Work Text:
At a small inconspicuous park in Paris, there sat a lonely boy on a bench underneath the pouring rain. Said boy would sit here for two hours straight everyday for the last two weeks. Alone. He would hide and curl in on himself, using a hoodie to cover his face and to avoid seeing anyone else.
The rain was perfect for him. This would allow him to not hold back the tears. The raindrops would mask the outpour of emotions he’s been having.
Adrien never felt so alone.
“Kid… come on. You know that’s not true. You’re not alone.”
Plagg tried his best to comfort his holder. It was getting worse and worse by the day. Adrien would wallow in his grief of feeling helpless.
His father would berate him for his performance at work every chance he could get. He would isolate him whenever he could and he’d threaten him to pull Adrien out of school whenever he did poorly.
Then there was Lila. She was a constant in making him feel uncomfortable in his own personal space when she would try to get close. Her unwanted advances and touches made his skin crawl. But she was a perfect manipulator and she somehow always got away with things.
And lastly… Ladybug. The girl she loved and admired more than anyone else in the world. He felt more and more lately that she didn’t really need him anymore. She would push him back. Not let him in. He knew that Ladybug had a confidant who knew her secret identity. But why not him?
It would always go back to the same conversation. “It’s too dangerous. We’re the wielders of the Ladybug and Black Cat miraculous. They’re more important than anything else. You’re one of my best friends, Chat. But we can’t know more about each other.”
But that would always lead to him feeling isolated. What about him? He had no one else.
No one else who could understand his own struggles. Who could he talk to? He couldn’t burden Nino with his secrets. Not to mention that Nino already revealed his own and Alya’s secret identities to him too. He wasn’t sure if he could tell him.
There was no one who he could trust. He wanted help. He needed help. He needed someone to talk to. Someone to listen.
But he was alone.
Adrien looked up to the cloudy gray skies. Rain continued to batter him… his clothes were completely drenched but he didn’t care.
*****
Marinette was struggling with her umbrella. The wind was intense aside from the pouring rain as she ran back from this fabric store across Paris. She found some good deals and noted them for next time. She couldn’t buy them then but she will when the weather was better. It was too dangerous to haul them with her in this terrible weather.
She persisted through the pouring rain. Getting closer and closer back home until finally… she noticed something in her peripheral vision.
Marinette turned her head slightly to the side and noticed a hooded figure by himself underneath the pouring rain. Whoever he was, Marinette was sure he was troubled. And in Paris, if you were troubled, then Hawkmoth could surely akumatize you for it. Marinette needed to help this person. Whatever their trouble could be.
She approached him slowly and made her presence known. Making it obvious she was approaching him with loud steps.
“Excuse me, sir? Is… everything alright?” She asked.
The man did not reply. His silence persisted. Marinette tried again.
“It’s raining really hard. I have an umbrella. You can join me and maybe whatever it is, we could talk about it?” She asked.
The man slowly turned his head to look at her. Marinette gasped and saw the devastated tear struck face of Adrien Agreste.
He looked shocked when he saw who she was. He quickly turned his head away from her.
“Please… leave. I’m fine, Marinette.”
A million things flew through Marinette’s head at that moment. A part of her brain remembered all her crazy plans in case of this very situation. Adrien feeling down and she ready for him with a gift to cheer him up. But as he saw the boy she loved so dearly in so much pain, all of her plans flew out the window. She knew she needed to help him. No complex multi-steps maneuvers. No elaborate schemes. Just straight to the point.
Marinette dropped her umbrella and hugged the shivering and drenched boy. He stilled for a moment in her embrace.
“Marinette… I—“
“Adrien… I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t know what you’re going through…You don’t even need to tell me anything! But right now… whatever it is… know that I’m here. I’ll always be here for you.” She said.
Marinette poured out all her love and concern for the boy in her hold. Soon she heard it.
The sobs.
Adrien began bawling.
“It’s okay… let it out. Were you holding back? It’s okay to cry.” She said.
“I… I… just can’t… I have to be perfect… I-I…”
“No you don’t… There’s nothing wrong with sharing how you feel… it’s fine.”
Adrien then held her back tight. Marinette could feel his shaking body even more.
“I’m right here, Adrien.” She patted his back.
“I’ll always be here.”
****
A Week Later
Adrien woke up that morning feeling lighter than air. In fact, he hadn’t felt that good in a very very long time. And it’s all because of the help of his lovely good friend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
When she found him alone in the rain, all he wanted at first was to be left to himself. But after she held him tight and stayed with him for who knew how long under the rain, he finally started to open up. He finally wanted to let someone in again.
“Adrien… it’s okay. If you need someone, don’t be afraid to open up. I’m right here if you need me.”
And she was. Marinette was always there.
Something changed between them that week. Marinette was less stutter-y and she became her constant companion in his day to day tasks. She was his rock. A constant. Her mere presence helped him through his tough tasks for each day.
Adrien didn’t hesitate to ask her to join him in his photoshoots that week as well. Having her there helped wonders for his photo work. The photographers began insisting that she be there always to help with his “energy” on set.
Maybe it was because Marinette was always bright eyed looking around at all the designs and clothes. She was in her element and she made everything seem better. She smiled at him too whenever he looked back at her. It brought new feelings about his friend he didn’t notice sooner.
Adrien ignored a little how his heart beat just a bit faster than usual when she looked at him.
“No time for romance, Adrien. She’s just a good friend, helping you out.” Having the sweetest and prettiest girl at school accompany you all the time was giving him impossible ideas.
“There’s no way Marinette likes you like that.” He had to keep telling himself. For now though, he enjoyed what he could from her. He would worry about his slowly forming crush later.
But now as he finished changing to his casual clothes, he was prepared to do something special for the new lady in his life. He needed to thank her.
First… he needed to go to the nearby flower shop.
After that, some chocolates.
*****
Marinette was hard at work at another commission when she heard a knock on her trap door.
“Marinette… can I come in?”
Her eyes went wide. She squeaked as soon as she heard that voice. She could recognize it anywhere.
“Adrien?!?! I-is that you?!”
“Yeah, it’s me. Are you busy this morning? Your mom let me in. I could come back another time?” The boy asked from below the trap door.
Marinette scrambled. She needed to clean up her room. It was a war zone full of fabrics and other accessories. The biggest concern were the kwamis.
“Go go go!” She said to the floating kwamis and they all scampered back into the miracle box. She quickly hid it properly. After a good look around, she felt confidant everything looked alright and called out to Adrien.
“O-okay! You can come up!”
The door quickly opened, and there climbing in was Adrien Agreste himself. Dashing as ever.
“Hi Marinette. Sorry for coming unannounced. I… I just wanted to give you some—“
Adrien went quiet unexpectedly. His eyes wide and his mouth ajar.
“What’s wrong?”
Adrien shook his head and cleared his throat. His cheeks were red.
“O-oh nothing wrong! Sorry… Just… I really like your cute pajamas.”
His words registered in her brain. She immediately looked down at herself and squeaked as she tried covering herself up.
“Ugh! S-sorry! Oh God! I mean…” Marinette mentally screamed in embarrassment. This was the second time Adrien caught her in her pajamas.
“N-no! I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was teasing! This is your room! It’s totally fine for you to wear whatever you want! I just think you’re really cute… I mean… ugh… sorry. I’ll keep quiet now.”
Marinette was surprised by Adrien’s sudden shy demeanor. He’s never acted this way around her before. Was he stuttering? Wait… did he just say what she thought he said?
“Wait… you think I’m cute?”
Marinette finally noticed. Adrien was blushing.
“Of course I think you’re cute.”
Marinette felt like a kettle. Her face was burning hot from the compliment.
“O-oh… thank you.” “Best morning ever.” Her brain screamed.
“Listen… the reason I came over was because… I wanted to thank you.”
Marinette blinked in confusion.
“Thank me? What for?”
“Marinette… for being there for me this whole week. You have no idea how much you’ve helped me. I… I really needed someone to talk to and you being there was what I needed to really break through.”
“Oh… Adrien. It was nothing. You know I’ll always be here for you. That’s what friends do.”
Adrien deserved all the love and support in the world. He was the sweetest boy she knew.
“And friends also say thank you to their friends when they help each other right? So… I got you something.”
Adrien stepped out of the room for a bit and when he came back, he held a beautiful bouquet of flowers alongside a box of expensive chocolates.
“A-are these for me?”
Adrien nodded.
“Yeah. I hope you like them.”
Adrien passed it over to her and Marinette was speechless. Flowers and chocolates from the boy she loved. Maybe she was still asleep. This was all a beautiful dream. She bit her lip a bit until it started to feel uncomfortable.
“Nope… this is all real.” She whispered. Adrien really did give her these wonderful things.
“Thank you, Adrien. I… I love them.”
Adrien then smiled his killer lovable smile at her. She was going to melt.
“You’re welcome, Marinette.”
Marinette set the gifts aside and went up to him and gave him a good hug.
“Hugs from you are always the best.” He said.
“Back at you.”
*****
Adrien ended up staying at Marinette’s the entire morning. After he assisted with some work of hers, they started playing video games together. It was a miracle that he had no work that morning.
Maybe it was because of all the suggestions Marinette said to him to say to her father.
“So… did you talk to your father about your work problems?” She asked him in between a session of Mario Kart.
“Yes! Thank you for the advice. I talked to him about the Lila problem. Her inappropriate actions are definitely being monitored. I probably will start working less with her now. And guess what? You’re officially invited to join me on set! Uhh… that is… if you like?”
Marinette gasped and looked at him instead of the screen.
“A-are you serious?”
Adrien paused the game and chuckled.
“Yes! They all love you! You… you’ve helped so much and they’ve noticed.”
“I… I didn’t do anything really—“
Adrien didn’t let her finish.
“You did plenty. No need to be so modest. You’re welcome from now on.”
“T-thank you for that… so… are you feeling better nowadays, Adrien?”
It was sweet of her to ask.
“So much better, all thanks to you really.” That caused Marinette to blush again. She looked so cute whenever she did.
“Stop with the compliments. You’re making me blush too much.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway… You said that you had other problems you weren’t able to share with people… whatever those problems were, know that I’m here to help you know that, right?” Asked Marinette.
Adrien’s been considering telling her his secret identity for a while now. Could Marinette possibly be who he could share his issues with?
“I… It’s not that simple, Marinette. I… I’ve told you most of my issues but this last one… It could be dangerous.”
Marinette looked shocked from his statement.
“Dangerous? What do you mean? Are you in trouble? What is it?”
Adrien considered it again. Marinette’s heart was in the right place. She was one of the best people she knew and he felt she had a special bond with her.
And so… he decided to go for it.
“Do you promise not to tell anyone what I’m about to tell you, Marinette?”
Marinette looked concerned but she nodded her head.
“I promise. You can trust me… always.”
“Listen… this is very important, okay? People could get hurt… but I’m only telling you this because I have faith in you, Marinette.”
Adrien took in a breath before he continued.
“Marinette… I’m Chat Noir.”
Adrien waited for her to react but all he got was stunned silence.
“Are you… joking?”
Adrien couldn’t help it but her words stung a little.
“Haha… I guess it sounds so ludicrous. Me, being a hero? But yeah… I’m him.”
Marinette continued to stare wide eyed at him. Silent.
It was getting more and more painful by the second as she said nothing.
“You know what… This is a bad idea. I’m… I gotta go, Marinette.” He didn’t expect her to react this way. Everything so far was too good to be true. As he was about to step out of her room, a hand shot out and held him back.
“W-wait! No! I… this is just a lot to process.”
Adrien looked at her pleading eyes. They were begging him to stay. I guess he should’ve given her more time. To be fair, it was a bombshell revelation. Marinette being stunned and a bit silent wasn’t exactly a bad thing in comparison to other reactions such as loud shouting of disbelief.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean… please continue. Whatever it is, I’m here to listen.” She said.
Adrien took in another breath.
“Claws Out.”
There was a flash of light and he now stood in full leather. Marinette gasped.
“You really are… him.”
He nodded back and he started to speak his thoughts.
“I… I’ve been stressed out a lot these days, Marinette. The last part being… I… I’ve felt less needed recently… by Ladybug. I feel like I’ve been left out more and more these days. Unlike Ladybug, who has her own confidant with the superhero secret identity thing…. I… I don’t have anyone. And for the longest time I had no one to talk about my struggling issues of jugging my duties as a superhero with my normal life. I hate flaking out on people all the time and having no one there to understand why. I hate lying to people, Marinette.”
Adrien watched as Marinette just slowly nodded her head every time he said something. A small nod each time to reassure him.
“I hate feeling so alone with no one understanding… And that is why I decided to take a chance… I know, Ladybug might get angry. But I couldn’t take it anymore… I needed someone too… and I wanted that person to be you, Marinette. Can I talk to you and trust you on this?”
He waited once again for her reply but this time he didn’t need to wait long as the girl tackled him in an embrace.
“Ladybug has been so unfair to you. Promise me that you’ll talk to her, okay? Tell her that you needed someone to talk to. Alright? Tell her your issues. I’m sure she’ll listen this time. I promise. It’s definitely unfair that you had no one.” She whispered.
“Ahhh… okay.” Marinette’s hugs were like magic. They always broke his guard. He was bare for Marinette, letting her in to all his innermost thoughts. It was because he felt safe in her arms.
She was amazing.
“You can trust me, Adrien. I promise to keep your secret. And know that… I think you’re a wonderful person. You’re amazing… Chat.”
Once again, Adrien felt like a huge weight was lifted from his chest. All thanks to the girl in his arms.
****
A few hours later, Adrien left for home feeling so much better. Adrien stepped out of the bakery and looked up to see Marinette waving at him from her balcony.
“See you tomorrow, Adrien!” She shouted.
He chuckled and waved goodbye. Everything started to seem a lot brighter.
All the while, the girl on the roof teared up a little from guilt. The boy she loved so much and the boy who was her partner and one of her best friends… She hurt him by isolating him for so long. He deserved better. She was going to make sure he was going to be treated the best from now on.
After that… she’d finally tell him who she was.