Run Away With Me || Alyanette

Run Away With Me

Alya took a deep breath and looked at her best friend. Marinette struggled to keep her tears at bay. Alya opened her mouth as if trying to get the courage to speak her mind. It wasn't going to be easy. To let her down that is. "Marinette... I can't make this decision for you." Marinette nodded solemnly. She had expected this answer, didn't mean it would be any easier to accept.

"I figured so. I knew you wouldn't make the decision for me- and I don't blame you! I just knew it was going to happen." Alya looked at the ground, trying to distract herself from the guilt she felt. 

"Listen... I'm sorry, Marinette. I really am." Marinette gave a weak smile - or what was the closest to a smile that she could conjure up.

"You've done nothing wrong. There's no need to apologise, okay?" Alya stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Marinette's waist. Marinette brought her arms up, hugging Alya back.

"I'll stand by you with whatever decision you make, okay? Just, please, make it the right one. I don't want you to suffer." Marinette became aware of her best friend's breathing on her neck. Alya was always so warm. It brought her solace she couldn't quite explain.

They pulled away from one another; the tanned teen placed a comforting hand on the baker's shoulder. "Stay safe, please. I love you, M." Marinette felt her heart flutter; she denied her heart the desires it craved.

"I love you too, Alys." With an encouraging smile, Alya left, closing the hatch to Marinette's room quietly behind her. She was practically family after being friends with Marinette for almost five years. She had a spare key to the apartment too. It's how she saved Marinette from many punishments (aka being grounded.) 

With Alya gone, Marinette felt alone. Empty. She sat down in her computer chair, setting her hands out in front of her. She suddenly realised how nervous she felt, her hands practically vibrating. She placed them on the cool desk to try and sturdy them in even the slightest. Tikki glanced up at her from the mouse pad. 

"So you're seriously considering it, aren't you?" Marinette nodded. "You're giving up being Ladybug..." Marinette felt guilt pile on her like a waterfall, only more painful. She resisted the urge to look away, knowing she had to stick by her choices. 

"T-Tikki, I'm sorry. I can't do it anymore, it's just-" Tikki raised a "hand". Marinette stopped talking.

"I'm not mad, Marinette. I'm disappointed. Not at you, but that we won't be close anymore. We won't be friends. And you aren't the first to give up being Ladybug, you know? I don't doubt you will be the last either. You have the heart but not the mind. And that's okay. Stuff happens that we can't control; I get it."

How could Tikki be so understanding? She was about to lose a friend that she had become close with for the past five years and she wasn't mad, she didn't want to hurt Marinette or yell at her. Nothing. She was upset but calm. The world needed individuals like Tikki. 

"I have a plan... I know what I'm going to do. But I don't think you'll like it..." Tikki didn't respond, only looked at her, listening to what she had to say. "I'm going to give the Miracle Box and these earrings to Kagami. She's better at this stuff than I am. I let my feelings get in my way and she knows when she needs to use logic."

"Marinette, you can't run from your problems-" Marinette continued talking.

"Kagami can give stability to Chat and provide a different viewpoint that Shadow Moth hasn't even thought of! She can trick him and maybe, she can catch him! She can give Chat the friend he needs, not a flaky "friend" who is constantly exploding at him! I've done it for five years and as much as I hate to say it, Shadow Moth has defeated me, I can't do this anymore - it hurts. Every damn day I wake up wishing the world would end, hoping for an easy escape from all my problems! Like some magical miracle would exist! But miracles don't happen and they especially don't happen to me." She took a slow, deep, breath. "Leaving this place is my best bet."