Red Strings And Markers

t w o

Ladybug had no feelings for him whatsoever and on top of that, she had feelings for someone else. He didn't know what to feel and he didn't know how to respond. Should he give up on her? Should he try to find love with someone else?

Whatever did run through Adrien's mind, it had him tossing and turning throughout the whole night. In the dead hours of the night, several messages in messy, runny pink ink traced his arm.

"Chat... I'm sorry, please..."

In one end, he was happy to hear from his lady in the middle of the night. It meant that she was thinking of him. On the other end, she was one of the last people he wanted to talk to in the middle of the night.

Adrien ran two fingers across his forearm, erasing the message before settling down into a fitful sleep.

Marinette was a mess. She had gotten home after she had left the Eiffel Tower and checked her phone, seeing she had received a message from Alya.

"Marinette, you would never believe it! I found who my red string is tied to! And guess what? It's Nino!" There were many more messages that explained exactly how they found out and what they're planning on doing tomorrow after school, to commemorate their finding each other.

Marinette didn't know what it was, but she broke down in tears after reading Alya's message. She was happy for her friend's happiness, but deep down, Marinette was jealous.

She was a high school student and many people have started to find who their red strings were tied to. Myléne and Ivan had found out their strings were tied years ago, whenever she first became Ladybug. Not so long ago, Rose found that her red string tied her with Prince Ali, a prince from the Kowar Kingdom. And now Alya found who her red string was tied to.

"She's just going to end up an old lady, all by herself with a bunch of cats."

Marinette remembered the horrible words that Chloé told her earlier that day. Usually whenever Chloé bullies Marinette, she ignores her commentary, going on about her day.

However it was on this particular night, that her words hit her and they hit - hard.

The next morning, Marinette had been late to school. She overslept because after her emotions got the best of her, regret ate at her as she remembered the words she told Chat the previous night.

Seconds after she finished writing, her ink disappeared from her arm and her sobs racked her body. She waited for a response from him the whole night, eventually, crying herself to sleep.

When Marinette entered the classroom late, all eyes were on her, but she didn't want anyone to look at her. Not even the green pair of eyes she loved to look at. Professor Bustier was barely taking attendance and she scolded Marinette for being late, but Marinette only bowed her head and apologized quietly, before shuffling to her seat.

Adrien noticed that Marinette's eyes were pink and swollen, bags under her eyes. He wondered if she had been crying. He wasn't the only one who noticed though.

"Aw, look. She's late because she stayed up all night, looking for the red thread that lead her to her true love... Only to find it lead to no one!" Chloé laughed arrogantly, Sabrina joining into her banter.

Marinette had barely sat down and Alya was about to retort something back to Chloé, when Marinette stood up abruptly, walking out of the classroom, a fresh set of tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Chloé Bourgeois! Bullying will not be tolerated in my classroom! Go to Mr. Damocles' office, at once." Professor Bustier spoke after Marinette ran out of the room. Chloé gave a shocked gasp, standing and slamming her fist on the table.