I Am Strong

Weak

"This may be the worst day of my life Alya!" Marinette was in her room talking to Alya on the phone. She had just got back from school, and Alya was sick so she had to stay home.

"Just calm down and tell me what happened." Alya attempted to calm the angered/embarrassed girl.

"Chloe happened! Like always! Honestly, 90% of the akuma attacks are caused by her!" Marinette yelled.

"What'd she do?"

"She started teasing me because I tripped and fell going down the stairs at school-"

"Are you ok?!" Alya interrupted, concerned.

"Yes, my nose bled a little but I'm fine. Anyways, so she was teasing me about everything like my clothes, my hair, my attitude, my clumsiness, everything. I was trying to ignore her as I was wiping my nose. The Adrien came over-"

"OHMIGOSH HE DID?!" Alya screeched. Marinette had to pull the phone away from her ear then put it back.

"Yes he did. But that's the worst part. He chased off Chloe then took me to the nurse. And for once, I didn't stutter or make a fool of myself. But then I thanked him. He asked if Chloe did that a lot. I said yes, blah blah blah. But then I asked him a stupid question. I asked him 'why did you help me?' Guess what he said next?!"

"Oh I don't know, considering you were talking like a normal person, he confessed his undying love?"

"NOPE! He said 'I just saw someone in need of protecting. So I stepped up. Honestly Marinette, you always seem in need of protecting or saving. Don't you think you should start protecting yourself?' And I did the dumbest thing in the world."

"What did you do?" Alya asked, curiosity and surprise evident in her voice.

"I slapped him. In the face. I had SCREAMED at him as well. I screamed 'shut up! You don't even know me! I do protect myself! More than you think! In fact I protect you, and Alya, and more people than you think! Just because I was ignoring Chloe doesn't mean I can't protect myself! I'm not as weak as people think! Just because I can't talk to my crush doesn't mean I'm weak! Just because I'm shy doesn't mean I'm weak! I have more strength than you think! You'd be surprised what I'm even capable of!' Then I stormed out of the school with my nose still bleeding and Adrien clutching his cheek."

".....Do I even have to mention how stupid you are? You just slapped you crush!"

"I know. But I wasn't thinking. I don't want people viewing me as weak."

"Well if that's what you want, then stop acting like it."

"What do you mean? Do you...do you think I'm weak?"

"Yes a little, it's hard not to. you kind of...give off a feeling of weakness."

"Oh...listen...I-I got to go. I'll talk to you later. Bye" Marinette hung up.

"Tikki?"

"Yes Marinette?"

"Am I...weak?"

"Of course not! You're anything but weak! You're Ladybug!"

"No I'm not!" Marinette snapped," Ladybug is strong and confident! She always knows what to do! No one would call her weak, not for a second! Marinette on the other hand," Little to Marinette's knowledge, a certain black cat had opened the hatch to her balcony as Tikki hid," I'm clumsy, stupid, rash, childish, weak, annoying, everything she's not! I may as well be nothing compared to her!" Marinette at this point walked over to a picture of her and glared at it.

"Not to mention," she grabbed a pair of scissors and got ready to cut the picture," a waste of space!" She cut the picture into two.

" I wouldn't say that." A deep voice said behind her. She spun around and screamed.

"Honey, are you ok?" Marinette's mother called.

"I'm fine, I just fell!" She called back. She turned to Chat," What are you doing here and how much did you hear?"

"Just you talking yourself down. Starting from clumsy." Marinette stiffened at the same time relaxing. On one hand he didn't hear about her being Ladybug, on the other he heard most of her rant.

"O-oh, what are you doing here."

"A little bird told me you had a bad day and slapped someone."

"..."

"But as I said before, those weren't the words I would use to describe you, princess."

"How would you do that?"

"Hmmm," he hummed in mock thought rubbing his chin.

"I would use the words smart, strong, capable, friendly, adorable, unforgettable, and totally worth the world."

"...you don't even know me. How could you mean that to someone you don't know?"

"But I do know you."

"NO YOU DON'T! MY BEST FRIENDS DON'T EVEN KNOW ME! Only one....person...truly knows me. So how would one of the most famous superheros of paris know me? So if you wouldn't mind I would like to be alone." Chat stood there. Shocked at his princess's actions. First she slapped his civilian form, whom she has a crush on, and then yells at him in his superhero form.

"CAN'T YOU SEE I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU MARINETTE?! WHY WON'T YOU LET ME HELP YOU?!" He yelled. This time Marinette was shocked. But she just looked down and mumbled.

"Because I'm sick of being weak. I don't want to need protection." Chat had to strain his ears to hear her. He looked at her with sympathy as she turned and sat in her chair.

"Are you happy now? Can you leave now?" He sighed.

"Fine. But I'll be back tomorrow." And with that Chat left. With Marinette finally letting the tears lose.