A/N: Hello! First time on . This is my fic from the Miraculous Big Bang 2024. I hope you enjoy :)
Somewhere in the 21st arrondissement of Paris, between rows and rows of books, stood a lovesick girl and her patient best friend.
Last night was certainly… something. Fed up with her nonexistent love life and in a heat of passion, Marinette came up with the brilliant idea of leaving a love letter anonymously, hoping to catch a new beau.
The girls had been going round and round since.
Alya, the supportive best friend she was, encouraged Marinette to trust her heart and to go for it! Try something new! What did Marinette have to lose?
Marinette's "Sunshine," one of Alya's many coveted nicknames for the blonde supermodel, wasn't any closer to figuring out one of his best friends was absolutely head over heels for him. For four years, everyone at The Nook stood by and watched as Marinette had pined after a certain oblivious boy.
No matter how many times Marinette waited with bated breath, she would try and fail to woo her crush, leaving her more and more heartbroken. It was so embarrassing! How was it possible to keep tripping at the finish line? Yet, without fail, she found a way. Every. Single. Time.
It's almost as if the universe was trying to tell her something.
Maybe Alya was right, and in Alya's words, Marinette knew she needed to "taste a new flavor of love." One that would actually reciprocate her feelings. Someone bold and daring! Someone who would fill out some silly challenge from a letter they found in a book.
Even though it was Marinette's idea, she was reluctant. How could she give up the boy who she had been attached to for years? Like a cavity she had grown strangely attached to, with his tooth-rotting goodness, Adrien Agreste had created a hole in her heart. One that she desperately wanted him to fill.
Marinette fussed with the end of her long, pink sleeve and nibbled on her freshly applied strawberry lipgloss. "I don't know, Alya." She stared helplessly, nervous about attempting something like this. "Should I rewrite it? Shouldn't I leave the letter somewhere else? I mean, who's even going to respond to it? The Merchant of Venice isn't a love story!"
Alya sighed heavily, trying her best not to bang her head against a wall. "What are you talking about? It has two different types of love: love within friendship and love in marriage."
Marinette paled and threw her arms up. "I'm trying to avoid staying in the friendzone! What if the person gets the wrong idea and thinks I only want friendship?!" Her hands flailed about like a tennis match, back and forth as she spelled out each scenario. "Or what if someone never responds? Or what if someone does respond, but they end up being creepy or someone who I don't like? Or worse! What if they don't end up liking me but I end up liking them? I'm basically back in the same position as I am with Adrien!" She placed her head in her hands in frustration and rubbed the heel deeply into her eye sockets, groaning.
Alya plucked a copy of The Merchant of Venice off the shelf, removed her friend's hands from her eyeballs and placed the book firmly into them. "Well, if they can't take the hint that you want more from them after all of the hints you dropped in your Ladybug letter then they're just as oblivious as Sunshine is." She eyed her panicked friend with an amused smirk.
Marinette stared down at the gently used book and second-guessed herself. She really shouldn't be doing this. It was stupid! It was completely absurd! She was crazy for doing it! But that's precisely why she should do it.
Alya rested her hands atop Marinette's and looked her squarely in the eyes. "Girl, you have to let fate take the wheel on this one. Some random guy could find it, and he could end up being your soulmate. You never know!"
Marinette tore her eyes from Alya's fierce gaze and glanced down at the battered copy of Shakespeare's work. Reluctantly, she opened the cover and took out a folded red letter from her pocket. She grimaced as she placed the letter inside and closed the book.
Marinette's head swirled with the absurd thought that someone, anyone, would respond to her Ladybug letter. The letter that should spark someone's interest in her. This book now held the weight of all her hopes and desires in finding the right boy.
She sighed and asked herself the hard question: how could anybody surpass her kind, caring and handsome friend, Adrien? Her heart fluttered with delight. Adrien Emile Gabriel Donatien Athanase Agreste. Even his name sounded angelic. It cued the whole shabang: doves flew and angels sang when she thought of him!
She knew she had it bad for him, but she swore it wasn't her fault! She couldn't help who she loved. Ever since the first day they met, she had rose colored glasses for him.
Marinette cursed herself for forgetting her umbrella. She lived right across the street from the bookshop; surely, it wouldn't be a problem if she didn't bring one.
But she was wrong.
Oh, she was so wrong!
As she stood outside in the cold air and shivered because of her damp sweater, she cursed the weather gods of Paris for sending that big gust of wind and water at her. The rain just wouldn't ease up. And she, for one, had had enough!
The cold and the rain was the worst combination ever. Anyone would think a girl who lived in Paris her entire life would be used to this kind of weather. That was a big fat no! Marinette Dupain-Cheng hated it. Her thin skin was not cut out for this kind of torture.
Under the small shelter of the canopy, she rubbed her arms in a meager attempt to warm herself up. The fibers rubbed against her like steel wool and scratched her delicate skin.
She debated how quickly her tiny legs could carry her across the street if she ran, tentatively stepped into the rain and felt several drops hit her with an icy sting. She practically yelped and jumped backward, nearly stumbling into the large glass window behind her and bouncing back in a fluid motion.
She'd rather not be responsible for damaging the shop's famous logo. The Nook, written in yellow Gothic Lettering, was as iconic as the shop owner who ran it, a staple for those who lived in the 21st arrondissement. It's where her friends hung out and studied. Anyone who was anyone at her school went there.
Marinette took a step forward and tried to work up the nerve to face the bone-chilling rain. She psyched herself up and mentally chanted, "You can do this you can do this you can do this."
"Excuse me, do you need an umbrella?" a tentative voice asked, breaking her from her reverie.
Startled from the sudden intruder, Marinette whipped her head in the direction where the voice came from and clutched her hand to her chest. Wide-eyed with her back pressed against the window, she owlishly blinked at the boy.
He appeared to be around the same age as her. His blonde hair waved gently in the light wind, and he had a boyish charm to him that she found endearing.
Shyly, he stretched out his hand holding the umbrella and spoke up with a bit more confidence. "I don't really need mine," he said as he shrugged. His face held a soft expression which quelled her jumpy nerves. "I have plenty at home and saw you were trying to go out into the rain without one. I'd never forgive myself if I didn't at least offer you mine." He wore lightly washed blue jeans, a white Gabriel hoodie and orange converse shoes, and to her, he looked every bit a knight in shining armor.
Marinette's mind went blank as she reached out for his umbrella. As they traded, their hands briefly brushed one another's sending a spark of warmth through her. For a moment, she forgot about the rain and her itchy, damp sweater. All she could focus on was the boy with a kind smile. She firmly grasped the handle and pulled it to herself. Bashfully, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and felt her cheeks warm. "Thank you."
The boy smiled wider and replied earnestly, "Yeah. No problem. I don't really need it for a short walk to my car."
"N-No, I w-wouldn't think so." Marinette stammered.
His warm, grassy green eyes rooted her to the ground. She imagined herself lounging lazily on his chest as she listened to his tender voice recite Shakespeare. Somewhere warm and sunny where they had a picnic and enjoyed the day together. A truly romantic affair that caught her completely by surprise! Holy cow! Where did those feelings come from?
The boy glanced at the street and searched for something. As he was turned, she touched her jaw to make sure she wasn't openly gaping at him. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and checked to see if she was drooling. Since when did she start acting like this?!
He turned his attention back to her and stretched out his hand, completely unaware of her inner strife. "I'm Adrien."
She felt her tongue thicken as she spoke. "I'm Ma-" She took a breath, smiled a little too wide and met his hand in a handshake. "I'm Marinette." His hand was so warm!
"It's nice to meet you, Marinette," he said sincerely. She felt herself swoon as the sound of her name spilled from his lips.
She saw his mouth move, but she didn't hear anything. Marinette continued to shake his hand, unable to register anything but the sheer thrill of touching him.
He asked again and broke her from her thoughts. "Are you alright?"
Marinette shook her head but realized her mistake. Quickly, she stumbled, "Yes! Yes, I-I'm fine. Sorry!" She reeled back her hand as if she had been burned. She felt so embarrassed!
Could she pull herself together?!
He's just another boy!
A very cute boy with adorable dimples and beautiful blonde hair. Oh, who was she kidding? She was a goner.
Forever lost in a sea of green.
His eyes crinkled and a lopsided grin graced his lips. "I don't get to meet a lot of people, being homeschooled, but—" he started and brought his hand up to rub at his nape. "—I saw you earlier with your friend. She's Nino's girlfriend Alya, right?"
Marinette nodded, dumbly, and tried not to do or say anything else that would be too embarrassing.
"I thought so! Nino's a good friend of mine. Well, I mean, I only met him recently but we really hit it off. He's so easy to talk to. He raves about all of his friends from school." He eyed her with enthusiasm as he analyzed her. "So, if you were seen with Alya, I can only assume you're the same, famous Marinette he spoke about."
She nodded enthusiastically, unable to form words. "He thinks I'm famous!" she squealed internally.
"Does this mean I'll get to see you more often?" Adrien brightly asked.
She swallowed down her excitement and tried to pull off a smooth line. "Y-yeah. Alya, she's, um… yes! Best friends we are. I do come here. Often. Books read. Coffee drink. Do stuff at here. This place. The Nook. You know." Marinette ended her ramblings with a wink, a tongue click and finger guns. Finger. Guns.
She cringed inwardly and wished to be swallowed up in a hole.
"Universe, are you there? It's me, Marinette. If you could strike me at any time, now would be great," she thought as she mentally kicked herself.
Adrien's lips trembled slightly before he burst into laughter. A beautiful laugh that caused her heart to melt. He bent forward and clutched his stomach. "Nino was right about you!" He wheezed in between his fit of laughter. "You're hilarious!"
Her heightened state went away in a puff of smoke. "He thinks I'm funny… not a complete idiot," she thought. If he could look past her embarrassment, so could she! Marinette couldn't help but laugh alongside him.
They heard a car horn beep, and the moment between them broke.
Adrien righted himself, wiped away stray tears and sighed with a wry grin. "That's my cue." He stepped out from under their shared canopy and let the rain hit him. He turned around as his driver opened the door for him. He waved at her and happily exclaimed, "I'll see you around, Marinette!"
She brought her hand up, waved back at him shyly, and called out, "S-see you around, A-Adrien!"
If anyone asked Marinette, she would fully deny that she was hopelessly in love with him. It was just a crush. A long-standing crush where she definitely hadn't daydreamed about a wedding, a hamster and three kids.
She sighed dreamily as she thought of him. The kind boy who gave up his umbrella for a girl he didn't even know.
They had become closer over the years, and throughout, Marinette noticed all of Adrien's adorable quirks. The cute wrinkle he got between his eyes when he read. The way he brought his hand up to his nape when he was a little embarrassed or nervous. The way he overanalyzed books. His odd theories on period pieces that he would ramble about.
Marinette couldn't get enough. She soaked up every word he said to her, giving him her full attention. Simply for a glimpse of her crush's gaze.
Quickly, she shook her head and squashed those feelings down.
Marinette had tried to confess her love to him over a hundred times, but she could never quite get the timing right. She was almost seventeen! She had to slam the "more than just a friend" door shut. It was time to wave the white flag and accept defeat.
Although…
Maybe, this wasn't such a good idea after all.
Marinette glanced at Alya with a deer in headlights expression. "But—" Her anxiety poured out of her like a waterfall and spilled all over the wooden floor. She could feel her fingers about to snap from how hard she gripped the book.
Alya shook her head, ripped the book from her hands and shoved it into the empty book slot on the shelf. Her eyes were determined when she caught Marinette's wrists and firmly stated, "No buts, girl. We've been over this too many times. What have I told you?"
Marinette groaned and rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "I need to let Adrien go and move on or finally confess my undying love for him."
Alya nodded approvingly and confirmed, "Exactly. Now—" She dragged Marinette behind her toward the front of the store. "—to make sure the second part of the plan falls into place, we have to get Mister Fu on board."
Mister Fu was the local coffee and bookshop owner and had run the famous spot for almost forty years. He catered to the local artists and dreamers. Forget Barnes and Noble! The Nook had heart and soul, and at the very center of it was Mister Fu.
At the checkout counter, he was helping a customer with her purchase. He gave the customer her receipt and thanked her before he turned to the young girls with a knowing look. He was very familiar with the local teenagers who hung out at his store and was keen on their inner dynamics.
"Hello, ladies. How can I help you today?" Mister Fu asked as he placed a couple returned books in a basket.
Alya shoved Marinette and propped her up like a mannequin, fussing over her like a mother would with her child. "Hey, Mister Fu. We—" she looked at Marinette who shuffled her feet and sheepishly glanced down at the floor. Alya shook her head and huffed a breath out her nose, trying to muster up patience as she continued, "—have a favor to ask you."
Mister Fu nodded and stroked his beard in a contemplative manner. "Oh? And what is this favor?"
In light of Marinette's newly developed mute state, Alya sighed and went on to explain Marinette's romantic endeavor to the shop owner.
He nodded his head in understanding. "Ah, I see. In this case, you both can count on me. I'll be sure to let the boy know how to contact you if and when the time comes," Mister Fu acknowledged with a thin, knowing smile.
Marinette felt her lips curl up in appreciation. Mister Fu was too kind. She felt apprehensive about the whole ordeal, but it seemed like she put her romantic fate into the right hands.
She could only hope her letter would be enough to find her perfect match.