A New Partner | #MLWattysAwards | ✔️

Guilt Can Be Unbearable

When Chat Noir got home, he detransformed. He ran from the front door all the way to his room in tears of anger and disbelief.

Gabriel Agreste noticed the change in his son's behavior and decided to take interest. "Adrien Agreste, you better explain yourself right now!"

"Father, just leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you! It's not like you care!" Adrien yelled, slamming his bedroom door shut.

Shaking his head at his son's behavior, he assumed this was a large issue at hand. Uncaring of his wishes, he opened the door. To his ultimate surprise, he was throwing books.

"Adrien? What in the world are you doing? You're making a mess! Also what is this hangs in your behavior I'm seeing? This is not appropriate and your mother would've been so disappointed!" Gabriel yanked the next book from Adrien's hand and put it back on the shelf.

"Clean this mess up! I will not be bothering Natalie to do this for you! It's your mess, your responsibility!" Gabriel yelled.

Adrien had a flashback of the way Marinette looked once she hit the floor. The way she believed Chat Noir, one of Paris's saviors, could protect her. She believed he would keep her safe. He let his princess down. He let his lady down.

His angered sobs turned to wails. At this point, he was nearly inconsolable. Gabriel cringed at the loud incoherent noises his miserable, frustrated son was making. He grabbed another book and just as he was about to throw it, he let it fall to the floor. As he crumpled to his knees.

Adrien Agreste never showed tears to his father ever. This was definitely something to be considered a concern.

Natalie stood at the door, her face filled with obvious worry for the child.

"Natalie, cancel today's shoot and my interview. We need some time," he demanded to his assistant. She nodded and walked back to her office to do as she was told.

"Adrien, what is going on? What is all this coming from?" Gabriel asked him, finding that he was stabilizing his tone a little more.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng is Ladybug! She's Ladybug!" Adrien yelled, more tears falling from his eyes. He wiped them away angrily and stumbled up to get on his feet.

"You mean the winner from the derby hat competition?" He asked, grabbing Adrien's wrist as he was about to grab another book to throw.

"Apparently Chat Noir is a loser! He cannot protect his partner! He cannot protect Marinette! He's a loser! He's not worthy of being a hero!! He's good for nothing!" He screamed, tears violently streaming from both eyes as he yanked his wrist away from his father's grip.

Gabriel frowned at his son's blame for the cat-themed hero. "Adrien, Chat Noir is a superhero. But Marinette is dead?"

Adrien responded in slamming more books into the ground and throwing them across his room and into walls.

"The miraculous Ladybug is gone," Gabriel realized as he tried to stop Adrien from destroying his bedroom's personal library.

"I know you're truly upset about her death, but what do you say we put together a town memorial for Marinette and Ladybug?" He suggested, hoping to calm down his son. He could tell he had some sorts of feelings for Marinette, and he thought it was only right to give closure to the fallen hero.

"I'M A MORON!!!" Adrien yelled in response.

"Okay, maybe we'll do this later. Maybe it's best you get some rest, Adrien. I'm taking the rest of the day off so I'll be downstairs if you need something," Gabriel decided. He carefully closed the door and went downstairs to make some phone calls.

Plagg came out from Adrien's backpack. "Adrien, it's not your fault. Volpina tricked you. Anyone would've done the same thing," he tried to console his holder, already having seen this from previous holders.

He couldn't reply with his wailing. Plagg knew no words could be of consolation to a crestfallen boy. He just nestled into Adrien's hair, hoping it could somehow comfort him. Exhausted from being destructive and angry, he began sit upon his bed.

"Look kid, you did your best to protect her. She must've appreciated the effort," Plagg whispered.

Eventually his loud wails turned back into sobs, which grew softer and softer. Moments later, he had cried himself to sleep.

"Pound it?" Ladybug held her fist out as she gave Chat Noir a warm smile. Her hair was out of its pigtails and flowing freely as her bangs were swept sideways by the wind, perfectly framing the beautiful face he found himself missing. Her blue eyes held constellations, held the entire universe within.

Chat Noir was overcome with strong emotions and embraced the girl in his arms, feeling the warmth to hide away his grief. The warmth to bring him away from the cold harsh reality he had to face without her.

He heard her let out a small giggle and felt as she ran her fingers through his messy tangles.

"Ladybug, I'm so sorry," he whispered, letting go as he slumped to the floor guiltily, not wanting to meet her gaze.

Ladybug kneeled to the floor and wiped a tear from his eye, smiling.

"Chatton, you didn't know. There's no reason to feel this way. You were tricked by an illusion," His partner consoled him, her familiar warmth covering his cold fears.

"How will I fight battles without you? Can you stay with me? How can I go back to reality knowing you're gone. I just can't do this without you. Please, Ladybug," Chat Noir grabbed her hand nervously.

"My kitty, you know this is just a dream. You're asleep, I can't come back," she held his face in her hands, stroking her thumb along the side of his face.

"No, please don't leave me again! Marinette, my lady, you can't go! I need you!" He cried.

"I'll never leave you," she spoke gently as she began to fade in a brightening light.

"Marinette, wait! Please!" He cried out as she began to fade.

"You don't have to be so scared, my kitty. I'm by your side with every passing moment."

"You can't go!" He yelled, bolting himself awake.