Chapter Text
Adrien was glad: it was almost summer time, he was not having any photo shoot for the whole day and had miraculously been granted the permission to hang out with his friends after school by Nathalie since his father was coming back from another business trip only the next day. In those amazingly rare conditions, the boy would have time with Alya, Nino, Kim, Alix, Rose, Juleka, Mylène, Ivan, Max, Nathaniël, Marc, and Luka, who had been deciding to hang out for the whole afternoon at the bakery with Marinette. The plan was fairly simple: the friends were aiming for a good time all together, talking, eating pastries, jamming music and playing games. At first, everything was perfect! When Adrien arrived, everyone was busy and happy.
While Luka and Nino were talking about music, Kim and Alix were trying to beat each other at Mecha Strike IV and Max was reciting the statistics chances of both players to win.
Alya was talking with Nathaniël and Marc about their next comic book, enthusiast when they mentioned their wish to include Rena Rouge and Carapace in it while Mylène, Ivan, Rose, and Juleka were helping Marinette to prepare and bring up gigantic plates of sweets, refreshments, and napkins, along with pillows and blankets for everyone to get comfortable enough. When everyone was, Marinette finally sat to take a look at all of those amazing persons she was lucky enough to be close to.
Because of her responsibilities as Ladybug, it was rare for her to be able to host such a fun time with all of her friends and she had missed it, no matter how tired she was. The night before, an akuma had ruined her sleeping schedule and she had spent most of the day trying to pass some exams. She needed a break and when her class had proposed to take a well deserved time all together to relax, Marinette had proposed to make it happen at the bakery.
The pigtails girl knew that she needed to be prepared to host such an event, so she had read the last comic book of Nathaniël and Marc to be sure that if they were to talk about it, she could follow, Nino’s and Alya’s favorite beverages and snacks were ready to eat and Marinette had religiously looked at the last updates on the Ladyblog, listened to Nino’s last tunes and was more than ready to comment on them and to encourage her friends if needed. The aspiring designer had remembered that Mylène and Ivan, being the cuddly couple they were, needed a comfy spot to cuddle through the afternoon so she had made sure to bring them the biggest cushion she owns and had hidden all the fragile things she had into a safe place…after all, Alix and Kim could be pretty dangerous if they were to become too excited and throw bets at each other. Her blue eyes had shone brightly when she had told Luka to come along and that he could bring his guitar if he wanted to and her smile was warm and content when she proposed to Rose and Juleka to let them have fun with their make-up kit on her, reassuring the two excited girls that if they wanted to play with her hair too, it would be her pleasure to let them experiment. For Marinette, it was a little bit like a spa moment and it was helping her relax. When Juleka and Rose were done having fun applying make-up on her face and playing with her hair, the results were also often inspiring her for some designs, so she would gladly let the two girls have their fun. Marinette’s video games collection was proudly displayed near her controllers too—Max, in particular, would want to play and she would be happy to oblige—and the Jagged Stone playlist in her phone was ready if anyone wanted to put some music to dance and that Nino wanted to dance with Alya without being the Dj. Even Adrien had been able to make it, so she had prepared the selection of pastries accordingly, knowing how restrictive his diet was. She had memorized his favorites sweets and their flavors, made them herself and tried new recipes too. It had been a lot of work to make sure that everything was going to be perfect, but now that the afternoon was beginning, all in all, the girl was enjoying her time.
Surprisingly, at that moment, Adrien chose to come to thank her for the efforts she had deployed to host the little party, telling her how excited and glad to there he was. Marinette was going to melt, she knew it: Adrien was sitting next to her—close to her!— and was thanking her, eyes sparkling, voice kind and looking at her with affection…but then, the inevitable happened… Giving her a light hug, he says the only words who could crush her bubble of happiness.
— You’re such a fabulous friend to us, Marinette!
Her heart sank and she tried not to flinch. That was it, again. The same refrain to a tune playing on the radio, but it was not like Nino’s or Luka’s music…It was more like « Impossible » by Shontelle…and it was as if Adrien was deaf. The words « a friend to us » were resigning in her mind and it was as if each one was a knife in her heart… The girl could not even be a particular friend to him! Sure, she should have anticipated this; after all, she was « Marinette, the just-a-friend-girl-who-had-a-helpless-crush-on-him »…and he was not even conscious of it. Being friend zoned once was hard, but being friend zoned each time he was calling her a friend with this sweet content smile…The girl tried really hard to keep up her previous cheerful demeanor, but suddenly, Adrien’s hug was like an acidic poison and she needed to get out of his embrace. Pushing him back, she tried not to look too panicked or sad when she gets up, bitting her tongue and not looking at the boy who just broke her heart again without even seeing it, but her voice was trembling when she answered him.
— I…forgot… something downstairs, I’ll be back… You… all just…. continue to have fun, okay?
The girl must have spoken a tad too loud because suddenly, the room went awfully quiet and she felt the weight of her friends’ gazes on them. Marinette liked to think that she was brave in and out of her superhero suit, but that was too much to handle. Without waiting for anyone’s reply, she then ran as fast as she could, trying hard not to cry, letting behind her a confused Adrien and a crowd of angry friends. In fact, back in Marinette’s pink room, everyone was looking at the blond as if he had kicked a puppy.
Ivan tried very hard not to scold and hugged Mylène instead. Marinette had rooted for them from the start and it was paining them to see that she was the one cheering but still alone. Their friend was always supportive and encouraging and when she had understood what was slowly happening between Ivan and Mylène, she had been nothing short of amazing at trying to get them together but they could not help her much with her own love-life. There was nothing more they could do and they knew it, but each time, it was painful to see their cheerful classmate being so in love and still alone.
Marc and Nathaniël were sharing the same thoughts and held hands with each other silently. Max, for once, said something unhelpful while everyone was exchanging sorry gazes.
— There was a fifty-fifty probability of that happening.
Adrien was lost; what was this all about? What was troubling Marinette so much in receiving thanks and compliments?
— Guys, what’s wrong with Mari? I just thanked and complimented her and she just…ran away…
The model turned his question specifically to Nino, to whom he was always referring to in case of misunderstanding, but the way the DJ took off his cap and looking at him with a grave face, he understood he had messed up and that Nino was seeing it but would not say a thing.
— Dude…I know it’s not your fault…but you’re oblivious as hell.
Moving his hands while answering, Adrien felt confused.
— I just don’t get it! Marinette was fine before I talked to her and then…
The blond was beginning to worry. Visibly, no one was going to answer his question, so he got up and stated his intentions.
—I’ll go after her, see if she is all right.
— No.
The emotion behind Luka’s one word and the icy serious glare he sent his way froze Adrien who gulped. Usually, Luka was calm, collected…but with Marinette feeling down, Luka was in a state the blond had rarely seen and it was like a punch in his gut. He knew how much Luka loved their Mari, but it was like an electric shock each time the musician was reaching out to the designer. Somehow, it was eating at him that Luka was always the one to make Marinette go better when he was unable to get her to be comfortable around him…
— I’ll go.
— But…
His objection was coming too late, the other boy was already gone.
Luka was rarely angry and he knew that it was not Adrien’s fault for not having romantic feelings toward Marinette, but each time the amazing girl he liked had her heart broken by the blond model, the musician was torn between two courses of actions: he could either go after the aspiring designer who had the sweetest melody of all or he could make Adrien realize what an ultimate blind moron he was. As tempting as the second option was, it would upset the already shaken girl and Luka was not having it in him to even just imagining causing pain to her, letting their other friends deal with Adrien, who was now trying to sneak out somewhere safe to transform and go after his friend.
In the boy's mind, Marinette would perhaps prefer to talk to Chat Noir about what was eating at her so much…with his bad luck, he should have anticipated that his subtle attempt would be stopped. And not only by one person. Kim and Alix, once both their minds were set on the same things were an unstoppable team and at the moment, their minds were set on not letting Adrien escape and be a torn in their Mari’s side. Kim knew what rejection was feeling like. It has already lead him to be akumatized and he didn’t wish it to anyone and certainly not to their kind and sweet class president, so it was natural for him to join his pink haired friend in her move to stop the sneaky blond boy to make more damages. Alix was exasperated and no matter how worried their local blond idiot was, she would not let him go after Marinette while she was clearly upset because of him again. Gripping his shoulders to prevent him from moving an inch while Kim was placating the door with his massive body, she looked at the model dead in the eyes.
— No buts. You did enough like this, Agreste.
— But what did I even do?!
Alya face-palmed, and tried to breathe in and out slowly… Positive thoughts, Alya, she was telling herself. It’s not because Adrien made Mari cry again that you ought to kill him…Nope, he’s the best bro of your boyfriend and he’s a sunshine socially clueless mess…Breathe in, breathe out…Ho and bullshit with the breathing thing!vHE MADE MY BEST FRIEND SAD AGAIN, THE IDIOT! The reporter could not help herself and for the first time since Adrien had come to public school, Alya lost her legendary patience with someone else than Chloé, storming out of the room without a word, visibly trailing after Luka and her best friend.
— Adrien, you really don’t see it?
Rose then used that sweet voice of hers to both give the oblivious boy a last chance at redemption and to cover the fact that Juleka was right behind Adrien and that he should be worried about it if he knew because Luka’s sister was truly upset.
— What am I missing, Rose?
Upset enough to slap the model’s head, cross her arms against her chest and look grumpy enough to scare Hawkmoth to death…which gave Adrien the chill. Apparently, it was a family trait in the Couffaine’s household to be scary when angry…
— But what did I even do?!
Marc exchanged a look with Nathaniël who nodded.
— He definitively used the F***** word…
— The what?! I didn’t say « Fuck » to Mari!
Nino hoped for his best bro that he would understand fast because everyone was losing their patience and he tried to help the best he could.
— Not that word, bro, not that one… it also begins by « F » and when you say it around Mari, it breaks her. Each time.
A word that was breaking Marinette? Adrien felt uneasy and rubbed the back of his head nervously. He was a shitty friend to never had noticed that a specific word could make Marinette feel so crappy… But if this was so painful for her, why hasn’t she speak up?
— Why didn’t she talked to me about it? I could have stopped saying it! I mean, I never want to hurt her.
As he slowly tried to process the clues, the boy was pacing around the room under the watching eyes of his classmates, mumbling to himself.
— Wait a minute…an « F » word… It can’t be fabulous. It’s not a thing to break down because of this word, right? I told her that she was a fabulous friend…and if this is the word that broke her…it means….She really hates me, doesn’t she?
His heart broke and he felt crushed. What had been an opportunity to hang out with his classmates had become a social disaster. Looking at the floor, he tried to understand what he could have done to make their class representative hate him that much…Until Mylène’s shy voice made Adrien turn in her direction.
— No, she doesn’t hate you…
And Ivan tried to reassure him by adding his own knowledge on the matter.
— It’s quite the contrary…
Mylène suddenly let out an exasperated sigh, took Ivan by the hand and lead him to Adrien. Marc and Nathaniël, Juleka and Rose came closer too, just like Max, Alix, and Kim, then Nino joined them until the model was in the middle of a circle of tensed but determinate friends. They had been silent for a long time and felt like there was no way out of this mess. It was time to tell him and everyone in the room was hoping that their Mari could forgive them. Adrien, sweaty palms and heart beating like crazy knew they had a bomb to drop on him and it was making him as nervous as them, so when Rose slowly said his name but nothing more because she was searching for the right words, he bites his lips and closes his hands in fists.
— Guys, we’re killing him, I think we should get over with this already.
That was Nino, acting as his best-bro life-saver once again ad Kim, God blessed him, was the one to start the ball.
— What do you always answer…
Only to be interrupted by Alix, who was firmly convinced that she needed to say that part.
— whenever someone ask you what you think of Marinette?
Well, that was an easy question, really and the boy answered what he had always answered without seeing what the problem was with it…
— That she’s…
Everyone then cut him to put emphasis on what the problem was.
— JUST!
— A friend…?
Then Max placed his glasses correctly on the top of his nose.
— Funny fact; when the person you’re saying that about has a crush on you, that’s called friend-zoning someone, Adrien…
As Ivan and Mylène nodded solemnly, Adrien felt dumb. Yes, he knew about the friend-zone, that’s where Ladybug was putting Chat Noir constantly and man was it hard! Suddenly, Adrien got an epiphany… Yes, that was it, totally!
— So Marinette got friend-zoned by someone, and each time I say that she remembers it? Yes, that’s it!
The boy’s exclamation had given hope to his classmates but saddened him, and his friends were hoping that he would understand himself, each of them praying a different god…That is until he opened his mouth to say the most stupid thing.
— Who’s the guy so that I could punch him for hurting our Mari? I’m gonna kick his ass! This dude must be the reason why it’s so hard for me to become better friend with Marinette!
Juleka facepalmed, Rose pinched herself to be sure that this catastrophe was really happening and that it was not a nightmare concocted by her mind to hurt her romantic heart.
Kim felt glad that Alya was not there, otherwise, Adrien would be dead by now and would all suffer for this.
Nino could not believe his ears and the only word able to pass through his lips was a desperate dude, followed by broken sounds of incredulity, while Marc and Nathaniël were whispering with Ivan and Mylène.
— It’s kinda scary when he talks of himself at the third person…
— I agree.
— How could a sunshine child be so…?
— Blind, dense?
It was Max that made the more articulate and accurate comment, as usual.
— Adrien Agreste’s only computed and downloaded 50% of the problem…perhaps that we need to reboot the battery. Or should we reprogram him?
— I’m on it!
That was Alix. Alix approaching the blond from behind…and Alix losing her cool enough to literally kick Adrien’s ass. Turning back to face the pink-aired girl, the boy was angry.
— OUCH! WHAT WAS THAT EVEN FOR?!
Kim answered in a comprehensive tone, putting one hand on Adrien’s shoulder.
— You wanted to kick the ass of the boy friend-zoning our Mari, right?
Adrien nodded, blinked twice…but was still utterly lost and Alix, subtle and patient as she always was totally lost what was left of her control on her temper.
— Well, it’s not something you can do to yourself, so I give you a foot! Plus, Max wanted to reboot your battery, so here! That’s it, too late, I did it! Do you understand now, Agreste?!
Gaping like a fish out of the water, Adrien all but squeaked his surprise. He must have misunderstood something, or this was a dream, a hallucination or something but if it was, he would not have been slapped by Juleka or kicked by Alix, so what in the sweetest hell was happening?! The air was heavy and the tension in the room was like a big toxic fume making the model totally panic even more than before.
— What?! Marinette. Me. Crush?! I mean, Marinette got a crush on me?! AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT!?
— She never was a subtle one, bro…
Everyone nodded and suddenly before the young man could compute correctly all the pieces of information he just had been told, a crying and angry voice was heard from outside…
— I AM « FRIENDZONE » AND I’LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU’LL SEE ME AS SOMETHING ELSE THAN JUST A FRIEND FROM NOW ON!
At the same time, the Ladyblog was announcing that a new akuma was on the prowl in Paris. From the blurry live video Alya had been able to take, the bunch of friends saw a pigtail girl with puffy eyes and ruined mascara in a pink uniform decorated with broken hearts…
— Oh shit no…
— Don’t tell me…
— SHIT! Marinette got akumatized!
Now, Adrien knew it for sure: he had really messed up, needed to transform and to find a way to gently deal with his broken-hearted friend. He had been so blind and now…Now kind, sweet, awesome Marinette was paying the price of his mistake. It was all his fault and the fact made him feel as if guilt was a full delivery truck that had rolled on him. He should have seen how she was feeling, he should have transformed faster and ran after her, but instead…Instead, all he could do was to tell her in his head what was in his heart: « Wait for me, Princess, your idiotic knight is coming to the rescue! I’ll find a way to save you, Mari…I’m sorry…so sorry… »