Live for them

Chapter 44/ Marinette

The sky darkened then lit up again and I was still kneeling on the asphalt, wrapping my head around the fact that they were gone. All of them. The funerals that were never really real were the only funerals they would ever get.

Every smiling face. Every different voice. Every personality and style and heart was gone. And I could never get them back.

Adrien's hand was limp in my shaking hand. My hand was holding on to his too tightly, and my hand was shaking so vigorously it was as if someone was shaking my hand around for me.

But I couldn't stop the shaking. Nothing felt stable anymore. Not even my heartbeat. It was like it sped up then slowed down so much that I was basically dead.

I was a dead girl who had a beating heart and working lungs.

Everything felt dead anyway.

"Why?" I whispered, my voice raspy from not being used for so long. "Why couldn't it be me? Why was I such a fool? Why did I fail you? Why did I lose you? Why? Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why why, WHY, WHY, WHY?! WHY?!"

More tears streamed down my face as I fell onto my back and pulled Adrien's head to my chest.

I had closed his eyes. He was only sleeping. Just taking a nap from which he would never awaken.

As the sky clouded over, I heard thunder in the distance. Just what I needed.

I let a couple rain drops hit my face, the cold water feeling like icy tears.

I rolled onto my side, refusing to let go of Adrien's hand. I let the rain soak my skin. It felt like even my brain was full of water. Except the water was all murky. Like I was trying to tread in water where I was unable to see an inch below the surface. I got flashes of faces but they disappeared before I could grab hold of them.

I closed my eyes. I had nothing left.

🐞🐞🐞

I opened my eyes, surrounded by a warmth that couldn't be the wet city street. It was also too pink.

I sat up quickly and found that I was in my bed, wrapped up in my blankets. I saw several little colorful heads turn my way and looked across my room at all of the kwamies staring at me with worry.

Tikki flew up to me and hugged me, tears dripping from her red face. Well, her face looked more red than usual.

"Marinette! Never scare me like that again! You got yourself a cold!" Tikki cried, and I hugged her back gently, looking around.

"H-how did I get here?" I asked quietly.

The kwamies looked at each other.

"We helped Tikki get you back home." Plagg replied.

My eyes widened.

"What about Adrien?" I asked, sitting up straighter.

Tikki cuddled closer to me and Plagg looked away.

I could feel my eyes darkening. "You left him."

"W-we had no choice! It was either you or him and we had to make sure you were safe!" Wayzz stammered nervously.

I quickly got out of bed and put on my everyday jacket. I really did feel cold.

I sniffled. My nose was runny and my throat felt scratchy. I sneezed.

"I can't take it anymore! When will people understand that I would rather it be me hurt than him! He is the one I want safe! Not me!" I exclaimed and Tikki stayed close to me.