I Trusted You

Pained Souls

Shadowmoth continued akumatizing different targets everyday at absurd timings. Ladybug and Chat Noir were both confused with what Shadowmoth's ploy was. On Monday it was Troublemaker, then Pixelator and all of this absurdity went on for days. 

Ladybug would always call in other superheroes, and Chat Noir would rarely use his cataclysm. He felt bitter about all this, but never uttered a word in fear of ruining everything. Nevertheless, he'd get more saddened each day.

On a dull Monday, Ladybug sat in near the sunset, watching the twilight set at Montparnasse Tower, rambling frustatedly. "What is Shadowmoth playing? He's never done this before."

Chat Noir didn't say anything. He had gotten very distant with Ladybug and barely talked.

Ladybug looked at him. "Chat Noir?"

"Hmm. Right."

Ladybug frowned. "Chat, are you even listening to me?"

"I am."

"You're talking so less nowadays. What's up with you?"

Chat Noir suddenly felt infuriated for a hot second. Ladybug didn't care how he was feeling. She didn't care at all. She didn't even try to find out why he was so gloomy. He bet that she didn't even think about him throughout the day in her normal life.

He glared coldly at Ladybug. "What's up with me? WHAT'S UP WITH ME? It's not as if YOU'D know, all mighty Ladybug!" he spat angrily.

Ladybug was taken aback. Hurt and confused, she felt her lip trembling. "W-what?"

Chat Noir suddenly realized just what he had done and quickly recoiled. "Nothing."

"What nothing? What is going on with you, Chat Noir? Why are you so... cold?"

"I'm not cold. I just... um. Civilian life stuff," he fibbed.

Ladybug wasn't convinced. "Then why did you just shout at me?"

"Didn't mean to. That anger wasn't meant for you," Chat Noir lied.

"Then who was it meant for?"

"Oh would you look at the time! It's getting late, bye!" he said and ran off from the tower, jumping his stick.

Ladybug was left confused at the tower, watching him disappear into the darkness.

----

"Why was he so angry, Tikki?" Marinette asked sadly. "Did I... did I do something wrong?"

"You said it was something to do with his civilian life, Marinette. What reason would he have to be mad at you?"

She looked down. "I don't know... but it hurt a lot."

Tikki lifted Marinette's chin. "Marinette, don't blame yourself for everything. You didn't do anything."

"I guess. But... I don't want Chat Noir to be mad at me," Marinette said with a broken look on her face. "He means too much to me..."

----

Gabriel called back yet another one of his sentimonsters, which he had sent off to find Ladybug and Chat Noir to spy on them. He had seen the little outburst that Chat Noir had had. "More arguments. Just what I need," he said.

He wanted to tear Ladybug and Chat Noir apart so he could go through with his plan. So far, everything was how he wanted it to be.

All he had to do now was wait.

-----

Marinette stared ahead at the blackboard, not even bothering to pay attention to what Ms. Bustier was saying. Her mind kept drifting to what Chat Noir had said the day before. It was a deep wound in her heart, and she still didn’t know whether he meant to say it to her or if he was just frustrated with his civilian life. She was on edge the whole school day.

When the last class finally finished, everyone began packing up their things, preparing to go home. Alya waved at Marinette. “I gotta go, girl. Ella and Etta want to play video games today with Nino and I. Come on, Nino,” she said and left with Nino following her behind.

Marinette didn’t even notice. She slowly picked up her notebook, stuffing it into her bag, still deep in thought. She was so slow that by the time she was done packing up, almost the whole class had left. Adrien noticed this and gazed at her worriedly. “Marinette, are you okay?”

She blinked. “Me? Yes, I’m… fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

She bit her lip. “Adrien…what do you do if someone lashes out at you and then tells you they didn’t mean to?”

Adrien frowned. “Huh? Who lashed out at you?” The situation sounded familiar but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“A… friend. He looked really mad.” She trembled slightly, sitting down on her seat.

Adrien’s frown softened as he went towards her seat, sitting down next to her.

“Marinette… if he didn’t mean it, he didn’t. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“B-but what if he did mean it? I’m sorry, Adrien, I’m so pathetic, you must be thinking-“ She was cut off by his fingers on her lips.

“No, Marinette. You’re not pathetic. I know you’ve been going through so much and… well, that guy must be idiotic,” he said.

“He’s not. He’s been off lately and it’s my fault I didn’t intervene. I’ll ask him tomorrow.”

“Marinette, I’m sure it isn’t your fault. But yes, you should talk to him tomorrow.” Adrien thought for a moment before giving Marinette a hug. She froze up a little but then hugged him back.

Adrien’s cheeks were tinted as they pulled away. Marinette smiled at him, her eyes shining. Beautiful, he thought. He didn’t know where his weird thoughts were coming from.

“Adrien, thank you so much for comforting me. You’re the best,” she said. Adrien was rendered speechless for a moment until he coughed and smiled shyly. “No problem, Marinette.”

----

"What was up with you yesterday?” was the first thing Ladybug asked Chat Noir when he arrived at their patrol spot.

He glanced at her. “Oh, sorry Ladybug. Something was just… bothering me in my civilian life.”

Ladybug noted how he still didn’t call her any nickname but she didn’t comment. She softened. “Chat Noir… I’m there for you, you know?”

“Yes, but I can’t give any details about my civilian life.”

She patted his shoulder. “I know, Chat. I’m so glad you aren’t mad at me,” she said, still not fully convinced but relieved nevertheless.

He nodded. “Let’s go patrol,” he said.

Ladybug wasn’t aware of the bitter fact that he was concealing his emotions. Underneath the depths of his dense, pained soul was deep disappointment which he was trying his best to keep under control of. All his emotions were struggling to not resurface.

Chat Noir, too, wasn’t knowing of the fact that Ladybug was broken inside. She had tucked away all the pain and misery about her guardianship, her personal life problems, and her fears of Chat Noir being snatched away from her deep inside the layers of her tarnished heart.

But, the question was, would they be able to keep that misery locked away long enough?