The Way You See Me

Chapter One

Song - Deja vu, Olivia Rodrigo

(Adrien/Chat's pov)

"Pound it M'lady!"

Me and Ladybug exchange our usual victory fist bump after defeating the lastest akumatised victim. Suddenly, Ladybug's earrings give out urgent beeps. Since we're both currently seventeen, we won't be able to go without having to recharge our miraculouses until our eighteenth birthday.

"Ah, shoot. I'm about to transform back, Chat. See you at patrol!" She waves at me in which I eagerly return, until I notice a small pink notebook slip out of her grasp.

"Hey, LB! You dropped this!" I shout. But she's too far gone to hear me.

'Huh, what could this be?' I wonder.

I'm a bit hesitant to look through the pages of the notebook in case it pertains to her secret identity but you know what they say; curiosity killed the cat. Slowly, I run my fingers through the pages and begin reading.

Dear Diary,

I feel my heart reaching out to Chat, begging me to return his feelings. And that scares me. I honestly don't think he's actually in love with me as he proclaims. It seems like he only flirts out of entertainment. If I give into my heart, I fear he'll drop me the second I cave. I trust with my life, but with my heart? No.

My fist balls as I slam the diary shut. All I've ever wanted in life is a partner who truly shares with me the dedication and love that I share with them. Is that so much to ask? To receive?

"You know what I feel Ladybug? Hmm? I feel empty inside! Everyone picks me apart piece by piece, but guess what? I'm a person too!" I yell out on the empty street.

Unexpectedly, all my pent up emotions burst out like a dam and I broke down crying.

'Your worthless, your nothing to her, she's better off without someone like you..'

Degrading sentences kept repeating in my head over and over again. They just wouldn't stop. There was only one I heard perfectly loud and clear.

Your not good enough.

(Marinette's pov)

"Hey Tikki, have you seen my diary anywhere?" I ask my red and black spotted kwami.

"No, have it on you during the akuma attack? You tend to forget to leave items behind while going to fight. Remember what happened with Alya and your textbook two years ago?" The tiny creature reminds me.

I think back to moment, shuddering. No way would I ever want to visit an ancient egyptian papyrus leading up to my best friend almost being sacrificed ever again.

"Your probably right. I'll go look for it after patrol. I've only written things about me and Chat Noir excluding any information regarding my personal life so hopefully if anyone finds it they'll just think it's just some silly little story someone was writing about Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"Speaking of patrol, you do realize that it time for you to meet up with Chat, right?" Tikki says.

"Great! Maybe I can ask him to help me look. Tikki, spots on!"

I jump off my balcony, now in my superheroine costume to begin patrol. It doesn't take me that long to reach the roof of a building where me and Chat meet up.

"Hey, I'm here." I greet my superhero partner who had already arrived.

He gives me a head nod as a way to acknowledge my presence. I catch a glance of his eyes and notice they seem colder, almost?

"Are you okay?" I ask, concerned.

"I'm fine." My partner curtly responds.

I'm not convinced, but I shrug it off and move on to a different subject.

"Well anyways, I dropped my diary earlier sometime after the fight and I was wondering if you've seen it. It's pink, with polka dots, and-"

"Oh, you mean this diary?" He angrily holds up in front of my face. In his hand is my treasure filled with secrets.

"Wow, where did you find it?"

"Oh you know, just around." His eyes turn dark quickly as they focus on me. Then just as fast, they soften in a type of vulnerability I've never seen before.

"Did you mean it? That you can't trust me with your heart? Am I just a worthless human being that doesn't deserve your love?" He grips my wrist tightly and starts shaking me. "Dammit Ladybug, answer me!"

"I-I didn't mean to hurt you-" He drops my wrist and scoffs. I see tears slip from his green eyes. A part of me breaks seeing him like that.

Gently, I place a hand on his cheek and turn his gaze towards me. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have written that. I'm so sorry, Chaton." A long silence fills the air before he speaks up.

"Let me prove it to you." He whispers in my ear. "My love is genuine, so let me show you."

My heart stops. "You don't have to prove anything, because I already feel like I believe you. But there's a small part of me that doubts," I lean in closer to him. "So prove it to me."

At the time I didn't know what I was getting into. But boy, was it going to be a hell of a ride.

I'm glad I finally got around to writing and publishing this since I hadn't touched this story since October. I do plan for this to be a short story maybe like ten chapters or so. It was you is still one of my top priorites and hopefully I will get the next chapter up soon.

-Lots of Love, Lanie