The Missing Purrincess

Chapter 39: A Visit To The Césaire's

HEY LITTLE SIS! THE SMALL FRY'S HERE TO SEE YOU!

---Alya's POV---

Tick, Tock

Tick, Tock

Tick, Tock

I couldn't believe it. The whole time. We met around the same time that she made her debut, was she a superhero then? My best friend. I wasn't worthy to call her that. There was such a huge part of her that I didn't see, and still obsessed over. 

Tick, Tock

Did she ever get bored of listening to me ramble on and on about her other half? Was it flattering? How had she put up with my theorizing? How many times had I begged her to help me? 

Tick, Tock

Did her parents know? Her grandparents? I guess she most likely would have had a Kwami like Trixx or Wayzz. Did she have anyone else to talk to? Even in my lowest moments I had Nino. Did she have someone to talk to about the in between stuff?

Tick, Tock

No wonder she knew Lila was lying the whole time. The first thing she heard about her was that she was supposedly Ladybug's best friend. Talk about a bad first impression. She had even tried to tell me didn't she. 

Tick, Tock

Where had she been staying? Clearly, she was okay if she was Ladybug, because Ladybug had been alright. At least health wise. Was she staying with a friend? Who would take her in no questions asked? 

Tick, Tock

Do I tell her I know? How would she respond? Would she be glad to have someone to talk to, or stressed because someone found out her secret? Would she even want to see me? I wouldn't in her position. 

Tick, Tock

School was well past over. Would anyone have gone looking for me? Nino was the only person I told that I went home. Ladybug, no, Marinette knew that I was in the alley. Would she have noticed I never went back? Would she have cared?

Tick, Tock

---Nino's POV---

Heading to Alya's house was stressful. I hadn't been there since she supposedly took Lila's side. Not to mention that Nora freakin terrified me. The girl's buffer than Cat Noir!

But, the only reason why Alya did what she did was to get dirt on Lila. And guessing from what she said about me and Marinette, if Alya had openly stuck by Marinette than she would not have gotten half of what she did.

I took a deep breath, then knocked on the door.

And of course, Nora was the one to answer, with the twins watching tv behind her.

"HEY! Flyweight!"

"Hi Nora."

She had long since given up on forcing everyone to call her Anansi after getting akumatized. Not everyone can just shrug something like that off. She still used the name for her matches though.

"Nino!!!" Ella screamed, jumping up and tackling me in a big bear hug.

"Hey there dudette! Hey, let me see!"

Ella opened her mouth wide, showing off a missing tooth.

"Whoa! So cool!"

"NINO NINO! I LOSPH ONE THOO!" (I lost one too)

Etta ran up and joined in the bear hug, grinning wide and showing me her matching mouth. 

I laughed a little and rubbed their heads at the same time. I swear, these two girls like me more than Chris did.

"Alya never went back to class after the akuma, so I brought her stuff."

Nora nodded knowingly.

"Yeah, she hasn't left her room. HEY LITTLE SIS! THE SMALL FRY'S HERE TO SEE YOU!" Nora hollered, making me jump a little.

"I'll go get her! No I will!" the twins shouted at the same time, running off and leaving me alone with Nora.

It was an awkward silence for a few moments before Nora spoke, "So, why haven't you come round lately? Did you two have a little..." She didn't need to finish the sentence, cracking her knuckles and giving me a look that said everything she needed to say.

"I-Uh. We uh. I..."

She burst out in laughter, leaning on the counter and grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

"Chill. I'm just messin around. She told me everything about that Lila chick."

I chuckled a little, before Ella and Etta ran back, with a very disgruntled Alya. Her hair looked like it had been swept through several times and the look in her eyes was anything but pleasant. 

"Whoa, are you okay dude? I thought your ankle was..."

"I'm fine Nino. Did you bring the stuff?" She smiled a bit, but it didn't reach her eyes. Her normally stunning, breathtakingly hazel eyes, that were now bogged down with what seemed to be worry and regret. I've never been too good at picking up on emotions, but this was obvious. Something was bothering her.

"Yeah, here. Are you sure you're okay?"

Nora was looking back and forth between the two of us, face contorting with confusion and anger as she most likely tried to decide if I needed a beating.

"Nino?"

"Whassup Babe?"

She looked up at me, those magnetic eyes now glistening with tears. That was the first time either of us had said or done anything romantic since she 'took Lila's side' and it was clear we both missed it. But that wasn't what was upsetting her.

"If you found out a secret. Like a big one. About one of your close friends, what would you do?"

Huh?

"Alya, you've lost me."

"Let's say you found out something about Marinette." My brain short circuited for a moment. She couldn't know that I knew where she was could she?

"Like a big secret, and she'd probably want to keep it a secret, but you're worried about her. What would you do?"

She. Freaking. Knows.