Miraculous Vampires

Eleven - Everything's the Same But Mari is Tramatized

Chat's POV

Did... did I just see that correctly?

Out of instinct, I quickly look over at Ladybug. She stands there with her mouth wide open, and her face as pale as a ghost. I hear an inaudible noise slip out from her lips from disbelief. She doesn't move. I rush over to her and pick her up. I realize we have to get out of here, so I carry her in my arms as we dash across the city. I feel her body shaking against mine. She wraps her arms around my neck and I hear her quiet sobs in my ear. She's trembling.

We reach my place and I hop through my window. I quickly slip into my room and lie Ladybug on my bed. I de-transform and lie in the bed with her. We sit in silence. I watch as tears fall down her cheek and leave stains on my pillow case. Her eyes are blank, and her face holds no expression, yet she continues to cry. I watch as her earrings beep and she de-transforms. I wait for her to say something, but she doesn't.

"Do... do you want to talk about it?" I whisper.

She doesn't even seem to recognize that I just asked her a question. She isn't reacting to anything. I watch as her breaths slowly go in and out. I sigh and stand up, planning to go wash my face in the bathroom, but I feel someone grab my hand. I turn around, and see Mari giving me a terrified look.

"Don't leave me," she whispers.

I smile and climb back into bed with her. "Don't worry, I never will."

I tuck myself under the sheets along with her. I cuddle up close to Mari and pull her into my grasp. I wrap my arms around her and run my hands through her hair. In return, she hugs me and I feel her squeeze. Her tears slowly turn into sobs. I rub her back as she cries into my shoulder.

After several minutes she starts to go quiet.

"Mari, are you good?" I carefully ask.

She looks back up at me with red eyes. "Adrien..."

"Yes?"

"She trusted me."

I stay quiet.

"She trusted me, Adrien. Alya told me she believed in me, and I let her down. Those were her last words: she trusted me."

I do nothing. I don't know what to say.

"I'm a failure," I hear her whisper. "I'm useless, un-wanted, dead weight."

"E-excuse me?" I gasp.

"YOU WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT ME!" She screams with tears exploding off her face.

"MARINETTE!" I yell, jumping ontop of her. "DON'T SAY THOSE THINGS!"

I rub a tear off her cheek.

"You were the one who told me that nothing was permanent, right?! Then we'll fix this too!" I scream, praying that she would believe me.

I watch her through my blond bangs dangling in front of her face. Her eyes slowly regain her unique sparkle in them. Her face fills with sorrow, but then hope. She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me.

She pulls away, and smiles a sad smile. "Thank you, Adrien. I'm so glad I met you."

I get off her and smile too. "Me too, Marinette."

~

Marinette returns back to my room after taking a much deserved shower. Steam pours out of the bathroom and quickly fills my cold room. She slips into one of my shirts, and keeps her hair in a towel.