One Miraculous Circus

Chapter 38

Adrien spent the night overhearing the drunk murmurs and moans from Marinette's room. A stabbing feeling in his chest each time he heard her voice, a voice that used to make his heart flutter. He stared at the red ribbon wrapped around his wrist and wished he could turn back time to how they were before. He wished he could stop Kagami and Luka and save the circus. He wished he didn't let her push him away. He wished he never let her walk out of that apartment that day. 

He choked back the tears that pricked his eyes as he stared at the ceiling while the sun rose outside his window. His stomach growled loudly and he pulled himself up from the warm sheets, not really wanting to leave. He slumped out of his room, his hair hanging in a raggy mess and not bothering to put on a shirt with his joggers. The blonde stared at the door for a few minutes before shoving it open and praying that Marinette or her boy toy wasn't outside. He shuffled into the kitchen and poured himself a coffee, his head pounding and still being paranoid that someone will turn the corner and find him basically crying into his drink at eight in the morning.

Adrien heard the squeaking of a door hinge and he spun around, finding himself staring straight into the face of the boy Marinette brought home. He was a few inches taller than Adrien and his hair dark and messy but attractive nonetheless. Adrien began to puff himself out, an attempt to assert dominance on him but was struck in defeat when the boy walked up next to him and somehow looked down on him even though it wasn't even that big of a height difference.

"Hey, I'm Jack. Sorry for the intrusion just grabbing coffee before I get back to that hot girl back there," he said as he poured himself a drink, "I wouldn't be able to hold myself back if I lived with her like you."

"Yeah, she's cute," he responded, obviously trying to one-up him while also wanting to leave all at once.

Jack began to notice the aggressive, fight for dominance vibe Adrien was projecting and an evil glint showed in his eye before he responded, "Guy to guy, me and my friends had a bet on who could hook up with her. She's an easy girl, all I had to do was dance and flirt with her and she was all over me. Bet she'd even sleep with you she's so desperate."

Adrien took sips of his drink as he began to see red, attempting to ignore his rage and not crush his mug at how hard he was gripping it along the way. 

"She's good in bed as well, may have to extend the bet another day," Jack said with a laugh as he went to take a sip from his own drink.

Before the dark-haired boy could touch his lips to the bitter coffee he had in hand, he was punched around the face and the mug went shattering on the tile floor.

"Don't you DARE talk about Marinette that way!" Adrien yelled and the other boy stumbled back holding a hand to his bleeding nose.

Adrien lifted his fist again, ready to throw one at his face again only for Nino to run up behind him and hold him back, "Calm down, Adrien!"

Marinette ran out of the room hearing the commotion and ran towards Jack, grabbing a cloth from the side and wrapping some ice inside of it before handing it to him.

"What the fuck Adrien?! You can't just punch people when something bad happens," Mari yelled at him.

"You didn't hear what he was saying about you! He deserved to have some sense knocked into him," Adrien shouted back, "He was treating you like a trophy! You deserve so much more than him."

"Just leave him alone Adrien, mind your own business."

Marinette threw a dirty look at her ex-boyfriend before turning back to Jack and placing a hand on his cheek and ruffling his hair, just like she used to do with Adrien.

"What was that about?" Nino questioned as Adrien slumped onto the counter.

"Jack was telling me that he and his friends had a bet on who could sleep with her. Said she was easy and was going to keep using her for sex. He deserved to get punched. She deserved more than a player, especially with how amazing she is," he mumbled into his cup.

Alya was kneeling on the floor, cleaning up the smashed mug and spilt coffee while listening to Adrien's mumbling.

"You still love her don't you?" Alya said as she put the shards of ceramic into the bin, "Don't you?"

"So what if I still love her? It's not like she cares anymore, especially with how she was acting yesterday," he responded as he finished his coffee and placed the mug into the sink.

"She's not over you yet, you know. Yesterday... well she was angry and upset. You've changed Adrien, since the breakup, and I'm sure you've noticed it too. This person you are now isn't the same person she fell in love with. That hook up with Jack was actually in spite of you," Alya explained, "She was actually wrapped in your jacket on the way here because you bring her comfort. She can't even open up to me the way she opens up to you."

Adrien's heart fell slightly. He had changed, he knew that but it had pushed Marinette away. Of course he was still in love with her, he didn't think he could ever not be in love with her. 

Nino grabbed his hand, looking at the ribbon on his wrist, "Ladybug's ribbon?" 

Adrien nodded and snatched his hand back, "Yeah. I am still in love with her. I think I always will be but that doesn't matter now."

"It does matter-" Alya started.

"No. It doesn't. We've both changed. We're better separate," Adrien said as he stormed back towards his room.

He was telling the truth. Well, the half-truth. They were both different but one thing hadn't changed and never would change: they were still madly in love with each other.

"Look, Plagg and Tikki are throwing a party later. Just come to it and maybe get drunk enough to admit your feelings to her again. It'll make a difference, a good one this time," Alya said before he shut his door, "It's at Tikki's parent's house. Be there."

Adrien nodded before slamming his door behind him.

Marinette said goodbye to Jack as he walked out of their dorm room, Alya and Nino coming up behind her.

"Why are you pretending like you aren't still in love with Adrien?" Alya said, "Sleeping with other people isn't going to solve your problems."

"I'm not in love with him. He's not the Adrien I was in love with anymore," Marinette responded bluntly, "Look I don't want to talk about this. I'm going to choose my outfit for Tikki's party."

Mari slammed the door behind her and stared around her room, fixating on the ladybug outfit in the frame on her wall.

"I miss you, Adrien," she muttered to herself, finally being truthful.

She slid down the wall she was leaning against, a single tear rolling down her face once she sat on the ground. She placed her head in her hands in an attempt to hide from herself.

"I love you..."

Word count: 1307