Things Left Unsaid (Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic)

Welcome Home

I sighed, slamming the door shut behind me. It had been years since I had returned back to the family café. The familiar scent of baked goods wafted from the back kitchen as my parents were nowhere to be found. Assuming they did not hear the front bell ring, I went and peeked my head into the back to see if they were there.

Sure enough my mother and father were there, hastily putting together a tiered cake while chattering amongst themselves. I watched for a moment, adoring how comfortable they looked with each other. Years of marriage makes a familiarity you can't get any other way. They looked so at ease with each, and their smiles showed how much love they stored for each other. Smiling myself at the sight, I stepped into the kitchen to announce my arrival.

Upon seeing me, they dropped the icing bags they both held and ran towards me, enveloping me in a loving embrace. I squealed as the air was squeezed out of my lungs once my dad bear hugged me.

"Aw hi I love you guys too!" I managed to squeak out before patting my dad's shoulder in an attempt to get him to let go of me.

Eventually they pulled back from the hug and gushed over me, asking me questions about how the US had been.

"You seem so worldly now, and look at your hair! It's so long now! Gosh you've changed so much my love." My mother teased, poking at me. "I hope you've been eating enough and if not we have plenty to spare now that your home Marinette."

****

After a lengthy afternoon of going out for dinner and catching up on how things had been, I had managed to escape back out to the apartment I had rented for the time being. Being back in Paris after years of being abroad for school was exhausting. I had missed home though, it was so different than it was overseas and it felt nice to finally be back in familiar territory.

Settling down at my desk, I pulled out an old sketchbook, mindlessly scribbling while I reminisced on the past. Being back was hard, especially after everything that happened. Things had been mostly peaceful since they had defeated Hawkmoth. 

The final battle was...hard to talk about.

Chaton withdrew especially after the death of Hawkmoth, seeing less and less of him until he stopped showing up for patrols all together. I tried my hardest to contact him, to see where he had run away too but he had fully vanished. It was heartbreaking, especially since I was never able to say what I truly needed to.

Slamming the book shut, I slumped back into my chair. A wave of discontentment washed over me, making me feel restless. I tried my hardest to block out those memories. I mean it wasn't as if I killed him with my own hands...right? I didn't. No. The guilt was pervasive though, emanating through every fiber of my being. If I had just been a little less aggressive, maybe shown him that there was another out then just...death. I don't know.

Tikki appeared before me, not saying much other than tilting her head to the side. It was that knowing glance, one I had seen a million times. At first I hated it, I thought it was a look of silent pity. I came to know it as mutual sorrow though, I could tell she felt just as guilty for pushing me into these positions. I couldn't blame her though, not at all.

"Maybe you should sleep Marinette. You've been traveling for a while, and clearly you're exhausted." Tikki stated softly, giving my arm a tiny hug. I smiled at the small gesture, nodding in agreement. I tended to stew the closer it got to the late hours of night, and it never helped anyone when I got all sad.

"Of course. You're never wrong Tikki." I joked lovingly, scratching the top her head gently. 

I took out a cookie I snagged earlier, breaking it into a manageable piece for her to nibble on. Tikki resounded with a loud squeal of excitement, munching away happily. She never failed to make me feel better about myself. Not bothering to change, I made my way to the bed. Falling onto the soft comforter I found sleep came easy that night. A welcome change.

I'm home..