Claire: Heyoo guys, gals, and all those in between! My name is shadowedartist, but please please call me Claire Marie or just Claire. This is my first MLB fanfic (I'm not talkin' about major league baseball guys…)

Claire: Some of you may notice that I'm not a new writer. It's just all of my stories so far (other than this one obviously) are in a fandom that most of you aren't familiar with. Fairy Tail!

Claire: A few of you that I already know and love, that started supporting me before I had written in you fandom, may be a little shocked by this.

Claire: Well guys, I have a lovely friend with me that will be co-writing this story with me!

CanaryBug: Hello viewers! It's CanaryBug here and I will be co-writing this story with Claire! (CLAP FOR HER) I've been writing a few stories for the fandom, but right now I've been focusing on my main story, Solace, a Marichat story. (Go check it out… after you finish this story)

CanaryBug: I really hope you enjoy this story, and I hope you decide to send a review our way!

Claire: We've got quite the plans in store for this multi chapter fanfiction.

CanaryBug: Yes we do! I hope you guys have just as much fun with this story as we did!

Claire: I agree. I'm super excited to see what you all think! I've been watching MLB since like march. I couldn't get enough of the fandom!

CanaryBug: And take it from someone who has been trapped here for way too long… You can never escape.

Claire: As long as I have my angsty love square I'm happy.

CanaryBug: All I need is MLB and more fan service and I'll live! I hope…

Claire: We hope… anyways! Shall we get on with it then?

CanaryBug: We shall! Bug Out, guys!

Claire: I hope you all are having a great time, whenever and wherever you are!

Claire: Without further ado I bring to you:

"Oh my god, are you ok?"

We're walking down the street on the way back to my apartment from my parent's bakery. Each of us are loaded down with bags of enough sweets to feed an army. My parents always said we were too skinny for our own good. As we walk, thoughts of this week's events come flooding to my mind...

First of all Nathanael broke up with me so he could move to America and go to the Art Institute of Chicago. He didn't want me to come with him. He didn't want to propose like I had thought he did. He didn't want to be forever so he said "never."

My chest constricts at the thought. I struggle to hold back my tears and force myself to shift my thoughts.

Why hasn't Alya texted me back about all this?

"Hey Alya? Your new number is 457-395 right?" Alya laughs.

"No girl! You've got it mixed up, Marinette. It's 475-395. Why?"

"Ohh," I gasp in realization. I suddenly feel nauseous. "You know how I haven't texted you in like a week?" I ask nervously.

"Yeah, girl. What was goin' on with you?" my bubbly brunette best friend questions.

"I um, I was having a rough night, and I may or may not have been distress texting someone I don't know; about my break up with Nath..."

"Wait, you're joking right? You broke up with Nath?! How did that happen?! Have they responded?" Concern grows in her voice.

"No, not yet... I mean it's been a few days. Maybe they'll just leave me alone?" I say avoiding the questions about Nath.

"Hopefully. Hmm... If not you'll let me know right Mari?"

"Alya, we tell each other everything, I'm not just gonna lie to you if some random person decides to text me back."

"That's good to hear, girl. No secrets between us, right?" Alya asked, eyes searching mine.

"Nope! No secrets!" I grinned. Reaching my apartment, Alya and I set our brown bags on top of the kitchen counter before laying down onto the plush couch. Macaroon in hand, I pull out my phone, checking the messages I had sent to "Not Alya".

–Avril 16–7:38pm–

Hey, Nath just broke up with me… I don't know what to do anymore

–7:43pm–

I thought he was going to propose.. But he just left and didn't want me to follow

–8:09pm–

I'm never gonna find love! Who could ever love me?

–Avril 18–1:26am–

I can't sleep. .. I don't know what to do… I can't sleep... I can't eat...I really loved him…

–2:01–

What is love?

Ok, honestly? I'm not ok anymore. It hurts more than a bucket of ice cream and a massive marathon of romance movies can fix.

Did he not love me?

I don't know anymore...

"Girl, you ok over there? You've been staring at your phone for like ten minutes." I look up and blink for a moment feeling disoriented.

"I-I," I stutter as I come to terms with stream from my eyes and I turn away. "I-I d-don't know anymore," I say as I choke on my words.

He was everything to me and I was nothing to him…

I don't even notice her footsteps coming closer but after a moment I feel her arms wrap around my slumping shoulders.

"If he never noticed how amazing you are, he was never worth it, girl."

"But I'm just clumsy, dumb, hopeless Marinette…" I mumble.

"You're wrong." I perk up just a bit. "You are the same girl who won a derby hat contest for Gabriel Agreste. The same one who won a gaming tournament with Max! I am 100% sure that you are definitely not hopeless. You are going to become Paris' best fashion designer and not to mention Gabriel is totally gonna accept your internship application! You don't need a man to know that!"

"But what if he doesn't?! What if my portfolio looks like a train wreck?!' I panic. "That derby hat was five years ago, there's no way I'm gonna get that lucky this time around!"

"What happens if, let's say you do get accepted?" Alya challenges me.

"There's no way that would happen Alya! How could THE Gabriel Agreste like my designs?"

"Girl! I know he will! He's gonna love your work just like everyone that has ever seen your designs! You've got this in the bag!" Alya gives me a tight squeeze. "Now how about we quit moping, dig into those sweets, and watch a movie, yeah?"

"That's the best piece of advice I've heard all day." I chirp.

"I swear you've got the worst sweet tooth I've ever seen. You're like an addict at this point." Alya laughs as she sips her 4th cup of coffee today.

"Says the coffee coffee obsessed journalist." I smirk. "And what more could you expect when two bakers have a child?"

"Well, you've got a good point there," she giggles.

I turn around and hug the brunette tightly.

"Thanks, Alya." I mumble into her shoulder.

"No problem, Mari." She whispers before pulling away. She grabs her purse off the counter before taking out several movies.

I smile brightly wiping away the last remains of my tears.

"Let the girls movie marathon commence!" Alya shouts and the two of us bursts into giggles.

I give Alya one last hug before saying my last goodbye and shutting the door. Glancing at the clock, it read 2:21AM. I scold myself for staying up so late, knowing the lack of sleep will make me nothing less than a zombie in class in the morning.

I'm pulling on my pajama bottoms when a faint ringing sounds from somewhere in the apartment. It takes me a moment to realize that it's my ringtone on my phone. While in search of my phone, I shriek and stumble and crash into the couch in my living room.

"Where are you, phone?" I wonder aloud.

When I reach the countertop and seize the phone. I glance at the caller and freeze. It's Not-Alya.

I cautiously answer my phone against my better judgement.

"Hello?" I say, a hint of suspicion in my tone.

"Oh my god! Are you ok? I just got your messages. I've been so worried about you and I don't even know who you are!"

"I'm.." I begin, about to say my real name. "Ladybug. Call me Ladybug," I blurt.

"Okay then, 'Ladybug'. You can call me Adri–"

"Don't tell me your real name! I don't want to know." I interrupted.

"Oh, I guess you can call me ChatNoir, M'lady."

I snort. "Looks like we've got ourselves a flirt. But enough with the fun and games. Why are you calling me at 2AM?"

"I, uhm. Actually I just got out of a business trip and I had accidentally left my personal phone in my room… I saw the messages and got really worried about you."

"Really? Where do you–wait I don't want to know… What field of work are you in?"

"I guess you could say marketing. Anyways, enough of the 'fun and games'. Are you ok, Ladybug? From what it sounds like this guy wasn't very good to you…"

"That's the thing Chat, he was the kindest, sweetest, most amazing, love of my life. I was convinced that when he asked me to dinner that he was going to propose, a-and then he left."

"I'm really sorry you had to go through that." ChatNoir says sympathetically.

"Thanks. I really did love him, ChatNoir. I don't think he felt the same…

"Well if it's any consolation you seem like a really sweet and caring person Ladybug."

"You do too, ChatNoir. I never would have expected a random wrong number stranger would end up consoling me."

"So how are you feeling right now? Have you eaten?"

"Well I just got done with a movie night with my best friend."

"That sounds fun! How was it?

"She's great, we grabbed sweets from my–uh–the local bakery and we basically ate the night away," I explain

"That sounds like fun. I don't get to eat pastries very much, but my favorites are cheese buns and cheese cake."

"Oh my gosh don't even get me started on their selection Minou." I laugh. "I'm getting fat just thinking about it all. Not to mention I'm quite the baker myself."

We talk and talk until it's so late we can't contain our yawns, which are cutting into our sentences one too many times to be acceptable. The conversation is easy going as we jump from topic to topic without care. I don't realize it but it's the first time I've felt truly ok since Nath applied for Art Institute of Chicago in the United States. In a way I knew this was going to happen, but that doesn't make it any easier.

We talk about light subjects like food, favorite things, our hobbies. I'm actually shocked that Chat has quite a number of hobbies himself. It's really nice actually.

And maybe it was just late night drowsiness, but we soon found ourselves talking about our hopes and dreams, and for the first time in a while, I didn't feel alone.