Chapter Text
"Chat! Here's another one!
The cat-themed hero sighed miserably at his friend's words.
"Put him over there" he pointed the bed in a corner of the room, not even looking at them. He heard rather than saw that she'd done what he'd told her to. He's been really tired lately. Didn't even have a strength to go out there and take care of... those things.
He felt a hand on his arm and smiled weakly to hide his stress.
"What's up, Chlo?" he asked, finally looking at her. The blonde scoffed lightly at his words.
"It's Queen Bee right now, Kitty Cat" she said before she could stop herself. Chat's features dropped slightly at that. Chloe sighed and sat down next to him.
"Sorry, Adrien. Sometimes I forget to think before I say something."
"It's okay. Not your fault" he smiled again but it didn't reach his eyes. Bee-themed heroine studied him for a while. She knew Adrien Agreste since they were both little kids. And she was sure she'd known everything about it. At least until the reveal day. Chloe was so shocked that she actually forgot about her kwami and miraculous and saving Paris and everything at all. All she could think about was that her Adrikins, the same she's been friends with for years, famous Paris' model, has been the cat sidekick all along and she hadn't noticed a thing. Now, almost three years since that fateful day... Everything has changed. Chat's mischievous smirk and this happy spark in Adrien's eyes fade away. His features hardened, unknowingly to him expressing his hurt and sorrow. It all happened at once. And it crushed her friend. Badly. That day she, Alya and Nino received their miraculouses without a need to give them back. But she couldn't feel happiness. Not in this situation. On a different occasion, she'd be over the moon. But then? Absolutely not.
"Have you slept lately?" she asked, studying the bags under his eyes. He just shrugged and turned his face away from her.
"Not really." He admitted. "It's just... I have those... crazy dreams. More like nightmares. I always hope that when I wake up everything will be back to normal but... but it's not." he sighed and buried long fingers into his already messed enough hair. Chloe stroked lightly his back trying to comfort him.
"You know it's not your fault, Chat" she said calmly. Really, how many times does she have to say it so he could finally understand?! He wasn't able to stop all of this mess even if he'd tried. Marinette was smart. She was clever. She knew exactly what she was doing. It was her choice and now they have to do what's right and bring her down. No matter how bad it hurts.
"The thing is I don't know this, Chloe! I still feel like I could've stopped this! If I had the guts to help her stand against Lila..."
"Adrien Agreste, stop this bullshit right now!" her voice became harsh and confident. She couldn't let him blame himself. Even if she started to feel pity for the baker girl at some point, now it's completely gone. Only if they knew how to catch her... "What's done is done. You can't help it now. Right now you must keep your shit together and do what you have to. You're a freaking superhero! No one cares that you're broken they count on you to save them! So stop all this pity party and do your job!"
Cold, truthful words made him feel like he'd just taken a cold shower. She was right, he knew it. Chloe's never been one for sweet pep talks and comforts like Alya and Nino. No. She was harsh words and truth. But somehow that was what kept him going. He sighed. Right now however he didn't feel like facing any of those things.
"You're right. Sorry. Where's Rena and Carapace?" he asked, finally taking a glance around him. They were sitting in one of the underground hospital rooms just below the actual hospital. They've been using it for Lady Luck's victims. Just right now they had like twenty people in there. Most of them asleep, muttering something about being sorry and pleading it to stop. They tried everything to help them, but even Master Fu couldn't think about anything useful. Nothing could ease their pain. Even after they woke up, it wasn't getting better. The dreams did something to them. Firstly, they scream and admit everything they'd done wrong in their lives. But it doesn't stop. They're like shadows of themselves, most of them can't even communicate properly, as if they were living in another world. A few tried to commit suicide. One successfully. Chat flinched at the memory. It wasn't something he wanted to remember.
She jumped in front of a truck. The view wasn't anything nice for eyes.
"They're outside. Still patrolling," she answered. Chat nodded and looked down at his hands.
"When they come back, tell them to meet me in the meeting room. You'll all need to report your patrols."
Queen Bee nodded with understanding. Adrien sent her way a weak smile and stood up.
"I'll be waiting then," said and went into the direction of the mentioned room. Chloe watched his back as he disappeared behind metal doors. She wished she could've done something to ease his pain. But just like Marinette's victims, all this mess was unrepairable. Especially in their psyches. She sighed and rose up from her position. The night hasn't ended yet. She still could do one more round around her patrol area. Just in case.
***
He breathed deeply and sat beside the large table in the center of the room.
"Plagg, claws in," he said quietly and his costume vanished in a flash of green light.
"Finally. Why had you transformed if you didn't want to go on patrol today? Again?" the kwami complained landing on a table. Adrien reached into his pocket for some camember and gave it to always hungry creature. It was a miracle that it wasn't the first thing he said to him after de-transforming.
"I don't know. I just... I don't feel ready to face her yet" he admitted. Of course, he missed the pained look his kwami sent him. The black creature felt truly sorry for his Chosen. It wasn't meant to end like this. Poor Tikki. She wasn't used to her Chosens turning evil. It's been usually Chat Noirs' thing. He thought that both those kids had had their hearts in the right places. Well, maybe Marinette's was still where it was supposed to, but her actions weren't. Not anymore.
"I understand, kid. But you can't give up now. You're the only one who can somehow fix this mess."
The boy smiled at his little friend with appreciation.
"Thanks, Plagg. But...I guess I just need some time alone" he said. The kwami nodded understandingly and flew into the further corner of the room to give his Chosen some space. The blonde smiled again before sinking into deep thoughts again. Last night he dreamed about that day again. The day he lost everything. He closed his eyes as the memories flooded through him once more...