💀 pour oublier ma peine immense

[bonnechance]

It had been a long and hard three years.

Ladybug had run out of fingers with which to count the sticky situations she and Chat Noir had been in because of Hawkmoth. But finally, finally, she and her partner had him dead to rights. As time went on, they had grown desperate, and they'd made mistakes - but nothing they hadn't been able to fix. He'd made mistakes, too, and that was how the two of them had managed to track him down.

Heart pounding, she cast her gaze down at the man that had been their adversary for so long. Hawkmoth stared back at the both of them with a dark glare full of loathing. There were a lot of things she had wanted to ask him when she finally caught up to him, but there was only one question she was actually able to form.

"How could you?" She whispered, her voice ragged. She was breathing heavily - the fight had taken a lot out of her. Out of her partner, and out of their enemy, too; had it gone on much longer, they all might have dropped dead out of exhaustion. "You hurt so many people."

Hawkmoth's eyes glittered, and he pressed his lips together into a thin line. Ladybug felt something roll down her cheek - sweat, she hoped, and not blood or tears, but she'd taken a hit to the temple earlier and she couldn't be certain that it wasn't bleeding (and in fact it was). But she was in better shape than him, at least. He was beaten down, he had lost.

All that remained was to take his Miraculous and make sure that Nooroo's power never, ever fell int the hands of someone like him ever again.

His refusal to answer stirred anger in her where there had once been pity.

"Men. Women. Children. You used them all - and for what? What on earth could have been worth it? I don't understand. Explain yourself, Hawkmoth."

He didn't answer. He looked between the two of them, seething. Ladybug scowled and knelt down in front of him, curled her fingers around his brooch, and yanked it away from his suit.

The magic holding his transformation together fell apart, and Nooroo emerged from the butterfly Miraculous at long last. Ladybug cradled him in the crook of her arm and watched as the facial features of their nemesis became clear.

A well-dressed man, middle-aged. Nobody she recognized. Without his Miraculous, he should have been powerless. Defeated. Done for.

She didn't catch his smirk until it was too late.

His hand darted into the suit jacket that hadn't been there before, and his fingers closed around something she couldn't see. "I'll make you understand," He snarled, and the next thing she knew his hand emerged from the jacket and the crack of a gunshot split the air. "Perhaps now we'll share the same wish."

There was a gun in his hand, Ladybug realized, as a dull roar and the man's twisted, bitter laughter filled her ears. He hadn't aimed at her. She turned toward her partner with dread.

He had aimed at him, and his laughter was not the laughter of a man who had missed his mark.

Comments

[bonnechance]

"It always felt that way," Marinette agreed.

Patience was hard enough when you were a kid. But when you were a kid waiting for cookies? A short wait felt like an eternity.

With a smile, she brushed her fingers against the cat-shaped cookie cutter.

...it seemed like he knew, without knowing.

"But I promise, it'll only be ten minutes."

[sunsoutpunsout]

Adrien watched her smile, watched her think about things he had no way of attaching to memories, and wanted to ask. Wasn't sure if he'd accidentally stumble over something, or make her sad by asking something he should already know.

"Have we cooked together before?" he asked, straining to remember.

It hurt, but he pressed his mind for details, frowning to himself.

[bonnechance]

Marinette paused, startled by the question, and then smiled softly.

"Kind of," she answered. "I taught you how to make hot chocolate from scratch when we were in school together."

Nothing so elaborate as a gourmet meal, but...

[sunsoutpunsout]

Adrien's eyes widened, then narrowed as he tried to remember. It sounded familiar, but he wanted to be sure, to make sure he wasn't making it up.

"Vanilla?" he asked quietly, as he helped Marinette to cut shapes from the dough to put onto the cookie sheet. "Or peppermint?"

[bonnechance]

Her whole expression brightened, and he would likely know from the look on her face that he'd hit the nail on the head even before she spoke.

"I taught you how to do both," she answered. "We went with peppermint that night, though."

[sunsoutpunsout]

"Let's try vanilla next time."

It slipped out before he could think of it, but he had the notion that Marinette liked vanilla. He couldn't say it aloud, for fear of getting it wrong, of disappointing her, but he still wanted to try-

Adrien remembered the way she'd kissed him on the cheek, and his heart sped up.

[bonnechance]

It was a good try, because Marinette beamed, nodding eagerly.

"That would be great... I'll look forward to it."

She was looking forward to him being mobile enough to walk to the kitchen about as much as she was looking forward to having hot chocolate with him, honestly. They were both exciting prospects, albeit for different reasons.

Soon enough, their cookie sheet was filled with shapes, and they'd used the last of the dough.

"Okay," she said quietly. "I have to take these now, but I'll be back."

[sunsoutpunsout]

Making plans for the future gave him something to look forward to, to make the future a little brighter, less confusing. He smiled back at her, warm and the beginnings of truly happy.

He nodded, setting the bowls and things aside. No way she could carry it all back and the baking sheet.

He looked up at her hopefully, half wanting her to kiss him again.

"I'll be here."

[bonnechance]

There was probably never going to be a time when Marinette didn't want to kiss Adrien, but for now, she would behave. Kissing his cheek earlier had probably been overstepping her boundaries, anyway.

She hesitated before picking up the baking sheet, and from the light blush on her cheeks, it was clear Adrien wasn't the only one thinking about that kiss before she hurried out.

Around ten minutes later, Adrien would smell the cookies before he saw them - and when she nudged his door back open with a foot, he would see that not only had she arranged the cookies on a plate, she'd arranged that plate and two glasses of milk on a tray before bringing it on up.

"Here we are," she announced, beaming. "Our masterpieces!"

[sunsoutpunsout]

He tried not to be disappointed, and dozed until she came back.

They smelled so good, Adrien groaned, shutting his eyes, cursing his injuries and the fact that he knew it would make him sick if he wasn't soul-crushingly careful not to eat too much.

"They're so beautiful..." he trailed off, reverent. "I can't believe I helped make them."

[bonnechance]

"Well, believe it," she answered with a grin. "You've got the makings of a pretty decent baker, you know. Once you can walk around more, I think I'm going to have to get you in the kitchen for at least an hour a day."

There was a slight pause.

"You know. For the greater good."

Riiiight.

She held out the tray to him so that the cookies would be in easy reach.

"Go on, you deserve the first bite. Tell me how it tastes!"

[sunsoutpunsout]

Adrien smiled back at her, unable to not when she put it that way. He wasn't sure he believed her, but he was eager, willing to give it all he had. He reached out and picked up a cookie, and actually managed to not break it in half by dipping it in the milk.

... oh god.

The second the taste hit his tongue, he knew he the stomachache was going to be worth it.

[bonnechance]

From the look on his face, she could tell that the cookies were going to taste amazing.

Beaming, she grabbed a cookie for herself, dunked it into her glass of milk, and took a big bite. "Mm, yummy!"

Any and all stomachaches would be totally worth it. Such as the beauty of her father's cookie recipe.

[sunsoutpunsout]

"If there's any better way to break a fast, I don't know it," he said around another bite, trying to take it slow, to breathe because it hurt a little to swallow, and already his stomach didn't like how sweet and rich that one bite was.

"Mmmmh..."

"What else can you teach me to make?" he asked, trying to distract himself so he wouldn't just mow through them.

[bonnechance]

"Oh, all sorts of things!"

Marinette's eyes lit up and she ticked off the answers on her fingers as she listed them out.

"Crepes are really versatile, so we can do that first once you're able to stand. Soups and stews are pretty easy too. Oh, Alya got this panini press a few months ago, I could probably have her bring one over and we could make sandwiches right in here if we can find somewhere to plug it in!"

[sunsoutpunsout]

Adrien's eyes widened a little.

Alya?

The name prickled at him, familiar but not, a faint voice from a faraway dream. He didn't know...

But if he asked, would he make her sad again? Adrien fidgeted, then watched her.

"Sure," he said softly. "Call her, I'd like that."

[bonnechance]

"I'll give her a call later."

Marinette smiled, thinking about the kinds of sandwiches they would make - and then she hesitated.

...did he mean right now? He could have meant right now. Her expression became a little uncertain, and she looked down at her hands, then up at him.

"I mean, unless you want me to call her now? ...we could probably make some sandwiches to go with the cookies, if... that would be better? Um..."

[sunsoutpunsout]

"Um... maybe not right now." Adrien gave her a smile. "My stomach couldn't handle that, probably."

That, and he liked having time with just her. Was that weird? That was weird.

"Unless- you probably miss your other friends, right? It must be boring hanging out with just me." He lifted his hands, completely meaning it.

[bonnechance]

"No, not boring! I love spending time with you-"

Marinette realized what she'd said a moment after she said it, and her cheeks flushed a deep red as she looked back down at her hands again.

"...a-anyway, my point is I'm not bored... I-I'll call her later."

[sunsoutpunsout]

Adrien flushed too, watching her cheeks go dark, and felt another rush of happiness, followed by the guilt. What if... no, he couldn't afford to think it through, not right now. There was nothing wrong with enjoying spending time with his friend.

"I love spending time with you too," he answered, shifting closer.

"... I needed this."

[bonnechance]

She raised her head, and her lips slowly spread into a smile. When he shifted closer to him, she scooted closer in return, and reached over to brush some of his hair away from his cheek.

"I did too," Marinette admitted.

They'd both very clearly needed something other than his injuries to talk about, something other than the bedside vigil and recovery to focus on.

"...thank you for making cookies with me today."

[sunsoutpunsout]

Adrien tilted his head into her touch, shutting his eyes with a smile. It was such a simple gesture, but he loved it. It made him feel... good. Cared for.

"Thank you for being here."

He didn't want to make her do anything, didn't want to keep her out of school, keep her away from her friends, but he truly appreciated her company, her voice filling the silence, her touch warming the cold.

[bonnechance]

"Of course." Marinette was still smiling, but her expression became more gentle, and she shifted her hand so that she could cup his cheek as they both settled down. "...I'm glad to be here. I like being close to you."

For more reasons than one, but it was a lot more complicated than she was really prepared to get into.

"I'll stay here for as long as you want me to."

[sunsoutpunsout]

Adrien settled into the touch as it banished the uncertainty. He lifted a hand, settled it over hers, eyes still closed. He was still so sleepy all the time, constantly in pain, but her touch honestly made it better.

As long as you want.

... that was it, though- he wanted her here, and he didn't doubt for a moment that she'd do it for him. But she had other things to live for, to love, and he couldn't steal her life from her like this.

[bonnechance]

The silence settled between them, warm and comfortable, and Marinette made no move to pull her hand away from his cheek, because it felt wonderful to be able to touch him, to have his hand resting over hers.

She watched him for those few long moments, and then her brows furrowed a little.

"...hey," she said softly. "Do you need to get some rest...?"