(A/N:) This one-shot is just a snippet that came to my mind one day. I don't plan to turn it into a full-fledged story, but if you're curious about the plot points I had in mind, they will be down below.
Marinette's POV:
Every inch she moved alongside the bed felt agonizing and never-ending. Her heart raced wildly, thundering in her ears, and she silently prayed that Adrian, still lost in his dreams, remained oblivious to its frantic rhythm. The room was shrouded in an eerie stillness, and she held her breath, afraid that even the slightest sound might shatter the fragile peace and rouse him from his slumber.
The thought of freedom danced tantalizingly in her mind, making her dizzy as her bare feet finally brushed against the soft, plush carpet below. With a deep, reluctant breath, she summoned her courage and began to stand. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to look back, yet she battled the impulse, steeling herself against her own fears. Tentatively, she glanced over her shoulder, and a quiet sigh of relief escaped her lips when she saw Adrian still sprawled across the bed, still in a deep slumber, his chest rising and falling rhythmically.
So far, so good—but Marinette knew she was far from being out of danger. She turned her head, focusing intently on the closed door that loomed before her. Carefully she padded across the room. Her heart quickened as she drew closer, adrenaline surging through her veins. Finally, she reached her destination, her fingers trembling as they clasped the cool metal of the doorknob.
Holding her breath, she twisted the knob with agonizing slowness, the moment stretching endlessly—until a sudden, ominous squeaking shattered the stillness. Time seemed to freeze; this was it—her precious chance at freedom slipping away. Tears stung her eyes, threatening to spill as despair washed over her, and she braced herself for the inevitable—expecting the familiar warmth of strong arms to encircle her. But they never came.
Straining her ears, she realized the room was filled only with the soft sound of Adrian's snoring. It was almost too good to be true. Adrian had sacrificed sleep, remaining vigilantly awake for nights on end to watch over her. The exhaustion must have finally hit him hard to make him so lost in sleep that the loud noise didn't wake him. Determined not to waste her precious opportunity, Marinette pushed forward with renewed determination, slowly easing the door open until just enough space was created for her to slip through.
Once in the hallway, the enveloping darkness enveloped her, and she squinted into the shadows, her eyes darting in search of any sign of a way out. She quickly assessed her only options, her mind racing as time felt critical.
Adrian's cruel act of destroying her phone during her abduction echoed in her mind, a painful reminder of how isolated she was. He had taken care to inform her that no computers or phones inside the home effectively severing her ties to the outside world. It was now up to her—only she could find her way to freedom.
The thought of reuniting with her friends spurred her onward, igniting a flicker of hope within her. Thankfully, Alya and Nino both still had their miraculous and were full-time users. Once they help her find Tikki and locate where Adrian has hidden Plagg, they can work together to figure out what is wrong with Adrian and why he had betrayed her. There had to be a reason behind his actions.
With a deep breath, Marinette gathered her resolve as she approached the wooden banister. The descent down the staircase seemed more daunting with each step. This grand house, which she had visited only once, was etched vividly in her mind. The memories surged back, both sweet and painful, as she recalled the warmth in Adrian's eyes the first time he brought her into the home. The walls, adorned in soft shades of cream and pale blue, seemed to whisper the dreams he had shared—the vision of a future home that they could have together after graduation. Those dreams felt like a distant echo, crushed beneath the weight of recent events.
What once ignited her heart with joy now felt like a cold reminder of dreams shattered. Marinette suppressed a sigh; she couldn't change the past, but she clung desperately to the flicker of hope that still existed for their future.
As she finally reached the bottom of the staircase, Marinette's footsteps were muted against the carpeted floor as she moved past the kitchen, and through the living room until she reached the front door. Surely it would be locked; she couldn't fathom that Adrian would have made it easy for her to leave.
From what he had told her, she already knew the windows were barred and equipped with alarms that would sound if tampered with. A sudden thought flashed through her mind: if she merely touched the doorknob, would an alarm go off? The very idea sent a shudder down her spine, and she resolutely dismissed the notion of testing it. She had to find another way out of this house.
Marinette found herself wrestling with a difficult idea: seeking out a weapon. The mere thought of attacking Adrian sent a wave of anguish through her. If only Tikki were here; the little kwami always knew how to help or at least knew how to bring a smile to her face. She absentmindedly touched her bare earlobes, a deep ache in her heart as she longed for her miraculous. The question loomed in her mind: would she ever get the chance to wear the earrings again? Adrian had coldly proclaimed that she would never see Tikki again, and that her miraculous was well beyond her reach. He had been clever to hide it in a different location, but if she ever managed to escape, retrieving it would be a challenge.
But how could she get out? She had to think! This wasn't the first time she had faced seemingly insurmountable odds. The last time Marinette was here, Adrian mentioned that the basement was unfinished. It had been over a year since then, but if the basement was still unfinished, it could be her last hope for escape. It was a long shot, but she had to explore all her options.
With her heart pounding, Marinette carefully scanned her surroundings to ensure the coast was clear before making her way to the basement entrance. When she reached the door, her breath caught in her throat; it was ajar. Maybe Adrian had simply forgotten to close it? The thought felt dangerously optimistic. It all felt like a potential trap, but retreating back upstairs was not an option.
Beside the door was a light switch, and Marinette quickly reached for it, flicking it on, but the darkness remained unbroken. No light illuminated the way forward. Taking another deep breath, she steeled herself for the descent into the darkness. With a firm grip on the guardrail, she tentatively stepped down the stairs, her heart racing with each careful movement as she navigated the unfamiliar terrain, every creak of the wooden steps echoing in the silence.
Just when she thought she had reached solid ground, her feet betrayed her as she stumbled over an unseen object on the floor. A frustrated exhale slipped from her lips as she fought the urge to curse, the basement air thick with a sense of foreboding.
She had imagined the space to be completely devoid of light, an impenetrable darkness where nothing could be seen. But to her surprise, a soft, ambient white glow emitted from a corner of the room. Drawn toward the light, she hurriedly crossed the room, her heart racing in sync with her footsteps. The source of the illumination turned out to be from a computer, its screen dimmed in sleep mode. With a sense of urgency, she pressed a key, and the screen roused from its slumber, demanding a password prompt.
"A password? Seriously?" she muttered under her breath, her patience wearing thin. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as she thought of that insufferable cat. Of course, there would be a password—her luck had run dry long before reaching this point. She quickly calculated her options: how many attempts would she be allowed before the device locked her out entirely? There was only one way to find out.
Her first instinct was to use her birthday, but after a tense pause, a warning flashed across the screen, indicating a failed attempt. Undeterred, she tried again, this time entering the date she and Adrien had gotten engaged, but that met with the same frustrating fate. Marinette's mind raced through a whirlwind of shared moments, significant milestones, and cherished dates, each one a thread woven into her tapestry of love with Adrien. With her impaitness growing, she paused, biting her lip as she racked her thoughts for a solution.
And then, as if a light bulb had illuminated in the back of her mind, a wild idea blossomed in her thoughts. With newfound determination, she confidently typed December twentieth into the password field. To her astonishment, the screen greeted her with a welcoming confirmation—the password was accepted, and at that moment, a rush of exhilaration surged through her.
For the first time in days, a flicker of hope ignited within Marinette. The possibility of reaching out to her friends felt tangible—if she could just connect with Alya, perhaps they could devise a plan to set her free. With shaky hands, she grasped the mouse, her heart racing at the thought of liberation, when an unexpected sound interrupted her thoughts: the unmistakable sound of clapping.
Startled, Marinette swung her head around, dread pooling in her stomach. There, just a few feet away, stood the last person she had wanted to see. Despite the dim lighting that shrouded the room, she recognized him immediately—her once-beloved partner, Adrien. His claps rang out sharply in the heavy silence, and a wide, unsettling smile spread across his face. He had caught her.
Adrian stopped clapping and time seemed to hang suspended as the two stared at each other, and for a brief moment, the world around them faded into an unsettling stillness. An electric tension filled the space around them, thick enough to cut. Eventually, Adrien broke the quietness, lowering his hands to rest on his hips, the smile never leaving his face. He had never been the one for silence, so it was only fitting that he would break it first.
"Wow, I'm genuinely impressed, m'lady," Adrian remarked, his voice oozing with a mix of admiration and mischief. "I had a feeling you'd find your way down here, but I honestly thought the password would stump you. I should have known better than to underestimate your cleverness. Even stripped of your earrings, you're as resourceful as ever, my love."
He winked at her in a charming gesture that once would have sent a flutter of butterflies through her stomach, but now only settled like a heavy stone in her chest. The playful glimmer in his eyes was overshadowed by an unsettling anger that sent chills down her spine, a potent reminder that he was reveling in this twisted game they were caught in.
"Chaton, please let me go," she begged, her voice quivering. "Return Tikki to me so we can fix this. It's always been you and me against the world. No matter what has happened, we can still be a team. It's not too late to change things." Her gaze held his, brimming with longing and sincerity, as she hoped against hope that he could feel the depth of her plea.
For a fleeting moment, it appeared that her words might break through his hardened exterior; his head tilted slightly, suggesting he was actually considering her offer. But that moment of hope rapidly extinguished, and he erupted into laughter. "Oh, Mari. You still don't understand, do you? I'm doing this for us, sweetheart—to keep you safe."
A torrent of emotions surged within her, and something inside Marinette shattered at his condescending tone. It was a feeling of hopelessness, sharp and biting, filling her with the crushing realization that she had already lost.
"For us?! You kidnapped me, Adrian! You took my earrings while I was sleeping and hid them. You took Tikki away from me and haven't given me a real reason for any of this. You've hurt me, Adrian."
At her words, she witnessed a flicker of hurt cross his features. "I have never hurt you," he protested.
"You may have never hit me, but your actions have cut deeper than any blow, Adrian. You've kept me here, trapped against my will, and no amount of your hollow reassurances will change anything. How can I be happy when you've torn me away from everything and everyone I cherish?"
Adrian's reaction was immediate and visceral; he flinched as though she had hit him, his expression transforming into one of shock and disbelief. His mouth parted in a silent gasp, and the look of anguish etched across his features made Marinette's heart twist painfully in her chest. After a heavy pause, he finally spoke, his voice a strained whisper, "You don't love me?"
His words pierced through her, laden with pain, and for a fleeting second, she was overwhelmed with the urge to comfort him.
"I...I do love you," she breathed, her words trembling with the weight of truth. "Even with all that you've done, I doubt I could ever truly stop loving you. But can't you see that this—what you're doing—is wrong? I don't understand why you're doing all of this, but if you would just open up and talk to me, we could face it together."
Taking a shaky breath, Marinette summoned her strength and slowly began to approach him, each step deliberate and cautious as if walking toward a fragile, volatile creature. When she was finally close enough to reach him, she extended her shaking arms, hands outstretched in a gesture of good faith, silently urging him to accept her offering.
"Please," she implored, her voice breaking with desperation. "Please, just put an end to this so we can find a way to fix whatever has gone wrong."
For a few moments, nothing was said. Adrian's eyes were fixed on Marinette's hands, as if he were contemplating the weight of a decision that could change everything. Marinette willed him to take the leap. The bond of trust that had once flourished like a vibrant garden was now a withered remnant of what it had been, but deep down, she believed that they could rebuild it—if only Adrian was willing to take that crucial step with her.
Her breath hitched as Adrian reached out. His hands enveloped hers in a firm, reassuring grip, warm and comforting against the coolness of her skin. He tilted his head ever so slightly, their eyes locking in a gaze that held a universe of unspoken words. Hope swirled within her, a vibrant whirlwind, as she searched his eyes for a glimmer of the warmth that had always drawn her to him. He was doing it—he was reaching back toward their past, rekindling the bond they had almost lost. She could still glimpse the goodness that resided within him.
"Marinette," Adrian began, "you've always possessed this incredible ability to see the best in people, even when they struggle to see it in themselves. You deserved the ladybug miraculous more than anyone else, because of the compassionate and brave person you are." He paused, the words hanging between them like a delicate thread.
"I've treasured every moment of being your partner," he continued, a bittersweet smile curling the corners of his lips, "and when we finally revealed our true selves to one another, there was never anyone else I would have rather seen behind the Ladybug mask—it was always you. I love you more than anything in this world, and I wish I could find the words to explain why I'm doing this, but the truth is, I can't."
The world around Marinette began to tilt and sway as the weight of Adrian's words settled heavily on her heart. He gently lifted her hands to his lips, where he pressed a few soft, lingering kisses against her delicate skin. When he finally released her, her hands fell limply by her sides, the warmth of his touch fading quickly as she struggled to gather her scattered thoughts.
"No," Marinette pressed, her voice thick with emotion. "It's not too late. Adrian, please, listen to me! We can still fix this. I know you're a good person; deep down, you don't want to do this. Just let me help you!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks, blurring her vision as she gazed at the love of her life, hoping to find the spark of light that she believed was still in him. There had to be good in him—there had to be.
Though Adrian's expression remained stoic, something in his voice betrayed his inner turmoil as he responded, "You can't help me this time, m'lady."
Then, in a swift motion that took Marinette by surprise, Adrian pulled something from one of his pockets, and before Marinette could grasp what was happening, there was a sharp, searing pain in the crook of her right arm. In a daze, she glanced down and saw a small needle retracting from her skin. Her head spun as she looked at Adrian in disbelief and betrayal.
Her knees buckled, but Adrian quickly caught her before she could fall. He was saying something to her, but she couldn't comprehend the words. As the world began to blur at the edges, she felt herself slipping away, the pull of unconsciousness drawing her into a shadowy abyss. In that fleeting moment, she forced herself to focus, locking her gaze onto his—the vibrant emerald green of his eyes shimmering with a complexity of emotions: fear, concern, and an unmistakable sense of regret.
(A/N:) The basic idea revolves around Adrian, who has a darker edge to him. He and Marinette fell in love before their true identities were revealed, and once the masks came off, their love only deepened. However, circumstances arise that threaten Marinette's life, leaving Adrian with no choice but to steal her miraculous and kidnap her to keep her safe from harm. I'm unsure where I would take the story from there, but I wanted to create this one-shot for fun. Thanks for reading!