Chapter 4

"Tikki spots off" Marinette called out as soon as she was hidden safely in her bedroom. Plopping down onto her bed as soon as her costume began to disappear. The moment her head hit the pillow she began to cry again, the Akuma was a nice distraction, but now that it was finished all she was left with was this hollow cold hole left in her heart.

"Hey, Marinette..." Luka's voice came from her balcony as he slowly made his way in. She quickly sat up and wiped her eyes, trying to hide the fact that she had been crying, even though she knows that it was pointless, everyone already knew after all.

"Oh Luka, hi I didn't realize you where still here," she said as she climbed down her ladder, meeting him at the bottom with a big smile on her face. "Sorry things didn't seem to go as planned, but don't worry I'm-" she said in her normal chipper tone before Luka cut her off by pulling her into an embrace "… I'm okay… I'm alright Luka"

Stroking her hair, he held her tightly, until he heard soft muffled sobbing. "Marinette, you don't have to put on an act for me. So… just let it all out, I will always be right here for you" he whispered just loud enough for her to hear. With that Marinette began to cry harder, wrapping her arms around Luka, using him as her only support as she let out all the pain, howling out Adrian's name.

Adrian followed the same passage his father showed him before to enter the sanctuary. The butterflies fluttered around him, their wings seemingly glowing as he made his way into the middle of the room where his father stood. "Father I am so sorry… I failed you."

"You have not failed Adrian that was merely a test, and as expected you passed." Gabriel turned and looked at his son, clearly pleased. "With you being Chat Noir I had to be sure as to where your loyalties lye, and you did not disappoint."

Adrian gritted his teeth "a test… but father those are my friends! How can you use their feelings as a test! Marinette! Luka! Nino! You put all of them in danger!" Adrian barked, the knuckles on his fists turning white with how tightly he was holding them.

Gabriel patted the top of Adrian's head as he walked passed him "That is enough for tonight Adrian, we can continue this conversation tomorrow when you have a clear head." with that he left the room, leaving Adrian shaking with rage, alone still standing in the middle of the room, the moonlight shining down on him from the window.

As the morning rays lit up her room, Marinette stirred, trying to hang on to the last remittance of sleep. Eventually, she gave in, her head hurt so much from crying all night, there was no way she could go back to sleep, no matter how warm and comfortable this pillow was. Fluttering her eyes open, she froze… That was no pillow. Laying in her bed next to her was Luka, still fast asleep, his arm around her letting her use his chest as a pillow.

Very slowly she pulled herself off of him, as not to wake him. Lifting the sheets she was relieved to find that they were both still fully clothed. Letting out a small sigh of relief she was glad that she didn't do anything that she would regret.

"Marinette! Breakfast!" her father called from downstairs, causing Luka to slowly sit up. Wiping his eyes he looked around the room a little confused until eyes landed on Marinette. Smiling softly at her he ran a hand through his hair, settling a bit of a bed hair. "You might want to wash your face before going down, your eyes are still a little puffy" he advised as he climbed out of her bed.

Marinette, still confused, consciously followed him down. "Luka?… What are you doing here? We… we didn't?" she began to ask but as soon as she the events of last night came rushing back, hitting her hard. The rejection, the Akuma, crying into Luka's chest.

"Oh no, no no no, nothing like that," Luka answered her biggest question, trying not to laugh. "Last night you were crying so hard you ended up falling asleep. Then when I put you into bed you started to wake up again and asked me to say with you until you fell asleep. At some point I must have passed out to" He quickly explained, not wanting there to be any misunderstandings or weird feelings between them.

Marinette physically relaxed upon hearing his explanation, then blushed a little as she shyly looked up into his eyes. "Oh, Uhm… thank you… y-you know for being there for me… you are the best friend a girl could ask for"

"Haha, well yeah that's me, Mr. Best Friend. Anyways, you seem a lot better now, I better get going. I don't want to explain to your parents why I stayed the night in their daughter's bedroom." Luka said, ignoring the stinging feeling of her saying the BF word.

Marinette chuckled and nodded "Yeah, probably best to avoid that land mine. I will go down first and distract them, while you sneak out"

Adrian stepped out of the car just as it came to a stop, spotting his friends all gathered together by the steps he took in a deep breath and began to them. Today he finally got something he has wanted for so long, just to sit down together and have breakfast with his father. Something so simple that normal people have every day… well, it was more than just eating breakfast, there was also planning the next Akuma attack and discussing how to go about getting ladybugs miraculous… but there was breakfast there so technically it still counts, and his father was so lively and more talkative than he has been in years… its everything Adrian has wanted for so long, so he should be happy right? And that is what made him really feel confused, is that he was happy, yes he also felt terrible, but there was this sense of joy that just couldn't be overlooked.

Reaching his friends he smiled as most of them glared at him, and Marinette avoided his gaze. "Hey guys, sorry to bail like I did last night. Had to take care of something… and Marinette, do you think we can talk?"

Alya and Luka quickly moved in front of Marinette, blocking her from Adrian's view. "She has nothing to say to you, and frankly you should be ashamed of yourself! After something like that you should at least give her a few days before coming around rubbing salt in her wounds." Alya snapped at him while poking him in the chest, clearly a bit hostile.

"Wait Alya… Uhm, it's okay" Marinette said as she poked her head out from behind Luka. She gave a small smile to Luka, which practically melted his heart, convincing him to step aside. She and Adrian walked just far enough away that they were out of earshot, but both of them could still feel the prying eyes of their best friends nearby. "Okay Adrian, you said you wanted to talk"

Adrian cleared his throat, oddly more nervous than he thought he would be. "Okay… yeah, talk Uhm… Marinette, last night… wait no what I mean is, what you said last night, about you liking me and all… I am sorry for how I responded…"

Marinette let out a small sign and reached out, gently touching his shoulder "Adrian no, you do not have to apologize for the way you feel."

Turning away she went to leave but Adrian quickly reached out to her, forcing her back around so she was looking at him. "No, wait Marinette! What I said last night was wrong! I love you too! I was so shocked I didn't know how to respond last night!"

"W… I-I'm sorry, what?" Marinette said in shock, her heart pounded a thousand miles a minute, she must have misheard him right? Or her imagination was going wild right? There was no way she heard what she thought she just heard.

"Marinette I'm in love with you, and I have been for a long time. It just took me until last night to realize it" grabbing her arms Adrian pulled her into a slow passionate kiss.

"Adrian, that girl from last night, such raw emotions were coming from so many around her, today, when you arrive at school, tell her you reciprocate her feelings. We are going to use her to help us make our next Akuma" his fathers words echoed in his head as he held Marinette close.

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