OUR LOVE DID THIS TO THE WORLD

Goodbyes and Beginnings

   Nothing terrible happened during the truth or dare game, just stupid stunts and small secrets. "Adrien, Marinette, dinner is ready. Mr. Agreste is on a stiff schedule so please exit immediately." Nathalie says after a stiff knock and an opening of the door. The two waved goodbye to their friends and escorted themselves out of the room. 

   For dinner, it was tenderloin, mixed vegetables, and soup. Marinette glanced at Adrien, who took a seat next to her at the long table. He looked at the meal enviously. The boy hadn't eaten like this since his mother disappeared. "Mr. Agreste will join the two of you shortly. You may begin eating." These were Nathalie's words as she left the two alone at the table. 

"I am sure you are used to a more..." the boy searched for the correct words, "heart felt... dinner." He smiled nervously, calming himself by rubbing the back of his neck. 

"No not at all, you're great! I mean it's great! I mean- you're fine!" Marinette managed as Adrien watched her, he had that look on his face... the look of awe. The girl turned stiffly and faced the food in front of her, internally disciplining herself.  She picked up a fork and knife and began to cut the meat, small pieces. Adrien watched her do it, imagining his mother cut the food like that. Marinette eyed him after she finished. "Do you want me to cut your tenderloin for you?" Marinette smiling, holding the knife up. Adrien hesitated, he knew how to cut meat... why couldn't he say no? Marinette grabbed the plate from his place and moved hers to the seat next to her. 

"You really didn't have to do that Marinette!" Adrien says when she finishes. He reminded him of Kagami. Like when she didn't hesitate to tie his laces. Did people expect that little of him? Marinette just smiled, pulling her food back to her. Neither had noticed Mr. Agreste take the seat across from them. 

"Oh! Mr. Agreste! Hello I am Marinette... although I am sure you already know that.." the girl began to trail off. 

"Yes, I am aware of your identity." The man responds.  The dinner was quite quiet from there. Awkward. 

   When they finish, Nathalie removes their plates and motions for Adrien to leave the room. Adrien stands, "see you before you leave Mari!" The boy waves before leaving with his assistant. 

"Ms. Dupian-Cheng, how would you like to become my eyes?" The man had thought this through. He knew she was a fashion designer, but with a good heart. She needed a chance she couldn't turn down. 

"Your eyes?" The teenager asks. She had never heard that term before. 

"Look for new inventive fashion ideas, for the brand. You would ride to this estate every other day, beginning with your tutoring for an hour and finishing with a chat with me before Adrien's bodyguard escorts you home, around 4:30 you would arrive home. Marinette was flattered. She never thought she would get this type of opportunity. "You will think about it and talk with your parents." He says in his hesitation. "Return to me with your answer after your next tutoring session. You are dismissed." Nathalie opens the door at the words and Marinette thanks him before standing and leaving, she was in shock. 

"Marinette..." Tikki says as the girl lays down on her futon. 

"Hmm?" The girl responds, still in awe. 

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Tikki asks, her and Plagg had planned this... they would both ask their owners if they forgot anything and then they would meet at the same spot. Marinette shoots up in panic.

"Chat Noir!" She yelps. "Oh no, Tikki... what am I going to tell him?" Marinette begins to pace around her bedroom, stressing. 

"Just tell him you got busy, I am sure he will be there." Tikki reassures her moments before the transformation words. 

In the Agreste Mansion, Adrien... well, now Chat Noir was escaping through a window, using his baton to extend himself quickly to the Eiffel Tower. He hoped his lady was not waiting too long. 

They land on the platform at the same time. "I'm sorry I'm-" they say, not yet evaluating the situation. They chuckle. "I'll assume you were held up too?" The red heroine asks her partner. He nods. 

"So, Hawk Moth." Chat Noir makes his way to the railing motioning for Ladybug to follow and sit next to him. 

"Chat Blanc revealed it was near the park..." the black feline flinched at the use of the name, "I was examining the window before going to Master Fu's one day but I did not want to wait too long." Chat nods along with her words. Ladybug sighs. "We need to create a negative emotion." She looks to the ground, what she tried to she had caused akumatizations before but purposely turning someone to the mercy of Hawk Moth was uncanny. Her partner sits quiet beside her, pondering the idea. "Mr. Pigeon is an easy target, I just need to get him around some pigeons. Although he may not be as fond of them, he still cares for the creatures."

"Are you sure LB?" Chat Noir finally speaks. He looks at her trustingly. He trusted her. 

"He cannot do that much damage to Paris. Besides, we just need to wait for the window to open and then break an entrance. Mr. Pigeon will be powerless as long as Hawk Moth is distracted." Ladybug breaks eye contact with the black feline, gazing out to the moon. "If only we were older. It would be so much easier to call a Lucky Charm, let Mr. Pigeon do all the things he wants... break his bird call and then move on with it." Her grasp tightens on the rail as she leans her head back in defeat. 

"I trust you Ladybug." He removes his hand from his side and moves her eyes to face his. "With all my heart." They make eye contact. She kisses him. She doesn't know what came over her. Where Adrien was in her head in that moment... but she kisses him. It was passionate and loving.

"I am sorry, I don't know why I did that..." the girl says, refusing to make eye contact. The black cat was still in shock, sitting there... pondering his options. He knew he was developing feelings for someone else yet he couldn't help it. He still loved her. She continues speaking, afraid of his silence. "I mean you don't even call me nicknames anymore... I have rejected you so many times, yet moments after I feel you move on- I realize my-." The boy grabs the girl bringing her into a hug.

"I never moved on..." he lied into her shoulder, he as afraid if he said he did she would run and let him be with... the boy mentally cursed at himself for not knowing who he wanted to be with in his civilian form, it had to be Kagami. "I stopped calling you M'lady because you loved someone else." He whispered, closing his eyes.

"He would never want me. I said my goodbyes." Ladybug says embracing him tighter, flashbacks to falling on her face... the wet pavement cold on her stomach as it soaked through her shirt, two kwamis in her bag. She almost lost Chat Noir that night too. "I love you." She says, repeating what she always wanted to say to Adrien, what she tried to in New York. Although this one, was the beginning of them. The other one was the ending of Marinette and Adrien. The words make the boy suck in a breath, chocking on air... coughing. Fear reappears on her face as she comprehends what she just said to him. "I'm sorry!" His hesitation made her flee. 

"I love you too, M'Ladybug."