Chapter 17: As the Shadow Darkens
Adrien paced back and forth in his lavishly decorated room, his fists clenched in frustration as he glared at the screen of his phone. The image on Marinette's Instagram sent a surge of anger through him, his blood simmering with jealousy and betrayal. How dare she declare herself part of a polycule with Jay, Chloe, and Felix? In his mind, Marinette belonged to him and him alone. The audacity of her to date others ignited a fire within him.
"Who does she think she is?" Adrien muttered to himself, his voice laced with venomous anger. The idea that Marinette could be with anyone other than him was unfathomable. He believed he was the only one worthy of her affection, the only one who truly understood her. As he plotted a way to reclaim her, he believed he held the power to set things right. All he needed was to separate Marinette from Jay, and then everything would fall back into place. In his twisted perception, Jay was a threat to his beloved princess, poisoning her mind and leading her astray. Adrien was convinced that once Marinette was away from Jay's influence, she would return to the girl he believed she should be.
As he plotted his next move to confront Marinette, his phone buzzed, interrupting his thoughts. A notification from the Ladyblog flashed on the screen, catching his attention. The thumbnail displayed three mysterious streaks of color soaring through the Parisian sky, accompanied by the headline "New Heroes in the Midst."
Adrien's brows furrowed in confusion and irritation. Silver and yellow were not colors he associated with any known heroes. The realization that Ladybug might be preoccupied with these new heroes instead of him only fueled his mounting frustration. If these newcomers were the reason Ladybug had been avoiding him, he vowed to uncover their identities and put an end to their interference.
His mind racing with thoughts of Marinette and Ladybug, Adrien's determination solidified. He couldn't allow anyone to come between him and the two women who held his heart. With a steely resolve, he made a silent vow to reclaim what he believed was rightfully his, no matter the cost.
"Plagg," Adrien called out, his voice echoing in the dimly lit room as he watched the small kwami emerge from the confines of his cage. The air was thick with tension, the weight of unspoken threats hanging heavily between them.
"You're aware of Ladybug's true identity, aren't you?" Adrien inquired, his eyes fixed on the creature before him.
"Yes, that is correct," Plagg replied his voice a soft whisper that seemed to carry the burden of Adrien’s recent anger.
"Tell me," Adrien demanded, his eyes filled with a fierce intensity that displayed his clear obsession. The need for answers burned within him, a relentless flame that threatened to consume everything in its path.
A pained expression crossed Plagg's face. "You know I cannot reveal that information, Adrien. It goes against the very core of our existence."
Frustration boiling over, Adrien's facade of composure shattered. With a sudden outburst, he struck the wall beside Plagg, the impact reverberating through the room. "Tell me how I can uncover it then!" he yelled, his voice laced with anger and anguish.
"I... I can't do that!" Plagg's voice wavered, a note of fear creeping into his tone.
Adrien's patience wore thin, his emotions raw and unfiltered. "I don't want to hear your excuses!" Adrien's retort was sharp, filled with bitterness that cut through the air like a blade. His frustration boiled over, mingling with a sense of betrayal that threatened to consume him whole.
"God, you're just as useless as everyone else in my life!" Adrien's words were a bitter revelation, a stark reminder of the isolation and loneliness that had plagued him for so long. The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, as he clenched his fist against the wall before turning away from the small god-like creature.
Adrien continued to let his annoyance rise as he went through the motions of getting dressed for school, the weight of his anger lingering in the air. With each article of c loathing he donned, a sense of irritation settled within him as his mind kept circling on Marinette and Ladybug.
Upon arriving at school, the atmosphere cracked with excitement and speculation as the students whispered about the new heroes spotted in the city. Adrien’s sour mood deepened as he absorbed the buzz swirling around him, how dare they be excited about new heroes? Traitors each and every one of them he thought bitterly.
Adrien walked into class, quickly noting that Nino was sitting with Alya today, he went and sat in the row behind them, huffing as he did so. Nino, ever perceptive, noticed Adrien's subdued demeanor and wasted no time in addressing it. "Hey, man, you alright? You're looking pretty ticked off," he remarked, prompting Alya to pivot in her seat to join the conversation.
Alya's voice carried a hint of annoyance as she chimed in, her words laden with disapproval. "I bet he's fuming for the same reason as me. What on earth does Ladybug think she's playing at, replacing Chat Noir and Reyna?"
Adrien's brows furrowed in confusion at the mention of Reyna being replaced, a revelation that caught him off guard. "She replaced Reyna?" he questioned, a mix of surprise and disbelief coloring his tone.
Alya shook her head, her expression a mix of frustration and uncertainty. "It's not official or anything, but I have a feeling that the Silver streak alongside Ladybug is a new fox hero. And honestly, I'm not a fan of it. She had a solid team with Chat Noir, Reyna, and Carapace. Why shake things up now?"
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Discussing the heroes, are we?" Lila's voice dripped with faux sweetness, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she inserted herself into the conversation, sitting next to Adrien.
Adrien's patience had already worn thin and his tone was sharper than he intended as he addressed Lila. "What do you want, Lila?" His words carried a hint of frustration, a reflection of her presence always seemed to bring unease. Adrien glared at Nino, silently annoyed that the boy had chosen to sit with his girlfriend today instead of beside him.
Lila's smile widened a calculated move to mask her true intentions. "I overheard your little chat about Ladybug. It's such a shame to see her ego getting the best of her, isn't it?" Her words were laced with a subtle hint of disdain, a veiled attempt to sow discord among the group.
Alya raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "You mean you didn’t know about this?" she inquired, her tone tinged with skepticism.
Lila's facade cracked, revealing a vulnerability that caught everyone off guard. "No, I had no idea. Ladybug's been pulling away from me, and I can't shake the feeling that those new heroes are somehow involved," she confessed, tears glistening in her eyes.
Adrien's expression softened slightly, the animosity he felt towards Lila momentarily replaced by a flicker of empathy. "Hey, it's gonna be okay, Lila. Maybe there's a misunderstanding. Ladybug's probably just caught up with hero stuff," he offered, attempting to soothe the tension that hung in the air.
Lila's gaze met Adrien's, a mix of relief and uncertainty in her eyes. "You really think so?" she whispered, her voice tinged with hope.
“I plan to fix this,” Adrien said with a threatening tone, that threw Lila, Alya, and Nino off. Adrien stood at the back of the classroom, his gaze fixed on Marinette as she entered the room. His heart clenched at the sight of her hand intertwined with Chloe's, and Felix's possessive gesture over her shoulder sent a surge of jealousy coursing through him. The air in the room seemed to thicken with unspoken tension, each glance and touch laden with hidden meanings and tangled emotions.
Alya's disapproving murmur broke the silence, "Ugh, what a slut," she muttered under her breath, her head shaking in disdain.
Adrien's jaw clenched, a surge of possessiveness bubbling within him at the sight of Marinette with Felix and Chloe. "It's all that damn Jay's fault. He's poisoned her mind and taken her away from me," he seethed, his fists balling in silent anger.
"She should've been mine," Adrien's admission hung heavy in the air, a confession of unrequited love and missed opportunities. The bitterness in his voice was matched only by the intensity of his gaze, fixed unwaveringly on Marinette and the company she now kept.
Nino's eyes widened in surprise as he turned to face Adrien, "Woah, you like Marinette, dude?" he asked, a mix of shock and curiosity in his voice.
Adrien's gaze remained fixed on Marinette, his expression a mix of longing and frustration. "At first, I was in love with someone else," he confessed, his voice tinged with regret, "but then I realized who I thought the real Marinette was. Now she's become tainted, and I just wish I could take her away from him and bring her back to how she was before, before they poisoned her mind.." His eyes burned with a fierce intensity as he glared at Felix and Chloe, who continued to display their possessiveness over Marinette.
"What if you just moved on, Adrien?" Lila's voice, though soft, carried a seductive undertone, her fingers tracing a tantalizing path over his skin. The intimate gesture was calculated, a display of her desire to claim him for herself.
Her words, laced with a subtle hint of possessiveness, echoed in the air, a siren's call tempting Adrien to consider a different path. "Surely you could find someone else to love," she purred, her gaze locking onto his with an intensity that bordered on obsession.
Adrien's expression hardened as he gently but firmly removed Lila's hand from his arm, his voice resolute. "Lila, I appreciate your concern, but Marinette is mine, and there is to be no questions or double about that," he stated firmly, his gaze unwavering. "I will get her back and I will get her to how she was before."
Lila's facade faltered for a moment, a flicker of disappointment crossing her features before she quickly masked it with a forced smile. "I was just trying to help, Adrien. You know I care about you," she replied, her voice tinged with false sweetness.
A sudden realization dawned on Adrien, a calculated plan forming in his mind as he recalled Marinette's unmistakable jealousy towards Lila. Perhaps, he mused, by showing a closeness to Lila, he could ignite a spark of emotion in Marinette, proving that she still held some care for him.
Adrien's arm casually found its way around Lila's shoulder, his touch eliciting a faint blush on the girl's cheeks. "You know, Lila, you're actually a really good friend," he murmured, leaning in close to her ear. The proximity between them crackled with a tension that was not lost on either of them.
As Adrien glanced back, a twisted sense of satisfaction blossomed within him at the sight of a flicker of disgust crossing Marinette's features. The realization that his actions had stirred something within her fueled a dangerous thrill in him, a game of emotions and manipulation unfolding before his eyes.
Lila, oblivious to Adrien's inner turmoil, leaned slightly into his touch, her eyes alight with a newfound sense of hope. The blush on her cheeks deepened, a physical manifestation of the emotions swirling within her at Adrien's unexpected display of affection.
"You're too kind, Adrien," Lila replied, her voice tinged with a hint of longing that went unnoticed by the boy beside her. The tension between them crackled with unspoken desires and hidden agendas, a dangerous dance of emotions unfolding under the watchful eyes of their peers.
The bell finally rang and Ms. Bustier walked into the room, however, Adrien never dropped his arm from Lila’s shoulder. In fact, he would occasionally whisper in her ear, and each time he did he watched the same disgusted expression cross over Marinette's face.
This solidified it for Adrien, Marinette still wanted him, and there was no other explanation for why she would be disgusted when he touched Lila. He let a sinister smirk linger on his face. He had an in, now he would just have to play it up until eventually Marinette exploded, and know his princess and how volatile her emotions were it wouldn’t be too long before she did explode and he would gladly take her back once she admitted to everything.
