Faceless

Chapter 11: The Face Behind the Mask

TW: in this chapter there's descriptions of burns. It's not too detailed, but you're warned if you're grossed out.

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"Marinette! What are you doing here? Go away!" said Faceless as soon as he saw Marinette in the hall, walking decisively towards him, a smile curling her lips.

"I told you I would be back, Adrien."

He froze for a moment and the ethereal mask of Papillombre appeared on his face, but he shook his head. "No. I won't hurt Marinette. She's done nothing to deserve it. Leave me alone!" he shouted, causing the ethereal mask to fade away, but when he looked again towards Marinette, he gasped and jerked backwards. "I told you to go away!"

He started moving backwards, but Marinette's dazzling smile didn't falter as she kept moving closer.

"I'm not going anywhere," she told him, her hands reaching out and grabbing his free hand. He pulled it away as if Marinette's hands burned him, but she followed his movements and grabbed his hand again.

"Why do you want me to hurt you? Please leave..."

She shook her head. "You won't hurt me."

"How can you be so sure?" he whined. "I'm not sure of anything anymore, Marinette. All I want is for someone to love me, and instead I end up hurting the people I love and respect, and getting myself being hurt by yet another rejection."

At that, Marinette lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry," she said, but Faceless interrupted her,

"Why should you be? It's not your fault. None of this is your fault!"

The grip of Marinette's hands on his grew stronger. She looked down, her heart racing at a thousand miles per hour as a bright blush spread all over her face and neck. She took a big breath and closed her eyes briefly.

"It is," she whispered. She looked straight where she knew his eyes were, the presence of the mask making it easier for her to keep hold of her courage. She closed her eyes again and took yet another big breath. Then, she opened her eyes and looked at him. "Had I not been such a fool, wanting to control everything and keep rehearsing for the perfect words, trying to set up the perfect moment, the perfect location, the perfect whatever...instead of paying attention to you, you wouldn't have gotten so hurt. I'm so sorry, Adrien, I should have gathered my courage ages ago. But instead, I kept pushing it away. I kept pushing you away."

He was motionless, and because of the absence of his face, Marinette didn't know how to interpret his silence, nor how to interact with him. She blushed further as she eyed him shyly. "I know you know now, and seeing that you're still trying to keep me safe, even as an akuma, is breaking my heart."

He still didn't move. He still said nothing. That mask was getting more and more annoying. She leaned forward and placed both hands at the side of his head. He jerked away.

"Don't touch me. What do you want from me?" Adrien made to push her hands away, but her grip on his faceless mask grew stronger.

"Nothing," she murmured. "I only want you to listen to me, Adrien, please. Can you listen to me just for a moment?" He froze and nodded slowly, as she gulped dryly before continuing, "I...uh, I'm in love with you, as you already found out. I know I'm not much, but whatever I am, I'm all yours. I...ve loved you from the first day I met you, when you showed me that gorgeous boy you are behind the masks you wear every da—"

He gasped. "What are you talking about?"

"That day, when you gave me your umbrella, Adrien. You opened up and showed me your vulnerable side, the side that you cover with thick layers of masks every day. The side that is what you really are. You're such a wonderful boy, so gentle, kind, honest, generous. When I saw how beautiful you are, I couldn't help but fall for you; and hard." She wanted to add more, but he started laughing, making the words die in her throat. He grabbed one of her hands that rested on his mask as he cackled, and squeezed it so hard it started to hurt her.