Indirect Friendship😸Complete😸

Chapter 18

Marinette saw Adrien look between herself and her mother, unsure how to react. "Madame Cheng...Sabine, I promise..."

"I know," her mom said, with a gentle smile. "You take very good care of my daughter. Thank you for protecting her as well."

Marinette's lip quivered. "Adrien, you should probably go."

He nodded. "I'll see you later, Mari." he whispered, squeezing her hand affectionately before hurrying downstairs.

Marinette and her mother stared at each other with tense smiles. "Where's papa?"

"Counting the kitchen knives. You know him, he likes to keep things safe."

"And you?" Marinette asked, holding her arm. She felt Tikki shift in her pocket, as if a calming gesture.

Her mother smiled, sadness clouding her eyes. "Of course. That's what I loved to do, more than anything...and Tikki knows it."

Marinette's jaw dropped. "You...you know Tikki?"

"I do. That's what made it easy to figure out your identity."

Tikki came out of Marinette's pocket to go to her mother, who reached out a hand. Both her mother's and Tikki's eyes filled with tears. "Sabine," Tikki whispered.

"Tikki," her mother responded, tears starting to run down her cheeks.

"How do you know each other?" Marinette asked cautiously, holding her breath.

Tikki turned back to Marinette, sighing. "Marinette, your mother was Ladybug before you. One of the finest Ladybugs I have ever had the fortune of working with."

Marinette's legs gave out. She sat on the floor, unable to breathe. Her head pounded, and she couldn't move.

"I was a little older than you when I got the earrings," her mother told her, sitting beside her. "I got so freaked out by the idea of being a hero. I was rather shy at your age."

"Did you have a Chat Noir of your own?"

Marinette regretted asking when her mother started to cry. "I did," she whispered. "I did. He was my best friend. He was my partner and my other half."

"Did you...love him?"

"As more than a friend? For some time. After a bit, I moved on and found your father. We were in love from university, and well...Chat Noir wasn't with me after my second year of university.

"What about the other Miraculouses?"

"The peacock and the butterfly. I didn't know their identities, but they helped. I never fought akumas, in my time, they were on my side. The bee miraculous and fox miraculous were in the wrong hands, and our goal was to bring them back to the guardian. There's no much to tell you," her mother sniffled, managing a slight laugh. "I have no idea where to begin or end."

Marinette looked at her mother carefully. "Why...did you give up your miraculous?"

Her mother, stifled a cry behind her hand, and Tikki went to comfort her. Her mother shook her head. "I'm okay, Tikki. And Marinette, I gave up my miraculous after I returned the other two miraculouses to the guardian. I gave up my miraculous when my Chat Noir passed away."

Marinette gasped, covering her mouth. The thought of losing Adrien filled her with fear, and she began to shake. "Y-You lost him?"

"I lost him," her mother repeated. "I got so lucky in my life, Marinette. I have your father and you, the bakery, and the most ideal life I could've wished for. But I have lost so, so much."