The Splintered Soul Staring Back At Me

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Fanfiction
Title: The Splintered Soul Staring Back At Me
Author(s): DragonGirl180
Date(s): December 12, 2020
Length: 7661 words
Genre: het
Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug
External Links: Fanfic archived
Art archived
The Splintered Soul banner.jpg

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The Splintered Soul Staring Back At Me is a GabeNath fanfiction written for the GabeNath Reverse Bang by DragonGirl180. It is rated T for Teen (rating). The fic was beta-read by ReminiscentLullaby.

The premise for the fic is based on artwork created by Ayumuchinnn.[1]

Fic Info

A dimly lit room. Nathalie's hand is pressed to a broken mirror. In one half of the glass is Gabriel's face. In the other half is Nathalie, whose mouth is covered by a dark red and purple rose.
This art piece by Ayumuchinnn served as the inspiration for The Splintered Soul Staring Back at Me.

Summary

In the aftermath of the battle and a brief hospital stay, Nathalie is safe at home. Her recovery has been a bit stagnant, but she’s been granted leave from work and the miraculous is finally fixed. Things can only go up from here, right?

Additional Tags

Angst, Not A Happy Ending, Nightmares, Regret, Guilt, Ghosts, shifting reality, undiagnosed mental illness, past implied abuse, Spiralling, GabeNath Reverse Bang 2020

Reception

I've already told you a lot of my feelings about this, but I also wanted to say, WOW. I adore how this turned out! To watch Nathalie's state of mind take such a dark turn is so brutal but so, so fascinating too. I love how nuanced and complicated her emotions are. It feels like her head is constantly moving a million different directions trying to look for someone to blame and someone to feel sorry for and she ends her hurting herself most of all. It's heartbreaking. I love it!

ReminiscentLullaby, Dec 12, 2020 [2]

...aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh.


is one of many emotions felt.

holy crap. this.

Lorraine_B_Writing, Dec 12, 2020 [3]

This is magnificent, my brain is dizzy. I keep making jokes the entire time so I can keep reading. ”Ah haha, what if you stopped being self-destructive?” *reads the next paragraph* ”So I'll take that as a no.”

Nathalie is falling apart, and it's just wow. How is this so elegant yet sucker-punching me every second?!

It's so good though. Not Nathalie hurting, that pains me, but the way it’s being presented. Everything is raw and I have keep reading. Nathalie’s mental state is one of the most fascinating things.

The Sentigabe kiss, my heart is thumping so aggressively. Pain, all I know is pain. This is-*hngk*

”I have found that bottling things up is the best way to cope.” Natters no. I mean I do the same thing, but no.

"We won't tell Mr. Gabriel about this, okay? It'll be our little secret."

THAT’S IMPLYING IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN, ISN'T IT?! I hate it here, but I love the writing and this fic. I'm thoroughly distraught. Again, was magnificent.

Starry_Sky12, Dec 12, 2020 [4]

"Why would he pick you, a cold pile of bones and dirt, when he could've had me? Why not pick someone with a pulse?"

OUCH

Emilie's voice raised as the wind picked up, "Perhaps he'll have us buried next to each other. Years from now, his new wife will come lay flowers at the graves of two women she never knew. Who knows, maybe she'll follow us one day."

DOUBLE OUCH

"What no. Please tell me. If there's something on your mind, you shouldn't keep it in." "On the contrary, I have found that bottling things up is the best way to cope. That and…cutting off loose threads." "N-" She tore the handkerchief clean in two, watching in the mirror as he faded away, his mouth open with words he'd never got to say. The look of hurt on his face was enough to shatter her this time.

YOOOOOO

"We won't tell Mr. Gabriel about this, okay? It'll be our little secret."

no words just tears

amsves, Dec 15, 2020 [5]

Additional Art

Ayumuchinn also provided a second official art piece to accompany the fic.

Nathalie floats on her back in a dark pool of water. Her expression is unhappy and vacant. Thick leaves float around her, clearing close to her body.
Ayumuchinnn's second official piece for The Splintered Soul Staring Back at Me.

References

  1. ^ Tumblr masterpost, GabeNath Reverse Bang, Dec 12, 2020
  2. ^ ReminiscentLullaby's comment, Dec 12, 2020
  3. ^ Lorraine_B_Writing's comment, Dec 12, 2020
  4. ^ Starry_Sky12's comment, Dec 12, 2020
  5. ^ amsves's comment, Dec 15, 2020