You and me against the world

"I understand"

"Alright you know what I'm not playing anymore"

"What's wrong purrincess, feline jealous now are we?"

"You better shut your mouth before I break your jaw"

Ever since Tom taught Chat how to play, the boy was on a roll, and Marinette isn't exactly taking this change well.

That is, until they both got into a fit of laughter. However, Marinette quickly calmed down then gazed at Chat Noir who was laughing hysterically. She didn't notice the smile that formed on her lips, or how the look on her eyes softened. For a moment there, she sat motionless, just taking him in and admiring how happy he looked. Genuinely happy. Her insides felt warm when looking at him like this, like he was the happiest in the world.

She zoned out for a second as her mind drifted back to the first time she truly connected with her kitty.

A few ago;

Marinette sat on her bed, lifeless almost. So exhausted. So frustrated. And so, so heartbroken. Then she slowly pulled her knees to herself and laid her head on them, as she enveloped herself in what seemed like a hug, desperate for any shadow of comfort. The painful sobs that escaped her throat indicated that her damps finally broke, and the tears started streaming down her cheek.

Luka had just broken up with her, after she gave her all to make it work between them. Because the truth is, she desperately needed this to work.

"it's unfair, it's unfair, IT'S UNFAIR" she said between sobs.

Neither of them wanted it to end, really. But with all of Marinette's responsibilities as ladybug and the constant need to lie lead her to unintentionally shut Luka out, just like she did with almost everyone else in her life. She knew she wasn't being fair to him but she kept on trying, until their confrontation about it today.

Luka didn't ask for much, just for the truth. Unfortunately, that was the only thing she couldn't give him, despite how badly she wanted to.

So after barely even a month of dating, Luka decided to end it. But not without promising to wait until she was ready for him. It broke both their hearts, but they both knew it was what's best for both of them. But that didn't stop it from being so agonizingly painful.

So, after dragging herself back to her room, she was ready to let all the hurt and frustration she'd bottled up on her way home out. And she knew that right here and then, she'd never hated being ladybug more than she did now.

It was too much, too overwhelming, too demanding, too onerous.

"I can't experience what other teenagers do, I can't even have a boyfriend, I am bound to just keep LYING AND LYING BECAUSE OF THIS BURDEN THAT WAS FORCED UPON ME" the anger in her spoke.

She didn't know how much time she spent lamenting on her situation, before she felt she needed some fresh air.

"I'm sensing a very powerful negative emotion; yes Marinette Dupain-Cheng, heartbreaks are not fair, teenage love is so fragile and you my dear shall be my greatest creation" an ominous voice spoke in the distance, as the man enveloped a butterfly with his hands "fly away my little akuma and evilize her wounded heart" then said butterfly, now black, flew into the sky.

So she slowly made her way to her balcony, then she put her elbows on the railing and gazed at nothing in particular, her expression remaining emotionless all the time. She really wore herself out earlier.

She didn't even notice when a certain black cat landed next to her. Either she didn't notice or she couldn't be bothered, what matters is, she just didn't pay his presence any importance.