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At eighteen years old, Chloe Bourgeois knew two things:
- Adrien was her oldest and closest friend.
- She was in love with him.
The whole situation was unfairly ironic, in Chloe’s opinion. Sure, she had an immature obsession with the boy all those years ago, but after actually talking through her feelings and realizing that it stemmed from a fear of losing him as a friend, it faded. Their friendship became strong, genuine, authentic. It was one of the most important things in her life.
And yet here she was, her feelings resurfaced, unasked for, like a slap to the face.
The journey to falling in love with her childhood friend may have been a slow, steady descent, but by the time she realized she was falling down this mountain of emotion, it was too late, she was all in. Irrevocably and unquestionably in love. There was no turning back, no climbing up the mountain to the way things used to be.
And Chloe tried to, at first. She really did. She couldn’t let this silly crush get in the way of their friendship like her obsession did in the past. This time would be different. So she ignored it and acted like everything was normal. Adrien would still come over after his photo shoots to complain about the demands of his father, and she would walk home with him from school and talk about how her mom forgot her birthday again. Business as usual. And it worked.
At first.
Chloe wasn’t used to holding back her affections. When she was with someone she cared for, Chloe made sure they knew just how much she cared. Not letting Adrien know how much she loved him felt like silencing a major part of her existence. It just felt… wrong.
So, even though it was certainly embarrassing, Chloe wasn’t all that surprised she spilled the beans.
“You… what?”
Adrien Agreste, the one at the center of all her trouble, stood in front of her, green eyes wide and lips parted in disbelief. At least she hoped it was disbelief and not disgust. Chloe didn’t think her heart could take that.
Chloe took a deep breath before explaining herself. “I really like you, Adrien. A lot. And… and I know that I used to say that when I was younger, but this is different. And I-- I understand if you don’t feel the same way, but I couldn’t keep it bottled up anymore. I need you to understand how much I care about you, Adrien.”
“Chloe, I-”
“I’m going to show you.”
“What?”
“I’m going to show you how serious am I about this.” An idea began to blossom in Chloe’s mind. It was a bit… unorthodox, some would say, but since when did Chloe follow the rules of society? A grin spread across her face as she crossed her arms. “Just you wait, Adrien Agreste. I’m going to woo your socks off.” She threw him a wink as she walked away, leaving him behind to process her confession.
Chloe Bourgeois was nothing if not determined, and now? Now she was determined to get this right, no matter how difficult.
Adrien was worth it.
Adrien liked to think of himself as a laid-back guy, someone who took things in stride. There wasn’t much that truly shocked or surprised him.
Then there was Chloe Bourgeois.
To say that Chloe’s confession surprised him would be an understatement. He was dumbfounded. Of course he knew of her infatuation with him when they were younger, but they both moved past that over the years. She was one of his closest friends, next to Ladybug.
And, well, he would be remiss to say that he didn’t have a crush on her too.
Which is probably what played into his shock. He’d spent the past few months convincing himself that Chloe didn’t think of him as anything other than a friend. She was absolutely terrible at hiding her feelings, and she hadn’t done or said anything to even hint that she liked him too.
Apparently he had been completely and totally mistaken.
The gift in front of him was further proof of that.
A small box of green macarons topped with a bow and accompanied by a note sat on his desk when he walked into the classroom that morning.
Adrien,
The way you’ve changed my life is almost uncountable, but, I want to try. So here’s the first one.
I’m not proud of the feud I used to have with the Dupain-Cheng’s, but while we still don’t always get along, our relationship has changed so much. At the very least I can say Marinette and I are friends.
And that’s because of you, Adrien.
You believed in me when no one else would. So many people expected certain things from me, but not you. Since day one, you’ve pushed me to be a better person. All the important relationships in my life are here because of you.
Thank you, Adrien, for believing in me.
With love,
Chloe Bourgeois
(PS: I know how much you love macarons. I picked green because they remind me of your eyes. I hope that’s okay.)
Adrien looked at the label on the box and, sure enough, the familiar logo of the Dupain-Cheng bakery was on the side.
“You got my gift!”
Adrien dropped the note in surprise as Chloe ran up to him. “So, do you like it?”
He didn’t even have to try the macarons to know they’d be delicious. “I do, it’s very kind of you Chloe, but-”
“Good, because there’s plenty more where that came from.” Her smile was wide and mischievous, and under any other circumstances Adrien might have been concerned.
He tried to tell her that this was unnecessary, that he liked her too, that he had for a long time now, but before he could speak, their teacher entered and silenced the room so class could start.
After class, then. After class, he would finally tell her. Meanwhile, he settled for stealing glances at Chloe’s happy look and bright red blush as he nibbled on a macaron.
He had meant to catch up with Chloe, he really did. He had a whole speech planned out, written down while he should have been listening to the teacher’s lessons. It was sweet, honest, poetic. It would have been great. It took him days to draft it. He knew it would have knocked Chloe off her feet.
Stupid akumas.
Chloe’s gifts kept coming and coming, growing sweeter and kinder each day. A mixtape one day, a hand drawn picture the next, each with their own notes citing Adrien’s significance in Chloe’s life and how much he meant to her.
He hadn’t felt this loved and cared for since his mom disappeared.
And Adrien still hadn’t had the chance to talk to her.
Stupid stupid stupid stupid-
He swore that Hawkmoth must have known how important this week was to him, and that’s why the akumas were even more active than before. They wouldn’t stop coming and it was exhausting. He would arrive to school each morning with bags under his eyes (and of course Chloe noticed and started bringing him coffee every day). Even Marinette, who he discovered to be Ladybug two years ago, was feeling it, as she kept falling asleep and snoring in the middle of class.
This was ridiculous.
It was their second akuma of the day and Adrien was done. He had received his favorite gift that morning, a framed photo of him and Chloe from when they were kids, and the need to tell her how he felt was growing to be uncontainable. Between his lack of opportunity to talk to Chloe and the relentlessness of Hawkmoth, anger was rolling off of him in waves.
Ladybug definitely noticed this, if her questioning looks during the fight were any indication. It wasn’t a difficult akuma, but given his distraction and exhaustion, Chat was definitely not performing at his best.
“You doing okay, Chat?”
“Fine,” he grunted. “Let’s just get this over with.”
After what seemed like forever, the akuma was finally taken down and Paris was returned to normal, and all Chat wanted to do was book it back to school.
Ladybug stood next to him and gazed at him quizzically. “You’re sure in a hurry, Chaton. What’s going on?”
He felt a blush work its way to his cheeks. “Ah, I just really need to talk to a… friend. It’s very important and I haven’t had the chance yet.”
Ladybug’s eyes sparkled knowingly, and if he had been fourteen again, he would have found them beautiful, but lately a different shade of blue had him captivated. “I see. Does this… ‘friend,’ happen to have blonde hair and blue eyes and has been professing her love for you all week?” She giggled and wiggled her eyebrows as she tossed her yo-yo.
“...Maybe…” Yes, and she deserves to hear how he felt.
Ladybug let out another light laugh. “I’m sorry this week has been so awful, Chat. But I hope you get to finally have that conversation today. And when you do, tell me how it goes!” She wiggled her eyebrows again before jumping away.
Chat sighed as he vaulted himself with his staff. Of course Ladybug, or, well, Marinette, knew what was going on. Everyone in class had seen Chloe’s change in demeanor around him. She wasn’t exactly subtle about it. Each wink and smile that made his stomach flip was visible for the whole world to see.
And that was the beautiful thing about this, wasn’t it? Chloe was so… unashamed about how she felt, and not in the way his fans usually were. Chloe knew him completely. She was there for all of his adventures as a child, for when his mom vanished, for when he first started school. She saw the rarest parts of him, and then she did the most important thing.
She stayed.
Chloe refused to be disheartened.
Her plan had been going well. Adrien seemed to like reading what she had to say, and he had yet to reject any of her gifts.
But he also hadn’t talked to her, either.
He kept disappearing during the day. Each time she thought they’d finally get a chance to talk, he’d vanish without a trace.
Again, Chloe refused to be disheartened.
But she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a little nervous about the framed picture she was giving him that morning.
It was the last idea she had in her arsonal. If this didn’t show how much she cared, nothing would. And if Adrien still had nothing to say after that? Well, Chloe supposed she’d have to move on, no matter how difficult it would be.
But she didn’t want to think about that.
However, when Adrien vanished yet again that day, her heart dropped into her stomach.
He didn’t like it.
He didn’t like her.
Of course he didn’t. She’d been a fool to think otherwise. She was bratty, spoiled, flashy. Everything Adrien wasn’t, at least in her opinion. She had too much awful history. Of course Adrien wouldn’t like-
“Chloe!”
She spun around at the voice. “Adrien?”
“Chloe! I have to talk to you.”
“Adrien, I’m-”
“No, Chloe, let me say this. Okay? I’ve been trying to say this all week but I haven’t had the chance, and I’m not letting it go now.
“Chloe, you… there’s no one like you. You’re driven, passionate, intense, dramatic. And you care so, so much. There has never been a time where you haven’t been there for me. And I-- do you know how important that is? You, just being there? And I know how much you’ve said I impacted you, but Chloe, you’ve impacted me, too. You showed me that it’s okay to spoil myself sometimes, that I can fight for the things I care about, that I’m worthy of being loved, and…” Adrien took in a deep breath. “Chloe I think I’m in love with you.”
Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh-
This was real. This was really happening.
Chloe pinched herself just to make sure.
Yep, definitely real.
“You- you are?”
“Yes, Chloe.” Like a flip was switched, Adrien’s confidence receded as timidness took its place. “And-- and you like, me, right? Because that’s what all this was about, the gifts and your confession… you were telling the truth?”
“Adrien, I may have been a jerk in the past, but I can tell you right now that I was never that bad.”
He chuckled nervously. “Yeah, you’re right…”
Chloe smiled.
“You really were a jerk.”
“Hey!”
“Just kidding.” Adrien laughed and grabbed her hands, pulling her forward. “Is it okay if I kiss you now?”
That’s a silly question, Chloe thought as she leaned in and answered by putting her lips on his.
At eighteen years old, Chloe Bourgeois knew two things:
- Adrien was her oldest and closest friend.
- They were in love.
And Chloe? Chloe was just fine with that.