Miraclebound | Miraculous Guardians Book 2

Chapter 3: Brotherhood

"Nino..." Marinette whispered, her arms still wrapped around him tightly enough to bust a lung. "I'm so, so sorry. I...I don't...you have no idea how sorry I am. If...if I had known...I...would have asked Master Fu, but..."

"No," Nino mumbled, sniffing and pulling back to grab her wrists from an arm's length. He blinked back the tears already spilling from his eyes and tried to keep his lip from quivering. He needed to be strong. That's what Nicholas would have wanted him to be. You're the man of the house now. That was the last thing his brother had ever said to him. You have to be strong. I'm counting on you to protect them. By "them", Nick had been referring to Chris and their mother, but now, the words meant so much more. "Them" had meant family. And Marinette, Adrien, and Alya were his family. "Thanks...Mari...but...it's all right. Really." His shoulders sunk and he glanced down at his shoes, trying to hide his disappointment. "I guess I just...wasn't fast enough. Again." He glanced down at the paper briefly and closed his eyes. "You can keep that," he added, gesturing to it. "I don't need it."

Marinette took a long, shaky breath, nodding quickly as she took the note and held it close, almost protectively. "Are...are you going to be okay? I...I'm starting to feel like I say that a lot. And it's...mostly my fault. I know that. You--"

"Mari," interrupted the boy, knowing exactly where she was going with this ramble. He grasped her shoulders firmly, ignoring her embarrassed squeak. "Don't. Please. This isn't your fault, okay? None of this is your fault! I didn't try to stop Nick back when I had the chance. Maybe if I had..." he trailed off here, unable to find the words to finish his self-curse, but his point still valid.

"The Order of the Guardians was destroyed many years ago, Master," Wayzz piped up, floating over to hover comfortingly near the boy's shoulders. "Long before you would have been capable do to anything to prevent it."

But maybe if I'd tried harder, I could have convinced Nicholas to stay. Maybe he would have told me what was wrong. But why would he go to the Guardians...and how did he know they even existed in the first place?

"Wayzz is right, Nino," Marinette added, glancing at the turtle before locking her gaze once more on her friend. "This isn't your fault either! You can't blame yourself for something you had absolutely no control over!" Her gaze dropped, saddened, once more. "But, still, I'm sorry."

"Hey, dudette," Nino plastered on a fake smile, moving away from the bed to collapse into her swiveling chair instead. "It's cool." No, it's actually not. "I guess I was just eight years too late." And I would do anything to go back to that moment and change everything--or at least tell him how much I loved and respected him. "Well," he added, reacting quickly and jerking away from Marinette who looked like she was about to pull him in for another hug. "This has been...well, not fun, but I really think I should go and get ready for my patrol with Adri--I mean, Chat Noir!"

"Uh..." Mari blinked, but fortunately, she seemed too taken aback at his sudden change in tone to notice his gigantic slip-up. I gotta be more careful! he mentally scolded himself as Wayzz melted back into his cap and he gingerly lifted Barkk from his knees. "Okay? Yeah, sure, that's fine, Nino. I...I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help, but--"

"Mari," he interjected, standing now and laying a hand on her shoulder. "You've been more help than I think you'll ever realize." As she gave him a small smile, he glanced up to resettle his cap. "Ready to go, little dude?"

"Ready if you are, Master!"

"I'm not going to get this whole 'Nino' thing through to you, am I?" Nino sighed, moving toward the balcony before Marinette could protest. He carefully slid out and climbed the railing, ready to vault it and take the fire escape back to the streets.