P.S. Missing You

Part I

Marionette knew that she did not have a choice. A part of her felt that it was so wrong, but as she saw Adrien and Kagami hanging together that day, she knew she had to give up on Adrien. It killed her because a huge part of her soul, heart, and body were telling her that Adrien was meant to be hers. Her head knew better, however, which is why she asked Luka to play the song he wrote about her. Listening to it, felt right and melancholy all at once; bittersweet. In that moment she really appreciated Luka and his steady presence and comfort. She enjoyed spending time with him, as she always did. However, it could not take away her pain regarding Adrien, but she was resigned to it. Kagami and him belonged together. She cared for them both and wanted them to be happy and they could have that together.

Later that day at night, Marionette felt trapped in a way so she transformed into Ladybug and went around Paris along the roof tops enjoying the fresh air. While it helped, Adrien was all over the city his smiling face starting at her in his perfume advertisement. At some point, she picked a random roof and sat down on it simply trying to not think about anything about the Parisian skyline. Within five minutes, a certain black cat was sitting next to her.

"M'Lady, how are you this fine Parisian night? Is there an akuma we need to deal with?"

"Oh, hi Chat Noir. No there is no akuma, I just needed some fresh air."

"Bugaboo," Chat Noir/Adrien started, "Are you alright? You seem… off tonight."

"It is not a big deal. Just hard to let someone you love go for their own sake and happiness. That is all."

"Ladybug, I'm so sorry, why did you do that?"

"Chaton, I saw him with our friend, and they were so clearly perfect together. Laughing, running away from their parents. I just want him to be happy, and she makes him happy in a way that I simply can't. So there was nothing to do but let him go. What do they say about love: if you love someone, let them go, if they don't come back to you, they were never yours in the first place. I think the saying goes something like that at least."

"I'm so sorry m'lady." Adrien said, pulling ladybug to rest her head on his shoulder with his arms around her shoulder holding her close.

"Not your fault chat, not your fault."

After that, the two just sat together in comfortable silence just holding each other staring out at Paris.

That night as Marionette laid in bed with Tikki already asleep, she was so grateful for cat noir. He was one person she could always rely on without question. He also never lied to her. As she laid there, she knew she would get through the pain because her chaton would be there to hold her and comfort her when and if she really needed it. All she needed to do was have him notice her in the sky along with the buildings and he would be there.

The next day, Marionette was saying goodbye to her parents and walking out of the bakery when she ran into Luka. "Hi Marionette, I just thought I would come by and walk with you to school to make sure you are alright given everything with Adrien."

"Luka," Marionette smiled and blushed at him, "that is so sweet, you are so sweet." As if on impulse, she kissed his cheek, not in greeting, but in a more romantic way. When she realized what she did, her cheeks got so red she was worried she would start sweating if she got any warmer.

In response to her kiss and blush, Luka smiled adoringly at her. "Let's head to school before we are late alright?"

"Wrong, right, right!" Marionette exclaimed awkwardly. It seemed that her awkwardness that normally was reserved for Adrien was going to move towards Luka. With Luka, however, she felt safe and calm, so it would not be as bad she knew. It was Luka, she was safe and comfortable with him. He would never hurt her, only protect her.

About five minutes later, Marionette and Luka walked in smiling and chatting and Alya was stunned to say the least. She knew that they had ice cream together the other day, but to see them walk in as if they were a couple who had been dating for months was surprising. She knew that Marionette was crazy about Adrien, but she was more comfortable with Luka, so Alya thought that this move might be for the best. This was especially true given how Kagami and him were yesterday.

Adrien saw Marionette and ran up to her realizing that she was the person he was waiting to talk to before class. "Hi Marionette, Luka. Marionette, do you have your notes from last week's history class? I was out that day for a photo shoot and I wanted to know if I could copy your notes. I would ask Nino, but his notes aren't the best or readable…"

"Hi Adrien, sure, I will give my notes to you in class, just make sure to get them back to me tomorrow alright? I know we have a test later this week and I will need them to prepare."

Adrien was shocked, she replied completely normally, how she would with Alya or Rose. She almost never spoke that way with him. Oddly, it made him a little sad as if he lost something crucial to him that he was unaware of.

Juleka, Rose, and Ayla were the only ones who noticed, but they were shocked. Marionette talked to Adrien as if he was anyone else in the world and walked in with Luka. Something was changing. Juleka was happy for her brother as he had a large crush on Marionette. Rose was simply excited that love could be blooming for her friend. Alya was not sure how to take this development. Walking in with Luka was one thing, but talking normally to Adrien was another. The feelings of the three only multiplied with Luka walked her to class and bid her goodbye with a smile that was especially for Marionette.

Adrien noticed the smile too and while he was happy for his friend, she deserved someone great and Luka was great, he felt weird about it too. He was still staring at the door after Luka walked away with mixed feelings when he heard Marionette say to him, "Here are my notes Adrien. Get them to me tomorrow yea?"

At her words, Adrien looked down at her and replied almost absent mindedly, "Of course, of course."

At that Marionette went to her seat behind him next to Alya without a second thought.

Later that day Marionette was standing on a rooftop in Paris thinking, the gym teacher of all people was akumatized. She thought that Hawkmoth would take a small break given his epic defeat just yesterday, but that was not the case. Now as she saw the man turning people into random sports equipment, definitely the weirdest power of an akumatized person yet, she had to figure out how to break their whistle and quickly. At that moment, she heard the lightest landing and the words, "Hi m'lady, how are you today? Not a soccerball so not horrible at least."

Marionette smiled internally and replied, "No time for that kitty, we need to break the whistle and get the akuma and quick."

"As you command bugaboo. Hawkmoth didn't waste time akumatizing more victims did he."

"No he didn't chaton, no he didn't." She replied as they jumped into action.

The battle was a short one and for that Marionette was grateful. She was doing alright, but still feeling emotionally drained for the previous day's activities, decisions, and realizations.

As she was getting ready to send her yoyo out and to leave Chat Noir stopped her. "Ladybug, are you alright, I know you were not at your happiest yesterday."

Given that she still had time before transforming back to her normal self, she stopped and took a moment to talk to Cat Noir, "Better, better it is just hard because I see him everywhere," at the end she mumbled, "Literally" assuming Cat Noir would not hear. However, he did and was confused. He looked around and did not see anything out of the ordinary simply lots of posters too many he noticed had his face on it which he did not appreciate.

"I'm sorry bugaboo. I am here for you if you need me, you know that right?"

"I know chaton, I know." Marionette replied giving him a big hug that took him by surprise. While he was surprised, he was happy she initiated contact and gave her a tight hug back. "Just a lot happening with the box, him, and normal life."

Adrien nodded solemnly. He wanted to make a half joke about her dating him now, but knew it was not the best time to do so. He, however, wanted to know. He wasn't dating Kagami, but he knew that was the road they were starting to walk down and while he cared about Kagami, he knew he would not love her the way he loved Ladybug. So he watched her use her yoyo to take herself away from him. He stayed there watching the place he last saw her too long before heading back to his house to actually practice his piano as his father and Nathalie assumed he was.