Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or elements relating to Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.
Miraculous: Borderline
Chapter 20: Not Meant To Be
Kagami Tsurugi walked with Adrien on their way to the bakery.
"So, you like Marinette a lot, huh," Kagami said as Adrien held open the door for her.
Adrien froze. "I—uh, I wouldn't exactly say it...like…that."
Adrien rubbed his neck, confused at how he was feeling.
He'd never stuttered before when it came to talking about Marinette. He remembered a time when Kagami had asked the same question and he'd answered it perfectly normally.
Marinette and him were still just friends...right?
Adrien blurted out, "I like Ladybug, Kagami. Marinette's not the one I love."
That was the truth, right?
Adrien wasn't so sure anymore. His head felt like it was spinning, and he felt nervous, his heart pounding at his throat like he was making a mistake.
Kagami smiled. "I see," she said slyly.
She opened her mouth to say something else when her eyes suddenly widened. "Look out!" she screamed.
Marinette bolted down the streets in full pursuit of Stoneheart.
"How can a guy made out of giant blocks of stone move so fast?" Marinette gasped as she followed the trail of destruction.
Marinette began to slow down as she recognized her neighborhood.
"I'd better transform now, Tikki," Marinette realized. "I don't want Mom and Dad seeing me."
Tikki zipped around in a full circle in excitement. "You can do it, Marinette!" Tikki cheered. "I believe in you!"
Marinette grinned. She opened her mouth to say the key words when a familiar voice stopped her dead.
"I wouldn't exactly say...that…"
Marinette was too far away to hear exactly what Adrien was saying, but the bits and pieces she heard intrigued her enough to make her move closer, down the street.
"Marinette," Tikki whispered, her voice tight with nervousness.
"Shhh, Tikki," Marinette whispered back.
She strained to hear and caught the last part of what Adrien was saying. "...Kagami, Marinette's not the one I love."
Marinette felt Adrien's words like a punch to the face. She felt as if she'd been dunked in frigid ice. Her body felt like it was in a meltdown. Her veins filled with scarlet fire, and her head spun so that Marinette saw flashes of stars in her eyes.
No. No, it can't be.
It's not true.
It was Marinette's worst nightmare come to life, but for real this time—Adrien rebuking her right there in front of her.
Marinette stumbled back, her feet feeling like they were made of heavy lead. Tikki's voice rushed into her ears as if from a long distance, echoing like Marinette was in a tunnel.
"Marinette!" Tikki said frantically.
"Tikki," Marinette whispered. "I—I—"
At that moment, Stoneheart appeared right in front of her, his arm swiping off a good chunk of the bakery's roof.
"Look out!" someone screamed, and Marinette turned dully to see Kagami pointing and screaming.
Adrien turned and for a split second, his eyes locked onto Marinette's.
Then he tackled Kagami and they went skidding across the cobblestoned streets just as the giant section of roof crashed down where they'd been seconds ago.
Marinette felt like her world was still tilting and shifting, like a Ferris Wheel about to topple. Adrien's words echoed in her head like a repeat.
Marinette's not the one I love. Marinette's not the one I love.
...not...love…
Marinette.
"Marinette!" someone yelled, snapping Marinette out of her daze.
It was Adrien, and he was running towards her, yelling at her to watch out.
Watch out—?
Marinette yelped as Stoneheart's enormous fist closed over her torso. She was lifted up off the ground, and Adrien came skidding to a stop as Stoneheart's other hand swiped the air an inch from his nose.
Stoneheart started leaping away, and Adrien ran after her.
"Wait!" he screamed. "Marinette!"
Marinette craned her neck to look back at him one last time. She felt too weak to fight Stoneheart's grip, so she settled for catching one last glimpse of her true love before Stoneheart suddenly slammed a fist onto the pavement, buckling the streets and smashing Adrien off his feet.
Marinette gasped, but she was quickly whisked away before she could see the look on Adrien's face.
But Marinette didn't want to see his face. She knew that Adrien had run after her because that was the person he was, willing to put himself in danger for his friends.
It meant nothing.
It didn't mean that Adrien cared for her more than he did for other people.
It didn't mean that Adrien thought she was worth saving, more than other people.
It didn't mean that Adrien loved her back the way she'd always loved him, and no amount of wishing could make it come true.
Marinette's love was just not meant to be.
End of Chapter 20: Not Meant To Be