Miraculous Reveals and More (A collection of One-Shots)

Criss Crossed (1056 words)

Marinette flings her book bag onto her bed; it makes a thud against the wall before settling on her mattress. Tikki flies out of her purse, "Is this about what happened at school?" She asks as Marinette stomps around her room.

She covers her face with her hands, "Rejected!" She muffles her own scream, "I actually get the courage to ask Adrien out for a date, and he rejects me flat out." She flops down on her bed and groans into her comforter.

"Maybe he was just busy, don't look too far into it." Tikki chirps, patting Marinette on the shoulder.

She turns her head to look at her Kwami, "He had that look, you know?" She mumbles.

"What look?"

She sighs, "Guilt. Guilt in that if he went out with me, he would be letting himself or someone else down." Tikki still looks at her with slight confusion. "He's in love with someone else!" She says in defeat, knowing that look all too well because it's the one she gives Chat every time he says he loves Ladybug.

"Oh, Marinette, it might not be like that." She tries to comfort her but knows there's not really anything she can do.

Pushing up from her bed, she sniffles, "Let's go on patrol, I can't just lay here all day." She lets out a weak smile. "Tikki, transform me" she says without the usual energy, just going through the motions.

She swings out of her window and into the city. Zipping from roof to roof, she keeps an eye out for trouble on the streets below while also letting the sweet spring air wash over her, helping her clear her mind.

After a while, she settles down on a roof across from the Eiffel Tower, watching the sun set behind it. Even with the beautiful view, her mind wanders back to Adrien. She pulls her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

'Of course he likes someone else, he's practically got every girl in Paris to choose from. It's so embarrassing, I'm sure Chloe will have something to say about me tomorrow.' She rests her head on her knees. 'I'm so stupid.'

"Is something the matter, M'lady?" Chat appears behind her, immediately taking a seat to her left.

She turns her head to the right, not wanting him to see her in such a state of melancholy.

When she doesn't respond, real concern comes over Chat. "What's wrong? Do you want to talk about it?" He puts an arm around her shoulders, gently rubbing her shoulder in attempt to soothe her.

She lets out a chuckle beneath her breath, "I'll just be preaching to the choir." She remarks, lifting her face to reveal slightly puffy eyes from unshed tears.

He pulls her closer, "Try me." He prompts encouragingly.

'Yeah sure, why not' she thinks to herself, knowing, at the very least, by the end of the conversation, he'll know why she's turned him down so many times. "So, there's this guy,"

"Let me stop you right there." Chat interrupts, "Did this 'guy' hurt you, because if he did..."

She laughs, "Nothing like that. It's not his fault." She says truthfully, "I was just... stupid."

"You are not stupid. You are the most brilliant person I know, and I know a lot of people." He testifies, gesturing over the city below.

She rolls her eyes out of habit, but she can't help but say "Thanks." She rolls the memory around in her mind. "It's just that, I asked the guy if he wanted to catch a movie together sometime, like as a date, and he just gives me this look in that I know his answer before he even gets me with the 'Oh, well, I'm flattered, but I'm not really looking for a relationship right now'" the memory strikes a chord in her, saying it out loud. "Again, it's not his fault, but I just feel like the biggest idiot ever. I was so embarrassed." She puts her head back in her knees, unaware of the gaping look Chat is giving her.

His arm drops from her shoulder, "M-M'lady," he stammers, losing his usual ease with words, "is that exactly what you and the guy said?" He pushes.

She shrugs, wondering why it matters, "Yeah, it has been replaying in my head all afternoon." She responds, not bothering to lift her head.

Chat has gone silent except for the loud thudding in his ears as his heart beats faster. Wondering what the unusual silence was about, Ladybug turns her head to face him, her eyebrows furrowing at his completely dumbfounded expression. "Are you okay?" She asks, wondering if her words can get past his trance like state.

He blinks several times, coming back to himself. "I'm the idiot." He says breathlessly, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'm sorry I'm an idiot; I'm sorry about school today; I'm sorry I hadn't realized sooner." He leans forward, taking one of her hands in his. "I'm so sorry, Marinette."

She tears her hand from his and scooches away from him to regain her personal space. "What? Who? I-I don't know who..." she tries to cover nervously, unsuccessfully.

He laughs at her reaction, "Mari, it's okay! Please," he extends a hand to her which she cautiously takes, leading her back to him. "I know who you are because..." he twists his ring, causing his suit to peel away before her eyes, leaving Adrien next to her, "I was the other half of that conversation."

"ADRIEN?!" She covers her face in her hands, "I'm dreaming, I have to be dreaming, or hallucinating, I knew I should've eaten something before going on patrol." She peeks at Adrien from the side of her eye, "This can't be real."

She feels an arm around her shoulders, leaning her into him, he rests her head on his shoulder and eases her hands from her face, "Marinette, M'lady?" She looks up at his shining green eyes; she could have sworn that they were misty with tears. "If you can find it in your heart to forgive me for earlier, I would like to revise my answer to your movie date inquiry."

Without hesitation, she throws her arms around him as if she'd never let go.