Rain

He couldn't say yes.

It didn't matter that he loved her more than he could ever express; more than he ever loved anyone. Him slowly falling for this girl these past few months was of no importance. That she had slowly become his everything had no significance.

His love.

His Princess.

His Marinette.

It didn't matter. Not in the slightest. All because he couldn't lie to her. And saying Yes right now would force him to do just that.

Lying.

Constant lying, when he would inevitably miss their dates. Countless excuses he'd have to come up with for why he'd vanish from their quiet walks. Hard-to-believe tales he'd have to spin for why he couldn't see her once again.

All so he could be a hero.

Of Paris.

Not of the heart of the girl he was crazy about.

Lying. He had tried that with Kagami. It didn't work. They still barely talked these days, and Adrien would not be hurting Marinette in the same way. He might be a fool, but he still had a heart. A heart that loved Marinette despite the fact that Adrien wasn't even close to deserving her.

His eyes fell on his ring; his heart pounded at a sudden thought, threatening to give up on him at any moment.

He had a choice.

Either or, but not both. Never both, in this line of work.

Did Ladybug even need him anymore? She had a whole team of permanent superheroes. She wouldn't miss one. Especially the one whose most valued accomplishment, per her own words, was clowning around. The one who couldn't always make it on time as of late, more often than not arriving after the others had already dealt with the situation. He wasn't irreplaceable after all. And perhaps there was a reason he was still the only one whose identity Ladybug didn't wish to know. Her reasoning made sense at first, but not anymore. Not when she was the Guardian and logically should know who he was. She still refused. Maybe that was a hint more than anything? Maybe the times had changed, and Adrien was the only one who hadn't noticed?

"I have to talk to someone before I can answer," he whispered, hoping beyond all hope that he didn't make it sound like she was his second choice.

(because she wasn't. His heart was long hers, fully and hopelessly. He just had to return the ring first)

He failed.

Her smile turned nervous; the glimmer of hope in her eyes quickly died. She bit on her lip and looked away. "Of course. I'll see you around."

Marinette spun on her toes and walked away before he could utter a single word.

Adrien closed his eyes, pushing down the lump in his throat. Was this what he wanted? Was this how he wished to continue to live? Was he content to keep losing, sacrificing and putting himself last for the sake of people he'd never meet again? For the city that was in capable hands, with or without him? For the girl who had never seen him as anything more than a friend and still refused to know his name after years of working together? For that teenage dream of his, a fleeting rush of adrenaline in battle, and a taste of fickle, temporary freedom at the price of his happiness? At the price of breaking the heart of the one he loved...

Was this what he wanted?

He wasn't sure so anymore. Did he really want to continue like that? Certainly not, when it came to Marinette.

The sky had darkened, thunderstorm clouds rapidly closing in on the city. The first drops of rain tumbled against the pavement. Adrien opened his eyes and breathed in. This night is going to be a long one, but they had a patrol tomorrow, and he needed to decide once and for all what it was he wanted the most. What was it his heart yearned for the strongest? What would it take for him to finally put himself, his feelings, and his deepest wishes first for once?

A flash of lighting.

A roar of thunder.

Already soaked to the bone, Adrien headed home, slowly walking the streets of Paris. It was supposed to rain all night, but there would be a rainbow tomorrow morning. The sun would rise. A new day would begin. Perhaps he should follow its example. His heart had already stepped onto a new path anyway. All that was left now was for him to follow it.