Chapter Text
"I can't do this anymore, Tikki." Marinette cried, burying her face in her hands. "What are you talking about Marinette?" The red beetle flew out of her guardians purse to meet the eyes almost as red as her. Marinette continued, "Alya's right, I can't be with Adrien and keep lying to him, but I can't tell him the truth either, I don't have a choice."
"we're over"
--------------
Unbeknownst to her, a black feline was right above a building where she was near. He had only come in time to hear Marinette say the final part, where she's keeping a secret and that they're over. all he could do was stand there in shock as he watched his girlfriend cry on the steps. He had realized something was wrong with her when she'd just left his home, and he wanted to make sure she got home safe. Truthfully, It was a habit of his, especially at night. He always wanted to make sure she was okay and today she wasn't.
He watched as she composed herself, looked back at the Agreste Mansion, and walked home. The girl he loved more than anything was struggling with a lie she has to keep, and now she planned on breaking up with him? He was so caught up with his own emotions he lost where she went. He decided to drop down on rooftops near her balcony to stall time and act like he was running a late patrol. Soon enough, he saw her sitting on her balcony, knees to her chest as she held them tightly. He dropped onto her railing without warning.
she looked up in a startle, "C-chat noir? Why are you here?"
"My... feline instincts noticed you weren't feeling very paw-istive." He jokes, helplessly trying to cheer her up. Despite his effort, she pushed from talking about it. "Im fine" she breathed out her lie, hiding her tear stained eyes, "I won't get akumatized, I promise. Don't worry about me. Why are you out this late anyway?" she managed to wipe her tears and look at him, her eyes a shade of pink that'll disappear soon enough as long as she doesn't break down again.
"Just felt like taking a late patrol today. But you do know you don't need to hide your feelings from me, right? if somethings wrong, I'm sure I can help. I am a superhero after all!" he smiles at her and she manages a small smile back.
"Its complicated"
"I can handle complicated."
"No, like really complicated."
"I can take really complicated."
She laughs at his antics, and considers making up something to have him back off, but that'd just be another lie on her plate. Maybe she can tell him a partial truth? Yeah.. maybe about how she's just stressed out with responsibilities. She doesn't need to tell him what. "Its just.. Ive got a lot of responsibilities to take care of. It piles up sometimes and gets stressful."
"Responsibilities...." he whispers.. but why would responsibilities cause her to break up with him? "I have responsibilities too. like, well, saving Paris. It can get stressful for me too from time to time. what helps is to talk to someone or have someone help you with them. I don't save Paris alone, I have ladybug and the other heroes to help. We work as a team. Is there anyone who could be on your team?" He puts his hand on her shoulder, secretly praying inside that she'll say him, as Adrien, of course.
Alya's mad at her, so she can't be on her team. Adrien.. can't know anything. And her parents? They'll just worry more. She has Luka, but he's all the way in Brazil. Even he doesn't know the full truth. Besides, he's happy with Irupé.
After a minute of pure silence, Chat Noirs usual smile fades. "Marinette?... is there.. anyone?"
That's when Marinette could only look away and hide her tears.
She swallows hard, she doesn't know what to say. "Um... I have a diary.."
"A diary might make you feel better vaguely, but it can also only hide your feelings further. You can talk to me, you know. I can be on your team."
"That's sweet of you but if I can't burden my own parents with it I can't burden you either." She fidgets with her fingers, staring down at them as she fights back the tears threatening to fall.
"Marinette... I don't know what's got you so caught up but it kills me that I can't help you. Please, is there anything I can do? Anything at all?" His hand stays on her shoulder. They sit in silence for a minute before Marinette pulls him close and embraces him tightly, beginning to sob.
"It's just... it's so hard. Everyday I want to tell him but I can't. It's on the tip of my tongue, it kills me inside everyday. But I should know how to handle these things, these lies. I have to keep this up. To protect everybody. I'm the guardian for Gods sake, I should be able to- to.... to..." uh oh.
Marinette knows what she just said and she can't go back, so she can only hope her kitty didn't actually pick it up while he stroked her hair with his claws. She's lucky she picked up that half, or else she probably would've accidentally revealed that Gabriel was Monarch as well while she was at it.
Chat Noir doesn't pull away, he waits for her to calm down. And when she does, he still keeps his hold on her shoulders.
"Ladybug..” he whispers. Never in a million years would he have thought the reveal would happen like this. All he wants to do is detransform and comfort her as Adrien, but he knows doing so will probably just get her even more overwhelmed.
"Is that... the thing you want to tell... him?" He asks gently. Marinette finally brings her gaze back to his.
"No. Well.. yes. It's.. it's part of if. It's just.. not easy. I'm stuck in this hole I've dug myself too deep inside of. I don't know what to do anymore. Also... sorry. That it had to come out like this."
"Don't apologize." He gives her a final hug before pulling away and standing up, "it's getting late. Get some rest, please." He walks towards the railing before turning around to look back at her one last time.
"I'm here if you ever need to talk."
"Thank you."
————
He uses his baton to fly off into the night sky. Reaching home, he stumbles onto bed and stares at the ceiling.
"Marinette... ladybug... and she's struggling. Struggling so badly she can't even tell Adrien or Chat Noir." He looks at Plagg, who is already hugging a cheese to bed.
Then he remembers the two words that led up to his going to see her in the first place.
'We're over'
What could that mean? Surely she won't actually break up with him, right?
...
Right?