Keep the Mask, It Goes With Your Costume

~Chapter Thirteen: The Best Friend~

She was infuriated. But she was also crestfallen. Cat Noir, her partner, her most trusted companion, her biggest help, her friend, completely betrayed her.

But she wasn't gonna go sulk about it, no. She was gonna be the hero, even if all of Paris was convinced she was the enemy. As soon as she was out of Cat Noir's sight, Ladybug immediately turned back around toward the house that was her best friend's. On her way, she repeated in her head over and over what she was going to say when she got there, how she was gonna confront her "biggest fan" who turned out to be the source of her problems right now, not to mention she turned Cat Noir against her! Ladybug was so prepared and ready to break right in and shout at Alya for what she'd done, but when she looked through the teenage girl's window, her mood was completely changed.

What Ladybug saw caught her much by surprise, Alya was.....crying? Instead of pounding and forcefully letting herself in, Ladybug took a deep breath, watched her for a minute, and gently knocked on her window.

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"What is wrong with me?" she said through tears and deep breaths, on the line with her comforting boyfriend. He kept silent, and decided to quietly and patiently listen to her rather than chime in, he knew she had to hear herself say it out loud. And they both knew she really messed up. "I was just mad and made a hasty decision and I-"

She gasped.

The nerves in her spine shot up and her eyes widened as she heard a knock on the window. Before even looking, she knew it had to be Ladybug, and she knew Ladybug was gonna be mad. She held her breath and went silent.

"Alya? You still there? You ok?" Asked Nino after she went a few moments without speaking.

Ladybug knocked again, this time slightly harder thinking maybe Alya just hasn't heard the first time.

Without another word she swiftly hung up the phone and took one deep breath, holding tears from bursting out of her eyes. Slowly, she made her way toward her window, and opened it to let the superheroine in.

Both were silent for a moment as Ladybug made her way in and stood up in the room. Alya was stiff as she was waiting to be yelled at, and trying to make it look like she hadn't been crying.

"Uh, are you okay?" The hero asked softly.

The gentleness in Ladybugs tone surprised her, she had fully expected for the hero to be enraged, I mean, it wasn't like she turned all of Paris against her or anything. But even if Ladybug wasn't mad about it, Alya was still very mad at herself, and definitely owed Ladybug an apology. So before she could even think about what she was saying, she spurt out "imsosorryladybug itwasallmyfault icantbelieve ididthisididnt knowwhat I was-was-was thinking" she said through many breaths and stutters. She realized by the patient but confused look on ladybugs face that she probably wasn't making much sense, so she took a deep breath and paused for a moment before continuing, "Ladybug, I was so mad at-at you I guess because Marinette was gone, even though it wasn't your fault. And when Cat Noir told me that you were quitting the search and seemed suspicious, I just couldn't control my anger and I made a rash and horrible decision." But when uttering out those last few words her voice cracked and she covered her face in her hands as she began crying again.

Ladybug was moved by compassion and pity, it was obvious Alya was truly sorry for what she did. She walked up to her friend and set her hand on the crying girl's shoulder, "hey, it's okay, I know you're sorry." She paused, "Are you able to take the video down though?"

But through hearing those words Alya only become more upset, realizing now she had to break the horrible truth to Ladybug, the truth that caused her to begin crying in the first place.

"Ladybug..." She mumbled through sniffles as she lifted her head and wiped her eyes. "Cat Noir hacked all my accounts, changed all the passwords, and all the recovery information. I let him log into the account on his baton so he could keep track of the hits on the video, and somehow he managed to hack it all from there. He never wanted to help me, he just wanted revenge. And unfortunately that revenge was on you, and I blindly followed him thinking I was the one getting help."

Both of them were silent. Alya took another deep breath and looked her hero right in the eyes.

"Ladybug I never wanted to hurt you" she said with her voice again becoming weak "all I ever wanted was my best friend back, i-i" she looked down again, "I just miss her so much." She finished with a subtle sigh.

And a tear fell onto the ground. But it wasn't Alya's, it belonged to the hero herself. Not because her partner was turned against her, not because all of Paris now thought she was the enemy, not even because all the people she loved and her own identity were on the line, but only because she let her best friend down. That best friend made bad decisions only because she missed her, or at least the normal, civilian side of her. In fact, when she thought about it, the whole situation was practically Marinette's own fault, after all she was the one who made Alya and Cat Noir upset by disappearing, which is the only reason they made the video, which is the only reason Paris would now hate her. It all circled back to her, it always would, it was all her fault.

So she left, she couldn't stand that feeling of having let her BEST friend down. She swung right out of there, after all, there was nothing Alya could really do to help the situation, and she was too scared to try and confront Cat Noir again. So out the went, back home, hoping to enjoy the comfort of her bed while it still lasted.

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But while she got a good night's rest, Cat Noir made a deal with the enemy that could give her a lifetime of restless nights.
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Heyyyy it's your everyday Ladybug Elise here :)
Bc I've made y'all wait so long for the past few parts, I've decided that the next part will be out TOMORROW. Love y'all so much, don't forget to vote!✌😘