Ragnoa And Katu

11- Eye of the Storm

Quiet. The night was quiet again, and Marinette hated it.

The peace was nice, definitely, but with the peace came the wondering of when the next battle will arrive. Who will be the akuma? Who gets hurt? Will we beat them? How? Will Chat and I survive? Can we die? The questions tumbled endlessly in her mind, not allowing her to take one moment's rest.

When morning arrived, Marinette had a total of half an hour's worth of sleep. Everyone in her class noticed how this normally bouncy girl had been sinking lower and lower as the circles under her eyes grew darker and larger.

Alya nudged Marinette in the side with her elbow, whispering out of the corner of her mouth, "Hey, are you okay, girl?"

Marinette didn't respond. Her eyes were glazed over as her hand supported her chin. She was fast asleep with her eyes open.

Alya laughed to herself as the bell finally rang and Marinette shot up, nearly avoiding whiplash from her speed. She did, however, overshoot and crash into Alya, sending them both tumbling off their seats.

"Ow," Marinette groaned as she sat up, "Sorry, Alya. Are you okay?"

Alya couldn't move, except for the violent shaking in her shoulders and her face turning red.

"Alya?"

She took a gasping breath, wheezing for air. Now it was clear she was fine, just laughing. "That- was the best thing I've seen all- week!"

Marinette shoved her best friend. "That's so not cool, Alya! I thought you got hurt!"

"From just falling off our seats? No. I'm not nearly as clumsy as you Marinette. And thanks to you, I'm nearly indestructible."

"Ha ha. You're hilarious."

"You girls okay?" Nino asked, laughing as hard as his girlfriend. "That was quite a fall Marinette."

"Ugh! Just let me die in my shame!" Marinette cried dramatically, throwing her arms above her, which fell on Alya again.

"Ow!"

"I don't even feel sorry for you, drama queen."

The girls, still laughing, took the extended hands in front of them. Marinette placed all of her focus on not becoming a cherry as she clasped Adrien's hand.

"Hey, do you guys want to have a movie night?" Alya suggested as they left the classroom. "I just got a new one that looks really good."

"I'm down," Nino said immediately.

"I don't see why not."

"I- can try," Marinette said slowly.

✴✴✴✴

"When we find Hawkmoth, I swear."

"Later, m'lady. We have an Akuma to deal with right now."

The Akuma started their rant like every other. "I am Nambre. And I will punish-"

Nambre was cut short by Ladybug snatching the name tag on his suit and tearing it in half.

"No! You could have at least used a Lucky Charm!"

"And waste a transformation? No, thanks. There was nothing to fix anyway."

"Wh-where am I? Was I-?"

"Akumatized?" Chat finished, "Yes."

"I'm so sorry. I've been trying so hard to stay strong, but-"

"Hey, don't worry about it, Mr. Firma. There's no harm done, and even if you are Akumatized again, we can still bring you back."

"But all of these Akumas-"

"Will be stopped," Ladybug cut in, kneeling down next to the man, "With each akuma, we come one attack closer to finding Hawkmoth. Besides, it's our job to worry about Paris, and to protect it. We've done it this far. Yeah?"

"Yeah. Thank you Ladybug. Thank you Chat Noir."

"It's our pleasure, sir."

"Don't worry about Paris, we promised to protect all of you."

The man nodded gratefully and went on his way.

"We had better be going, my lady. It looks like rain's coming."

Thunder crashed above their heads and the water began pouring onto their heads.

Ladybug looked to Chat Noir, minor annoyance in her eyes. "You had to say it, didn't you?"

He merely smirked and saluted.