Chapter | Three
Adrien Agreste was a lot of things, you could ask someone and get totally different was a top model who had a pretty hefty following, he could fence and he could even speak some mandarin. People would describe him as kind, loyal, and a good friend. Over all a good guy. The one thing he was not used to being called was a coward.
He wasn't stupid though, maybe naive and he knew that. He knew that he lacked the confidence he had as Chat Noir. He knew that was as stupid as it sounded, but Adrien couldn't act like Chat Noir. He could never be that untamed liberty Chat Noir came with, no- he had to be this perfect image for his father. All he wanted was his father to truly love him, and every single day it felt like that goal was more and more unattainable to reach.
What he hated the most was being left out of the loop, out of the choices made y Ladybug. He'd like to think he'd be a deciding factor for Chloe to be a permanent hero in the city, because that's what partners do. Yet Ladybug also seemed far away from his reach. Even so, he worried about Chloe being a miraculous holder. That Hawkmoth would recognize her or Pollen's hair comb miraculous. He had valid worries, some that Plagg couldn't really smooth over.
"Chloe is a true holder, like you and Ladybug. She was destined for Pollen, despite her past. She will do the right thing like you and Ladybug do at the end of the day when it counts." Plagg says, shrugging and swallowing a piece of camembert.
True holders, it was something new to him and selfishly it also made him relieved that he would have Plagg until his last breath. Destiny was something Adrien always wanted to believe in, but was never sure. Never sure if it was just a fantasy. Yet at the same time it was something he didn't deserve. He didn't deserve it after all he has done to the one girl that did nothing but wear her heart of her sleeve and accepted everyone with open arms.
Guilt.
He was guilty for the hand he played in Marinette's misery when it came to Lila. He was too scared to really stand up for her and risk his friendships. He wanted to hold onto those friendships so desperately he may have ruined one of the best ones. The guilt burned his mind every morning he woke and every night he went to sleep.
The guilt that coursed his veins had started when he noticed Marinette's seat open and abandoned for two days straight. Then the two days turned into four, then six and then eight before someone raised their hand in the beginning of class of Miss Bustier's class. Of course it was the one person who was ruining everything.
"Where's Marinette?" Lila had asked, tone laced with false concern.
Miss Bustier blinked, sighing softly and looked at the girl, "Marinette has gone for the summer on a fashion internship."
Murmurs swept across the room, confused why she didn't say anything for leaving Paris. Wasn't Marinette their friend? Why would she keep something like this from then? The hurt was clear as day on Alya's face.
"Oh! How good for her!" Lila forced a smile, "Where did she go?"
"New York." Was all that Miss Bustier would say, moving onto the lesson of the day and leaving Lila scowling when no one was looking.
Adrien was proud of Marinette, proud of her going after what she dreamed. It was what she deserved after giving so much of herself to everyone else. Yet he didn't have the right to be happy for her. He had time to think about that a lot recently, how his actions affected people. He was a horrible friend who only added to her pain.
Chloe had made that clear, so clear that it became confusing where she and Marinette had become friends. The tables had turned, and no one knew. He knew that Audrey had offered the internship once, being faster than his own father to take a talented aspiring designer under her wing. Why his father didn't offer was beyond Adrien.
"Chloe." Adrien called waiting outside the classroom for his childhood friend to come out.
Chloe looked up at the model, eyes flickering up and down. "Adrien."
It was the first time she said his actual legal name in a while, and it was the first warning he ever got from her to be careful with what he said next. He didn't know what she was thinking or what she thought of the drama in the school that surrounded them every day. After all, Lila took her crown as the meanest one in the room (not that many knew that).
"Did your mom offer Marinette her internship?" Adrien asks, curious and nervous all at the same time. For a few seconds it was silent between them and then the tension grew colder as Chloe's blue eyes narrowed in on him.
"You don't deserve to even ask about her." Chloe says, arms crossed as she stared him down. "All the things that happened these past few months, none of you get to be worried for her. Let alone know anything going on with her without her telling you personally because she wants you to know. News flash, she doesn't."
"I'm her friend-"
"Friend?" Chloe scoffed at the word in offense, "Please. Friends don't leave friends alone like the way you did. What you did was cowardly. You're a coward Adrien. Social cues may be new to you, but I know your mother taught you basic human morals. Right from wrong. It isn't this."
With that. Chloe walk off flipping her blonde pony tail over her shoulder.
Her words had stung him in a painful part of his heart, one where he stilled grieved for his mother. Yet she wasn't wrong, his mother would be disappointed with him. He wanted so badly to please his father that he was losing sight of who he was, who he was trying to be. After all, everything he wanted to be was what made up Chat Noir. That would be something his father would shut down real quick.
He was an idiot.
An idiot who had fucked up so royally he didn't know how to fix it.
He was so sure that Lila would eventually get caught up in one of her lies, that it would spare Marinette more ridicule if she waited on it to play out. Yet he was so, so very wrong. Lila's lies had spiraled out of control, his class mates and friends hung on to her every word as if it were the gospel truth. It caused Marinette to accept an internship to just get away from them.
From you. A part of his mind whispered to him hauntingly. He couldn't help but feel like he deserved everything Chloe spat his way, because she was right. His mother would have told him to stand up for Marinette, do what was right. Yet he did the one thing he was always continuously good at, messing everything up. Maybe that was the reason he was the true holder of the destruction miraculous.
He was a black cat after all, he had all the bad luck at the end of the day.
It was a historical day for Marinette as she rushed to get dressed, despite having a whole two hours to get ready. She wanted today to be different, but she couldn't complain. The least three days had been astronomically different compared to the last three months. For once there was no whispers following her down the hall as she walked past her class peers. There was no random obstacle that magically appeared in her walk way for her to trip over and be laughed at by.
There was no Lila, and it was a weight lifted off of Marinette's shoulders. She could breath, think clearly but most of all she was able to feel. She could express her emotions that she had gotten overly skilled at tucking away into the back of her head, able to feel her pride she would swallow so she could take the high road with no one else.
She was able to be herself, and she wasn't sure how to act about it. That had first occurred when she met the dork of a boy she could call her new friend that went by the name of Peter Parker. Her guard had slammed down on herself without a warning as this cheerful guy showed her around Queens, giving her a full on tour of the place. He seemed to have a good sense of empathy, because he had gave her a suppressed frown as he looked somewhat disappointed.
"I'm sorry for dragging you off and chatting your ear off. I understand if you want to go home." Peter said softly, and it broke her heart that she caused the sad expression on his face. He had been so excited and her over all mood swings gotten to him.
"No!" Marinette was quick to reassured, flashing him a smile. "I'm honestly really enjoying your company, it's just- I have trust issues. I tend to be cautious around new people." She hesitated for a moment but decided maybe it was time to be open about it. "It's part of the reason I came to New York in the first place."
Peter looked her in the eyes, trying to see if she was being genuine, and then gave Marinette an understanding nod. "Is it okay if I asked what happened?"
"Long story short, I grew up with most of my class back in Paris. Did a lot for them as a friend and class president, most of the time out of my ways for them, and enter a new girl. She told lie after lie, and they hung onto every word. I didn't want my friends to be hurt, so I called her out on it. She didn't like it, threatened to turn everyone against me and she did." Marinette sighed softly, brushing a strand of her hair back. She had tossed the pigtails a few weeks ago. "They made my life a living hell, bullied over nothing but lies will give a girl trust issues."
Peter just stood there looking at her in disbelief, and Marinette couldn't blame him. Who the hell just told people they met that type of life story? Yet Peter Parker couldn't help but want to wrap the small girl in front of him up in his arms and protect her from the world. No person should go through something like that, especially at the hands of people that were trusted and considered friends. He would have trust issues too if he had been in the same place, but he also didn't have very many friends. Only he could tell Marinette pulled people in, that she was kind and a giving person.
Maybe that was just his spidey sense, or as Aunt May called it his Peter Tingle. He would be this girl's friend, and he would introduce her to MJ and Ned. He understood what it felt like to need people to be on his side and have a support system.
"How about you give me your number and I help you get home, and then we can see when it works for you to hang out?" Peter says, pulling out his phone.
"Are you asking me for my number, Parker?" Marinette couldn't help it, giggling seeing the lush creep onto Peter's cheeks.
"No, well yes- no! I mean I would like it, but to hang out! I think my two best friends would really like you!" Peter stumbled over his words, making Marinette giggle more. He liked the sound of her laughing. Now where did that thought come from?
"I'm only teasing." Marinette says, grabbing his phone and entering her information. She looked up at him, a shy smile on her face with a soft blush on her own cheeks. "It's actually very sweet of you to offer to be friends. If I ever meet her, I'll make sure to tell Aunt May of your kindness."
It only made Peter look away before his blush intensified under those bluebell eyes.
Looking in the mirror, Marinette nodded her head at her outfit. It was something she made a a while back, but never had an occasion to wear it. She wore a red chiffon blouse with a black pencil skirt that had a matching black blazer and black three inch heels. Her hair had grown out the past months, going down a little past her shoulders. Now she wore it in a bun at the top of her head, with a little bit of eyeliner and a dash on lip gloss.
"You look beautiful Marinette!" Tikki cheered, beaming with pride for her chosen.
Marinette grinned at Tikki, "I feel great too. Today something new starts."
Her thoughts were cut when she heard her phone beep with a text message. Now a days it couldn't be too many people to text her. It was when she first arrived she was bombarded with text messages from her classmates, but instead of reading any of them she promptly deleted the whole text threads and blocked the contacts as a whole.
Picking up her phone, she smiled seeing the few texts she missed. One from her parents, another from Chloe and the last one from Peter.
Good luck today honey! We are proud of you! - Love Maman and Dad
Don't over think today. Mother wouldn't have asked you to intern if she didn't believe in you as a designer. Kick ass today Mari, you earned it. -Chloe
Hey, I was wondering when you were free to hang out? MJ and Ned want to meet you :) -Peter
Marinette couldn't help the goofy little smile that was on her lips reading the last text, feeling good about people wanting to be her friend and around her. All she needed was friends, so she was determined not to think anything more of Peter's friendship. After all she wasn't here to stay. She was here for her internship and training with Stephan Strange, and then back to Paris to become Guardian of the Miraculous and defeat Hawkmoth.
Love you Maman and Dad!
Thanks Chloe! We need to discuss somethings later, so maybe facetime if you're free?
I'm free tomorrow evening! Let me know the time if that works out and I'll head over to Queens!
Marinette pressed send to the respective contacts, grabbed her bag and coffee that Tikki had brewed thanks to the Keurig buttons being small enough for her to press. Without a word, the two of them were off into the bustling streets of New York's time square, right where Audrey Bourgeois's company was located at.
Chloe was over the stupidity of her class, like honestly she was sure that they were all running on the same last two brain cells. The more Lila spoke, the more Chloe was sure that her own brain cells were dying. If that were the case, well everyone would be considered brain dead. Thank goodness that class was almost over in a few days for the summer.
Ever since it was announced that Marinette had gone to New York for the summer, Lila had been spinning new stories. Like how she knew the Avengers, even going so far to say she helped them in the alien attack that had happened a few years back. Like that was believable. Or how Lila was apart of an internship for Tony Stark, but left because she was too advanced than the others and even helped Tony with his suits.
Geez that had Alya fan girling like crazy, asking for an interview. Chloe wasn't sure how stupid this class could be, but it was proving to be on the very side. Yet her favorite lie was the one Lila tried to spin on Marinette.
"Poor Marinette though." Lila had forced a sad sigh, looking down at her hands in mock innocence. "I was told by a friend of mine that she took an internship for the cheapest brand that could take her, since she had a record of being a bullying and almost being expelled. I can't help but think it's my fault!"
Alya was as quick as ever, "No! That's her own fault for being so jealous! She's lucky that anyone would even take her as a designer!"
Chloe couldn't even sit by and listen, standing and slamming her hands on the desk she sat at now. It happened to be the one Marinette perviously occupied. "You just can't stop bitching can you, Lie-la?" Chloe scoffed, ignoring how Alya went to defend her. "My mother is the one Marinette is interning for, because she is talented. The one who can't seem to let shit go is Lila."
"Hey!" Alya yelled- but Chloe ignored her as her blue eyes narrowed in on Lila.
"What is it about Marinette that has you so obsessed?" Chloe questioned, cocking an eyebrow. "She isn't even here and all you can do is run your big ass mouth about her. You already ran her out of Paris, so drop it Rossi."
Without another word, Chloe stood and went to leave the classroom. Not even caring that class wasn't officially over yet. It wasn't like Miss Bustier cared, since she wasn't in the class at the moment. Apparently she forgot to make copies of the homework assignment.
She wasn't expecting Adrien to run after her though, or catch her by the arm. She was mad at him, because he was smarter. She knew that. She knew Adrien when his mom had been around, knew how much he had changed since he lost her. As much as she was mad at him. she also understood. Where she had issues with her mother, Adrien had issues with his father and at the end of the day they just wanted to please that respective parent. Yet Chloe learned she can't do that at the expense of other people.
It wasn't right, nor was it fair. As a friend, she would have to show Adrien that. She would fix what had happened, and bring the Adrien she knew and loved back. The one that wasn't scare to speak his mind or stand up for others.
Taking a deep breath, Chloe gave her childhood best friend a bored look. "Can I help you Adrikins?"
Adrien let her wrist go, frowning. "You didn't have to provoke Lila like that Chlo. Akumas are still a thing."
Chloe's lips twisted into a bitter smile, "Pray tell me, is this what you told Marinette as well?"
"Not exactly." Adrien muttered, looking away.
"Did you ever think how that made her feel?" Chloe asks, her tone softer. She couldn't yell at him, not for doing what he thought was right- albeit in the wrong area but nothing less something he thought was right. She had to do what Marinette taught her as Ladybug, be a better person. Be kind, no matter how much patience is pushed.
"She lost everyone she ever cared for Adrien. She sat there in silence as everyone slipped away from her life because of one person's lies. You told her to do nothing, and in return you did nothing to help her. None of us did." Chloe gripped her bag strap. "In order to defend Lila from not being akumatized, who defended Marinette? People bullied her over lies Adrien, how is that fair to her? The girl who made your blue scarf for your birthday? The girl who rough pastries and smiles. No one was there for her and it is a miracle she wasn't a victim of an akuma."
Adrien never thought about it that way, and Chloe saw how naive he really was when the look of horror came across his face. That slow morphed into guilt and then sadness as his shoulders dropped. His green eyes were full at disappointment, and it was nothing but aimed at himself. Of course he didn't know the scarf was from Marinette and not his father, Chloe had recognized the hidden stitch of Marinette's signature on it last winter. She knew Gabriel, knew that he forgot Adrien's birthday yearly. Knew that it would show just how selfless Marinette was at the expense of others.
"It's gone beyond acceptable Adrien." Chloe says, voice still soft. "Lila was ruining Marinette's life and mental health. I fully believe if Marinette had stayed here in Paris, she wouldn't have lasted much longer. She was fading fast."
Adrien's fists clenched, guilt turning into liquid in his eyes. He was an idiot. "That's why she isn't responding to anyone's text messages, isn't?"
"She blocked every single one of you from her phone and social medias." Chloe confirms, "I was the one to tell her about her social medias. She needed a clean break."
Adrien ran a hand through his hair, swiping at his eyes and looking Chloe in the eyes but found he couldn't say anything. Chloe wasn't wrong, in fact she was painfully right. Instead, Adrien just turned and walked away with Chloe watching him go knowing he needed time to process. Glancing at her phone, she saw Marinette had texted her back. There was a six hour difference between New York and Paris, with Paris being ahead.
Later tonight when you're first day is over
Chloe sent the text message and carried on her day, ignoring any of the stares that bore into her very being in defense of Lila. The day as a whole went by pretty fast, and tonight she wasn't going on patrol due to the fast that Chat Noir was still salty about the news Honey Bee delivered about Ladybug going to Tibet to train as a Guardian and would use the miraculous to open a portal back in case of an akuma attack. He didn't like he was out of the loop, and she understood that but she only said as Marinette told her too and offered nothing more.
Soon enough in was three in the morning when Marinette's picture popped up on her phone asking to facetime. Chloe let out a yawn as she swiped to accept the call, half glaring at the girl on the screen.
"Couldn't call earlier, Dupain-Cheng?" Chloe muttered out, rubbing her makeup less face.
Marinette gave a sheepish smile, "Sorry Chloe, it was just so busy today and I lost track time at the office."
"Look at you talking all professionally." Chloe says, sitting up in her bed gripping her phone. "How did your first day go?"
Marinette let out a little excited squeal, "Oh my gosh Chloe! It went so good! I'm shadowing different designers, but your mom is talking about letting me be her assistant and working right along side her."
"You must have really impressed my mother then." Chloe hummed in approval, nodding to herself. "I expected nothing less of you. You've always been talented."
"I can't express how thankful I am too you Chloe." Marinette says, her bluebell eyes showing the sparkle that had been lost in Paris. "Everything here is so fresh, so real. I can be me and I can be mad at the world and so thankful at the same time to everyone I have left."
Chloe gave a gentle smile, "You needed an out, and I'm glad you're feeling better. I owed you this much from all those years ago when we were younger."
"That's the past." Marinette says, shaking her head. "We won't speak of it now, because we are friends. We only have the future to work towards."
Chloe liked the sound of that, having a friend she could count on as well. Sabrina had proven to be as mindless as the rest of the class. "What is it that you needed to talk about?"
And just like that, Marinette's whole mood changed as she was reminded of the main reason she was calling Chloe. She hoped that Chloe would handle this well, because this was a big speculation. Deciding to ease into the topic, Marinette figured she should do an overall check in.
"How are patrols going over there?" Marinette asks, watching as Chloe sighed.
"You're supposed to be relaxing and not worried about anything over here." Chloe reminded.
Marinette gave her a look, "I'm not only Ladybug, but also the next Guardian. I will never get a day off from that, so how are the patrols?"
Chloe scratched her ear, "Well Chat Noir is upset that Ladybug left to Tibet without a word to him. I think he's feeling left out of the loop, with me also reappearing."
"I wish I could tell him everything." Marinette admitted softly, "I can't though, not yet. The timing isn't right and as silly as it sounds.. I don't trust anyone the same way anymore."
"And that is perfectly fine." Chloe reminded her. "You are in your own rights to feel how you feel, and you take your own time. You just aren't alone anymore, and never truly was."
Marinette nodded, silent for a second before deciding to rip off the bandaid. "I wanted to talk to you about something else, for a while now."
There was something about Marinette's tone that Chloe caught, the caution in it, "If you think you're going to offend me, you won't. I promise."
"What has your dad told you about the tourist rates dropping in Paris?" Marinette asks, crossing her legs where she sat.
"That taxes went up, along with traveling fees. Less people want to come due to how expensive it is to come to Paris." Chloe says, frowning hearing herself say it. "Why ask that?"
Marinette frowned as well, "Didn't you ever wonder why no one spoke about Hawkmoth or Ladybug or Chat Noir on the internet? Why the Avengers never stepped in? For years, no one asked that because no one had reason too. I'm sure no one knows that in order to even enter Paris a NDA has to be signed. I even had to sign one leaving Paris about not mentioning it."
"Those NDA's have to be one hell of a thing to keep people quiet this long." Chloe muttered, not seeing how this could be a lie. Marinette made valid points. Why hadn't Paris caught anyone's attention media wise?
"I did some digging a few weeks before I left and found that a third party has been putting a significant amount of money into your father's bank accounts. No news outlet within Paris leaves the city, nor does any website. The city is being jammed and isolated." Marinette says, her tone softer.
It all made sense to Chloe though, as if it clicked into place. She always wondered how her father made so much money being the Mayor. How he was able to stay in office for so long, and it was because someone was funding him. Keeping her father quiet and paid off, and it made her absolutely seethe. It was not right, anything but fair. How many times had her father put the city at risk? Himself? Her?
It explained why people would be nervous when she used to used her father as a means to get what she wanted from people- they knew he was in touch with higher ups. No wonder why her mother probably left most of the time.
"Chloe-"
"I'm fine." Chloe cut her off, taking a deep breath. "I'll go through my dad's things when he's out next and see if I can find anything on my father, the bank account and who is the one putting money in there. I can only think of one villain that would want to keep Paris hush hush. Selfish bastard with the miraculous."
Marinette let out a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding, "Be safe, Queenie."
Chloe paused as Marinette froze at the nickname that slipped out, and then she smiled at the half asian girl, "I will Spots, goodnight."
Marinette could help but laugh at the nick name that sounded like a dog name, smiling at Chloe despite the heavy load she laid on the girl moments before. The blonde had took it better than Marinette thought she would, but she probably still needed time to process it all.
"Goodnight."
In New York city, Marinette Dupain-Cheng had ended her face time call with a tired yawn. The day had been a long eventful one, but a good one nothing less. Probably one of the bests she had in a solid two years.
Glancing at the counter, Marinette picked up the envelope that was left on her door mat. She turned it over in her fingers, opening it carefully and pulled out the single paper. It enlisted a single address and a name she had been waiting on,
177A Bleecker Street
- Stephen Strange
Sorry for delay in an update! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for the support!
