Rain pattered down on the small window of the apartment leaving streaks down the glass until looking through it gave the outside world a blurry hint. Beyond that window sat a twenty two year old Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Her hair held up loosely in a bun with stray hair popping out in every which direction. Between her white teeth she gently gripped on the pink eraser head that topped her pencil chewing down on it gently as she sat offer an array of cloth patterns, designs and sketches. Marinette scrunched her eyes shut tightly before leaning against her chair and letting her neck stretch backward with an outward sigh.
She'd been working on these designs for months now not for anything too important, but she was attempting to fill her portfolio. After graduating from the first four years of university she decided that she'd spend her first months out of school coming up with new ideas and designs but- there was something else clouding her mind at this time. Something that she tried not to let bother her. She buried it down so far that she'd forget about it but there was always something to remind her. Something that always seemed to block out her thoughts, five years later and she would have thought that at least by then the thought of him would have escaped her.
Marinette twirled her pencil between her fingers before dropping it on her desk, rolling backwards on her chair. Her head draped backwards over the back rest, peering over at her small bay windows lined with some pillows and a pink floral blanket her parents had given her as a house-warming gift after moving into her new apartment.
Tapping her bare feet against her hard wood floors she turned the desk chair to face her window quickly getting up out of it and resuming her sitting position in the bay of the window holding one of her small pillows close to her chest letting her leg dangle down.
She sat there and watched the endlessly empty street slowly begin to fill with flooding rain topping off every divot, crack and bump in the old cobble stone streets. Paris, being the tourist city that it was, never saw too many people in the heavy fall showers something Marinette never seemed to mind. There were always times in high school where her parents would catch her spending time on the balcony in the pouring rain. They always warned her that she'd catch a cold or get sick but it never seemed to phase her- and she really did never get sick. She pressed the tips of her fingers against the cold glass watching the area around them fog ever so slightly. She began tracing in the fog of the window small paw prints met with the occasional winking cat face.
A familiar figure made their way down her street as the blue haired girl watched the bobbing green umbrella quickly rushing down the sidewalk. Marinette let a smile grow across her lips and she cupped her hand letting her knuckles give a few gentle taps on the windowpane. Her knocks went un-noticed. Not surprising considering the sounds were drowned out by the rain. She watched the brown skinned boy reveal himself taking shelter under the small awning that protruded from the doorway of Master Fu's massage parlor and began to shake the water that he could off of his umbrella before entering.
Marinette leaned her head against the wall letting out a sigh. It'd been about a month since Nino began to assist Master Fu around his parlor and as well as his living space. After months of Marinette and Alya pestering him to leave his terrible waiting job they finally got him to agree and he seemed much better off. Master Fu being the person that he was never worked Nino too hard- just some assistance here and there but for the most part it always seemed like it was a pretty simple job. Nino had mentioned that he learned more from Fu than actually worked.
Marinette took a glance down at the watch resting on her wrist reading 11:13. The girl sprung up from her seat, her hair still tangled in a mess of a bun as she looked herself over in her mirror. She wore a oversized black sweater that was tucked loosely into her light blue jeans met at the end when awkwardly un-matching bright pink socks- her regular rainy-day wear. Despite her attire she rushed off in a huff no time and no use in changing she was already going to be late.
She leapt onto her bed, reaching over the shelf acting as a headboard and to the small doll sized bed resting on it with a rather large lump hiding under the covers.
"Tikki…" She murmured gently poking at the oversized lump. She began her gently prodding once more, "Tikki… Get up, you can sleep in my bag I just need to get to the bakery my parents are waiting…"
During these last five years with Chat Noir being missing Marinette found that her small kwami companion was beginning to grow tired losing much of her energy. The only thing that really seemed to keep her going was Trixx but she could only do so much. Even Master Fu had mentioned that each halves of the Ying and Yang could only go so long without being together.
Marinette scooped Tikki up in her small blankets tucking her away in her small pink handbag before slinging it over her shoulders crossing her chest. She slipped on a pair of her black boots and rushed out the door.
The blue haired girl draped her jacket over her head in attempts to keep dry while running to the end of the block to her parent's bakery. Her rushed steps across the cobblestone sidewalks that were beginning to fill with puddles that she sunk her feet into. Soon the water from the puddles began splashing up her light blue pant legs turning them into a navy. Marinette looked up, her bangs just barley blocking her vision as she made eye contact with her parent's storefront. She didn't have to be inside to know that it wasn't busy in the slightest. Day's like these the bakery didn't see many customers- not even the regulars came around too often. On unfortunate days like these most of the bakeries business was that of poor interns mainly from Agreste fashion when their superiors were feeling so cruel as to send them out in the hellish weather.
Marinette grabbed onto the soaking handle and tugged it open before rushing in and letting out a heaving sigh. Almost immediately her mother carrying a rather large mug of hot coffee freshly brewed greeted her.
"Oh honey- come in, come in" she placed her palm on her daughters back nudging her behind the counter.
As well lit as the bakery was the dreary outdoors made it seem as if the lights were just barley on.
"Sorry I'm so late, I just lost track of time…" Marinette mumbled wrapping her hands around the warm red mug.
Her father soon towered over her placing a kiss in the top of her head, "Don't sweat it, sweetheart, our train doesn't leave for little while." Tom and Sabine ducked behind the counter pulling out a couple of duffel bags- Tom slinging both of them over his shoulder.
"You two should get to the station before it starts raining any harder," Marinette smiled while tying her black apron around her waste, "And say hi to Grandma for me- I wish I could come with you." She pouted pushing out her lip trying to hide a smile.
"We know but we're happy to have you here watching over the bakery for the next couple days while we're away." Sabine assured giving her daughter one last hug, "Now don't burn this place to the ground while we're gone and if the rain doesn't let up tonight I don't want you walking home in the storm."
Marinette nodded with a small smile assuming her position behind the counter, "You two head out! Call me when you get there!" She said waving her parents off as they rushed out the door with bags in hand to the train station near by. Almost immediately after their departure Marinette's perfect posture collapsed resting her elbows against the glass casing of the pastries gripping onto her coffee mug and taking sips feeling the warm liquid disperse down her throat.
She then reached into her pocket to pull out her phone and leaned over the counter swiping through her apps. She was bored. No- bored wasn't the word to describe it in fact, she couldn't even think of a word to explain how she was feeling. For the next six hours Marinette was going to be stuck in the bakery and most likely spending the night in her old childhood home all by herself. Something she hasn't done since the summer of the year she graduated. She had always either been with her parents or with Alya. It wasn't that she didn't mind time alone, it was something that she really did treasure but being alone really did make her feel so, well, alone.
Scrolling through her apps she paused at one of them with the thumbnail of something in the shape of Ladybug's yo-yo. Her thumb hovered over it for a couple moments before clicking on the app letting the dashboard of the blog open. She opened the menu and again her fingers hovered over the search bar as it usually did before she slowly started typing.
"#WhereIsChatNoir"
A tag that was updated fairly often even considering his last sighting was 5 years ago. Her thumbs scrolled down the screen rolling past dozens of comments and she began to feel her throat go dry
"He probably left because he realized that he was to good for Ladybug."
"It's her fault Chat's gone- super hero partners are supposed to protect each other"
"Yeah! She's a failure!"
"She hasn't even been present at akuma attacks anymore she leaves all the dirty work for Rosso Volpe"
"YEAH! WHAT KIND OF HERO DOES THAT KIND OF SHIT?"
"A fuckin' terrible one I'll tell you that!"
She just couldn't find it in her to stop scrolling. So many negative comments in the tag about it being all her fault. At this point she was starting to believe it. No matter how many times Alya removed the negative comments speaking hate about Ladybug there wasn't any winning. The comments would just come back more negative and full of hate. But through all that hate she was able to find some shred of light as her scrolling came to a stop.
"All of you guys need to remember that none of you would even be here if it wasn't for Ladybug and Chat Noir! You've all gone fucking out of your minds if you believe that Chat would just up and abandon his partner. Ladybug is one of Paris's greatest heroes you all just need to get it through your thick skulls. Through all of the difficult things that I have put ladybug from time and time again she has come through and saved me each and every time and I think now is the time for the people of Paris to start repaying the favor."
She clicked on the comment revealing the poster's profile. The username read "MajorBugFan1" A username that she had recognized since Alya had created the Ladyblog. The picture was a side profile shot of a young blond model. Her hair tied back tightly into a ponytail. Her makeup done to perfection as it usually had been and the sides of her bright red lips drawn up to a small smirk. A face that she would always recognize. Ever since Adrien had gone off to school in Italy Chloe has taken over his position as Agreste fashion's lead model. Even though Chloe had never done anything nice for Marinette herself she did find that in the trying times of Chat's disappearance Chloe was always the first one to defend the hero and fight off all the hate by her side. She clicked back looking at the comment a little dazed all the comments around it seemed to have blurred out.
Should she say something? Should she message Chloe under Ladybug's account and thank her? Or should she just stay quiet... Her thoughts were soon interrupted by a tanned hand waving between her phone screen and her face.
"Hey Nette? You alright- you're zoning out on me," The deep voice said.
Marinette's gaze with her phone broke and she looked up into the smiling face of one of her best friends.
"Oh! Nino! Sorry- I was just a little distracted.." she mumbled flipping her phone over screen down.
"Don't sweat it Lil'Nette just here to pick up the unusual for the big boss man." He chuckled leaning on the glass casing; "He's always insisting that I don't go anywhere else but here for his Green Tea and those bean paste buns. Sabine's the only one that does it right." He laughed.
Marinette already knowing the regular drill had already packed away two buns in a small white paper bag and began brewing, "Big boss got you doing some heavy lifting?" Marinette chuckled leaning back over the counter and resting her chin in her palm.
Nino plopped down at a table and leant back in his chair, "For a guy that runs a barley operational massage parlor he sure does have a lot of shit goin on." He said shaking his head. His browned hands reached up and removed the old red cap from his head whilst using the other to gently comb his fingers through his hair, "Got me doin a lot of house work for him- don't get me wrong it's a hell of a lot better than that bar I used to work at. The guy gave me a place to live if he'd come to me just a week later I would have been able to claim squatter's rights on your apartment."
"Nino.." She scoffed, "You know that Alya and I were more than happy to have you staying with us-"
"Bullshit!" Nino screamed in laughter, "Alya was the one that asked me to leave! She likes her 'girl-time' with you." Nino leaned forward resting his elbow on his legs, "Not that I mind living in an apartment with two girls wasn't my original plan.." he sighed.
Marinette reached back to the teapot and began pouring the brew into a large coffee cup, "You think you've got any luck making that original plan happen?" She asked placing a head protector around the base of the mug and plugging the hole in the cap to keep in the heat.
Nino waved his hand through the air, "I haven't spoken to Blondie in years. He left and I tried getting in contact with him for a year but I dunno, man…" He mumbled standing up, "I had to stop trying at some point- just felt a little let down…"
The baker slid the white paper bag and cup full of tea across the counter, "I think we all did…" She muttered. Even though her and Alya did suffer from having their friend seemingly want no contact with them Nino was impacted the most.
Having grown up without parents- without a family even. In elementary school he always had Marinette's family, he'd come over after school for dinners but he'd never stay longer. Adrien was probably the first person he met that treated him, well, like a brother.
"Well anyway Nette- I'll see you soon," Nino said. He still managed to smile despite how hurt he seemed.
"I might be spending the night over here so…" She paused and rolled her eyes, "You and Alya can have the apartment to yourselves…" she grumbled.
Nino smirked and reached over the counter rustling up Marinette's hair, "Thanks Mininette," He grabbed the pastries and tea and propped open the bakery door with his foot, "We'll be sure to keep the place clean for ya!" He laughed.
Marinette yelled out in disgust trying not to crack a smile, "Get out!"
Nino flipped up the hood of his green sweatshirt as he walked in a fast pace back to the massage parlor keeping the tea close to him to try to keep warm. The green hooded boy pressed his back against the door of the parlor pushing it open. Nino reached up pastry bag in hand while he pushed down the hood of his sweatshirt.
"Hey ! Where you at?" He called out upon entering. Nino kicked the door closed and made his way into the opposite room where he found Fu sitting cross-legged at his table.
"Ah- Nino, back already." The small man gently spoke gesturing him to the spot across the table from him.
Nino took a seat and reached out his hand petting the turtle that Mr. Fu had always kept by his side. At first the boy thought it was slightly strange, not only the appearance of the animal was strange. After a while he assumed that the turtle was probably a symbol of wisdom or something after getting to know what Mr. Fu was like, "Hey Wayzz- what's up little man." He smiled placing the pastry bag on the table.
"The storm is a heavy one today." Fu said keeping his arms crossed in his lap his turtle remaining motionless- it almost made Nino question wither the animal was alive or not.
The brown haired boy reached around and grabbed a small bowl and cup for Fu and his pet and began to pour each their tea, "Yeah- it's getting pretty rough. Do you need me to up the heat in here? Not to cold are ya?" He asked.
Nino had only worked for the man a short time but he was very catering. As much as Fu hated to admit it his body was getting older and with that getting weaker by the moment. He admitted that he was thankful that Marinette and Alya had introduced him to Nino- without him there would have been a lot that Fu couldn't have done on his own.
"No, no, son, everything is just fine." Fu said gesturing him to the extra bean pastry that had been bought, "Eat up, please, you've done more than enough for me and Wayzz today and we're grateful." Fu smiled, "Eat up and head over to Alya's- I know she's waiting for you."
A tinge of red grew across the boy's cheeks, "Woah M-Mr. Fu it's not like-"
"I may be old but I am not old fool." He interrupted with a grin sipping on his tea with both hands on his cup.
Nino hushed unsure of what to say next slightly embarrassed by Fu's bluntness, "I'll head out when I help you upstairs. I'm in no rush."
Fu smiled and placed his cup down on the table, "I beg of you Nino, head out, the storm will only get worse. I don't need anymore help for the day."
Nino smiled wrapping up his bean pastry and stood, "Thanks boss, I'll be back in the morning to help you open up shop." He said tossing the green hood of his sweatshirt up over his head and stuffed his pastry into his pocket cracking open the front door, "I'll see you tomorrow Mr. Fu!"
The old man raised his hand in a wave, "Until then." He called back watching the door close behind him.
Nino rushed his way down the street his hood covering almost covering his eyes. He was thankful that the apartment wasn't too far away, especially if he was running. Just like Fu had said the rain only got harder. Thunder started rolling in and lighting began to illuminate the sky, it really was only a matter of time before the storm really took hold.
He finally reached the apartment and searched his pockets for the spare key the two girls had given him and quickly unlocked the door letting himself in with a huff to be greeted by the ombre-haired girl.
Marinette's phone buzzed as she cleaned off the counter tops of the bakery. Messages of flash flooding appeared frantically. She decided that it was time to close up shop all that was left to do was lock the front door and she did that as swiftly as possible before rushing into that back of the bakery through the door of her parent's home.
She found her way to the lights and switched them on to find no other than her Kwami sitting on the counter munching away on some of her mother's extra cookies that she had left for her.
Tikki stared at the girl, mouth full, and gulped, "Were… You gonna eat these…?" Tikki let out timidly as she held out the last cooking out of what was probably a bakers dozen.
Marinette's shoulders fell into a relaxed smile and shook her head, "You treat yourself, Tikki, I know how you get in the rain you need the energy more than I do."
Marinette untied the apron from around her waist and tossed it onto the kitchen counter before fluttering down on the couch and flicking through the TV channels. It wasn't soon before she came across a classic from her childhood. She remembered on days like these she'd sit with her father on the couch with a rather over-sized bowl of popcorn, her mother would join in soon with hot chocolate and there they would watch The Princess Bride. At this point in her life she had the movie practically memorized. The blue haired girl tossed the remote onto the other end of the couch and tipped her self over onto her side nestling her hands under her head.
It wasn't long before Tikki came over and Nestled herself against Marinette's chest with a yawn. The un-masked hero reached on hand out from under the her head and began to gently stroke the top of her head sending her soundly off to sleep. It wasn't too long before Marinette herself began to fall tired.
It also wasn't too long before the thunder and lightning really started to set in.
The blue haired girl's eyes began to fall shut losing consciousness to her sleep for just a few moments before being jolted awake by a large crack of thunder. Marinette shot up from her position and held Tikki close to her. The lights above her began to flicker before another crash of thunder followed by a room illuminating bolt of lighting and finally the power throughout the apartment had diminished leaving Marinette and an un-phased Tikki alone in the pitch black darkness.
The girl sat motionless for a moment before sucking down a large breath trying to calm her heart rate. She opened them in attempt to adjust her eyes to the darkness. She began shaking her hand slightly.
"Tikki… Tikki wake up…" But there was no response the kwami was set in to a deep sleep and there was seemingly no waking her up from it anytime soon.
There was something strange the feeling sank like a rock in the pit of her stomach.
The feeling that she wasn't alone.
Her lips fell apart and she let out what felt like the heaviest breath. She watched in front of her as the condensation from her mouth appeared.
Her breath.
It showed with every exhale.
Goosebumps rose up against her skin and at the worst possible timing she heard a clatter in her old bedroom.
Marinette clamped her eyes shut and clenched her fists in her lap, "Relax Marinette… It's all in your head. You're just tired. Everything is fi-"
"Mar…tte.."
She stopped holding her breath inside of her, scared that it would be her last. She looked over one more time. Tikki was still out cold with no signs of waking up.
Marinette sucked in her fear and stood shakily from the couch making her way to the steep stairway that led into her room. She could just barley see the trap door that led into her room but she found her self frozen at the foot of the steps waiting another sound but none came.
She took slow shaking steps her eyes clamped shut the closer that she got. Soon she pressed her hand against the bottom of the trap door and began to push up revealing her darkened room. The only light coming in was through her balcony doors and the windows dispersed throughout her room.
She tried the lamp on the desk but there was no luck- the power was still obviously out but she thought with some shred of hope that maybe one light would work.
A flash of lightning fled through her balcony doors but something was strange about the light pattern that it left on her hard wood floors. But it wasn't the light- In fact it seemed opposite of the light.
A shadow.
Her eyes jolted up towards the doors that were seemingly crowded by a dark shadow. Her soft blue eyes met the distraught glowing green. She could see his pupils dilate across the green and his fists raised against the door dripping with rain.
"M-… Marinette! Marinette please! Please let me in!" He yelled out pounding against the door frantically. With every call for help the shadowed figure peered over their shoulder, "Marinette please!" the deep voice shook scarily.
Marinette with slight hesitation opened the balcony doors letting the figure fall forward. Her eyes widened and her mouth still open wide as she fell to her knees. Her timid pale hand reaching out to the soaked leather clad outfit. His soaking blond hair falling to cover his face as it dripped onto her floor. Her hand reached around the front of his face to rest on his cheek gently pulling his face towards her. She looked petrified as she saw his mask torn, lips bleeding, cheek and forehead cut, his face covered with a mixture of blood and dirt.
"C-…Chat…" she muttered out.
The weakened hero reached up and rested his hand against hers, "Marinette… It's me…"
Frozen for a split moment in time she couldn't believe what was happening. After five years her partner returned to her, mangled sure, but he was back. Her arms wrapped tightly around him. She had a feeling of never wanting to let him go. His entire costume was torn, in spots where his skin was supposed to have been shown the pale complexion was covered in blood.
She'd never seen him so a wreck, so hurt, so… scared.
"Chat where have you been.. People have been worried sick looking for you!" She said her eyes growing misty as she embraced the cat themed hero.
"I know… but I'm back now, at least, for now…" he murmured placing his hands on the girl's shoulders, "Marinette I need your help…"
The girl's eyebrow's furrowed, "Chat… What are you talking about… what's going on?"
"I don't know how long he's going to let me stay here…" Chat quickly looked over his shoulder and back at the girl putting his hands on her cheeks, "Marinette I need you to find Ladybug or Master Fu someone I need you to tell them where I am.. I don't know how much longer I have… My Kwami is dying, please I need your help I don't know who else to go to.. please…"
"I don't understand, Chat, your Kwami is dying?" Marinette's face froze in terror, what did that mean about Tikki? Is that why she couldn't wake her up? Was Tikki dying? "Chat where do I tell them to find you?" she panicked holding onto his arms tightly.
"Marinette I'm here in-"
It wasn't son before a dark smoky shadow wrapped around the hero's neck choking back his words for him before he slowly began to fade.
"Mar..Nette… hel…p….me.." he choked out before completely fading
"Chat…?" The room grew silent soon only the echoes of the rain pattering on the windows, "Chat!" She screeched reaching out around the darkness to find him.
She stopped in her tracks feeling a cold chill rush over her back making her hair stand on end.
"Thank you for watching over my stray it seemed that I let him get away from me for a few seconds."
Marinette stood tall against the darkness refusing to turn around and face the figure the voice came from.
"This may just be a dream.." the voice whispered in her ear, "but I promise you…"
The cold sensation flooded her body it felt as if every bone in her body had frozen in time.
"I'm coming for you… Ladybug."
