on the rooftops of Paris started to came rushing back to Adrien. His chest felt heavy and unfair.
"She belongs to you. You belong to each other. She's yours..."
"Marinette… is mine. Part of my life. The miraculouses say so, too. Plagg and Tikki agree with that," Adrien's voice was a deep hiss, the hatred and betrayal by someone he loved more than his own life lingering in his green eyes.
"Yes. Everyone knows Chat Noir and Ladybug belong together. She's yours and you are hers", the voice was agreeing.
"I want Marinette. I need her," the man repeated the voice's words, his soul burning.
"Go get her, you know the deal," the voice said, disappearing into the darkness of the room, until a bright white light hit the living room.
Adrien stood up hastily, feeling how is ring was pulsing around his finger, burning like never before. Plagg got sucked into his ring without him saying anything about transforming, accompanied with a bright light. A sense of strength and power rushed over Adrien as he transformed, making his sad heart stop aching for a moment.
He felt good.
He could do it. He would be able to gain Marinette's love back. Get her back into his life. Make her love him, just the way he loved her; intensive, deep, meant-to-be love written in fairytales, though this time it was real. And I would be permanent. She would understand if he was honest.
She would see what kind of a great man he was, how much he loved her.
And she would love him back.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
"…And there has been no sign of Ladybug in ages! Do you think something has happened to her?" Alya's voice on the other end of the voice mail chat was almost hysteric. Marinette tried her best to keep her composure and not come across as completely unemotional bastard with a case which was so grave for her best friend.
"Perhaps she's in a vacation," she joked. "It's been very peaceful here, Alya. Not even the enemies have made their moves, so I guess there's no need for Ladybug's work right now?"
"No, Marinette! You don't get it! People have been seeing Chat Noir around but no Ladybug. Isn't that alarming?" Alya's detective mode was becoming on.
"Ah, well, they are individuals, not tied together you know…" Marinette offered with an awkward grin. Alya didn't buy it.
"There has to be something going on. There's this video of Chat Noir. Very blurry but it's clearly Chat Noir. Wait, I look for it, I saw it posted some days ago. Or have you seen it already?"
"Eh, no…?" Marinette suggested, being completely honest with the fact she hadn't seen any Chat videos but fearing that maybe someone had spotted Chat Noir with her. She did her best to stay composed and keep her head cool, though the fear was seeping slowly in.
"Ah, here it is; check that out. It's obvious something is wrong!" Alya was determined with her point of view.
Marinette clicked the video open, which was posted on Chat Noir blog. The video was indeed blurry, but his recognizable form drew against the evening sky and a heart wrenching cry echoed over the whole Paris.
It made Marinette's heart twist nastily.
Chat Noir was crying. Crying like someone who had lost their everything.
It made Marinette's eyes moist, but she refused to cry before Alya. She didn't need to know. She didn't need to know it was her who had made Chat Noir – Adrien – cry so helplessly.
The video was short but as soon as it ended, Alya's voice came out clearly from Marinette's speakers.
"Marinette?! Are you alright? You are crying?"
Shit. She hadn't been able to keep herself composed, but a few tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes.
"Oh, sorry, Alya. I'm alright. He just sounded so sad, so desperate," Marinette admitted and wiped smiling her tears away with her sleeve. "I'm okay."
"If you are crying, just think about what kind of a storm there has been in Chat Noir's blog!" she breathed out, shaking her head. "People are guessing why Chat Noir is so upset. He's always so happy and flirty. Some people have said that perhaps Ladybug is dead, but I don't believe it. I know an akuma can be defeated by her only. This has to be something else."
"You are most likely right," Marinette kept smiling at Alya.
Alya brought her face closer to the computer screen and squinted her eyes.
"What do you think? Why is he upset?"
"Me?!" Marinette shrieked pointing at herself. "I-I-I I have no idea! I mean, isn't he just a human? Humans get upset?" she tottered hastily, giving Alya a nervous laughter. The squint in Alya's eyes got deeper.
"Marinette, is there something I should be aware of…?" she questioned with her detective tone, drawing every word out slowly.
"NO! Why?" she defended herself with an audible eep sound.
"I didn't want to say this but you looked like shit this morning," Alya noted. "I waited for you to tell it yourself and now you are crying. That's alarming, girl. Are you also upset like Chat Noir for some reason?"
Marinette felt how the blood from her face escaped down to her stomach. She couldn't tell that she was upset because of Adrien and the fact he hadn't replied to her messages yet, nor she could tell Alya that she was upset because of Chat Noir and Chat Noir was upset because of her and there was also Ladybug involved with this. She looked for a right answer, anything to distract Alya away from this matter before it would become too intense.
"I'm-" she started, but Alya's loud gasp stopped her instantly.
"Oh my god, Marinette! You have to turn TV on!" she yelled loudly.
Marinette's eyes widened.
"What, what? I don't have TV in my room, you know it!"
"Wait, I turn this so you can see!" Alya hastily jumped up from her seat and took her laptop with her. She placed it quickly on the living room's table in front of the TV and put more volume on.
"Do you see this?!" she shrieked outside from the picture and Marinette leaned closer to see the TV's screen transmitted through Alya's laptop screen to her.
On top of the Eiffel flew a helicopter, which was filming the tower. There was a figure of a man in white on the top of the tower, yelling angrily.
"Oh… OH GOD..!" Marinette drew her hands up to her mouth.
It was Chat Noir. In white. His outfit was exactly the same, except white, including his mask.
"That's Chat Noir!" she yelled at Alya, who replied back to her.
"Can you see this! What's going on?!" Alya was as astounded as Marinette.
Marinette was worried of Chat Noir. This wasn't right. Something was wrong.
"WAIT! Did you hear that?!" Alya's voice was a shriek of disbelief and she turned volume on for more. The TV voice was now much audible for Marinette and she listened carefully what Alya had heard. The TV reporter was speaking about the events with a shock and when the helicopter got closer to Chat again, he opened his mouth with fangs flashing.
"Marinette!" he yelled from the bottom of his lungs. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"
"…OH NO!" Marinette jumped up, shocked.
She didn't want to believe it. This wasn't like Chat Noir or Adrien.
It was clear he had been akumatized. How that was even possible, she didn't know, but it was her fault. She knew it. Hot tears spilled out in a second and she let out a short sob.
"Tikki…" she whispered, watching how Chat Noir was screaming in the tower, angry and completely unrecognizable.
"He's gotten an akuma inside him!" Tikki hissed from her hide out, looking as shocked as Marinette.
"Marinette, what the hell is this?!" Alya's voice pierced Marinette's ears and her concerned face appeared on the computer screen, blocking the TV. "What's going on?! Why is Chat Noir calling you?! That IS Chat Noir, there's no mistake about it! I'd know his voice anywhere!" Alya babbled, great concern reflecting from her eyes. "Marinette?!"
"I'm sorry! I must go! I tell you everything later! I'm sorry, Alya! I need to save Chat Noir!" Marinette yelled hastily back at Alya, tears on her eyes. She shut the computer, rushing Tikki to get into her pocket.
"We have to go, Tikki! Chat Noir is in trouble," she sobbed with a shaky voice. "I have to make this better, it's my fault! Oh my god, Tikki, I've gotten Adrien akumatized! I've gotten a miraculous holder akumatized! I'm the worst failure on this whole planet!" Marinette wailed sadly, her hands shaking as she made her way downstairs and rushed outside, past her both parents and the whole shop full of people who most likely all had heard about the news already, and if they hadn't, they would hear about it soon.
God, what she would tell her parents?