Black Alley

Let The Thunder Roll

"Princess, wake up," Adrien shook Marinette.

"Kitty," she groaned, "Let me sleep."

"Marinette, you need to wake up," Adrien said.

Marinette turned towards him and sat up. "What is it?" Marinette asked.

Adrien gave Marinette his phone, which was opened to Twitter. "Look at this post," he said.

Marinette read through the first few tweets before screaming her head off, which probably woke up half of Gotham.

Chloe came into the room, drool still on her chin and her sleep mask covering one eye while the other half was on her forehead.

"What happened? Whose dying?" Chloe asked, looking around, despite the eye crust keeping her eye shut.

Adrien rubbed his hand on Marinette's lower back trying to comfort her, but it was no help.

Marinette shook her head frantically. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. No. This can't be... it can't be real. I don't believe it. It's not... this wasn't supposed to happen!"

"I know, Mari," Adrien said, grasping her hand and exchanging meaningful looks with Chloe. "I know."

"I can't... I can't... no. I don't know what to do. Adrien, what do I... I can't..." Marinette clutched at his arms.

Adrien grasped her arms firmly. He turned to Chloe, muttering something before focusing solely on Marinette. "Marinette, Princess, please, listen to me. I need you to breathe. Slowly. Come on. In, two, three, out, two, three. In... out... in... out... in... out... in... out..." They repeated the exercise until Marinette's shaking ceased somewhat, her breathing evened out and she dropped her head onto Adrien's shoulder. "There we go... it's okay, Bug. I got you. I have you."

Marinette didn't say a word and Adrien didn't press her on it. She needed to breathe─to come to terms with everything.

He knew that she wanted to tell Wayne, but to have it exposed before she was ready... Marinette wasn't mentally prepared for this. Especially not for it to be released so publicly.

If Adrien had been in her shoes, at least he'd be able to deal with the media attention. But Adrien wasn't in her shoes and the worst thing Marinette had been exposed to were his fangirls.

This... anybody would be terrified of this.

And in Marinette's shoes, anybody would be terrified when Mlle. Bustier (Nino and Alya following close behind) knocked on the door (they jumped apart quickly), looking solemnly at her.

"Mlle. Cheng, there is a... visitor for you."

Marinette didn't lift her head so Adrien asked, "Who is it?"

Mlle. Bustier sent him a knowing look. "Bruce Wayne."

The room stayed silent. Everyone's breath hitched. You could hear a pin drop.

"Marine-"

"Tell him I'll be down in five minutes," Marinette interrupted, imperiously staring her teacher down. Bustier frowned at them, but after a brief moment of hesitation, he complied.

"Marinette."

"Adrien."

It was funny how easily Marinette went from a panicked mess to angry. She was so, so, so angry. Marinette hadn't wanted this. She'd wanted to tell Mr. Wayne on her own terms. In her own time. Sure, she'd been given an ultimatum from Dick, but that hadn't been as bad as this. Having her secret exposed so publicly... What's next? Would the whole world find out she was Ladybug?