Behind My Mask ~ A Miraculous AU

Pain and Paige

Beautiful song^^

Marinettes POV

Fu asked me to go out and get some groceries real quick so I'm headed that way right now. Luckily for me it's October so that I can wear long sleeves. Speaking of long sleeves, there was this sweater I walked by at Walmart that looked really nice. I guess it reminded me of Paige a little so I bought it.

I can't believe I've been avoiding Adrien for about a week now. At this point I feel like he's avoiding me-

"That'll be $40.95", the cashier noted as she bagged the sweater. I gave her the money and left. It was getting hard to carry everything. I accidentally dropped one of the bags.

"Need a hand!"

Shoot! It's Adrien. Okay I need to breathe and hopefully I don't go saying shit about my cuts. Just put on a smile. I need to say something that sounds believe-able and tell him that I'm happy. I am very content with life. I miss Paige but I'm away from my mom, I hate myself but I now have Fu and Maryanne that love me I guess?

"Hey Adrien, um how've you been?" I asked excitedly. I can tell by Adriens face that he didn't buy the whole I'm happy act which made me nervous but I couldn't show that.

"Marinette...we need to talk."

"I- I know."

We walked with groceries in our hands and he started a conversation that I couldn't find a way out of, "Marinette why have you been avoiding me?"

I wish I can tell him. Hey Adrien so sorry I couldn't talk I was guilty and didn't wanna tell you I started cutting myself! Yeah not the way to go.

"I- I don't even know."

"Marinette don't lie to me, somethings bothering you I can tell."

He caught it. I've been bothered by the fact that even as a superhero I couldn't protect the one person that meant the world to me. Paige!

"Look Adrien I just don't understand why you care about a fuck up like me okay!" I yelled, voice cracking, "I don't get why you say I deserve better when I clearly don't! Paige deserves more than I ever did, I've fucked up time and time again. I can't ever go back to where I came from without people judging me and Paige. I just wish that...that things were better, that Paige is still being the little girl she is...playing at the playground and begging me to get ice cream a-and m-making bracelets for m-me and her and k-kissing her goodnight and even her s-staying with me when I g-got nightmares and now I can't even sleep."

I didn't even realize I was crying until I heard a couple stuff drop and felt Adrien hug me. I dropped my stuff and hugged right back. It felt like we were there for days. He then broke the hug and cupped me face with his hands.

"Mari you need to tell me when you're feeling like this okay?" Adrien reassured to me, "I can't stand seeing you so upset about something that's far out of your control. You are deserving of everything. And things are going to get better whether you let it or not. I hope one day you understand how much I care about you okay? Now let's get these groceries to Fu."

I nodded in agreement and we picked the bags up and left. I still can't help but question why he's helping me through this. Why is he helping someone as stupid as me? I didn't even realize we made it back to my new home.

"Thanks for helping me out again Adrien?" I thanked him. He then gave me a hug, "No problem Mari. I'll see you at school tomorrow alright!?"

"Okay"

Time skip (Adriens POV)

It's 6:00. Patrol time! I transform and leaped away to our meeting spot. I still want to look for Paige. That's been something me and Ladybug did during our patrols. We wanted to look for that innocent girl. We wanted her safe with her big sister.

Marinette means the world to me and I'd do anything just to see her smile again. I see Ladybug at our spot and I hurried. The last time I seen her there first she started crying and was having a panic attack. Ladybug was in rough shape to. She kept telling me that it was all happening because of something going on at home.

I've made time for 3 girls I'm helping. Marinette, Ladybug, and Chloe. Chloe seemed in bad shape to and would come to me whenever that Lila made her do something stupid. Some of this was overwhelming, but I need to be strong. In order to help my love I needed to help my childhood friend. And in order to help Ladybug...well I just need to be the shoulder she cries on until we're able to reveal our identities.

To my surprise, Ladybug was just sitting there looking up at the sky. She looked a bit upset but at the same time she had a sparkle in her eyes that looked familiar to me.

"Hey Ladybug, I'm surprisingly late huh?"

She looked up at me and laughed a little. She then got up and walked up to me. Ladybug then wrapped her arms around me.

"How've you been Cat?", Ladybug asks me. I didn't know how to respond so I wrapped my arms around her neck and gave in, "I'm feeling good LB, I'm okay!"

She then sighed and broke the hug. We began our patrol right then and there. I looked in all of the places around Paris I could find but I still got nothing. I wonder how LB is doing. I hope her day went okay.

A couple weeks back the only piece of evidence we had gotten was Paiges backpack. We found it in an alleyway a couple of blocks away from her school. Ladybug was quiet the whole time and looked devastated.

We both met back at the Eiffel Tower to see what we had gotten. So far...nothing. Well fuck.

"We've looked everywhere and so far nothing...I can't even believe this shit!" Ladybug snapped. She was pretty frustrated but I know it wasn't with me.

"LB we're hero's now...you shouldn't be cursing-"

"Is this the fucking time to be worrying about that shit right now Cat!?"

I've seen Ladybug mad before. But this...this was new. This wasn't the Ladybug I've known for the past couple of months. Somethings seriously wrong.

"Ladybug...what's going on?", I carefully asked as I walk up to her. She looked at me and sighed.

"Look Cat I'm sorry about that okay...you deserve a better partner." Her voice broke as she said that to me. I wrapped my arms around her almost immediately

"Don't say that LB, you're the best partner I could've asked for. You deserve better!"