Having rearranged her deck of cards - and her features - Marinette turned back to Adrien again.

"Sorry about that… what were we talking about?"

"I don't remember." he said pleasantly, setting down the next card. "Something about cards, I think?"

"Oh, right! You were saying that you never really played cards. Not even with Chloe?"

At that, Adrien laughed out loud.

"Not a chance! Listen, I love Chloe like a sister, but she wouldn't play cards if her life depended on it. It's far too low-brow."

Marinette rolled her eyes, but decided not to voice her thoughts on Chloe's opinions of cards. Adrien knew her history with the blonde, and it wasn't worth bringing up again - especially since she was somehow, miraculously, managing to work through this situation without too many mess-ups. Sure, the cards had been embarrassing, and she didn't know what had possessed her to mention the study session to her parents - she was sure to be questioned about it later - but all in all, she was doing better than a lot of times around him. A few stutters here and there, a few times of having to recompose herself, nothing major.

Just the two of them being pals, just like he wanted.

Apparently, she'd let the silence go just slightly too long, because he suddenly touched her arm gently and said

"Everything okay?"

She jumped and stuttered for a moment.

"Yeah! Yeah, everything's fine, I'm just… thinking."

"What about?"

"Chloe-" Marinette blurted, then regretted it. He looked at her quizzically.

"Huh? What about her?"

A vague idea came into her head, and she chose her next words carefully.

"I was just thinking… about how you two were friends when you were younger. You don't really seem all that close anymore, so I guess I was just a little confused."

He leaned back and sighed.

"It's not that confusing, actually. Her dad and mine were big into keeping us both secluded from anything that might mess up their images. We were both pretty sheltered, so mostly it was a matter of necessity - it was either we hung out or we both stayed alone, and our parents weren't thrilled about that, so we ended up together a lot. But she was… different back then. That was before her mom left and everything in her family got so messed up."

He chuckled wryly.

"I guess things in my family are pretty messed up now, too, so we're even again."

Marinette felt tears coming to her eyes at his tone. So matter of fact, almost as if it were a joke that someone would one day get. She was silent for another moment, then decided to risk it. Why not? Adrien wouldn't get offended, and it was far too much to expect him to get angry at her for asking.

"Adrien… if you don't mind my asking - and you don't have to answer - what exactly happened to your mother?"

The question hung in the air, then Adrien sighed and set his cards down.

"I don't know. She was really sick, and then one day… she just wasn't there. My father never talks about it, and Nathalie warned me not to ask him anymore. There was never any funeral, no service, nothing. Just a statue set up in the garden…"

He turned away from her, and Marinette knew why. She reached for a box of tissues sitting on the desk and set it by his hand, then busied herself looking down at her hands, the carpet, the legs of the desk - anything to keep her gaze off of him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean-" she started, but he cut her off.

"It's okay. I get it, it's weird. What with nothing being said, and Nathalie and my father getting closer lately - I'm just so glad I managed to get out of that house and start school last year. Being stuck in there was an akuma waiting to happen, believe me."

"I can imagine."

Adrien took a tissue gratefully, but Marinette noticed that he didn't seem to need it. His modeling training - or perhaps his natural good looks - made it so that any tears he might have shed were indiscernible.

"Thanks, Marinette. And you don't have to apologize - seriously. You don't."

Marinette closed her mouth, which had opened instinctively. Instead, she said quietly,

"I'm glad you were able to come to school, too."

He looked at her in surprise and delight.

"Yeah. I mean, I wouldn't have ever met you if I hadn't. You or Nino or Alya-"

Something in her face must have tipped him off, because he stopped and looked at her. Hard.

"Is something wrong with you and Alya?"

Marinette forced herself to make light of the situation.

"No, it's fine. We're just going through a rough spot, it'll be fine."

There was a gleam of humor in his eyes as he said

"The glare you were giving her today says otherwise. What, is she siding with Lila again?"

Marinette wanted so desperately to confide in him, but she knew he would never understand. She had tried to warn him, and he even knew about her tricks, but he had recommended her to stand by and let Lila wear herself out.

Sadly, it had been almost six months and she showed no signs of doing so, or of anyone else turning away from her.

So once more, as with every day, she forced herself to smile.

"It's not a big deal. Alya doesn't realize yet - but I think she might be in the market for a new friend if she's not careful." she added bitterly, allowing something of her emotions out. Then she immediately regretted her decision, saying quickly, "Forget that, it's not important."

"Of course it is." Adrien said forcefully, reaching for her hand. "I don't want to see anyone alone. Friendships are important, Marinette."

Marinette quickly and gently moved her hand - before her thundering pulse got the better of her.

"But at the cost of yourself?" she said, trying to keep her voice even. "I think it's better to let some things go, if necessary."

A moment of silence, then Adrien broke it.

"Who were your crowd before Alya came along, anyway?"

Marinette smiled wryly.

"I didn't really have one for a while. When we were younger, Alix and I were a lot closer, and I hung out a lot with the boys - Nino and Kim, that is. The rest of the class came later. But there was never really a crowd, just a couple of good friends. I guess this is the first time I've had a best friend - it's not all it's made out to be-"

Marinette shut her mouth tightly, knowing she was rambling and wishing she could take the last few words back, but Adrien nodded seriously and said

"I agree. Chloe always said we were best friends, but man did that backfire for a while. I much prefer Nino."

"He's great, isn't he?"

"The best."

Marinette had to smile at the memory of Nino - even as a small child, he had been a good friend to her. Not a best friend, necessarily, but a good friend nonetheless.

"I'm glad you came to class, Adrien." she said, before she even realized she was speaking. He looked surprised and pleased at that.

"Yeah, me too. I mean, I got to meet Nino, and Alya, and you - what more could I ask for?"

Marinette could think of something, but she held her tongue. She knew it wouldn't do him any good to hear it, and she had promised herself she would be content with whatever he saw in her.

A friend. It was a start.

Happy Easter!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter - like I said, it's a little more emotional. I've always been kind of confused by the whole Emilie thing - like, she's clearly not dead (maybe) but everyone acts like she is? But they never say she's "dead", they say she's "gone"? So anyway, this was my attempt to have it make a little more sense.
Also... Alya, why? If you've read A&F, you know how much I hate Lila with a fiery passion, so it infuriates me that Alya can be so supportive of Marinette until Lila comes along, at which point she turns on her ASAP. And this isn't like a best friend calling her BFF out on being nasty, this is just being nasty herself.
Anyway. Getting off my soapbox now. If anyone wants to discuss this with me, feel free to PM or comment, because I've got a lot more feelings than can be expressed in a short little blurb, which is no longer actually that short.
I'll talk to you all tomorrow! Until then, stay safe.