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Chapter Text

I didn't mean for it to happen.

(Screams tear through the air as the temple is bathed in flames. Smoke fills Fu's lungs as he stands, drowned in fear and regreat. Frozen in horror as he watches from the opposite side of a door, as a blue creature devours )

I just wanted to eat something, I was hungry.

( One of the Monks spotted his frozen form, "What are you doing, Fu? Take the Miracle Box and leave!" he screams. The sentimonster turns its head in his direction, growling as it flicks its tongue. "Protect it with your life.")

If I had just waited, then it would never have happened.

( Every cell in his body screamed to run, to flee, but he stood there petrified in fear. The sentimonster, sensing his position advanced towards him and Fu's life flashed before his eyes, the world around him forgotten.)

They wouldn't have died, and all those other miraculous' would've never been eaten.

( Suddenly he felt pain in his forehead, and a cool liquid dripped from his head. He touched his head unconsciously,only to be greeted with his own blood. Realizing he was able to move again, Fu grabbed the box and fled. Blood pumping adrenaline coursing through his veins as he runs farther away from the screams, the order, from everything.)

What happened was because of me, created by me.

(And the beast followed.)

They're gone because of me.

( He continued to run onto the snow floor, white all he could see. Even as the cold winds whipped harshly across his face and his fingers numbed from how tightly he held onto the Miracle box. He continued on.)

Now it seems karma has caught up to me and what's left for me is to accept it.

( The sentimonster chased after him, hot on his tail. Fu did not even so much as take a glance over his shoulder as he maneuvered away from the sentimoster's attacks, dodging anything that would've slowed him down. Even as a split in the mountain appeared he jumped over it with no hesitation.)

And because of that I must do this, I'm sorry I can not stay with you longer.

(It wasn't until he noticed the lack of attacks on him and monstrous shrieks did he dare to look back. Fu bracing himself turned and let out a relieved sigh, at the absence of the sentimonster. Rubbing his cold nose, Fu continued forward into snowy winds.)

Forgive Me.

( And when it cleared he was gone, the miracle box along with him.)

___________________

"Merci bien." Queen thanked Mrs.Cheng softly with her order in hand. Her expression blank as her chocolate brown eyes scanned the pâtisserie as if searching.

"Looking for Marinette?" Mrs.Cheng asks. Her voice has its usuals gentle tone though there's a slightly apologetic note mixed in it. Queen paused and focused her attention back on Mrs. Cheng.

"Is Marinette not here?" she asked and Mrs.Cheng shook her head."No, she is. It's just that she has a small cold."

"Oh," Queen chewed her bottom lip. 'If she's sick then she can't possibly come with her to the movies'. And if she doesn't come then Queen will be forced to end up third-wheeling Ivan and Mylène.

Not that she minded, but she was looking forward to it.

After all, it'll be the first time she'd go to the cinéma.

With a sigh, Queen dug into her pocket and pulled out Marinette's ticket."Can you tell Marinette that I said 'I hope she gets better.', Mrs. Cheng."

Mrs. Cheng nodded, giving her a smile as Queen gave her the ticket. "Don't worry dear, I will. Oh and tell your parents I said Hi."

Queen's lips curled up a little as she nodded, giving her a wave as she made her way toward the door. "Bye."

"Goodbye dear, see you soon." Mrs.Cheng said, waving back.

Queen waved back for good measure before opening the door.

And when she walked out she stepped into what could be described as a warzone. Cars were filled upside down, pieces of the road torn apart, projectiles were being thrown haphazardly, and there was so much noise.

And in the middle of it was Chat Noir and Carapace fighting-

"Run an Akuma!"Some screamed, narrowly dodging a street lamp being thrown at them.

Yeah, that.

Queen sighed.

When she thought she could catch a break, Le papillon just had to akumatize someone.

"Whoever you are, Le papillon, I hope you slip and bust your head.", she cursed under her breath before running to somewhere she could safely transform.

Chapter Text

   4:00 a.m.

It was around that time Adrien had woken up.

It was earlier than his usual 5:30, but the excitement about going to school had led him to set an alarm for 4:00 instead.

Though after an intense night of going over his plans on getting to Lycée Françoise Dupont on the phone with Chloé.

From planning the Métro routes he would be taking, much to his and Chloé's displeasure. Since it means that he and Chloé won't be able to go together.

Which Adrien had quickly reassured her, telling her that the experience will be enlightening.

Though It does not reassure Chloé in the slightest, but she sighs over the line grumbling about his optimism.

To worrying about forging his own Père's signatures, even after Chloé had tried to reassure him by comparing the repercussions of him doing it to her's.

"Look Adrikins, if I were to sign those documents then I would go to jail, and that would be utterly ridiculous."

Chloé's end of the line paused, as Adrien can hear her quiet chewing something, "But if you were to do it, then you'd just get off with a slap on the wrists."

(Adrien later looked it up online, and Chloé had been proved wrong. But he appreciates the effort.)

"By the way, what are you eating?" Adrien asks at the end of their call, Chloé answering instantly.

"Banana Clafoutis."

"Just what is your problem, Kim?"

Queen yelled, grabbing the collar of his hoodie forcing him to look her in the eyes. Kim arched an eyebrow in mock confusion. Kim pulled Queen's hand away from his collar, dropping at her side.

At the front of the class Nino groaned, slumping in his seat and pulled his headphone onto his head.

"The first day and heir already at each other's throats." He grumbled and turned his music up to flush out both Kim's and Queen's arguing.

Nino had half expected for this to happen, but he was hoping that they could've started when he had to Introduce himself to the class.

"My problem?" Kim parroted, crossing his arms against his chest.

"Yes, your problem, specifically with Ivan."

The rest of the class watched them both with interest, one of them ready to record for what clearly looked to her like the beginning of a fight.

"What? I was just confirming if the info I was given was true." Kim answered nonchalantly with a shrug. As if he hadn't just caused Ivan to be kicked out of the class by Madame Bustier.

"Confirming my butt. Ivan was sent to Monsieur Damoclès's office because of whatever you told him." Anger is clear in her tone.

"No actually, Ivan was sent to Monsieur Damoclès's office because he physically attacked me."

"That was only because you provoked him."

" So? I didn't even insult him, just asked him a question."

A look of disbelief crossed her face. "Are you serious Kim." she asked.

He didn't answer her giving her a look of slight confusion. Waiting for her to elaborate.

Queen inhaled trying to calm the growing inferno of anger and frustration she felt towards him.

Exhaling she smoothed her face into a deadpan before she responded. "You've got to be kidding me, what did you even tell Ivan anyway?"

Kim motioned for her to come closer with a mischievous grin on across his face. Queen frowned as she leaned in, feeling the tiniest bit of dread begin to form in her stomach at what he may say.

(By now most of the class had lost interest favoring to pay attention to Madame Bustier's lesson. those that were still listening leaned in trying to hear what Kim was going to say.)

Face to face they stared at each other. " Spit it out already, I don't have all day." she demanded.

Kim wagged his finger in disapproval, "The magic word please." She blinked. "Magic words?"

"Yup, just say please Queen." he told her grin morphing into a smirk, Queen sighed, done.

"Please."

Kim grinned, "Well since you asked so nicely." he leaned in," I asked Ivan if-." Madame Bustier cut him off before he could finish.

"Ms. Abara and Mr.Lê Chiến, I suggest that you both return to your seats immediately!"

The whole room flinched as Madame Bustier's yell cut through the class like a hot knife through butter. Queen pulled away from Kim, focusing on Madame Bustier.

Madame Bustier leveled them with a mildly irritated glare.

"But if you prefer to sit in Monsieur Damoclès's office along with Ivan than I can arrange that."

Kim shook his head, while Queen thought about it for a second before shaking her head as well.

Decided that it would be better for her if she didn't go, because then she won't get in trouble with her father and she could bring Ivan his missing work.

("Sorry Ivan.")

"Are we in agreement that this will not be happening again?" They nodded, giving no verbal response.

Madame Bustier stared at them expectantly. "Are we in agreement?"

"Oui!" They chorused in unison. sliding back into their respective seats.

Madam Bustier stared at them for a few seconds longer before returning to her presentation with an irritated huff.

"It's not like you could do anything to me anyway, you're too much of a coward."

"Huh?" Queen asked, speechless at his audacity.

"A fight between you and Kim would be 47% to 53%, in Kim's favor". Max whispered not so quietly in support of Kim's words. Kim puffed up his chest in pride giving her a smirk.

She ignored him instead Queen glowered at Max.

"And who asked for your opinion anyway, Kante?", Queen sneered.

"No one needed too, because I wasn't giving my opinion." Max paused, pushing his glasses up against his face, "I was stating a fact."

Ohs and snickers rung through the classroom, Chloé and Sabrina snickered particularly loudly.

Madame Bustier spun around to where the noise popped up, noise makers snapping their mouths shut as they held in a breath. Some fidgeting as she looked at them suspiciously before she frowned slightly, turning back to the board.

Queen clenched her hands into a fist as anger bubbled under her skin, glaring at both Max and Kim infuriated. 'So, it's like that, eh?'

She opened her mouth to retaliate with word equally demeaning, but before she could say anything the door wall exploded, clouding the room in dust.

Coughs wrung through the class as the dust cleared, revealing.

"KIM!" It yelled. Its inhumane scream echoed through the classroom spreading into the school. Causing the walls to tremble in its wake.

The room became still at they looked at the creature in shock and fear.

Nino was the first to run, then Kim, then the whole class followed tumbling out of the room. Queen included.

"Kim!" The monster yelled again as it flipped over tables ignoring the fleeing students.

Queen paused in front of the doorway at the familiarity she felt from its voice. 'It couldn't be.'

As the remaining students evacuated the destroyed classroom, Queen stood there at a loss for words.

"Ivan?"

Chapter Text

"Tell me [redacted], why are you doing this?"

"I'm doing this for her and for him,for us."

"Why?"

"I need to keep us from falling apart, to put my family back together so we can be happy."

"Do you not still have is your son, or has your son dead as well? Is it not what you humans say, to be grateful for what you have."

"..."

"You still have your son. he is your family."

"Still i'm not enough to keep him happy!"

"So bringing a corpse to life will make him happy."

"Bringing his mother back will make everything better for us, for him!" 

"..."

"Nooroo."

"What do you want now."

"Please tell me again, how the story goes."

"...Very well. Many centuries ago-"

"Ivan?"

The stone-like creature stopped and Queen suddenly regrets ever opening her mouth. If anyone of those horror movie characters that she would scream at for making stupid choices saw her now they'd laugh at her.

And how could they not, considering the situation she got herself into.

Why didn't she leave with the rest of the class, was she really going to die for this. One impulsive thought? No Thank you.

Slowly she backed away from the creature that was currently trying to create a hole in the wall and towards the door, quietly one step after another. Then suddenly her phone rang loudly.

(Des yeux qui font baisser les miens) 

 She felt her heart stop and breath quicken. Panicked, she clumsily pulled out her phone from her pocket, to see that it was Marinette calling her.

(Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche)

Merde, is she calling to see if she was okay?

(Voila le portrait sans retouches)

Sorry Marinette, but I don't want to die.

(De l'homme-)

She shut it off before the verse could end, she looked up to see Ivan's the creature's glowing eyes bore into her own.

Glaring into her soul.  

Eyes filled with so much aggression and anger, paired with a body of unpolished stone. A hulking figure with rough edges and pointed joints, exuding a fluctuating aura that seems so familiar but at the same time not.

(Magic.) 

She was slightly surprised she didn't hear a clicking sound when he it had turned his head towards the sound of her phone.

How could she think that thing was Ivan? Nothing about it's appearance or behavior was remotely similar to Ivan's.She's way she keeps addressing it as he just add salt to the injury. 

But Queen remembers the anger on Ivan's face when he had grabbed Kim by his collar. Remembers the embarrassment that appeared on his face when Madame Bustier had  scolded him, before sending him to Monsieur Damocles office. Remembered the snickers that followed him, feeling waves of shame pouring on  him like December rains. 

(She can feel it too.)

Still she needs a confirmation, just to be sure.

Just as Ivan's It mouth opens, She speaks before any words will come out of his It's. "That is you right, Ivan?" Queen asks. Growing less sure at every passing second silence covers the classroom. 

That is until she hears it. 

"Maka?" The sound her nickname from Ivan, pulls her out of her thoughts. The anger now gone from his eyes, replaced with their usual softness. Queen lets out a breath that she hadn't realized she's held in.

 "What happened?" Ivan asks as he turns fully to see the mostly destroyed class room. Tables scattered all around the room, the ceiling lights hanging on their last wire and shattered glass next to a large hole in the wall. 

(It's only him and Maka in the classroom)

(Everything in the room seems so small, even Maka and she's almost never small.)

Queen chews her lower lip, as she looks away from Ivan, clasping her hands together. She doesn't answer and Ivan's heart drops. Slowly he looks down and see a rock like hand holding a table.

He tries to move his hand, the stone moves. When he tries to open hand, the stone hand opens and drops the table. 

"What happened" he asks quietly afraid.Queen sighs as she makes her way over to Ivan and starts pushing tables back in their place. It's only after moving two tables in place, does she speak. 

"We need to leave."she looks up at him anxiously,"I'm sure Madame Bustier has called the police already, so it's only a matter of time before they come." She says firmly as she starts to move for her things.

"Wait!" Queen stops turning to look at him and her face is set in her usual deadpan look. Ivan's throat clogs,"Did I do this?" he asks quietly.

"No I did." Queen answered dryly reflexively.

He looked at her un-amused, "Sorry, 'day's not doing it for me."Queen looked at him apologetically before holding her chin, racking her brain. "Well it started after you got sent to Monsieur Damocles office." Ivan lowers his slightly head in shame.

"Oh." Is all he can say so she continues.

"When Madame Bustier sent you to his office did anything strange happen to you." she asks walking closer to get a proper look at him.

"I don't know.I guess this happened because I was just mad, especially at-" he started awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck and Queen couldn't help but snort at how comical the gesture was."Kim."

Ivan froze and a thin translucent purple visor appeared on Ivan's face,that Queen hadn't noticed as Ivan was too tall for her. She was his lips move, saying something that Queen hear. She leaned in. "What did you say?"

("Yes. Now tell me again who was the one who made you feel this anger.")

"Kim."

(Who was talking about ill of your friend, your only friend.")

"Kim."

("So tell me what you need to do to defend Queen honor?") 

"I need to make him pay."

(Somewhere a masked man smirked. His bait has been set, now all that's left is for it to be noticed.)

Finally she noticed the purple visor on Ivan's face and Queen stared at him in genuine concern. "Ivan there's some purple glowing butterfly on your face?"

He doesn't answer, just keeps on mumbling the same thing under his breath.

"Ivan are you okay?"Queen asked worried as she felt the fluctuating aura around him still, it felt wrong. 

Something was missing.

(The purple visor was still there.)

("Now Ivan.")

"No I'm not Ivan." Ivan started eerily and the hairs at the back of neck rose. Unconsciously Queen backed away from him. "I-Ivan?"

("Tell me who you are now.")

"I AM  STONEHEART!" He yelled another voice mixing with his, eyes blazing with a new rekindled anger. She ducked her head as Ivan yelled, throwing his arms  around  haphazardly. And Queen knew this wasn't Ivan, at least not anymore.

She ran.

Or at least she tried to.

She yelped and came crashing to the ground after trying to run and dodge his swift arms at the same time. She internally cursed as she looked at her bloody knee before whipping her head back to see Stoneheart's fist coming towards her fast.

Queen life flash before her eyes.

"Queen watch out!" On instinct she shut her eyes tightly and lifted her arms to shield herself.

"Shelter!"

Her eyes snapped open instantly as translucent green hexagons appeared formed around her like a dome. Shielding her from Stoneheart's attack towards her, sending him flying back upon impact. Crashing into the hole he had created in the wall and falling into the street.

"Ivan!" she reaches over for him subconsciously, but she's stopped by a green hexagon tiled field around her. Trapping her. "Who are you?" she yelled slamming her fist against the green surface.

He wore tree green jogger pants with pine colored knee pads and sneakers. Paired with a turtle themed hoodie and a chest piece design consisting of light-green hexagons.  His tan skin  complemented greatly with the color. Along with a black mask around his eyes, no pupil or iris just pure white Sclera.

Is he supposed to be a hero?

"What no thank you for saving your life?" He teased and Queen scowled, feeling her face warm in embarrassment. "Merci." she mumbled and he laughed waving her off. 

"Don't worry,Carapace by the way." he says walking over to the wall that Stoneheart had fallen through.  

He whistles, mumbling something that Queen can't quite catch.  He leans in the hole as if to jump and Queen panics.  

"Hey!" Carapace turns to her, "You aren't going to just forget about me here, are you?" She says teasingly to cover the way her voice shook.

She internally cursed, why did her Claustrophobia have to show up now.

"Oh sorry."he said and the dome started slowly dissipating. "J'arrête, je me barre." he waved before he jumped through the hole. 

Once he left Queen sank to her knees breathing harshly as she clutched her chest, last bits of the dome vanished.

Breath In.

Breath out.

Inhale.

Exhale.

(Merde. Why didn't she go see Ivan when she had the chance. If she had then-)

Ivan wouldn't have ended up like that.

Only when he jumped down after the monster did Queen get up from her spot. Going over her desk to pack up her forgotten property.

Her movement automatic as she packed everything up one by one.

Her vision blurred.

She sniffed, and rubbed away budding tears before they hit the table and left.

[A while ago] 

Adrien wouldn't make it in time.

He knew from the moment he took his first step up the stairs of Lycée Françoise Dupont and heard the sounds of a car engine. That all he and Chloé's efforts were for nothing. 

Still even if he knew what would happen to him, he continued going up the steps and closer towards the large oak doors of Lycée Françoise Dupont. He focused on nothing but the sun glaring down on his being and the way the door seemed to blur the closer he got to it.

Merde, he forgot his glasses. 

The world silent around his, as he focus solely on what was in front of him and moving his feet towards it. Only when he reached red oak doors did he notice Nathalie's voice calling his name. 

"Adrien stop!" 

He froze. His chance to go to school, his chance to be with Chloé, and his chance to experience a normal celebrity school life as Chloé would say, all gone. All because he couldn't ignore Nathalie. 

"I know you can hear me, get down here Adrien." she says and Adrien ducks his head as he walks down the steps, going farther away from his dream.

(I'm sorry Chloé.)

He draws close enough to hear Nathalie on a phone call, reassuring the other line that they found him and that he's okay. Guilt crawls its way up his stomach,"I'm sorry."

Nathalie glances at him as she hangs up,"You should be pulling stunts like this, what were you thinking?" she scolds and Adrien stays quiets staring harder at his shoes. 

"You had your Père worried." You had us worried, was left unsaid but still made Adrien feel 10x worse. "I'm sorry."he says again because he really is.

Nathalie sighs,"Adrien look at me." He looked up to see the worried,disapproving look on Nathalie's face and looked away in shame. "I just wanted to go to school." was all Adrien could say.

Nathalie's face softens,"Adrien-" she starts but is interrupted by Gorilla's honking the horn for them to hurry up. Nathalie adjusted her glasses and just like any traces of emotion on her face are wiped clean replaced with her usual blank one.

"Let's go." Is all she says as she guides him to the back seat of his père's black Volkswagen. Once he's in, she opens the door of the passenger side and slides in the seat. 

"Gorilla drive." Nathalie says stoically as she shuts the door. Gorilla nodded turning on the car engine and driving away. The car ride back was quiet except for the music in his ears in the background.

When Gorilla finally pulled up to their driveway Adrien wasted no time getting out of the car and running straight to his room. Adrien slams the door shut, Nathalie's shouts for him deaf to his ear.

Once inside he slammed his messenger bag onto the floor, sunk to his knees and screamed. Every thing he worked for, everything they worked for down they drain just like that. Why is his luck so shitty?Why does he have to stay here by himself all alone.

Adrien inhales as he grabs his phone from his trouser pocket, and dials Chloé's number. It rings for a few seconds before she answers.

The first thing he hears are screams and next he hears Chloé's frantic shouts.

"Adrikins."She says relieved or is what he's sure she tries to say, but over the constant shouts and background noise it muffled. "Chloé's are you okay." He asks worried. She doesn't answer immediately and he panics as he hears more screams."Chloé!"

"I'm here." She snaps, sounding less frazzled. There's no background noise except for the voices Sabrina's and Chloé butler talking in the background. Adrien sighs in relief."Chloé I-" 

"Where were you?"Chloé hissed cutting him off and Adrien feel familiar guilt being to seep in. "Chloé I'm sorry."

"Did he catch you on the way out?"she asks and Adrien hesitates,"No, Nathalie and Gorilla caught me before I could even go inside."

It's silent before she speaks again,"I'm on my way."

Adrien stays silent because when Chloé decides to do something nobody can change her mind. Nobody.

"I'm hanging up. Jean drive." She orders firmly and Adrien waits for the line cut.

The line is quiet for a second before Chloé speaks again her voice dangerously quiet.

"Adrikins turn on your television."

"I thought you were hanging up?"

"Just turn it on!"

He does and his eyes widen as he sees Nadja Chamack in a helicopter yelling, the headline reading Lycée Françoise Dupont Under Attack! 

Involuntarily his phones slips from his hand, falling to the floor. He cursed under his breath as he frantically looked for it. 

It's then that he notices a black jewelry box on the floor. He stares at it entranced and curiously he picks it up and opens it.

(At this moment he gains his escape, his key to freedom.)

Tikki's eyes bore into her as they wait for her answer, and Queen's mind raced with thoughts by the second. What, when, how,who? A old man wearing a red Hawaiian shirt on the floor crossed her mind and her eyes widened.

Tikki watches her expression change with patience before speaking again. "So do you get it now?"

Queen shook her head, still not fully understanding, she asks the first thing that comes to mind,"Why?" Why should I trust you? Why me? 

Tikki gives her a wide smile, and their inhumanly blue eyes are reflected by the dim light of her restroom. It leaves Queen speechless by its shine and Tikki draws near giving her a closer look into their eyes. Pulling her in.

Queen looks away.

"Well it's as you human say, Vouloir c’est pouvoir." Queen's brows furrow and Tikki elaborates,"You want to save your friend,Oui." Queen nods.

"Then just follow my lead and you'll be alright."

Chapter Text

“Citizens of Paris, in response to this terrorist attack.  I ask all of you, to please for your own safety,  return to—” Marinette shuts off her monitor and sinks into her pink desk chair with a sigh as she looks at her phone in frustration. 

“Come on, pick up Maka.” Marinette says to nobody but herself as she sits alone in her room.

It would be an understatement to say that Marinette is worried, because right now she’s feeling a whole mix of things that she can’t even use words to describe.

One thing is for sure and it’s that she sure isn’t feeling good. 

Why, you may ask?

Well it’s because her childhood friend, Maka, hasn’t been answering her FUCKING phone. 

“Merde.” Marinette curses under her breath, her leg bounces up and down off her hot pink desk chair. She dials Maka's number in her phone for the 20th time, hoping that this time she’ll answer. 

‘Please. Please be okay.’

It rings, but still, the sound does nothing to ease her worries. After all, it rang so many other times only for Maka to never answer.   

Marinette pulls the phone close to her face, blue-bell eyes staring directly at her phone. She starts biting at her nails as she monitors the black screen of her phone. 

All she can do is wait with baited breath for Maka to answer, or to just call her. All she wants is a sign that Maka is okay, but as seconds pass and time continues to stretch a dangerous thought slithers its way into her mind. 

What if she didn’t make it out in time. 

Immediately a chill runs down Marinette’s spine as an image of a young bedridden Maka covered in with cuts and burns, pops into her mind before she can even blink.  

Marinette's stomach drops. The line cuts.

‘What if she didn’t make it in time?’

‘Why didn’t I notice sooner?’

‘What if she got stuck?’

‘What if that monster got her?’

‘What if she dies?’  

Her body goes slack, phone slipping out of her hand and crashing onto the floor with a thud. She feels bile rise up into her throat and Marinette's stomach twists unpleasantly as a surge of memories rush her brain. 

Sirens pound  harshly against her ears as red, blue, and white light flickers violently in front of her. 

At 12, Marinette watches with baited breath as a fire rages before her.   

Her small body is shielded from icy evening winds by a cotton baby blue blanket that drapes around her shoulders and over her arms.   

Marinette’s hands grip tightly onto the edge of singed fabric, disregarding the way the blanket’s burnt edges irritate her shaky palms. In front of her, under the spotlight given by the moon, flames continue to dance upon a burning property.  

The music it dances to is one of its favorites, the symphony of prayers and the dissonance of cries that mix into a sound that urges Marinette to weep alongside it. 

(Where is Maka?)

All around her, people are yelling in distress as the fire continues to rage on. Firefighters rush back and forth to bring out as many people as they can. 

(They haven’t brought Maka out yet.)

She waits there, staring at the burning building with tears streaming down rosy cheeks, in hopes that her friend is okay.  

( Why didn’t she listen to her? Why did she have to go back in?)

After a while she spots a firefighter rushing out with a child in their arms and Marinette perks up because she can recognize those purple & yellow polka dotted pajamas anywhere.

Relief instantly washes over her as makes a move to run towards them, her relief though, is short-lived the instant she sees Maka being placed onto a stretcher. 

Before she can get too close, Marinette is stopped by a random firefighter. He tells her it’s too dangerous and that she should go back and stay with the other survivors.

He tells her other things too,but she’s not paying attention because now Marinette can see the state that Maka is in more clearly.

Her ice blue eyes widen almost comically at the sight before her.

A fresh set of tears runs down Marinette's face as she tries and fails to push through a now concerned firefighter.

Maka lays unconscious on the stretcher as her dark brown skin, that is not covered by her bloodied shorts and t-shirt, is littered with burns and injuries all over her young body. 

She watches, cold, as Maka is pulled farther and farther away from her, with burns and open wounds littered across her body. 

(If I hadn’t been such a selfish person, then maybe,)

All while she’s a few feet away wrapped in a blanket,free from any serious injuries.

(Just maybe–)

Despite the immense heat from the fire, it’s nothing compared to shame and regret that burns her from within.

(Maka wouldn't have almost di– )

“Cet air qui m’obsède jour et nuit”

“Cet air n'est pas né d'aujourd'hui”

“Il vient d'aussi loin que–”

The sound of Marinette's ringtone for Maka pulls her out of her thoughts. Immediately, she scrambles for her fallen phone ringing under the table.

Due to her haste, Marinette had forgotten the fact that she was still sitting on a very tall chair with wheels and that diving for the floor from a very tall desk chair is her just asking to fall flat onto the floor.

Lo and behold, the moment Marinettte moves to grab her phone, she ends up crashing face first onto her hard wood floor. Marinette groans in pain on the floor for a second, before grabbing her phone and quickly getting up.

That was a big mistake on Marinette’s because she was still under the table. So in the process she accidentally hit the top of her head against the table. 

“Merde!”

“Marinette Honey, did you get home okay?” Her maman yells. She must have come from the shop after seeing the news and hearing the noise.  

“Yes maman!” Marinette shouts back, rubbing her throbbing forehead before returning to matter at hand. Quickly she answers the phone before bringing it to her ear.

“Hello, Marinette? Are you there?” Maka asks voice filled concern and Marinate can’t help the fresh tears that trail down her at the sound of Maka’s voice.

Her whole body shakes as she tries to speak, but her throat clogs and she can’t find the words to start with. 

So, instead she lets out a very pathetic squeak in response.

She’s okay.

“Huh? Can you say that again, it’s really loud out here.”

She’s okay.

Marinette sniffs, rubbing away the last bit of tears before lifting herself off the floor. She takes one deep calming breath. 

“Maka, Where are you?”

“WhoOo HOOO!”

Adrien has never felt more alive as he jumps onto the rooftops of Paris. 

His smile never leaving his face with every leap he takes, laughter trailing right behind him. 

Parisian winds blowing in his face and against his body as he continues to jump from rooftop to rooftop. Doing front flips, back blips, even going as to do an arch leaping dual barrel roll. 

Adrien stops, crouching down to take in the sight of unfamiliar Parisian shops that line the street. Though the street looks a bit empty, as if abandoned, which is unusual for Paris. 

He frowns. Weird.

Suddenly both sets of his ears twitch and he looks up to see a red blur in the sky. The red blur becomes clearer and Adrien realizes that it’s not a blur. 

It’s a person.

A person, who is yelling at him to get out of the way as they fall out of the sky.

“WATCH OUT!” 

Adrien in fact did not watch out, instead he chose to open his arms to try and catch said flying person. 

He should’ve obviously followed the stranger's advice, because next thing he knows, he’s getting the air knocked right out of his lungs, as said person slams right into his chest.

“URrgk!”

Adrien lets out a pained yell as the impact sends both him and the unknown person off the rooftops and tumbling into the streets of Paris. 

The stranger screams, yelling profanities as they hold onto his torso for dear life.

“PLEASE DON'T LET ME DIE PLEASE DON'T LET ME DIEPLEAS–”

Reflexively he extends his bâton between the nearest buildings and the body of the stranger's red and black yo-yo wraps itself around his bâton, with the wire tying itself around their bodies.

Leaving them both just a few meters away from the Parisian floor, bodies pressed tightly together. Their face to his chest and his face to their hair, as they just dangle there.

Rocking back and forth.

Adrien lets out a sigh of relief at the fact that they both were able to avoid becoming splatters of paint on the pavement. 

Speaking of which, he cranes neck to at least a glimpse of the person he’s stuck with,all he’s met with is a head full of dense kinky red hair. 

Their individual strands of hair tickle his nose as they both rock and forth. Adrien struggles to fight off the growing urge to sneeze or laugh.

So instead he focuses on how their hair smells to distract himself. It’s a mixture of cucumber, rosemary and a bit of something else that he can’t quite name.

“Je suis désolée.” The sudden apology puts a stop to Adrien’s thoughts as he notes the feminine tone of their voice. 

Though he can’t see her face, his enhanced sense allows him to pick up the slight rasp in her voice with his ears, as well as the traces of salt in the air with his nose. 

She must have been crying. 

Understanding dawns on Adrien and immediately Adrien is met with the urge to comfort her, to tell her everythings going to be fine. 

(After all, since the death of his mére, he’s been even familiar with the feeling of sadness.)

But maybe it’d probably be weird for him to touch her since she doesn’t know him, especially since they're both tied together  to a random person’s back would be weird and plus he can really move his arms. 

So before it becomes too long for it to be awkward, he brushes it off. “Don’t worry, it’s okay,” he says, hoping his tone comes off as comforting when he speaks.

After a beat he adds,“I’m Chat Noir by the way. I’m sure your kwami must have told you about me.” Chat Noir says trying to lighten up the mood. 

“Oh. Hi, um–” She pauses, quiet for a few seconds and Chat Noir tenses when he feels her start to shuffle. 

“Sorry about this.” She says as she shuffles. Adrien holds his breath as she moves to more of a distance between the both of them. 

Ultimately she fails to do anything but pop her arms out of the tight wire wrapped around them.

Or maybe that was her intention, but he doesn't dwell on the thought as he focuses on gem-like wine colored eyes that bore into his emerald.

“Hello and yes Tikki, my kwami, did tell me about you and another person. Also my name–.” She stops, brows suddenly pinching together in thought.    

“Actually, I haven’t thought up a name for myself, but you can call me Rouge if you want.”  

 “Okay.” He nods, “Hello–.”

“Or Clover now that I think about it ‘cause my Miraculous is related to luck and Clover overall is just better.” She interrupts him and her eyes widen, “Sorry.” she says quickly looking away.

“No no, it’s fine.” Chat Noir laughs and nods again,”So Clover then.” He says letting the name roll off his tongue and she nods, looking back at him with a slight smile. “I used to be obsessed with Clovers when I was a kid.”

His mother had loved clovers as well, always calling him her little Clover when he was young. Is the first thought that comes to his mind when she says those words and despite himself his smile turns somber.  

He blinks though, when he notices how full black lips seem to press together into a thin line. 

“Is something wrong?”

“You look sad.” She says it plainly, as if it should be obvious to him. 

It’s not. 

“Sorry.” She adds quickly and he makes no comment. The silence stretches as neither of them make an attempt to speak. 

In the silence, Clover manages to untie both of them, causing them to fall onto the ground. Chat Noir gracefully lands on his feet, but Clover’s not so lucky as crashes onto the floor.

“Ooh that’s gotta hurt.” He said as Clover groaned in pain. She looked up at him with a harsh glare. Chat Noir raised his hands up in surrender before offering his hand, which Clover accepts.  

“How’d you even manage to land on your feet anyway?” Clover grumbles as she stands up. He shrugs, before he smirks, “Well If you must know, cats-” 

Before he can even finish his answer, a building comes crashing down in the distance behind him. Clover's eyes widen for a second, before she backs away from him and throws her yoyo off into the distance. 

“Sorry, got to go.” Is all she says before Clover takes off, leaving him alone in her dust. 

As he watches her swing away, Chat Noir sighs. He didn’t even get to finish his pun.  

“Well, guess I better go after her then.”  He says to himself as readies his bâton, before taking off as well.