"Well, we did it guys! We've officially graduated!" Alya lifted her glass in the air, sharing cheers with her friends. It seemed like yesterday that they had just become friends and now they were spending Saturday afternoon at the Dupain-Chang baker, reminiscing about their four long years together. Just a few weeks ago they had their graduation from College Francoise Dupont and had received their university acceptance letters.
"I can't believe it's all over," Nino took a bite of his croissant. "I mean, we just spent four years together and now we're all heading off on our own," he pointed out. The group has spent so much time together over the last few years, taking trips across Europe and hanging out almost every moment they could. It was rare not to see them all together.
Marinette sipped her drink, stirring the straw slowly. "But we'll always be in contact with each other and we can spend breaks and holidays hanging out," she reminded them. It was true, they wouldn't be totally alone. Technology allowed them to stay in contact at all hours of the day and they would make sure to spend a little time together during each break.
Adrien smiled. He was always glad for Marinette's optimism, despite going off to different universities they would all still be best friends and strong friendships like theirs couldn't be broken. "Speaking of, where did you decide to go Nino?" he asked his best friend.
Nino wiped the crumbs off his face, making sure to swallow his bite of food. "I'm going to a music school in Evreux to hone my skills and become a famous DJ artist," he said proudly. As silly as his dream sounded, Nino was quite good at being a DJ. He had done music for several events throughout the years and never failed to impress. It made sense for him to do what he loved, even if it didn't seem prosperous.
"I'm going to Evreux for school as well, not far from Nino actually," Alya said. "They have a program there for journalism so one day I can host my own news channel." Having been running the Ladyblog for quite some time now, Alya had found a talent for gathering interesting stories and sharing her findings with the world. Though she was hesitant at first, with Marinette's encouragement she felt confident that being a journalist was what she wanted to do.
"I know you guys will do great. You both have amazing talent in your fields," Marinette assured them. She always noticed how much they enjoyed what they do and how well they did it. It was no secret that they were going to continue doing what they loved as a profession.
Alya folded her hands over the table, leaning on them slightly. "So do you girl. You're going to be an amazing fashion designer," she grinned. It was true, Marinette had a skill for designing. Every year she got better at her talent and had even interned with Gabriel Agreste for her senior year.
Marinette sipped on her drink for a long while. "What are you going to study Adrien?" she asked, wanting to avoid the topic of her studies.
"Well, I don't know yet. My father wants me to continue modeling, but I want to do something else," Adrien said. As much as he had tried to please his father, he was going to be leaving home and living on his own which meant he wanted to make a name for himself. "I just don't know what it'll be yet. I've gotten accepted for a few schools around Paris and one or two in Montargis and Melun, but I just don't know yet," he admitted. "What about you Marinette? Where are you going to study fashion design?"
Marinette twirled her straw a few times, watching the ice cubes swirl around in the cup. "Well, it's…not really close near here," she admitted, trying to dance around the topic. "It's kind of far away," she said.
"We're all going kind of far, but we'll all be keeping in touch," Nino reminded her. Despite them going to different places and being farther away, he knew they would always remain friends. Distance couldn't separate their strong friendship.
"Yeah, it's not like we'll forget about each other, we're all too close to do that," Adrien said, smiling at her. Despite the fact they were good friends and she lost her stutter around him, the charming smile of his still made her heart skip a beat.
Marinette sighed. "But it's a lot farther than you guys," she said, feeling as if she would become forgotten by them. "Like, a lot," she emphasized.
Alya groaned impatiently. "Come on Marinette, just tell us," she encouraged, wanting to hear where her best friend was heading.
"Umm," Marinette hesitated, taking a few quick sips of her drink. "I'm going to Italy," she said quickly, closing her eyes to lessen the sting. After a few moments of silence she slowly opened her eyes, unable to look away from their expressions. Each one of them had shock and surprise written all over their faces. "They have one of the top fashion schools and I couldn't say no to their generous scholarship either," she said slowly, playing with her braid.
"We're not disappointed you're going so far away," Alya promised. "It's just, we didn't expect you to choose somewhere so far away," she said. They all knew Marinette was going to pick the best place to go for her career, but they knew she was a Paris girl, she loved the city and they didn't think she would go so far from home.
"But we support you none the less," Nino promised. He looked toward his best friend who still hadn't said a word toward Marinette. He gave him a light kick on the shin to get his attention, hinting that he should say something.
Adrien stared, unable to say anything. He was glad Marinette had picked the best place to get a good education. He knew she would be successful and Italy did have one of the best fashion schools according to his father, so it was a perfect fit. But he felt his stomach twist in knots when she had officially said she would be going to another country. He would miss her. A lot.
"We're all here to support you Marinette and we'll all spend as much time as we can together before then," Adrien promised. He gave her a sincere smile which she happily returned. Just seeing her happy made him feel warm and fuzzy inside, but he pushed the feeling back. There was no reason to get worked up over it now and they were just friends after all.
Marinette zipped up her suitcase, rolling it to the side of her room where the rest of her items were packed away. She fell back in her chair, staring at the pile of suitcases sitting in the corner of the room. Looking around, her room felt empty, as if she had never lived there in the first place. She was sure going to miss her home and her friends, but she was glad that they had been so supportive of her decision.
"Tikki, I can't believe I'm leaving for Italy tomorrow," she sighed, staring at her wall of photos. She was going to take them with her to school, but she had yet to do so as she wanted to savor the memories that each photo held.
Tikki sat on her desk, watching her miraculous holder. "I know it's sad, but you'll always have your friends and all these great memories," she reminded her, looking at the photos with her. She knew how much her friends meant to her and she wouldn't be seeing them again for a few months. But it wasn't just Marinette who was hurting. Tikki wouldn't be able to see Plagg for a while and she would sure miss that cheese loving kwami.
Marinette sighed, her eyes flicking between photos as she reminisced over old memories. There was a photo of the four of them infront of the colosseum when they took a two week trip to Rome the summer before their junior year. Alya was holding the camera, trying to position it so the architecture was behind them and Nino just kept making funny faces. As usual Adrien was professional, looking just as good as he did whenever he got his photo taken and he had one arm casually around her shoulder.
The next photo was during a sleep over for Adrien's birthday. It took a lot of convincing, but his father allowed him to let them stay for the night so he could experience a true birthday with friends doing whatever he wanted. They were all in their pajamas, sitting around on the floor of Adrien's room, telling stories to each other. She had never seen him as happy and free as he had been that day and she was glad he could enjoy being a kid with his friends.
Of course they had to get a photo of their graduation. The four of them in their caps and gowns, holding up their diplomas, grinning like idiots. That day was so unreal to her, but now it seemed like a distant memory. As if it had happened so many years ago.
Marinette reached for two photos and took them off her wall, setting them beside one another to compare the photos. One was of their first day hanging out together. Alya had insisted they get a photo together and she had printed a copy for each of them. The other photo was a recreation of the first, taken only a week ago in the same place as the original. She couldn't believe how much had changed since then.
Alya had cut her hair to her shoulders and got highlights put in which made her look more professional look. Nino had allowed his hair to grow out a bit, but he kept it neatly styled and had stopped wearing hats all the time. Though he never gave up his signature headphones. Adrien had let his hair grow and it had become long enough to tie back into a small ponytail which always made her laugh when she saw it. And she herself had let her hair out of its pigtails, letting it loose or tying it into a side braid. She even started wearing more makeup, but she never stopped wearing her own designs.
"I'm going to miss them so much," she murmured. She could feel a tear slip from the corner of her eye and the gentle touch of Tikki's paw wipe it away. Even though she wouldn't be seeing them as often as she was used to, they would still keep in touch and she had her kwami to keep her company.
Adrien stared out his window, watching the cars pass by along the streets. The last few months seemed to have gone by in a blur and he didn't want it to end. After all they had been through together, they were heading off in different directions to pursue their dreams. He was grateful for their friendship, for their acceptance and he couldn't have asked for better friends.
"Cheer up kid, you'll see them again," Plagg said, munching on a triangle of cheese. Despite him being a lazy kwami, he knew how close Adrien was to his friends and how much he would miss them. After all, they spent so much time together they were all inseparable. Not to mention how much he and Tikki talked about it.
"I know Plagg, but it's hard, you know?" he sat at his desk. He opened one of his drawers which was filled to the brim with photos. He remembered all of the moments from each photo fondly and it made him smile when he thought of them. All the laughs they shared together, the tears that were shed during the hard times and the moments of support when things got tough.
They supported each other and he was going to miss them all. He rummaged through the photos and pulled out two identical ones. It was amazing to see how much time had flown by, especially when he saw the pictures side by side. They had all changed so much, not only with their personalities, but their looks. He remembered when the original photo was taken, they had just started to become friends and Alya had insisted they get their photo taken. Even though he refused, he was glad he did it.
Staring at the other photo his lips curled into a smile. He remembered when Alya had long hair and ever year it got shorter and shorter. Nino still had his headphones, but he stopped wearing his hat which surprised him when he saw his best friend for the first time without it. Adrien remembered being scolded by his father when he had started to let his hair get long, but he eventually got used to it, even saying it worked well with the photos.
When he looked at Marinette his heart beat a little faster. When she started wearing more make up it really defined her features and he couldn't stop staring for a few days. Almost a week after that she let her hair down and he was taken back by how beautiful it was, perfectly framing her face. Somedays he missed it when it was down, but he liked the side braid just as much.
"Admit it, you like her," Plagg said, sitting onto of his computer monitor. "I see the way you look at her and talk about her. Even more than Ladybug," he commented. For as much as he talked about Ladybug, he started to talk even more about Marinette. The same look in his eyes he had for Ladybug he had for Marinette.
Adrien didn't believe his kwami. They were good friends and he was just sad they were going to be so far away from each other, but he didn't think of her as anything more. The longer he looked at the photo, the more his heart ached and he couldn't imagine not being around her as much anymore.
He would miss her beautiful blue eyes that held so much warmth and kindness. He would miss the smile she held every day that made his heart melt. He would miss her cheerful personality and the way she made him feel wanted and special. Was this what it felt like when a friend went away? No, the feeling was too strong and all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and not let go.
"Plagg," Adrien stared at Marinette's picture. He could hear the rhythm of his heart in his ears and feel warmth spreading up his neck toward his face. "I"m going to really miss Marinette…I love her," he admitted, finally realizing his feelings for his friend. "And I'm going to tell her before she leaves for Italy."
Marinette unloaded the car, setting her suitcases on the sidewalk. It had been an hour ride to the airport and her parents had been teary eyed all the way there. They had spent their last night together watching home family videos of when she was younger and she had spent the rest of the night crying. Missing the old days.
She heard another car pull up behind theirs and saw Alya in the drivers seat. She was thankful that they had made the trip to the airport to see her off. She wanted to savor those last few moments she had with them before she would be getting on the plane.
Alya waved to her as she got out of the car, rushing toward her best friend so she could be the first to hug her. When she pulled away from the hug, Alya had tears in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. She wanted to be brave for her friend, but she had known Marinette for so long that it was hard for her say goodbye.
Nino embraced his friend, wishing her good luck and safe travels. He was glad that she was going to follow her dreams, even though it would take her far away. Even he had some tears from the emotional parting, but he wanted to be strong as well. Not only for Marinette, but for Alya as well as he knew she was going to be breaking down as soon as they left.
"Where's Adrien?" Marinette asked quietly. She noticed he hadn't been in the car with them, but she had hoped he would be there as well to say goodbye to her. Alya and Nino looked at each other, neither of them sure of where he could be exactly.
"He said he would be here," Nino promised. If there was one thing he knew it was that Adrien wouldn't miss the chance to see Marinette off. They had gotten close during their time together and it would crush them both if they didn't see each other one last time.
Marinette sighed, holding her suitcases. "I have to go check in now," she said, her voice laced with disappointment. She had wanted to see Adrien, but she understood that he might have been busy. After all, despite the fact his father had become more lenient on him, he was still in control of the majority of his schedule.
Marinette gave her parents and friends one final hug, sharing a few more tears. She grabbed her suitcases and started to make her way into the airport, ready to start her next chapter in life. Just as she was about to head inside she heard someone say her name. No, not just anyone, she knew that tone of voice anywhere.
When she turned around, she saw Adrien getting out of his car and make his way toward her. She looked up at him, her blue eyes staring into his green. "I'm sorry I'm late, I just had to make a quick stop before I got here," he said, smiling.
"Well, I'm glad you made it," Marinette said softly, pushing her loose strands behind her ear. "I was getting worried that you wouldn't be here," she admitted, looking anywhere but at him. She was afraid that if she stared at him she would start bawling her eyes out.
"I wouldn't miss this," Adrien smiled. He cleared his throat, unsure of how he was going to say his next words. "Marinette, there's something I wanted to say before you go," he said slowly. He could feel his face heating up and the words catching in this throat as he tried to speak.
"You're my best friend Marinette and I think you're amazing," he scratched the back of his neck nervously. "You're always supporting and encouraging me through everything. You've been there for me when I needed someone and I feel like I could tell you anything in the world," he smile, feeling his heart beating faster.
"You are strong and kind and beautiful," he brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. "And I'm going to miss you when you're in Italy. I'm going to miss you a lot," Adrien whispered softly, cupping the side of her face gently. He leaned in closer, their faces inches apart from each other. "Because I love you," he murmured, unable to keep his gaze off of her.
Marinette looked at him, her eyes full of love. She had tried many times to tell herself to forget about her love for him, that he was going to be her best friend and she should be satisfied. But she knew in her heart she would always love him. And when he said those words it made her heart melt and she felt as if she were the luckies girl in Paris. "I love you too," she said softly, closing the distance.
Adrien savored the moment, the feeling of her lips on his. It was a feeling he didn't know he had been craving. When they finally parted he could only stare into her eyes. Her beautiful, bluebell eyes. He would miss them so much and he couldn't bare to think of her being so far away for so long. "I have something for you," he said, pulling out a small box from his pocket.
Marinette took hold of the box and opened it, gasping when she saw what was inside. Sitting in the middle of the box was a beautiful silver ring with two diamonds, one blue and one green. She carefully took it out of the box, slipping it onto her finger. "Oh Adrien," she smiled as if it were always meant to be on her finger.
"It's a promise ring, so I want you to promise you'll come back to me and one day we'll have a life together," Adrien said softly. "Because I know you're the only girl for me," he took her hand in his, kissing the back of it in a very Chat Noir like manner.
"I promise," Marinette smiled, knowing she would be keeping that promise no matter what. But it was bittersweet. While she was ecstatic that he reciprocated her feelings and wanted to start a relationship, she was about to leave for Italy and they wouldn't see each other again till Christmas break. She gathered up her suitcases, giving him one last parting kiss and waved a final goodbye to her friends and family before disappearing behind the sliding glass doors of the airport.
Just a disclaimer, I know nothing about colleges in Europe what so ever. The countries are real and their studies are real, but the types of colleges are made up.