I just realized that some of you here didn't have access or weren't aware of the one-shots that were part of the BTHATE series on AO3. Therefore, better late than never, here are they.

--

This part of the story is set before the events of Between the Heavens and the Embers.

The living room was cast in darkness, briefly illuminated every couple of minutes by the flash of lightning. The thunder was loud and terrifying, but Marinette didn't mind. It mirrored her own feelings to perfection.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Alya asked, her hand gently stroking her back in a comforting gesture.

Marinette sniffled, wiping away her tears. "This is not what I want," she cried. "But I don't have a choice."

The weight of her secret identity was overwhelming, suffocating her a little more every day and straining her relationship with Adrien. She wished she could say "screw it" and be with him freely, but it wasn't a possibility. Although their love was undeniable, her responsibility as Ladybug had to come first. The people of Paris depended on her. She had agreed to this a long time ago, but the sacrifice still felt like agony.

"I can't keep doing this to him," Marinette continued, her voice filled with sadness. "Adrien deserves better. I see the pain in his eyes. Every time an akuma interrupts our dates or I have to leave abruptly, it kills him a little bit more inside. And he never says anything, not even when I had to leave while we were having sex! But this isn't fair to him. He deserves so much more than this. I want to see him smile again, even if I'm not the cause of his happiness."

Alya exchanged a concerned glance with Tikki, who hovered in the air before them.

"He loves you, Marinette," she said softly. "Isn't that enough?"

Marinette shook her head. "No," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's not. Our relationship is based on lies and secrets. Love can't change that, no matter how much I wish it could. We can't keep pretending we're okay."

Her trembling hands reached for her cell phone, contemplating the text message she was about to send. "Hey, can we meet up for coffee? We need to talk," it read. But as she was about to press send, a message from Adrien appeared on her screen, and her heart skipped a beat.

Can we talk? I'm near your house.

Marinette's breath caught in her throat. This coincidence was unexpected. Was it a sign?

"Look," Marinette whispered, showing the text to Alya. "Do you think..."

She stopped herself and glanced through the window, wondering what he was doing outside in the pouring rain.

"I don't know," Alya responded in the same tone. "But I'll leave you two alone. Call me afterward, okay? I can come back with ice cream if you want. Chocolate brownies, your favourite."

Marinette nodded, unable to say anything as her best friend left the house. She quickly replied to Adrien's text, letting him know he could come in and that the door was unlocked. With her parents away on vacation, the house was empty, and they could have the whole place to themselves to talk.

As she waited, Marinette's mind wandered back to the first few days of their week alone together. It had been so perfect! The initial bliss of sharing a home, cooking meals, and enjoying intimate moments filled her with a sense of peace she had never felt before. It was a glimpse of the life they could have had, but it was shattered into a million pieces by the relentless attacks of akumas.

The constant interruptions and her desperate attempts to hide her double life became unbearable. Adrien never voiced his frustration or complained about her lame excuses, but she could see the toll it took on him. The weariness in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders, and the forced smile were painful reminders of the secrets she had to keep. And last night, he didn't come to see her. He claimed he went back to his own place after classes and accidentally fell asleep, but Marinette knew he needed to get away from her and her lies.

Desperate for help, Ladybug had asked Chat Noir for advice. After all, he had a girlfriend too and could perhaps shed some light on the whole situation. How did he maintain both his secret identity and his relationship?

But so focused on her own struggles, she hadn't noticed how fake his usual exuberance was this week, or how tired he looked. How could she have missed this? It was so obvious! She now saw it clearly in the way his shoulders dropped under the weight of a heavy burden.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, m'lady," Chat Noir had sighed, his hand gripping the back of his neck in a way that remained Ladybug of someone, although she couldn't say who. "I don't know what to do anymore. All I do is lie to her."

Knowing that Chat Noir was going through the same thing was comforting, somehow, but also extremely depressing. Did it truly meant that there was no hope? Were they cursed to be alone forever, separate from those they loved by fate?

"I'm right here, Marinette," Tikki's gentle voice interrupted her thoughts, bringing her back to the present moment. "You'll be fine."

Marinette clutched her phone tightly as she heard the door open, her heart pounding in her chest. Tikki pressed herself against Marinette's cheek before hiding somewhere in the house. Adrien called out her name, and Marinette responded, her voice trembling and hoarse, "Here!"

As soon as he entered the room, Marinette felt like dying. He was as gorgeous as ever. Water dripped from his hair, adding a dishevelled charm to his appearance. His white shirt clung to his body, showing off the muscles underneath. Her breath caught in her throat, tears threatening to spill once more. She wished she had known, two days ago, that this would be the last time she would hold him, the last time they would be together.

"Hi," they said at the same time, laughing before abruptly stopping.

Gosh, this is awkward. Why is it so awkward? Why is HE awkward?

"I think we need to talk," Adrien remarked, coming closer. "Can we sit?"

Oh, my God. I was right all along.

Part of her wanted him to pick up a fight. She wanted him to tell her that he didn't care about her lies, that she was the one and would never leave her, no matter what. Knowing that her worries were true, that he really was tired of her...

"Do you want something to drink? Eat? Maybe warm clothes?" she started saying, her words coming out in a rush. "I can give you something, anything. You should take off your clothes. I mean, you know, to put something else on! Not to stand there naked, of course, that would be weird! Well, not weird weird, but weird, uh I'm sure my dad wouldn't mind if I give you one of his shirts, as long as nothing... Well, you know. Anyway! So, you're sure you don't want something to drink or to eat? I have water, tea, coffee, cookies, I—"

Internally, Marinette facepalmed. This was a disaster! Couldn't she just stop talking? Why was she like this? Breaking up was her idea!

But seeing him standing there, staring at her with those amazing green eyes ... it felt impossible to go through with it. She wanted to stop everything and tell him how much she loved him, that this whole situation was so wrong. But then, she remembered the reasons. She reminded herself of the lies and secrets that tainted their relationship. She recalled the way his eyes used to shine and how dulled and haunted they now looked. She didn't want to be the cause of another fake smile anymore or be the reason why stress lines were etched on his forehead. It was painful, excruciatingly so, but she had to let him go—for his sake.

"Marinette ...," he began, but she lifted a hand to cut him off.

"I know," she said, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "Yeah, okay, let's sit."

They sat on the couch and settled into silence, simply staring into each other's eyes. They didn't need words to understand what was going on; their teary eyes spoke volumes. They already both knew the way that their story ends.

—

"So, I guess I'm gonna go, now," Adrien said as he stood up almost an hour later.

Marinette nodded, her gaze fixed on the ground, unable—or unwilling—to meet his eyes. Breaking up had been surprisingly easy. Too easy. They both wanted the same thing, and all seemed fine on the surface. No bad blood. They had agreed to stay friends for the sake of Nino and Alya, and that was it. They still cared for each other, but it just wasn't working. No villains, no fight. It was the plain reality of life. So why did it feel so damn wrong? The simplicity of their breakup didn't make any sense. It should've been intense, passionate, full of fire, like their love.

"See you next week at the party, I guess."

"Of course," she answered, voice devoid of its usual happiness.

As Adrien turned his back on her, ready to leave, Marinette panicked. Images of their relationship flashed through her mind—the hugs, the warmth of his arms enveloping her, the feeling of safety and love. The realization struck her like a lightning bolt: he would never be hers again. He was slipping through her fingers.

This couldn't be the last time.

Without a second thought, she rose to her feet and called out his name. He barely had time to turn around that she had her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him towards her. He responded immediately, returning the embrace, his lips finding hers in a desperate and passionate kiss that ignited a fire within Marinette's belly.

Adrien's hands moved to the back of her thighs, lifting her effortlessly. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her toward her room, their lips never parting. He gently laid her on the bed and undressed her before covering her body in feverish kisses. They explored each other's bodies like it was the first time, their touch urgent yet full of love. As their bodies and souls entwined, their hands wiped away the tears that ran down each other's cheeks.

"I love you," they whispered in between cries and moans. "I'm sorry."

They kept their eyes open as the pleasure consumed them, not willing to miss a single moment or expression, engraving the memory in their mind. They both knew that this beautiful moment, like all things, would soon enough come to an end. A horrible, terrible end.

They remained entangled for a while in silence after that, simply staring at each other. Face to face, they shared a wordless conversation filled with the ghosts of their empty promises. Adrien then kissed her once more and, in the way his lips felt, Marinette knew that this time, it truly was the last one.

Marinette tightly closed her eyes when he left her bed. She didn't want to look, couldn't bear herself to watch him leave. The room deadly silent, she heard him get dressed and drop the house key she had given him on the desk. As he left her room, and then her house, Marinette cried, wondering if this pain would someday fade away.

—

She needed to get out.

Her parents, Alya and Tikki had been amazing, truly. They never left her side, offering their comfort whenever she needed it. Even her friends, who, one by one, learned the news, sent her heartfelt messages. Although no one besides Alya and Tikki understood why Adrien and Marinette had broken up, they were doing their best to support her through this situation. And while this was all well intentioned, their kindness overwhelmed her. It was just too much.

Marinette craved some alone time, a moment of solitude, away from their sympathy and the reminder of her pain. She needed to get out and run. She wanted to talk to the only one who could really understand what she was going through.

And so, with Alya peacefully asleep, Marinette called upon her transformation. She let out a sigh of relief as the power enveloped her and climbed out on her balcony, desperate for the escape. She took her yoyo to call her partner, ready to send him a message but instead, she saw on the map that he was already out. He was only a couple of streets away, and she immediately started running in his direction.

She froze when she reached him. He was sitting on the roof, his arms tightly wrapped around his legs and his ears low on his messy blonde hair. He seemed unaware of her presence, which confused her. He had, after all, the better earring out of the two of them.

"Chaton?" she asked, concerned. "Are you okay?"

Startled, he jumped, his tear-streaked face turning towards her. For the first time, she noticed how much his body was shaking.

"Oh, mon minou...," she whispered, feeling her own tears coming back.

Without hesitation, Ladybug lowered herself to the ground and hugged him as he completely collapsed against her. They clung to one another as though their very lives depended on it, crying in each other's arms for what seemed like hours.

"I love her so much, but I didn't have a choice," he eventually said as they sat side by side, their gazes fixed upon the horizon where they could see the first rays of sunlight. "The secrets were too much. Who knows, maybe our timing will be right one day..."

"Maybe," Ladybug whispered back, her voice filled with longing and the desperate hope that he was right.

—

The weeks went by surprisingly quickly, and in retrospect, Marinette found it somewhat amusing how things worked out.

Although she would never admit it out loud, she found comfort in the fact that Chat Noir was going through the same thing. They walked together through the whirlwind of emotions, talked about their fears and their pain, and somehow found the force to enjoy life. Chat Noir was actually the first one to make her laugh.

For a while, she had been convinced that her broken heart would forever remain a fragmented mess. Whenever she saw Adrien, she could feel it bleed and screams out for him. It was torture, being always near him, yet unable to have him... It was killing her slowly. Love, she realized, was a torment. A gorgeous, terrible, wonderful and painful one. Who would've thought it could feel this way? She had read books, had watched endless romantic movies with Alya and yet, she hadn't been prepared for the agony it would cause her.

Was it this hard for everyone? Could you ever forget your first love, your first time? Or maybe it was harder for her, because she knew, deep in her soul, that she and Adrien were perfect for each other. There was only one thing keeping them apart; Ladybug.

She had sacrificed so much for her role and her duty. Yet, fourteen-year-old Marinette had never thought that her sacrifice would extend to her own heart. But if someone asked her, she would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Despite everything she had lost, she couldn't forget all she had gained.

One day, while they were having a party on Luka's mom's boat, Marinette realized something important. She had inadvertently walked in on a conversation between Nino and Adrien. They hadn't seen her and she definitely should've left, but an invisible force compelled her to stay. She peeked around the corner, watching the interaction.

Eavesdropping is wrong, Marinette, she thought, the voice in her head sounding a lot like Tikki. You should go.

"Are you okay, dude?" Nino asked as he handed Adrien a drink. "We haven't had the chance to talk in a while."

Adrien hesitated, his hand absently rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah, yeah, I know. I'm sorry, I've been busy."

Nino smirked. "Oh yeah? With who?"

For a brief moment, silence hung in the air, and Marinette thought he was going to deny whatever Nino was insinuating. But instead, Adrien answered, the smile evident in his voice. "With her."

"Wait, Marinette?"

Adrien shook his head, and that was all Nino apparently needed to completely freak out.

"Holy shit, are you talking about her? That girl you work with? Don't tell me you fell for her again! Dude, we went through this!"

"It's different this time!"

She should've fallen down as her whole world crumbled around her. She should've been crushed by the pain. But while the green-eyed monster was there, she couldn't find it in herself to be angry when she saw the flicker of hope, and dare she says it, love, in Adrien's eyes. There was only one thing she could think about;

I hope she treats him right.

She almost couldn't believe it herself. She had never anticipated that one day, she would be fine with Adrien being in love with another girl. True, it was kind of insulting. He was already moving on with someone else? And not just a random girl, but the one he loved before Marinette? Imagining him with her—and she was probably a model!—was eating her up inside and she couldn't help but wonder if she had been his backup choice.

But then, she thought about the way he treated her, about their undeniable passion, and she immediately knew that it wasn't the case. Adrien had loved her. She couldn't doubt it, not even for a second. But maybe, just maybe—and gosh that hurt—this girl was actually the one he was supposed to be with. To her surprise, she realized that her heart was fine; it was her ego that stung.

He looks happier. But why couldn't he be happy with me?

It made her think of a conversation she had had with Chat Noir only a month prior. They were hanging out after a patrol when he told her about a conversation he had overheard between his ex-girlfriend and her best friend while they talked about some guy he didn't know.

"How'd that make you feel?" Ladybug had asked, concerned.

"At first, it hurt," he had admitted after a pause, his voice tinged with vulnerability. "I was jealous that she was already moving on. I don't think she even realized how she grinned while talking about him, or the way she blushed. I used to be the only one who could make her smile like that, you know? But then I just kind of accepted it, I guess. Especially once I saw that she looks happier. I just wished I had been the one to make her feel like this... But no matter what, she deserves to be with someone who will treat her right. And, I uh ...," he trailed off as his gaze lingered on her. He seemed to want to add something before rapidly changing his mind. "Nevermind. Anyway, yeah, I'm fine."

"Hey, I was looking everywhere for you!" Alya's voice exclaimed, jolting Marinette back to reality. "Are you OK? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Marinette, eyes fixed on the ground, shared what she had heard.

"Oh, girl, how are you feeling?"

"I think I'm fine," she replied. "I might need a drink."

That night, she got drunk to try and forget her questions. Why didn't it hurt? Adrien was her one true love, right? She had been in love with him for years, and it had only been a couple of months since their breakup! How could she be fine, relatively speaking? But then, the next day, when she found herself face to face with Chat Noir, she realized why her heart was at peace.

Oh. No, no, no, no. I do NOT have feelings for Chat Noir! Nope, not happening!

—

"Marinette, you need to calm down," Tikki chuckled one night after patrol.

"Calm down?" Marinette repeated, eyes wide with disbelief. "Tikki, I sniffed him and told him he smelled nice! What the actual fuck was that?"

"Did he mind?"

"No, that damn alley cat just laughed it off and said 'I always did, but thank you for noticing Bugaboo'," she said in a bad imitation of her partner's voice. "But I was all red and then I ran away! What is wrong with me?"

With a knowing smirk, Tikki replied, "It's love, Marinette."

"No, no way," Marinette protested adamantly. "I can't possibly have feelings for him. Yes, he's attractive, with the body of a Greek god, and he's funny and caring, and have you seen his smile? Of course, he's my best friend, and... Oh, my God, Tikki, I'm in love with Chat Noir."

"Oh, really? I never would have guessed."

"Tikki, you don't understand I can't be in love with him!" she exclaimed, frantically flailing her arms in the air in panic. "What about Chat Blanc? We're gonna destroy the whole world! Everyone will be dead and we—"

"Marinette, stop!" Tikki interrupted, flying up to hover directly in front of her chosen, their faces so close that Marinette went momentarily cross-eyed. "You're not a child anymore. You're in control now, much more than when you were young. And Bunnix will step in if anything threatens the timeline! I think you should listen to your heart. You deserve to be happy and loved."

A pause as the words sank in, and then Marinette asked, uncertain; "Do you think he loves me, too? After all this time?"

"What do you think?"

And so, for the following days, that question became the only thing Marinette could think about. She overanalyzed every single one of their interactions and, after a while, she convinced herself that his feelings for her were back. She could see it in the way he looked at her, in the way he would bend down to kiss her hand or her cheek, right on the corner of her mouth, his lips lingering for a moment too long...

God, she wished it wasn't all in her head. How ironic would it be if, after all those years, she finally fell in love with him while he saw her as nothing more than a good friend?

Sometimes, when Marinette thought about it, she still couldn't believe it. After her breakup with Adrien, she firmly believed that her heart was irreparably damaged. How could she possibly move on when she knew deep down in her soul that he was the one for her? Yet, as time went on, she discovered that the pain, while still present, had lost its rawness. It gradually faded away, making way for the blossoming feelings she had for her partner. Slowly but surely, she found out that her broken heart could not only heal, but love again.

Love was such a mysterious thing. Perhaps it was the reason why so many singers, writers, poets and artists tried to capture its essence in their work. But despite all of their efforts, there was no way to perfectly describe the way it truly felt. Maybe love was meant to be experienced—alongside the pain, the tears and the hopes that came with it.

"So, I've been thinking ...," Chat Noir started saying one night as they were hanging out on their favourite rooftop.

"Wow, are you okay?"

"OK, first of all, rude. Second of all, as I was saying before a certain Lady interrupted me," Chat Noir pointedly stared at Ladybug, who laughed, "I've been thinking, and I've come to the conclusion that we absolutely should have a party with all the other holders."

Ladybug stared at him for a moment, confused, before simply going; "Uh?"

"Think about it! We could give the other holders their miraculous for the night and we just rent a hotel room and have a party! We tested it last month, you and I, and now we know that we can get drunk in our suits, it's just harder. So, why not do it with the others? Let's have some fun, for a change!"

"Kitty, have you lost your goddamn mind?"

"It would be good for the team's morale!"

Ladybug turned to look at the Eiffel Tower, mostly just to hide her smile. It was a terrible idea and she knew that he knew it too. It was a recipe for disaster. Putting a bunch of drunk superheroes with powers and secret identities in a room together? Nothing good could come out of it, except too many reveals. Obviously, they couldn't risk that.

But, if Marinette was completely honest with herself, it did sound fun... And after all, Chat Noir and her had gotten drunk last month and both of their secret identities were fine. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea, after all?

No, it most definitely was a terrible idea. But she was still young, couldn't she enjoy her youth once in a while?

She turned towards him and he was already looking at her with a smirk, knowing perfectly well what she was thinking.

"You're a pain in the ass, you know that?"

"Yeah, but I'm your pain in the ass," he laughed.

And that was true, now more than ever. He was stupid, brave, sweet, and hers.

"I guess you are," she admitted. "Unfortunately for me."

"At least I have a great ass, don't you think?"

"Oh please!" she laughed, feeling her cheeks burning. "If one of us has a great ass, it's me."

"Can't deny it, it's a really nice one."

"Are you saying that you've been looking?" she asked, arms crossed over her chest and frowning, while also trying to keep herself from smiling.

"M'Lady, you're always running in front of me and I'm just a boy. What am I supposed to do?"

She definitely couldn't admit that she did kind of wanted him to look...

"Look at the sky, maybe? Or quite literally anywhere else?"

"It's not nearly as interesting."

"Pervert."

He started laughing, head thrown back and eyes closed. His skin was glowing with the last rays of sunshine and Marinette felt her heart filled up with love. She could simply look away. She should...

Ah, screw it, she thought.

She moved fast, pulled him by the chin, and brought his lips to hers. Chat Noir immediately froze. Had he not noticed all the signs she had been dropping in the past weeks? All the hints that made it clear that her feelings had changed? For a second, Ladybug panicked, afraid that he was going to push her away. God, that would be so embarrassing!

But he delicately cupped her cheek, his other hand grabbing her hip, and his lips started moving against hers. First slowly, and then with the same passion, the same need. And what started as a sweet kiss changed into a desperate one as fire burned inside them. She wasn't sure when, exactly, she had moved to straddle him, but neither one of them was complaining about it, that's for sure.

When they parted, the sun was long gone. Chat Noir's hair was even messier than usual and Ladybug had lost both her pigtails. Their lips were red and swollen from being kissed for so long. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before bursting into laughter. Everything was fine. The world hadn't collapsed into itself and Chat Noir wanted to kiss her, too! Marinette could almost feel all of her doubts and her anxiety melting away, leaving place for this inner peace she used to only feel around Adrien. Oh, how things changed!

Chat Noir brought her back to him, his lips softly kissing her this time. At that moment, Marinette knew in her heart, without a shadow of a doubt, that everything would be OK for them.

—

"And then I kissed him!" Marinette concluded, giggling, before taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

Alya's eyes widened with incredulous excitement. "No way! You actually did it? Tell me everything! How did it feel? I need all the deeds! Did he go in for the tongue right away? He looks like a tongue guy."

Marinette blushed, her cheeks turning pink as a smile stretched her face. Oh yeah, he definitely was a tongue guy. "Well, it was like ...," she began before stopping herself as her attention was suddenly drawn to the television. "Wait, turn up the sound, Alya."

With a confused expression, Alya swiftly reached for the remote, increasing the volume as they both focused on the news broadcast.

"Breaking news! An akuma is currently wreaking havoc in Paris," the news anchor's voice filled the room, her expression grave. "It calls itself The Angel of Darkness and poses an unprecedented threat not only to our beloved city, but also to the lives of its inhabitants. Reports indicate that the number of confirmed casualties has already surpassed a staggering hundred and continues to rise. Additionally, numerous buildings have suffered extensive damage."

Marinette's heart raced, and she locked eyes with Alya. They both shared the same look of disbelief and fear. How could the number of deaths and injuries be so high already? There hadn't even been an alert! But just as she thought so, their phone began to ring, indicating the presence of the akuma. Only, the warning was too late.

The news anchor continued her speech. "Local authorities are working to evacuate the areas closest to the akuma's rampage. On the front lines, some of our courageous heroes—Chat Noir, Carapace, Vesperia, King Monkey, and Pegasus—are fearlessly battling this menace. However, it is with great sadness that we must inform you that Viperion and Ryuko have sustained life-threatening injuries and have been urgently evacuated for medical care."

Alya's gasp echoed in the room, but Marinette was frozen in shock, unable to process the gravity of the situation. The superheroes, even when injured or dead, were never evacuated. What could have possibly happened to warrant such drastic measures?

"We can only hope for the imminent arrival of additional heroes, with great anticipation for the appearance of Ladybug herself. Rest assured, we will keep you all updated with the latest developments on this unfolding crisis. Stay tuned for further information, and let us stand united in the face of this threat."

Marinette's mind raced as she recalled Hawkmoth's chilling warning from just a week ago.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir," he had said, "if you don't give up immediately, I will bring Hell here and the only thing left will be the ashes of those you failed to protect."

Chat Noir and Ladybug had shrugged it out. Those were the words of a desperate man who had been beaten down by a couple of teenagers for years now. Of course, he would make empty threats to try and scare them. But he would lose, as always, and they would save everyone, including their friends.

"I'll tell you everything later," Marinette promised as they rose from the couch, determined. "It's showtime. Tikki, spots on!"