No More Secrets

Chapter 16

"I hate you."

Luka's heart shattered as he heard those words. Those painful words he never thought would hurt so much. He hung his head low, and felt the world around him return to it's former black and white color. The color he never thought he would see again.
"It's ironic, isn't it?"

"Huh?" Black Widow turned to face him, a confused look on her face.

"No matter how much I try, I can't bring myself to be mad. No matter how much I try to fight back, I can't. Not with you." He laughed, his voice cracking. "Everyone told me, it would never last. That you loved someone else, and that you would only ever see me as a friend. But, I tried anyway, knowing I might get hurt in the end. But when you told me you loved me, I let my guard down. I broke the walls that kept me from keeping you to myself. But as soon as I did..." Luka trailed off. Tears had begun to stream down his face, and his hands were now fists. "As soon as I did, you got hurt. I let you get taken from my side, and all I did was walk away, leaving you alone, without help or support." Luka took a deep breath, refusing to look at Black Widow. "All of this is happening because of me. Because I'm weak. Because I let the one I love get hurt, and I let her suffer in the darkness. It's my fault, and I'm too pathetic to do anything."

Black Widow was silent. Luka knew she was staring at him but he couldn't look up at her. He let the silence between them grow longer and longer until the akuamtized Marinette spoke up.

"Luka..." Taking a step towards him, Black Widow reached her hand out, as if wanting to grasp onto something. As if the moment she did, she would be able to return to the safe heaven she once believed in. "It's not your fault."
Looking up, Luka stared at the bluenette with a sad and confused expression.
"It's not your fault, and you know it." She gently grabbed his arm. "I know you think that you're the reason this is happening, but believe me it's not." She gently cupped his face. "You always put the blame on yourself, and believe me, I know it's hard. It's hard to put up with so much even though you may not be ready for any of it. The only reason that this is happening is because I let it happen. I was too weak to fight Hawkmoth. I was the one who told you to go and to let me be alone. I'm the reason that this is happening and I'm too weak to stop it." She got up and began to back away. "I'm sorry that I made you think this was your fault, but know that I care for you, and I know you were only trying to help." Smiling Black Widow turned around and looked down the edge of the tower. "So please, don't blame yourself. Know that anything that happens today is because of Hawkmoth and myself. Not Adrien. Not Chat. Not you." Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled. "You're the only reason that I'm still here, you know?"

0~0

Adrien collapsed on his bed, the weight of the days events weighing on his shoulders. Sighing, he gently touched his lips, remembering the one-sided kiss he had given the bluenette. "What's wrong with me?"

"I don't know kid, but you really screwed up this time." The small black cat called from his TV.

"Why do you say that?" Adrien asked him, slightly worried.

"Look." Plagg gestured to the TV.

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. Nadja Chamack here with the latest update of a new villain going by the name of Black Widow. She seems to have a hostage tied to a web on the Eiffel Tower, however, she is nowhere near the site! The police have tried to save the boy, who was identified as Luka Couffaine, but the cops seemed to have gotten stuck in her web as well!"

"Crap." Adrien rubbed the back of his neck, the guilt beginning to get to him.

"What's this? The villain has been spotted by the Louvre, and she seems to be looking for one of Paris' heroes, Chat Noir!"

"Plagg-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, 'this is all my fault, blah, blah, blah, I shouldn't have done it, blah, blah, blah, let's save Marinette.'"

"Way to show emotion." Adrien huffed. "But that doesn't matter right now! Plagg, claws out!"

0~0

Black Widow's brows furrowed as she scanned the Louvre, ignoring the panicked screams of the Parisians below her.

"Tch, of course, he wouldn't show up if I just sat here." Black Widow smirked. "Maybe if I make a little ruckus..." Grabbing her yo-yo, Black Widow to make a web at the entrance of the Louvre, blocking the path of the Parisians still inside. She then entered the glass building through a small latch on the roof, and climbed in, scaring the already terrified Parisians. "You all better hope Chat Noir decides to show up!"

Walking towards them, Black Widow threw her yo-yo at the Parisians only to see a familiar masked hero jump in and use his staff to block the web that was shot towards them.

"Good thing I showed up!" Chat sighed.

"You're going to wish you never did, you stray." Black Widow once again threw her yo-yo at Chat Noir, but he managed to dodge it. "Bad idea." Black Widow smirked as the string of her yo-yo hit one of the civilians. The string then began to expand, trapping all the civilians in a web.

Chat grit his teeth. "Crap."

Taking the advantage, Black Widow threw her yo-yo at Chat, succeeding, and trapping the hero.

"Cataclysm!" With those words, the web dissolved to the ground.

"Well, look at that. The cat doesn't need his lady to do something right." Black Widow scoffed. "Too bad you won't be able to use your power again."

Chat's eyes slit and he jumped towards the hatch, only for Black Widow to block it with a web. "Poor Chat makes it so obvious." And just like that, she shot a web at the feline-like superhero, trapping him.

0~0

Luka struggled against the web as the many officers beside him did the same.
However, they all froze as they saw a familiar figure jumping towards them, Chat Noir in her arms. He was wrapped in many webs, however, all the officers were slightly surprised to see the ring still on his finger. But Luka wasn't as surprised. Not after what Black Widow had told him.

As soon as she arrived, Black Widow began to release the officers, but before they could fight her, she removed them from the tower, making it harder for them to reach the top once more.

Black Widow placed a tied up Chat Noir next to Luka who was looking at the bluenette guilty.

Looking down at him, she had a slightly lost look in her eyes, almost as if she were fighting something deep down inside her. "I'm sorry," were the only words she managed to say.