Chapter 4 – Les Ponts de Paris

Summary:

Marinette texts Adrien asking to meet at the Ponts des Arts. He isn't sure what will happen, but however this plays out, at least it means she's talking to him again.

Written for Writer's Month – Day 18: Bridge

Marinette: meet me at the Ponts des Arts at 11:00, please.

A wave of relief for washed over Adrien as he read the text message for the hundredth time. Marinette wasn't mad at him. At least one part of his life was hopefully returning to normal.

To say things had been stressful over the past week would be an understatement of epic proportions. When Ladybug had fled from him after his accidental identity reveal, he had turned to other best friend. Marinette always knew how to make him feel better. Except this time, apparently Marinette was having a break down at the exact same moment he was. He tried to help, but she'd ignored all his texts and calls. When none of that worked and none of their other friends or her parents had heard from her, he showed up at her apartment door hoping to help. Once again, she didn't respond. At least by the sounds of movement within the apartment he knew she was alive.

When Alya returned from her trip, Marinette started speaking to her friends again. To everyone except him. No matter how hard he wracked his brain, he couldn't figure out what he'd done to cause Marinette to give him the silent treatment. It must have been awful. Despite Alya's reassurances that it had nothing to do with him, he was certain he deserved it. Not only had he lost Ladybug, it looked like he was going to lose Marinette as well.

Until today. Until her text message blipped onto his screen, inviting him to the bridge.

Adrien stood on the south side of the Seine. Pedestrians crossed the bridge on their way from one side of the city to the other. People gathered on the benches to talk or look out over the river. The bridge wasn't as crowded as it had been in the days couples marked their love by leaving a padlock along the grated railings. It was still a beautiful view of the river and the city, even if it was very different from his usual perspective along the rooftops of Paris. He had a feeling that whatever Marinette wanted to tell him, it wouldn't be bad news. If she wanted to yell at him, she probably wouldn't have chosen such a public location.

Despite the crowd, Adrien immediately spotted Marinette. She walked along the side of the bridge. Her fingers trailed along the railing. Occasionally, she would pause at a lamp post when a particular lock caught her attention and she'd study the message etched into the surface.

About halfway across the bridge, Marinette stopped and turned towards the river. She no longer wore her hair bound in pigtails, instead she wore it loose with a pink headband holding it out of her eyes. The sun illuminated her at the right angle to cast a warm, honeyed glow over her. The wind picked up and caught the ends of her long hair causing them to obscure her face from his view. The whole effect lent her an ethereal beauty. He longed to capture the moment on film, but he'd left his camera at home.

Borrowing a bit of Chat Noir's confidence, Adrien started across the bridge. Apparently Marinette was so lost in thought she didn't notice his arrival until he stood next to her. "Hi."

"Adrien! I didn't see you." Though she took a startled step back, she didn't trip over her own feet. Instinctually, he reached out and touched her elbow to help restore her balance.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh no." Her eyes widened and she shook her head. She looked ready to bolt or start jumbling her words. Instead she took a deep breath. "I was lost in thought."

"Is it about what was bothering you over the weekend?" He rested his elbows along the railing and stared down into the water. Her fluster seemed to calm when he wasn't looking directly at her.

"Sort of. It was a lot to take in and I kind of panicked." He wasn't certain when she'd moved. The sides of their arms touched and she rested her head against his shoulder. "I saw your messages and I'm sorry I didn't answer. I didn't mean to worry you, I just needed some time to think things through. It was a lot to take in."

Adrien nodded along as though he knew what she was talking about, although he didn't have a clue. It almost felt like he was talking to Ladybug instead of Marinette. Which was ridiculous. Since their encounter at the conservatory, he hadn't talked to Ladybug either. He'd only seen her at a distance while they fought akuma. At least Marinette appeared to be feeling better after her week of contemplation. He wish he could say the same thing for himself.

"Adrien?"

Shaking off the malaise haunting him, he offered Marinette a comforting smile. "I'm glad you're doing better now."

She started to speak, but stopped before uttering a word. Instead she stared out at the horizon and he joined her in the silent contemplation. Time ticked slowly, with the beating of their hearts and the rhythm of their breaths. He enjoyed spending quiet moments like this with her.

For a few minutes, he was able to silence the voice in the back of his head which insisted that the fact his world was falling apart was all his fault. He didn't want to go there. "Was that why you wanted to meet me here?"

"What? No." Marinette scrambled upright. Her hand reflexively clutched around the strap of her purse. "I wanted to tell you something. And, it's something better to say in person. 'Cause you know. You're a person, I'm a person...people talk."

"Breathe." Adrien waited as she calmed down.

A half dozen deep breaths later, she could speak calmly again. "I have something for you."

"Oh?" He hadn't expected that.

"I know we can't…." With the a vague, encompassing wave of her hand, she gestured at the bridge.

Breathing slowly, Adrien tried to calm his thoughts. Why would Marinette even imply that? Their relationship wasn't the kind which anyone would consider leaving a lock at the Ponts des Arts as an appropriate gesture. Had he woken in an alternate dimension? Had he been hit on the head? An akuma attack? A dream?

Without skipping a beat, Marinette dipped her hand into her purse and withdrew an object small enough to hide in her clenched fist. Bridging the gap between them, she cupped both her hands around his. She pressed a small, metallic block against his palm and held it there while she continued. "But, I wanted you to have this. I wanted you to know." She hesitated for only a moment before allowing a familiar confidence to settle over her. "Adrien, I feel the same way about you. "

With that, she let go of his hand, leaving the object behind in his grasp. In stunned silence, he watched as she proceeded across the bridge to the far side of the river. His brain whirred as he tried to grasp what she was saying. It sounded like she was responding to a love confession. But, he'd never confessed to her. Only Ladybug.

Slowly he uncurled his fingers one by one. In his palm laid a padlock. The metal had been stained red. Red with black spots.

Red with black spots.

Like a Lucky Charm.

Ladybug's Lucky Charm.

Ladybug.

He'd confessed to…

"Marinette!" He called as he ran the rest of the way across the bridge.

Though she'd already reached the other side, she paused the moment he called her name. Panting, he reached her side, the lock now clenched in his fist. He looked into her eyes. Her blue eyes. Eyes twice familiar. The eyes which he loved.

"Do you mean it."

"Yes, chaton," she said softly, an endearment meant for his ears only. She cupped his cheek and he had to resist the urge to nuzzle her hand. "Je t'aime. I've always loved you. As her, and as myself, my feelings have always been the same. I just…I just didn't see straight."

"You're really you aren't you?" He didn't dare speak her alter ego's name, but she knew exactly what he meant. She always knew.

"Yes. I am sorry I ran away from you. I was scared."

"Are you still scared?" He took a step closer and rested his forehead against hers. His hands rested on her hips.

"No." She laced her hands around the back of his neck and drew her fave towards his. In the space of a breath, Marinette—his lady—kissed him.

Author's Note:

When I saw the prompt 'bridge', my mind immediately went to 'les ponts de Paris' (the bridges of Paris) and with that thought, the story could only be about Marienette and Adrien. In my mind's eye, I clearly saw Marinette giving Adrien a padlock as she confessed her love to him. Except...you can no longer attach locks to the Ponts des Arts (Also, even if they could, it probably wouldn't be a good idea for the two of them since it's not something they'd want to announce to Hawkmoth).

It's been fun writing these two. I hope you enjoyed the story. Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading, ~rose