SPITE.「Marichat AU」

two.

MARINETTE

Love. 
It's what she's always felt towards her home. 
Paris, the city of love. 
The only city in her heart. Big enough to fit it all.

Marinette had spent most of her day reading a book. A biography of a famous Parisian fashion designer. Her parents had flown out of the country a week ago. They'd be gone for another one at least. They were visiting her mother's cousins back in China. Marinette had turned down the offer to come along because she wanted to enjoy her summer break completely. Despite her insisting that she could take care of the bakery, her parents had closed it. In truth, for one girl to be running Paris' best bakery would be hell. She probably would have no time for herself, which was the opposite of what she wished to have.

It was quite freeing for a girl of her age to be home alone. She made her meals when she wanted to and had fun with them. She could talk to Tikki all she wanted to around the house. As loud as she wanted to. The week that had passed had left Marinette refreshed and even loaded with more motivation to finish her current designs. These days she was always working overtime. She had to learn to keep herself preoccupied ever since... it happened. The memories of that day caused a strong pang in her stomach, her heart too. The burden she carried ever since then was most likely the biggest that she'd have in her life. Ever. 

Taking a break after so much reading was naturally needed. She didn't even check the time, it was past nine in the evening or later. She had stepped out and leaned against the railing of her balcony. The potted plants on her side were thriving, many of them liking the nightlight more. Marinette's blue eyes were set on the park in front of her.
It brought her so many good memories.
Memories of him and with him.
Memories she could not afford to lose ever.
During nights like this, she could reminisce them all, lived tiny bits of them again. Feel the warmth in her heart. Almost remember the exact feeling and the radiance of his smile. Memories almost filled the large hole his absence had left in her.
She was far too oblivious and vulnerable like this. 

As anyone would, Marinette turned around when her ears caught a soft thud.
Behind her wasn't standing just anyone.
It was him.
It couldn't be him.
Vulnerable is exactly what she felt right now.
Maybe it was just her mind playing games with her. Like an illusion. A very, very realistic illusion of Chat Noir standing on her balcony. Then he moved. A chilling sense of fear ran through her spine. Her pair of blue eyes were now wide. Her pulse picked up seconds later, speeding up and making her breathing rapid. Without realizing she had backed up against the railing, her back was touching the cold metal. Her chest fell and raised, she wished she could say something, anything. But all Chat received was a young girl whose mouth was gaped slightly and her eyes were barely taking him in. Maybe the surprise of her shocked reaction had displayed on his face too.

To Marinette, this was a lie.
A nightmare, perhaps?
Was Rena Rouge playing games with her?
Making a carbon copy of her partner to see her reaction.
If she touched him she would know. Less than a second later, she knew she wouldn't even be able to attempt that. The shock had not passed, but Mari wanted to hide right now. To huddle under a blanket in her bed and cry. She tried to step towards her trapdoor, but that only resulted in Chat drawing closer.
She felt like a rabbit and just like a tiny bunny, so much stress was making her break down. The ravenette fell to her feet and brought her legs over her chest. The tears building up in her eyes were like a waterfall, insistent to roll down her cheeks and fall on the ground. She didn't care if crying to an illusion made her look weak or stupid.
Maybe however was running it would make it stop.
End the suffering of Paris' heroine.
But it didn't stop.
Chat Noir was very much real.
She came to the conclusion when he had crouched to touch her.
At that, she flinched and then froze.

"Marinette? What's wrong? I didn't mean to scare you so bad." 

All she could hear was his voice. Her vision was blurry and maybe her world was spinning. The glossy tears in her eyes would not let her see him anyway. She wasn't strong enough to reply or to look at him. She noticed his voice was different. Deeper than before and maybe that was her last memory of him. Or if he had survived, then he had grown up. Right now the girl wished her emotional support, who really was her kwami alone, knew what was happening. But the creature had fallen asleep and Mari hadn't bothered to wake her, because none of this was supposed to be taking place.
Chat Noir continued to apologize, so much he almost fumbled his words. In a few minutes, he stopped and helplessly sat down next to the girl. The warmth of his body against hers drove her crazy. They were barely touching, yet it felt so comforting. Familiar too.  

Once Marinette's crying had tuned down and her sobs quietened, she dared gaze at the blonde. His face behind the mask had changed just slightly. His hair was still the same color as sunray, it was just shorter. And even his cat eyes the same green. She could tell from before that his body had changed too. He was more muscular and something about him was different.
This wasn't her Adrien.
He was not the same.
It took the cat under a minute to sense she was staring.
He cocked his head in her direction and offered a nervous smile. 
"Marinette? It's just me. It's Chat Noir. I don't understand- why is everyone acting so strange?" 

The confusion in his voice was definitely real.
It was almost impossible to think that he was faking this.
"What's wrong?" The last time he asked that damned question broke her.
It made her stomach curl.
'So much is wrong, Chat! What do you think? You show up after a year of your death and-' her mind was screaming. She failed to voice any of it.
"You're supposed to be dead!" The girl felt like yelling too, but the emotion had just turned into a loud whisper. She sobbed a few more times.
"Dead?" Chat Noir asked in disbelief. Then he let out laughter. "I don't remember dying. This has to be a sick joke that Paris is pulling on me, huh?" 
If his laughter wasn't full of mockery, maybe it would make her feel better.
"You died a year ago," Mari mumbled, trying to not relive that day again.
"A year ago is when Ladybug betrayed me," Chat replied. 

Marinette wasn't a feisty girl. She wasn't mean either- she rarely snapped at someone for words. She knew how to keep her cool. Hearing these words from her partner's mouth made her hot with anger.
Ladybug had never hurt Chat Noir.
She had never betrayed him.
Clearly, a big piece of this puzzle was missing. 

"Excuse me? Ladybug wouldn't hurt anyone and she for sure would not betray Chat Noir." Marinette felt so hurt at his remark, it gave her the strength to stand up and turn her back to him.
"Except that she did," Chat had crossed his arms. 
"You're dead! I don't know who is playing games with me, but Chat Noir is dead." The girl's voice was gathering depth and volume. Her hands gripped the railing until her knuckles turned white.
"Marinette. This joke is not funny. It's getting tiring to tell you that I am in fact very much alive." The way he kept insisting was intense. 

Her head was spinning.
She felt lost, his words were confusing her.
The traumatic experience from a year ago was always fresh on her mind. He had died, right before her eyes. Right before she could save him. Surely she knew what she was talking about. The only way to find out if he was lying was to ask him a bunch of questions. 
"How old are you?" She bit her lip at the stupidity of this question.
Then added, "You don't look eighteen to me." 
From behind, Chat had laughed. "Because I am not. That was five years ago. Why would you assume I'm eighteen?" 
Marinette spun on heels around. She saw in his face what he said was the truth.
"You were that old when you died. You should be nineteen right now-" she spoke. Marinette then covered her mouth. 

Years of being a guardian had taught her a thing or two. Marinette had read not one book about kwamis and their powers. She knew the existence of other jewelry with different powers. She just didn't know what those powers would be. Taking a deep breath in she looked at her former partner. "Chat, tell me what happened a year ago."