Sweet Kisses, Tender Moments

Chapter Seven

    Marinette pressed her face to the cool tiles of the bathroom floor, moaning at the feeling in her stomach. She had been like that the moment she woke up in the morning. The smell of bacon cooking downstairs sent her into a nauseous and hasty sprint to the bathroom where she had emptied her stomach until she dry heaved. It had been a week since that incredible afternoon spent with Adrien. Since then, for some reason, she felt sick whenever she smelled meat. She had never been against meat before, so she couldn't fathom what could be wrong with her.
    Adrien was as attentive as ever. She loved that boy, and he loved her. Their relationship couldn't be better, and she was blissful. Except for, of course, the terrible sickness she'd started feeling a few days ago.
    Strangely, there had been no Akuma attacks for days, and Adrien had become apprehensive. Hawkmoth may be planning something big. Also, Adrien was starting to worry for Mari. She was acting funny, moody and a little irritable. She had become sick during many of his visits from the past couple days. She would spontaneously bolt to the bathroom, and Adrien would rub her back and hold back her hair. He was suspicious as to what to reason for her sickness might be.
    A scream interrupted the boy's thoughts as he and Mari cuddled on the bed in her room. Both of them instantly sat up, ears perked.
"Mari, I need you to stay here. I'll be right back." Adrien smiled reassuringly and placed his hand warmly on his Princess's stomach. She nodded, and smiled back.
"Be safe." She whispered and placed her hand over his. Her stomach twitched at the warmth in their hands. Then Adrien transformed, and he was gone. Mari waited a few minutes before transforming herself, then leaving out the opposite window Chat had used.
"Chat!" Ladybug whisper-yelled to get her cat's attention. He crept along a roof until he reached her. The two superheroes were scouting out the Akuma, or Akumas in this case, along a roof. Every Akuma both her and Chat had seen so far were back... And they were waiting. They had been standing at the same intersection for at least ten minutes, occasionally destroying part of a building or terrorizing a straggler, but mostly just... Waiting.
"We need to figure out why there are so many of them." Ladybug whispered. "I'll go confront them. Be prepared to step in, though." Her voice was thin and airy, but her eyes were solid. Ever since they first started working together as a team, Chat had drawn strength from the unnerving intensity and determination in those sky blue eyes.
    Before stepping out from behind her hiding place, Ladybug place her hand over her chest. She felt the promise ring resting above her heart and under her suit. She took a breath, gathering courage, then stepped directly into the enemy's' line of sight.
"Ladybug! I was wondering when you'd get here. You've kept a very special someone waiting." Lady Wifi grinned, holding her phone menacingly.
"Really? Who?" Ladybug feigned innocence, and grinned right back. All twenty-six artificial villains turned solemn, and parted to make a path. Standing at the back, a tall man dressed in a purple suit and a silver mask stood, a walking stick in one hand. He had what looked like a moth brooch pinned to the black cloth of his tie. Hawkmoth. The only villain she had fought yet never seen in person. Unconsciously, Ladybug took a step back.
"Ladybug... Where is your dear teammate? Chat Noir never misses a fight." Hawkmoth's voice boomed in a malicious, threatening tone. Her throat constricted. She was nervous. Could one weak little girl beat twenty-six villains, and one arch nemesis all by herself? Even with Chat, they were horribly outnumbered.
"He's.... He's previously engaged with something." Her voice was unmoved. Although on the inside she was terrified, on the outside she was the picture of calm and strength.
"I see. Well then... It'll be easier to kill you then. Go ahead, the first one to bring me her miraculous gets their most desired wish." Hawkmoth smiled and waved his hand at the Akumas like telling a dog to fetch. Turning to Ladybug, all of them looked at her with an evil light in their eyes.
    They were on top of her in a matter of seconds, and it was all she could do to keep standing. They were backing her into a wall. She blocked most of their attacks, but some of them got past her defense. Something sharp slashed across the fabric of her chest, thankfully only grazing her. There was a break in their attack that gave Ladybug a chance to swing to relative safety.
    Chat was beside her the moment she landed on the rooftop, out of immediate danger. They ran in the opposite direction of the angry mob, trying to find cover from the ones who could fly. Suddenly, Stormy Weather let loose an arc of blue lightning.
"Adrien!" Ladybug screamed as the energy from that lightning shot through her system. She started to slip, to tip over the edge of the building. The ring that had previously been under her suit crawled out, gravity forcing it upward as Ladybug fell in slow motion. The blood-flecked silver of the ring glinted in the light of the setting sun. The chain writhed in open air as Ladybug reached for her lover. His eyes were wide as he lunged for her.
    Chat's eyes didn't leave the ring for a moment, not even when he just barely grasped her hand and pulled her back up and into his arms. Ladybug.... Is Marinette? She couldn't be! Marinette would keep that from him, especially after he'd given himself to her so completely. The two ducked into the cover of a building. The ring gleamed, words lining the outside. 'I pledge my whole self to you, if you'll have a silly cat like me. I love you, Marinette'. It was exactly the same. Could his life really be this cruel? The girl he loved for years, who rejected him so many times, turned out to be the one who pledged her heart to his? How could that be? Chat wasn't resentful of Marinette for this. If anything, he was more in love with her now than he ever was. He didn't have to give one girl up for the other. He could keep the two of them all rolled up into a lovely mix. They could be together in all forms, and nothing could tear them apart.