The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

Gone

She was gone.

Just gone.

No notes, no calls, just one text.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had disappeared, and no-one knew a thing.

~*~

One week ago, she had walked into class like every other day, well, ran into class because she was late. Except... she had a long cut on her cheek.

"Hey Mari... oh my god what happened?" Alya spoke up first, grabbing her friend's face and twisting it. She ave a nervous giggle before slapping the curious brunette's hands away.

"Just an accident in the bakery. You know me, clumsy klutz, probably shouldn't even be in a bakery, but still." She brushed off all concern like water off a duck's back.

Except she didn't get that cut from the bakery. She got it while fighting an akuma, and Adrien Agreste knew it. After all, he had watched her wince in pain before swinging away. Granted, he was Chat Noir and she was Ladybug when this happened. But whatever mask she wore, he would have to confront her. Soon.

~*~

6 days ago, Adrien had pulled her aside in order to confront her about it. Well, Alya had followed, because she wanted to see exactly what happened, and so did Nino, because he wanted to see what his bro was up to. Except... they made a mistake.

"Marinette, I know you didn't get that cut from an accident in the bakery." His eyes bore into hers, and suddenly she was nervous for an entirely different reason other than being close to him.

"U-uh... wh-what else w-would I-I get a c-c-cut from? Ha ha..." She laughed nervously, panic dancing in her eyes as they darted around to find a way she could avoid him. She tried to run away, but he grabbed her arm, and his grip was too tight.

"You're Ladybug, aren't you?"

Oh no. 

"You got that cut from the akuma two nights ago, when he threw you against the wall and your cheek got sliced on a rock."

Her eyes widened. "Ch-Chat...?"

At that exact moment, Alya screamed. "MARINETTE'S LADYBUG?!"

~*~

5 days ago, Marinette was given hell by her classmates from the moment she walked in the door. Everyone was either asking hundreds of questions or staring at her in distrust or full on hating her, in Chloe's case.

She spent all day running from her 'friends', ignoring questions, finding hidden places to sit and avoid everyone in. Even Adrien, no, especially Adrien, who tried to look for her high and low. Consumed with guilt, he gave up after it was clear she didn't want to be found.

~*~

3 days ago, someone in her class leaked her identity to the media. It was probably Chloe, but that didn't mean anything when cameras and microphones followed her everywhere.

Her parents had confronted her about it, forcing her to tell them the truth, to which they fussed over too much.

And then she opened the door.

"Are you really Ladybug?"

"What is your relationship with Chat Noir?"

"Do you know who Chat Noir is?"

"How does it feel to be a superhero?"

"Do you think you're too young to be saving Paris?"

She had pushed through them all, ignoring questions, and ran to school, before realising that it was almost worse there. She was stressed out, panicked eyes darting everywhere at excited, distrusting and curious gazes. It was too much, way too much...

They rushed over when she crashed to the ground.

~*~

Yesterday, Marinette awoke in a hospital bed to the beeping of her heart rate. Her mother and father burst into the room soon after they were alerted of her awakening, apologising again and again for stressing her. She gave them a weak smile and waved off the apologies, saying it was fine.

But when she got back to school, it wasn't fine.

Because Adrien kissed her and Chloe hit her.

Adrien was so worried from the moment he saw her fall to the ground. He picked her up and carried her to the hospital, alerted her parents and paid for her hospital bill. So when he saw her again, alive and awake, he couldn't help but hug her tightly and kiss her forehead.

Which, unfortunately, Chloe saw.

But he didn't know that.

And Chloe hit her the moment she was alone.

~*~

Today, she was gone. No trace of Ladybug either, only a single image of her gliding through the night, seeming to be heading out of the city, with a duffel bag over her shoulder. 

Alya had gotten a text and instructions to read it out to the class.

"To the media, my classmates, my friends and my family - this is what you've done. You say I'm too young to be a superhero, but you think I'm old enough for you to obsess over me. This is your fault. Tonight, it ends, and you will never see Marinette Dupain-Cheng again. She's gone."

Hi, sorry for the lack of updates! I have like 10 drafts but they're all set to be really long one's and they're taking a while for me to finish. So yeah, here's a short one-shot, I'll try and finish more soon! Peace out