The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

When Will You Figure Me Out?

She watched his retreating back, after once again accidentally acting not enough like Ladybug around him. She let out a sigh. "Ah, Adrien. When will you figure me out?" And once again, Marinette Dupain-Cheng let her partner and love of her life go without a hint as to what she knows or who she is. Alya knew, as well as Nino, and patted her friend on the back, trying to comfort the girl.

He obviously didn't want her to be Ladybug, otherwise he might've connected the dots by now, pun not intended. Although he claimed he wouldn't care who she was under the mask, he must be blind. Or maybe it's because Marinette has always been there, just behind him, and he's convinced himself he hasn't met her yet.

"Hey, it's okay girl, he'll figure you out one day." Alya comforted her. Nino stood sadly by, disappointed in his bro and hopeful for his sis. The two of them had rooted for them to get together for years, yet only now the stakes were higher, because there was another ship involved. Ladynoir. The opportunities were maxed out, and so were the chances, if Adrien wasn't so blind.

"Guys, at this point, I should just give up. He hasn't caught on for months. Maybe I should let it go." Marinette sighed and rubbed her tired eyes. "Besides, I'm staying up too late to talk to him during patrol to leave hints, I'm literally falling asleep in class."

She gave her two friends a sad smile before heading off to class herself. Nino and Alya exchanged disappointed looks, both were rooting for Adrienette and Ladynoir, and with the identity reveal? Two ships with one stone! 

But Adrien refused to take a hint and see who she really was.

Marinette was giving up hope. She stared blankly at the teacher, attention on her dilemma. She was utterly in love with him, both sides of him, but he only loved the part of her that she wasn't. The part that she hated to be loved for. The part that was forever her burden. The part that prevented her from ever knowing in love was true. 

It was even possible that he loved the idea of love rather than her herself.

What did the teacher say again? Oh yeah, poems. Poems are boring. Poems are useless. Poems are never read. Poems... poems are outlets.

Marinette took out a pen and wrote a poem.

You ask who I am
Yet refuse to see
The person you're looking for
Is really just me.

A poem that held all her thoughts and emotions.

You long for a day
When we're together at last
But how can that happen
If you refuse to see past my mask?

A poem that held her insecurities.

I'm losing hope
Because you can't believe
Someone as great as her
Is just someone like me.

A poem that was a silent cry for help, for love, for him.

And I can barely take it
Watching you smile every day.
Are you really so blind
Or do you just want to see I'm okay?

A poem that would never be read.

When will you figure me out?
I'm leaving you every clue.
When will you figure me out?
Now I wonder if your love is true.
When will you figure me out?
Because every time I see you
When will you figure me out?
I can't help but feel a little more blue.

A poem that would get her nowhere.

~*~

A poem that would get her everywhere.

Sadly, they were told to read their poems out to the class. Some of their poems were plain weird, like Kim's (which was about a football doing a dare), others were heartwarmingly beautiful, like Rose's (which was obviously for Juleka), but only one was sad. And that was Marinette's. 

When she read it out, she had so much emotion in her voice, such pain that captured her classmates and the most emotional (Rose again) had tears in their eyes. Only two of the knew what she was talking about. Or...

(Class had ended, Marinette was slowly packing up her stuff when a blonde approached her.)

Make that three?

But it wasn't the blonde you might expect.

"Chloe?" Marinette blinked up at the fidgeting girl. "You... okay?"

"I'm... I'm sorry." She confessed, Marinette's mouth opening in shock. "I know I... haven't been the kindest, and I know that we've never really been friendly, at all. But, um, I'd like to thank you."

Marinette shook her head, trying to see if this was real. "F-for what?"

Chloe sighed, her grip on her handbag tightening. "For... for showing me how to be kind. You, as Marinette, and as... you know."

The blunette froze. "When... when did you figure it out?"

"The poem. I just connected the dots, you're practically identical. And... Adrien's... him, isn't he?" Chloe inquired, icy eyes watching Marinette droop and nod sadly. "Right. I just want you to know, he isn't the brightest when it comes to reading people. He only ever had me, and, well, you know how I am." A smile was brought to her face as Marinette chuckled. "He doesn't really see anything unless you outright tell him. And I know that it must be hard for you, but he really does love you. All of you. He just can't... see past your mask, see that you're as normal as he... he's not really normal though. But you get the point."

Marinette swallowed. "What do you mean... all of me?"

Chloe sighed. "He talks about you a lot. Most of the time he doesn't even realise, like it's subconscious. He looks up to you a lot, in fact. Your courage, kindness, talent. But, whenever I even mention that he might like you, he denies it and says 'I like someone else.' But I know him. And I know that starstruck look when you're standing up for yourself, for others." She offered a smile, which grew as Marinette returned it. "He just needs to see you as you. Mask on and off. It'll be better." She turned to leave when Marinette caught her wrist.

"Chloe, thank you. And, um... do you want to... give being friends a shot?" Marinette, sweet Marinette, smiled kindly. 

Chloe hadn't realised how nice it was to receive a smile instead of a scowl.

"Sure. But don't expect me to warm up so quickly to Alya." She noted, eyes gleaming with smug mischief.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"See you later, Nette!"

"...See you, Chlo!"

okay but i really want a chloe redemption thing now just imagine how awesome that would be like marinette would be all down and chloe would be like 'alright shopping therapy we're going to gabriels and then we're going to get our nails done and then we're going to go to the best cafe in paris, there's a really cute waiter there and i think he likes me so let's go i already called daddy to tell him to excuse us from school' i think that's my new friendship otp can we do this cool cool i need more friendship chlonette HA LOOK IT'S THEIR NICKNAMES TOGETHER WHO'S AWESOME THAT'S RIGHT ME

I MIGHT CONTINUE THIS JUST FOR SOME CHLONETTE BROTP RIGHT THERE CAN I JUST