Unlike the old me

Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug, either Love o2o and the novel.

"Ahhh I was so nervous..." Marinette left the cafe a few minutes after finishing talking with the representative from ZAG Studios. Back on the campus, Marinette happily walked to her dorm, eager to receive her rewards as agreed. Wouldn't this make a nice graduation gift for her new friends? Oh, and boyfriend of course.

Boyfriend. Thinking of that word automatically made a certain blonde pop into her head and her cheeks turned pink. No one was going to believe her that it was because of the sun. The concept of "dating" or "being a girlfriend" was not a topic that she used to think a lot nowadays. Until four years ago, when Marinette was still in high school, talks about love or someone were common in her circle of friends. Novels, comics, books, and movies; there wasn't a day where she didn't associate the romance genre with any of these activities because, to be honest, she was a romance lover. At that time, Marinette didn't personally know the girls in her current group and usually hung out with other people in her class or club, and like most teenagers, the blue-haired girl liked both talking and listening about those topics. Who had a crush on one of her colleagues, who were secretly dating, celebrity gossip, among other topics have always been popular.

It wasn't until her junior year of high school that rumors about her and one of her art club friends began to circulate, or so she thought. As she remembers it, in that year the rumor that the two were dating began to spread in the middle of the year and everyone assumed they were a couple. Marinette could easily notice the signs or acts between her classmates but failed to notice the actions of others with her. Long story short, Marinette had a little (or maybe not so little) crush on a senior guy who was at the robotics club. She didn't tell anyone about her feelings and it must have been like that for the rest of high school, she didn't have enough self-esteem to confess, less when he was publicly in a relationship with a girl of the same grade. Even if she had enough confidence in herself, she wouldn't ruin another relationship because of her unrequited feelings.

The rumors with the other boy had already been around for a couple of months when she first found out and by then, the entire school seemed to believe the rumor more than her word. When she confronted her friend, she learned that he had neither denied nor accepted the rumor, he just let the rumor to keep growing.

"Why didn't you tell me anything and I just found out that everyone thinks we're dating?!" Marinette had yelled at him a bit at the sudden information. She knew that she wasn't making the right decision, that she shouldn't speak about this subject in the central square of the school at dismissal time where all the students were present admiring the scene, but her anger didn't allow her to wait to be in another place so she began to spite out loud as soon as she saw the other boy.

He, also annoyed for some reason, raised his voice the same way. "Why are you yelling at me?! Aren't we dating?"

That took her by surprise and she said nothing for several seconds. The hell? What was he talking about?

"What are you talking about?"

"Aren't we? You always ask me about romance and my tastes, a few days ago you even told me that you liked being with me, why are you yelling at me now?!"

"Being with you at the art club! Can't I get to know my friends better either? I never said that I liked you that way!" Marinette couldn't believe her actions were misinterpreted like that.

The boy was stunned trying to understand his words. "So… it's not me?

"Huh?"

"The person you like."

"But I ... I don't like anyone."

"You're lying!" Marinette's eyes widened in surprise. "I saw it in your notebook! You wrote my initials on the border with heart drawings, there is no one else in our grade who has the same first and last names initials."

"My notebook? You were the one who hid my sketchbook?! You know I don't let anyone read it!"

"You left it in the art room. I just read it a little. Still, what I saw there was that, so stop denying it, I already know everything!"

"No, it's not you!" Ah, things got worse at that moment. Before she could correct herself, the other seemed to have already noticed the truth.

"What? But there is no other person of this grade who… he's not of this grade."

At that moment, Marinette quickly gathered her things and ran home because she knew what was going to happen next. She knew it because there was only one person with the same initials as him and she didn't want to see everyone's faces including her crush's. She skipped school the next day and when she returned to school she left the art club. She withdrew from her friends, ignored the comments that were circulating about her, and locked herself in her studies for the rest of the month.

The following year, she decided she needed a change and enrolled in the computer club where she met Alya. The rumors were almost non-existent and she even gained admiration thanks to the growth of her grades and graduating as a representative of her class.

Looking back on those times, the only thing Marinette regrets is how she didn't know how to control herself and causing a ruckus when she could have solved the problem more subtly. Since then, Marinette hadn't started to avoid romance but she didn't feel ready to be in a relationship. She concentrated on her studies and found a career that suited her computer-related tastes, which no one except Alya saw coming. They went together to take the entrance exam and met with other classmates including Rose and Chloe who were also going to take the exam. She was more than happy to find out that the four of them were going to be roommates (well, until the next day she realized that her new friends were going to give her various headaches, but she still loves them), and as in high school, she concentrated on studying and turning down dates, with the difference that her love for games increased.

Marinette hadn't had much time to think about whether she was ready for a relationship when Adrien implied that they were in one, but unlike the other time, the tension and atmosphere between the two were obvious on both sides. She even remembered the subtle flirtations in the game chats, they had been called an old couple and neither had denied anything, she officially accepted without thinking much the day before.

Was she ready for a relationship? She wasn't sure, but maybe the answer is to try and not overthink it.

[Private chat]

[Ryuko]: hey

[Ryuko]: It's been a long time Ladybug

[Ryuko]: how are you?

Marinette arrived at the dorms and had connected to MV after taking a shower. She was surprised to see Ryuko's name in her message box.

[Ladybug]: Ryu!

[Ladybug]: I thought you had already stopped playing.

[Ladybug]: I'm glad you're back

[Ryuko]: haha no

[Ryuko]: I just took a break of the game

[Ryuko]: you are the first person that I speak to

[Ryuko]: do you want to go hunting for a bit?

[Ryuko]: I haven't played for so long it must have left me rusty

[Ladybug]: hahaha it shouldn't be so bad

[Ladybug]: one cannot forget how to play so fast!

Ladybug and Ryuko went to the nearest forest to hunt down some mid-level beasts. As expected, the two made a good team despite Ryuko lingering for a few seconds with some of her attacks. After a few battles, Ryuko seemed to have adapted to the game again. It had been a while since she had played a duet with another player like this. Both had chosen the same red avatar, with the difference of the choice of weapon, both used to play in attack position. The clothes of both were different due to the customization of each one, but they could not deny that both had many things in common. Marinette had missed fighting with her by her side.

Between the little battles, Ryuko told her a bit about her relationship with StarKnight and how they ended their relationship in real life too. She didn't tell her in detail, but Ladybug wasn't going to insist either. When Ryuko suggested the idea of going to fight one of the dungeon bosses another day, she was surprised to hear that she was no longer in the guild.

[Ryuko]: things must have changed so much

[Ryuko]: I see a lot of new names on the member list

[Ryuko]: ... StormyWeather?

[Ryuko]: Is the WeatherForce clan in the guild?

[Ladybug]: ... let's say the clan is already another.

[Ladybug]: a few months ago I divorced Century

[Ryuko]: what?!

[Ryuko]: but in your status it clearly says "married"

[Ladybug]: ah... hahaha

[Ladybug]: I also remarried

[Ryuko]: …

[Ryuko]: wow

[Ryuko]: and I was going to tell you to get married to me

[Ladybug]: hahaha

[Ladybug]: don't ever say that Chat is more jealous than he seems

[Ryuko]: so he's called Chat...

[Ryuko]:?!

[Ryuko]: ChatNoir?

[Ryuko]: THE ChatNoir?

[Ryuko]: THE FIRST ON THE MALE LIST?

[Ladybug]: yep

[Ryuko]: ...

[Ryuko]: WOW

[Ryuko]: the top of both lists...

[Ryuko]: Ladybug and ChatNoir…

[Ryuko]: it even sounds good to say both names together

[Ryuko]: Well, congratulations to both of you

[Ryuko]: I didn't know you knew each other?

[Ladybug]: thank you

[Ladybug]: but no, we didn't know each other

[Ryuko]:…

[Ryuko]: have I missed so much?

[Ryuko]: how many times have I been surprised today?

[Ladybug]: hahaha let me explain

They took a break from hunting to talk. Ladybug tried to tell her from the moment that CenturyWarrior asked for a divorce, how he married the leader of WeatherForce the next day, ChatNoir's proposal, and her departure from the ButterflyEffect guild. After an hour, Ryuko's avatar was motionless while the person behind the screen seemed to digest the whole story. Ladybug didn't blame her. The guild under Ryuko's command was different from the current one. She didn't decide to tell her for the moment that StarKnight was going to marry RainyWeather, she thought it would be too much for today.

[Ryuko]: how are the other girls?

Marinette smiled when she saw Ryuko asking about her friends.

[Ladybug]: they are fine, but they were considering leaving the guild

[Ladybug]: like me, they didn't want to leave it because of you

[Ladybug]: but they're getting more and more uncomfortable

[Ladybug]: I think Tikki is the other one who left

[Ladybug]: and then she married Plagg&Cheese

[Ryuko]: oh...

[Ladybug]: don't worry I'm sure she's not upset with you

[Ladybug]: It may also be a bit of our fault

[Ladybug]: for not putting limits on Star and Century

[Ryuko]: nono

[Ryuko]: I gave them the positions and then left

[Ryuko]: I'm also responsible

[Ladybug]: if we're going to blame someone, let it be those two

[Ladybug]: it's been a while since I left

[Ryuko]: oh well ...

[Ryuko]: I'll talk to the girls and see how I face Star later

[Ryuko]: I don't want to do it but I'm tired of running away

[Ryuko]: thanks for the support Bug

[Ladybug]: well, we're friends, right?

[Ladybug]: you should join a battle with my clan one of these days

[Ladybug]: I also want to introduce them to you

[Ryuko]: hahaha sure

[Ryuko]: I'll challenge ChatNoir to a duel for your love!

[Ladybug]: HAHAHAHA

"...Mother. Can you stop staring at me?"

Adrien is sitting in the living room of his parents' house with a cup of coffee in his hands and his mother was sitting next to him with her eyes fixed on her son.

"Adrien... yesterday I called you on the phone to let you know that you left some papers here and you tell me of nowhere that you have a girlfriend."

Adrien says nothing and takes a sip of coffee.

"And before I could ask more you had already cut me off!" Emilie said surprised, exaggeratedly moving her arms. "Who is it? Is she your age? of the University? Ah, that's obvious, you just stay there or at work... is it from the same faculty? Do I know her? Is she my student? Adrien!"

Adrien sighs as he rests his unoccupied hand on her mother's shoulder. "This is why I told you on the phone."

Emilie slapped the blond's arm as he laughed.

"Adrien! Is it true about the girlfriend then? Your father and I even had a bet..."

"I know about it, you won."

"Eh?!"

"The bet. You probably said I would have a girlfriend in my late twenties and my father in my thirties. You are closer so you win."

"Aghhh you..."

Adrien leaned his back further to the sofa as he watched his mother's funny facial expressions. "I'm sure you know her or have heard of her. She is in her junior year at the same faculty."

"Are you really going to make your mother try to guess who your girlfriend is?"

Adrien lifted her shoulders. "What can I say. I like games."

"Adrieeeen."

The blonde got up from the seat and left the empty cup in the kitchen sink to later collect the documents he came to collect. Before he left the house he turned to her mother, who was still tight-lipped trying to remember all the girls she had taught in college this year.

"Father plans to send one of his assistants to collect the final assignments for tomorrow's class. Tell him that I recommend him to go if he's interested. See you later, mom." And with that, the blonde closed the door of the house.

His mother, who did not understand what he was referring to at first, understood it seconds after her son left. To hell with resting that day, Gabriel was going to have to pick up those projects tomorrow whether he wanted or not.

"Hello?"

"Mari, do you want to go out for lunch tomorrow?"

"I have classes at 2..."

"So how about we meet in Cafeteria B at 1?"

"...One can tell that you are eager to show the university about our relationship."

"You're wrong, I want to tell the whole world about us."

"...you have no shame."

"Why should I? Are you already blushing?"

"Of course not! Meet me tomorrow at 12:30, okay?"

Chloe is lying on her bed with a face mask applied, watching Marinette quickly hang up the dorm phone.

"When are you going to buy a new phone? I'm tired of seeing you flirt at the entrance of the room."

Marinette didn't answer her and went to lie on her bed. A couple of minutes later, Marinette falls asleep hugging one of her pillows tightly.

"Marinette already fell asleep?" It's the first thing Alya asks when she gets to the room.

The taller blonde shrugs her shoulders as she removes her mask with water. "She seems to be on the moon lately."

Rose tries not to laugh too hard. "Well, they say that love makes people dumb."

With as little noise as possible, the three friends turn off the lights and get into their respective beds.

Author's Notes:

Well, look who's back… hehe. Thank you everyone for waiting! I hope you liked the video that I posted a few days ago on Twitter. If you don't use that platform, the video was also uploaded on Facebook by Rumi Ushiba. More about Marinette's deal with ZAG, adrinette moments, and further story development in the next chapter. Thanks for reading and wash your hands!

Twitter: Little_Rain0048

-LR