Why I Shouldn't Have Done It | ✔️

Chapter 16

When I left the Agreste household, Adrien left to walk me home. The blonde sent me a soft smile as I looked up at him.

"Marinette, I just want to thank you," he stopped me, gently pulling my shoulder back. I turned around to listen what he had to say. "I know my father put you through a lot. You stayed strong and didn't show weakness. I admit, the fact that he kidnapped you was terrible and I promise that you will never have to go through something like that again. Now that Hawkmoth has what he's been looking for, there's not going to be another akuma we have to defeat. Thank you for everything."

"Wow Adrien! Thank you for being beside me through it all. I never could've dealt with any of this without you. Every akuma, fangirl, villain was never something that held me back and this was all because of you. I-I don't know what I could've done without you. Also... I'm glad you're my kitty. I never had the chance to tell you, but I don't think I would've wanted my Chat to be anyone different," I told him, my cheeks blushing. Looking at him, my breath fell short and I fell in love with Adrien Agreste all over again.

I had my kitty, my prince right beside me. I didn't want this to be any different. I looked into his beautiful green eyes. Oh, his green eyes. They were sign of nature and life growing through the cold snow, pushing through with the little warmth the sun had given them. They were the passionate dance of the grass blown in the wind. His smile was a powerful gift. It sent ripples of love through my heart like waves, shining sunlight and warmth. He was the one I loved, and he was my prince, my knight, my hero.

"And I couldn't be more proud to have Marinette Dupain Cheng, my princess as my lady," Adrien rubbed the back of his neck shyly as a light blush invaded his cheeks. His smile widened at me, causing more flutters in my chest. I leaned in to kiss him, as did he.

Everything around us seemed to drift away as it was just the two of us, standing in the darkness of the night as our lips connected. It had seemed as if he were the light I kept coming to, he were the sun and the sky that I kept falling into.

  • • •

The next morning, I was awaken by a squealing, excited blonde girl, "Marinette! You're okay! What happened?" I felt my bed rise and fall several times as Chloe crawled over to poke me.

I groaned tiredly in response, pulling a pillow over my head as I realized the sunlight from my window was hitting me directly in the face. "Sorry. Marinette is not available. Please leave a message at the tone. Beep," I croaked out from under my pillow, causing Chloe to giggle.

"Marinette, you can't lay here forever! It's almost lunchtime," Chloe pointed out, pulling the pillow off my head to show me the time. I groaned and pulled the pillow back down on my head.

"Come on! Let's go do something fun!" Chloe whined, poking my arm like a four-year old urging her mom to bring her to the bathroom.

Contemplating whether I should leave the warm comfort of my bed to do something with Chloe or just lie there was such a difficult decision in my lazy state. I was in such a sleepy mood, that I basically overlooked 95% of everything in my life.

"Want to get crepes?" Chloe asked, causing me to let out a short sigh.

With enough contemplation and decisiveness, I lazily dragged the pillow off my face and sat up. "Sure," I replied, causing Chloe to squeal more and pull me into a hug.

"Now get up! Let's go have some fun girl time!" She let go, and started descending the ladder from my bed. Rubbing my eyes, I shook away my exhaustion.
I followed her down the ladder.

Opening my drawer, I pulled some white shorts out. Chloe tossed me a soft blue cotton button-down shirt. Quickly, I slipped into the new clothing and threw the old on my bed. I neatly braided my hair to the side, leaving a few strands out. I pulled on white ballet flats.

The two of us descended the ladder to my family's living room from my trap door. "I got her up Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng!" Chloe exclaimed happily. My parents beamed in response and hugged both of us.

"Hey Marinette, your father has something to ask you," my mother told me, obviously on the verge of laughing.

My father's face wasn't exactly too serious while he asked me, "How do you make a tissue dance?"

I looked at Chloe with a sigh, and she shrugged in response, but there was an obvious smirk across her face.

"You put a little boogie in it!" He bursted out laughing, as well as my mother and Chloe. I groaned loudly, but laughed a little as well.

"Why the dad jokes?" I questioned, laughing.

After that, Chloe and I left to go shopping or something. I still heard people gasp and squeal wherever I went, and I would smile at them in response.

"Mommy, can I take a picture with Marinette?!" I heard a young girl ask her mother.

"Honey, I don't think Ladybug has time to take pictures with everyone. Let's go," she held her child's hand.

The two began to walk away, but I quickly transformed and caught up to them.

"I'll always have time to take pictures," I smiled. The girl looked at her mother with baby doll eyes, and the mother smiled in response.

"Of course! Go ahead and pose with Ladybug. I'm sure she's a very busy girl!" The mother laughed, allowing her daughter to come to me.

"Wait, can I take a picture with Marinette? Ladybug is awesome, but I also want to take a picture with you as Marinette!" She told me. My heart melted at that.

I realized, maybe being recognized isn't a bad thing. These people are excited because I am Ladybug, I am the human behind her mask. They're just beginning to realize that I was the one who purified their akumas, their family's and friend's akumas. I shouldn't be upset about this.

I detransformed into my civilian self, even having the girl hold Tikki as we took the picture.

"This is Tikki! She's my kwami. Kwami are what allow me to transform into Ladybug," I introduced gently.

"Hello!" Tikki smiled.

The girl excitedly talked to Tikki for a little, and asked me some questions, then we parted ways. The mother looked happy and so did her daughter.

Now I knew this couldn't be so bad after all.

I looked back at Chloe, and she was smiling. "Looks like you got to be yourself after all! You never lost your true identity!" She told me, giving me a hug.

"You're right, Chloe! If it hadn't been for all this craziness, we might not have realized what great friends we'd be!" I giggled.

"That's true. Hey, why don't you try to talk to Alya? If you're ready, I'm sure she is as well," Chloe smiled, releasing me from her friendly hug.

I took a sigh and thought about it. Wouldn't it be great to have my best friend back? My life back?

It wouldn't ever be the same again, and I knew that already, but maybe I could make the best out of it.

I could write Alya a note, like Mrs. Agreste said, and I could leave it.

Once she'd read it, maybe we could be friends again!

She'd know how I felt.

Obviously I'd have her and Chloe make up, but that'd be for a later time.

As of now, I knew I was going to have to pull it together and get my best friend back.