Work Text:
Part I: Backwarder
Marinette had always been one of a kind: Perfect designer, perfect baker, perfect student and a perfect daughter. Known for her exquisite service, she soon became the most perfect wedding planner Paris had ever had. But perfection is so quick to bore. With the smooth arrangements she made, and the varietal catering her parents provided, the nights went down as the most memorable for everyone at the weddings. Except maybe, Marinette. A sweet look she would always have on her face: a quiet charm with a model smile (that she’d seen Adrien sport).
For her, each event would feel the same. People would cry out of happiness, for their marriage to their loved one would get solidified, and a night like that would never return. Marinette would stand in the corners—trying to bask in the presence of delight and glory—trying not to feel like she was completely detached from normality. From love.
Sure, she had the best parents and an amazing group of friends, but knowing that there was someone out there who had been straying away from her love—her true, most compassionate feelings—stung her every single day. She tried very hard to not feel so lonely despite having the life many were jealous of. Heck, she even followed pages on Instagram meant for single individuals who had nothing better to do than mope about their non-existential love lives. The greatest mystery, she thought, was how the pages were even termed as ‘inspirational’. Of course, she hadn’t followed them from her professional account. She definitely did not want her possible clients to see her on pages for lovesick loafers when she was said to be the cupid of Paris: The City of Love.
Her secret Instagram was so secretive, she hadn’t even let Alya in. Alya her best friend, whom she had made a pact with—one that said they would get married at the age of thirty, if they both were single and looking for something dumb to do. That didn’t happen though, because Alya wasn’t like her. She was ambitious, stubborn (in the best way), and exuded confidence on a daily. Not to forget her immense success of a career being a journalist. Alya was going to get married, wedded in the most luxurious way. And yes, Marinette was the one employed to handle it all. It would be weird if she wasn’t. But sometimes, weirdness can have its own unique charm.
She knew her best friend’s wedding screamed trouble as soon as she heard it was taking place. Alya was no more a contender to win her hand in marriage, she was now going to be single for eternity, and worst of all, Alya was getting married to Nino Lahiffe. Not that he was a bad guy. Very far from that, actually. He was extremely compatible with Alya, and that came as no surprise to Marinette who was aware of their secret pining for each other since high school.
The true issue that Marinette was terrified of was Nino’s best friend. Who, very unfortunately, had to be Adrien Agreste. World renowned model and C.E.O of Gabriel, his father’s company. Oh, and he was also the boy who broke Marinette’s fragile heart. She might have been a tad melodramatic claiming that Adrien had broken her heart, when he had done nothing of that sort.
“Marinette, I require help and no one better than you came to mind for seeking it. I am in love, and I need your guidance.” Marinette remembered Adrien saying these words to her, back in the day when they were nineteen. Back when she was naïve enough to fall for a man who did only so much as being a nice friend to her.
“I don’t see how I could be of help, Adrien. Nino, maybe Alya?” Marinette had found herself at loss for words. Not only had the love of her life admitted to being in love with someone completely else, he was doing what everyone else in the school was fond of: requesting her kind help.
Her ‘cupid’ title wasn’t a recent addition to the list of cute nicknames she was accustomed to being called. It started when she was fourteen, when she managed to set her oblivious friend, Nathaneal, up with his now husband, Marc. She still remembered how Adrien had walked up to her when they were still in lycée, asking her help for the very first time regarding his fencing mate, Kagami. Marinette was flustered but still managed to help them out, only to find out they had broken up after a few months of them dating.
But it was different when they were adults. Marinette knew it wasn’t a simple celebrity crush anymore. She was in love, so deep that her friends called her a ‘goner’. She couldn’t agree more. Adrien had shaken his head vigorously. “No, Marinette. It has to be you! I mean, Nino and Alya would make awful jokes about this entire situation I’ve gotten myself into, and yeah, I admit it’s quite… lame, for a lack of better word.” Adrien had ranted with a goofy smile Marinette was very fond of. She had found her eyes roaming his face until they had settled on staring at his toothy smile he rarely ever showed. A smile that definitely she could understand. He was in love, much like herself. Marinette—on the other hand—had smiled sadly, her eyes unreadable.
“Sorry, maybe another time.” She still remembered how the expression of his face had changed so much that he looked different, as she had got up and swiftly walked away, not once looking back. The usual dullness he tried to disguise seemed to resurface as she had uttered her rushed words. Marinette never knew that it was going to be the last day she was going to be able to talk to him. He was gone, before she could stop. He had his business degrees to get in the United States, Gabriel Agreste had told her when she had run with her shaking legs to their extravagant mansion. Disheartenment was an understatement.
Marinette had then heard that Adrien was single, from none other than her nosy Alya. Turned out, he had managed to confide in Nino. And as expected, the goofy couple hadn’t shied away from letting out fragmented laughs as Adrien spoke about his mysterious love to his heart’s content. The funniest part being that he wanted his future wife to be someone he had met online. Alya didn’t leave out any details, though. Journalism at its best. “Yeah and, Marinette? Adrien asked about your whereabouts. Can I maybe, forward your numbers to him?” Marinette surely knew she had seen a naughty smirk on Alya’s face. Marinette had flushed a deep red while slightly giving Alya’s shoulders a push. “Never!” she had squeaked. Not again.
She had promised herself when she was fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen and every birthday since that she wouldn’t fall in love with the same blonde again, as she sat at her parents’ patisserie stuffing leftover pastries into her mouth, with tear drops smoothly cascading down her face. She would eat them all, except the passionfruit ones she had custom made for…someone.
“Dear, not this year too,” Marinette’s mother, Sabine, chided as she came downstairs from their home that was atop the most famous bakery of Paris: Boulangerie Patisserie. “You are thirty as we speak, Marinette. You really think this is appropriate behavior? You know better than sulking!” Sabine didn’t give up, even though her daughter’s blatant distraction from her words had already come to her attention.
“Honey, you’re being too stern. Love is a fragile thing and not everyone gets as lucky as us,” Tom Dupain, her father she had never been more grateful for, came to her rescue and swiftly flattered her vigilant mother away from her choked sobbing. Not before turning around and throwing a concerned look, though. He mouthed a few words that seemed to say, “Let’s talk about this later, Mari.”
Marinette looked up from her slouched position and took out a can that was hidden under the counter—a can of beer. She still had to sneak 5% alcohol into her house because of two reasons: 1) She had a mother and 2) Said mother loved proving Asian stereotypes right with her parenting.
Her phone beamed with a light that was awfully bright for her swollen eyes in the dim light surrounding her. (Her mother called it depressing, so she had to turn the lights down low after making sure her parents had gone to bed.) Marinette lazily picked up her phone that seemed way too heavy now, and put her face up for I.D. recognition, while cringing at her reflection on the cracked glass of her phone, as always. She wiped the remnants of beer on her lips as she slowly opened up her mails again.
Work, work, Chat Noir, Work, Animal slaughtering, Chat Noir.
After making up her mind to unsubscribe from random sites, she opened her mails from an email I.D. she was used to seeing every day. Not one day went without the same black cat mailing her nothings. An everyday thing it had been for 15 years, now. And till this date, they didn’t know much about each other—nothing but their shared problems and common mischiefs. Chat had mailed her chemistry notes all those years ago, by mistake.
Ladybug 11:34 pm, 2016
Chat Noir, what a funky name lol
Chat Noir 11:35 pm, 2016
Yours is way weirder, bugaboo :3
Ladybug 11:35 pm, 2016
Chill, I was kidding. I even put a ‘lol’ at the end. What happened, kitty? Night vision not working? (I am lucky like a ladybug, so there you go)
Chat Noir 11:35 pm, 2016
You seem like the type of person to say some opinionated bs and put a lol at the end, m’ladybug, night vision is perfectly fine ;)
Ladybug 11:36 pm, 2016
Did I hurt your purr-fect ego and destroy your paw-someness?
Chat Noir 11:36 pm, 2016
I was just kitten, m’lady. Although, leave the cat puns for me in the future purr-lease. I’m fur-tunetly very good at those, I may even whisk-er you away.
Ladybug 11:36 pm, 2016
Alright, but I was feline good about my puns.
Chat Noir 11:37 pm, 2016
I love you already <3
Ladybug 11:37 pm, 2016
K
And till this date, Marinette would wait for a few dings around midnight to wake her up from her habitual lost state. Her lips extended in opposite directions to a form and tiny, soft smile, unknowingly. Chat had texted her a cat joke as always, and Marinette was once again lost in wonderment about how Chat had managed to find a new one every day.
Ladybug 12:29 am, 2031
Not this again, you! I’m not in the mood for your recurring stupidity!!!
Chat Noir 12:29 am, 2031
NO WAY! I sense purr-sonal info…what happened m’love?
Ladybug 12:30 am, 2031
I was reminded of you (stop being gross)
Chat Noir 12:30 am, 2031
Stop kiddding arund and tell me whats wrng
Ladybug 12:30 am, 2031
Stop smashing your keyboard, for the love of God! I’m just deprived of luv :D
Chat Noir 12:30 am, 2031
I’ll give u al I hav <3
Marinette grinned to herself as she traced her fingers over the mess of a mail Chat Noir had just sent her. She knew she wasn’t deprived of anything when it was about Chat. He had been generous and so patient, it felt like a dream. Too farfetched for reality. Or at least her reality. She’d always go back to thinking about how easy it would actually be to give it all up, and fall in love with Chat, because she knew he would meet her somewhere halfway, hold her hand, and guide her to her save haven.
He’d be there with her, and she would never spend another birthday of hers drunk-crying. But it wasn’t feasible, and she knew that. A part of her always hoped that she could pretend to not know this type of information and be with people who cared for her, whom she cared for. Oof, how miserable her life was, knowing that she had fallen twice, both men being extremely far from reach.
The cat always argued, said that they could be together in real life, but Marinette would stop him. Each time. Ask him to speak only the plausibility, knowing that online dating was stupid, and she was too by blushing at Chat Noir’s romance. Marinette’s eyes and thoughts blurred with the sadness of her tears and increasing alcohol levels in her body, and she got driven into a deep slumber before she even knew it.
Marinette was scared of tired sleeping. She’d be in her dreamland so deeply; she’d forget the world passing by. At least, until her mother screeched the time of the day (which was always stated to be later than what it actually was). But the day after her thirtieth birthday had been different, she sensed. It wasn’t her parents’ coaxing that was getting her out of sleep, but subtle calls of her name she heard in the background.
“Marinette,” her gloomy face was swollen, she could tell. The area around her mouth had formed horrendous drool crusts, she could tell. When she automatically reached out to pat her hair down, she could tell it looked electrocuted. Marinette could tell she looked unkempt. But what Marinette couldn’t figure out was the scene around her. She reached out for her glasses she was in dire need of, for her vision had given up on her by her mid-twenties. ‘It was her damn phone,’ her mother had said exactly.
Marinette wore her glasses, that had gotten thicker every check-up, and groggily looked up at the person who had managed to ruin her day.
“Sorry, Marinette. I was just around the block because I reached Paris a few hours back. Even the tiring journey didn’t help my horrible case of insomnia. Coffee?” No. Not Adrien Agreste standing with his chummy smile and pretty—no, beautiful face and aura and body in front of her while she looked like she hadn’t heard the term ‘shower’ before. Not Adrien standing, claiming he hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep, but looking like an absolute angel, nevertheless. Not the Adrien she did not want to see.
“Why?” she croaked, her voice still waking up. Adrien’s smile became wider by a slight, confusion displaying on his every feature.
“I just dropped by! I’m sorry, I hope you don’t mind, Marinette. It’s been so long. Ten—no wait—eleven years!? How did we make it so far without seeing each other? May I…if you don’t mind that is, hug you? It’s been so long, I’m sort of desperate.”
“What, Adrien? Oh my, Adrien! You’re back! You look the same! How? Aha! Drop your skincare routine now, my friend! Ha ha…ha!” Marinette cried, flapping her arms randomly, creating a perfect opportunity for Adrien to open his mouth out of bewilderment. She felt fourteen again. Fourteen and stupidly in love.
“Nothing special, Marinette. And yeah, I’m back. In the flesh! It’s Nino and Alya’s wedding. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Adrien replied with his casual attractiveness Marinette had been spending years trying to run away from.
“Adrien! Adrien! I—I’m so glad, no sorry uh, I’m insanely delighted you’re back, too. I want a hug, you give the best ones, but I’m not in my best condition right now, you see. So, yeah,” Marinette shyly explained, embarrassment hanging off every word of hers she stuttered pulling out of her mouth.
“No worries, Marinette.” Yes, Marinette thought. No worries she couldn’t sink into his arms after eleven years of not seeing him. Another day would sure come! But Adrien had other plans entirely, as he plunged himself onto Marinette and grasped her in a bear hug. He had meant her disheveled look wasn’t an issue, it never was for him. Because Adrien was just amazing like that, Marinette thought, her brain working more rapidly than on most mornings.
Adrien got away from her, after what felt like forever and slowly took her shoulders into his hold. Marinette was perturbed by the direct eye contact he was making with her; green eyes brighter than they had ever been and blonde hair that she urgently wanted to run her fingers through. Age had done him only favors. He stood in front of her, taller than ever, bending down to match her height so that he could burn into her soul with his gleaming eyes. His shoulders seemed broader, and his hair a lot longer—ending somewhere around his neck. Marinette smiled a knowing smile, her adoration for the man in front of her becoming evident.
“Oh, and yes! I’ve heard so much about your wedding planning skills, I can’t wait to experience in real time!” Adrien spoke with clear excitement.
“I hope it lives up to your expectations, Adrien. The last person I want to disappoint, is you. It’s a lot of pressure already as the maid of honor. I’m sure you can relate, best man. You don’t even have to worry, you’re already the best man I know ha-ha!” Marinette said, words floating out of her mouth without any filter. Adrien beamed at her words and bowed to show his gratitude. Because he had a dramatic flair, and Marinette loved it.
“I know it will, Mari. I’m sure of it. I can’t wait to see you on that night. I’m sure it’ll be special for both of us. You know, being single and all! Speaking of which, I will need you to be the one handling my wedding, too. Having you as a part of it is my greatest wish, Marinette.” Adrien said, every word of his laced with sincerity. Marinette was taken aback.
“Wedding—with whom?”
“The girl I’m here to see.” he said carefully, “Yes, I’m here for the wedding, but I may just have my own before I leave this place ever again, which I don’t plan to, by the way. You see, the woman I love resides in Paris, and home is where heart is! Alright, that’s my que to shut up.” Marinette still couldn’t hide the shock she got from Adrien’s statements, although she was repeatedly made aware of the fact that Adrien had a secret lover, and that lover had Adrien. She did not.
“Makes sense. I’m glad she’s able to make you stay!” Marinette stated awkwardly, with a smile too formal to be genuine. And, as though Adrien had sensed her discomfort, the mood surrounding them changed into an unpleasant one.
“I’ll get your coffee ready, with a passionfruit parfait too. It is—was your favorite flavor.” Marinette said, her tone turning sad as she realized she didn’t really know Adrien like she did before. He seemed the same, but his likes, opinions and interests must have all changed and she’d missed out on all of it. She made some fresh coffee, and took out leftover parfait from the industrial fridge, because the new batch was yet to be made. Because Adrien had decided to drop by at six in the morning.
He hummed an agreement as she camouflaged herself into the bakery and got to work, avoiding each and every, physical and verbal contact she could have with Adrien. She treated him like a stranger who had stepped into the bakery for some shelter during the rain, rather than the best friend he actually was to her. A special person, she couldn’t ever forget. And maybe that was the problem, after all.
She served him quickly, and excused herself to freshen up. She came back to an empty bakery, and her father restocking in the kitchen. She kissed him good morning and poured herself a cup of coffee. She sat down on the seat where Adrien had sat, with her bitter drink. She had thoughts—multiple, unfortunately. She had to reevaluate things. She had made Adrien, the most patient person of all, leave. Understandable, considering she had locked herself up in the bathroom for more than an hour. She might have officially ruined her relationship with Adrien, but her thoughts were pending confirmation.
Part II: Oblivio
“No, Al. You don’t understand! He left, without a word. Gah, I knew this was a bad idea, I knew it! What was I doing when I knew that he was in love with some other…bitch!?” Even though Marinette had called Alya at around ten in the morning, it was two in the afternoon when she finally showed up, claiming to have gotten busy with Nino about wedding plans. Lying to the wedding planner was an unintelligent move.
“Marinette, you had told called Kagami a bitch, too. You’re best friends with her now. So, stop acting like a nine-year-old when you can be one’s mom!”
“Mean!” Marinette exclaimed, her natural pout intensifying.
“If you haven’t noticed, what I said applies to all of us. It’s simple, girl. He’s single and you’re too. Boom and bam and you’re a happy couple. Congratulations.” Alya sighed, disinterestedly, as she repeated the same point for the nth time. She and Marinette were running around in circles.
“Look, it doesn’t matter right now if he’s in love or whatever. He said he was single to you, right?” Alya tried again, slowly feeling her patience run out.
“But it’s against my morals—”
“Then take your morals and rot alone in this pity party of yours you never want to stop throwing. Because I’m telling you, Marinette: You can’t just sit and complain. Stop doing just that or take some action. Just crying stupidly about something quite tangible isn’t going to get you anywhere!”
Marinette shook her head, almost making it look like an attempt to get rid of her stupidity. “You’re right, Al. I should just give up. Thanks, love,” Marinette smiled sweetly with her conclusion.
Her smile turned into a complete frown when Alya rose from her seat in one quick motion and put a finger up to her face, “No, I give up. I tried being patient but you don’t understand what I am saying, so I am just going to go and get busy with Nino, again. Good-freaking-bye. See you at the rehearsal dinner tomorrow!” Alya huffed angrily, and stormed out the door, leaving a disoriented Marinette behind. What had she said wrong?
Marinette had to be prepared, this time. She couldn’t fool around anymore. The last thing she wanted to do was create a messy rehearsal party for her best friends when the control was literally in her hands. She was prepared, and this wedding was going to be a hit.
“Finally, you are here. I got worried! Look, I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you yesterday. It was just that—”
“I get it, Al’. Don’t worry about it. You were busy with Nino and I wasn’t making any progress with my situation.” Marinette threw out air quotations with almost word she muttered, losing belief in herself as she spoke to Alya, who was busy asking the waiters to get in place.
“It’s not that, Marinette. Let’s just get this done with,” Alya sighed, somewhat alerting Marinette because Alya never called her by her first name.
Alya went on holding Nino’s arm, to welcome the guests. Marinette was requested to meet some of the guests who had wanted to see the talented person responsible for all the arrangements. Alya proudly showed her off although there was a cold chill that was dancing between them. After settling everyone down, Alya walked towards Marinette—who was engrossed in orderly distribution of food. Alya gave Marinette’s arm a warm squeeze and said, “I love you.”
Marinette was very confused, but she wasn’t allowed to stay that way for long. “Sorry, I’m late. I had this unpleasant meeting and the terrible presentation went on for too long. How are my favorite people?” Marinette turned around to the face the voice she unfortunately recognized. Adrien stood there, wearing something probably off his own line from his own company. She saw how the three people she loved stood and chatted away. Her legs froze, her vocal cords seeming to not work anymore. Her body didn’t function like it used to, and it was all because of Adrien Agreste. No surprise there, because he was the person who had done this to her, her entire life.
She stepped back and away from the group of friends. A group she was a part of too, but was too disquieted to be around. The dinner seemed to brush away, with compliments flying by at every passing moment. Her parents were there as well, being the caterers and the bride’s best friend’s parents. Marinette quietly wished they hadn’t been because now there were two more people looking at her with worry. She walked into the small balcony at the end of the party hall to get away from the quintessence of fun and life, for a few minutes. She stood in the fresh air, her hair open and free to roam around her face. The glowing moon filled her with peace she required urgently.
“Here you are,” she heard the body behind her breathe. “Yes, Adrien.” She said, without turning her head around. “I came out for some air. These nights can be quite exhausting, you know?”
“I do,” Of course, he did. He was Adrien Agreste, the kind of person who had to attend mentally and physically tiring events on a daily basis. But, something about his simple agreement made Marinette jolt. She turned around and smiled at him, and noticed a lot. There were differences in Adrien she couldn’t not take note of. He was dressed in an all-black suit that fit him perfectly, but it wasn’t as tight and formal as she had seen all his other suits be in the several magazines, she read about him. The first three buttons of his black corduroy shirt were unbuttoned, and his suit jacket lacked shoulder padding. His hair was running wild like it hadn’t seen stylist’s scissors, unlike before, when it would be gelled into excellence. The blonde locks covered his face, and he looked like a painting glowing in the moonlight.
“How are you, Mari?”
“Adrien,”
“Marinette,”
“I am sorry. Genuinely, I apologize for how I behaved when you had come over to the bakery. And for how we left off, eleven years back.” Adrien’s hands blithely came to rest on her shoulders as she spoke, sort of like encouragement. She palmed his right hand, and stole some warmth that was contained in them. “I don’t want to do or say anything too carelessly, Adrien. It’s been all these unwanted emotions that stopped me from being normal to you. Not one moment I spend without regretting letting you slip from my fingers, when I knew that I could make you stay,”
Adrien stared at her, his eyebrows quirking upwards and his mouth agape. “You should know, I ran a lot. And screamed for you to stay, but it was too late unfortunately. My shouts of ‘Adrien, stay!’ didn’t make any difference, and that realization truly shattered me. I am so, so sorry.” Adrien’s eyes were filled with unspoken emotion, evidence given by droplets forming around them. “You should also know; I want everything to go back to how it was between us. I don’t want to be apprehensive about our friendship because I treasure everything we have. I want to have a conversation with you, but not now. I don’t want my messy emotions to get the best of me and ruin everything we ever had,”
“Marinette, you have no idea how much what you just said means to me. All these years, I have lived under the impression that I have done something wrong and that you don’t like me; that you didn’t care about what we had. And, I know I am the absolute worst for thinking that,” Adrien’s hands made their way up to her Marinette’s cold cheeks before he continued to speak. “But I felt hopeless. I—yeah, we need that conversation. Whenever you want, just text me.”
“This feels wrong to say, but I—I don’t have your number…So, you know,”
“You will always be able to contact me, Mari. Always.” Adrien gazed at her and walked away, leaving her puzzled.
Overwhelmed, Marinette rushed back to her car. She did not forget to message her parents and Alya before leaving. She sat in her car for a good thirty minutes, her head positioned on the steering wheel. She breathed deeply. Pride washed over her suddenly, for she had the conversation she had been dreading for more than a decade. She drove back to her home, and changed, and tucked herself into freshly washed duvet sheets. Her restlessness didn’t allow her to get the sleep she deserved. Although she had conversed meaningfully with Adrien, a lot of anxiousness still traveled around her body. She picked up her phone, wishing she could somehow contact Adrien. What would she say anyway? “I have loved you since forever, and I want to marry you, have your kids (those I have got names for, too) and grow old together. Ooh! And do not forget the hamster!”
She wanted with her whole heart to say just those words, and she knew Adrien would do nothing to judge her. Yet she was reluctant. This would bring about too many changes, she knew. A whole new lot of what ifs entered her sleepy head. What if Adrien did accept and reciprocate her feelings? Sure, it would change the dynamic of their relationship completely, but what about—?
The ding of her phone surprised her. “Adrien,” she gasped before unlocking, thinking that he got her number from her site or something.
Chat Noir 12:10, 2031
Hello, bugaboo. Missed me?
Ladybug 12:10, 2031
More than ever.
Chat Noir 12:11, 2031
That was quick and surprisingly weird. All good?
Ladybug 12:12, 2031
You wait for the right moment your entire life and when it comes around, everything feels so wrong. I don’t know, Chat Noir. I don’t know if all is good.
Ladybug 12:12, 2031
I am a mess.
Chat Noir 12:13, 2031
Do you trust me?
Ladybug 12:13, 2031
Always.
Chat Noir 12:16, 2031
Okay. I don’t know you, but I do. I know the gist of your mornings and nights and I need nothing more than that to fall in love with you. I know that things will not always be easy for you, but I am here, M’lady. To support and encourage and respect you. But I know more than anything else that you don’t need my support or encouragement. But you are the best friend I have ever had, and the best person I’ve ever met. So, I will continue to be by your side as you fight all your battles. Because it’s you and me against the world, M’lady.
Ladybug 12:21, 2031
I don’t know what to say.
Chat Noir 12:21, 2031
You don’t have to say anything.
Marinette slept that night with tears descending from her squeezed eyes.
Part III: Heart Hunter
The wedding night was not short of stress. Even though the guest list was on the smaller side, people were running around the hall in panic. Alya was crazy and according to Adrien, Nino wasn’t doing much better.
“I have wanted this forever, and now! I am so nervous.”
“Al, it’s called cold feet. Trust me on this one: all brides and grooms have it. It’s totally normal to get all panicky right before the most life-changing moment.” I should know, she wanted to add.
“And look, this may be really mean, but Nino is having a full-on panic attack in his room, right now. So, it’s not just you. Adrien has been laughing about it, every time we bump into each other.” Marinette giggled.
“Wow, girl. You’re finally talking to him.”
“Alya! It is your wedding. Stop concerning yourself with my love life, alright? What I want most is for you to go out there, continue to be as beautiful as you are, tell your vows, make out (but keep it PG for the kids) and get married for life. I am so happy for you,” Marinette said, feeling elated.
“Thank you,” Alya choked out with a few tears.
Right before Alya had to go and walk down the aisle, Marinette heard her phone ring and she excused herself to tend to it. It was Nino ringing her, and the unexpected call definitely scared her.
“Mari! Great. Listen, thank you. This wedding is going to be great and it’s all because of you. And, thank you for always being there for Alya and me. I want to return to you a favor. Adrien asked me not to tell you this, but I am not as angelic as he thinks I am. He helped me write my vows. A lot of it, he wrote himself. Writing has never been my forte, you know that. It means a lot to me, that’s for sure. But there may be a lot of meaning for you, too. Keep an open mind, is all. I’ll talk to you later.” Nino said in one go, without letting Marinette unnecessarily interrupt him.
“Bye Nino,” was all she could say.
Alya managed to stun everyone at the wedding with her beauty, and Marinette gladly smiled this time. No more of those unfortunate fake smiles. This was an important day for a lot of people.
Adrien stood in front of her with Nino. His expression, Marinette thought, mirrored hers. Anxiety kept increasing for Marinette as Nino’s chance of dictating his vows neared. Right before Nino’s starting, Adrien looked up from his eye contact with the carpeted floor, and grinned at Marinette.
“I will love you today and every day for the rest of my life. Alya, you have changed the way I think about love. I know that things will not always be easy for you, but I am here, Al. To support and encourage and respect you. But I know more than anything else that you don’t need my support or encouragement. But you are the best friend I have ever had, and the best person I’ve ever met. So, I will continue to be by your side as you fight all your battles. Because it’s you and me against the world, Alya. Always.” Nino shakily spoke his vows, as the crowd swooned at his words. Each one was moved and teary eyed as Alya said her equally charming vows too. Each and every one, except Marinette.
It was her chance now, to keep her eyes at the same level as Nino’s shoe. Blank and shaking, all the sounds around her started to fade away. Realization that had to hit, never did. Because there was no way this was actually happening. Google always had the best vows! And Adrien and Chat Noir loved surfing the internet, she supposed. But it said, “You and me against the world.” The sentence Chat would always tell her, every single time she lost a bit of hope. What were the chances that everything so far had been a coincidence?
Her parents had to call out to her, asking for help with serving the guests. Only then was she able to get out of her unanticipated paralysis. She walked aimlessly, and tripped like she always used to. Falling into Adrien’s arms, like she always used to.
“Marinette, awesome wedding, isn’t it? And, this song? My favorite by Toto.” Adrien exclaimed as he hummed along to ‘I won’t hold you back’.
“Huh?”
“Their vows, man! I’d write the same exact way. Especially Nino’s,” Adrien spoke carefully.
“Adrien, you moron!”
“What—”
“I know, dang it! I know you wrote his vows. Nino told me before the wedding. I ju—just don’t know, rather I don’t understand how you know that I am Ladybug.” Hearing Marinette say the words herself, Adrien beamed with sheer joy.
“The account you use to mail me is linked to an Instagram account. The one you seem to use for single-lady content. Anyways, that very interesting account is linked to the main one, where your identity is explicitly present. So…yeah!”
“You’re telling me that people could figure out this entire time that Marinette Dupain Cheng: the wedding planner is also a nincompoop?” Marinette asked with wide eyes, and utter disbelief.
“That is what you pay attention to, M’lady?” Adrien laughed.
“Oh my god! I am so sorry, Chat—Adrien Noir dude?”
“Looks to me like you’ve been spending way too much time with Nino.” Adrien continued to laugh as Marinette tried to find escape routes. Adrien pulled her gently by her wrists, and held her in place.
“I am sorry, Adrien. This is the best thing! But it’s so very overwhelming, right? It’s happening all so quickly!”
“Hey, calm down. We have all the time. I am not ever going back to The States, okay?”
Marinette’s face gleamed with complete satisfaction. “How did you manage to convince your dad about all of this?”
“Oh, I did not. It was a very conflicted decision for me. Not because I was conflicted, I knew what I wanted. But because, I started a conflict with my father. I still don’t exactly know what happened to me, but I walked into his office and stared him down and said: ‘Hey! I am never going to be under your control again and I don’t want to be in this awful business with your repetitive designs. I want to stay in Paris.’ And then he looked at me with his classic unreadable expression and said, ‘fuck off’. So, I did just that. And now here is the cat standing right in front of you,”
“Gosh, Adrien! When did all of this even happen?”
“Remember yesterday, before the dinner, when I said that I was held back because of an important meeting? I was doing this with father.” Adrien laughed again, getting more nervous this time.
Marinette didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She had way too many unanswered questions. “So, he just cut you off?”
“Yep, no shock felt. But don’t worry about the finances for the family and all: I have that sorted. And no, you are not going to marry a jobless man. I’ll just work with you, ha-ha!” Less laughs and more nerves for Adrien.
“What? Adrien, hold on!”
“Yeah, I know this isn’t the kind of reveal that you wanted—actually, I don’t even know if you wanted a reveal to take place between us at all. But, just seeing you after years at the bakery and knowing that I couldn’t get down on one knee with the ring I carry around in my pocket, I lost all my patience. I had to tell you everything. Marinette. Please, say something.”
Marinette walked just one step to close the gap between them, and squeezed out all the air between the pair. She hugged Adrien tight, something she had wanted to do for years. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“Because it was different, M’lady. I was scared of losing everything that we had as Ladybug and Chat Noir. You always seemed far off when we were Adrien and Marinette. You seemed to not like being around me. I was scared, honestly.”
“I have apologized way too many times but I still don’t think it’s enough.” Marinette released Adrien from her grasp and held his face softly in her hands. “I was so jittery and flustered around you because I liked you, a lot. Like turned into love, and I couldn’t even stop that from happening. You were a rich, hot supermodel, Adrien. I didn’t know how to make you notice me or make you mine, in short. And I lost a big part of myself in the friendship, when you asked for help with your online lover. A pity, that was me!”
“I am going to sound disgusting—you love me?”
“I do. I love Adrien and the black kitty that texts me at night. I was having a meltdown on mail because I didn’t want to lose either. Because unlike someone, I didn’t have the privilege of knowing that it was the same person all along.”
“I love you, too.”
“Great! Now, help me delete my Instagram accounts.” Marinette smacked his arm.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes,”
“Will you let me kiss you?”
“Always,”
They did exactly that. Kiss. And all those years of mutual pining and lost opportunities surfaced as they got lost in each other’s love and warmth.
“Gross!” Some strange kid staring at them screamed.
“That little—” Marinette violently flapped about.
“Hey, chill out. Were you not a babysitter before?”
“I lost all my patience because of that,”
“Hope you get some of it back for our own kids.”
“Adrien!” Marinette hid her face in Adrien’s shirt and took a long sniff. “That scent!” Marinette recognized.
“Yeah, I know. It's radiant,” Adrien said.
“Carefree,” Marinette continued.
“Dreamy,” they both vocalized.
“Adrien The Fragrance,” Marinette said with a cheeky smile, looking up at Adrien with heart eyes and puckered lips.
“Adrien The Fragrance,” Adrien repeated before leaning down to kiss Marinette harder, not caring about any other interruptions this time. Just wandering into a miraculously serendipitous dreamland, as they danced the night away to the song that once had united them.
Fin.