AN: Hi! It has been a long time since I've posted any fanfiction stories and this is actually my first adventure into the Miraculous fandom. I am definitely looking forward to writing more here. I recently found this show and it has quickly become my favorite! I just love the complexity and the characters…especially Cat Noir! Why is he so freaking great? Haha.

Anyway, I recently watched Puppeteer 2 where Adrien lets slip about the girl he loves. I was thinking about that scene and wondered about both characters' thoughts and feelings in this episode, so…this two-shot came to be! I hope that you enjoy it!

Part 1: Marinette

Today had been a long day. What had started out as a day accompanying Adrien and their friends to the wax museum had turned into another showdown with Puppeteer, who was really just Manon upset that the teenagers were not playing enough with her. As always, Ladybug had teamed up with Cat Noir to save the day and rescue Manon from the evil akuma that had been sent by Hawk Moth.

Now, after all that, Marinette was exhausted and just ready to go home and collapse into her bed. She was ready to walk home (and would actually have preferred that), but, of course, fate had other plans. The moment that Marinette stepped out of the wax museum, she found Adrien waiting for her.

Things had been awkward between them all day. It had started when Marinette's friends Alya and Nino had devised a sneaky plan to leave her all alone in the workshop with Adrien, despite her protests. That had not even been the worst of it, though. Just before Puppeteer had made her grand entrance, Marinette had found herself the victim of a terrible prank. She had poured her heart out to Adrien, thinking she was just talking to a statue, only to find she had actually been speaking to him for real! Could that have been any more embarrassing? Luckily, Marinette had not had much time to dwell on that because the statue of Hawk Moth had attacked and she had to bring out her alternate persona of Ladybug to save the day.

Now, though, Marinette had a choice. She could continue walking home with Manon and ignore Adrien's offer. Marinette knew that Manon would prefer the ride, though, so she slid into the car. Once they got to Manon's house, she could always make some sort of excuse as to why she needed to also get out of the car. Yes, that was what she could do!

The drive to Manon's house was all too quick. Once the car had pulled to a stop, Adrien exited to let Manon out. Marinette got out too so that she could say goodbye to Manon. The little girl gave Marinette a hug before going to stand beside her mother. As much as Marinette would have preferred to continue walking home the rest of the way, she also did not want to disappoint Adrien. That was why she got back into the car and the awkward silence that still existed between her and Adrien.

"To Marinette's," Adrien directed to his bodyguard who was driving the car.

The ride was awkwardly quiet without Manon's constant chattering. Marinette knew that she should apologize to Adrien. Part of the reason for this awkward silence right now was her fault.

Each mile brought them closer to Marinette's house. Time was running out fast. It was now or never. Taking a deep breath, Marinette started to apologize. As luck would have it, Adrien seemed to decide to do the same at that exact moment as well.

Marinette politely encouraged Adrien to speak first, but he directed her to continue. Rather than arguing about who would speak first, Marinette rapidly spoke her apology to Adrien. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kissed the statue, but I didn't know it was you, and if I had, it wouldn't have been a prank because I—"

Adrien cut Marinette off before she could fully finish. "No, no... It's my fault. When you left the workshop, I was so worried that you were mad at me. It made me do the stupid prank, and..."

It was just as Marinette had feared! Her quirky awkwardness today had caused Adrien to get the wrong assumption about her feelings for him. He had thought she did not like him, that she was mad at him. Adrien could not have been further from the truth, but how could Marinette tell him that?

Then, Marinette thought back to the advice she had received earlier from Cat Noir. As they had battled the animated statues in the Heroes' Room, she (as Ladybug) had asked Cat Noir how he could so easily say nice things to her. She always had such a hard time speaking about matters that she deemed important, but Cat Noir never seemed to have that problem.

"It's precisely when something is important, that it's important to say it, no matter what." That was what Cat Noir had said earlier.

Cat Noir is right, Marinette knew. My friendship with Adrien is important to me. I need to fix this now! I don't want him to think that I hate him!

"Of course I wasn't mad at you! I'm sorry that I made you believe that."

Adrien visibly relaxed as Marinette confirmed how she felt about him. "Is that true? We're still friends, you and me?"

"Of course! But, to be safe, maybe we should stop playing pranks on each other." How crazy it was to think that she had almost sacrificed her friendship with Adrien over silly little jokes and pranks!

Adrien laughed. "I know, I'm not good with jokes. The girl I'm in love with doesn't like them either."

Marinette's heart sank as Adrien spoke these words. "The girl that you—? You're... you're in love with...?" Wrapping her arms tightly around herself for safety and comfort, Marinette turned away from Adrien and fell silent. Up until now, she had not heard Adrien speak this way about any girl. It hurt to learn that Adrien loved someone.

It's Kagami, Marinette knew instantly. There is no other girl that Adrien knew who fit that description. Kagami was always so serious. Marinette could not imagine her laughing at one of Adrien's jokes.

Back when Kagami had come to the school to challenge Adrien for a spot on the fencing team, Marinette had seen how they had both connected instantly. Their parents were good friends too and seemed to be pushing them both to get closer. Marinette could still hear the words that Adrien had spoken to Kagami after Ladybug and Cat Noir had saved her from akumatization. "She's a very good friend."

"Are you okay, Marinette?" Adrien's question broke Marinette from her thoughts. His words had shattered her heart and, yet, he was still concerned for her.

But only as a friend! Marinette reminded herself again. That is all he will ever see you as, just a very good friend. "Yeah, yeah. I'm glad we're friends."

The car pulled up outside Marinette's parents' bakery. Without saying a word to Adrien, Marinette exited the car.

"See you tomorrow at school?" Adrien asked from inside the car.

"Yeah..." It was a stupid question, really. Adrien already knew that she never missed school. Maybe he had been trying to make small talk, trying not to end this conversation on a low note. Still, all Marinette wanted to do now was to go up to her room and cry into her pillow.

Marinette's parents were in the bakery when she entered. They greeted her, but Marinette barely even acknowledged their kind words. She did not even look back to see Adrien's car drive away, heading back to the Agreste manor.

Instead, Marinette just trudged upstairs to her bedroom. The first thing she noticed was the bulletin board of pictures that hung on the wall beside her bed. It was the bulletin board collection that Manon had been talking about on the drive to the wax museum. Here, Marinette had collected pictures of Adrien that she could stare at for hours. Now, though, the pictures just mocked her, reminding her that Adrien would never share the same feelings that she had for him.

"Marinette, what are you doing?" Tikki asked. The little ladybug Kwami flew out of her purse and came to be at eye level with her miraculous holder.

Reaching toward one of her pictures of Adrien, Marinette prepared to take it down and throw it away forever. "You heard him. Adrien's in love with another girl, and me? I'm just a friend."

"Oh, I'm sure life has many surprises in store for you, Marinette!"

The way that Tikki spoke these words seemed rather suspicious, like she knew something that she wasn't telling. Did Tikki know for sure who Adrien was in love with, the girl that he had been talking about earlier? If Tikki did know this, how did she learn? Adrien was usually so quiet and personal about his love life.

Marinette moves away from the bulletin board, leaving it just as it was. She lay down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling above her. Well, I guess I can accept this for now. Tikki is probably right. First loves don't usually last forever. Who knows, maybe there's still a chance for me with Adrien?

So, that's Marinette's thoughts and feelings. Next part is for Adrien. I'm working on it right now and will hopefully get that posted soon! Thanks for reading!