Adrienette: Unfolding Love

Chapter Two: Coffee

Third Person's POV

Marinette slumped to the floor, sobbing endlessly. Nathaniel's words clawed at her heart, tearing at her very soul. She couldn't do this. She hastily grabbed at the broken glass at the floor, cutting her hands in the process, gathering all the shards into her hands. She clutched the glass to her chest, blood dribbling down her palms.

The glass shards were just like her heart.

Broken.

Cut.

Dangerous; you shouldn't touch it.

But it has to be dealt with.

Marinette got to her feet, her legs wobbling, and stumbled into her room, where a sad little Tikki was nibbling on a cookie halfheartedly. Her big kwami eyes were pooling with tears. Poor, innocent little Tikki had heard every single word.

"Tikki," Marinette said, emotion crackling in her voice. "Can we transform? I... I need some time." Tikki nodded, and Marinette transformed into her alter ego, Ladybug.

But that didn't mean the pain went away.

Ladybug cried the whole way as she zipped to the Eiffel Tower, Nathaneal's words replaying over and over in her mind. Hot tears leaked out of her eyes as she landed at the base of the ginormous monument, pain coursing through her veins. Ladybug started to climb up the tower, her special abilities allowing her to cling to the sides of it. She stumbled as her foot caught in the nook of the beams. She hoisted herself back up and continued to climb, emotions fueling her perilous journey.

Once she got to the top platform, she collapsed, pain overwhelming her. She sobbed, hot tears flowing out of her eyes, her voice hoarse and cracking. She hunched to the floor, unaware of a sly black cat watching her in the starry night.

-*-

Adrien stumbled into an alley, lifting his shirt and glancing at Plagg, who was staring at him with sad glowing eyes. "Plagg," Adrien choked. "Can I transform? It's faster to get up the tower that way." Plagg raised his eyebrows (if he has any) at the crying young man.

"Can't you stay at your father's rather then at the tower?" Plagg asked, snuggling into Adrien for warmth in the chilly evening. "I don't wanna talk with my dad," Adrein glared, tears seeping out from his eyes. "Just take me to the tower, please."

Plagg sighed, and then Adrien transformed into Chat Noir. Chat bounded out of the alley and started to run up the tower, using his staff to propel him up the side. Chat got to the tippy-top of the tower quickly, and he relaxed on the pinpoint of the monument, tears still streaming down his face. He stayed there for a while, letting the emotions and heartbreak overwhelm him, when something caught his eye.

A figure, clad in red, racing up the side of the tower. The figure stumbled, her foot catching in the beams, but then got up and started to run again. Ladybug? Chat asked himself. Her ebony hair flowed in the breeze, and her porcelain skin glowed faintly in the moonlight. She looked pretty from afar, but as she neared Chat sucked in a breath.

She was crying. Crying her heart out. Tears streamed down her face, and her cerulean eyes were rimmed with red. Someone hurt her. Chat's heart plummeted, then rose up again as anger flooded him. Sure, he didn't love Ladybug romantically anymore, but she was his best friend. And nobody hurts his best friend.

He watched as Ladybug reached the top platform and crashed to the ground, letting out horrible, heart-aching sobs. She curled up into a ball, shaking uncontrollably. Chat growled and jumped off the pinpoint, landing in front of the shaking heroine.

"Ladybug?" Chat whispered uncertainly, crouching in front of the young woman. There was a starry silence as the stars gleamed, and Chat could hear Ladybug sniffle. Then she looked up at the famous cat, and the anger inside of Chat boiled.