A New Partner | #MLWattysAwards | ✔️

Not the Same

Adrien slumped his back against the wall then curled his body around his knees. He couldn't handle it anymore. He had no idea what to do. Adrien finally had his princess back, but she loved Ivan.

Not only did she love Ivan, but she kissed him the moment she saw he was coming.

Marinette wasn't the same, he thought.

How could his bugaboo just do this to him? He felt so self-conscious now, so insecure. Adrien wanted nobody; nothing but Marinette to comfort him.

Even though she had seemingly come back, he felt as if she were still dead. He felt as if she didn't actually come back but as if someone had taken her place.

Still, he knew that it couldn't be realistic and he had to come to terms with the fact that she was alive, but not the same. She doesn't even act like herself anymore.

Nothing he could do could possibly change the fact that Marinette didn't like him, he thought.

He sobbed and wept; he felt like nothing. He felt that he wasn't enough for Marinette.

She wouldn't have fallen for Ivan if Adrien was enough.

"Adrien, I should tell you something," Plagg whispered guiltily to his miserable Miraculous holder.

"What, Plagg?!" He shouted as tears slipped from his eyes endlessly.

"Have you truly taken a look at Marinette?" He asked Adrien.

"Yes! She looks different because she's reincarnated!" He angrily replied.

"Don't you remember what happened at school today?" Plagg tried to remind him.

"What are you trying to imply?!" Tears streaked his frustrated face.

"Mirielle's hair was cut by Aurore and she chopped off her entire pigtail..."

Adrien stopped yelling and looked at Plagg.

"Wait, what are you trying to say?" He asked him, deeply in thought.

Plagg froze and remembered what conversation he had with Tikki.

"It's great that Marinette is back. Adrien finally stopped crying and blaming himself," Plagg said to Tikki.

"It's not his fault; it never was. Marinette would've been so sad to hear that he was guilty. Plagg, there was something I had to tell you," Tikki sighed, looking teary-eyed at the black cat kwami.

"What's the problem now? Marinette is crying that her eyes are brown instead of blue? In my opinion, brown eyes are adorable," Plagg rolled his eyes as he spoke.

"Marinette never came back to life, Plagg," Tikki whispered, her eyes glassy.

Plagg's stomach dropped.

"What are you saying? Who's your holder then?" Plagg asked, shocked.

"You have to promise me you won't tell Adrien. My holder wouldn't like that and I promised I'd keep it a secret! Please promise me!" She whimpered.

"Okay! Okay, I promise you that I won't tell Adrien. Who is your holder?" Plagg asked anxiously.

"It's Mirielle Casquet..." She told him.

"The girl who tells the weather?" Plagg replied curiously.

"Yes, Mirielle is Paris's weather girl. Marinette chose her to be her backup before she died," she told him, clutching onto her tiny hands.

"Oh snap! Adrien is going to be devastated!" Plagg gasped.

"You can't tell him!" Tikki reminded him.

"I know! I won't, but if he ever finds out, I'm afraid he will try to join Marinette's new world..." He confessed.

Tikki widened her eyes in horror.

"NEVER MIND!!" Plagg screamed as he quickly flew out the window to find Tikki.

Adrien sat on his bed, mourning life.

A/N: Plagg almost let one slip.

Whoops.

Anyways, hope you guys liked the chapter!!

Things are elevating, thinking wheels are spinning.

Alya's sleepover is in the next chapter!