It was pouring. That heavy, all in compassing kind of rain that seemed to sink into every crevice, chilling all the way to the bone. All other sound was dimmed by the torrential downfall, the loud splatter of water falling from rooftops near deafening. Marinette could hardly breathe through it all, unable to figure out if this was Silent Night's doing, or if it was Paris, mourning the events taking place.
As time passed, it seemed like the later was more likely.
Water spilled down Marinette's face and she tried to force herself to blink it away, but it was difficult when another person was in control of most of her body. Silent Night didn't seem to care that rainwater was quite literally streaming straight into her eyes, too focused on Chat to do much of anything.
And Chat was too focused on whatever Silent Night had done to him to fight back. Or to do much other than stand there, looking small and lost, his green eyes unfocused on what was before him.
Chloe was cowering behind him, Marinette noticed at the same time as Silent Night, also looking pretty lost.
Hiding behind someone? Silent Night's voice reverberated through the air, the buildings, and Chloe trembled with the force of it. How typical.
Chloe sniffled, wiping her nose on her jacket. The motion didn't go unnoticed by Marinette, who had originally mistaken the wetness of the blonde's face for rain but realized in an instant that it was tears instead. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying, something that shocked Marinette to her core, but Silent Night felt no pity as she stalked forwards, towards the pair.
Are you going to come willingly, or will I have to take out your little pet? Her voice (Silent Night's voice) was taunting and coiling. Though, he was my pet first.
Marinette could feel Papillon's confusion through their weak connection, see it written across Chloe's face. Subtle, they'll never find out now.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Chloe demanded, arms wrapped tight around her stomach. "Don't tell me that you have him too-"
Quiet. Silent Night was in front of Chloe in an instant, finger held to the other girl's mouth. It was perfectly still despite her full body flinch. That's for me to know and you to never find out.
Shuddering, Chloe tried to back away but she was already backed into a corner. Her eyes went wide when her shoulders hit the brick of the little awning and she stared across at Silent Night with terror. Silent Night just kept stalking nearer, and as much as she dug her metaphorical heels in, Marinette couldn't stop her. Her control had been weakening all this time and it seemed like she finally had lost it. She was just a bystander now, stuck in a body that no longer felt like her own.
Now tell me, Chloe Bourgeois, what are you most afraid of?
Marinette watched as Chloe's eyes flickered to the side, Silent Night tracking the movement easily. She followed Chloe's gaze, back to towards the school and a little further, until she saw what chloe had looked to. A cruel smile formed on her face without Marinette's consent.
Got it.
Adrien (or was it Chat? things were getting all muddled in his head) knew that what he was seeing was impossible. It was less to do with the fact that his mother was there, bathed in sunlight and beaming at him, than the fact that his father was at their side and smiling.
Smiling.
Another dead giveaway is that fact that he's almost certain this is a memory, something from before his mother disappeared and Gabriel transformed from a loving, if not somewhat preoccupied, caregiver to a ghost of a man and an overbearing father.
His mother was running her fingers through his hair, humming under her breath. Adrien remembered the day now that he sat in it, they'd all packed up and gone down to a nearby park, his mother planned the trip and convinced Gabriel to join them. Back then, he wasn't as glued to his work, and could spare a few hours to spend time with his family. It was about a year before she disappeared, back when things were still happy.
Back when Adrien was still happy.
Adrien munched on some grapes, following the unspoken script and going along with the day as it had been before. He didn't quite know how he ended up here, but all the mattered was that his mother was there and his father was smiling.
As happy as he was, sitting with his family, Adrien couldn't shake the feeling that something was inexplicably wrong. Not only was he reliving a day that had long passed, but he knew there was something missing. Some presence in his life that didn't exist at this time, some person who wasn't yet there that he missed deeply. Adrien didn't know how he could miss someone he couldn't even remember (or was it hadn't yet met?) but he managed. They must have been very important to make even one of his happiest days seem grey.
"What is it, mon lapin?" His mother questioned, fingers tracing a little scar on his forehead from when he'd fallen out of a tree as a child. Gabriel had raged at the time, yelling things about appearances and responsibility, but later his mother had just told him that his father was scared and worried.
This wasn't to script, and the wrongness of the moment grew stronger.
"Someone's missing." Adrien responded easily, as though it wasn't throwing him off balance. "Someone I haven't even met. "
"They must be very important if you're them missing before you've even met." A familiar smile quirked on his mother's face, one he'd seen somewhere else too.
"I thought the same thing."
"Well," His father spoke suddenly, "what good will it do it you don't try to find them? I thought I raised you to go after what you want."
Even in my dreams, he isn't satisfied. Adrien mused, his head lolling on his mother's knee to look at Gabriel.
For some reason, he was bathed in purple, little white butterflies flitting around his head. They turned black when they touched him and flew off into the sky. Something Adrien had wondered, had suspected, began to surface before the cooling water of his mother's voice washed it away.
"There's no need for that, Gabe." She scolded, shaking her head at her husband who in turn dipped his. The only one to ever humble that man, and she was lost forever.
"I just think he ought to make an effort to find whoever it is." Ever stubborn, Gabriel's pale eyes focused on Adrien.
That was another hint. Gabriel's eyes had never looked so cold when Adrien's mother was still there.
While he thought, Adrien gazed around the park. There was no one else there, which made sense cause they'd gone in the middle of a work day, but there was something else strange about it. All of the edges of things seemed fuz, except for his parents and the tree they were under. Adrien narrowed his eyes, whipping at them a bit, trying to decide if the haziness was real or imagined.
When the whole world swayed and seemed to blink in and out of focus, he knew it was.
Adrien sat up abruptly, startling both his parents. They stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak. They had always been so patient with him, letting him find the words in his own time, and taking in his thoughts like they were something important, something to be treasured.
Seeing them like this made Adrien realize how much he truly missed them.
"I...I have to go."
"If that's your choice." Adrien's mother nodded, reaching out a hand to brush the bangs from his eyes. "We'll wait for you here."
Adrien looked between them, his father giving a stern nod that was at odds with the small smile on his face. "Okay."
Adrien pushed up off the ground and frowned, staring off into the distance. It seemed like heading deeper into the park, where things were the most fuzzy, would be his best bet. He took off with long strides, walking straight for the fog.
Before he reached it,he spared a glance back at his parents. Gabriel was leaned over, whispering something to Adrien's mother that made her throw her head back and laugh. Something clenched in adrien's chest, and he tried to burn the picture into his mind before turning away and marching on.
When he reach the haze, the world dropped out from under his feet.
And he fell.
Marinette knew where they were going the moment Silent Night had swept Chloe up. She remembered her first few days as Ladybug well, the confusion of meeting Tikki, the hope in finding a friend in her partner. The rush she felt as she made her claim on her city, promised them that she would protect them and save them from Papillion. It was all as clear as day in her mind, every second of it embedded in her very soul.
Which is why when they started for the Eiffel Tower, Marinette knew exactly what was going to happen.
Chloe had never mentioned it to her, as Marinette or Ladybug, but that day when she was thrown from the Tower must have stuck with the girl as well. With her heightened senses, Ladybug had been able to see the fear in Chloe's eyes after catching her, despite her attempts to shake it off. Something like that stayed with you forever, and Marinette would know.
The girl in question had been surprisingly quiet the whole way, except for the occasional whimper.
Guess she knows where we're going too.
It didn't take long for them to make it back to the school. The students were already long gone, having been sent home after the attack. If Marinette knew Alya (which she did) she'd be right on their tail, following the whole way. Marinette wondered when Alya would start to get suspicious about Ladybug not showing up. She wondered the same thing about Papillion.
At the Tower, Silent Night paused, taking in the empty area.
That won't do at all. We need an audience.
Marinette probably shouldn't have been surprised that, in the absence of Chat, one of them had to have a flair for dramatics.
She wasn't sure how Silent Night was going to gather her audience until she hopped up on one of the bars, Chloe still wrapped in her arms, and began to hum. The sound was faint, but like Silent Night's voice, seemed to reverberate through the Eiffel Tower, making it all buzz and shake. The tune was familiar, but Marinette couldn't place.
Of course, she basically has a giant antenna.
In the wake of her humming came the dozens, hundreds of people. Anyone who was nearby must have been drawn in by Silent Night's magic, because they were all gathering together near the bottom of the tower. Their faces were dull and blank, staring up emptily at Silent Night. Marinette could feel Chloe shuddering. She thought that if she was in control of her body, she'd be doing the same.
Sleep in heavenly peace...sleep in heavenly peace.
Realization hit Marinette as everyone in the square sat as one, still staring up at Silent Night, waiting for her instructions.
Hmm, mon petit chaton isn't here yet. We'll have to wait. Silent Night strung her yo-yo around Chloe, keeping her arms wrapped to her sides. Though it wasn't like she was going anywhere anytime soon.
"But I thought...you did something to him, right?" Chloe's voice was faint.
Yes, but he'll break out of it soon. My kitty is much stronger than people give him credit for. It was still strange for Marinette, after all that had happened that day, to hear her voice being used by someone else.
It was also strange that Marinette found herself agreeing.
When he gets here, then we'll begin.
Chloe frowned, her arms twitching at her sides. "Begin what?"
A low buzz shook through the tower, and it took Marinette a moment to realize it was her, she was laughing.
You'll just have to wait and see.
Chloe gave a little whimper and Marinete found that, for the first time in her life, she felt bad for her. Silent Night merely smirked then twisted her head. Marinette followed her gaze to see a speck of black in the distance, making it's way over the rooftops and towards them.
Seems like we've traded places now, haven't we Chaton? Silent Night called, and released Chloe from the yo-yo, only to sling it towards the top of the Tower.
They began to scale the beams, gaining speed before they reached the very top. Marinette could feel Chloe trembling in her arms, and wished she could comfort her to some extent. For all she did, no one deserved this.
Chloe let out a yelp as she was once again wrapped up, this time silent night hooking the string over a pole and letting her dangle. She swung back and forth lightly, her face deathly pale as she stared at the ground, hundreds of feets below.
Silent Night leaned forward, glancing down to see Chat picking his way through the mobs of people.
Alright everyone, time to get up. Her voice rang down through the tower.
The people in the square all stood together, and immediately jumped on Chat. Marinette would have gasped if she could, watching Chat try to fight them off without hurting anyone. He managed to get through a few at a time, launching himself over their heads with his baton only to get pulled down and have to repeat the process.
He was still a ways out when Silent Night grinned across at Chloe before she tightened her grip on the yo yo's string and-
Let the show begin.
-let go.
AN: Uh. SO. It's been a while.
I don't have a good excuse other than mental health issues and no inspiration to write. I can't promise that the next chapter will be done soon. I'm sorry if this chapter is disappointing after so long a wait.
I think I know how this all is going to end now? It's probably only gonna be two or three more chapters and then it'll be done. In the meantime, I also write fluffy oneshots about Adrien getting hugs that you can read between angsty all is calm updates.
Thank you for all the encouragement while I was away. Reading your comments helped me so much through a difficult time.
