Chapter Text
Marinette was tired. Her eyes could hardly stay open and she felt as if gravity was trying to pin her to the ground. She hardly got time to herself anymore, with school, schoolwork, and saving Paris. Her entire day had been a mess. She had snapped at Alya, her best friend, countless times for no apparent reason. She collapsed onto her bed, a sigh of exhaustion escaping her. After staring at the ceiling for what seemed like forever, she finally began to drift into sleep.
A low rumble let out from under her, vibrating against her stomach. She groaned and shifted, searching for her phone. It was Alya, of course it was Alya.
“Who else would it be?” Marinette muttered, too tired to deal with whatever crazy news Alya had this time. Nevertheless, Marinette answered, “Hello?”
“Hey girl! You would not believe what just happened,” Alya’s cheerful voice rang from the phone.
“Can it wait?” Marinette groaned.
“No it cannot wait, don’t be like that,” Alya scolded, “I just got us a study date with the one and only Adrien Agreste!”
Marinette’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name, suddenly feeling awake she jolted up. “You did what?” she yelped, trying to regain a steady heartbeat.
“Yeah! I was talking to Nino and he mentioned that Adrien has been having a lot of free time lately, and I asked if they would like to get together sometime and study with us and he said that they’d love to!”
The raven-haired girl suppressed a squeal, “Oh my gosh Alya! You’re the absolute best!!”
“I know I am. Oh hey I gotta go, I’ll see you tomorrow! Bye!”
Marinette didn’t get to say a word before Alya hung up, but she didn’t mind. Yawning, she lay down again; drifting off into slumber once more.
The next day, Marinette wandered around the park; waiting for Alya to show up so they could meet with Nino and Adrien. It was quite peaceful for her, seeing people interact with each other, until-
“Oh look Sabrina, it’s Marinette. Aw, she’s alone. Do you know why?” Chloé Bourgeois pouted.
“It’s probably because she has no friends,” Sabrina replied.
“If I were here I would just leave this town. An amateur girl with amateur parents and no friends? Pathetic. She’s a nobody, I bet if she got akumatized Ladybug wouldn’t even show up to save her!” Chloé cackled, as Sabrina joined in. The two girls walked off, obviously pleased with themselves.
Marinette balled her hands into fists. Bending over to talk to the kwami in her bag, she groaned, “Tikki, I swear. If one more bad thing happens I'm going to snap.”
“Marinette don't think like that!” Tikki chirped, “They’re only trying to make themselves feel better, even though their method isn’t working.”
“Yeah I suppose. All they’re ever going to be is mean, and Adrien could never love a mean girl, so he could never love Chloé!” Marinette sat up straight, filled with determination to be positive, “I just have to wait here for Alya and then I’m going to go see Adrien!”
“Well, you won’t have to wait for long,” Tikki said, “Here she comes now.”
“Quick Tikki, get down!” Marinette whispered in a panicked way.
Alya bounded towards Marinette, smiling. When she finally she reached Marinette she was out of breath. “Hey Mari, wow, running is harder than it seems, huh? I guess that’s what I get when I spend all day blogging, right? Anyway, how are you? Are you feeling any better? Yesterday you seemed way down,” Alya panted.
“Hey Alya, I’m feeling a little better. Sorry for being so moody yesterday. You see I was very tired, and I still am just not as much as before. Anyway, sorry for getting mad at you. You only were trying to help.” Marinette apologized, offering a sheepish look.
“It’s no problem, Mari. We all have bad days, right?”
“Yeah. Thanks Alya, you’re the best.”
“No problem, girl! Anyway, are you ready for the best study date ever?!”
“Of course I am! Adrien and I will make mindless chatter and then I’ll ask him out! Then we’ll see a movie and then we’ll get married!” Marinette gushed.
“Slow down there, girl. Let’s hold off on the marriage until you’re actually old enough to do so, yeah?”
“Yeah okay that makes sense.”
“Come on we gotta go to the library I’m sure Nino and Adrien are waiting,” Alya teased, beginning to run once again. Marinette sprinted, almost tripping twice while trying to catch up.
As Alya and Marinette approached the library, Marinette began to panic. It was if a thousand akumas were flying around inside her stomach. She inhaled deeply. Everything’s going to be fine, she assured herself, today’s just going to be a normal day. If anything, your relationship with Adrien can only get better.
As the blue-eyed girl pushed open the door to the library, she was greeted with the comforting smell of old books. She scanned the library for her friends, finally seeing the familiar head of the blond boy who sat in front of her. She grabbed her best friend's arm, “There they are!” she whisper-yelled excitedly.
“Let’s go over there. They’ve probably been waiting for us for a few minutes,” Alya whispered back.
As the two girls made their way closer to Adrien and Nino, Marinette became filled with more butterflies. If I opened my mouth, would a butterfly fly out? I’m sure they’re crowded in my stomach, Marinette thought.
Nino was the first of the two boys to see Marinette and Alya approaching, he raised his hand to wave at Alya, and Adrien turned around.
Marinette’s heartbeat increased tenfold. If I die right here, I’ll be happy, she thought.
Adrien greeted Alya and Marinette, and the study session went normally until-
“Hey Adrien. Are you currently seeing anyone?” Alya questioned innocently.
“No, I haven’t found the right person yet,” Adrien answered absentmindedly, furiously taking notes about who knows what.
“Really Adrien? The girl of your dreams could be sitting right in front of you, and you’d never know unless you went for it, right?” It was Nino this time who asked, a cocky smile on his face. It was then that Marinette realized, this whole study date was a set up. Alya and Nino arranged this to get Marinette and Adrien together.
“I doubt it,” Adrien muttered.
“Why do you say that? There are plenty of sweet girls in Paris! I’m sure the girl of your dreams in in your class! It could be anyone! It could even be Marinette!” Nino smirked.
That was the moment when Marinette's world came crashing to the ground.
“Are you crazy? Marinette and I are just friends, and we’re only ever going to be just friends. I’m sure Marinette doesn’t appreciate you joking about us together, right Marinette?” Adrien asked, clearly frustrated.
There was silence for a moment, until Marinette snapped out of her shock. Determined to keep all dignity she had, she blurted, “Of course I don’t! Me and Adrien- Adrien and I together! That’s just silly! Why would- there’s no way that- um… yeah!” Marinette was bright red, embarrassed beyond belief.
You idiot, the dark-haired teen thought, how could you think that you had a chance with him! Look at him! He’s a famous model and you’re just a dumb, clumsy girl. Adrien was back to taking notes now, while Alya and Nino were discussing a different subject. Look at them. They don’t even care about the amount of humiliation they just cost you. It’s not your fault. It’s theirs. As malicious thoughts flooded Marinette's mind, she tried to figure out a way to distance herself from Adrien. After a few minutes she had a plan.
“Oh! Look at that! I’m getting a call from… my parents! Yes! They need me to uh, go help with the bakery! Right I totally forgot about the work… that I needed to do… at the bakery? sorry guys I have to go,” Marinette stuttered.
Adrien nodded, oblivious, while Nino shot Marinette an apologetic look. The raven-haired girl took it as her cue to leave, and proceeded to run out of the library to her home.
Marinette ran up to her room. She fell to the floor, slumping against the wall. Her breaths were slow and shaky. Her eyes drifted to the posters on her wall; the posters of Adrien.
“Adrien,” Marinette groaned, dread welling up inside of her. Her eyes filled with tears. , she thought, while heaving one last sigh. She began to sob. She grabbed a pillow and pressed her face into it to muffle her cries. With her face buried in the pillow, she wasn’t able to notice the purple and black butterfly that was fluttering in through her open window.
The butterfly circled around Marinette for a moment, before approaching Marinette’s earring. It landed, prompting her to sit up straight. She cast the pillow aside as a voice, Hawkmoth’s voice began to talk.
“Seamstress. I’m Hawkmoth. I can give you the power to get revenge on those who have wronged you, in exchange for a favor. Would you be willing to do that?”
“Of course I am,” Marinette growled, a need for payback expanding inside her chest.
A cloud of darkness covered Marinette, leaving her in a torn purple dress. The Seamstress looked out towards the library and cackled. It was payback time.