Ragnoa And Katu

6- Time to Breathe

"What was that for?" Tikki teased.

"What do you mean?"

"You kissed Chat Noir. Again, I might add. Both times you initiated."

"I-"

The kwami laughed. "I was only teasing you, but your face is so red I think I should've said something earlier."

"My face is not red!"

"It is to." Tikki was rolling through the air, laughing until she could only gasp for breath. "Look at it!"

True to form, Tikki was right. Marinette barely looked un-transformed, all she needed were black spots.

"It- I-"

"Oh," Tikki laughed, "I haven't seen anything this good in centuries!"

Desperate to gain control of the subject, Marinette intervened. "Tikki, Chat said I died. Did you feel it too? Did you die?"

Tikki stopped laughing and took a more serious tone. "Marinette, I've made it through millenia of wars, illness, and many horrible things. To answer your questions, yes. You were dead, and I was trapped, keeping your transformation. I didn't have a way to escape, and, I was too late to protect you. "

"So, Chat Noir and I can die when we are transformed?"

"Yes," Tikki sighed, "the first time that happened, Plagg and I both thought our wielders would be healed from a lucky charm, but we were wrong." She tried to hold back tears, "We tried for so long to wake them up, but nothing was working. We had to give up."

"What happened?"

"It was so long ago," Tikki said to herself more than Marinette.

✴✴✴✴

The rest of the afternoon of school was canceled due to the fact that everyone had literally died that day. So, everyone went home to recuperate.

Marinette and Adrien both took the opportunity to sleep, alike to most of the city. The heroes slept with the news on as usual, just in case another Akuma came, but today, the kwamis were awake.

Tikki was floating aimlessly around Marinette's room, sometimes sitting in front of the computer only to turn away and ignore Nadjia's program. She checked on Marinette frequently, smiling at how peaceful she seemed. Even Tikki couldn't remember the last time Marinette slept well.

Plagg wanted cheese. No surprise, though.

He was nearly copying Tikki's actions, just with the addition of food. Plagg watched the poor child that held his Miraculous.

Plagg often felt bad for the young boy. Adrien seemed to have it all, but at the same time, he had nothing. Sure, he had money, lived in a mansion, and his face is plastered around the world, but he was lonely. A 16-year-old should not be left alone the way Adrien is. The only people in his life that truly cared about him were at school.

Plagg doesn't like to get up early, but he'd stopped complaining a long time ago. The way Adrien's face lights up when he sees Nino, talking about Ladybug with Alya, or talking with Marinette, it can brighten even Plagg's day.

One must wonder, though, how long can two people search for each other and not see who's right in front of each other. Plagg didn't really care about loves other than his own, but even he was frustrated. The kids were right in front of each other, why couldn't they see it?

At this point, Tikki was used to the cluelessness of both holders, but that doesn't mean she loved it, but she was used to it. She had tried everything to point it to Marinette, but the blind holders couldn't see the love of their life standing right in front of them.

In the back of Marinette's room, she was quaking underneath her blankets. Tikki thought Marinette was sleeping peacefully, but she was far from correct.

Deep in sleep, something evil and corrupt tormented Marinette. There was the other reason she was so tired she always-

Her scream pierced the evening air. It lasted long enough for her voice to become sore with only the shout. She faded into sobs, shaking and rubbing her hand through her hair, ruffling it and trying to bring herself back into reality.

The door into her room opened. "Marinette? Marinette, are you okay?" Sabine looked around the pink room for her daughter, seeing her shaking on her bed. "Honey?" She climbed completely into her room and up to Marinette's bed.

She didn't say anything to her daughter, but held her tightly and smoothing out her tosssled hair. "He-he... Adrien...I-"

"What?" Sabine asked softly.

"A-kuma. It was me. I killed him. I - I didn't mean to. I killed him."

"Marinette. Marinette, it was just a dream Marinette, honey, listen to me. Adrien is fine. I promise. It was just a dream."

"No, it wasn't! Hawkmoth- Adrien! Hawkmoth is trying to kill Adrien! No! I won't let him!" Marinette cried, tetering on the edge of hysteria.

"Marinette, honey. Look at me." The young girl obeyed. "You know as well as I do, and probably even better, Adrien is safe. And even if something happens, Ladybug and Chat Noir will be able to fix it."

"Right, but, there has to be sometime when even they can't fix it. What if, an akuma hits and they can't defeat it. What if-"

"Marinette, you're only working yourself back up. Go to sleep. You'll feel better soon enough."

"Maman! He's gonna kill him! He wants me to kill him! I won't! I won't! He hates him! He doesn't care! Adrien's going to die!"

Sabine grabbed both sides of Marinette's head, forcing her to look into her eyes. "Marinette, listen to me. Adrien is safe, you are safe. Calm down, honey. Don't work yourself up over a dream."

Drained and exhausted, Marinette crashed down into her pillow.