Talk to Me, Princess | Marichat - Miraculous Ladybug

Chapter Twenty Six - Nightmares no Longer Wait for Sleep

I'm throwing the towel in, Hawkmoth can obliterate me now.

"W-we don't do anything inappropriate!" I blurt, my face feeling extremely hot. I just know I must look like a sunburnt lobster. She laughs hard, patting my hands.

"I trust you to set your boundaries and not be pressured into anything you don't want to do, or are not comfortable with." She reassures me, though I do note she doesn't outright say she knows I wouldn't do anything at my ripe young age.

"Chat Noir and I are... dating, yeah. He's not actually dating Ladybug, we just decided to go public as a couple to throw everyone off of my trail and protect me from another targeted attack. Ladybug and Chat Noir are just partners and close friends."

"That must be a difficult thing to balance and maintain." My mother acknowledges, making me chuckle a little.

"Yeah, but then again everything in my life seems to be."

"I'm sorry honey, this isn't the future I dreamt for you. Nevertheless, I'm so proud of you. Knowing the truth now, I can see it in everything Ladybug has done. I wish I had noticed sooner, all her kindness and selflessness. The way she carries herself. Or, I should say the way you carry yourself. My Marinette is bigger, better, stronger and more brave than I could ever imagine. You're the perfect hero that this city and even this world needs." My mom's hand reaches out to cup my face, her thumb caressing my cheek.

I can't help the little happy tears that well up in my eyes, the wonderful relief of hearing the words I didn't know I was longing to hear for so long.

"Thank you, mom. I love you." I sigh, closing my eyes as I lean into her touch.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

—————
Sitting in class the next day, I make a mental note that Adrien isn't here today. It shouldn't distract me as much as it does, but I can't help myself.

Old habits die hard, I suppose.

The day goes by smooth despite my growing anxieties of the impending Hawkmoth attack. Every little noise makes me jump, and my eyes are almost exclusively stuck staring out the window. Part of me can't help but worry there's an Akuma that has attacked Adrien and that's why he's not here.

Nino said he doesn't know either, and that makes it even more strange. The two of them are always texting back and fourth.

"Want to walk home together?" Alya asks at the end of the school day, bounding up to me with a beaming smile. "I just have to quickly swing by the guidance office for some college pamphlets, maybe you can grab some too? Nino and I are trying to look at our options close together. Or colleges that offer the programs we want."

"I think I'll pass, but thank you anyways." I force myself to smile at my friend, admiring the way she can talk about her future so nonchalantly. I wish it were as easy for me, to know what I want and how to achieve it. Alya's biggest worry is how to stay close to Nino. I wish that was the only thing I had to consider.

"You really need to start browsing some options, Marinette. Even if your choice is to take another year of classes here, or some time off from school. Either way, you have to make a choice soon."

"I know. I will." I shut down, choosing not to engage in this conversation right now.

"Mari-"

"Alya. I have bigger concerns right now, okay? Let's just drop it for the time being. Please?" I try my best to smile at her, not wanting to start another fight. Her fingers fiddles with her Miraculous, a guilty expression on her face.

"Okay." She says quietly, and I pull her into a hug.

"I love you so much, Alya. Truly. Thank you for looking out for me, I promise to make a decision soon enough." With that we pull back and say our goodbyes, parting ways.

"Text me later!" She calls out with a wave, but her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes. I can tell she's disappointed, and I know she's always looked forward to doing all of this together one day.

I really hate making the people I love feel disappointed. Letting them down makes me feel like the worst friend and daughter ever. However, I just don't have the mental capacity to handle these conversations or decisions right now, and I think it's fine for me to protect my peace and work on things in order of priority.

My biggest priority is handling Hawkmoth.

Heading home, I open up my phone to check for any Akuma alerts. There's tons of news, including a kidnapping and some small thrift store that got broken into. Nothing about an Akuma though.

I can't picture what Hawkmoth has in store that's so evil he decided to warn us about it and has given us time to plan our counter attack.

Or maybe he's giving us time to change our minds and strike a deal with him.

Heading inside, I notice the bakery is closed early. My dad doesn't normally do that, so in a panic I rush upstairs.

Bursting through the doors, I see my parents smiling at the dining table.

"Hi honey." My mom welcomes me as I drop my bag down. Feeling my pulse start to slowly calm down, I take deep breaths as I evaluate the situation.

"Hi mom, dad. Why's the bakery closed?" I question, kicking off my shoes and heading over to them. My dad smiles, offering me a plate of cookies. Taking one tentatively, I watch my parents odd behaviour very closely.

"It was a slow day, that's all. Figured we could spend some time together. Want to play some Uno?" My dad shoves the box of Uno cards towards me, a big grin on his face.

"Yeah, sure." I smile to myself, plopping down in a chair and munching on some deliciously soft chocolate chip cookies.

Time flies as I laugh with my parents, spending time with them like I used too before everything got so messy and complicated. This was everything I needed, just some family bonding time.

I feel so awful for all the times I've pushed my parents away recently, even if it was unintentional. My duties as Ladybug has made me feel burnt out, and my anxieties as a teenage girl has had me feeling hopelessly stressed beyond belief. I don't know what I'm supposed to do next, or what's to come. Really it boils down to feeling fearful of the unknown.

When I head upstairs for the evening, I hop in a quick and relaxing shower. Once I'm back inside my room with some clean sleepwear on, I look over at my designs. The abandoned project that I've had all the pieces ready for but just haven't started sewing together. My passion, something I was so excited to do before I stressed myself out making it about earning an income from it.

I run my fingers along the fabrics, toying with my measuring tape. I've been so worried about turning this into a career that I lost what I loved about it in the first place. That I could design something beautiful that makes people feel more confident. That I could make something amazing out of random sheets of fabric. That anything was possible with a little creativity and drive to complete it.

But above else, it's an outlet that is so rewarding. Seeing your creation come to life, it's a thrill I want to chase over and over again.

Taking a damp wipe to my sewing machine, I carefully clean the dust that has settled on it in these last few weeks. I think maybe I'll get to work on finishing this project I abandoned mid way.

"Marinette!" My mom bursts into my room, tears in her eyes. Her face is serious, a deep frown making her look far older than she is. Her eyebrows knit together in a worrying expression, causing many wrinkles to litter her forehead.

"What?" I spring out of my seat, my pulse already racing and my adrenaline kicking in.

"The kidnapping, they've released the name of the victim to the press."

"Who is it?" I feel the moment slow down, but no amount of time could prepare me to hear the name she utters.

"Adrien Agreste."