The Line Between Love And Hate

Chapter 6: It's The Charm

~Adrien~
Just as Marinette and I were about to notify Tikki and Plagg that we needed to talk to them we got a message about an emergency meeting. At this very moment we're walking toward the meeting room.

From the side of my eye I can see Marinette fidgeting with something in her hand. I slightly turn my head to see what it is. I don't get a good look, but I can recognize that from anywhere. I let out a quiet gasp.

I turn away just before she turns to give me a confused look. She shrugs it off and redirects her attention to her hands. It's the charm. The lucky charm we gifted each other. She kept it? Why would she do that? "Is that-" "Hm? Oh! This?" She asks as she holds it up.

My eyes land on it. Now that I get a better look at it I feel my heart sink a little. I don't know why, but part of me is hurt. I shouldn't care. She's not my friend anymore. I don't care for her. I have absolutely no connections to her other than this case. So why is it that deep down I have this feeling in my stomach? Why do I feel like I'm going to throw up?

"No. This isn't the one you're thinking of. Luka gave it to me a few years ago. The one you gave me is long gone." "Long gone?" I ask and she nods. "What do you mean by that?" "Does it matter? I'm sure you don't have the one I gave you." "Of course not princess. Why would I want to hold onto that piece of junk?"

~Marinette~
Piece of junk? What the hell! I worked hard making that for him just to call it a piece of junk? Ugh I'm seriously going to murder this guy the first chance I get!

The truth is... I never actually got rid of his charm. I don't carry it on me anymore for obvious reasons, but I never had the heart to actually throw it out. I put it in a box and shoved it in the back of my closet along with the rest of my Adrien mementos. I guess a part of me thought he would've done the same.

This just shows me that I clearly wasn't as important to him as he was to me. Whatever... It doesn't matter anymore. This is in the past. I'm a completely different person now and so is he. We're not friends. We're barely even partners. I don't care what he does with our memories because I chose to bury them deep down along time ago.

"What do you think this meeting is about?" Adrien asks as we get to the door. I shrug and shove the charm in my pocket. "I don't know. Let's just get it over with." I open the door and we walk in.

"Great! You're here." Plagg says as he and Tikki lay a few more files on the table. "What's going on?" Adrien asks as we take a seat across from them.

"We don't have anymore time to train you guys." Tikki says. "Why? What's going on?" "Take a seat." We do as we're told and Plagg slides a few files towards me. "We've found a few murders connected to this case." "Murders?" They nod.

~Adrien~
Marinette opens the file and immediately gasps. "Oh my god!" "What is it?" I ask. "It's Mr. Ramier." I grab the file from her and flip through it. "Not just him Marinette." "Who else?" She asks and leans towards me to get a closer look.

I flip through the pictures for her to see. "Oh my god! He killed Officer Roger, Ms. Bustier, Kim, Marc..." She continues naming the list as I flip through. I turn my head slightly to get a look at her and see tears in her eyes.

This son of a bitch killed a lot of the people we know. He won't get away with this. I won't let him.

I look up to Plagg and Tikki who's faces are filled with sorrow. I close the file and drop it on the table. "What now?" I ask. "It's time the both of you take action on this case. We're leaving it in your hands." "What do you mean? You're not going to help us?" I ask and they shake their heads.

"This is your case now. We have bigger projects to work on, but if you need us we'll help you. All the information and leads are in those files." Tikki says. "You two are the best in the business. We trust that you'll catch him." Plagg adds before they walk out.

~Marinette~
I grab the file from the table and as I keep flipping through the pictures I feel my heart break and crumble more and more. "Oh my god... oh my god... oh my-"

"Nothing I'm not used to hearing princess, but I don't think it's appropriate under these circumstances." "How can you even make jokes right now?" I pause and wipe my tears. "Are you not seeing this?" "It's nothing we haven't seen before."

"This is different Adrien! We know these people! How can you be so insensitive?" I look up at him just in time to see his eyes darken. He grabs the files from my hand. "This is part of the job. Leave your emotions out of it. If you can't handle this then quit." He gets up and walks out.

"Asshole." I mumble before following him. "What the hell is your problem?" "You're my problem! You're too much in your emotions." In this moment my mouth acts before my brain and I say words I would never in a million years imagine saying to Adrien.

"I'm sorry."

He stops in his tracks and turns to face me. "What?" "You heard me the first time. I'm not going to repeat myself." I walk over to him and grab the files.

"I just want to get this case over with. And by the looks of it you're going to be in my life until then. So can we at least try to argue as little as possible?"

He looks at me, contemplating if what I just told him is some sort of trap or if I'm being genuine. At this point I don't even know what I'm doing. I'm 100% sure Adrien and I are not capable of being civil with each other.

"Not a chance princess." He grabs the files back from me and walks away.