Chapter Text
What would you do?
If you could start all over?...
A voice echoed in her head, as a warm red liquid flowed out of her chest.
If she could start over?
She wouldn’t have fallen in love with a lying, cheating, self-centered, coward.
She wouldn’t have trusted him.
No.
She wouldn’t have trusted at all.
They all used her in the end.
Her friends?
They only stayed with her for the fame, money, and gifts she could give them.
Her family?
They had turned against her as easily as the wind changed direction. Every time they would come crawling back, Marinette would forgive them without a second thought.
As Marinette Dupain-Cheng, she would bend over backward to give her friends pastries, organize parties, and events. She was an up-and-coming designer who could have out-shined Gabriel and Style-Queen.
As Marinette Agreste, she was a housewife who did nothing but love her husband. She helped him rebuild his company from the scraps his father gave him, receiving none of the credit.
Yet here she was now.
Bleeding out in an alleyway, stabbed from behind and through her heart.
It was ironic to the bluenette, her death is the perfect summary of her life, stabbed in the back, watching her own heart bleed out.
Marinette realized something during these last few moments. She would leave nothing behind in her death. She had become nothing and made nothing out of the life she had been given. She had lived to make others happy, no matter what it cost her.
The voice in her head asked what she would do if she could try again.
To live again.
“If… I st… start ov… over… I would… would liv… live for my… myself… and no… no one else.” Marinette stutters out, struggling to breathe.
“But… why… '' Marinette asked the voice, taking in a shuddering breath.
“Why… sh… should I… get a … a second chance… “ Marinette questions coughing up blood. Her consciousness faded into black. The voice said something but to Marinette it felt like she was underwater and couldn’t hear them.
The next thing Marinette knew, she was waking up in her bedroom. Looking around, Marinette saw a calendar, it was July 20th, a week before her fifth birthday.
Getting up out of bed, Marinette got dressed before heading downstairs to see her parents. If today plays out the same as last time, then she will be given some basic sewing supplies and fifty dollars of allowance/birthday money, from her parents before they leave on their catering job somewhere in Italy.
“Oh! You’re up early.” Sabine greets.
Marinette tilts her head to the side and rubs her eyes to feign sleepiness.
“Where are you going?” Marinette asked through a yawn.
“We have an early morning train to catch. Remember?” Tom says with a chuckle, ruffling Marinette’s hair.
It took everything in her not to flinch away, or look at them in disgust.
These were the people who believed a liar over their daughter, who they raised. They had practically kicked her out of the house and disowned her, only to come crawling back when she married rich.
Marinette squinted her eyes in thought before making them go wide.
“OH. You get to bake in that really big kitchen you showed me pictures of! Right?” Marinette pretends to remember, bouncing on the heels of her feet as she used to when she was excited.
“Yup. We might have to miss your birthday though, so we’re going to give you your present now.” Tom says, placing a box and envelope in front of her.
Marinette opens the box to find some old curtains and sheets neatly folded inside. There is a pincushion full of pins and needles, a pair of large scissors, fabric chalk, thread, and rulers.
Pretending to be excited, Marinette bounced up and down, promising to have something pretty made when they got back.
“I’m sure you will. This is your allowance for while we’re gone. Don’t get into any trouble.” Sabine called out before leaving with Tom.
“Don’t worry I won’t,” She calls back as the door closes.
Marinette immediately began sorting through the fabric.
If she’s remembering correctly, there were at least nine practical brand new king-sized bed sheets and some curtains and fabrics in the box. The first time Marinette went through the box, she had decided to never use such sad colors and thrown them away, but now the color seemed just right for what she wished to accomplish.
Due to her small body size, there was more than enough fabric to make her birthday dress. There was even enough fabric to make a few dozen skirts and shirts. Looks like her idea might work after all.
Marinette got to work making as many shirts, skirts, and even stuffed animals as she could. It took a lot longer than she was willing to admit due to making all of it by hand, but once she got the hang of it, the work became easier than walking or counting to ten.
When she took a break from sewing, Marinette would work on building her website to sell her creations.
The fifty dollars were spent on sewing supplies that would make her projects come to life instead of the candy she had wasted the money on last time.
Altogether, the work took till July 26th, even with all the all-nighters she pulled.
For the skirts, Marinette made four pencils, five pleated, four tulips, three wraps, and two mermaids.
For the shirts, Marinette made two peter pan collars, three halters, five crop-tops, and four cold shoulder tops.
Marinette also made seven animal-themed plushies.
She had planned to make more, but ran out of fabric and spending money. All of her creations had her initials MCD with cherry blossoms and a little bird sewn into them, hidden in the design. It was her little signature so no one could steal her work.
Marinette had made herself business cards and asked to place little stacks of them in stores, libraries, and cafes, all of the places agreeing to the little girl’s request.
When Marinette got home from delivering her cards, she passed out immediately. The past few days took up all of her energy.
As she drifted off to sleep, Marinette couldn’t help thinking to herself.
‘This time. I won’t just be known as someone’s wife or lover. This time. I live for me.’