my au of "the last day"✔️

eight

"Hawkmoth.." She managed to choke the name out of her hoarse throat. She gasped when she saw him. Never had she seen him whilst in her civilian form. She'd seen Monarch at her house, but this was different.
He knew what he was here for.

"I believe you have something for me." He said, a grin on his face. Tikki appeared out of her purse.

"Even if she did, she's not going to give you it. Right Marinette?" She exclaimed. There was no answer. She turned round to see Marinette, staring at the floor, as though she was stuck in a trance. Tikki could see the hard thinking on her face, and the alley went quiet. All was to be heard, was footsteps, sounding like they belonged to an old man.
She turned to Marinette, a smile beaming across her face. She knew she had it in her.

"Maybe I should just give him what he wants...?" She looked at Tikki, who gasped, and then at Hawkmoth, who looked just as stunned.

"Y-you're not gonna hesitate? No fighting?" He took a step back. He was purely shocked. You could see it all over his face. Marinette chuckled to herself.

"What's the point? Fighting for people who don't deserve it, and don't respect me? I should've done this long ago." She sighed, pulling at one of her earrings.

Tikki stopped her, "Wait Marinette! I know what you're feeling but this is what he wants! He's manipulating you, what about me? You'll never see me again!" Tikki whimpered, a tear falling from her eye. 

"Maybe that's a good thing, Tikki." Marinette forced a smile, and then saw the look on her face, "I'm sorry." She tensed up, "At least you won't remember this when Hawkmoth grants his wish. You won't remember me." 
Tikki was speechless. She didn't know what to say. But before she could say anything, Marinette took off her earring. 

"Farewell, Tikki." A tear rolled down her face as she pulled out the second earring, sending Tikki flying back into the jewel. She stared at it for a moment. Was she making the right choice? She shook her head, and held out her hand to Hawkmoth. 
"Here." She said.

Hawkmoth stared at it for a moment. Force her to fight. He fought, surely she's gonna get something out of this. Then it hit him. He knew what she was going to get out of this.
Revenge.
And he could help with that. He took the miraculous from her, and Marinette walked away.

He knew in order to retrieve the Cat miraculous, he'd 100% need Ladybug's help.

"Stop!" He yelled at her. She flung her head round in confusion. Ladybug / Marinette was a really hard girl to deceive and gaslight. But he knew he could do it. He had to. 

"Are you really going to go back to those haters, those traitors? You may not have your miraculous, but Ladybug will live on inside you, and people won't like that.
"Your identity is bound to get out someday. People will carry on treating you horribly. Besides, aren't you angry about everything they did to you?"

Marinette stopped in her tracks. "Why do you care?" She muttered, "you have what you want now." 

Hawkmoth laughed, "Because you may never have seen it this way, but I do actually care about people. Why do you think I akumatize them? I could come and fight you myself if I wanted. But I don't. After all, there's nothing wrong with giving a voice to your feelings, is there not?"

Hawkmoth knew if he wanted to create enough negativity in her, he had to say something else. Something that would trigger her, distract her from her hopeful thoughts.

"Now I see why my son admired you so much, Marinette. I didn't approve at first, but now I realise he's safer with you." It was risky saying this, and he knew what could happen. But she couldn't run and get help? From who? She was mad at everyone, and no one would believe it.

Marinette got a chill down her spine. No. She told herself. It couldn't be.

"Gabriel Agreste..?"