This was written for Day 20th of Adrienette April: Favorite AU. Mine was Childhood Best Friends because I am a big puddle of pining and friends to lovers trash.

best friends & (un)requited pining

"Mari, are you doing okay?" Marinette flinched out of her trance as a whisper interrupted her thoughts, flushing a little at the feel of a large hand on her shoulder. In her daydream, she had not realized that Adrien, who had been doodling on her bed, had come to stand by where she sat on her table. They had been attempting to study for their history test and decided to take a quick break. She looked back over her shoulder to the kind gaze of her best friend, Adrien.

"Y-yeah, yes, of course! Why wouldn't I be?" Marinette blushed, shifting her eyes back down to look away from his brilliant green eyes. A tiny squeak threatened to be let out as she glances at the bracelet adorned on his wrist. The one she had made for him when they were barely six years old because he wanted a lucky charm like hers.

Adrien shrugged, pulling at his bracelet, "You've been acting a little weird lately."

"How so?" Marinette gulped, trying to calm down her nerves by shooting bullets into the book she was reading. She felt a hand softly lift her chin up.

"Well, for one thing, you won't look at me when I talk to you. I know Tom and Sabine raised you better that's that!" Adrien joked and Marinette froze at his touch. Adrien had crouched down to her level and she could feel his warm breath linger against her face.

Why was she being like this? She had known Adrien since they were kids together. They had taken baths together! Chased each other around in the park and dramatically fallen from exhaustion on the mud together. He came over in the early morning every weekend to help out in the bakery.

Why did she have to have this stupid crush on her best friend?

Marinette jerked her chin from Adrien's hold and stood up, "Sorry. I don't know, I haven't been feeling myself lately." she twiddled her fingers nervously, attempting to look in the direction of Adrien's face at least. He had his neutral and calm face on, but she could see remnants of confusion at her pushing him away. They had always been comfortable with affectionate behavior. Adrien loved cuddles probably more than Marinette ever did. To have Marinette jump away from his touch was probably disconcerting to him.

"Do you wanna talk about it? I'm always here for you." Adrien responded, concern in his features at Marinette. Her arms were crossed around her, as if shielding herself from him.

"I-I don't know if this is something I can tell you." Marinette murmured, sitting carefully on her bed and lifting her knees to rest under her chin.

Adrien carefully walked over to her, "We've always been able to talk about everything. What's so different this time?"

'Everything' Marinette wanted to say. Before this stupid crush, Adrien could put his arm around her and she didn't swoon at it. Before this crush, she could text him anything she wanted without overthinking her emoji heart usage. Before this crush, she didn't feel like kissing him every time she saw him.

For such reasons, Marinette let out a pitiful whine.

Adrien tried to hide a smile. Marinette had a habit of blowing things out of proportion, making up ridiculous scenarios and awkward noises of distress. He liked to let her rant a little before bringing her back down to earth.

Adrien lent down on his knees beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Come on, Mari. It's me. You can talk to me." Adrien said and Marinette wanted to melt at the sincerity in his voice. They were always there for each other, no matter what, and she had to remember that.

"It's just… ah, well, lately um I've been … having, well - feelings…" Marinette stuttered out. Adrien nodded patiently, knowing that this was Marinette's tendency when she was nervous.

"Okay, what kind of feelings?"

"… romantic ones …." Marinette closed her eyes, trying to control her emotions (as Tikki liked to advise her to do). Adrien released his grip from her shoulder, honestly shocked at her admission. While several boys in their class had at least once had a crush on Marinette, Adrien had never seen her return any one's feelings.

"Wow. Romantic feelings for who?" Marinette placed her feet to the ground, shifting to the edge of the bed where Adrien was still crouched over and leaning on his knees.

"Just a boy I know. I've known him for a while and I had never thought of him that way. Then, all of a sudden, I can't stop! He's so kind, and sweet, and wonderful. Ugh, stupid feelings!" Marinette covered her flaming cheeks and Adrien laughed.

"Mari, your feelings aren't stupid at all! I understand you completely. There's this girl I like, and I swear, she's amazing. There's never a moment where she doesn't impress me. Just being around her is the best feeling in the world." Adrien gushed. He and Marinette had never had crushes before. How funny that they had both gained their first crushes at the same time.

Adrien's gushing gaze turned into a frown as he noticed the tears forming in Marinette's eyes. He brushed away the first one that escaped her eye.

"Hey, what's wrong? Was it something I said?"

Marinette shook her head, wiping her eyes and once again moving away from Adrien's touch. She picked up her legs away from him and back on the bed. "Nothing. It's not important. I just realized this boy probably doesn't feel the same way as me." she sniffed, crossing her legs in a criss-crossed manner.

Adrien shot her a comforting smile, angling his face up so that Marinette could see him as she had thrown her head down, "I'm sorry, Marinette. That sucks. If it makes you feel any better, I know the girl I like doesn't like me back."

Marinette shot out of her self-pitying stupor, sitting up right once again "What?! But, how could she not? You're you!"

Adrien followed her movement, and felt a tiny blush form at his best friend's praise. Marinette was so talented and headstrong, to know she thought so highly of him was something he cherished.

"I know you think a lot of me, but I don't think she thinks about me much. I mean, she appreciates me just not in the same way I do for her. She doesn't seem to take my feelings for her seriously when I tell her I like her. I mean, I'm kind of silly about how I tell her so that's probably why. I don't know."

Adrien had been trying to be cheerful, thinking about his Lady always made him happy. But when he thought about the times he had failed to declare his love for her, all the times Ladybug hadn't realized Chat Noir was honest in his affections for her, it hurt. This time, his head was the one that bowed.

Marinette's eyes narrowed. Crush or not, she would not sit idly by and let Adrien think badly of himself. She slapped her hands against both sides of his face and brought him so close that their noses touched, "Now you listen to me, Adrien Agreste. You are the most genuine and kindest boy I have ever known. You are good to everyone, even when they don't deserve it. I can only imagine how good you are to this girl you like. If she can't see that, then that's HER loss. Not yours."

Adrien didn't know what to say. To be fair, he normally didn't when he was in the presence of a determined Marinette. She took charge when a leader was needed and he loved that about her. Her fierce eyes were amazing to communicate with when they worked together in school, he had just never noticed how blue they really were.

"Okay" Marinette's face broke out into a smile and so did his. Adrien seized the moment to examine her face.

He was beginning for to understand why so many boys in their class had a crush on her. Her beautiful smile, her both commanding and sweet voice, her long eyelashes, her button nose, her adorable freckles. Just as his eyes shifted to her lips, Marinette once again realized their proximity and promptly pushed him away from her bed.

Adrien felt lightheaded, convincing himself it was because of the short fall and not because he'd just realized how beautiful Marinette was.

Oh how I love these awkward and adorable dorks. I very much would loved to continue writing different scenarios in this AU so if anyone has a prompt or suggestion, I would definitely take them into consideration. even just to write them out on my tumblr :)

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Bookworm3 :-)