"I'm in love with Adrien Agreste." ChatNoir froze, ice filling his veins. "I've been in love with Adrien since I was 13. But he's never looked at me as anything more than just his good friend. I'm always too nervous to hang out or even to just talk to him. Those nerves I feel with him, I feel with you too but with you...I don't know. I feel like I can relax around you." ChatNoir hadn't stopped staring at her, his brain couldn't comprehend what Marinette had just said.

She was in love with Adrien Agreste. He was Adrien Agreste. She also seemed to have feelings for ChatNoir. He was also ChatNoir. She had fallen for him twice, and it was causing her pain. Pain because she thought she was confusing her feelings again. He had to tell her. He could fix everything by just deteansforming.

"Chat?"

But he couldn't. If ladybug found out he gave away his identity his ass would be on the chopping block. Plus, ladybug was the new guardian, what she says goes. He couldn't do that, there was no way. But watching Marinettes big sad eyes staring at him was so much worse.

"I have to go."

"Wait what?!" He moved quickly so that Marinette couldn't stop him on his way out. He needed to leave before he did something absolutely ridiculous.

"ChatNoir!" She screamed after him, but he kept going despite his heart aching. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and tell her that it was alright. But what could he really do? Even if he told her he was Adrien there was no way they could be together with his father still around.

He slipped into his window just in time to hear his father calling his name. "Plagg, claws in." he hissed, watching his kwami move quickly into his bookshelf. "U-Uh come in." He was sweaty and anxious and he felt like he could throw up or sing at any moment. Marinette was in love with him.

"Hello Adrien, I need to have a word with you."

"Ok, What is it?" He crossed his arms, defenses up. His father very rarely attempted to talk to him in person and if he did it was always something pretty serious.

"I was speaking with Tomoe and we have decided it would be favorable for you and Kagami to announce your engagement at the show after the holidays."

Adrien felt the ground disappear beneath him.

"E-engagement?"

"Yes, your marriage will be pertinent to the company and the Tsurugi's image. We have discussed everything for you, all you will be required to do is show up with Ms. Tsurugi. I'm sure even you cannot mess that up."

Adrien didn't even process the insult, he simply couldn't get over the word, engagement. "We're going to be Married?"

"Adrien, I do not have all day to continuously repeat myself."

"Woah woah woah. Wait, Marriage? As in a forever commitment? Father, there is now way I can agree to such a rushed decision."

"I assure you this plan was carefully decided. It is beneficial to both families."

"Yeah by you guys! I never-" Adrien groaned pressing his hand to his head. "I can't marry Kagami."

"Well I'm sorry you feel that way. This is not a choice Adrien. You will marry Kagami and that is final. I will have Nathalie explain the rest of the plans such as coordinated outfits and such." With that Gabriel turned to leave and Adrien was left stranded in the middle of his bedroom. This was absolutely the worst thing that could have happened to him. Two days after Christmas the entire world would know he was engaged to Kagami.

Marinette would know he was engaged to Kagami. He could run away, he could run away, steal Marinette and the two would disappear forever. The idea sounded nice but he knew there was no way it could ever actually happen.

"Want to talk about it?" Plagg asked, slowly approaching Adrien. He shook his head, stomping into the bathroom.

He needed to be alone.

.

.

The following three weeks were awful. He had been injured once and Ladybug twice more. He was certain he'd be walking with a limp and he could only imagine how ladybug was feeling after she was shoved through a stone building. But nothing could hurt him more than remembering the sound of Marinette crying. He needed to talk to her. He needed to talk to her before the show, needed to tell her why he ran away. He needed to tell her about Kagami and how he wanted nothing more than to be with Marinette instead.

"So you were injured in a fencing accident?" Kagami asked, sitting stiffly on the couch in his bedroom.

"Yup, I misstepped and sprained my ankle I think."

"Well that is unfortunate. You have to remember to do your stretches and watch your footwork. Otherwise, you will end up in situations like this. Injuries are a sign of weakness Adrien. We are not weak." He rolled his eyes slumping into the couch.

"I know. It'll heal before the show this week."

"Are we doing something for Christmas together?" Kagami asked.

"I didn't know you wanted to."

"Well we're going to be married soon, it only makes sense that we start spending more holidays and special occasions together. Afterall, we will move in together after the wedding."

Adrien gripped the sofa cushions tightly, turning his knuckles white. He couldn't stand thinking about that. A summer wedding, Nathalie had informed him. Right after graduation the two of them would be married. Then Adrien would start working on his business degree, taking over for his father once he graduated. He was living the dream. He would be in a cold, unloving marriage, running a business he couldn't care less about. What a wonderful life that sounded like.

"Adrien?"

He snapped out of it turning to her. "Yes?"

"Nothing. You seemed to have zoned out."

"Sorry I was just thinking."

"What about?" He internally groaned at that question.

"Nothing much, just the future."

"Oh, yes. Our future does seem quite bright. It's been well planned and the blueprint has been lied out right in front of us. It makes it much easier does it not?" He stared at Kagami, raising an eyebrow at her.

"There's absolutely no way you like that."

She looked shocked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean." He huffed standing up. "There's no way you could be excited about a life that has been completely planned out for you! Where's the fun in that!"

"Do not raise your voice at me Adrien Agreste. For your information, I am quite happy with the life that has been chosen for me. I would have a wonderful husband who has a safe and assured career. We would live in a nice house and have a stable life. That sounds wonderful."

"Wonderful!?You can't be serious."

She narrowed her eyes picking up her purse and moving to his door. "I am quite serious. How about you call me when you've decided to stop being such a jerk." She left swiftly and Adrien stood there fuming. He wanted to scream or punch something but before he could do either his phone rang.

"Group call?" He swiped answer and the images of several of his classmates sprung alive.

"Hey Adrien." Alya greeted.

"Hey guys what's up?"

"We're all planning something for Marinette and we wanted to know if you'd like to join in? None of us have heard from her at all since break started." He cringed inwardly. He had left her alone in her bedroom three weeks ago and never even bothered to call because of his impending engagement. That was rather selfish of him.

"What do you guys have planned?"

"We're going to get her some of that expensive yarn she loves and make a card for her. We'll give it to her sometime before break ends."

"How about we meet her at her house on Christmas?" Adrien suggested. "It'll be a surprise." Everyone erupted into a chorus of agreements.

"That would be awesome, she'd love that."

"Plus her dad makes the best cookies on christmas!" Rose added and everyone stared at her through the screen. "What? He does." Adrien shook his head with a smile on his face.

"We could all meet there around lunchtime. That way we don't interrupt any family time." Mylene said, tapping a finger to her chin in thought. Perfect. This was an opportunity to talk to Marinette, to come clean, about everything. About being ChatNoir, and about being in love with her. His smile slowly turned into a frown. And about being engaged.

"Sounds like a plan. I am pretty busy right now though guys, so I'll see you then."

"Ok Adrien!" he clicked his phone off staring at it. He needed to get her something else, something that showed how important she was, something that had meaning. He couldn't just buy her yarn, though he'd still pitch in. It didn't seem like enough. Nothing truly seemed like it would be enough to represent his feelings for her. It was weird to think about how close the two of them had gotten, even if he was ChatNoir. Though, it did make sense. All the stammering and blushing, it was because she had a crush on him.

It was frustrating that it took him so long to realize his feelings for her, but in his defense, the two could barely have a normal conversation. He was rather jealous of his classmates ability to befriend her in the beginning. He had resigned himself to the fact that Marinette would never be anything more than a simple friend. He had even, for a short amount of time, thought Marinette had disliked him.

How silly of him, it was completely obvious now. But, what on Earth was he supposed to get her in just a few days. God what was he even supposed to say? He'd have to tell her immediately. There was obviously no way he'd even be able to talk to her with all of this on his mind. Was he supposed to just blurt it out? Say he was ChatNoir? Ladybug would hate him. He debated just not telling her, but wouldn't that be lying to her?

It was eating him up inside. He hated lying and hated lying to Ladybug even more. Him and Ladybug were not supposed to keep secrets from each other. He froze. But wasn't that basically their whole relationship? One big secret? They're whole friendship was based on a big old secret. They had no idea who the other person really was and that didn't seem fair. It wasn't fair that Ladybug got to decide that they were supposed to keep their identities hidden.

"Who is she to decide the secrets we keep?" He grumbled staring out of his bedroom window. He turned to Plagg narrowing his eyes. "And honestly, I hate how Ladybug treats me like her sidekick. I'm her partner. I should be involved in this whole thing! I should be involved with the miraculous, I could help her! I'm not just some lost little boy she can call on and send away keeping me in the dark. I'm sick of everyone making my decisions for me!"

Plagg watched him without saying a word. He paced back and forth running his hands through his hair. "I'm going to tell Marinette who I am. I'm going to tell her and we're going to be able to hang out like normal people. I'm going to tell her who I am because I'm in love with her." His eyes widened. "I'm in love with Marinette?" He turned to Plagg, excited. "I'm in love with Marinette." His smile faded into a frown. "I've hurt the woman I'm in love with and I need to make it right."

"How are you gonna do that?" Plagg asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm going to tell her I'm ChatNoir. And then I'm going to beg for her to forgive me for running away."

"And if she doesn't?"

Adrien sighed clenching his fists. "Then I'll leave her alone."

.

.

"Merry Christmas Adrien." He looked up, cheeks rosey from the cold.

"Merry Christmas guys." He smiled brightly at his group of friends hovering outside of Marinette's bakery. He felt slightly awkward arriving early, he was going to knock and tell her immediately but had chickened out and remained waiting outside in the cold for nearly twenty minutes.

"We have her card if you want to sign it!" Alya smiled, holding up the bag with the card attached.

"Oh, I actually got her something myself, but thanks."

"No fair Agreste!" Alix laughed, clapping him on the back. He shrugged clutching the bag he was holding.

"It's nothing big." He said, looking away.

"Well, are we just going to sit in the snow or are we going to go in!"

He turned to Alya and chuckled softly. "Going in, I'd like to get out of the cold please." The group walked to the side part of the building leading to Marinette's front door. His heart was hammering in his chest as Alya knocked on the door. He felt his palms starting to sweat and his breathing hitch. He couldn't do this.

"What are you guys doing here?" He heard Marinette ask the moment they walked in. His heart leapt into his throat at the sound of her voice. God had he missed her. She was sitting on the couch, staring over the back of it in surprise.

"None of us have heard from you all break girl!" Alya said, putting her hands on her hips.

"And so we were all worried about you!" Rose added.

"So we wanted to make sure you were ok." He couldn't speak, instead he stood there awkwardly while the rest of them spoke. He needed to say something. Say something, Anything!

"And we all brought you something to cheer you up." He paused, holding up the bag in his hand. "Merry Christmas Marinette." She moved quickly over to him. Her smile was big and his knees grew shakey. She gingerly accepted the item from his hands and he pulled them away far too quickly to be normal.

"Th-thanks you guys. You didn't have to do all of this."

"Oh nonsense, we love you!" Rose squealed moving in for a tight hug.

"Well come on in." Marinette said pushing open the door further. "My dad made gingerbread cookies."

The girls made themselves comfortable at the table digging into the cookies but Adrien hovered around the front door. He needed to speak to her, he wasn't sure how to grab her attention though. He stood frozen when Marinette noticed him. She walked closer, looking as though she was going to ask him something but he spoke quickly, words tumbling from his mouth.

"Can we talk Marinette?"

"Y-yeah! I mean yes sure what's up?"

"No like uhm." He paused scratching his head. "In private." Oh god, how was he ever going to tell her this. She looked shocked, staring at him for a moment before she was finally able to speak.

"Ok, ok yeah let's go outside."