Chapter Text
Things had been different for a long time. Ever since she knew the truth, Marinette could never look at either of them the same way.
The rain was pouring above them, but she hardly felt anything at all. She couldn’t stop staring at him, and in her heart was a longing that was all too familiar. When he extended his arm to lend her his umbrella, lightning struck. It was in that moment that she saw everything clearly. Chat was Adrien, Adrien was Chat, and she loved him. She had to tell him her identity. She’d already waited too long. It’d been weeks since that fateful night on the top of the Eiffel tower when he told her who he was. She had to say something before it was too late.
Before she could make her next move, she was stopped. Instead of going to Adrien, she was now in Bunnix’s burrow. Her stomach sank. She had been here before, and it was never a good thing. Her mood worsened when she saw the look on Alex’s face. Marinette asked, “What happened? You look like somebody’s died…”
“It’s gone too far this time. I should have never let it go this far,” Bunnix mumbled to herself.
“What are you saying?”
“Shut up ok! I’m thinking! Just UGH...! Look, I knew it was going to be bad, but I never knew it was going to be THIS bad,” she said while pacing.
Marinette saw the tears on Bunnix’s face and felt a panic settle in. She looked her in the eye and asked, “He’s gone, isn’t he?” Bunnix does not respond. This makes Marinette panic even more and she yells, “Tell me!”
“It’s worse than that.”
She pleaded, “What is!?”
“You can’t have him Marinette! Ok? You must let Adrien go! I’ve seen every timeline. I’ve watched you both die thousands of times. The sad part is you’re always so happy too, but then something always goes wrong.” Bunnix stares into Marinette’s eyes looking for an answer. “I’ve tried! I’ve tried everything, but nothing works!”
Marinette stares at her wordlessly, her heart far too shattered to form words. The air felt like fire in her lungs. Bunnix seemed to regain some composure and began explaining, “It’s the end of the world Marinette. Every time, that’s what happens. I’ve seen thousands of realities all ending the same way. All of them were magical, but they were also utterly devastating. Within each timeline, your love for each other was always there, always beautiful. Sometimes you only have days together before things got bad. Sometimes things lasted longer, and I got to watch you grow up together. You’d spend time running around Paris getting ice-cream or watching sunsets on the Eiffel Tower. I’ve been to your wedding multiple times, and I’ve met your children too. You were such a great mother to them. You and Adrien were always so… happy. Those longer timelines were my favorites of course. It’s ironic though because those ones hurt the most. I would think that I’ve finally figured it out, that I finally did the job right, and then something would always wreck it all. Your love story was truly beautiful Marinette, I’m sorry you’ll never live it.”
There was an indescribable hopelessness in Marinette’s eyes. “Tell me it then.”
Bunnix paused. Marinette saw, for only a moment, Bunnix’s walls come down. Deep in her soul, she could tell, Bunnix wanted to tell her. But that faded, and with that, Marinette’s heart sank. “You know I can’t do that,” Bunnix said. “I could destroy time… if I did that.”
They sat there for a minute in silence until Marinette interjected. She asked, “Does he… love me?”
“What? Of course, he does! You already know that… he’s been in love with you since the day he met you”
“No! I mean me, the real me…” She paused for a moment. “Does he love her?”
Tears welled in Bunnix’s eyes. While choaking back her tears she said, “Yes, so much! He loves you so much. More than you could ever imagine.”
“So, he can never know about me?”
Bunnix shook her head no, looking down with a sense a remorse mixed with shame.
“I can never be with him?”
Once again, she shakes her head.
“So, I’ll never get to tell him I love him? I’ll never know our children because they’ll never exist in my timeline! I’ll never get to walk down the aisle if he’s the one at the altar! I’ll have to continue knowing who he is! I’ll have to live with these memories that never saw the light of day! I’ll have to live knowing what could have been, what has been! Do you understand how excruciatingly painful this is for me?” Overwhelmed, she huddled into herself and couldn’t help but let loose the tears she was holding in.
“I’m sorry Marinette”
“And you know what?” She paused to stand up and look at Bunnix. “I’ll do it. Do you know why? It’s because I love him. I’ll have to love him from a distance, but it is better than not loving him at all. However, he can never know how I feel. Someday, I’ll have to watch him marry some other girl. I’ll have to pretend it’s fine because why would a friend be devastated that their friend was marrying someone else? It’ll be a lifetime of pretending but I’ll do it. I’ll do it for him because it’s what he deserves.”
Bunnix began, “Marinette, I- “
“Stop. Please, just take me home.”
Bunnix nodded and brought them to Marinette’s room. “I can’t leave you like this,” she interrupted.
“Please, just go,” she responded. Just before Bunnix leaft, Marinette interjected, “I want you to know that it’s not your fault and I don’t blame you. I think… I… I just need time.”
Partially relieved Bunnix said, “I’ll see you later Minibug.”
The portal closed and everything that just happened hit Marinette like a rock. She did the only thing she could think to do, and so she called Chat.
…
His whole face lit up when he saw her approaching from a couple of roof tops away. Ever since she found out who he was, everything was perfect. The loneliness and pain he had in his heart slowly dissipated. They had never been more in sync. He could tell that whatever wall there was between them was slowing falling, and he couldn’t help but smiling at that thought. But when he saw her face, he knew something was off. His heart sank into the pit of his stomach.
He didn’t waste a second. He ran right up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. Her eyes were full of tears, and she wouldn’t look at him. ‘That wouldn’t do,’ he thought. With the grace of an angel, he gentle tipped her chin up so their eyes would meet. Only then, did she look at him. Her eyes were glossed over with tears, making them look like glass. They were puffy and under them was what remained of her mascara. Her under eyes were dark, like she’d never slept before. He had trouble not crying, so he did cry.
While chocked up he asked, “What happened?”
At that, she just collapsed into his arms. The force was a little much for him if he were being honest. As gracefully as he could, he landed on the ground. He scooted a couple inches until his back was to the wall. There she was, a puddle in his arms, and he felt helpless.
He explained, “You don’t have to say anything. It’s ok if you just need to cry… I’m here for you”
At that, she looked up at him. After she saw the sincerity in his eyes and how they were full of his complete adoration for her, she began crying even more. She huddled into him, and they sat there in a comfortable silence.
After some time past, he broke the silence. “You know, no matter what happened it’s going to be ok. If someone was mean to you, well, they’re an idiot. Seriously, if anybody was mean to you I will beat them up I swear!” Marinette chuckled a little bit then, which made him smile. “Or if you are upset because of self-doubt, don’t be. You are the most amazing person! You know that right? You’re beautiful, you’re smart, you’re kind, and you’re SOOO funny. Oh! Did I mention the part where you save Paris every single day? And if you are upset because you are overwhelmed, we can fix that too. I can help. Whatever the burden is, I’ll help you carry it ok? You don’t have to do any of this alone. Look, I could go on forever, but I do have a point! Don’t be upset, ok? Whatever it is, we can handle it together. It’s you and me against the world.”
She looked at him like he simultaneous was her entire world and her worst nightmare. She looked shattered on the inside but in her eyes was a longing that he couldn’t place.
“Can I please kiss you right now?” she asked.
He nodded like he was agreeing to the greatest truth the world has ever know. Before he knew it, her lips were on his. She kissed him like her life depended on it, and he had no trouble keeping up. All he could feel was the adoration they had for each other. It was strange though, because in this moment she had never felt so far from his reach. Then she broke away from him. Both their eyes opened, and their intense stares met each other.
Her eyes were full of even more tears. She put her hand gently on his cheek and just stared for a moment. “I have to go now.”
The pain in her voice sent terrifying shivers down his spine. Before she could leave, he grabbed her wrist. “I can’t let you leave, not when you’re this upset. You don’t have to talk to me, but I’m not letting you suffer alone.”
She confessed, “I don’t know what I did to deserve someone as great as you in my life. You make keeping a distance between us impossible when you look at me like that.”
He stepped closer, her hand still in his. He asked, “Why is that a bad thing?”
She dropped his hand and broke eye contact. That stabbed him in the heart. He pleaded, “What is it? I know you like me… ever since I told you who I was things have been different. I won’t lie and say I did not notice. I mean we just kissed! I like you, and you know that. So, if you're hesitant because you’re questioning that, don’t. And if you think I care that I don’t know who you are, you’re wrong. I will always respect your wishes…” He took a thoughtful pause there. At some point during his speech, he had caught her gaze again. It was even more intense than before. He then ended his thought by declaring, “I’m yours if you want me, always have been.”
With great sorrow she took his cheek in her hand and told him, “Bye Chaton.” Before he could stop her, she was gone.
…