Serendipity (MariChat)

Chapter 5: Euphoria

P.O.V. Marinette

   Run. Run. RUN. I screamed in my head, watching helplessly as Chat was chased by daggers of rose thorns sent by an akumatized Rose. Tikki had been victim to another kwami illness I had yet to understand and was resting at Master Fu's house. 

Run. Please. Chat ran into an alleyway, cornered by a dead end. 

"You have 45 seconds, Chat Noir," Rose Thorns spat, "to try to convince me to spare your pathetic life."

His lime-green eyes flickered up to Rose's light blue, then to my own behind her. 

Chat winced, then fell to his knees, a hand covering the gash on his left side. 

"Chat-" I breathed, warm tears dripping off my chin.

"If you had asked me- cough -asked me to a few weeks ago, I honestly wouldn't have been able to give you an answer." 

   His lips pulled into a sad smile, his gaze still locked onto mine. "For years, I lived in a cold house, with cold doors, cold chairs, a cold bed, a cold father. I lived, if you could call it living, telling myself the same words I repeated day after day: one more day. One more day, and I'd be that much closer to happiness. One more day, and I'd be that much closer to freedom. Soon enough, 'one more day' became 'one more hour' became 'one more minute' became 'one more second'. 

   I was tired. Tired of being cold all the time, of not being able to remember the warmth of my mother. Everyday, I wore a mask, like you do. A mask of happiness, a mask that told everyone I lived 'the life'. But, one day, I met the most amazing girl. Everything about her- just wow. And that smile?" 

   A small, bittersweet laugh escaped his smile, his eyes never leaving mine. "It made me feel warm again. At first, I liked her, she was funny, witty, and stunning. Then, when I got to know her, that's when I really knew; I loved her.  

   'One more day' became 'another day'. 'One more hour' became 'another hour'. 'One more minute' became 'another minute'. 'One more second' became 'another second'. Another second with this girl, another minute of warmth, another hour of happiness. And that, Rose, is why-" Using his staff, Chat straightened, a tear running down his cheek.

"-I can't die just yet." 

Rose raised her right hand, the thorns inching closer and closer to Chat's battered body.

"43. 44. 45. Seems like you've failed. Ha. Love? And how do you know the person you love loves you back? Hm? Why is it-" Rose's voice cracked, tears streaming down her face. "Why is it that I'm always the one that gets left behind? I'm doing you a favor, you know. You won't have to face the pain of unrequited love."

Her hand clenched, and the thorns rushed towards Chat, with no energy to block them.

This smell-blood. It's everywhere. 

I looked down at my chest, dark green daggers protruding from it, my arms and feet wide. Then, it hit. Pain exploded through my body as I collapsed into warm arms-Chat.

"Marinette!" Two voices echoed through the alleyway, Chat's and Rose's.

"Marinette, come on Marinette, stay with me." Tears from Chat's eyes dripped onto my cheeks. "Please, Mari, please. You have-you have to stay with me. Please."

"Marinette!" Rose's worried voice pierced the air. "Marinette, are you okay?? What happened?"

I turned to face her, wearing a pink striped blouse, back to her old self.

I raised a hand to her cheek, stained with tears. "The Book- 'whoever is truly sorry for their actions will be free from the bonds of evil.' I guess it was right. -cough- Don't worry, Rose, it's not too bad."