Marinette

"Hey! Over here!"

I turned my head to the source of the sound, and without looking, I knew who it was. Adrien bounded over, his golden hair slightly ruffled, his face tensed. He stopped in front of me, deliberated for a moment and then hugged me.

"Mmf," I said weakly as my face was covered in sweet smelling, premium Agreste clothing.

"Oh, sorry" he apologised, as he pulled away and held me at the shoulders. His cheeks were pink, and he looked away, evidently embarrassed.

"It's okay," I said, surprised that I could even form a complete statement around him. Despite my growing confidence around him, despite all the sassy comments I had made before, I melted at his touch.

"I was just really worried," he confessed, "and then I wasn't sure if you had found shelter or not…"

I noticed he said you only, not you and your friend. I liked it, liked it a lot, but I felt disloyal for feeling that way.

"We got away," I explained, "but I lost Bloom in the chaos. I wonder where she is-"

"Oh, Sky texted me that he found her. They're nearby, close to the Tower."

Despite the turbulences inside me, my scheming hat was still on. My eyes must have taken a sly glint because Adrien raised an eyebrow at me.

"You're planning something, aren't you?" he guessed. I nodded to confirm his suspicions.

"I'm thinking that we didn't get the text. I'm also thinking that Bloom and Sky deserve some alone time." I finished, crossing my arms together, grinning.

Adrien's eyes lit up with understanding. "Oh, you're good."

"What did you expect, Golden Boy?"

"Okay, do not call me Golden Boy. I mean, what kind of nickname even is that?"

I sniggered at his bewildered and furious expression. "You don't get it?" I asked, bemused, as we started walking in the opposite direction of the Eiffel Tower. His face took on a thoughtful stance.

"Is it because of my hair?" he finally said, touching it consciously.

I looked at him for one second before bursting into laughter.

"What?" he asked, scratching his head. I mentally noted that he did that when he was nervous.

I couldn't believe he hadn't figured my name for him yet, or perhaps he was too modest. Yes, probably the latter, I mused, still chortling occasionally.

"I…can't believe… you didn't get it. You…really are…perfect." I said, in between laughs. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I glanced at him. He still looked confused.

I sighed. "Adrien, I called you Golden Boy because, well, you're pretty much perfect," I explained, with a slight blush. "You're smart, you're kind and…" I hesitated. I wanted to say beautiful, but that would be embarrassing. "You're a good friend," I said, finally.

He looked taken aback. I wondered if I said too much. Then, he broke into a grin.

"Really? You think I'm a good friend?" he asked.

"Of course. Nino adores you, for one, and I can vouch for that," I said with a smile.

He looked pleased. "So, this isn't about my hair?"

I rolled my eyes. "Get over yourself, Narcissist" I said, looking away from him to hide my blush. I was startled as a warm touch enveloped my hand. Adrien looked at me, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Thank you," he said softly, before letting go of my hand.

I nodded, unable to say anything. I wished he had kept holding my hand, but then I felt guilty for thinking that. Aargh, why were there so many of these conflicting feelings?

We kept on walking, amidst people. It was not as crowded as before, so we wove easily between people. I had no idea where we were going, but I didn't care. I just wanted this moment to last despite the fact that the two sides of my head were arguing against each other continuously.

"I wasn't sure I'd even be able to make friends," Adrien confided quietly. I looked at him, astonished. He smiled sadly, before continuing. "I've been home schooled my entire life, you know that already, but I was worried if I'd be able to make friends. At first, everyone hated me, even you." He said, sadness lacing his eyes.

I felt terrible, recalling the day when he first enrolled. "I didn't understand," I whispered, "if I hadn't judged you for being friends with Chloe, or misunderstanding you for the chewing gum incident, then I promise, I would have been your friend from day one."

"I didn't mean to make you feel bad," he said worriedly, noticing my pained expression. "In a way, I'm glad for the way things turned out."

What? Had he not wanted to be friends with me, then?

At my shocked expression he held his hands out in surrender. "Let me explain! What I meant, is that, from that day, I learned the truth about Chloe. I learned the best way to start afresh was to tell the truth, and come clean."

I smiled, recalling that day in the rain. "You know, I still have your umbrella," I said, shyly.

He turned sharply, eyes wide. "You kept it?"

I shrugged. "Of course. It's a special memento, reminding of the day that I made a friend, too. You changed me for the better, Adrien," I confessed, looking at the pavement, unable to look him in the eyes. "I learned how to forgive, how to be honest."

"Will you be honest with me?" he asked. I looked up, into his face. His eyes were cloudy, unfocused. I wondered why.

"Yes," I said firmly.

"Do you like me?"

I froze in my tracks. Adrien stopped too, beside me, but I was barely aware of him. My secret, my emotions that I had been keeping in check for so many days, were coming out and I didn't know if I could control myself, or snap back to reality. Had I been so obvious? Did someone tell him? Or perhaps…did he feel the same way about me? No, it couldn't be. But what was I going to say to him?

"I don't know," I finally said, softly.

If he had asked me before, way before, at the middle of the school year, I would have said yes.

If he had asked me recently, I would have said no.

That was because I loved him; the word 'like' or 'crush' wasn't strong enough to portray the sensation I felt for him, properly; it wasn't suitable enough. But I couldn't say that anymore.

Of course I still loved him, but my emotions were being divided. My thoughts drifted to Chat, and I couldn't help but feel something for him, too. He was becoming more focused, more understanding. I had begun to enjoy his humour. His face was dear to me. The time I almost lost him made me realise how important his existence was to me; Ladybug would be nothing without her partner. This world we lived in would not be the same without Chat Noir's bravery, his kindness, his consideration.

But then there was Adrien. He was so sweet, so caring. Thanks to Bloom, I had befriended him, really learned more about him. I no longer felt as nervous around him; in fact, his presence was soothing. Whenever he touched me, I felt such a sensation pass through my entire body. He made me more open, more honest, more…me. I wasn't afraid of being insecure, or unworthy. Adrien embraced me, the real me, which was something I had been afraid he wouldn't do from the day we met.

"I know how you feel," Adrien said, voice cracking.

This answer I did not expect. Could he possibly be in love with two people, too? Was it too much to hope, that I was one of those people?

I hadn't realised that we had approached my garden of inspiration, opposite the Eiffel Tower, where I came to focus and work on my designs. I smiled, my mind a little more at ease.

"Adrien?"

He looked at me, eyes glassy. I reached out and held his hand, the warmth of his palm comforting.

"Let's forget about our worries for now," I offered, with a smile, "and just enjoy ourselves. We can figure it out later."

He seemed to understand what I meant. Smiling despite the broken look his eyes held, he sat down on one of the steps, pulling me down with him so that I was right next to his body. I tensed but I was tired, tired of resisting. I laid my head on his shoulder.

We watched the sun set, the breeze ruffling our hair and clothes. I closed my eyes, strangely content but strangely incomplete. There was something missing, something vital but I couldn't figure it out just yet. But I would. I had to. I would find the missing piece.

Suddenly, I realised something important.

"Marinette?"

Adrien must have felt me stiffen. "What's wrong?"

I looked at him, my eyes wide. "We forgot to meet Bloom and Sky."

His eyes widened as he realisation struck, and groaned. "They're going to hate us."

I sighed. "We are in so much trouble."

I was wrong. We were in heaps of trouble.

Adrien and I ran back to the tower, with few people to hinder us as nightfall was approaching, as most people had left to go home. We slowed down as we saw two figures in the sunset.

I gulped. Bloom was standing there, hands on her hips, her eyes menacing. I'd forgotten how scary she could be, with her fierce warrior expression, eyes blazing, as if someone had lit little fires in her pupils. I had always seen her give that stare to the opposition, but never seen her give that look to me. She'd always looked at me with love, a soft gentleness. I realised there was still love hidden behind the fire, and I knew I was responsible for earning this fire-glare. Yet, it was still scary to see her go commando. At least she wasn't firing her spells at me.

Sky didn't look any less scary. His hands were crossed over his chest, his frown disapproving; it was then I noticed his rippling muscles. He looked like a ruler, about to punish us and send us to the dungeons.

I blinked. My thoughts were getting ridiculous.

I looked at Adrien nervously. It seemed he getting petrified too, as his eyes was wide and his entire body was rigid. He glanced at me, sensing my apprehension. His eyes sent out a message: Should I start talking first?

I decided to spare him the trouble.

"So," I began, smiling nervously, crossing my hands together, "did you enjoy your stroll?"

Bloom just glared at me.

"Guess not," I muttered. And here I thought our plan to get them together was going so well!

"Okay, here's the deal guys," Adrien interjected. Sky and Bloom's heads snapped to look at him, and I noticed Adrien falter slightly before continuing.

"We're sorry we didn't come for you sooner, we just got carried away."

"Just. Got. Carried. Away." Bloom enunciated every word in a quiet but frightening tone. "Explain," she said harshly.

Adrien gulped. "Um, yeah, so after the akuma attack, Marinette and I decided to go for a walk, you know, uh, to calm down a little." He opened his mouth to say more but I elbowed him in the chest lightly.

"OW!" He yelled, before realising he had an audience. He let out a nervous laugh once, before rubbing the part where I nudged him. Well, I thought it was a light nudge. I didn't want him to tell them everything. I wanted to keep that moment for us, and us only.

Sky pinched the bridge of his nose, and exhaled deeply. "Adrien, do you have any idea of how worried we were? You didn't pick up your phone or answer my texts- we were panicking! We didn't know if you were safe or not." His voice was strained.

Adrien snorted slightly, before composing himself. I wondered why, briefly. However, I noticed Bloom lessen her aggressive stance just a little.

"Sky, you're sounding like an overprotective girlfriend," she chided, a little smirk dancing on her lips, before frowning once more. She looked at me, and this time there was sadness, and pain. It hurt me to see her that way, knowing that I was the reason for her despair.

"Marinette, why did you do this?"

I couldn't tell her the real answer. It would embarrass me more than it would embarrass her, but I couldn't lie to her.

"Well," I began, "I can't lie to you." Adrien looked at me sharply, no doubt shocked that I would tell them about our matchmaking. I took a deep breath.

"We didn't realise you wanted to go on a stroll together," I finished.

This took them by surprise. They looked at each other, conferring silently, before turning to look at me. I wasn't lying exactly but I wasn't telling the entire truth, either. I noticed Adrien relax beside me.

"Marinette, of course I meant we would go together," Bloom said, her voice now a little ashamed. "I want to spend as much time as I can with you, since I'm only here for a while."

This time Sky snorted. "Who's sounding clingy, now?" he retorted. Bloom just stuck a tongue out at him.

I turned to look at Adrien. It seemed the storm was over. I could clearly read the message in his eyes: Thank God.

"This was clearly a misunderstanding," Bloom relented, coming over to me and hugging me. "But don't you EVER scare me like that again," she warned, pulling away and looking at me sternly. "I was worried sick."

"Yet you call me overprotective," Sky muttered, clearly still holding a grudge over Bloom's comment.

She ignored him. "We should probably get back home," she said, leading me in the direction of the bakery, with Adrien and Sky following closely behind. "Besides, you have a lot of…work to do," she hinted, pointedly.

It didn't take me long to figure out what she meant. My thoughts drifted back to the moment after the fight, where Bloom handed Chat and I the parchment with a note on it.

I had opened it cautiously. Inside, it was blank.

"Huh?" I had exclaimed, looking at all over the parchment paper to find any inscription, any message. There was none.

"Let me have a look," Chat had insisted. As soon as he touched it, rows of ink magically appeared on the parchment.

I remembered feeling slightly annoyed that writing appeared after Chat had touched it. It was baseless at the time; I hadn't read the message inside to realise why that had happened.

I had started reading it, loud enough for both of us to hear, fast enough so our Miraculous' wouldn't reach the last warning.

Dear Ladybug and Chat Noir,

If you are able to read this message, it is because both of you have touched the scroll. This precaution has been taken so your enemies, and regular citizens of Paris, will not be able to find out what this message entails. It also symbolises the importance of both the roles you play for Paris, and in saving the world.

We have not been able to formally introduce ourselves to both of you. For us to work together, this is necessary for ease and trust. We would both like to meet you tonight, not only to introduce ourselves but also to train.

Papillion is getting stronger. He senses our force. For you to win after we have left, training is essential. It will help you and us.

We would be grateful to see both of you at the pier of the River Seine, at 11:00 at night. Tell no-one.

The paper wasn't signed, but it wasn't necessary. Once I had finished reading, the scroll had rolled back up on itself, and disappeared, only leaving behind sparks in its wake. We had stared at each other in disbelief until our Miraculous' had frantically beeped again, the last warning.

Chat and I nodded to each other to confirm the plan. We didn't have time to speak, but we knew each other well enough by now to know that we would see each other again, soon. And then we had left, going in opposite directions to avoid revealing our identities in public.

I came back to the present. Bloom was right. I needed to get in some sleep before I left, to make sure I was energized and also to convince my parents I wasn't sneaking out. I had no idea what type of training Bloom had referred to, but it would, undoubtedly, be difficult. I had to rest up.

"You're right," I finally said. I turned my head back to look at the guys. "Hey, do you two want to grab some food before you head back home?"

"Sure, I loved your father's quiche the last time I was there," Adrien said, before turning to Sky. "You have got to try it, Sky; it's really too good to miss."

I looked at him with gratitude. Sky nodded. "I never turn down good food," he said gravely.

Walking into the bakery, I greeted my parents and requested my father for his famous quiche. He was more than happy to distribute it to everyone. In less than five minutes, an entire quiche was finished.

"Wow, that was heavenly," Adrien said with a dreamy look. Bloom and Sky nodded, with similar expressions on their faces.

"All right, time to go boys," Bloom said reluctantly, lifting herself off the couch. The boys followed suit, although I noted that they had looked pretty comfortable where they were.

"Hey, we have school tomorrow, but if you guys want to hang out here afterwards, I'll be more than happy to see you," I suggested. At once, everyone's faces lit up and it made me smile.

"Hey Mari, we should play Ultimate Mecha Strike III, and have our own tournament!" Adrien turned towards Sky and nudged him. "Marinette's pretty legendary at video games," he admitted.

I ignored the fact that my heart leapt when he called me Mari, or the blush that crept to my cheeks when Adrien said I was legendary.

Sky looked at me with a kind smile. "That, I do believe," he said.

"Great, we'll meet you outside your school tomorrow," Bloom concluded, before hugging me. "See you soon!" She winked because we would see each other very soon.

After leading them out, I dragged myself upstairs and dressed in a daze. I could barely keep my eyes open as I dove into my bed. I would only get a few hours' sleep before training started.

"Sleep tight Marinette," Tikki said softly as she made herself comfortable in my hair as we both fell into a deep slumber.

Thanks for reading and please review! ;)