Dark Coccinelle

Chapter 12 - Nightmares

There was soft sniffling coming from somewhere near Adrien.

It's still early, a little longer, he thought when suddenly there was a cry.

"No!" It carried on, "No, no, no! Chat Noir!"

"I'm awake, I'm awake," He looked around. It was still dark and he was obviously not in his own room. Then he remembered where he was just as he felt a small body struggle next to his.

"Marinette, it's ok I'm here," Just as he realised that her eyes were closed. She's still asleep, he now understood, Nightmares.

"Hey," He gently gave her a little push, "It's just a nightmare. I'm here."

Her eyes fluttered open just as tears started falling out of her eyes.

"What's wrong? It's ok. It was just a nightmare," Adrien gave her a comforting hug.

She started to sob harder, "Y-you're here. You're o-ok," She held onto him tightly.

She calmed down after a while of Adrien hugging her and rubbing a hand softly over her back.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked gently taking her hand and squeezing it.

She gave him a small nod. She knew it was time to tell him about what had happened when Bunnix had taken her to the future one day.

She started slowly, "Do you remember the time I came into your room as Ladybug?"

Adrien nodded, "Yeah, I gave you that hat I made," His eyes grew larger as she continued.

"And originally I had put my name on the present for your fifth's name day. You saw me as I jumped out the window and you figured out who I was," She continued, "I thought that somehow Chat Noir must have found out about it. Bunnix didn't tell me much but she brought me to a time not very long after that day," A few tears had made their way onto her cheeks, "Paris. It was... destroyed."

Adrien looked shocked.

"T-there was no one there, when I heard someone singing a quiet song," She started singing. "'Little Kitty on a roof all alone without his lady.' It was Chat Noir, but he looked weird. His suit was all white and his eyes a cold, distant blue."

Adrien was staring at her, his mouth slightly open.

"He looked at me. I asked him if he was Chat Noir. He said he was Chat Blanc," Tears were now streaming down her face, "He said that he thought I was gone and he... he knew who I was. He... he called me... Marinette. I didn't know how it was possible. He said our l-love did this."

Adrien looked like he saw a ghost.

"He told me to give him my Miraculous to fix everything. I refused and he started fighting me. Saying I didn't... I didn't l-love him. His power was really strong... he could use cataclysm as many times as he wished... and use a... a mega cataclysm," She looked up at him tears glittering in her eyes, "He started fighting me and I jumped down from the building I was on. Water covered the streets of the city and I dove under to see some people frozen in a spot. Ladybug and H-Hawkmoth. It was probably the cause of a cataclysm."

Adrien had tears in his eyes too.

"I managed to get the akuma out of his bell and to prevent this mess I simply had to erase my name on the present," She started sobbing into his shoulder, "I-it's not t-the first t-time I've had t-this... this n-nightmare. It's y-you akumatized a-and I c-can't help y-you."

Adrien held her tightly against his chest. What he had told her still going through his mind. He didn't want to believe it. He hoped nothing of the kind would ever happen again. It had obviously left a permanent mark on Marinette.

"Shhh, I'm here. I promise I'll never do that to you ever again," He whispered to the still shaking Marinette.

She smiled up at him, "I know you won't Chaton," She gave him a teary smile.

After a while of just sitting in silence, treasuring the quiet night, Adrien placed a small kiss on Marinette's knuckles.

"Marinette, will you go on a date with me?" Adrien smiled at her expectantly.

Her whole face brightened as he said it. "Of course! I'd love to!" She gave him a small kiss.

He returned her enthusiasm, "Purrfect! I'll set up something for tomorrow evening."

She rolled her eyes playfully at his pun, "Ok!" She added, "Do you think you should leave soon? It's quite late and we do have school tomorrow."

He nodded, "Yeah, it's probably best... and isn't tomorrow your first day back?"

"Yeah, and we can see if Lila gets expelled," She added anxiously.

He saw her discomfort and reassured her, "Don't worry. She'll have to pay for what she did to you."

She smiled, "Thanks Kitty."

He bent down to peck her lips for one more short time before jumping onto the balcony with a soft, "Goodnight M'Lady." He was soon bounding over the rooftops as his black clad alter-ego.

"Goodnight mon Chaton," Marinette whispered out into the city of love.

❤︎❤︎❤︎

A/N: Hey everyone thanks for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. 

The lockdown here has eased up a bit but everything's still online so I have plenty of time to write. I hope it's getting better where you are too.