My Kitty

3| Terrors And Returns

Marinette and Adrien both sat down on the rooftop, a tray of different pastries laying before them.

To her satisfaction, she found that spending time with Adrien made her less and less nervous. Maybe Tikki was right after all. Being yourself and not having to worry about the best impressions does make a difference. A good one at that.

"My father may not be the best, he's always caught up with work but... I just know he's trying. I'm glad you have a happy family, Marinette. I'd never want you to go through what I do."

Hesitant, she voiced her concern, her eyes softening. "What... do you go through?"

"I can't really say but... I lie. A lot. I'm not who I am when I'm," he gestured to his entire figure, "Me. I don't like this Adrien. The plain and boring Adrien, I don't like him."

It was a shock to hear the boy she so dearly loved struggled with a blurred image of self-worth. She felt like she needed to assure him. That he was perfectly fine. "Don't say that! Adrien, you're not plain or boring. At all. You're sweet, and kind. You're even exciting when you're confident!"

His dejected gaze turned to meet hers. "You really think so?" He was seeking validation; desperate. Maybe it was the fact he never had anything good said about him, or that he always overworked himself everyday to reach his father's standards only to be struck down to the mud. Lower than ever before.

"Of course. I don't like you for no reason." She screamed. "I mean, yeah I like you but as a human—person. The individual that you are. Ha ha."

Adrien laughed. "I like you too, Marinette. As the individual that you are."

When a veil of silence fell over them, it didn't take long before distant calls for help broke out among parisians. The two looked up in the darkened sky, to see the one opponent who gave life to their nightmares. Again.

"The sandboy just checked in," he floated atop Paris, taunting everyone with a sing-song voice, "now nightmares can begin."

"Not again!" They said in unison. In the back of their minds, they questioned it. But they each simply assumed the nightmares that the sandboy had brought into reality the last time, were enough to traumatize the other.

Adrien rushed to his feet, taking hold of Marinette's hand to help her up. He pulled open the trap-door and led her down, then jumped in himself. "Marinette, I wish I could stay for longer, but my father's in danger." That was the only excuse that came to him. In a moment where he knew he must be present by his lady's side in case she lost her powers once more, he ran out of the door, leaving behind a very confused but very grateful Marinette.

Now she could transom all alone. "Tikki, spots on." The pink aura surrounded her, and she appeared in her costume. Ladybug tossed her yo-yo through the open window. It wrapped around a streetlight and she hoisted herself out, landing on the pavement. Her eyes skimmed over the chaos. Fear completely reigned Paris, and it ultimately weighed her down.

Losing her powers wasn't what she was afraid of. At least, not anymore.

No matter how hard she willed her mind to stop traveling back to that one time, the worry gripped her tight. "No, stop, stop," she whispered, further weakened. "Just stop, it's not going to happen again."

Oh.

But it is.

Too caught up in her own agony, the sand trickled down her head and onto her shoulders. Her eyes widened, and she looked around, drowned by her nerves. When nothing out of the ordinary seemed to have happened, she spun her yo-yo in immediate circles, shielding herself from a damage that's already been done.

"M'lady..."

She gasped, her breath caught in the back of her throat. Ladybug turned too see who had just called her name. Her yo-yo slipped from between her fingers. "Chat..."

"Chat Blanc has... gotten into some mischief."