Chapter Text
“We need to break up,” The words were so foreign to Adrien that he didn’t understand the words at first. When the words finally penetrated his skull he felt his heart sink into his stomach. He and Marinette had been dating for several months, and all had seemed blissful to Adrien. There had been nothing wrong with their relationship. In fact, the two were seen as the school’s power couple, practically inseparable from each other.
It had all started about 6 months ago when Adrien had asked Marinette out after his alter ego had been rejected by Ladybug for the thousandth time. He had been pursuing Ladybug since they had become partners, but it was clear that there was someone else that Ladybug cared for. Something inside Adrien snapped as he realized that his pursuit of Ladybug was pointless. No matter how hard he pushed she would never seem him as anything more than a partner. So he had moved on. He let his heart let go of any feelings he might have had for ladybug, and when he did he realized that he also had feelings for someone else-- Marinette. He had never noticed his feelings for her before, but without Ladybug taking all of his heart’s attention it was there as plain as day. When she entered the classroom, Adrien would feel his heart do somersaults. Every time she smiled or even breathed it felt like she had taken his heart away. The way he felt for Marinette felt very similar for the way he had once felt for Ladybug, but it was also entirely different. Where his feelings for Ladybug had been a constant fire raging in his soul, his feelings for Marinette felt like they were coming out of nowhere. An explosion that threatened to take over his body and soul. There was still a piece of his heart that would love his partner of 4 years, but he had fallen for another dark haired beauty. It was like he was about to reach a breaking point if he didn’t ask her out soon.
Yet Adrien knew he needed to be cautious, After the rejection he had faced from Ladybug he was afraid to face it again. So he tried to hold off his feelings for Marinette, but it didn’t work. Every day he would come to class only to lose control of his mind as it was again consumed by the thought of Marinette. One day the thoughts were too consuming. It was lunch and he was sitting with Nino, Alya and-- of course-- Marinette. Nino and Alya were busy fighting or flirting about something. It was hard to tell with the two of them sometimes, plus Adrien was too busy trying to avoid dissolving into putty whenever Marinette glanced his way. In one moment their eyes connected and Adrien felt a current of electricity flow through his body. She held his gaze for a moment before looking away, her cheeks slightly flushed. How the hell does she look so cute when she is embarrassed? Adrien questioned to himself. Her palm was pressed up against her neck as she looked at the ground with a conviction to not look at Adrien. All of her conviction was for naught when two seconds later her eyes quickly flitted towards Adrien and away again.
That was the moment that made Adrien crack. Before his brain even processed what he was doing the words fell out of his mouth, “Marinette will you go out with me?” He felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest with anxiety. He looked at those sitting at his table of the table. Marinette was frozen in place, as if she had become a statue. Her eyes locked on Adrien. Alya’s mouth was hanging open, whatever she had been saying would never be completed. She was staring at Marinette expectantly, as if Alya already knew the answer. Nino, in turn, was looking at Adrien with his eyes squinted in confusion. He could almost hear nino mumbling ‘bro’ under his breath.
Adrien turned his eyes back to Marinette, who looked like she would need an electric shock to bring her back life at this point. Everyone at the table was silent, waiting for Marinette’s answer. In turn the girl simply sat there, no doubt completely embarrassed. As the silence stretched on Adrien began to regret asking the question more and more. What if she rejects me just like Ladybug rejected Chat? What if this is my curse, to be rejected by the girls I love? Adrien thought to himself. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling his face turn a shade of pink. Alya eyed Adrien and must have picked up on his uncomfortableness because she quickly nudged Marinette, bringing the girl back to reality.
“I-I-I-I-I” Marinette tried to say something, but she sounded like a broken record that had gotten stuck on one track. Alya nudged Marinette again, harder this time, and finally Marinette was able to speak. “I would love to,” She replied. A smile spread across her face, cheeks still flushed.
They had gone on their first date that night. They went to the park for a picnic, Nino and Alya grinning at the two of them the entire date. The two spent the date feeling uncomfortable the whole time as it felt like two cheshire cats were grinning at them over a pile of potato salad. So Adrien and Marinette tried again the following night, this time alone. They went to an art museum where Marinette jumped excitedly from picture to picture, and Adrien hardly looked at anything besides Marinette the whole night. By their third date Adrien kissed her for the first time. After they kissed he thought that Marinette’s soul was going to leave her body. She seemed so flustered Adrien thought he might have permanently broken her. As they went on more and more dates, Adrien found himself falling more and more for Marinette. By their sixth date-- baking cookies at her family’s bakery-- Adrien had completely forgotten about Ladybug.
He still fought akumas with Ladybug, and was still happy to fight side by side with his partner. However, all of his flirtatious antics were gone. He stopped looking in awe at Ladybug, and started seeing her as nothing more than a colleague. As his distance from Ladybug grew, so did his love for Marinette. He was happy. It was a new kind of happiness that he hadn’t felt before. Everything seemed perfect, and he thought that their relationship would last forever. That is, he thought it would last forever until the day that Marinette broke up with him.
She had been distant all day, Adrien had just chalked it up to the fact that she had been up all night working on her latest design project. When she said she wanted to talk to him, he thought nothing of it. Until she said those fateful words. “We need to break up.” She announced. Adrien felt his breath leave his lungs.
“I don’t.... Understand,” I replied. He felt broken, why would Marinette want to break up. The two of them had been so happy.
Marinette sighed, there was pain in her eyes. “Adrien I just don’t think this is working. I feel like I’m faking my way through this relationship, and I don’t want to do that to you.”
“What do you mean Marinette? Was it something I said? Was it something I did? Just tell me and I’ll apologize, and I’ll never do it again.” He replied, desperate to save their relationship. Even as he said those words he knew there was nothing to be done. Her heart was no longer his.
“No you didn’t do anything wrong. You are amazing Adrien,” She placed her hand on his cheek, “My heart just doesn’t feel right being with you.” There were tears in her eyes. Adrien felt like he was being torn apart. He gave her a dejected look as she removed her hand from his cheek. Adrien felt tears come to his eyes as she turned to walk away.
“Marinette wait,” He called after her and she stopped to look at him. “Is it... Is there someone else?” Adrien asked.
Marinette didn’t respond for the longest time. When she did her voice sounded broken and unsure. “Yes, but he doesn’t know I like him.”
Adrien sighed sadly, “Do you mind if I ask who it is that captured your heart?” He didn’t expect an answer, as again Marinette was silent. Yet she did respond, obviously she still trusted Adrien enough to tell him.
“Chat Noir,” She replied, “I like Chat Noir.”