Ladrien June 2022

Sentimonster

I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY S5 EPISODES YET, SO NO SPOILERS! However, this oneshot touches on plot points that are mentioned in S5, cuz not even I could avoid everything. I ONLY know that Nathalie is kinda not on Gabe's side anymore, I don't know how it happened or why. That being said, I hope you enjoy this one! ALSO! TW for Adrien having a panic attack. If that is too damaging to your mental health, please feel free to skip this one and I'll see you tomorrow!                                                                                                                                       -Colorado

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Adrien remembered a time when life seemed so simple. Back when his biggest concern was his next modeling shoot. Back when he felt as though he and Ladybug were invincible. Yeah, his dad sucked but he thought that he would change. As if. He missed his mother, but he faced every day as an opportunity to make her proud.

Of course in the moment, things weren't as clean as Adrien liked to remember. Missing his mother and his father growing distant really took a toll on him. He still had to deal with a lot of crazy fans at his school, and he and Ladybug hadn't grown close, yet. He had a small friend group that consisted of Nino, and then eventually Alya and Marinette joined in. Life wasn't all sunshine and rainbows back then, but Adrien pretended like it was.

That was the odd power of nostalgia. He was missing a time he never thought he'd miss. Still, his childhood innocence of the past was much better than the present. Ignorance was bliss, that's how the expression went. Adrien had never believed that expression, ignorance was something his father's stock buyers had. And Adrien did not like stock buyers.

Now, he believed it. Ignorance was bliss, and god did he wish he was still ignorant.

He could hardly hear Ladybug's voice behind him.

"Adrien, are you okay? Adrien?" He heard her saying, rubbing his back.

"How do we know that you're not lying?" Adrien tried to shake off Ladybug, turning to Nathalie.

"I can bring you down to his lair if you'd like. I understand that I haven't given you any reason to trust me."

"Yeah, why the sudden change of heart, Mayura?" Ladybug folded her arms.

"I'm afraid I can't share that information with you, Ladybug." Nathalie remained as stoic as always.

"And why not?" Ladybug's hand hovered over her yo-yo.

"Because it will compromise something about Chat Noir. Something that you have wanted to keep secret for a very long time." Was it just Adrien being paranoid, or did Nathalie's eyes flicker over to him?

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ladybug narrowed her eyes.

"Nothing that you need to know, but believe me when I say it made me realize just who I was working for. I never approved of how he treated you, Adrien, but this crossed the line. I foolishly thought that maybe he would give up on Emilie, maybe he would train his attention on me. I was wrong, and you two paid for it. I can't apologize enough, and that's why I knew I had to contact you. Both of you." Nathalie looked between the two of them.

Adrien gulped. That confirmed his suspicions, Nathalie knew that he was Chat Noir.

"I'm still not convinced. Just what exactly do you know about my partner that you don't?"

"Ladybug, drop it. I believe her." Adrien glanced up at Nathalie, and she gave him a small smile. Adrien could only look away in return.

It was still too painful, thinking about what she did to them. She was Mayura, creating sentimonster after sentimonster to try and defeat them. She had once used his feelings for Ladybug to try and get his miraculous. Going crazy with love... (Adrien glanced at Ladybug) Adrien could understand that. But he used his powers for good, and she used her powers for evil.