Ghosts Of Adrien's Past

Chapter 8: the Guardian

Marinette had a scowl on her face as she rubbed in a pale lotion to her arm. She'd created it using the recipes master fu had given her before giving her the book and the box.

A cure for cataclysmic corruption. She had a feeling she'd need it. Tikki sat on her shoulder and watched her handy work. Alya had left and locked the door, but it opened and someone came in. She already knew who it was by the click of the shoes he was wearing.
"Did you bribe the cleaner?"
She said by way of greeting, and swiped more lotion from its jar.
"Nah. Swiped the keycard from her pocket when she walked past"
Adrien held up the card like a trophy. She scoffed and focused on her arm. She was sitting on the couch in her hotel, and he sat down beside her.

Plagg grabbed tikki and buzzed off somewhere. She honestly couldn't care less. She was too mad right now to think about anything.
"Please know that I mean it when I say I'm sorry"
He said, and she groaned slightly.
"About what? There's a lot of things you've done to me"
He inched closer to her on the couch. Her fingers stilled slightly.
"About what happened in Shanghai. About never calling. About the ring, about everything"
It took her a moment to gather the effort to lift her head and look him in the eye.
"Why? Why apologise now?"
His eyes flicked down to her arm. It was healing, slowly. The creme sinking into her skin.
"Something's been happening to me...something that happened because I took the ring"
"Whatever it is it serves you right"
A muscle flickered in his jaw but he nodded.
"I know. But this- thing, whatever it is, it's been making me hallucinate. Making me see the past and things happening in the present that I shouldn't see"

She narrowed her eyes, crossing her slim arms over her chest.
"And what these...hallucinations-"
"Ghosts. They said they were ghosts"
She paused to get in a deep breath.
"Ghosts, then. What did these ghosts say?"
"The past only told me that I did things the wrong way. That I wasn't supposed to leave that I- that I wasn't supposed to leave you that night"
Her shoulders tensed.
"Anything else?"
"The present said that we're still connected. That I left something inside the ring when I took it off and-"
He broke himself off. Being this close to her- looking at her like this- it made his heart beat so fast it hurt.
"And what, Adrien? Tell me"
"...the ghost said that all of what was inside the ring shot down the bond and into you. That it's...eating you. From the inside out"
Her heart leaped and skipped beats. Fear and dread spreading through her veins like ice.
"Tikki!"

She suddenly yelled, and both Kwami's zoomed back into the room. Tikki looked worried and plagg looked- well, frankly he looked devastated.

The next thing Adrien knew he'd been kicked out of her room and ordered to go back to his. To stay put.
He walked down the hallways with unhurried steps. His hands in his pockets, plagg on his shoulder. He couldn't help the feeling that she hadn't only just kicked him out of her room, but out of everything else, too.
Turns out, it is like the movies. The second that it's over all you can remember is the stuff that pulled you in and made you fall in love. Blazing through your head this- romcom montage made of the sweetest poison.
"I've never felt this way before"
He said. His voice low and with a defeated sound mixed in.
"About what?"
Plagg asked. Adrien focused his eyes on the carpet as he walked.
"Where you love the bad things about someone, as much as the good. Maybe even...a little more"
"Love isn't a strong enough word for us. Sometimes it's scary to love someone so completely and not have them love you back"

Adrien's eyes felt suddenly heavy, a weight pulling down on him.
"You love tikki, don't you?"
The kwami didn't answer.
"The thing is I- I don't understand it"
Adrien said, rounding a corner.
"What don't you understand?"
"Love"
"Yeah, you and seven billion other people on this planet. If I understood love I wouldn't have been the first literally helpless romantic. I understand it's unique to everybody like a fingerprint or a strand of DNA."

The hallways seemed to be getting longer.
"Some people have a hard time letting love in. Some people are built for love. And some people...some people are still searching. Searching for someone who can love them the way that they deserve. That's Marinette"
"You know, for a talking cat you sure can deliver a speech"
They both laughed quietly.
"I've had a little practice"
"So does...does tikki know?"
"Of course she does. But does Marinette know?"
"She doesn't have to. She's- happy, with luka"
"She is? And you know for sure?"
"If you're trying to trick me into breaking them up you're barking up the wrong tree. What do you- not like sass or something?"
"Sass is fine he's just- not right for her."
"And how do you know that?"
Plagg snapped his head towards Adrien.
"Hey! You don't get to turn the tables on me!"
Adrien chuckled and stopped in front of his hotel room door. Stepping inside he felt more relaxed with the guarantee that no one was watching him.
"Would chat noir really give up so easily?"

Plagg said, and Adrien went straight-backed. He shifted his jaw with a smirk and looked at the kwami on his shoulder.
"Sometimes it's unfair how well you can manipulate me"
"That sounds like a yes"
"No, you pest, it's not. If Marinette even found out that I'd considered breaking her and luka up- I don't know. She'd do something horrible to me"
"But they're not even together! It's been a day or something!"
Adrien waved plagg out of his face.
"Which is exactly why you and I shouldn't interfere. If you don't drop this-"
"Adrien come on. You can't tell me that you don't regret walking out on her that night. You had it all, but you-"
"Yeah yeah. I let it slip through my fingers"
"Look around you. This is your second chance. You're back in Paris, you're staying in the same building, and you have your old powers back. What about this situation doesn't make sense to you?"

Adrien had stayed up for hours. Pacing, trying to wind down, do anything other than let his mind race.
But his stupid brain hadn't stopped. The only thing going around his mind was Marinette. All those memories all those- feelings. All of them rushing back. Stupid. Stupid. He'd been a moron for making that deal with luka. He couldn't help the thought that if it hadn't happened Marinette would look at him differently. His phone buzzed in his pyjama pants picket, and he pulled it out.
1 message from Marinette.

He went still.
His thumb was slow as he opened his phone and checked the message.
I just remembered, I'm sorry I forgot before. It's good to see you're doing so well today- especially on your mothers anniversary. Sleep well.
He dropped his phone. The sound of the glass cracking didn't bother him as he ran his hands down his face.
He forgot. How could he have forgotten? How could he have forgotten?
His mothers anniversary. The only anniversary he never forgot. It had just slipped his mind. He hadn't even gone to see her grave.

He couldn't control his actions as he strode out his door and half ran down the hallway.

Marinette was just about to fall asleep at the desk when a heavy knock sounded on her door. She dropped the pencil in her hand and stood up, grabbing a silk nightgown to wrap around herself. She opened her door with sleepy eyes and blinked at adrien.
"Adrien What happened you- you're shirtless."
"Your text I- I forgot"
It took her a few moments to realise what he meant. What exactly it was that he forgot. Her face turned sad and she tilted her head.
"Oh Adrien I- I'm sorry"
With out warning he stepped forward and bent down. She almost closed her eyes, but all he did was bury his face in her neck and wrap his arms tightly around her. She was shocked, for a moment, not sure what to do.
But she wrapped her arms around him and held him. She hadn't realised he was crying until her shoulder became damp. She could feel thin scars on his back, she ran her fingers over them lightly.
"Adrien"
She murmured, his arms only tightened around her.
"Where are these scars from? The suit..."

He didn't answer her. She continued to run her fingers gently along the lines. The suit protected him as a teenager, but after he'd given back the ring...she shook the thought away. Whatever had happened to him was his business.
"How about we go see her? Together"
She said, taking in the familiarity of his scent. The softness of his hair, the strength of his hold.
"Come, Adrien. Come with me"
She stepped away from him and took his hand.

Five minutes later, ladybug and chat noir swung into the night once again. To visit his mothers grave.
And for just one night, she'd forgiven him. She'd forgotten what she was mad about, she'd forgotten the ache in her arm, and she'd walked beside her best friend. She'd held his hand all the way there, and all the way back.