Marinette Dupain-Cheng has disappeared for good.
Chat Noir refuses to give up on finding her, even if Ladybug already has.
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Started: July 27, 2017
Finished: December 17, 2018
Idea inspired by @its_nusa_obviously 's book, Stuck.
Cover drawn by...
"How did they react when you told them about Ladybug?" Nathalie asked Adrien, already detransformed after fighting the akuma by herself.
"I- uh... how do you think they reacted?" Adrien clenched his fists defensively, not able to look her in the eye. His heart burned with regret, and he couldn't believe he lied straight to Chloe like that. He didn't even bother telling Alya, being that the blondest girl went to mention it to her.
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"Oh... I'm sorry. I had to tell people too, so I understand. You just... have to do it, even if it means admitting the worst. I couldn't even handle the idea of Felix, my Chat Noir, having been tortured and killed by something that's supposed to enhance your abilities. Your development is normal, right? Just slowly gaining things that you can put away without a problem?"
"Yeah... I can put away my fangs whenever I need to, so it doesn't always show up," Adrien replied shortly, trying to avoid the subject of death.
"That's good. I can't believe a development that affected me had affected Marinette. I mean, Felix saved me from it's progression, but it still passed to her. When Felix died, it stayed with him, but didn't go to you," Nathalie tried to conclude.
"You let it pass to her," Adrien grumbled, stomping away angrily. He didn't turn to see her expression, because he knew he would've regretted his words so quickly, and apologized immediately.
He heard her gasp, and she fell silent.
Adrien knew he was wrong, and it was mean. Blaming others was not right, and it would hurt Nathalie. Surely, she didn't mean to let Marinette die, and she tried to research and help save her.
"Y-You didn't," he turned around, his eyes focused on the floor as they grew watery. His voice was trembling, and it pained him to speak. "I'm sorry," he told her, "You didn't p-pass it to her. It wasn't your fault."
Nathalie held a firm expression, but a few tears leaked out without her own permission. "You should get started in your homework, Adrien. You have a photo shoot later today, and your father wouldn't be to keen on you missing it."
The boy watched his father's assistant walk away robotically, and immediately he felt so much more alone again. Here he nearly had another person in his house to turn to, but he hurt her by wrongfully weighing her down with the blame of being the reason that his partner, his best friend, the girl who cared so deeply for him was dead.
"I-I'm sorry," he croaked out, and he noticed Nathalie's figure stiffen. She didn't turn back to him, but paused for a short moment before continuing to make her way to her office. The clacking noise of her heels stepping against the clean white tiles of the mansion echoed against the emptiness, slowly becoming more and more distant.
"Just give her time, kid," Plagg suggested, "Let's go to your room, and maybe you could rest a little..."
Adrien slowly nodded in response, tears slipping from his eyes as he wrapped his arms around himself more and more tightly. His kwami sat on his shoulder, hoping his presence could somehow comfort the boy. Deciding to slowly fly in front of him, Plagg acted as a guide to lead him to his bedroom. He followed his kwami, trying to keep his bottom lip from quivering.
