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Marinette was having a terrible week, first of all, Lila was back. That alone drived her insane. Everybody believed her lies and Lila had successfully turned Chloe, Sabrina, Kim, Mylene, Ivan and Max against her. She didn't know what she told them, but it worked.
Alix, Juleka, Rose and Nath were next on her 'strike list' and Marinette had a bad feeling that she would succeed in turning them against her.
She thought Alya and Nino would always be by her side, but that didn't stop them from believing Lila and sometimes going against Marinette in favour of Lila liar. Those moments hurt and even though it was only Wednesday, it had already happened 5 times.
The only one that didn't actively believe Lila, was Adrien and he was a blessing. He didn't call out her lies, because that obviously didn't work, but he would support Marinette and be there for her. The latter was overjoyed at this new attention and wanted to make the most of it, although progress wasn't being made. At least she still had one friend that completely believed her.
Friend, the word was bittersweet.
The second reason was that Monday, Adrien started dating Kagami. She now felt completely and utterly alone as she knew that Adrien would have to spend less time with her, in favour of Kagami. At least he was happy, but that was a small consolation, because she surely wasn't.
She felt like she had lost. And she hated it, because Adrien could date who he wanted, he wasn't a prize she could win. Although the thing that hurt the most, was that Alya looked happy and even congratulated Adrien and Kagami. Alya and the rest of the class had forgotten about her crush for Adrien, that or they didn't care anymore.
Tikki had barely managed to keep Marinette sane enough for her to refuse two akumas. But if things didn't change soon, the unthinkable was going to happen. She wasn't going to have the strength to refuse, and then Paris would be in trouble.
It didn't help that she had new responsibilities as the guardian of the miraculous and that she couldn't ask for help. Tikki didn't know anything, so Marinette was left to her own devices, without Master fu or chat to lean on.
And then there was also the fact that Chatnoir had stopped calling her m'lady or bugaboo and now used LB or just ladybug. Marinette tried to tell herself that she didn't care, but she did. A lot more then she wanted to. And when he stopped, she felt like he was abandoning her, and it hurt her a lot more then she wanted to admit.
She could handle her classmates not believing her, heck she could handle her best friend siding against her, she could handle new guardian responsibilities and her crush not liking her back, but, she could not handle her chaton giving up on her. They had been through thick and thin, saved eachother's lives so much that she'd lost count, he had always been there for her and she had always been there for him.
She knew she was probably overreacting, but that didn't matter much when, on Wednesday, during lunch break, she saw Alya siting with Lila and overheard her talking about her theories for the ladyblog. That was her job and she couldn't believe Alya was asking somebody else instead. Not only that, but her theories were something along the line of -our heros seem to be in a cat fight, LB isn't herself anymore and has been upset at everyone lately. Chatnoir has stopped calling her by loving nicknames, could this be the end of ladynoir?-
"MARINETTE!"
Adrien's scream was the last thing she heard before blackish purple flooded her vision and she knew without doubt that hawkmoth trying to akumatizing her. Again.
Ugh, couldn't people leave her be for just a day. One day. She was just a kid, she couldn't always not be upset. Not when her friends abondoned her to stand with a liar instead.
Ahh, we meet again. I feel that you seek revenge on-
Nope she wasn't going to let that happen, not if it was the last thing she did
"Get the fuck out of head hawkmoth. NOW."
She couldn't see it, but students around her turned their heads and conversations stopped. People were staring and filming, the whole cafeteria was dead silent.
But I am here to help you, with the powers I can give yo-
"No matter how tempting it is, I will NOT become a villain because my life is shitty right now, it's not an excuse, so, I suggest you get out of my head, or you'll regret it" she claimed tone hard as ice.
Her vision parted a bit, as hawkmoth lost some of his control over her. Gaspes were heard form the students that were present. Nobody had ever heard anybody but ladybug and Chatnoir threaten the villain. Alya was filming live and that all Marinette needed to see before she spoke again, doing the one thing that she could in this moment, ask for help, because no matter how hard she wanted to deny it, if this kept up for much longer she wouldn't be able to resist.
"Alya, get Chatnoir here now" her voice cracked, "please"
Lucky for her, Adrien had been present the whole scene and as soon as he heard he dashed off to transform, not questioning the request one moment.
When he got back, Marinette was on her knees muttering, "get out" and "no" over and over. For some reason he felt extremely proud at the fact that she was still fighting. He ran over to her and crouched down in front of her. She was clutching her head and rocking back and forth.
"Princess" he whispered putting his hands on her shoulders and forcing her to look at him.
The second she saw him, she burst into tears, "you came" she breath out between sobs
"Of course I came, I'll always be there for you princess" he said wrapping her in a hug. Gently he took off her earings, where he had seen the akuma lodge itself as Adrien. As soon as they were off he heard her sigh in relief, before she urgently whispered to him
"Don't break them chat!"
"Why, it's the only way to free the akuma, and I promise ladybug will fixe them" he said reassuringly. Well... It was suppose to reassure her, but she just cringed and shook her head. She brought her head up to his ear and spoke making sure nobody would hear her, "no she won't because if you break them I won't be able to transform"
Oh. Ohhhh. He picked her up bridal style and jumped through the window, volting across a few streets before landing on her roof, all the while trying very hard to ignore the huge revelation he had just had. And the fact that his lady was almost akumatized. And that she was in his arms, holding on to him tighter then necessary. And that she had called him when she needed help. He needed to stay calm and not freak out. They had to free the miraculous first. Then he could freak out, and after that he would reveal his identity, they would start dating, eventually get married have kids and live happily ever after. Yeah, that was a good plan.
"M'lady" he breathed out while setting her on her feet and putting her at an arms length to look at her.
"Yeah, tis I" she said half heartedly, "not exactly how I had planned revealing my identity" she wiped away her tears, only for new ones to fall.
He frowned, "are you ok?" Clap, clap... Obviously she isn't genius! Chat scolded himself.
She shook his hands off her shoulders and stepped closer to him, crawling into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his middle while his automatically went around her, one on her waist and the other cradling her head. He held her tight and tried to calm the tremors going through her body.
"...N-no... I'm not okay" she whispered as new tears fell and she held her partner even tighter, "you aren't going to... I'm... Please..." She took a deep breath and looked chat in the eye, "please don't leave me"
His heart softened, but also ached. Marinette had been abondoned by all her friends to Lila. He didn't think it had affected her that much, but that was stupid. Of course it affected her. He felt guilty that he hadn't seen it before. And then he started dating kagami... That was going to have to change...
"I wouldn't dream of it m'lady" he said while kissing her head.
"You- you haven't called me that in a while" she sniffed, burying her head in his chest even more.
"I'm sorry" he croaked.
"Stupid cat" she giggled. A little.
They stayed like that for god knows how long in comfortable silence. Marinette's breathing eventually evened out.
After a while, Marinette dragged chat into her room. He sat on her bed crossed legged and waited for her to sit beside or in front of him, which caused him to be surprised when she curled up on his lap. Quickly enough his arms were around her again.
Eventually he spoke up, "soo, have any idea how to free your miraculous?" He wasn't expecting much, but they had to start somewhere.
"Yes"
"Yeah me neither- wait did you say yes?" He asked looking down at her.
"Silly kitty. Of course I do. I need to refuse it, then it'll come out already purified..."
He was scared to ask, "how", gulp, "how do you know that?"
She lowered her head and bit her lip, "...hum, a lucky guess?"
He wasn't buying it. Whit one hand he tilted her chin to look her in the eye.
"How do you know?" He asked seriously.
She tried turning her head, but he just held tighter so she closed her eyes.
"It... It may have happened already... Twice" she said cringing
"Marinette!" He groaned, "why didn't you tell me?" He whined, letting go of her chin and pullimg her in for another hug.
"...because, I- I was scared you would push me away if you- if you knew that I wasn't the perfect image you have of me. That you would let me down like everybody else. If you knew I was only a simple girl who doesn't have anymore friends... I was scared ok?"
"Marinette, I would never leave you, your amazing, your my princess, and my bugaboo and I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner. But now I know, and I purromise I'll be there for you, in and out of the mask, so how bout' you free your miraculous and then we'll make sure it doesn't happen again, k?"
"I already did"
"What? When?" He asked incredulously
"When we were outside" she boped his nose and he smiled.
"See, you're even more incredible then I thought!"
She hummed in response and silence fell upon them again. When chat checked the time a few hours later, it was four o'clock, and he needed to get home soon or his father would be mad. He gently moved a sleeping Marinette from off him and under her covers. When he moved to leave, she grabed his arm in her sleep and told him to stay. Sadly he couldn't but he promised her to come back after super. Not certain she had heard, he left a note on her desk.
Dear maribug, buginette, mariboo, ladynette
So many possibilities for pet names :3
You fell asleep in my arms, huhu so romantic ;3
I needed to go home before somebody notices I'm gone, but I'll come visit you later tonight <3
See you later, purrincess.
P.S. I put your earings in your desk drawer
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