Chapter Text
‘I can do this, I can do this,’ was Marinette’s mantra all day. It was something she wanted to do for a while now. She was going to ask Adrien to come over to her house. So far the only times he’d come over had been due to school activities (and the time her Uncle came to visit). Today however she was going to ask him to come over not for homework, but to play video games.
Marinette didn’t do it in the morning, that was usually when Chloé attacked him and Nino and him had their bro time. She wouldn’t interrupt ritual bro time, and as for Chloé, she was trying not to antagonize the blonde when it wasn’t necessary. Instead Marinette waited until they were all getting up for their lunch break.
“H-hey Adrien,” Marinette went down the step, standing beside Adrien’s desk. He looked up at her and smiled and not for the first time Marinette felt her heart skip a beat. How did he have no idea how he affected her so?
“Oh, hey there Marinette,” was his reply. Did his eyes sparkle or was that in her mind?
“I w-was wondering,” she started and noticed his head tilt in that adorable fashion. Her mind supplied the image of a curious cat, but she quickly squashed that thought. “Did you want to come over to play Mecha Strike or some other games?”
She did it! Marinette asked Adrien to come over! She was so proud of herself right now. She was pretty sure Tikki was proud of her too. When Alya heard she’d also be proud. This was a proud moment in Marinette’s life.
“I’d like to,” Adrien said, and Marinette felt her heartbeat race. “But I can’t.” And suddenly it’s plummeted. “I have extra piano lessons after class today.”
“Oh, well, maybe some other time?” Marinette would keep that smile plastered on her face.
Adrien nodded in what Marinette thought was an enthusiastic fashion. “Sure thing.”
And that was how Marinette did not get Adrien to come over to her house. She was a little disappointed, but overall it was a good conversation. Adrien had a prior commitment and Marinette understood that his schedule was busy. She was encouraged to try again in the near future.
It was those thoughts that sustained Ladybug in battle, her day neatly being pulled off track by an akuma. Chat Noir and she were able to corner the newest of Hawk Moth’s victims after about a half hour of battle. When finally Snack Attack was defeated using a plastic coat hanger, it was only an hour since school had gotten out.
One fist bump later, and a double checking that the victim was going to be able to get themselves back home, Ladybug was looking for a nice hidden place to detransform. She was in the wrong arrondissement and would have to let Tikki charge up to get herself back home. Either that or take the Metro, but Ladybug could get there a lot sooner.
She was feeding Tikki in an alleyway, about to walk onto the sidewalk when she noticed a familiar figure walking by. Was that Adrien?
There was no reason for Adrien to be in this part of Paris, not if he had piano practice. Yet there he was smiling to himself, walking casually by, occasionally looking into shop windows. She caught him plucking at the front of his over shirt more than once as well.
Adrien Agreste was wandering around as though he hadn’t a care in the world and Marinette didn’t understand why. Why would he tell her he couldn’t come over? Unless? And Marinette’s heart sank as the idea wormed it’s way into her mind. Adrien had lied to her.
Marinette did not watch where Adrien went, but rather ran the opposite way down the alley asking her kwami every few moments if she was finished with her cookie. When Tikki finally confirmed she was done Marinette transformed once more and quickly flung herself back home.
It is only once she is safely at home and knowing her parents wouldn't bother her for a while before Marinette let’s herself really feel. Adrien Agreste, the amazing, wonderful, kindhearted (and not too bad looking) classmate of hers, who she had a not so minor crush on, had lied to her. Lied so he did not have to spend time with her. Lied casually to her.
Adrien lied.
It was something she was having trouble dealing with, pacing back and forth on the floor. Tikki watched her for several minutes at the desk before speaking up. “Maybe, maybe he had a reason to lie to you Marinette?”
“Yeah, because he didn’t want to come over,” Marinette retorted as she spun on her heels, her hands slightly tugging on her pigtails.
“Marinette, you don’t know that,” Tikki tried to remind her in a gentle tone.
“Then what possible reason could he have for lying Tikki?” Marinette stopped her pacing and looked at the kwami. Part of her wanting her small friend to give her a reason to hope. She desperately needed it.
Tikki though lowered her eyes, away from Marinette’s gaze and sick triumph swelled into her being. Adrien lied and it broke her heart.
The next morning started like most did for Marinette, hitting her snooze button one too many times and rushing through her morning routine. She barely had time to eat her breakfast, let alone think about the last night's revelation.
It didn’t hit her until she was scrambling to get into class and saw Adrien sitting there, talking to Nino. Suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks. She gulped and blinked quickly. She was not going to get upset over this. He lied to her, Adrien lied, but he was still a kind, generous, sweet guy. That was the problem!
She walked over, holding her hand out in a small wave. “Morning Nino, Adrien.”
Once she got over to her desk she shared with Alya, she directed all her attention on Alya, asking her quickly before Alya could start the conversation, if she got anything new from yesterday’s akuma battle. This started Alya right off and the conversation stayed with things pertaining to the Ladyblog until class started.
For the next two days Marinette feels waves of heat and cold hit her each time she sees Adrien. She always smiles friendly to him, greeting him shortly before going on with what she was doing. She didn’t linger, she didn’t try (and fail) to talk to him. She did the bare minimum to be nice and pleasant.
Marinette thought she was doing good hiding her distress over this. Adrien didn’t act like he noticed the difference and that was both a relief and a burden. Marinette couldn’t have interacted with him currently, the wound was still too raw. On the other hand, she thought he saw her as a better friend than this. Did he not care for her even a little bit?
“Okay girl, what’s going on,” Alya asked on the third morning when they were outside the school.
Marinette blinked unsure of what her best friend was asking. “Going on?”
“With you and,” Alya leaned in just a little. “And Adrien.”
“There’s nothing going on! You know that,” Marinette said with a little frown on her lips. Alya sighed extravagantly and it hits her what Alya means. “If you mean my crush, I… I guess I’m just over him.”
Alya looked at Marinette like she grew a second head. “Got over him?” Alya’s voice rose. “How could you just like… I mean you… Marinette!”
Alya was a good friend, a dear friend, Marinette would have loved to explain it to Alya, because the truth was she wasn’t completely over Adrien, but there was no way she could explain the real situation. Instead she gave her friend a small smile. “I guess I just, well, can’t see a future with him.”
And that was the truth.
Adrien after all had lied to her.
~~~
Something was different. Adrien wasn’t sure when it happened but something was different and he didn’t like it one bit. He felt like he was back to his first day of class. When everyone distrusted him because of his friendship with Chloé and Marinette thought he was responsible for putting gum on her seat.
They were passed that though. It was long since become history. But here he was feeling like he was there once again with her. Granted Marinette wasn’t ignoring him and dissing him. Yet he still felt like she was avoiding him and by and large only being polite with him.
He wasn’t even sure how to deal with the situation. He was still new to the whole having friends thing. It was with these heavy thoughts he sat waiting for his partner.
“You seem lost in thought,” Ladybug said after she landed beside Chat Noir.
Looking up, Chat Noir smiled at his lady, but the smile did not reach his eyes. “It’s nothing much.”
“Are you sure,” Ladybug asked as she sat down. “If you don’t want to talk about it that’s fine, but I’m here to listen if you need me to.”
Ladybug and his friendship was an odd one. They were partners first and foremost. They fought beside each other, watching each other's back, and celebrate victories together. On some nights they went out for patrol. The excuse was to see if they could find any clues about Hawk Moth, but they both knew the truth, it was a way to get to see and talk to each other outside of battle. Patrol was to strengthen their partnership while also getting a chance to be in costume without a crisis. It was practice in a way.
They usually though tried to avoid too much about their personal lives.
Adrien needed a friend he could talk to, and Ladybug seemed willing to listen. “I think I have a friend that’s upset with me.”
“You think? You don’t know?” Ladybug asked cocking her head in a way to indicate she was listening to him.
“I don’t. She hasn’t said anything is wrong, but it seems like she’s avoiding me. She’s not being… cruel or anything… just, I don’t know, distant.” Chat Noir wish he had a better way to explain it to her.
Ladybug tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Is there anything you’ve done recently that she might have taken the wrong way?”
Once more the thought of the gum incident fluttered in his mind, but that wasn’t the reason he knew. He sighed and frowned in thought. “I’ve been awful busy lately. A lot of extra curricular activities.”
Ladybug smirked at her partner. “And this one being the most time consuming.”
He didn’t know if she meant the whole super hero gig or just patrols, but the answer was still the same. “And totally worth it.”
His lady’s smirk broadened into a true smile for a moment before she spoke up again. “Is there a way to finagle some time to hang out with your friend? If they’re feeling neglected…” Ladybug left the rest up in the air with a shrug.
Chat Noir gave a thoughtful nod. “If I can’t try to make time for my friends I’m not much of a friend myself. I’ll figure something out soon.”
Jumping up on his feet, Chat Noir took up Ladybug’s hand, assisting her up, then kissing her knuckles. There was no way she didn’t see it coming. “Thank you.”