Nightmares (A Ladybug and Chat Noir Fanfic)

Chapter 5

"Chat?" Her voice brought him back to reality, she was looking up at him with flushed cheeks and tears half wiped away. Her eyebrows furrowed questioningly, "I'm okay now so you don't have to stay." Her eyes cast back downward avoiding his green gaze.

"I'm not leaving you like this, you don't have pretend you're okay with me," he urged gently pulling her gaze back up with his fingers under her chin. She looked into his eyes for a moment searching for the silly jokester she was used to as Ladybug but all she found was a serious sincerity. In that moment she became aware of their position, her leaning all her weight against him, his hand light cupping her chin with the the other hand planted in the center of her back. They had been close like this while she was ladybug but there was always her leathery suit between them and it was only in the heat of battle. Now she felt her vulnerability in her thin pj's, luckily her cheeks were already too flushed to show the blush that was creeping up.

She pushed back from him and wrapped the blanket tighter as a barrier between them. Chat let her move into a more comfortable position before sitting crossed legged beside her awaiting an answer. Marinette was quiet, wiping away the rest of the now cold tears on her face.

"Something happened to... to my best friend," she started slowly. Chat Noir thought back to today, did something happen to Alya? Why didn't Nino tell him? "He was hurt, and-and it was all my fault," her voice cracked with emotion. Who could she be talking about? Adrien would've known if it was Nino, did Marinette have friend's outside of school they didn't know about?

"Is he okay?" Chat asked quietly.

"He is now, I fixed everything. But what if I hadn't? What if-" her voice caught with emotion once again and the panic threatened to overwhelm her again.

"If you fixed it then everything's okay right?" Chat said trying to calm her before she spiralled again.

"No, nothing is okay!" She yelled, her anger caught Chat off guard. His instincts told him to move back but he stayed and held her gaze. Her lips quivered and her anger turned to anguish. "I had never seen him like that, he was always so carefree. I didn't think he could- I didn't think I would ever see him that heartbroken. And he told me it was my fault! It was my fault, I was reckless and stupid." She held her arms close to her chest, unable to look at Chat Noir.

"You're not reckless or stupid Marinette, you're kind and compassionate, I'm sure it was a misunderstanding," Chat reasoned.

"No, it wasn't and I'm anything but that. I've been so awful lately I even hurt Alya today and Adrien saw it too," she deflated at the admission.

"What happened with Alya and this Adrien boy?" Chat said fully aware of what happened at the movie.

"We were watching a movie and I don't know something happened in the movie that reminded me of him, and- and it just hurt so bad I couldn't breath. I knew that I should be able to but I just couldn't get any air and it felt like something heavy was on my lungs. Then Alya tried to help but she wouldn't understand so I couldn't tell her and now she's angry at me."

"Isn't Alya your best friend? Why can't you tell her about this boy and what happened?" Chat asked the question that had been plaguing him all evening. Why did she push Alya away?

"I-I just can't Chat, she doesn't know the boy and she can't know what happened," Marinette said weakly. Chat mind was spinning with all this information. How could Marinette have a best friend that he, Nino, and Alya had no idea about. Alya was a journalist! Wouldn't she be able to see a secret like this from a mile away. Chat realized he hadn't replied when Marinette started to get up.

"Thank you you Chat but I should let you get home, it's late," she said standing with her back to him. He stood up quickly and moved in front of her.

"But I never got the chance to ask you for a Pastry! Your parents bakery smells sooo goood," she said tilting his head into her view giving her a lopsided grin. Her eyes widened in shock, she couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh Chaton are really begging for food like an alley cat?" she said between giggles. Chat smiled wider at finally getting her to laugh.

"Paw-lease, I'm withering away here Purr-incess," he dramatically stumbled forwards only to just catch himself on the brick wall. She giggled again before shaking her head at his jokes.

"Alright alright I will get you something, just wait here and try not to die of starvation before I get back," she dropped down through the trapdoor on the roof. Chat leaned back on the wall smiling to himself at his success, now that he had cheered her up as Chat Noir he would just have to do the same thing tomorrow, except without the cat puns of course. She returned a few moments later with a plater of assorted pastries.

"They aren't the freshest but this is what he had left from today," she offered the tray forwards. Chat grinned at the selection and quickly ate a couple macaroons before grabbing a croissant for the road.

"This is claw-some, thank you!" he gave her a wink and turned to leave, "but Marinette if you ever need to talk I'm here okay?" He looked back at her, she hesitated before giving him a nod with a small smile. He waved before pole vaulting away into the night.

Marinette took the plate inside her room where tiki was floating. "You want any Tiki?" She offered the plate forwards.

"Thank you!" TIki said picking up a macaroon, "You should probably get some rest Marinette it already very late."

"I know Tiki I just don't want to sleep because- you know" she replied to the kwami sadly. Tiki flew over to hug Marinette's cheek.

"It will be okay we're all here for you," Tiki gestured to the other floating kwami's who were watching their new guardian with worry, "And Chat Noir will be here to help too!"

Marinette nodded with a glimmer of hope before getting into bed and quickly falling asleep from the exhaustion of the day.