Dear Bugaboo

The Travels

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   "Where are we going on our adventure?"

   Marinette looked up from her phone, obvious bags lining the bottom of her eyes. She smiled down at her relative, forcing a chipper tone, "We're going to go to Palermo, Italy. There's a surprise waiting there!"

Tikki's eyes widened, small hands gripping the bag's straps tighter and slowly began to stop walking. She didn't really know how to respond, fear starting to take effect. She never traveled too far away from her mama before, even if it's back to her home country. Yet, Tikki knew it also seemed a bit reckless.

She may be seven but she knew limits when they are presented in situations such as this one.

"I don't know..." Tikki spoke, unsurely, "...are you sure mama said we can do this? That doesn't seem like something she would let-"

"Tikki," Marinette sternly cut off the younger girl, "It's fine. We'll be alright."

Tikki didn't say anything. Her face spoke for her as it wrinkled in worry and hurt. Still, she quietly nodded and obeyed, following the bluenette wherever they were going.

   The two entered the park, making their way to a bundle of bushes and a tree near a park bench. Marinette paused, setting her bag down on the bench before turning to Tikki.

   "You can sit down for a moment," the bluenette said. Tikki obeyed, sitting on the bench and watched in confusion as her older cousin dove into the bushes.

   "Marinette, what are you doing?" She asked.

   Marinette reappeared out from the vegetation with a jar. From what Tikki could see, a pencil and paper filled the glass container. She stares at it, wondering how her elder cousin knew it was behind those bushes.

   Marinette sat down next to Tikki and opened the jar.

   "I haven't told anyone else about this..." the elder girl explained, "I've been writing letters to a guy I just recently met at the dance yesterday. His alias was Chat Noir but I learned to know him as Adrien. We communicated through this jar practically every Friday for a year and a half. We got to know each other and became one of my closest friends...besides Alya."

   "Mama told me to never talk to strangers, whether it's face to face or through some sort of communication," Tikki said, making Marinette flinch when is Celine mentioned. A sour taste is still in her mouth at the thought of the conversation from earlier.

   She shook it away, forcing it out of her head and responded, "Yeah..."

   Tikki noticed the change of atmosphere and decided to change the subject, "Are you going to write him a letter?"

   Marinette hummed in confirmation, taking out the old letter and replacing it with a new one. She'd already written it in her room while doing some research and packing. Marinette screwed the lib back on and placed the jar back into its rightful spot. She felt slightly bad for doing this but in a way, it's a precaution. She trusted Chat enough with this than anyone else.

   "What did you write?" Tikki asked. Marinette grabbed her tote bag and tiredly smiled, holding out her hand.

   "I just had to deliver my next letter early since we might not be able to get back here on Friday," Marinette explained. Tikki's stomach twisted at the way the bluenette spoke with a mixture of sweet and unsettling. The redhead wondered what happened to make the teen act this way all of a sudden.

   "I...I don't think I want to go anymore," Tikki shakily said, tiny hands trembling.

   "Let's just go, Tikki," Marinette sternly spoke, ignoring the youngling's words. Tikki felt her heart skip a beat and slid off of the bench.