A/N: Warning! This fanfiction is filled with headcanons galore including the fan favorite headcanon that Adrien's transformation ring is cursed and can't be removed until he gets a kiss from Ladybug. I wrote it before the show actually came out about a month or so ago. It's also probably going to be horribly AU and Out of Character as the show gets farther along. But hey, I had fun writing it.

Also side note, I envision that this story takes place before Marinette becomes Ladybug and isn't the fully confident Superheroine we see in the promos or actual first episode. I also envision that Adrien has had his ring for a little while, even if he hasn't become Chat (Cat) Noir yet.

"For someone so popular, he doesn't seem to spend a lot of time with his friends." Ayla commented as she and Marinette looked over at Adrien. Currently he was bidding his friends adieu while trying to haul a heavy backpack on to his back with one hand. It wasn't working so well. His other hand slash arm was already occupied by a tall stack of books.

"He just wants to keep his grades up." Marinette quickly defended him. Adrien finally managed to sling his bag over his shoulder. He gave a final wave before starting away from the table his friends were sitting at. "Adrien works really hard. He's always in the library studying."

Ayla smirked, "You only know that because you lurk behind the bookshelves when he's there."

"You make me sound like some kind of stalker!" Marinette said indignantly. Ayla only laughed.

"Tell me, how many books does Adrien think you've gone through by now with as many times as he's caught you in the library?"

Marinette gave her a sour look. "I could learn to like reading if I really wanted too?"

At that moment, Adrien passed their table. "Bonjour Ayla, bonjour Marinette." he called to them with a polite smile.

"Bonjour Adrien." Ayla called back with a wave.

"Bonjour," mumbled Marinette. A blush flooded her cheeks and she buried her head in her arms to hide it. Not that it made any difference. Adrien had seen her blush on multiple occasions. He had to. She always turned red when he talked to him. Adrien just never commented on it.

"Oh mon cheri…" Ayla shook her head before patting Marinette on the arm. Marinette looked up, still beet red. "You really need to work up the courage and just ask him out already? You'll never get anywhere if you don't. The poor boy is oblivious so he won't know to ask you. What's the worst that could happen?"

"He could say no." Marinette replied. "He could laugh at me. He could tell me that he already likes someone else."

Marinette ticked the horrible things off on her fingers as she spoke them. Ayla gave a huff and reached over to force her fingers down. "First of all, he won't laugh at you. Adrien is way too nice to do that. As for him telling you no or that he already has his eye on someone else well… c'est la vie. Won't know until you ask right?"

Marinette simply nodded. Just the thought of asking Adrien out was enough to make her blush again. She was vaguely aware of Ayla rolling her eyes but didn't really care. She was too busy staring at Adrien's retreating back. The backpack was filled so full that it was sagging on his back and pulling his unbuttoned shirt down his back. It had dragged his collar so far down that she could see his black shirt underneath. That wasn't the only thing that the backpack was pulling on. There was a horrible ripping sound as the bottom of the bag gave way. Papers, pencils, and books fell to the ground. So, so many books. Then to make matters worse, the stack of books in Adrien's hands tumbled to the ground in a flurry of papers too. "Aw come on." whined Adrien as he looked up at the sky in frustration.

Without even thinking about it, Marinette jumped to her feet and was heading towards him even before he started to bend down to pick his stuff up. "Go get 'em tiger." Ayla said quietly as she smiled and shook her head slightly.

"Stupid, rotten, horrible bad luck." Adrien was mumbling under his breath as he aggressively gathered his books again. Marinette bent down beside him and collected a couple of his textbooks as he continued to mutter irritatedly. She handed one to him and he looked up abruptly. "Oh, hey Marinette." he said, breaking off from his muttering. "Merci."

"H…hey Adrien." replied Marinette, "W...want some help getting to your locker or something?"

"Well, seeing as I now no longer have a backpack that would be great." he told her brightly. "I was actually on my way to the library to return some books."

"That's cool." Marinette smiled back without stuttering. That was a plus!

"It will get some of them off my hands." he winked.

And there went the blush again. "Y...yeah that will be good." and the stuttering apparently too.

Between the two of them, they managed to get all of Adrien's books, papers, and pencils off the ground. Marinette had more than a few pencils stuck in her hair and probably looked pretty stupid but she didn't care. Adrien was too busy lamenting over the fact that he was going to have to reorganize his class notes once more to comment on it. However, as the pair of them past Chloe she did hear the other girl snickering and pointing it out to all her friends. There would be half a dozen photos circulating the school before the hour was out with the caption "pincushion" or "porcupine" or some other less than flattering nickname. Again, Marinette didn't care. She was walking with Adrien. Maybe if she played her cards right she could "accidentally" keep one of his books to have an excuse to return it to him. Another chance to talk to him.

"Marinette?" Adrien asked. She turned to look at him. He was staring at her expectantly with a raised eyebrow. Apparently, he'd asked her something… and she'd missed it. Oops.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear that?" she apologized.

"I asked if you'd read anything good recently."

"Oh, um… not really. I've been kinda busy lately." She ducked her head to keep him from seeing the red tint on her face. Though it didn't do much good. Adrien was such a gentleman though to not say anything about it.

"That's too bad. The only reading I've been able to do lately is the stuff for class. At least we get to start reading Shakespeare soon. That will be interesting at least."

"Right," murmured Marinette. She probably wasn't even loud enough to be heard all that well. She cleared her throat, smiled, and forced herself to speak at a more audible level, "I've not read any but I hear he's supposed to be good."

Okay, she really didn't think that. Marinette's grasp of the English language was rocky at best. Reading something in long, flowery, rhyming verse was bound to keep her up late at night just simply trying to understand it. Not to mention that she had zero interest in reading some stuffy old English guy's Elizabethan plays and sonnets. They were probably all boring. Life was too short for boring. Still she smiled because she was talking to Adrien without looking like a total spaz.

"I read a little bit over the summer. Nothing too Earth shattering. Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and a couple others that were easy to get ahold of in French. I'm looking forward to reading them in English. I can find you my copies if you're interested in reading some of them." offered Adrien as they turned the corner for the library.

"That would be cool." she nodded. Adrien wasn't paying attention. His foot hit the threshold of the doorway.

"Adrien! Watch out!" cried Marinette as he pitched forward, the weight of the books in his hands dragging him down.

"Whoa!" Adrien's eyes went wide with surprise.

Marinette reached out. In what was pure, dumb luck, she managed to grab a hold under his arm and keep him from completely face planting on the ground. Adrien managed to get his feet back under him and turned to look at her. At first there was a distinctly irritated expression on his face, like when his backpack had ripped in the courtyard. Right as Marinette started to panic though, the irritation turned to surprise. Then he laughed nervously and smiled. "Um, thanks. I, uh, have the worst luck you know." he told her as he ruffled his hand through his hair.

He pulled his hand away and scowled momentarily at the ring on his finger. As quick as the look had come though, it was gone again. However, he did look down at Marinette's hand on his arm. It was like electricity jolted up and down her body. Marinette quickly pulled her hand away and laughed awkwardly. Adrien only shrugged. He looked down carefully before taking another step.

Marinette followed him in and set his books that she was holding on the front counter. "Thanks again Marinette. I appreciate your help."

"Pas de quoi," she told him.

"Are you going to stay and try to find a book for the weekend?" Adrien asked her conversationally.

"Ah," Marinette shuffled a little to the side before shaking her head, "No. I have a lot of homework this weekend so I better not."

"Ugh, I know what you mean. Well have a good day." he grinned as he turned for the inner sanctum of the library. He gave a final wave to her before turning away.

"You too." she all but whispered as she watched him go. Very quickly, Marinette darted out of the library. She made it only about half way down the hall before she leaned backwards against a wall, clutching her chest. It felt like her heart was going to beat right out of her rib cage. A deliriously happy grin crossed her face. She didn't even care that her face was probably going to be red for the rest of the day. Adrien was just so nice… and Ayla was right. She really needed to work up the courage to ask him out.

Determination bubbled under her skin. "I am going to ask Adrien out!" she decided finally… and she was going to do it soon!