Cataclysm

Hugs and truths

By the time Marinette arrived at Master Fu's place,she had no strength left to even knock on the door properly. Adrien might have been a model on the skinny side, and Marinette might have been a superhero, but after the day's ordeals she felt all his weight pressing her down each step. It didn't help that he was completely limp, not even holding on to her, and that she had to move quickly or risk getting seen.

Thankfully Master Fu was waiting and he must have heard her outside his door, because he opened the small shop before she could attempt a second knock, and helped them both get in.

''In here, Marinette'' He said pointing at a futon on the floor, his voice full of urgency. They both worked on making sure Adrien was somewhat comfortable on the bed, he had grown quite a bit on the past year and his feet were almost out of the mattresses, Marinette noted absently.

''Master...'' She whispers, but tears interrupt whatever she was about to say. She sits on a cushion besides Adrien, both of her hands covering her face, and she starts sobbing. She was so, so tired. Seeing her partner, friend and crush unconscious, barely breathing and sweating with fever was hard. She calmed down after Master Fu put one of his hands on her back, not saying anything first. They sit there in silence for a bit, Adrien frowned while he slept and Marinette imitated his expression, then muttered quietly ''He's in pain still.. What can I do my Chaton?''

''The worst has been avoided thanks to you, Marinette'' Master Fu said, his voice sounding extremely guilty. ''He didn't do anything he would regret, right?'' He asked and Marinette shook her head. ''He wanted to, but I stopped him somehow... Master what was that? He turned into some kind of... '' She stopped, not really wanting to say the word ''monster'' to describe her partner. ''Some kind of pure form of power. I dont know how to describe it, it was like Destruction itself took control of him and Plagg, it was neither of them I'm sure''

''You are correct, this has happened before, that was the essence of Destruction utilizing Adrien's body, emotions and lack of control'' He said, Marinette frowned deeper, if that was even possible. ''Why would you give such a thing to... to someone with Adrien's life! Shit has been happening to him since before Hawkmoth appeared! This was bound to happen!''

''It's precisely because Adrien has had such a life that he is perfect for this miraculous. Not a lot of people can be kind and fair when they are constantly in the presence of shadows. Only someone that knows how destruction feels can control it properly''Anger quickly drained, Marinette felt guilty for not even thinking of any of this before. Before Alya suggested that Adrien had a ''villain's background'' type of life, she hadn't truly appreciated how strong her partner really was. Then add the fact that he was not just Adrien Agreste, sunshine boy of infinite patience, but also Chat Noir, hero of Paris.

''What can we do to prevent this from happening again?'' She asked, and wondered in her head what would it require for this to happen to her.

''You were right about what Chat Noir needed from you, trust'' The Master said, the implication of that clear to Marinette without the need of him mentioning it out loud: I was wrong about not letting you trust him with your identity.

They both agree without even saying it that Marinette needs to rest, but before she dozes off on the futon Fu starts preparing for her next to Adrien, she calls her parents and tells them that she's staying at Alya's. Marinette realizes she can do that not because she's super lucky or anything, but because her parents trust her. She felt extremely guilty after that thought, both because she broke that trust and because she now understands on a smaller lever what it must have been for Adrien these last couple days, thinking that he lost this privilege with everyone on his life.