The End of Ladybug and Chat Noir: Part 1

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Inspired by Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)
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The sky was going through its transition, getting ready to welcome everyone into a brand new day. A day where they were older, wiser. A day where they could love more and live for more. Where friends would catch up and family would hug and argue. A new day, a new memory, a new part of their life. Most would venture onto something exciting, finding that little piece of their jigsaw, ready to enter it into the new picture of their life. Others, like him, saw tomorrow as just another day to get through, just another day where life was beating them down.

He sat back on the lounge chair and looked up into the star filled sky. Each tiny, flaming rock getting brighter as the evening advanced towards its closure. He listened to the passing cars, the children finally leaving the park opposite, ready to go home for their dinner, bath and bedtime story. Each being embraced by a family he so wished he had, but he didn't even have a home. He had nowhere to go and to be honest there was nowhere he'd want to be. Here it was fine. Here he was safe.

The faint talking from below in her room grew distant and he knew everyone was leaving. Saying their final goodbyes ... not that anyone but them knew that.

The final 'thunk' of the trapdoor signalled to Adrien that they'd gone, completely unaware that their past, presents and futures are about to change. But change could be good. Change could be what's needed.

He heard her approaching, talking to her kwami and discussing what they were about to do. He turned his head towards the skylight catching the raven hair glistening under the moonlight as she rises to join him on the balcony.

Adrien was currently lying and waiting ... just waiting for the pain and the hurt to go. They'd talked long and hard about this, going through the pros and cons, examining what their life would be going forward, and contemplating the worst situations if they stayed put.

This was her idea.

She was the one that wanted to change things for him. To give him a chance at a happy life, even if it meant she couldn't be with him. He loved her, and the tears he'd spilt the previous evening proved nothing more than how painful this choice actually was. They'd kissed and cuddled, reminisced and cried, just wishing things were different, wishing he wasn't the son of a villain.

The kwami's had been included in the decision, all seventeen of them, including Dusuu and Nooroo. They knew what the sacrifice would be of making such a wish, but Adrien couldn't live like this and she told him he couldn't, she didn't want him too. She wouldn't let him. He deserved a life where people didn't throw things at him as he walked down the street, a life where his father wasn't behind bars, and a life where his mother wasn't dead. He deserved so much more that what this world had dealt him.

Clambering out onto the roof, she moved to seat herself besides him on the sunlounger. Swinging one leg over his as he opened an arm wide to cup her in towards his body. She positioned a hand over his heart, feeling the fast paced rhythm of life from the heart she knew beat only for her. Kwami's, she loved him.

The world disappeared as they looked up into the dark, night sky, each remembering late night fights and flights where they could suit themselves in astro wear allowing them to reach deep into the abyss of space. They were so damn lucky with everything they'd experienced, it was just a shame they'd forget it all. That was criminal.

Adrien reached down to the floor on his side and grabbed the final rose he would give her. Red. A pure red, dethorned perfect rose. The tears escaped his own eyes silently as she took it from him, wiping her own tears away with the back of her hand and snuggling in closer.

Unconsciously, they both looked over to the rooftop where he'd taken her that Valentine's Day exactly one year ago. The same rooftop they revealed their identities. The same rooftop where they'd cried into each other's arms when they'd made this decision.

"How long have we got?" Adrien's voice was thick with unshed emotion, he just wanted to stay here for as long as possible, trying to embed it into his brain. He wanted to ignore anything else that was happening around them for the moment and just embrace her, ignoring guardianships, evil fathers, angry Parisian's. But they couldn't stay here forever, they would have to leave at some point.

"There's no rush," she sniffed, kissing his cheek and snuggling her head into his chest.

He nodded, squeezing her tighter and tighter. He'd just found her and now he had to let her go. Why was life so cruel?

"I love you," he said. He knew it would be the last thing to leave his lips aimed directly at her but he needed her to know, just one last time.

"I love you too, so, so much! I'm just sorry I never had a chance to prove it to you."

"I always knew, M'Lady, deep down I knew. Even if you were just a friend." They both let out a laugh as she smacked down her hand, complete with flower, onto his chest. "I could always see in your eyes there was something there, I just hope where we end up, someone loves you as much as I do."

"Me too, Chaton, me too."

She sat up on the chair, and called for the kwami's to come near. Each connecting with each other, slotting hand into hand into hand.

"You're going home," Marinette said to them, "you'll go back to the temple, and you'll make sure the same mistakes don't happen again."

"Thank you, Master." Wayzz began a bow which ricocheted down the line, in a colossal sign of respect. "You've been so strong, young one. We've been honoured to serve you."

Marinette nodded through tears, reaching to check her earrings were in place before slipping the ring onto her finger. The cold black metal heated quickly against her skin as it took on a wonderful shade of rose gold.

Adrien took the hand and kissed it gently, for one last time. She let out a sob again, before covering her mouth, only to be comforted by her red speckled friend. They'd already said their goodbyes, it was too hard now, too hard to even consider saying it again. She turned her head and noticed an uncharacteristic Plagg embracing Adrien, the blonde looking nothing less than heartbroken. They nodded towards each other knowing now was the time.

Adrien held his arm out one last time for Marinette to slot into. They snuggled close, grasping to whatever they could before their time was up.

Taking a deep breath it was time. She locked her lips onto Adrien's, both of them closing their eyes tightly, before she broke away and whispered the words.

"Tikki, Plagg, unify."

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