A/N: "Though we cannot be, I cannot help but wonder; what might have been. What a life we could have lived; the laughs we could have laughed; the dreams we could have dreamed." - J. Iron Word

Over the next several weeks, Marinette watched the aftermath of the akuma's influence play out in the media, all while struggling to handle her own conflicting feelings.

She found herself often wrestling with her own doubt as more time passed. How much of the vision had even been true, versus some magical fantasy not based on anything at all?

Her distaste of the notion of soulmates altogether waxed and waned within her heart.

It wasn't real. None of it was real.

And yet…

Why would the pain not leave her be?

Thoughts of her partner raged within her, leaving Marinette with nothing but more confusion and despair.

Despite insisting to herself that the vision wasn't the true picture, she couldn't help but see how she could love Chat Noir.

It was as though a whole piece of her heart had opened up, a piece that she had stubbornly kept shielded away as she had focused on her love for Adrien.

And Marinette wasn't the only one to be struggling, as was clear from the news coverage that continued well beyond the end of the attack.

The media painted its own picture of the events, seeking out as many victims as possible to parade in front of their cameras all while wringing out every ounce of tragedy and—occasionally—happy endings.

Some of the victims that were interviewed shared their tales of finding their soulmate thanks to the attack, risking it all in order to be with them.

Apparently—Marinette realized bitterly while watching one newscast—not every couple was doomed to certain death.

"I'm so thankful," said one teary-eyed woman holding onto the arm of an equally-emotional man. "The worst thing that we saw happening was our dying moments together, surrounded by family decades from now. We never would have found each other if we hadn't been in the attack."

Much more frequently than happy stories came those that were surrounded by drama instead.

One rumor that spread through Marinette's class involved a boy who had claimed to be another girl's soulmate, only to find out that the girl had also been involved in the attack. She knew immediately that he was lying, and had proclaimed so loudly in the school's courtyard.

"Honestly," Alya scoffed one day as the two of them walked to class, "who could even trust anyone that claims it unless both sides happened to be caught up in it? There's no way to be sure."

Then came the accounts of couples breaking up due to the hardships discovered. Those hit Marinette harder, of course, considering the similarity to her own situation.

The victim behind the akumatization, who already had been going through something heartbreaking before the attack, began dealing with backlash of her own as unhappy couples turned their ire on her. Ladybug and Chat Noir were forced to step in, urging Paris to remember that the true fault lay with Hawk Moth, not the poor woman who had been unwillingly a part of his plan.

Marinette couldn't remember a time where one akuma attack had left such long-lasting consequences.

Despite it all, she tried her best to keep moving forward.

After watching yet another news feature on the aftermath, Marinette walked through the street to get to school, her mind whirling—as it often did since the attack.

What a mess.

"Always knew the idea of soulmates was a joke," Marinette murmured to Tikki, keeping her eyes fixed ahead of her. Still, the sentence contained much less bite than she would have expected from herself.

Her thoughts drifted once again to Chat Noir. She gritted her teeth as she forced away the melancholy that tended to fill her at the reminder.

This is ridiculous, she thought, frustrated with herself. Just because I can't be with Chat Noir doesn't mean I can't be happy.

As she neared the school, a familiar car pulled up, and she watched as Adrien stepped out, adjusting his bag onto his shoulder before the car zipped away.

A new determination washed over her.

She didn't need a magical connection to determine her fate. She just needed to get her head out of her ass and finally do something about what she wanted.

After wrangling together a plan in a handful of seconds—her specialty—Marinette marched over towards him.

"Hey, Adrien," she said, her voice coming out stronger than it had in the past whenever she had attempted to push beyond her anxiety.

Adrien turned to her, a small smile flitting across his face. "Oh, hey, Marinette." There was something hidden in that smile, a sadness that seemed to linger under the surface.

It was a hesitation that she had picked up on over the past couple of weeks. No one else seemed to notice—he was a good actor, after all, and usually turned the cheer back on pretty quickly. Ever the mild-mannered model he pretended to be.

Marinette knew that something was up, however. Not only because of her constant awareness of his presence, but also because she, Alya, and Nino had remained Adrien's closest friends throughout school. One of the reasons she had never pushed beyond friendship had been because she knew he wasn't very close with many others, and she hadn't wanted to make anything awkward between them.

But having one potential love of her life ripped away from her made her feel bold for the first time.

She took a deep breath, trying to hide her nerves. "Do you want to…hang out with me?" Her air left her in a rush, and she couldn't stop herself from tacking on, "And Nino and Alya? Tonight?"

Well. Almost bold.

I'll ask him on a date tonight, she thought, frustrated with her own cowardice .

His smile became more real. "Yeah, that sounds great. I should have time." The true happiness that she sensed from his response left her feeling satisfied, and she found that she didn't regret asking the way she had.

He waved as they parted again at the bell.

Marinette kept herself from sagging in relief as she headed to class. She'd made the first step. This was good.

Now if only she could banish her own melancholy away for good.

Marinette arrived at the restaurant that evening, noticing that she had actually beaten Alya and Nino for once, though Adrien had already arrived and was waiting at a table. As she moved towards him, her eyes were drawn upward, taking in the white filigree design of the trim along the ceiling of the cute but small restaurant. The golden swirls that filled the center of the ceiling distracted her as she sat down. "Wow, it's beautiful, don't you think?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah." Adrien seemed distracted, taking just a little longer than normal to banish that same hint of sadness that she had noticed in him earlier that day.

Forgetting about the ceiling, Marinette leaned towards him from across the table, concern welling up within her. "Adrien? Are you… doing alright?"

He startled slightly, a smile plastering across his face. "Who, me? I'm great! How are you?"

Marinette watched him closely for a few moments, before opening her mouth. "Are you, really?" His smile faltered, and she hesitated only a moment before voicing her suspicions. "Is it…does it have to do with that akuma? The soulmate one?" His eyes tightened, and she quickly added, "You don't need to talk about it, if you don't want to. I'm just worried about you."

Adrien let out a slow breath, the façade slipping away as he slumped in his chair. "I'm not supposed to talk about it." He played with the silverware, his eyes distant. "As soon as I let my father know I had been caught in the attack, he told me not to say anything. 'Bad for publicity,' he said." Adrien's expression twisted with irritation. "Better that no one thinks Adrien Agreste has a soulmate, even if I can't be with her. Not that he cared at all about any of it outside of how it might look to everyone else."

Marinette ignored the twinge of pain that radiated through her heart at the confirmation that Adrien did have someone else that the akuma had decided was his soulmate. No, she was determined to focus completely on her friend. "You can talk to me about it, if it will help. You know I won't say anything."

His eyes rose to hers. "Thanks, Marinette." He sighed, leaning back and running a hand through his hair. "I've never had a lot of control over my life, you know? With my job, whether or not I can go to school, my free time; most everything in my life has been decided for me. But not my love life, despite what my father has tried to do to influence me there.

"And then…" He trailed off, bitterness pulling the corners of his mouth down. "I got caught by the akuma. Turns out, apparently I chose right. The girl I…like. She's my soulmate." He stared off to the side, the tightness in his eyes making it clear that he'd seen something awful happen as a result.

Sorrow for his situation filled her. "And…you can't be together?"

He shook his head once in confirmation, not meeting her gaze.

"I'm so sorry, Adrien." She refrained from sharing that she had gone through the same thing, not wanting to redirect the conversation to herself.

Adrien finally looked back at her, his expression bleak. "Once again, it's like my choice has been taken away from me. Maybe Fate has determined I can't be trusted with deciding things on my own."

Any thoughts of asking him out tonight disappeared as her sympathy for Adrien grew; the last thing he needed was yet another person trying to force him into doing something he didn't want.

Instead, she felt determination boiling within her. "You know what, fuck Fate." Surprise filled Adrien's expression as Marinette banged her fist on the table. "No mystical force of so-called destiny can take your choice away from you. You should be able to make whatever decisions you want, and handle whatever comes your way because of them.

"I'm so sorry that damned akuma showed you something awful, and maybe things won't work out with who you thought. But don't let that stop you from deciding what you want to do with your future. You're the one who lives your life, and you will have to deal with the consequences of your decisions, so make them. Don't sit back and let your father or Fate run your life and decide your future."

Adrien gaped at her for a moment before he sat up straighter. "Wow." He let out a soft laugh, something sparking in his eyes. "You sound a bit like…a friend of mine." His gaze softened as he looked at her. "Thank you, Marinette. You're right. I can't keep blaming my father. I need to make decisions for myself. Even if it's…a bit daunting." His deep green eyes didn't leave hers as he paused, contemplating something. After a beat, he started up again, clearly having come to a decision. "Maybe…maybe I should start now. Would you, by any chance, want to go on a date with me?"

Marinette's jaw dropped at the unexpected turn of the conversation.

Panic quickly appeared in his eyes, and he rushed to say, "I mean, I know we're friends, and if that isn't, if you don't see any potential, you don't need to—I'm sorry, I got ahead of—"

"Yes, I'll date with you!" she said in a rush, excitement and nerves once again mixing her words. "Go on a date, I mean. With you. If you'd like."

Adrien smiled at her, clearly relieved.

A date! With Adrien!

And she hadn't even had to be the one to ask in the first place.

She could hardly believe it.

They both grinned at each other for a few moments before the waiter interrupted. "Would you two like to order?"

Startled, Marinette looked over at the man before glancing back at the empty seats. "Oh, uhm…" She met Adrien's gaze. "I wonder what happened to Alya and Nino?"

Taking out his phone, Adrien glanced down. "Looks like something came up; I missed Nino's message that they had to cancel last minute."

"Ah." Marinette looked down at her own phone, clicking on her message from Alya.

Can't make it. You're welcome, I expect the deets later!

She looked back up uncertainly at the impatient waiter and back to Adrien. He shrugged, though a smile played at the corner of his mouth. "I guess this could be a date?"

Marinette tried to push away her panic—she hadn't even prepared for a date, or taken an entire day to plan out what to talk about, and what was she even wearing —choosing to focus on the happy reality that she was on her first date with the one she had loved for a long while.

She gave him a shy nod, and they ordered their food.

Adrien moved his thumb in small soothing circles along Marinette's arm as she dozed against him on the couch, the TV in her room still quietly playing the movie they were watching.

He looked down at where she was nestled beneath his arm, and couldn't understand how he had managed to reach such contentment. Not after being so sure the world was crumbling only a short while ago.

He mused upon the events that had led up to this moment, thinking back to Soulwrecker's attack.

Adrien had struggled to deal with the aftermath of the event, putting on a figurative mask after his father had brushed him off at the mention of being caught up in the effects.

Adrien hadn't known why he'd even tried; he should have known his father wouldn't care.

No, that wasn't right—Adrien knew why he had brought it up.

His father hadn't always been so cold to everyone around him. He had loved his mother, after all.

Adrien still remembered the stories his mom had told him growing up, stories about soulmates, and how she'd believed his father was hers. Stories about the adversity they'd overcome to be together, of true love conquering all.

And then, his father had lost her.

Was it so wrong to have thought his father would understand Adrien's own pain at losing someone he loved?

The answer to that was a resounding yes.

Adrien had barely gotten out that he'd been in the attack—had seen someone—before his father had shut him down.

"Get it out of your head. Don't speak of this with anyone; can you imagine what the press would do with the idea that Adrien Agreste has a soulmate? It would kill your appeal."

Adrien snapped his mouth closed, the sorrow within him growing denser, a lump in the bottom of his stomach. "Yes, father."

Of course, it was about Adrien Agreste, the Brand.

Not Adrien Agreste, the son.

After a moment of silence, his father glanced up from his screen he had been intent upon. "Well? You discovered you can't be with her, correct?"

Adrien nodded once.

Gabriel dropped his tablet as he leveled his gaze on him, his expression holding no emotion. "It's better that way, son. Trust me."

He looked back down, dismissing Adrien with a wave of his hand. Stiffly, Adrien turned around and walked back out.

Better that way.

Of course his father would think that. Better for him to remain unattached, for the Agreste image.

As he left the room, however, Adrien turned back once more, taking in the sight of his father, emotionless and intent upon nothing but his work.

Maybe he was right, Adrien thought bitterly. His father had loved and lost, after all, and look where that had left him.

And then, Marinette appeared, reaching out to him out of concern.

She'd been the only one who had noticed something was off with him.

Was it because she was simply more observant than his other friends? Or had he unknowingly let his guard down around her, subconsciously calling for help because he knew she would be there to help him through?

Perhaps a little of both.

His sudden impulsive decision to ask her out hadn't been because he'd harbored feelings for her. Ladybug had always solely laid claim to that part of his heart, from the moment he had met her.

But something about Marinette's impassioned words had resonated within him. He'd felt inspired to jump at the opportunity to do as she suggested and finally decide something for himself.

It was turning out better than he had imagined.

When he fell in love with Ladybug, it had been like a tsunami, feelings rushing over him completely in an instant.

Falling in love with Marinette was like lying on a beach as the tide slowly came in.

In either case, he'd ended up completely submerged.

He constantly found himself mesmerized by Marinette, wondering how it had taken him so long to notice her.

Adrien knew why he hadn't, of course. His feelings for Ladybug had taken up all of his heart, and it hadn't been until he'd finally forced those aside that he'd found the space for another love.

But the feelings weren't gone. He didn't really know if it was possible that he would ever stop loving Ladybug.

He still saw her often, even though they had both decided to take separate patrols for a time—an attempt to stem the flow of pain they both had been feeling.

Adrien supposed it had worked, even if a piece of him didn't want the pain to go away. Part of him wanted to hold onto it, hold onto the knowledge that for the first time, they had both felt the love he'd always hoped could be there.

It was only when Marinette walked into his life through a new door that Adrien found he could let the pain go, piece by piece.

Months with her passed by, and Adrien found a happiness with her that he hadn't realized was even possible.

But every time he saw Ladybug during the akuma attacks that followed, the pain resurfaced, bringing with it a swell of guilt as well.

How could he go so quickly from being quietly devoted to his partner, to finding love with another?

It left him confused, heartbroken but somehow healing before he expected to.

Ladybug herself helped him get past that one.

On one of their rare patrols together, she took him aside. "Are you doing okay, Chat?" Her eyes were pinched with worry, her hand tight on his arm. He might have realized that there was something she wasn't telling him, if his guilt hadn't reared up, sharp and painful as it distracted him.

How would he tell her that he had found someone else? Would she think him so fickle, to have given up on them so quickly?

Her death played itself out once again in his mind, and he shut his eyes tightly, which unfortunately only made the images clearer.

"Chat, talk to me. Is the distance helping? Are you—"

"I'm so sorry, my lady."

She must have heard the pain in his words, because he opened his eyes to see her expression fall. "How can I help?"

"No, Ladybug. I mean, I'm actually…doing alright. I…" His shoulders slumped. "I found someone."

Instead of the disappointment he'd feared, it was relief that shone through on her face. "You did? Oh, Chat, I'm so happy for you." She wrapped her arms around him and he hugged her back, still conflicted.

"I'm sorry," he said miserably. "I wasn't expecting to take your advice so soon. I didn't mean—I don't want you to think that I—"

She moved back to interrupt him. "No, Chat, don't apologize. This is what I wanted for you. If we can't—" Her voice stumbled over the word, a hint of sorrow sneaking in. As much as he didn't want her to be upset, a small part of him was grateful to see that he wasn't alone in his pain at losing her.

She cleared her throat and started again. "If we can't be together, then what I want most is for you to be happy. Are you? Happy?"

He thought back to the previous afternoon spent at Marinette's, and about how being with her made him feel as though he were walking on air.

The corner of his mouth moved up into a soft smile. "Yeah. I am." His smile disappeared for a moment as he looked carefully at her, suddenly worried. "And you?"

He could see it then, as she seemed to relax, her eyes going far away as her smile deepened. "I am, actually. Do you remember that there was someone I liked? Well, somehow, it finally happened. We're together."

"That's amazing, Bug."

And, somehow, the pain at hearing the confirmation wasn't nearly as sharp as he'd have expected.

They hugged each other once more.

Before leaving, Ladybug turned a fierce gaze on him. "We'll get through this, Chat. Partners?" She held out her fist, which he met with his.

"Always."

He headed home, feeling lighter as the guilt that had plagued him finally disappeared.

Ladybug wasn't upset with him for moving on. She seemed happy.

As was he.

He'd carved himself a new chance for love.

Adrien was no longer certain he would change things, even if he could. As much as he had loved Ladybug, there was something different about being with Marinette, a security he had never felt before.

Adrien lowered his mouth, leaving a kiss on top of the head of the sleeping girl in his arms.

Life was looking up.

A/N: One chapter left! Would love to know your thoughts.