the death of a hero: a miraculous ladybug fanfiction

19 - a never-ending story

As the day went by, Alya and Nino decide to go back home. Saying their final goodbyes as they did so. Marinette closed the door and locked it as Adrien wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her in and kissing her neck softly. They stood for a moment in a comfortable silence nothing but the sounds of their breathing would be heard.

"So, in love with me, huh?" He teased, tracing his hand softly up and down from her hip to her waist.

Marinette felt herself heat up. This was Adrien talking, not Chat Noir. This was a new side of him and she wasn't exactly used to seeing that cat without the mask, even though they had been friends for years. Their personalities are completely different so to Marinette, it's like hearing Chats voice come out of Adrien. Not that she minded of course.

"Oh shut up Agreste." She said, pushing him back softy.

Adrien picked her up and walked over to the sofa, laying her down and hovering over her.

"But m'lady, if I recall correctly, you were certain that you would 'never fall for me' but it looks like you're under Agreste" He smirked at his pun then placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Oh no, I'm in for endless puns for the rest of my life aren't I?" She asked. He nodded for a response, wiggling his eyebrow's.

"Then so be it" She huffed, pulling him in and kissing him again.

For the first time in forever, that knot that had formed in Marinette's chest, the grief that wallowed in the pit of her stomach, the fear of losing her dearest partner in her mind, The breathes that her lungs were refusing and the duty of being Ladybug that weighed down her shoulders. It all vanished. As if it was never there.

Still, after all this happiness, something was wrong. Marinette couldn't put her finger on what it was but... everything was perfect. Everything was too perfect.

"Bugaboo?" Adrien asked, in an attempt to snap Marinette out of her obvious daze. 

She jerked, looking back into his eyes and smiled.

"You okay? You seem distracted." He questioned.

Yup, something was definitely wrong. Marinette pushed Adrien off of her and stood up, looking around.

"Marinette? Marinette what's wrong my love?" Adrien stood up, following in her steps confused, careful to not startle her. She seemed totally out of place, almost as if she were lost. Marinette could hear a noise, it was as if waking from a dream. 

"Do you hear that?" She asked him, ignoring his previous inquiries regarding her health.

"Hear what Marinette?" He asked, cocking his head to the side to symbolise his confusion.

Tikki seemed to sense the issue relatively quickly. She flew over, now floating in front of her owner. She couldn't tell exactly what was wrong, but she knew it wasn't good.

beep, beep, beep.

What was going on? Marinette walked around the living room, trying to get closer to the noise that was in her head. Nothing was working. It was the same volume, the same pace. Is this insanity? It was a monotone machine as if embedded into her eardrums, robotic and irritating. This was it. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was going crazy, losing her mind. 

beep, beep, beep.

Marinette felt like a square in a world of circles. As if she were absent from reality. Marinette finally recognized this feeling of familiarity. This was how she felt all those times that Bunnix had to come and ask for her help. This is how she felt fighting Chat Blanc and Time Tagger. This is how she felt when she was sitting at the same table with Chloe Bourgeois and Lila Rossi. This was not where Marinette was supposed to be right now.

beep, beep, beep.

Marinette could feel her eyes shutting, the world slowly turning black as her ears began ringing into static white noise. She tried keeping her eyes open, clinging onto a chair while her knees began to give out underneath her. In her mind, she could hear mumbles of chatter and conversation, but no one was around. Her head became pressurized and a migraine sting formed beneath her eyes. 

beep, beep, beep.

Her legs became numb jelly as she attempted to keep herself awake. She felt as if she was going to throw up, pass out or simply die. A feeling she had never had before. A type of grasp in her stomach, a pain in her head, an ache in her chest. A familiarity that she could feel ever so slightly. This felt awful It was all happening so fast.

beep, beep, beep. 

Marinette felt herself going numb, first her legs, then her hands, her arms, shoulders, her torso. She felt she was floating in a mist of pain mixed with a mist of hope and magic.

Everything was going to be okay, Marinette could sense it. But the way this was going was not a feeling of 'okay. She wasn't okay, was she?

Everything stopped and the blonde looked over at her. Looking her dead in the eyes. There was no hope, no glimmer. Nothing. He looked at her with an empty expression.

"Wake up."

"What? wake up? I am awake Adrien."  Marinette said to herself aloud, unable to ask the question aloud.

"Wake up M'lady, it's okay." He repeated. walking toward her.

What was he talking about?

"I love you. Think of me whenever you're afraid, okay? I will always be right here." he said, patting her chest and kissing her forehead.

Marinette felt his arms wrap around her as her vision went fuzzy. Was she hallucinating again?

"We'll meet again soon bugaboo, but you've let me go. You need to go back and do this for me," He said softly.

Marinette lost her sight, she saw nothing but a black abyss that seemed to never end, any light, any colour. Nothing. Just darkness. Would there ever be light at the end of this dark? Will Marinette get her happy ending? What did Adrien mean by "wake up"?

"I'll see you when you fall asleep" He kissed her on the head.

thump.

Marinette hit the floor.