AN: Flashback time! As I said, there will still be plenty of those spread throughout the chapters. I actually have a super cute Adrienette one planned that will come up soon! For now, though, time to inch a little closer to making Adrienette happen!
Chapter 10: Move On!
Move on, that was what Ladybug had told him to do. She had spoken those words so comfortably, as if it was easy to just find someone else to love. Adrien had been pondering those parting words for several days now and, yet, he was no closer to relinquishing his love for Ladybug. It just wasn't that simple!
Ladybug had a boy that she loved. She'd spoken of him before. What would have happened if things were reversed? If Cat Noir had told her that she should move on from that boy, could she do it? Well, it wasn't like it actually mattered. That boy that Ladybug loved wasn't him.
Somehow, though, Adrien knew that Ladybug was right. Until the new Hawk Moth showed up, there was no use pining over his love for Ladybug because they probably would not see each other again. There was no need for the specialized skills of Ladybug and Cat Noir without akumas and amoks invading Paris. Local law enforcement could handle the petty crimes.
According to Bunnyx, the new Hawk Moth had been in a world where he and Ladybug were adults. If that was the case, the new Hawk Moth would not emerge for several more years. By then, he and Ladybug would both have moved on in their life, letting it take them in new directions but bringing them back together as partners.
Surely he would not still be pining for Ladybug's love at that point. Still, Adrien could not understand how a future him could have a relationship with someone who wasn't Ladybug. She was the only other person in Paris who fully understood him, even if she did not truly know who he was. They were both, together, the protectors of Paris. How could Adrien hope to love another girl if he would have to keep bailing on her every time there was an akuma alert? How could he look into another girl's eyes, knowing her reflection only revealed half of the person that she was actually seeing?
Adrien lay on his bed with his arm over his eyes. It was quiet today, too much so. Plagg must be off getting into trouble somewhere. Had he already exhausted his supply of Camembert? Earlier this week, Adrien had restocked it. Not that it mattered all that much. With no akuma around, Plagg was clearly eating just to eat. He must be bored too.
Move on. Find another girl to love. Ladybug's words came back to Adrien's mind once again. Easier said than done, M'lady! Adrien did not know how he could ever find a girl that was even half as amazing as Ladybug. Sure, there were plenty of girls in Adrien's class who were still single, but none of them were Ladybug!
Getting up from his bed, Adrien walked over to his desk and pulled the class photo out from one of the drawers. Though he could almost picture the entire class by memory, Adrien still wanted to see everyone's faces. He didn't usually get to see all of them since he sat in the front row of seats.
Adrien looked over each of the girl's faces in the picture. As he did, he thought about what a relationship with them might feel like, whether it might be something that he could grow to like.
First there was Rose and Juleka. They were best friends, Adrien knew. He definitely could not see himself being with Rose. Maybe Juleka, but she was Luka's younger sister and that might be a little awkward.
Then, there was Sabrina and Chloe. Adrien literally cringed when he thought about dating either of them. Chloe was his first friend, but he held no deeper feelings for her than that. As for Sabrina, Adrien did not know her as well, but she was so...clingy. Sabrina clung so tight to Chloe even though her supposed best friend could treat her so horribly.
Adrien's eyes scanned to the next girl in the picture. That girl was Mylene. Nope, that was not going to be possible. She had been dating Ivan for awhile now. Adrien still remembered when they had gotten together. It was at the same time when Cat Noir had first met Ladybug, when they became partners. In fact, Ivan had become akumatized because of his love for Mylene. Ivan, as Stoneheart, was the first akumatized person that Cat Noir and Ladybug had fought against as a team. At that time, Adrien had not known this because it had been during his first days attending public school and he had not known anyone yet.
Okay, moving on, he told himself. Adrien's eyes next fell on the small pink-haired girl at the end of the front row. Alix, he thought. Could he feel something for Alix? His pondering lasted only seconds. No way! Adrien decided. Alix was cool and all, but Adrien just could not see himself being with the girl who would one day be Bunnyx.
There were only two other girls in the picture. One was Alya. Again, that would not be possible. Alya was dating Adrien's best friend Nino and, honestly, they were great together. Adrien could never dream of breaking apart that relationship!
That left just one last girl. Adrien pulled out the other class photo that was in his desk drawer. After Juleka had been akumatized into Reflekta, the class (well, except for Chloe and Sabrina) had organized a second picture to make sure that the shy girl would be included. It had not been her fault that she'd missed the first one and Juleka had really appreciated the efforts of her class to make sure that she could be in the picture.
Adrien looked between both pictures. In both of them, he was standing near Marinette Dupaim-Cheng. Marinette sat directly behind him in class and Adrien considered her to be one of his best friends, even despite the rocky start that had occurred when he had first met her. In the first picture, Marinette was seated in the front row directly in front of himself, Adrien noticed. When that picture had been taken, he had not really been thinking about who was around him. Instead, Adrien had been too busy grimacing as Chloe did everything possible to place herself next to him for the picture. The second picture had been much more relaxed and somehow Adrien and Marinette had ended up placed in the exact center of the second row. Looking closer at the picture, Adrien let himself imagine that instead of Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, it was Cat Noir and Ladybug standing there in the center of the picture. This thought brought a smile to his face. It would be amazing if Marinette was Ladybug. To him, Marinette already was their "everyday Ladybug". So many of the characteristics that he loved about Ladybug, Adrien also saw in Marinette.
Marinette, Adrien thought, letting her name echo in his mind. As far as he knew, she was also still single. Well, unless she was dating Luka? We're they together? They did sometimes spend a lot of time with each other.
Adrien put the two class photos away, back into the desk drawer. Out of all the girls in his class, Marinette was the only one he could see successfully filling the void if he could not have Ladybug. Out of all the girls in his class, Marinette was the only one he could see himself growing to love.
So, it was settled then! Starting tomorrow, Adrien would work to better get to know Marinette and, hopefully, see if they were compatible enough for a relationship.
Move on, find another girl to love. Well, I'll try, M'lady. We'll see how it goes.
I know…not much happened in this chapter (not even any dialogue)! Next chapter will continue on this chapter and there will be some more Adrienette! See you then!