Amnesia [MARICHAT]

21

   Marinette Dupain-Cheng is sure she's going to explode.

   She's sitting on her chaise, waiting for that damn black cat to arrive, ready to pretend she has no idea what's going on. Ready to pretend to be angry.

   But she isn't angry at all. She's filled with nerves, unsure how on earth she is going to survive being around him for so long.

   They had no idea when the akuma was going to make its move.

   She'd been in love with the black cat for months. She first got to know him when he collapsed on her balcony with a fever. They had started out as friends and grew into something more. They had fallen in love with each other, but it was forbidden to be in love with a superhero, or for a superhero to love another. It was too dangerous.

   But she hadn't thought of the consequences. Not until she was captured by an akuma nad used as bait.

   They had come so treacherously close to losing everything. Chat Noir had almost lost his miraculous trying to save her. And he had no idea where Ladybug was. He had managed to save her and hide her, to where she could transform and help him defeat the akuma.

   She had pushed him away after that. Had told him it was too dangerous, that they could never be together. He had left and she expected to never see him again as Marinette when she was hit by a car and lost her memory.

   He had come to her house and introduced himself. Told her they had been friends. She believed him and he had come to visit her.

   Then she had lost her memory again. The only thing she remembered was being Ladybug, and Chat Noir.

   Then she forgot again, and again, and again, until she finally told the voice in her head that she was in love with Chat Noir.

   Then she remembered everything, as if she had never lost her memory in the first place.

   She figured it out after pushing Chat away a second time. During her memory loss and the repetition, there had been no akumas. And it finally clicked when she had seen the poster -

ADALENE DUBOIS

MISSING

   It all made sense. The first time she had lost her memory was her own fault. She should have looked both ways before crossing the street. But the second time, and all the times after that - those were because of an akuma. She could only guess that it was that woman - Adalene. She had been missing for six weeks, and it all began six weeks ago.

   But it was confirmed when she heard that Chat had been having terrible nightmares. The akuma had infiltrated both of their heads.

   And now she was in danger. The akuma had discovered her love for the black cat, and his love for her, and was probably preparing to strike where it mattered - Marinette.

   And so, as Ladybug, she agreed that Chat should stay by Marinette's side to protect her. So there would be no replay of what happened before.

   And now Marinette was waiting. Waiting for the black cat. Waiting for the pain. Waiting for the final fight, because...

   The game had begun. And she was right in the middle.

//

   There was a knock on her trapdoor. Marinette jumped from where she had been sitting at her desk, drawing in her sketchbook.

   She took a deep breath, willing her heart to stop beating so fast.

   "Marinette," a voice called. It was quiet, tentative. Unsure.

   Scared.

   She slowly climbed up to her bed and unlatched the trapdoor, easing it open a crack. "What are you doing here, Chat Noir?"

   "It - it's a long story. But I can explain. Please let me in."

   She pretended to hesitate, and then opened it fully. She immediately turned away, climbing back down to her desk where she sat and forced her eyes on her drawings.

   She heard him close the door after him and drop down to stand behind her.

   "Make it quick," she said. "You aren't supposed to be here."

   Just knowing that he was right there in her room again hurt.

   "There's...there's another akuma after you, Marinette."

   She spun around. "What?"

   "Look - Ladybug and I agreed that I should watch you until it shows itself and we can get rid of it, but until then I have to stay here and keep you safe." He said all at once, mumbling and scratching the back of his head.

   "Hold on, how do you know there's an akuma?"

   He looked to the ceiling. "Well, there hasn't been one for weeks and it's very unusual, and then the matter of your memories... It all fits. There has to be one. There's no other explanation."

   She wasn't sure how she was supposed to react. "You mean... that Hawkmoth knows? That it's too late?"

   He cleared his throat. "Yes."

   Silence, utter silence in her bedroom. She hadn't thought this far ahead in what she was supposed to say - she didn't know at all how she could survive this. "And... Ladybug said that you have to stay here... all the time?"

   He nodded, looking away again. "Yes."

   She turned back around, facing the wall. "I'll make you a bed on the chaise, then."

   He looked up from the spot on the floor he had been studying intently, as if surprised she would allow it despite her safety.

   She was, too, even though she told him to come here in the first place.

//

   It was awkward. She'd never felt so uncomfortable in all of her seventeen years, and she wasn't sure what the hell they would do all the time besides evade what she knew both of them were thinking.

   She had brought a platter of sandwiches from the kitchen, and Chat was munching on one of them slowly, staring out the window. The rain was pouring - she couldn't see it, for it was twilight and the sun had already tucked itself over the other side of the world, but she could hear it. It was loud, drowning out any other sound, making the silence between the cat and the girl almost peaceful.

   Almost. It was still incredibly awkward.

   Marinette had just finished her homework when Chat Noir spoke for the first time after the initial explanation.

   "Marinette..."

   She didn't say anything.

   She only slipped into the bathroom to pull on her pajamas, and climbed up to her bed to fall asleep.

   She cried first.