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A Step at a Time	By : Cat_Eyes Category: +M through R > Miraculous LadyBug Views: 4022 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug. Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Thomas Astruc and released by Zag studios. No profit was made writing this story.

Chapter List
- 13
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Adrien's focus drifted away from Madame Mendeleiev's lecture and wandered back to Marinette's and Alya's whispered conversation. He didn't know what to do - Marinette's crush had been confirmed by Alya, then Marinette said she just wanted to be friends. He should have addressed the issue when they'd had that conversation, but he was just too relieved she was talking to him again, he didn't think of mentioning it.
He supposed Marinette knew he wasn't interested in her romantically, or she would have told him something other than she wanted to just be friends. Adrien felt bad for her. He knew the pain of unrequited love, so he couldn't hold her actions against her. He knew as well as anyone that a person can't help how they feel.
He sighed inwardly and thought he would have to speak with her directly, to turn her down properly so she could have the closure she needed to move on.
He tried to talk to her after school, but a sudden explosion in the distance, quickly followed by the sound of sirens, thwarted his plans. Ducking between a poster bollard and a tree, he transformed and headed toward the commotion.

It was an akuma, though an easily defeated one. Ladybug bumped her fist against Chat Noir's before swinging away, claiming she had left an important engagement prior to the attack. Chat Noir nodded and waved farewell, thinking that she had looked a little sad today.
Detransforming in the Metro, Adrien fed a grumpy Plagg, and thought about Marinette. She looked a little sad, too, though she hid it well. It was only when she thought no one could see did she allow her smile to drop. Guilt churned his stomach, he didn't want to make Marinette any sadder than she already was.
Adrien bit his lip and told himself to be a man. He owed it to Marinette, to Ladybug, and to himself to tell her how he felt. He walked the streets, Plagg sleeping in his bag, rehearsing what he would say to her.
'Good afternoon, Marinette. Would you join me for a coffee, please? No, I sound like one of Father's business partners asking someone on a date. Hey, Marinette. Could I speak with you for a moment? No, that sounds like she's in trouble.'
Adrien was distracted by the sight of Ladybug descending from the rooftops across the road. He watched as she snuck behind a car and was surprised by a flash of pink light before she walked, detransformed, in the opposite direction.
'Marinette?'

Adrien hadn't slept and it showed. Gabriel took one look at him at breakfast, sighed, and emailed Nathalie to postpone his shoot.
'After the day we had yesterday, what's one more delay?' he asked in a resigned tone.
At school, Nino's eyes widened before he asked, 'Dude, are you ok?'
Adrien attempted a reassuring smile, but quickly gave up. 'Yeah, just a rough night,' he dismissed.
Nino didn't mention it again, to Adrien's relief.
All day, all Adrien could think about were the things he had been going to say to Marinette. It made him want to slam his head against his desk. He felt like the worst kind of idiot. Guilt gnawed at him - how could he claim to love Ladybug when he didn't even recognise her civilian face, then tell her he was rejecting her for her? Realisation struck him then, hard and merciless. Marinette's crush on him, then how Ladybug had been crying over a boy.
'Oh, no. What have I done?' he moaned quietly.

Keenly aware of Marinette's presence behind him all day had exhausted Adrien. Once he got home, he flopped onto his couch and lay there, hoping for the sweet oblivion of sleep. It was elusive, however, as Adrien's thoughts hounded him.
'Plagg,' he wailed pitifully, 'help me.'
Plagg floated over and hovered above his face. 'Isn't that what the shrink is for?' he asked.
'Not when it comes to superhero identities.'
'Fine. What's eating you?' Plagg settled on his stomach, his pose imitating Joseph's.
'I've always thought I loved Ladybug,' Adrien began. 'I thought it was absolute and unconditional. I've always thought I loved the girl under the mask, too, just as much.' Adrien took a deep, shuddering breath to steady himself.
'So, you don't like her now?' Plagg asked.
'I don't know,' Adrien exclaimed. 'I don't know Marinette at all. How can I say I love Ladybug when I don't know the other side of her? I like her as a friend, she's sweet, cute, and bold. She loves fashion, the colour pink, and her friends and family. But that's not enough to love someone
'I know Ladybug. She's brave, selfless, quick-witted, and she loves this city. I know what she'll do in any given situation. I can see how she thinks, I know her every nuance. How did I not know her?'
Plagg moved to curl up under Adrien's chin. 'Seems to me you just need to get to know Miss Pigtails,' he suggested.
'It's not that simple,' Adrien argued softly. 'I like half of her; she only likes half of me. She wanted to keep our identities private, now I know who she is.
'I still love Ladybug, but I just feel like it's all superficial now. I was going to turn Marinette down. For her.'
'Wasn't her love just as shallow?' Plagg asked.
'I suppose it was, but I can't be angry with her for it, that would be hypocritical. We've both made the same mistake, falling for one aspect of each other.'
'Yeah, you were both stupid,' Plagg agreed. 'But the solution is simple. Get to know her. Spend time with her as Marinette and Adrien, reach out and talk with her. The better you get to know her, the easier it'll be to figure out your feelings.
'Take your time, too, this isn't a race. Let a friendship grow organically, you don't want to scare her away by suddenly being around her every waking moment. If, later on, you realise you still love her, then you should tell her that.'
Adrien nodded along, glad for some practical advice. 'Wait,' he said as a thought came to him. 'What do I say to Ladybug about knowing who she is?'
'Firstly, stop thinking of them as two separate entities. Secondly, honesty is always the best policy. Imagine how she's react if she found out you had kept your knowledge of her identity from her.
'She won't like that you found out, but so long as you don't go and flirt with her as Chat Noir all the time, and promise to never use her real name in suit, she'll deal with it.'
Adrien grimaced, not liking that solution. However, lying to her was even less appealing. Reaching a decision, he said, 'right. Get to know Marinette, and tell Ladybug I accidentally saw her transform.'
Satisfied with his loose plan, Adrien got up to get ready for bed.
- 13
- 14
- 15
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A Step at a Time