Chapter Text
Sabine Cheng and Tom Dupain are lovely parents.
They always care for their daughter, and one of the nicest people in Paris, France. They own a bakery that is quite known for its tasty treats.
But due to orders and customers, there are times they tend to lose time with their daughter— Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
After the Miracle Queen event, they noticed how much Marinette changed. The school issued a two-week vacation for all the students so that they can gather their thoughts and relax for a while.
During that two weeks, Marinette was always stuck in her room, she rarely helps in the bakery, but her parents understood it.
Marinette was always cooped up in her room and apparently made a few renovations. Her trapdoor now has a lock on the inside part of her room, and a hidden lock on the outside part of the trapdoor.
"Has she gone down yet?"
Tom asked his wife, who shook her head and gave a sad smile. They don't know what is happening with their only daughter, but by the looks of it, Marinette is the one closing all possible doorway to her life right now.
The heavyweight on her shoulders. Protecting Paris from a purple-suited man, guarding powerful jewelry— the Miraculouses, protecting her own family, her friends, every Parisian out there.
Marinette is scared. Scared that one day, due to her uncontrolled emotions, she might get akumatized and cause the destruction of Paris, since Ladybug is the only one who can purify an akuma and restore the damages.
"She hasn't eaten yet, Tom. I'm worried."
Sabine, a loving mother. She cared for her child dearly, and seeing how her daughter has been closing people off, she's worried that their bond as a family will tear apart. It was a miracle, that Sabine hasn't been akumatized.
During the two week vacation, she slowly translates the Grimoire, doing patrol, getting to know each kwami— how their powers work, their bonds, food, doing delayed homework, patrolling, fighting akumas, and finally making a thorough investigation in hopes to find Hawkmoth's real identity and reclaim the two missing miraculous.
Tikki and the other kwamis have been worried for their guardian, Tikki is more worried about how Marinette's life has been, it was too much for a teenager. It's already a huge responsibility being a ladybug heroine, but now you have to add guardianship to a miracle box, while trying to prepare for your own future, it's too much.
But when they ask, Marinette's answer will always be 'I'm fine.', how can she be fine? They admired how the girl under all that responsibility, hasn't cracked yet... not knowing she's so close to snapping...
The whole city of Paris has been in despair. It's already worrisome that most of the heroes they've seen are teenagers, who are exposed in the Miracle Queen fight.
But they decided to put their faith in them. Paris supported them. Their families were worried but proud that they had a chance to defend Paris.
Some of the temporary heroes were sad, since they are exposed, it's too risky to be a hero again, much less a temporary hero.
Ms. Bustier's class was surprised to know that some of them had been fighting side by side.
They kept chatting in their group chat, not noticing that someone hasn't been on for quite a while.
—— Akuma Class (lol) ——
DJCap: has anyone seen Mari on?
GeNiUs: I haven't...
Journalist: Huh, that's weird... she's usually online, most of the time.
—— more conversations... ——
Alya was worried, she tried calling Marinette but was sent to voicemail immediately.
One day, her parents decided to stop by the bakery, Alya asked for a favour, and that is to ask why Marinette hasn't been answering phone calls.
She anxiously waited for them to arrive, and when they do, Marlena announced to her that even Marinette's parents haven't seen her come down of her room for a few days now.
Alya was shocked.
'That's not like Marinette...'
Sure she knew how vigilant Marinette is with Lila, but it was unusual for Marinette not to bond with her own parents.
But she couldn't ask Marinette, since all her phone calls get immediately redirected to voice mail. She shared this information with Nino, who was shocked at the news and immediately shared it with Kim. Since the two of them have been friends with Marinette for a few years. But to his shock, Kim already knew since his parents said the same.
They didn't know what was happening...
Marinette was slowly building her walls.
She didn't even know how she built them.
Before classes came back, She spoke to Luka, and said that she wasn't ready for any commitments at the moment, she said she was still trying to fix her broken heart and has been busy with her future career, which isn't a lie, but was still missing something— about how her superhero duties have been weighing on her, and that a new responsibility has been given to her.
Luka understood it. Even though they're not in the 'dating' aspect of each other's life, he said that he'll always be there as a friend, no matter what.
That was her first layer of the wall. Relationships of any kind.
She was afraid to love someone at the moment. Trying to mend her heart after knowing that Adrien won't be hers, and then there's Chat Noir. She could've loved him back now, but she can't. There were three reasons.
First, Chat Noir was in a relationship now— good for him. Second, she was still afraid that 'Chat Blanc' will happen— she was still having nightmares about it. And lastly, there is a lot on her plate right now, and relationships aren't her priority at the moment.
For her, it's better that way. Defeat Hawkmoth first, before anything else.
Being Ladybug and the Guardian is her first priority above anything else.
"Marinette, please take a break... Your parents are worried..."
"I'll be fine, Tikki. I just need to finish all of my delayed homework so that I won't be swamped when I go back to school. And then I can have spare time to translate more pages of the Grimoire."
The kwamis that are out of the Miracle Box looked at each other.
"Even though you haven't gone out of your room, Mast—Marinette?"
"Yes. I'm fine, I promise. I just need to finish this."
Marinette sighed. She's glad that the Kwamis acknowledge her as their Guardian and are worried for her. But she needs to do this.
'Hawkmoth needs to be defeated as soon as possible. I don't know how much longer I'll be intact...'