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It was a mistake. A really bad mistake. Adrien hadn’t meant to detransform in front of all his classmates. And he certainly didn’t expect Marinette to go off at him for this.
“Are you that careless?” She accused, her classmates surprised at this outburst.
“What, Marinette-” Adrien started but Marinette cut him off.
“Honestly Chaton, what made you think that this class was empty?” She complained, not realising what she said until she saw the shock on his face.
“ Chaton? ” Adrien said, disbelief in his tone. Marinette was his lady.
“What? No! I didn’t say that” Marinette stumbled, waving her hands around.
“Your ladybug?!” Her whole class screamed, swarming around her. All of them were throwing questions at once.
“Why aren’t you surprised, Alya,” Nino said, noticing his girlfriend who stayed at the back of the group. Everyone turned to look at her with questioning faces, they thought that she would be at the front questioning her friend.
“I kind of already knew” She stated.
“What?!” Everyone stated, but Adrien was the loudest out of everyone, shock spreading across his face.
He swivelled his body and faced Marinette who had put on a guilt face.
“You told someone,” He said, his voice laced with hurt. She broke the rules, her rules .
“Yes but, it was only because I was so stressed with being the new gaurdien. I needed someone to talk to” Marinette said, trying to defend herself.
“You needed to talk to someone” Adrien repeated slowly.
“Yes” Marinette said, she was getting nervous from the unreadable expression on her kitty's face.
“You could have, I don't know, talked to me?” He questioned, frustration obvious in his tone.
“I couldn’t. We had to keep our identities a secret from one another,” She justified with the same argument he has heard for years.
“And what? You never thought to tell me that you revealed your identity to someone?” Adrien asked.
“There was never a good time-”
“Never a good time? Marinette you had months to tell me” His frustration building up.
“I know but I guess I was nervous to tell you. I didn’t know how you’d react," She said nervously.
“I would have been a bit mad, but understanding. I know how hard it is to keep this secret.” Adrien said and he meant it. He knows the pressure this job gives you.
“But did you not think that I needed to tell someone?” He asked.
“You never voiced out your troubles” Marinette said, her head tilting to the side.
“Because I don’t voice out my troubles. I didn’t think I’d have to given you were feeling this” Adrien said, he shouldn’t be surprised to be honest, no one ever asks how he’s feeling.
“I-I’m sorry Adrien, I really didn’t notice” Marinette said, feeling ashamed with herself.
“Of course you didn't,” Adrien said bitterly. Marinette looked at him, with a little anger in her eyes.
“Don’t blame all this on me” She said, anger in her tone now.
“I wasn’t the one who didn’t say anything about how he was feeling, if you wanted to talk we could have”
“No.” Adrien said simply.
“No?” Marinette echoed.
“You wouldn’t have talked to me, you would have said that it would be too risky talking about our troubles and private life.” He stated. He knew he was right, he’s heard that speech a thousand times.
“Well, I-” Marinette started but stopped, she didn’t know what to say.
"Have you ever experienced being trapped in your room for days, because you made one single mistake? Do you know what it's like to live the life I have, with all these expectations to be perfect?” Adrien started, he figured that if his lady wanted to talk, then he’d talk.
“Do you know what it's like being trapped in your own mind and having no idea how to escape?" He questioned Marinette who stayed quiet. The silence in the room adds to the already tense atmosphere.
"Do you know what it's like to be casted aside, treated like an object for people to poke and prod. Day after day after day I have to fake a smile, fake my happiness" His eyes locked on Marinette's.
"And the fact that none of you noticed" His laugh was hollow and avoided any emotion.
"That is what hurt the most" He turned his gaze from Marinette and he looked around the room to see his friends' stunned faces.
They shouldn't be surprised, he can't be sunshine all the time, he mused.
"No one saw through the model smile, almost no one saw how bad I was getting. That I was suffering. That I was trapped" His eyes landed on his best friend Nino. The first friend he ever made, and the only one who showed any concern for him.
"All of you thought that I had this perfect life, but my life is anything but perfect" Adrien risked looking at Marinette again, the hurt in her eyes was almost too much. He knew she had a crush on him. She fell in love with the perfect side. The one who pleases and never speaks up.
No one wanted this broken shell of a frail boy.
"You fell in love with the perfect side." He said, looking at her. He hated looking at her like this, with only negative emotions. He loved her for her. But she didn't love him for him.
"You fell in love with the side I despised the most." He pointed at himself, his eyes displaying disappointment.
"The one I hate, the one that’s not me" He swallows, hard and slow.
"I fell for the girl behind the mask, the girl who showed her bravery, the girl who didn't back down from a challenge, the girl who I know would do anything for her friends and family." He paused, it was clear as day that Marinette's heart was breaking with his.
"I could see you behind the mask, but you couldn't see through mine" He let a tear down then, it trickled down his cheek and soon more tears flooded his eyes that broke loose.
Adrien was done. Done with the lies, his father, and life. He was just done.
"Adrien..." Marinette started, she hitched a step towards him but stopped herself, unsure of what to do.
His eyes met hers again, and he could see the determination that was etched on her tear streaked face.
"I fell for you," She stated. She took a step forward, none of his classmates said a word, they all just watched the scene unfold in front of them.
"I fell for the boy who despite all the negativity in his life," She paused and took a deep breath.
"The one who would always have a friendly smile on his face, the one who would always lend a shoulder to cry on. The one who gave me his umbrella all those years ago despite me being rude to you" She took another step towards him with every point being made.
"I fell in love with the dork behind the mask, who'd make terrible cat puns at the most inappropriate times" A small smile graced her face as she spoke about him.
"I did fall in love with the real you, because the real you is a boy, robbed of a normal childhood and family. A boy who may be broken."
"I love that broken boy. I love every piece of him" And with that, she was faced directly in front of Adrien who hadn't moved since she started her confession.
Adrien swallowed, "Every piece of me?"
Marinette smiled up at him "Every single piece of you, the sad, happy, dorky and cat loving"
"I love you Adrien” The disbelief shown on Adrien's face made her heart ache, it's as if no one has ever said I love you to him before.
She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He stiffened in her hold for a second before slowly wrapping his arms around her torso, pulling her closer towards him.
"I love you too," Adrien said in a quiet voice. He felt Marinette smile against his neck.
"You guys are making me wanna cry” Alya said, interrupting the duo's moment.
"Can anyone join in on this hug?" Nino said, giving his best friend a weak smile. Adrien looked at his classmates and noticed that they all looked like they wanted to pounce and hug him at once.
He chuckled softly and nodded at Nino who grinned at him and wrapped his arms around Marinette and Adrien.
Soon the rest of his class joined, and in that moment, Adrien felt more loved than he ever felt in his whole life.