Marinette walked home in silence with Alya. I never should've gone to the dance, this whole idea was stupid. She looked down at her dress which she spent hours on and hated it. The seams were crooked, it looked tacky, and the color looked hideous on her. Luka lied, the dress was hideous. Marinette arrived at the bakery and wanted to walk home alone, but Alya was not about to let her spend the night alone. They arrived in the living room to Tom and Sabine watching tv, the two were about to say some lighthearted remark about how the couple was home early, but then they saw Marinette and Alya, and their faces fell. Marinette looked at them, feeling tears fill her eyes, and bolted upstairs to cry, leaving the three downstairs.
Alya explained everything to Tom and Sabine, whose faces filled with concern, Tom's face filled with rage. They all agreed that it would be best if Alya stayed the night with Marinette, even if she wasn't up for talking. Alya called her mom and told her to drop off a bag of supplies for the night, and a pint of ice cream, which her mom happily agreed to once she heard the situation. Once Alya had all her necessities, plus some, she went up into Marinette's room to find that she had completely changed into pajamas, and was ripping up pictures of Luka.
"Marinette, talk to me, please..." Alya pleaded, watching her friend tear up photo by photo, with tears falling down her cheeks.
"Alya - I just..." Marinette looked down at the fragments of the boy she used to love. I was stupid. "I hurt him."
Alya sat down next to Marinette and wrapped an arm around her, "Marinette, it isn't your fault. It was Luka who acted irrationally. He was the jealous one." Alya watched as Marinette gathered the torn photos into a pile. She reached under her chaise and pulled out the photo box in which she previously placed Adrien's photos. She took out Adrien's photo and placed the torn Luka photo fragments in the box.
"No, I hurt him," Marinette stared at the photos of Adrien, and felt a bittersweet flutter in her chest, "he - was right." She placed the cover back on the photo box and slid it back under where it belonged. "He was my second choice. He always was and he knew it, but I was selfish..." Her voice cracked, "Alya, I knew deep down inside that my heart always belonged to Adrien. I never was over him." Alya's eyes grew wide, with a wave of realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. "I was just too dumb to realize... I mistreated him. I never should have allowed him to date me because I knew he was my second choice. I made him think that he wasn't my second choice..."
"Marinette, I think you did believe you were over Adrien. It is only now that you are in this crazy emotional state that you even think these crazy thoughts. You cannot blame yourself..." Alya said, wrapping her friend in a hug. "I will be here for you, always. Screw boys anyway."
Adrien and Nino fell asleep nearly right away, only awakening when the sun hit their eyes. Nino stretched, checking his phone that read 5:00. He sat his head back down on the pillow until he realized that Adrien was awake, very awake in fact.
"Dude, how long have you been up?" Nino asked, sleepily.
"I don't know. The sun wasn't out when I woke up, that is for sure," Adrien stared out Nino's window.
"What is on your mind?"
"I think that I am in love with Marinette," Adrien said, casually.
"Excuse me?" Nino was fully awake now. "So Luka was justified in his actions? Dude..."
Adrien sat up and stared at Nino, "No! Luka was not justified in his actions. He left Marinette alone at a party that she helped organize because he got jealous. He could've talked to her in private, but noooo. He decided to cause a scene in front of all of you and ruin the night for Marinette. Regardless... Marinette isn't the type to cheat, let alone have feelings for two guys at once. Luka is a jerk," Adrien huffed. He laid back down and stared at the ceiling. I am the reason they broke up, just like my dream.
"Now I don't disagree with you on that, but... really? You like Marinette, who has- had a boyfriend." Nino sighed, "dude..."
"Yeah I know, Nathalie gave me the same attitude. It isn't like I planned this, okay? I just sort of realized that my feelings for Marinette have always been something more, I just happened to realize it at the worst possible time..."
"Yeah, if you realized any time before vacation you would've been hers." This made Adrien sit up.
"What?"
"Oh yeah, Marinette had a major crush on you all throughout school. Sucks man, your timing is terrible." Nino said casually. "Alya was super surprised when she said she had completely lost feelings for you. She was crushing hard for a long time... but Alya said that Marinette got tired of waiting and not being able to talk to you about her feelings, so she moved on to Luka."
"Well, that really sucks. Now I have no chance with her..." Adrien sat still for a moment, trying to process the new information, "I doubt she'll even want to be my friend anymore, considering I caused her breakup."
"Don't worry about Marinette, she'll get over it. I would just give her space, you know. She'll approach you when she is ready. You are her friend, even if you are the catalyst that ended her relationship..." Nino looked at Adrien, who was obviously overwhelmed, "I doubt Marinette blames you, no one does, and you shouldn't blame yourself either. This is between Marinette and Luka."
Adrien stared at Nino and was extremely glad to have a friend like him. "I don't know what I would do without you Nino, thank you," Adrien pulled Nino into a hug. "I am glad your parents were okay with an impromptu visit... I want to stay away from home as long as possible." Nino smiled at his friend, then rolled back over on his side, falling back asleep immediately, leaving Adrien alone once again to sit with his thoughts.
I hope that no rumors spread... Nathalie warned me, but I am sure it will be fine. What news outlet would get their gossip from a bunch of teenagers who aren't really in the spotlight. Adrien stared at Nino's ceiling once again and realized that his time with Kitty Section is probably over. Oh... well, no more keyboard for me... I wish that I could talk to Marinette, but Nino is right... she won't want to see me for a while... Adrien's eyes became filled with tears as he thought, or ever again. The blond closed his eyes and begged for sleep, but was never given relief from his thoughts. Instead, he spent the next 4 hours laying in silence, listening to Nino's occasional snore or rustling.
Marinette awoke to the smell of a breakfast being cooked. The aroma called her to the kitchen, but she didn't want to leave her bed. She didn't remember falling asleep, all she remembered was that her sobs subsided and she drifted into a numb state. Marinette sat up and looked out from her bed to find that her room was empty. Alya's bag is still here, so she must be downstairs. Marinette decided it was about time she stopped wallowing and got up from her bed. She made her way downstairs to find her parents plating food and Alya sitting waiting for her. Marinette forced a weak smile and sat next to her.
"How are you feeling dear?" Sabine asked, placing a plate in front of her daughter.
"Tired," Marinette responded weakly, shoving the food across the plate with her fork, uninterested in eating. Sabine and Tom just seemed happy that their daughter was awake because they took that as an answer.
Marinette stared at her plate, uninterested in even her favorite breakfast. She did, however, chug her glass of water, and filled it three more times before her thirst was quenched. Alya stared at the girl, her eyes saying eat, and so Marinette obeyed begrudgingly. "Thank you for staying with me Alya."
"You're welcome." Alya smiled. "If you want we could possibly do something today to distract you, maybe go see a movie perhaps?"
"Sure, I would like that."
Adrien waved goodbye to Nino as he stepped into his car. His bodyguard was silent as usual. I hope father isn't too mad, and that his business trip went well. Adrien watched as building after building passed him until he arrived at his mansion. Here we go. He stepped foot into the mansion to find his father pacing back and forth. Oh, he is mad.
"Father I can explain, I just wanted to spend time with Nino-" Adrien was interrupted by his father.
"I don't- well I do, but that is not the issue right now..." Gabriel pinched his temple, "what happened at Chloe's party..."
"Well father, there is a lot that happ-" Adrien had Gabriel's tablet shoved in his face, a picture of Luka angrily yelling at Adrien outside of the hotel on it. "Oh, that."
"Yes, that Adrien. The lead guitarist, which you are supposed to be on good terms with, is yelling at you. Now, why is that?" Gabriel obviously was frustrated. "Kitty Section is becoming more popular with our target audience... that is why I encouraged you to perform with them. Now you're having a falling out? Publicly arguing with the lead guitarist?"
"Father, I-" Adrien knew that no matter what he said his father would become angrier, "I am sorry. Luka, he - had just broken up with his girlfriend."
"So he takes it out on you," Gabriel sighed, "okay I can work with that."
"Actually... I am sort of the-" Adrien's voice softened and he looked down, "reason they, um, broke up." This sent Gabriel into a rage, his eyes like daggers staring into his son's soul. "I- I didn't do anything. It is not my fault." Adrien started to speak quickly, trying to calm his father down, "Luka just thought that Marinette was still in love with me, that is all. I did nothing..."
Gabriel's anger simmered down, but it was still very obviously upset. "I need you to fix this, Nathalie. Get rid of these pictures and pay off whoever you can," Gabriel looked at his son with disappointment, "as for you, Adrien, I do not want you leaving this house until further notice."
"Father!"
"No, you have put your reputation, our reputation, in danger, all because of some teenage drama. Until the issue is resolved and everything simmers down, you are not to leave this house. You will continue your fencing lessons, but that is the only time you will leave." Gabriel waved his son away and walked into his office. Adrien was going to protest but decided it was best to leave it alone. Thanks, Luka. Adrien went to his bedroom and sat on his couch, and proceeded to text the group chat containing Alya, Nino, and Marinette that he was grounded indefinitely. He didn't specify why, of course, because Marinette just broke up with Luka and he didn't want her to feel worse. That is if she still likes me anymore. Adrien wasted his time playing video games so that the time for his patrol could come faster.
Adrien transformed into Chat Noir and leaped from Parisian rooftops all the way to Marinette's house. I hope that she is willing to talk to Chat. He arrived on her balcony to find her there as if she was waiting for him. "I am single now," Marinette said, with little emotion in her tone, "yay..." she said sarcastically. She looked very tired, with bags under her eyes. She had a pink blanket wrapped around her and her hair was down, and Adrien didn't want to admit it, but it was a mess, her whole look was. She was holding a cup of tea and barely looked at Chat, only at the empty abyss that was the liquid in her cup.
I do not know how to address this. Chat Noir has always been a comedic person for her. We barely talk to each other seriously, and I don't know how to approach her... Chat Noir sat down next to her and sat in silence. This is a good start I suppose. He looked at Marinette, who seemed to be cheered up simply by his presence. He could see a light returning to her eyes.
"Marinette, I said that I would be for you. If you don't want to talk, fine. We can sit in silence until the sun rises if you want, but I would suggest going to bed at a decent hour," Chat said softly. Marinette nodded, and took a sip of her tea.
"I think that the reality is really daunting on me. He broke up with me," Marinette laughed, not the 'oh this is funny' but the 'this is ridiculous' way, "because he swore that I had always had feelings for someone. He thought he was my second choice." He wasn't, was he... "The funny thing is, he is right. I can't exactly stay mad at him." Chat's eyes widened at that statement. Luka wasn't wrong... LUKA WASN'T WRONG. Marinette looked at Chat, puzzled at his shocked look, but continued "have you ever waited so long for someone, only to realize that it is hopeless?" Chat nodded.
"Yes..." Chat looked out at the Parisian skies. He hadn't seen Ladybug since the night he had his dream, and for once he wished that an akuma would attack Paris.
"Well, that is what happened. I had been in love, and I mean it when I say that, with this boy for the whole school year, from the time I finally got to know him," Marinette looked up at the moon as if she was picturing something, "and I just couldn't admit my feelings. I was too chicken. Any time I tried to approach him I would fall, I would stutter, I would jumble my words to the point that he was unable to understand me." Marinette paused, "My boyfriend, Luka, he was different. It was natural, and I could talk to him. I felt that flutter that you get in your chest when you love someone, I blushed, but I kept my confidence... he was the obvious choice." Marinette had finished her tea and set her cup down on the floor of her balcony. "Yet, I think that deep down I knew that my love wasn't nearly as passionate as the other boy. I just was in denial... and now I think I have lost them both..."
Chat placed a hand on her shoulder, "I don't see why this other boy wouldn't want to be your friend anymore..."
"I caused a scene at a function I threw for him, I caused him to fight with Luka over something he couldn't control, and now I am pretty sure he is grounded because of me..." Marinette's eyes dimmed, she was clearly upset.
"I am sure that if you talk to him you will find out his true feelings, and I doubt that they are as bad as you think..." Chat embraced Marinette in a hug.
"Thank you, Chat. I do think I should go to bed." Marinette got up and waved at the superhero, "goodnight Chat Noir, don't get into trouble."
"I won't m'la- Marinette." This statement stopped Marinette in her tracks, but she eventually left her paralyzed state and went into her bedroom.
Chat Noir arrived at home from his encounter with Marinette and detransformed back into his civilian self. "Plagg, Marinette said Luka wasn't wrong, which means she may still have feelings for me, and I now know that she is in fact, not mad at me," Adrien was filled with glee knowing that his friendship with Marinette was not in jeopardy and that he perhaps has a chance at making it into something more.
"You should hold off trying to woo pigtails Adrien, your father is mad and you know what Nathalie said," Plagg was speaking from a responsible perspective for once.
"Plagg, when will you learn I don't care what father thinks, or what Nathalie thinks the public will say. My father doesn't care about me, he only cares about my appearance. In the span of the last month, I talked to him once, and that was at the Kitty Section concert because it was a publicity stunt for the brand," Adrien huffed, "besides, I will not be dating Marinette anytime soon. She needs to get over her breakup with Luka, and I need to find a way for me to get out of the house. No use in having a girlfriend if I am unable to go on dates with her."
Plagg shook his head at the blond. "I am telling you, tread lightly around this situation. Your dad seems really mad."
"So be it. He can stay mad for all I care. He might as well not be my father, I wouldn't know the difference. He has just progressively become more and more distant to me. I am not going to obey his house arrest order. I am going to go out with my friends and enjoy my vacation the way a teen is intended to."
