welcome home •• Miraculous Ladybug AU

the disappearearance of the girl

••
Adrien ::

Adrien was left alone, with nobody, as always, he was alone, alone in a world that was moving while he sat in the same place, doing the same things, with the same people.

Of course he had Lila, which was.. different, but now, he was doubting even being with her, which he always was but he thought he had to settle.

Lila was always right, Marinette always had something he would never let go of, he didn't know if it was her confidence, clumsiness, wittiness, the way she would laugh or smile at him, maybe it was even her stubbornness.

He never noticed it until the day she disappeared. He remembered that day as clear as ever.
~~ fb (flashback)
He saw Alya panicking, and not how she would normally flip out, but actual panic, she was hyperventilating.

Nino looked as though he was reassuring her of something, holding her hand before Alya began to cry and Nino held her, he could swear he saw a few tears fall from Nino's eyes.

He saw Chloe and Sabrina start questioning tons of people, Chloe clearly in distress. All his classmates planning.. a search party?
He wondered what was going on to get everyone, even Chloe, in a nervous frenzy.

Before he saw it.

Tom and Sabine crying to a police officer, even yelling at a few.

Until it hit him, nowhere in this whole crowd was Marinette. Adrien ran towards Alya and Nino and quickly asked about what was going on.
"Marinette has gone missing!" Alya screamed as she began crying even harder as she said the words aloud.

"It was crazy, nobody has a clue on where she is!" Nino recounted softly, and somberly.
~~
Adrien would always cry at that memory but now he didn't know what to do, Marinette had been alive and well this whole time. He wondered if she had found out yet.. Adrien dropped to his knees as he quietly sobbed at the sad memory.
~~ fb
"Adrien!!" Nino and Alya yelled in great fear, as they ushered him to come with them.

it was a year after the disappearance but everyone was still quiet, no one dared to speak, scared of the memory of what happened, it almost seemed as though Marinette was the only person who brought happiness to school as the school was now a dull place after Marinette had left.

Even Chloe hadn't spoken much.

"Tom and Sabine are gone too." Alya started before she burst into tears.
"Gone as in..?" Adrien whispered.
"Gone.. they couldn't take it anymore, the bakery was failing and their daughter is.. well shes not here anymore." Alya softly spoke.

"I can't handle it, the whole family is falling apart, I wish it was all a nightmare.." She continued sobbing into Nino's shoulder.
I hope I wake up and come to school and see Marinette, I lost my bestfriend, me and her had planned our future, our 16th birthdays, our 21st birthdays! The day we'd both get married, and now she's gone, you both don't understand." Alya creaked as she let go of Nino's hand as she ran away, probably home.

Alya had been hiding out in her room recently.

Losing loved ones is hard, especially when you've known them your whole life.

Nino followed after Alya, as much as she left his side, he would stay by hers, he loved her and understood the struggle Alya was going through.

Adrien could've swore that Nino shed many tears that same day too, everybody did.
A few years later, during senior year, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was pronounced dead.

A big memorial was held for her, almost everybody showed up. Her funeral then was hosted by Marinette's grandmother, Gina Dupain. She had only invited a few people and relatives, including Adrien, Alya, and Nino.
Even without an invite, Chloe showed up, and cried softly and quietly when the empty casket was being lowered into the grave.

"I'm sorry Marinette, I swear i'm sorry." Chloe whispered as she rubbed her eyes. Adrien thought it was mascara under her eye but it was her eye bags.

Adrien without explanation knew that Chloe had been deeply mourning Marinette, in her own way, Chloe even stayed until after everyone had left.

but so had Adrien.

"Chloe.. you're still here?" Adrien asked as he startled to crying blonde.

"I guess I could say I didn't have the force to get up?" She softly joked and they both chucked smiling to each other, the last time Adrien saw this side of Chloe was the day before Mrs. Bourgeois had fallen into her eternal slumber. (this was written before her mom appeared on the show, it was rumored she wasn't alive)

It had been the first sign of a laugh or smile they both have had since the day of Marinette's disappearance.

"I was such a cold hearted bitch to her.." Chloe began mourning again, stuffing her head in her hands.

"A little part of me blames myself for this, but i was just jealous of her, she had everything I desired, yes, I had louie bags and an endless supply of Chanel bags, and even pairs of red bottoms, but I never had a happy family who loved me endlessly and friends who stood up for me and actually liked me."

"God i'm pathetic, Adrien." Chloe ranted.

"And now she's gone, I never got to apologize, tell her why I am how I am, she never got to live her life happily."
"She even loved you Adrien, and I wish I wasn't the one who had to burst the bubble but it's true.."
"And I know you love her back, which was a reason why I was mean to her"

He was taken aback, "Chloe.."
~~
word count 920
I know this chapter is short but be prepared for  a really long chapter next ! I hope you all are enjoying this au and it would mean the world to me if you clicked the little star !! and commented your opinion and suggestions <3

Also do you all want to see more Chloe ?