My Kitty

12| Reversed Feelings

Chat Noir didn't know if things were healed between them or not. He felt as if they just pushed the problem away, and avoided it completely instead of facing it head on. He really was giving up on Ladybug.

"Hey, Adrien." Marinette waved at him, flashing him an awkward grin. Alya had forced her to go talk to him. Otherwise, she would've been very much content with admiring him from afar. "Mind if I sit?"

It was lunch time, and he'd been all alone on one of the benches. It was good to have company. Especially if it was hers. "Of course not!"

She lowered herself beside him, so close to him their thighs touched. Her cheeks flushed and she could see Alya filming them. Adrien, too, noticed their proximity, and found his heart beating a little faster than usual. "Is everything okay?" she hesitantly asked.

"Uh," he rubbed the back of his neck, "I've been dealing with some things."

"What kind?"

"Relationship."

Her eyes widened and to her very own surprise, Marinette didn't feel as jealous as she normally would. Yes, she was a bit upset, but that was only the lasting effects of her fading crush. She knew what actual jealousy was like. She'd always felt it everytime Lila approached Adrien, or when Kagami became his girlfriend, or even when Chloe touched him. This wasn't it. Of course, she still loved him with all her heart. But Chat Noir has wormed his way in too, and she was conflicted. "You too?"

"Yeah... looks like you and I have quite the bad luck when it comes to love, huh?" He turned to her, and their gazes lingered. A blush dusted his cheeks.

She nodded, mindlessly looking away. While Adrien continued to stare. 

Some real bad luck.

All throughout the day, Marinette was lost in a whirlwind of agonizing thoughts. She was trying to figure out her feelings. Why, or when, they started lessening. If they have even lessened at all! She felt like she'd cheated Adrien, as if she was going through a break-up of a relationship that never happened to begin with.

Her heart ached. She tried hard to remain loyal to him, but maybe it's just like Chat Noir had said the other day. It really was about time. She was fighting for someone who wasn't ever going to be hers.

She pounded her fist against the pillow, over and over. Groaning, she slumped into the comfort of her bed. Now that she'd realized how important her kitty was to her, he, too, was hanging on by a thinning thread. He meant so much to her, and she didn't come to terms with that until she'd almost lost him. Nothing in her life was going right at all. Tears brimmed her eyes, threatening to spill at the slightest motion. As light as a simple blink.

The kwamis gathered around their guardian, watching her stifle her sobs, and struggle to breathe. Their sympathetic gazes never once left her.

Love was a frustrating thing.

Adrien paced around the dinning room. He's been informed that his father was coming to dine with him. For the first time in months. And there was so much they had to talk about. He was impatient; restless.

"Son..."

He came to a halt, turning to where his dad stood. "Hey, father." Distress was written all over his face, anxious at his presence. "How about we sit down?" He made a move towards his chair.

"I didn't come to have a meal with you, Adrien," he deadpanned, his hands connected behind his back. His son's body went limp, his expression switched to shock at the impact of his words. He shrunk into himself, frowning in disappointment. "I wanted to tell you something."

"What is it, father?" he whimpered. At this point, Adrien really was giving up. On everything and specifically, everyone.

"I've noticed you've been asking to spend time out more often these days. And it's come to my mind that your friends are a very bad influence, son."

This hit a sensitive part within him.

Adrien barely had anyone. He didn't have that many people to influence him like his father had implied. It hurt him to no end having such a realization dawn upon him. And suddenly, anger was all he could feel. It bubbled within his chest, and if it ever was a taste, it seemed to be the only thing he'd been tasting for a while. His eyebrows knitted together. "What friends are you talking about, father? Is it Chloe? Because her and I don't talk anymore. If it's Nino, then rest assured, he's too busy with his girlfriend. Or maybe it's Kagami, who can't even look me in the face. So enlighten me, what friends are you talking about exactly? Because they all left."

Gabriel and Nathalie were taken aback by his unexpected outburst. They could sense the despair and agony behind his voice. For a second, he thought his son would make an awesome villain, but the love he deep down had for him inhibited his desire for Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous. Just a bit, but not enough.

"Don't talk to your father this way. It's so unlike you, Adrien." Nathalie scowled.

"You expect so much from me. And I can't give you that. I can't be the perfect son you wish I'd be. For once, all I want is to be me." His eyes begged Gabriel to free him as they harbored an emotion he'd never seen on his son before.

"This talk is completely useless," he said, his tone strict and demanding. "I'm taking you out of school. It's done enough damage."

"No," he choked out, shaking his head. "It's you who's done all the damage."

"Adrien!" He growled, his fists clenched so tight that his fingernails dug into the flesh of his palm.

"Leave me alone," he pleaded. "I've disappointed everybody. And I just want some time to myself." Walking away, his saddened gaze never once left the floor. When he'd made it into his room, he sunk to his knees, shivering.

Plagg floated up to his face, compassionate towards his owner.

"What have I done, Plagg?"

All these feelings were building up inside of him, fighting to dominate his heart. His relationships were turning to fragments of broken trust and misery. Each one of them. He couldn't stand it anymore.

"There's one person you can rely on..." His kwami placed a hand to his holder's cheek.

"I know. You're the only one left, Plagg." His tone was soft and genuine. He believed his kwami was the greatest gift. Even if he'd tried giving him up multiple times, it was just because he was afraid of being the one to let him down.

"I'm not talking about me, anyone would be lucky to have me around." This cocky little cat. "I meant that lady friend of yours. Marinette, isn't it? You still have her." Before Adrien could process his words, Plagg's eyes widened. "No, no, no."

An obscure butterfly flew directly into his ring, and a wicked voice was all he could hear. "Heartbreaker, I am Shadowmoth. You've been hurt by those you've loved. They left you at your worst, and now your loneliness is your only companion."

Adrien's hands shot up to his temples, desperate to shut out the forced connection. "Stop it..." He struggled against his restraint. "Stop it!"

"To get your revenge, I'm giving you the power of tearing apart people's hearts. So they could experience what you've been through," he yelled, a throaty laughter escaping him at the upper hand he's gained.

"I... I don't want revenge on anybody." His voice trembled with sorrow, his entire body shaking. His weakness shouldn't get to him. Not like that.

"Adrien," Plagg cried, careful to remain at the side and away from possible perception, "Please, please, please, fight back. You're stronger than that." He encouraged him, standing by his holder's ear. He never once thought of letting go, and Adrien had to win for Plagg.

"But they betrayed you. Accept your powers and you won't regret it. In return, I ask of you to bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous."