Destroyer

Part Fourteen: Cries of Fear

Another chapter? The same day? Love you guys ;)

"Who are you?" I asked, fear obvious in my voice.

Adrien turned to me. "Run. Marinette." He grunted out.

I walked back slowly. My heart raced as I watched Adrien creep towards me step by step. Adrien made a groan of pain before he looked at me again. His eyes flashed a familiar green for a moment. "I said run!"

I turned and sprinted to the door, pulling it open and slamming it shut behind me. My breath got caught in my throat as I rushed down the stairs. I ran out of the bakery and through the streets, the night haunting me as I ran away from my own home. He was following me. I could here his ragged, musty breaths following behind me as I ran. I went to the only other place I knew I could feel safe at.

Adrien's cave.

I hurried down the abandoned streets of Paris, my eyes not daring to look at what was trailing me. I felt a deep cry erupt from my body as the man I loved chased after me with the intention of killing obvious in his eyes. My tears didn't stop as I turned another corner, my blue hair whipping behind me wildly. I tried to wipe the tears away, but it was pointless. I was scared. Scared for my life, scared for Adrien's, scared for us together. Everything happened so fast. It had seemed only moments ago that Alya and Nino had left.

I looked through my blurred vision for a moment, spotting the familiar cave ahead of me.

I had never run so fast to anything in my life. As soon as I stepped into the cave, I felt myself stumble and fall to the ground. The cave was wilted, dark. I had visited it once after Adrien had left. I was so bitter. All of the happiness, all of the hope, I had taken it away because of my own selfish feelings.

My heart stopped as I saw Adrien's shadow looming in front of me. I dared myself to face him, my tears not halting. He walked towards me slowly. His mouth formed a snarl as he approached. I could hear myself sobbing, but I could feel nothing. I was completely numb with fear and agony.

Adrien's claw raised. He was going to hurt me. No, he was going to kill me. Adrien could kill me. I wasn't immortal to him. He had the power within himself to kill me.

"No! Please!" I yelled, my voice strung with pain. "Don't hurt me! Please! I love you, Adrien! Please! I want you back!"

Heavy sobs followed. I covered my face, my body shaking. I didn't want him to see me so afraid. I was ashamed. I felt myself wail even more as I felt a sharp claw dig into my body. But instead of being from an attack, it was from an embrace.

I wiped my eyes, clearing my vision for a moment. There, kneeled in front of me, was Chat Noir. My kitty. My perfect kitty. My heart swelled. My eyes widened for a moment before I closed them again. I felt myself cry and cry as he held me close to himself.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! It was never supposed to be this way! I didn't want to kill you, Adrien! I didn't! I wasn't going to do it!" I sobbed.

"Mari, I knew you weren't going to do it." Chat wiped away the tears from my eyes gently. I stared at him through my hands.

"Wh-What?"

"I knew you would never do that to me."

"Then why did you transform into that- that thing?"

"That was my third self. All of my anger, all of my fear, all of my pain, all of my grief, all of my sadness, bottled up into one monster. I lose myself. I can't control myself. I have killed hundreds in that form. Marinette, I transformed because I knew what Hawkmoth was planning."

"What are you talking about?"

"He wants us to turn against each other. And it worked because I succumbed to my anger. Once I had transformed, Hawkmoth took over. He feeds on the anger and grief of others. He is no god. No, he is far from it. He is a devil."

I looked at him, sniffling slightly. "Why? Why would he do that?"

Adrien brushed a strand of hair away from my face. "If we kill each other, he will receive the powers that we hold, Marinette. He will be the one to end the world. He will end the universe."

"I can't believe that I even believed that he was a god for a second." I whispered.

Adrien pulled me closer to him. "It's okay, Marinette. He tricked me too."

"He did?"

Adrien nodded. "When I was a small boy. I was only ten at the time. I had made a friend in my human form. He meant the world to me, but then he left. I was so angry and upset. That night in my dreams, Hawkmoth spoke to me. He told me that I needed to let my anger run wild. He told me that if I did as he said I could get my friend back. I ended up destroying a whole town. I never wanted to let myself become so mad again. That was why I never let myself stay around anyone for long even when I was in my human form."

"Is he able to kill us?"

Adrien hesitated before nodding. "Yes, but I swear I will protect you Marinette. No matter what. Even if it costs me my life. I love you."

I felt my heart soar. All of the fear I had felt minutes before had disappeared. I looked around, a smile on my face as flowers began to spread around the two of us. I turned to Adrien with a grin on my face. "I love you too, Adrien."

And with that, he placed his lips over mine, capturing all of our feelings in a single kiss.