Chapter Text
“I love you, Adrien.”
Even now, several hours later, it still felt like a fever dream.
Not that he wasn't used to getting love confessions. He had girls he was seeing for the first time throw themselves at him, saying these exact words. His school locker was permanently decorated with love letters taped to it or painted directly on its door with marker pens or nail polish. Damn, every other notification he got on Instagram was a love confession.
But this time, it was different. The girl who'd confessed to him was different. A totally unique girl, not like any other. She wasn't his fangirl. She's been acting so differently than any other girl who'd confessed to him so far that Adrien used to be genuinely worried that she hated him.
Until today's afternoon.
Adrien somehow knew that she really meant it. It wasn't a shallow crush. It wasn't a prank.
The way she couldn't meet his eyes, fiddling with the strap of her purse, clenching and unclenching her hands around each other but still failing at soothing the nervous trembling; the way she had to start over multiple times only to utter the four magic words in a barely audible voice spoke for itself.
But dear God, why did it have to happen to him? Why her of all people?
He was flattered to be loved by a person like Marinette; that was true. He was immensely glad to find out this amazing girl didn't hate him.
If only it didn't make him feel cornered.
Because now Marinette was waiting for his response. And he couldn’t disappoint her.
He was trapped by her feelings. And he hated it.
He'd seen how much effort went into this love confession, and for what?
Now he was forced to break her heart and see her cry her gorgeous eyes out over her unrequited feelings.
Adrien knew for sure she wouldn't hate him. He wasn't scared of her reproaches because he knew there wouldn't be any. There wouldn't be hard feelings on her part. He knew Marinette so well.
Still, she would be heartbroken. There would be waterfalls of tears, months of sleepless nights, and forever-ruined self-esteem.
No, he couldn't do this to her. His heart clenched painfully at the thought of inflicting this on her.
Apart from being super clumsy and tongue-tied around him, Marinette was a cheerful and easy-going girl. She loved her life, her school, her parents, her friends, and her hobbies. She loved him.
Watch her become a pale shadow of the happy girl he knew and know that it was him who'd ruined her life?
She didn't deserve it. Not from someone she held so dear.
“Plagg, what should I do?” Adrien blurted out.
Only being on the verge of utter despair could make him ask this glutton for love advice.
Plagg nearly choked on the big hunk of Camembert he was treating himself to.
“Do you ask me? Me, almighty god of destruction?” he asked incredulously.
“It's not like I have too many options. Who else do I ask? Father? Nathalie? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.”
“Why don't you ask your best buddy then?” Plagg scoffed.
“Nino won't understand. He's never been in my shoes.”
“Me neither. I know nothing about romance. I can list all sorts of cheese, including those you've never heard a name of. But romance? I'm not qualified to answer these kinds of questions. Human relationships are rocket science to me.”
“But you've probably seen any of your previous holders go through something similar.” Adrien was definitely clutching at straws.
“Let me remind you, kid, that dating is a relatively new concept. Back in the days, people just courted each other, then got engaged, then married. The experience previous generations have gathered won't help you in any way.”
Adrien felt like pulling his hair out. Plagg seemed to finally take pity on him. He sighed and put away his cheese.
“Okay, kid, what's bothering you so much?”
“I feel… trapped.” Adrien started slowly, weighing every word. “I—I feel like I'm being forced into a relationship against my will.”
“Then start a relationship of your own will for all I care.”
Adrien shook his head slightly.
“But I'm not sure I want to start it.”
“Then don't start it, goddammit!”
“But I don't want to break Marinette's heart!”
“Then don't break it.”
Adrien let out a groan of exasperation.
“Plagg, you're not being helpful!”
“I thought I'd told you I'm not an expert in romance.”
“And I thought you were a wise deity, wise enough to help me at least a tiny bit.”
Plagg sighed.
“You mortals always make such a big deal out of love. Why waste your mental energy on romance when there are so many sorts of cheese you haven't tried yet?”
He was about to resume his cheese feast, but Adrien's puppy eyes watching him expectantly made him reconsider his plans.
“Okay, let's view it from a different angle. What makes you think you're being forced into dating Pigtails? Is saying “no” even an option?”
“Of course it is.”
“What happens if you say ‘no’? Will the world end?"
“Of course not! Marinette will just feel heartbroken. I don't wish this on her.”
“If you care so much about her mental state, then why don't you say “yes”?”
This question took Adrien by surprise. He stared at Plagg for a long minute, not knowing what to say.
Meanwhile, Plagg didn't waste his time. He munched on his cheese a little before he went on.
“Tell me one thing, kid. Would dating Pigtails be so bad?"
That was something Adrien hadn't given much thought to until this very moment. Once asked directly, he had to admit that dating Marinette per se didn't look like a bad idea. In fact, he could easily see himself enjoying it. Marinette was the sweetest girl he knew: funny, cute, creative, pretty, beautiful even.
He could clearly see them both going out on movie dates, eating André's ice cream, meeting each other before classes and then entering the school hand in hand, and having movie nights.
He would walk her home after school, help her in her parents’ bakery, watch her work on her sewing projects, and even model for her.
It was so wonderful in his head. It'd be a thousand times more wonderful in real life if not for one thing.
“No, of course not,” Adrien eventually admitted. “I think it would be nice.”
“Then why feel so restless at the mere prospect of dating her?”
“You know that pretty well, Plagg. I'm in love with Ladybug, that's why. Dating another girl means betrayal.”
“Then why don't you date Ladybug?”
“Aren't you done with dumb questions yet?” Adrien scoffed. “She's in love with someone else.”
“Does she date the person she's in love with?” The implacable Plagg went on.
Adrien scratched the back of his neck.
“I don't really know. She doesn't tell me much about her civilian life. But it doesn't look like they're together.”
“And why aren't they together?”
“How am I supposed to know that? That person might not love her back.” Adrien had to make a pause to swallow a lump in his throat. The mere thought that someone who his lady was in love with didn't love her back seemed surreal. “Or she probably just didn't tell that boy how she felt.” Yeah, that seemed more plausible.
“Do you think he'd date her if she confessed?”
“Why so many questions about Ladybug's love life? What does it all have to do with my predicament?”
“It's me who asks questions here,” Plagg shot back. “Answer!”
Adrien didn't need to ponder his answer.
“Of course he would. He must be an idiot to reject Ladybug.” Adrien would date Ladybug in a heartbeat if she'd only want him.
“Even if he supposedly doesn't love her back?” Plagg asked sarcastically.
“Even then. He must see what a fantastic girl she is. I'm sure he would fall in love eventually. There's no way he wouldn't.” Adrien felt his hands ball into fists by their own will at the thought.
Plagg let out a screeching laugh, his whiskers shaking slightly as he laughed.
“What's so funny?” Adrien asked, baffled.
“Nothing, I just choked on the cheese crumbs.” The annoying cackling went on and on. Adrien's patience started wearing thin.
“Is Marinette amazing enough to you?” Plagg asked suddenly with his normal voice, as if he weren't just laughing his silly head off.
Adrien gulped, a deep crimson flush colouring the apples of his cheeks.
What a dumb question! Of course, Marinette was amazing; there was no denying it! Her sweet smile, her shiny black hair, and her pink glossy lips flashed in front of his inner eyes. The way his heart fluttered like a candlelight in the wind didn't escape him.
Not to mention her heart of gold, her silvery laugh, her warm hands, her cute—
“Earth to Adrien!” He was mercilessly pulled out of his reverie by Plagg reminding him he still had a question to answer.
“Yes, she's fantastic,” he finally admitted out loud.
Yes, she was fantastic. He just hadn't considered her as his potential love interest. She was his friend, that's all. But how does he explain this to Plagg?
“Then date her,” Plagg went on. “You told me a minute ago that dating her would be nice.”
“But I can't pretend to be in love when I'm not!”
“Who says you have to pretend? Be honest about your feelings. She was honest with you. I think you owe her honesty in return.”
“But what if I never fall in love with her?”
Plagg rolled his eyes.
“Listen, kid, aren't you making too big of a deal? You're not marrying her. It's just dating. It's not that deep.”
Adrien combed his palm through his hair.
“Yeah, you're right. I think I'm overreacting. All in all, you think I should date her, right?”
“I didn't say that. I said, “Date her if you find it nice,” Plagg corrected.
“Doesn't make much difference,” Adrien chuckled. “But what if she doesn't want me when I tell her I'm not in love with her?”
“Then you two won't date. The end.”
“But it'll break Marinette's heart!” Adrien cried desperately.
“Kid, I thought you'd just told me you absolutely can't pretend to be in love.”
“I did, but…”
“No ‘buts.’. You either pretend to be in love (which you can't do) or you tell her the truth about your feelings and act according to her reaction. If these options don't suit you, I'm washing my hands.”
Adrien mulled over this.
Maybe there was happiness within his reach waiting for him to take it.
A simple, quiet happiness enclosed in a sweet petite girl he grew to know and appreciate.
Maybe her love alone would be enough. Maybe it could make it all worth it.
God knows how much Adrien needed and wanted to be loved.
Every day he watched Alya and Nino be lovey-dovey with each other, pepper each other with kisses, share inside jokes, tell each other their secrets, and make each other laugh, and every time he nearly burst with yearning for love.
He wanted a love like this. More than anything.
If there was a person full of such love to give him, it was Marinette.
Why not take something that life offers you on a silver platter?
Of course, it was a bit selfish.
Of course, he would do his best to not take Marinette's love for granted.
If he were constantly bombarded with love, then who knows, maybe he could accumulate enough love to give it back.
The realization that, after all, he didn't have to break Marinette's heart felt like a pair of strong wings fluttering behind his back, ready to carry him.
As if a swarm of luminescent fireflies filled up his stomach, his chest, him as a whole, rushing through his veins and warming him from the inside.
“Thank you, Plagg! You're a lifesaver,” Adrien murmured, the tears of gratitude welling up in his emerald green eyes.
“Anytime, kid,” Plagg responded through the mouthful of cheese.