deja vu~ miraculous

13 | loneliness

Ladybug
The next few days, Chat Noir barely showed. He didn't come to their morning, afternoon, or nightly patrols, and didn't make ANY puns during any of the akuma attacks. She started to worry. He grew more and more secluded as the days went on, and she could tell he was hiding something. Something big.

She wondered how she could get to him- somehow get him to open up to her. Every time she saw him she tried to lift his spirits, but her attempts were futile. She made lame jokes, told funny stories, she tried everything.

Nothing helped. Another problem she had to worry about was Adrien. He hadn't been in school for the past week and was ignoring everyone's calls. She couldn't lose both of them. She refused to.

Chat Noir was her everything. Her partner in crime. Her second best friend. She couldn't stand to see him so upset and so... alone. They landed on the rooftop where he had saved her, and she took his hands in hers.

"Chat Noir... you know you can tell me anything don't you?" She asked. He only nodded and looked away. "Whatever's bothering you, you don't need to tell me. I understand. You're hurt and it's not easy to try and put everything you're feeling into words."

He looked down, tears budding in the corners of his eyes. "Everything will change." He whispered. "I can't. I can't bear it." She looked at him, and suddenly realized that the pain he was going through was something so much bigger than the two of them. It was big and scary and it was... scaring him.

"Close your eyes." She said, "And don't open them." He closed them tightly, a single tear escaping.

Ladybug took a deep breath, and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Spots off," she whispered. She felt his body tense and his breath accelerate as she tightened her grip.

"See?" she whispered. "It's just me and you. Always Ladybug and Chat Noir, with or without a suit." His grip tightened around her, as if she was the only thing keeping him together.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you, Ladybug."

***

The next few days were better. Chat Noir was in better spirits, although she could still tell there was something bothering him. He did however, show up to their usual patrols, and even threw in a pun or two here and there. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him. It wasn't until he lost all of his light that she realized how much she thrived on his stupid puns and how happy his smile made her- how special she felt whenever he gave her compliments, how much she loved when he called her M'Lady.

She hadn't realized how much she relied on his positivity and humor to get through her day- she hadn't realized how much she needed him.

Besides Chat Noir, Adrien still did not make an appearance in school. She asked Nino, and he only shrugged and said he wasn't answering him either. She decided to do something.

"Marinette, are you sure about this?" Alya asked as Marinette walked determinedly to the Agreste mansion after school. "Yes Alya, he could be hurting and we wouldn't even know! I need to make sure he's okay."

"Yes but how exactly are you going to do that? Waltz on in, say "A-Adrien how be you? I mean how you be? I MEAN-"" Alya threw her hands this way and that, spinning around and jokingly collapsing on the ground.

Marinette laughed. "This time will be different. I'm sure of it!"

"You said that last time." Alya said, raising an eyebrow. They went back and forth for a little while, until the giant gates were right in front of them.

"Soooo how exactly do you plan on getting in?"

"It's really quite simple." Marinette said happily. "I go up to the camera, state my name- they most likely remember me from the times I've been there before- and I'm going to say I need to bring him some schoolwork that he's missed."

"What if they don't let you in?"

Marinette faltered. "Well I guess then we'll just have to see what happens right?"

"Well you better figure it out now. The camera thingy is popping out."

"EEK- um hella! I mean hello! I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and I'm here to deliver some unfinished work- I mean work that needs to be finished, to Adrien!" She smiled wide and held up the folder to the camera.

There was no response. The drop-off box popped out and waited for her to drop it in. "Um- I need to deliver it to him personally because um-" she looked at Alya for help, who merely shrugged and shook her head.

"Becauseeeee we're in a project together! I mean working on a project together! I need to go over a few things with him to make sure he stays on track!" She crossed her fingers and prayed that the goddess of love would appease her.

There was a long pause, then the gates opened. Marinette squealed and jumped for joy as she made her way in. "Bye Alya!" She waved.

"Good luck Marinette!" She responded. "You're gonna need it."