Y'all I'm nervous. I am but I'm not. This chapter was the result of me drinking wayyyy too much coffee and writing for five days straight.
Thank you so much for the reviews!
Enjoy ;)
Sabine stood behind the counter of the bakery, and the pleasantries left her mouth thoughtlessly as yet another customer left with a handful of pastries. The morning rush had been overwhelmingly busy, but Sabine liked it that way. It kept her mind off of the countless other aspects of her life, but now that she was left staring at the empty room before her, she couldn't distract herself from the dull ache in her heart.
She let out a soft sigh as she reached underneath the counter, pulling out two neatly folded pieces of paper. She flattened them out and let her fingertips graze over the loopy handwriting, soaking in each and every word.
It had been a week since Tom and Sabine received Marinette's letter, and the joy and fear they felt as they quickly tore open the envelope was all-consuming. They felt their daughter's absence deeply, and when she stopped communication altogether, they were overcome with worries about her whereabouts. Her most recent letter was the first in months, and it was a relief to learn that she had found herself a town to live in and people she could call friends.
Sabine stared down at the letter with glassy eyes. Even though Marinette seemed to be doing well, she missed her daughter dearly. She wished she could see her again, but there was no way to know where to find her.
This was what troubled Sabine the most. If Marinette had settled down somewhere, then why was there no return address on her letter? Why was there a heavy weight in Sabine's chest as she braced herself for another months-long silence? Why must there be a silence?
It didn't feel right. Her motherly instincts were sounding the alarm, telling her that something was wrong. This was unlike Marinette, the sweet girl who clung to them like a lifeline in the years following the tragedy that struck right outside their home.
Sabine looked up towards the front windows of the bakery, sadness leaking into her gaze as she recalled that day. Absent-mindedly, she walked closer to the windows, letting her eyes peer out at the street before dropping to the small step at the foot of the door.
As a small child, Marinette used to sit there, staring down the street in the direction of the castle as she waited for a sign of the small boy with the large sunhat. Adrien would always come around the same time of day, and like clockwork, Marinette perched herself on the front steps, eyeing the street in hopes that today was the day her friend returned for another visit.
After the devastating loss of Emilie, Adrien's presence in their lives ceased completely, and it broke Sabine's heart every time she found Marinette sitting on that step, waiting for him to come back to her. The desperate look in her daughter's eyes as she searched the passing faces was crushing.
She vividly remembered the day Marinette's habit finally died out. It had been a little over five years since Adrien's final visit, and as always, right as the sun reached its highest point in the sky, Marinette sat herself down on the front step.
Sabine quietly exited the bakery, carefully lowering down to sit beside her daughter. Marinette was facing away from her, eyes trained on the street. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, holding her knees close to her chest. Sabine didn't know what to say, so she said nothing, instead placing a gentle hand on her back and rubbing soothing circles.
"He's never coming back, is he?" Marinette said quietly. She turned to face her mother, eyes brimming with tears.
Sabine caressed her cheek. She could see all the pain in her daughter's eyes, and she wanted nothing more than to wipe it all away, to say the perfect words that would fix the rubble of Marinette's heart.
But what could she say? How was she supposed to tell her daughter that the restrictions they were suffering under were sent out by the boy she waited for every day? How was she supposed to tell her that when she could barely believe it herself?
She didn't, because Marinette already knew. "I- I miss him, Maman." Her voice broke, and then she let out a heartbreaking sob as Sabine pulled her into her arms. She cried on her mother's shoulder, fingers gripping her shirt tightly.
Sabine's own eyes teared up as she cradled her daughter, who was finally accepting the fact that he was gone. Even after watching her, day after day as she agonizingly waited for him to return, one thing had never been more clear to Sabine.
It's not holding onto hope that hurts the most. It's letting go.
She was pulled from her memories by the sight of two figures walking down the street. Sabine swiped at her eyes before squinting at them. Her stomach dropped as she realized they were two royal soldiers, and they seemed to be stopping at every building and every merchant stand, headed in the direction of the bakery. Sabine quickly ran to the kitchen to warn Tom, and then the two of them waited behind the counter as they braced themselves for the unwelcome visitors.
The bell chimed as they entered, and Sabine clutched Tom's hand tightly. The first soldier glanced around with disinterest as he wandered further into the bakery. Meanwhile, the second soldier began surveying the shelves.
Tom kept his face even, but his eyes were cold. "Can we help you?"
The first soldier meandered closer and leaned against the counter, setting down the stack of papers in his hand. "You sure can. We're here to perform a census."
Sabine felt Tom relax next to her. "Okay, what do you need from us?"
The soldier began sifting through his papers. "You're the head of the household, correct?" The soldier sounded bored, and Tom nodded in response. "Name?" Tom was quick to comply with him; the sooner they got the information they needed, the sooner they would leave.
As the soldier continued to look through his papers, Sabine's eyes traveled towards the second soldier. He was helping himself to pastries off the shelves, taking a bite of each before returning it to the shelf and moving on to the next. Her stomach churned. She knew just how hard Tom had worked on those.
"There we go." The first soldier selected a paper and ran his finger over it as he read through the information. "It says here that you have three people in your household. You, your wife, and your daughter." He glanced around the room before turning back to Tom with an expectant look. "Where's your daughter?"
Tom and Sabine exchanged a look. "Um," Tom cleared his now dry throat, "she isn't here right now."
The soldier's eyebrows shot to his hairline. "Where is she?"
Sabine squeezed Tom's hand for support before she spoke. "She's traveling at the moment."
This caught the attention of the second soldier, and his footsteps creaked on the wooden floor as he approached. The first soldier looked between Tom and Sabine in silence. "Traveling," he echoed, and the two soldiers exchanged a glance. "And how long has she been gone?"
"A few months," Tom answered hesitantly. "But she writes to us, and- and she should be coming home soon." Tom and Sabine could sense that something was wrong, and this was only confirmed by the narrowed eyes of the royal soldiers before them.
The first soldier leaned forward on his elbows, locking them in a hard stare. "And where did she go?" Neither of them had an answer for this, and he let out a chuckle as he turned to his partner. "I think we've got another one."
The second soldier pulled out a notebook before giving Tom and Sabine a demanding look. "What's your daughter's name?"
Tom looked between the soldiers with panicked eyes. "Wait, what's this about?"
"People have been going missing," the first soldier said, and then his gaze darkened. "Smells like a revolution, don't you think?"
Tom and Sabine both gaped at him. "What- you don't think-"
"That your daughter is a revolutionary?" His voice was cold. "Yeah, we do."
Sabine felt a rush of anxiety, and she desperately tried to defend Marinette. "She would never! She's a sweet girl, and all she wanted to do was go live on her own-"
"Yeah, yeah." The soldier waved a dismissive hand. "I've heard it all before. But if what you're saying is true, then we need to know her name in case someone else comes across her."
Sabine swallowed thickly, and she looked up at Tom with worried eyes. He squeezed Sabine's hand, his face resigned. After a long moment, he said, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
The second soldier jotted this down in his notebook before giving a curt nod. The first soldier gathered up his papers, but then he paused and gave them one last intense stare. "You better hope we find her," he said lowly, and with that, the soldiers left, leaving Tom and Sabine rooted to the floor, their anxieties about their daughter now stronger than ever before.
It was a calm, sunny day in the forest just South of Paris. A soft breeze rustled the blades of grass in a wide, open field where wildflowers bloomed. The area was untouched by civilization, existing in a region just out of reach from the hands of the country's tyrannical monarchy. Out here, nature thrived in peace, as it should.
But a distance noise alerted the wildlife, and a flock of birds chattered as they sprung from the trees in unison. The sound grew louder, and suddenly laughs pierced through the air as two horses burst onto the field.
Marinette looked over her shoulder, a wide grin plastered on her face as she pulled her horse to a stop. Its coat was a deep red, made even more vibrant by the sun overhead. "Eat my dust, Kitty Cat."
Chat pulled Plagg to stop next to her, and he shook his head as he sighed in defeat. "You win, M'Lady. But only because you got a head start."
"It's not my fault you weren't paying attention."
"Plagg wasn't paying attention."
"Well, he's your horse," she said as she began stroking the fur of her own. "Besides, Tikki is faster, and much more well-behaved."
Chat hummed. "Faster? That's debatable." She rolled her eyes, and then the two of them began dismounting their horses.
If there was one thing that had changed in the last month, it was Marinette's unprecedented interest in horseback riding. She had always been wary of horses, but after Chat took her for a couple more rides out to the lake, she started wondering what it would be like to have one of her own. Riding horses was just another skill she had yet to master, and after Chat's visit to the East, she realized how much she missed training with him in the mornings. So, she proposed the idea of him teaching her to ride, and of course, he said yes.
They started working with Plagg, and she quickly learned just how mischievous the horse really was. Sometimes he was in a docile mood, but other times he had a mind of his own and was completely uncooperative with their training attempts. He was a wanderer, and eventually, Chat took her into the stables to find a more suitable horse.
That was where she laid eyes on Tikki. She was a beautiful red color, and by one of nature's rarities, she had bright blue eyes. Marinette bonded with the horse instantly, and even more so after she learned that Tikki once belonged to a member of Squad D. Nearly all of the Northern soldiers had their own horse, but five of them were now left with no owner, and Marinette made it her goal to give Tikki the stability of having a handler once again.
After she had gotten over her initial wariness of the large animal, she was surprised to learn that she had a knack for horseback riding. This led to her tentatively approaching Cobra and asking if she could specialize in it. Of course, this then led to a barrage of questions of how she even learned the skill, which was apparently reserved for the more experienced soldiers, and she had to make up some lie about learning in her teen years. After a long moment of thought, Cobra agreed to her request, but only if she also specialized in hand-to-hand combat, which had been her best fighting skill thus far.
So, three times a week, Marinette slipped away from her troop to join the specialization group for hand-to-hand combat. The lessons were daunting at first, as nearly half of the group was much more advanced than she was. She started out paired with the less experienced soldiers, slowly moving on to spar with the others as she worked on her reaction time and picked up on more fighting moves. Eventually, she began looking forward to practicing her hand-to-hand combat, but not nearly as much as she looked forward to her horseback riding lessons.
Somehow, someway, Chat weaseled his way into becoming her trainer. Typically, the horseback riding lessons were held in a group setting in the West, but he had convinced Cobra to let him take over hers. Whether or not this tipped off Cobra in any way about them, she didn't know, but that's how they found themselves racing through the forest in the early afternoon, and now they stood in a field of wildflowers with the next hour all to themselves.
Marinette followed as Chat walked further into the field before he crouched down. "Even though you cheated," he said as he reached forward to do something she couldn't see, "you are today's victor, and you deserve a prize." He stood and turned around, and clutched in his hands was a beautiful bouquet of multicolored flowers. A soft smile crept onto her face, and he approached her and placed the bouquet in her hands. Then, he removed the only red flower from the bunch and ever so gently tucked it behind her ear.
Her eyes were fixed on him, on the way he looked so focused as he weaved the stem into her hair to keep it secure.
If there was one thing that hadn't changed in the last month, it was her feelings for Chat Noir. It was as if they couldn't stay away from each other, and they made an effort to spend every morning and every evening together, savoring each minute. They would practice horseback riding, have picnics in their clearing, and cuddle high above the ground as they watched the sunrise.
It was strange how easy their relationship was. Before they confessed their feelings, she had been afraid of how it might change their dynamic. She was afraid of their friendship being ruined by rushing into something she had no experience with, but that's not at all what happened. Their romance was only a branch off of the strong emotional connection they had been building for months, and so far, they had been taking their relationship slow, taking their time to feel it out as neither of them had ever been involved with someone before. They wanted to do it right.
Chat leaned back to admire his work, his finger grazing her cheek as he surveyed the new flower adorning her hair. "Beautiful," he murmured, smiling down at her.
A pleasant warmth spread through her, and she stood up on her tiptoes and pecked his lips. "Thank you for the flowers, Chat."
"You deserve them, M'Lady." He offered her his hand. "Care for a stroll?"
"Absolutely." She intertwined her fingers with his, and they began wandering through the field. Marinette absently smelled the bouquet in her hand while Chat told her a story from earlier that morning.
They spent a little time watching a couple of squirrels run around on the opposite side of the field, and this gave Marinette a brilliant idea. "You know, Cobra's been having us do more runs lately."
"Oh yeah?" Chat swung their joined hands back and forth as they walked. "How are you liking that?"
"I hated it at first, but it made me realize I'm getting a lot faster." She eyed him playfully. "Maybe even faster than you."
He returned the look. "Really?"
"Mhm." She stopped walking and faced him, and he watched her curiously as she took her hand from his and placed it on his chest. She leaned closer to him, and just as he began to duck his head to kiss her, she whispered, "Catch me if you can," and took off into the field.
It took Chat a moment to process what had just happened, and then he was chasing her. She gripped the wildflowers tightly in her hand, grinning as she sprinted as hard as she could. Chat was hot on her heels, and whenever she felt like he was about to catch her, she sidestepped and dove off in a different direction. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, and the feeling was so refreshing.
Marinette made the mistake of slowing her pace around a slightly uneven part of the ground, and in seconds Chat's arms were around her, scooping her up and spinning her around in circles. A joyous laugh escaped her, and once she was on the ground again, she turned in his arms. They were both panting through their wide grins, and she circled her arms around his neck, her fingers still wrapped around the flowers.
"I win," he said. "Even though you had another head start."
"Well, it wouldn't be fair if I-"
He cut her off with a searing kiss, and whatever words she had planned to say dissipated in her throat. She matched his energy in no time, pressing her lips to his with fervor as he pulled her flush against him. Her body was warm from the intense run, but now it felt as though a fire burned between them. Their kisses were usually slow and gentle, but this one was hungry and passionate.
Marinette couldn't think. The world had disappeared around them, and all of her senses heightened in its absence. His hands explored her waist, her back, her neck, and then one came up to pull on her hair tie, freeing her hair to fall around her shoulders. A small noise escaped her as he weaved his fingers through the soft locks. His touch was burning, but she wanted more of it. Her free hand traveled down his chest, feeling the taut muscles underneath his shirt, and he sighed through his nose as he continued to kiss her senseless.
After enough time, it became hard to breathe, and Marinette pulled away to gasp for air. Chat rested his forehead on hers, also breathing heavily. "What were you saying, M'Lady?"
She laughed quietly. "I don't know." She pulled back to look at him. "Where did that come from?"
He chuckled. "I don't know."
Marinette's breathing was returning to normal, and her eyes drifted over his shoulder. She looked back at him with a twinkle in her eye. "Are you ready for another run?"
Chat sighed dramatically, squeezing his arms around her. "I think I'd rather stay here." He pressed another kiss to her lips, and before she got lost in the moment again, she pulled away. He tried to chase her, but she held his cheek in place, and he pouted in protest.
"I want to, but," she cracked a smile, "Plagg is getting away."
Chat's eyes widened, and he whipped his head around just in time to see the end of a black tail disappear into the forest. "Shit."
After another eventful chase, they tied Plagg to a tree and spent the rest of the hour wrapped up in each other's arms. Soon, they were back at the stables returning the horses. They picked up a nice vase from the Compound for Marinette's flowers, and she delicately balanced it on the ground next to her bed.
Before she left for the East, Chat sent her off with a sweet and gentle kiss. Even though she knew they'd see each other again that evening, she savored the feeling of him, knowing that this moment of blissfulness would be enough to get her through the rest of her training day.
She had a giddy smile on her face the whole walk back to the East. For the first time since Marinette came to the revolution, she felt truly happy. Everything was looking up for her. The nightmares that once frequently plagued her were now an occasional occurrence. She was well-adjusted to her strict training regime, and she could feel herself getting stronger and stronger every day. She felt comfortable in her new life as a soldier, and she accepted every challenge thrown her way with open arms.
To top it all off, she had a man she cared deeply for to walk alongside her every step of the way.
Everything was calm. Everything was perfect.
But even in the calmness, Marinette's mind refused to forget that there was something she wasn't saying. There was a topic she still needed to broach to Chat, but she had been putting it off week after week after week.
Marinette's smile slowly faded away as a familiar wound in her heart ached.
She had come close to saying it a few times, but the words just refused to leave her lips. Maybe she was afraid to finally voice the heavy secret she carried around every day, or maybe she wasn't prepared to unearth the traumas of her past.
But deep down, she knew it needed to be done.
She had to tell Chat about Adrien.
There was a part of her that argued against this, telling her that there was no reason to bring it up. Her and Chat were doing great, better than ever, and she had some weird gut feeling that it would be a mistake. That somehow, revealing her secret would change things.
She knew this was just her anxiety talking, though. She trusted Chat. He was so sweet and caring and understanding with her, and if there was anyone she felt comfortable confiding in about this, it was him. Besides, he was already aware of her mission to find Adrien, and the only piece he didn't know was the tragic history behind her motives to do so. He would understand, she knew he would.
So why couldn't she shake this feeling?
The biggest reason was Chat's unknown view of the Emeralds. She knew that he was adamant on breaking the superstition, but that left his opinions on Adrien himself a complete mystery. She couldn't think of a reason why Chat would have any ill-will towards him, but with how little her and Chat talked politics, all she had to go off of was what he said in their fight. Not to mention, he seemed a little put off when she told him she was searching for Adrien.
But there was another thing. She and Chat had spent months building up their incredible connection, so how might he feel when he learns that their rightful King has such a hold on her heart? Adrien's presence and abrupt absence in her life shaped her into who she was. Her memories were sectioned off by whether or not he was still around, and even with him gone now, he lived on within her. He always would. She missed him so much, the thought of him physically pained her. Would Chat be able to understand that?
Marinette let out a frustrated sigh, and she stopped on the path leading to the East. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.
She couldn't do this anymore. She was tired of running through all the what-ifs in her head until she convinced herself to keep her mouth shut. Her and Chat's relationship meant everything to her, and she couldn't go on keeping secrets from him. All this time she had been working to peel back his layers, meanwhile she never opened up to him about the darkest day of her past, one that had all the significance for why they were here in the first place.
She was ready to be vulnerable with him, and all she needed to do was take that leap. Marinette began walking again, and as she approached the treeline leading to the East Training Grounds, she reached a decision with an intense resolve.
She would tell Chat about Adrien, and she would do it tonight.
No planning, no running through every possible scenario in her head; she would just say it however it comes out. Until then, she would focus on the rest of her training.
Marinette made her way down the slope, and as she did, she scoped out the training grounds for her troop. She spotted them finishing up a hand-to-hand combat lesson, and she tagged along as they made their way to the line of targets for archery.
One of the biggest changes that happened in the last month was a random troop reassignment. She remained in Cobra's troop, but nearly half of the others were replaced by a whole new set of soldiers. Curiously, Panther was no longer in her troop, yet King Monkey, Caprikid, and Minotaurox all stayed. Even though she never asked him about it, she suspected Chat Noir had a hand in this.
Sometimes she would still see Panther around the training grounds, and he would always stop to try to talk to her until she had to remind him that his troop was moving on without him. Now that Chat had pointed it out, she could see Panther's crush clear as day, and for his sake, it was probably best that he was reassigned to a different troop.
Panther's absence allowed her to focus better during archery practice, and she had grown confident enough to start asking Cobra questions to help her improve her aim. Despite his intimidating aura, Cobra was incredibly knowledgeable, and the more she referred to him for help, the more comfortable she became working with him individually.
Now, as Marinette and Minotaurox settled in line with their target, she felt secure in her abilities. On her first attempt, the arrow lodged itself just outside the bullseye, and on her second attempt, it hit dead center. She dropped the bow, feeling pleased with her performance. Minotaurox fared similarly, and the two of them decided to spice up their practice by shooting at the target while walking. The additional movements added an extra challenge, but Marinette still managed to hit the target nonetheless.
While Minotaurox was shooting, Marinette caught sight of a figure approaching their troop. She squinted at him until he got close enough where she could make out his face. Her eyes widened in recognition.
Nino?
She hadn't seen him in such a long time, not since the he brought her to the East. What is he doing here?
Nino beelined straight for Cobra, pulling him aside to have a hushed conversation. From the furrow of his eyebrows and the sudden sharp look on Cobra's face, she knew something was up. Unease crept through her, and while she tried to focus back on target, her eyes kept darting over to the two of them.
During her most recent glance over, she saw Cobra give a curt nod, and then he flagged down another troop leader. Meanwhile, Nino approached the line of soldiers still practicing their archery, and she watched as he pulled one aside. After a short conversation, he selected another. And another.
It took about four soldiers for Marinette to realize he was only talking to the members of her old troop in the South. What on Earth is going on? She wasn't surprised when eventually, Nino reached her. "Can I talk to you for a second?" he said quietly, and she eyed him warily as they walked a short distance away.
Once they were out of earshot of anyone else, she quickly asked, "What's this about? Did something happen?"
"Yeah. Rhino's missing."
Her mouth dropped open. She didn't know what she was expecting, but it sure as hell wasn't that. "What do you mean he's missing?"
"He's been working in the Compound, but this morning he didn't show up for his shift. Everyone looked for him, but there's not a trace."
Marinette dropped her gaze to the ground, trying to make sense of this new information. "Do you think he snuck back into the army?" she offered, but Nino was already shaking his head.
"All the troop leaders are responsible for their soldiers, so if anyone tried to sneak in, they would've noticed." Nino's face became much more serious. "We think he left the revolution."
Her eyes widened. Rhino left? The thought of somebody trying to leave the revolution never crossed her mind. This place was a sanctuary of sorts, somewhere that people came to escape the oppressive government. Why would anyone want to leave?
But… Rhino was a special case. His ego was definitely hurt when Chat kicked him out of the army, and she could only imagine how resentful he was working day after day at his menial job in the Compound. He must have finally been fed up with it.
Nino continued. "Anyway, I need to ask you if you know anything about where Rhino is from."
She furrowed her eyebrows, puzzled. "Why?"
"We're going after him. It's likely he'll go back home, and we need to find him before the royals do."
Marinette was shocked. "You think the royals will go after him?"
"You know him just as well as I do. He's a loud-mouth. There's no way he's not gonna blab about all of this, and if the wrong person catches wind," Nino's expression darkened, "he could compromise our existence, not to mention our location."
A pang of fear struck through her. Now she fully understood the gravity of the situation. This was really bad. "Oh my god…" Marinette wished she had something to help, but despite living with Rhino, she never heard him mention his town name. For the most part she drowned out everything he said, so there was a chance she could've picked up on something, but she just wasn't paying attention. "I'm sorry, Nino, I don't have anything that can help."
"Did he ever mention specific things about his town? Maybe landmarks or community events?"
Marinette scoured her mind. "He always talked about being the best in his village when it came to running, and I'm pretty sure he mentioned winning some competition once." She looked at Nino apologetically. "I'm sorry, but that's all I have."
"That's okay." He smiled reassuringly. "I'll take what I can get. There's still a few of his friends that I need to talk to, so maybe we'll piece something together."
She really hoped so. There was a lot riding on this, and they could only pray that Rhino's loose lips had given the other soldiers more details about his hometown. "Does Chat know about all of this?"
Nino nodded. "He does now. I didn't want to tell him until we knew for sure Rhino was gone, but here we are." There was a sudden shift in Nino's expression, and he eyed her teasingly. "Speaking of Chat, I have a message for you."
"Oh really?" she said nonchalantly. "What is it?"
There was still a playful spark in Nino's eyes, and she knew. He knows about us. "Chat wanted me to tell you that he'll be wrapped up in all this Rhino drama for the evening." He wiggled his eyebrows. "But he said he'll come find you when he's done."
Marinette flushed, and she crossed her arms over her chest. She felt a little disappointed that her time with Chat would be cut short today, especially since she needed to talk to him about Adrien, but she understood. His job was far more important. "Okay, thanks for letting me know."
"So," Nino suppressed a smile, "how long has that been going on?"
She averted her eyes, her cheeks darkening to a red. "Aren't you in a hurry to interview some people?"
Nino clicked his tongue. "Funny, Chat said the same thing." He sighed loudly. "But alright, I'll let you get back to training. Thanks for your help."
Marinette's flushed cheeks remained long after she returned to her archery, but so did her lingering worries about Rhino's disappearance. She really hoped the other soldiers had information that could help them, but right now, there was nothing she could do except wait for an update from Chat later.
And somehow, she needed to find a way to tell him about Adrien.
The sun had set, and still, Chat was nowhere to be found. Marinette had spent her evening reading a book in the clearing, but with the now darkened sky, she couldn't see the pages anymore. Deciding it was time to relocate, she carefully got to her feet and began walking back to her tent. The sound of buzzing insects and the occasional rustling of leaves filled her ears, and she quickened her pace after swatting one, two, then three mosquitoes from her arms.
Once she was in her tent again, she took a few extra moments to make sure the slit in the canvas was firmly closed. Then, she approached the side of her bed and crouched down next to her bag, carefully tucking her book into the largest pocket. Her gaze drifted over to the vase of wildflowers on the ground nearby, and she sighed heavily.
Chat's absence worried her. She wondered if they had any luck identifying Rhino's hometown, but even then, who was going to go after him? The longer they waited, the more time Rhino had to return home and open his big fat mouth.
She returned to her bag, hesitating before opening the front pocket and reaching inside. Her fingers brushed the cool metal of her precious earrings, and she pulled one out. The normally vibrant dimensions of the jewel were shrouded in darkness, but somehow the stud still glimmered a dark red.
Maybe today wasn't the day. As much as she had geared herself up, telling herself that she needed to do this as soon as possible, there were moments for everything. Her moment to tell Chat about Adrien wasn't tonight.
Her eyes softened as she ran her thumb over the earring. Adrien had been so adamant on buying these for her, despite the outrageous price. She wondered why an eleven year old boy would carry around that much money, and a part of her thought that maybe he was planning to buy her a gift that day. A sad smile crept onto her lips as the hole in her heart began to ache again.
She closed her fist around the earring and pressed it to her lips, her eyes slipping shut. "I'll find you, Adrien," she whispered. Her eyes stung, and she squeezed them even tighter. "I promise."
After taking a few composing breaths, she carefully returned the earring to the outside pocket before slipping off her shoes and climbing into bed. She took off her gloves and carefully removed her hair tie, feeling a sweet relief on her scalp. Her blankets were warm and inviting, and once she was snuggled deep into her pillow with the covers tucked under her chin, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep. Just as she reached the limbo between consciousness and unconsciousness, she heard a quiet noise. She ignored it, but then it came again, much clearer this time.
"Psst."
She cracked an eye open, and she could vaguely see the silhouette of a head peeking through the canvas.
"Are you sleeping?" Chat's voice was quiet, as if he was afraid of waking her.
"Kinda," she mumbled, and she rose up onto her elbow. "Are you done for the day?"
"Yeah, but I can let you go back to sleep-"
"No," she said quickly. He had been gone all evening, and now that he was finally here, she didn't want him to leave. She bit her lip, suddenly feeling shy. "Can you come lay with me?"
Chat didn't move at first, but then he quietly ducked the rest of the way inside. Her eyes were well-adjusted to the dark, but his weren't ‒especially not with that veil‒ and she watched as he tentatively moved towards the sound of her voice.
She sat up the rest of the way, and once he was close enough, she reached out to grab his hand. "I'm right here." She scooched over to make room for him as he slipped off his shoes and gloves, and then he crawled under the blankets with her. She laid on her side, facing him, and his arm moved to wrap around her torso. She kept both of hers tucked in front of her, finding comfort in the surrounding warmth.
He had never been in her bed before, and her eyes roamed over his face. "Hey," she whispered.
He smiled softly. "Hey."
"How was your day?" She kept her voice gentle, as if speaking at a normal volume would shatter the serenity.
"Mmm, it was okay. Better now." He pulled her a little closer and pressed his forehead to hers, and both of their eyes slipped closed. They sat in silence for a moment, just enjoying each other's company after a long day. Then, Chat pulled away so he could look at her again. "How was your day?"
"Good. Nino came by." She began tracing the line of his jaw with her fingers. "Did you have any luck with the Rhino situation?"
Chat sighed deeply, either from the answer he was about to give her or from her soft touch. Maybe it was both. He sounded exhausted when he spoke. "Did Nino brief you?" She nodded in response, and he continued. "There's still no sign of him here, so he definitely left. We narrowed it down to two towns, though. He's on foot, so we're hoping with the horses, they can get there before he does."
"Who's they?"
"Squad D's backup troop. They left just before I came here."
Marinette hummed in response. "I guess they got their mission after all."
Chat chuckled. "Somewhat."
Her fingers continued their motions, and she could feel Chat relaxing under her touch. "Are you worried?"
"I was, but I feel a lot better now that we have a plan. There's no sense in worrying anymore."
She raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm a little surprised. I thought you'd be in your tent planning out a defense in case we're attacked."
"That was my first instinct, but…" He shrugged a shoulder. "I thought about it, and it's likely if Rhino does get captured and spill about everything, the royals will come snooping before they decide to act. And we don't even know if he will get caught, and I have faith that the troop will find him. Besides," his hand gently stroked her back, "someone once told me that it wasn't healthy for me to obsess over things like that."
She smiled. "Damn right. I think you being right here," she inched her face closer to his, "is the best way to cope."
He nudged his nose against hers. "I think I agree." He pressed a kiss to her lips, and after he pulled away, he brought his hand up to brush a strand of hair from her face. The movement was brief, but it was enough for Marinette to catch a glimpse of silver on his finger. She was jolted from the moment, suddenly reminded of the elusive silver ring she had seen ages ago during one of her training sessions with Chat.
Just as he was about to return his hand to her back, she grabbed his wrist. He watched her curiously as she brought his hand in front of her eyes, turning it as she observed the ring up close.
There was no doubt about it, that was real silver. The band was thick, and the head of the ring was circular and blank, almost as if the ring wasn't finished and just needed the stamp of a family crest. Additionally, there were four bumps surrounding the silver circle, creating the illusion that the ring was square.
The sheer simplicity of it made it beautiful, and Marinette stared in wonder. "Where did you get this?" she asked, too busy admiring the jewelry to notice the sadness on Chat's face.
He was quiet for a long moment, and his voice was barely audible when he said, "It belonged to my mother."
Marinette paused, and then she lowered his hand so she could look at him. His eyes followed the ring, and even in the dark, she could see they were full of sorrow. This was the first time Chat had ever mentioned his family to her, and she felt the weight of his words hang in the air. She kept her voice gentle. "Where is she now?"
Chat swallowed thickly, still staring at the ring. "She died when I was a kid."
Her heart clenched. She didn't know what it felt like to lose a parent, but even imagining it gave her a taste of a pain she never wanted to feel. Seeing Adrien lose his mother was a first-hand experience of what that kind of loss did to someone, especially as a child, and she felt deeply for Chat Noir.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. He smiled weakly, and she wrapped her hand around his and squeezed. "What about your father?"
The second the question left her lips, his face twisted up, a sudden bitterness overtaking his features. His next words were biting. "I don't have a father."
She was taken aback by the change, and she felt guilty for unknowingly bringing up an obviously sore subject. For a moment, she wondered if his dad had left him and his mother, but she pushed the thought aside.
She squeezed his hand again, trying to keep a calming presence. "What about siblings?" He shook his head, and she furrowed her eyebrows. No mother, no father, no brothers or sisters… "Do you have any family, Chat?"
His face became conflicted, and he struggled to answer. Finally, he looked up at her. "Not family, but… I do have people I love."
"Did you bring them with you?"
The sadness returned to his eyes. "No. They don't even know I'm Chat Noir."
Her face softened. Chat was an orphan, and he had let go of his loved ones in order to raise an army and fight for their country. Despite how many people were here, she couldn't imagine how lonely he must have been without them.
He continued speaking, his voice low. "When I put on this mask, I pretty much killed who I was before. I don't think I could forgive myself if I let them get caught up in the crossfire. It's better if… they're far away from all this."
Marinette's mind flashed to her parents, and she understood where he was coming from. She had left them behind, partially because she knew they would never let her risk joining the revolution, but also because it felt like the safest choice. It was a twisted way of thinking, especially considering the abusive and oppressive circumstances they were left to live in. But the revolution was inherently risky. Hell, with Rhino's disappearance, there was a possibility of them being exposed to the royals.
"I get it," she said softly.
Chat shifted his head on the pillow, his gaze fixed on her face. "Tell me about your family."
It was strange that, in all this time, she had never talked to him about her parents before, but she was more than willing to now. "What do you wanna know?"
He thought about it before asking, "Do you have both of your parents?"
"Yeah." After hearing that Chat didn't have his mother or his father, she had never felt more grateful for that. "It's just the three of us."
"Why didn't you bring them with you?" She had never told Chat this, but she figured it wasn't hard for him to reason it out. If they ever visited anyone in the Compound together, it was always Alya's family.
"Same reason as you. But…" She pressed her lips together. "I guess there were special circumstances around me leaving."
Chat gave her an inquisitive look. "What do you mean?"
Marinette hesitated. "Remember how I joined right after the procession?" She watched Chat's reaction carefully as she said, "Because I wanted to find Prince Adrien?"
He pursed his lips, and she continued before he could say anything.
"I think if I told my parents what I saw… they wouldn't have believed me. They would've thought it was just wishful thinking, so I kept it to myself and came here on my own."
Chat averted his eyes, and she could see it on his face that he was struggling with something. "Why would you come all this way to find someone you don't even know?"
Marinette swallowed, and her heart started beating faster. This was her chance. Tell him. She tightened her grip on his hand. "Because I do know him." Chat's gaze was on her in an instant, and she finally let the words slip from her tongue in a quiet whisper. "He was my friend."
Chat stared at her for a long, long moment, and then his eyes slowly widened. Emotion after emotion flicked over his features, too fast for her to keep up. There was a sudden intensity in his eyes as he searched her face. "What… did you say?"
"Adrien was my friend." A sad smile pulled at her lips, but deep down, her heart ached painfully. She took a controlled breath, trying to compose the stirring tide of emotions inside of her. "He and Emilie visited my parents' bakery when I was young, and for years they kept coming back so he could visit me."
Different moments with Adrien began flashing through her mind. The sight of him looking down at her with wide emerald eyes, holding her steady after she almost fell the first time they had met. Laying on her back with him in the orchard, their hands intertwined between them as they watched the clouds. She indulged in the memories, letting herself reminisce.
"He and I used to go to the orchard by my house." She gave a small laugh. "We would run around, tell stories… and one day we carved our names into the biggest tree there." Chat continued to stare at her, frozen, as she thought back nostalgically. "He was such a sweet boy, and he cared so much about us." Her eyes stung as tears began to trickle in. "And he didn't deserve-" Her throat suddenly locked up, cutting off her words.
The tide of emotions surged, and suddenly the pleasant memories of Adrien were overshadowed by the image of him covered in blood, cradling his mother to his chest as sheets of rain poured over his broken form.
Marinette squeezed her eyes shut, but no matter what she did, the flashes from that day refused to subside. "H-he," she let out a shuddering breath, "he didn't deserve…" Her face twisted up as the ache in her chest morphed into a sharp stab of pain, and suddenly she was standing on that street again, her whole world crumbling around her. Her voice wobbled as she spoke. "I was there with him when Emilie… when Emilie was…"
She felt a tear slip down her temple, and suddenly Chat's hand was on her cheek, the cool metal of his ring pressed into her skin. She looked at him then, and there was nothing but grief on her face as his eyes rapidly flicked between hers.
"There was so much blood and- and we couldn't do anything. He was just holding her and- I- I watched her die in his arms-" She choked on a sob, and the tide finally crashed over her. Wave after wave of pain and sorrow washed over her, year after year of silent suffering all catching up to her at once. She cried freely now, and suddenly Chat pulled her into a fierce hug, wrapping his arms around her as she buried her face into his chest. "He was my friend," she sobbed, and her voice was broken, even to her own ears.
The gaping hole Adrien had left in her heart was now brutally ripped open, as she finally spoke of that day for the first time in ten years. She gripped at Chat desperately, pressing her face further into his chest as if she could hide from it all.
The agony she was feeling swept her away completely, so she couldn't feel Chat's heart pounding violently against her. She wasn't aware that the hands holding her tightly were trembling. That he was losing his mind, fighting his own battle as he held back his own cries.
Because Chat Noir understood. He understood every nook and cranny and every gory detail of her pain.
And for years, he suppressed it all. He destroyed the boy he once was to become the man his people needed him to be, and in doing so, he made the hardest decision of his life.
He left behind the only person he had left. The girl who made him forget who he was, who made him think that maybe, just maybe, he could live a normal life.
He had made a promise to himself, a promise to keep her as far away from this as possible, because he knew that he would never recover if he let another person he loved die at the hands of his estranged family. Only if he survived the impending war would he ever see her again, and that thought had kept him going for the last five years.
But now? His entire reality was flipped on its side, and out spilled all of the grief and aguish he had refused to let himself feel for so long. She was here with him, and unknowingly, she had weaved her way right back into his heart.
He gripped her even tighter. He could barely breathe, and it felt as though he was about to burst from the shock, pain, relief, and fear that consumed him all at once. She was here, and she was a soldier, a soldier that he would send to war one day. The one thing he fought to keep her away from, she was now immersed in it.
His mind was spinning, but against every fiber of his being, he kept his mouth shut. He wrestled with the words on his tongue, fighting the urge to tell her the truth. He buried his face in her hair, stifling his cries.
Because behind that veil was a pair of emerald eyes, shining with tears that finally escaped as he allowed himself to fall apart.
The next chapter is called "Adrien"
a.k.a. part 1/2 of Adrien's backstory