Everyone Needs a Safe Place

F O U R

sensitive content ahead: mentions of online bullying. it will make more sense in the story. 

Marinette

Chat was sitting in front of her waiting on her to speak. She watched his thumb go over her knuckles back and forth as she tried to figure out how to talk. She couldn't tell him she was Ladybug, out of the question. She couldn't tell him about Chat Blanc. What could she tell him about? 

"There's this girl at school, Lila. She comes and goes from trips or maybe just her house I'm not to sure. She is a liar and no one believes me. There was a time when she got me expelled just because I stood up to her lies." 

Adrien listened as she spoke about Lila. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He had been the one to tell Lila she needed to make another lie to get her back in school. His attention came back to her as she talked about a threat the girl made. 

"She told me that one day she would make sure everyone left me. That everyone would believe her over me. I don't want to think that it would happen again, but everyone believed her the first time." 

He gripped her hand when she took a deep breath to stop the tears. This wasn't something to cry about she was better than this. She couldn't let herself get upset, not now. There hadn't been an akuma in twenty-four hours so she didn't need to be the next one. Looking up, she met Chat's green eyes who were looking at her with understanding and patience. 

"She's one the girls who want Adrien and knows I love him. She told me to stay away from him. I never stayed away fully but I didn't try to think about saying my feelings to him." Marinette finally looked up to him for longer than a few seconds to see his reaction to all of this. He watched her looking for any sign of bigger emotions. Did she know that she could be upset?

"You know it's okay to be upset, right?" she shook her head no. 

"I can't. I would be at risk for making an akuma." That's all she could say without saying what she really wanted to say, that she was Ladybug and couldn't get akumatized. Chat's hands gripped hers before pulling her towards suddenly. She wasn't prepared for it, letting out a yelp as he pulled her against him in a hug. 

She hesitantly wrapped her arms back around him as she listened to his heartbeat. Marinette felt his hand come to the back of her head while his other arm wrapped around her better. She moved closer to him to get comfortable. They ended up with her practically in his lap with their arms wrapped around each other. They found themselves in the same position as the previous day as Adrien moves his head to sit in her neck. 

"You can be upset with me. I'll protect you." It wasn't her plan to feel tears in her eyes after that. She tried so hard to be strong all the time for everyone. And to keep herself from an akuma. A harsh breath was all Chat got before she turned her head into his neck and started crying. He pulled her closer finally pulling her legs across his lap to where she was actually in his lap now. 

She cried for as long as her body let her. It felt great to finally let all of her tears out and to be hugged. Marinette pulled back slightly to look up at Chat was already looking at her. Here they were again, close enough to see right at each others eyes and feel their breath but not close enough to touch noses. His gloved hand came up to wipe her tears. She remembered being the one doing this to him. 

"G-guess we switched places?" Her voice cracked as she softly smiled at Chat Noir. He gave her a big bright smile back, big enough to make hers grow. His hand was running through the end of her pigtails before he pulled them out, then his fingers ran through her hair. She leaned her head into his neck while simply just breathing.