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"You ready, bro?"
Adrien turned his eyes away from the mirror to his friend, Nino, whose head is peeking out on the door of Adrien's bachelor's pad. He gave himself one last appraising look at the mirror and smiled, meeting his own grass green eyes.
He straightened his coat and nodded at Nino who is watching him silently all this time.
"Yeah, I think I'm good."
Nino exited the room and Adrien followed through.
It's their wedding day. After all the heartaches, the challenges and obstacles along the way, they will finally get married.
He will finally marry Marinette.
It's no secret now that Marinette used to be Ladybug and he, Adrien, Chat Noir. After all, it was live on television when their final battle against the second Hawkmoth that the reveal happened. Granted, they never both planned to reveal themselves so publicly, but on the heat of the moment, when tensions are high, people tend to lose their heads and well, they've got no choice but to reveal who they are to each other. Otherwise, they'd lose.
Adrien could remember it. The akuma is tough as hell. And the second Hawkmoth is even more manipulative than the first Hawkmoth. Ladybug and Chat Noir revealed who they are behind the mask because there are only things only Marinette could know about Chat Noir and Adrien could know about Ladybug.
After the gruesome fight resulting to the first and last death due to akuma, Marinette and Adrien end up victorious and Lila, the second Hawkmoth, died and her family, who claims it was all a set up to frame their daughter , had been shipped off overseas and deported from France. As far as Adrien know, their whole family is now an outcast not only to Paris but to the rest of the world.
As for Marinette, she's already a blooming designer at that time, making her own name in the Fashion Industry, her brand becoming the household name for royals and socialities. She and Adrien received various awards for keeping peace in the City of Paris.
Adrien had moved on and somewhat reconciled with his father after discovering he is the first Hawkmoth. The fight against him and Ladybug and Chat Noir is a lot more private. Gabriel turned himself to the police willingly after discovering he is fighting his own son. After that, they became civil towards each other at best.
Well, Marinette started dating him officially a few months after the the public reveal of Ladybug and Chat Noir's identities. Though before that, everyone had noticed how close they are to each other.
The looks they sent to each other and secret smiles and inside jokes had everyone wondering, why they haven't dated each other yet.
Their answer: It's all about timing.
Of course, it's not smooth sailing. There have been incidents where they have been jealous and they even broke up with each other and dated other people.
In the end though, despite being not the perfect couple everyone believes they are, it has been enough that they are perfect enough for each other.
Adrien mingled a little with guests and finally, he positioned himself and along with many other in the church, waited in anticipation of the bride.
Alya and Nino's cute little Alyana first came in as a flower girl, walking hesistantly under the watchful eyes of everyone, her bashful attitude a clear reminiscent of her father Nino.
Followed by Rose and Juleka's adopted daughters Milka and Rosalie, walking merrily and looking about as excited as everyone in the church.
The ring bearers for the ceremony are Chloe and Nathaniel's son Michael, and Mylene and Ivan's Jonathan.
Its now the turn for the bridesmaid's to walk down the aisle and Adrien felt his pulse quicken.
Any minute now, Marinette will walk in down the aisle and marry him
He felt like suddenly bolting away from there and ran away from everyone, hiding from the rest of people and to the rest of the world.
Because, he loves Marinette so much.
He loves Marinette so goddamn much.
And he's a fucking fool for all the times he hurt her and deny that he feels more than just a friendship towards her.
He regrets every minute and every second he spent chasing down Ladybug, the amazing and perfect Ladybug, when the person underneath is even more beautiful with all her flaws and all that, now that he can see it.
He wants to shout to the void for every missed opportunity in making her feel special.
Alya then entered the church as the Maid of Honor, her eyes looks misty as if she just finished a crying session. And knowing her, it must have been true because if there's anyone who will cry other than Marinette, it would be Alya.
And then, the music changed to that of the traditional wedding march.
Adrien held his breath as he watched Marinette walked down the aisle, her skin glowing under the sunlight as she stepped towards the church. Her hair who has been in pigtails ever since he met her is now cascading down her shoulders, in waves that reminded him of the ocean. Her lips now painted in silky red, inviting him, as if daring him to claim her lips.
And oh, how he wished to do so.
Marinette looked up and meet his eyes, her bluebell orbs twinkling in delight as if telling him she held a secret nobody else knows. He felt his heart exploding with all his love for her thinking she couldn't even look more beautiful and Adrien swear in that moment, that he will do everything to keep that light in her eyes.
He saw mouthing words on her lips
"I love you", she said.
His heart jolted and for a moment, his reverie has been taken away to the moment, with Marinette standing in the balcony of her parent's bakery and with him, dressed as Chat Noir looking at her through the haze of the moonlight.
"The truth is, I love you, mon Chaton."
All the alarms in his head started blaring in that moment and his heart pounded like never before. He feels like swooping her in his arms now and spin her in the crisp night air, never mind the sleeping neighbors and the whole of Paris.
He looked at her intently, ready to say the words to her and he will get his chance of happiness now.
Something stopped him though. As a memory of another bluebell eyes and sweet cherry lips hit his sense all at once.
But Marinette stepped towards him and kissed him softly, vanquishing the memory and everything but just the two of them at that moment.
Marinette is getting closer now, looking absolutely beautiful words are not enough to describe.
Adrien stiffened, his breath coming in short gasps. He blinked back the tears threatening to fall from his eyes and he smiled through the pain.
Because he had his chance with her and he let it go.
"Marinette..."
He slowly pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes. He gently grabbed her tiny hands, cold from being outside for so long, no doubt and stared deeply at her eyes, ignoring the pain and fear he can see there and hating himself for being the cause of it.
"I... I don't know. I— shit, this is so hard, I— I don't want to do this," he stepped away from her slightly and run his hands through his hair, his head full of conflict right now.
There is no doubt about it now, he likes Marinette but...
"It's okay." Marinette said, turning her face away from him and stepping towards the edge of the balcony. "It's okay if you... I mean, it's fine. It's just that, I feel like you should know, you know, that I love you and you're more than just a friend to me now and I feel like cheating if I didn't tell you."
"Marinette, I think you know that I... I love someone else. I love—"
"Ladybug, yes." Marinette hummed. "But, why though? Why her and not me?"
"I can't answer that, Princess." Chat Noir said miserably.
"Of course it's Ladybug. The amazing, graceful and can-do-no-wrong Ladybug. First Adrien, now you."
"What?" He said hollowly, not liking where this conversation is going.
"Do I even have a chance?" She asked him, her back facing him so he cannot see her face crumpled in pain.
It was a while before he answered, and he said it so lowly, but still, she heard it like he spoke from the top of his lungs.
"No."
And now, his heart is shattering because the man she is marrying is not him but Him, the one guy who have always been by her side both as Marinette and when he became Viperion, who managed to save her as Ladybug where he failed as Aspik.
It was low but Adrien still hear it.
"I love you too, Marinette." Luka whispered the words in the air, but judging by the way Marinette's eye seemed to lightened up more, she surely heard it.
Marinette passed by Adrien, the Best Man on her wedding, and continued her way towards her groom, Luka.
Luka, who have loved her since day one and appreciated Marinette as is, who waited patiently for her and loved her through the pain.
Who, even if she never loved him back at first, still remained devoted to her. Unlike Adrien, who looked elsewhere for love and turned his affections towards Kagami.
Kagami, who is now happily married as well to Max.
And despite feeling like his heart is being shattered to pieces, even when the priest asked that proverbial question of speak now or forever hold your peace, he did not stand up and object.
Because as much as it hurts, he will always want Marinette to be happy.
Even if her happiness meant being happy with someone else but him.