Falling From Grace ~ A Miraculous Ladybug fic

Chapter 3

Marinette

She sat down at their lunch table, staring down at her tray. Her mind had been locked on Chat all night, so she had barely gotten any sleep. Was he worried for good reason? During her fall, she couldn't remember calling for help. She couldn't remember even trying to reach for her bag to feed Tiki. All she did, was focus on the pain in her lungs, and on the mistake she had made before she fell. Had she been scared at all, before Chat caught her? Had she just accepted it? Why didn't she try, at all? She was Ladybug. She had a miraculous that could have helped. She had Tiki. Why didn't she fight to survive? Why didn't she do anything?

"Marinette? Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

She didn't bother looking up, barely registering who had spoken to her. Was she depressed? Surely, someone would know if they were. It was a kind of sadness that lasted long. She had sad moments, sure. But she couldn't be depressed. She had too many happy moments for that. Nothing made sense. She should have fought back.

"You're not even eating."

She glanced up then, her gaze locking onto emerald green. She had been talking to Adrien? Heat flooded her face, and she grabbed a fork full of mashed potatoes, cramming it into her mouth. Why? She had no fucking clue. He chuckled, returning to his own food.

"Girl. Seriously what was that?" Alya whispered, and Marinette swallowed hard, grabbing her water bottle.

"I don't know." She wheezed, ripping the cap off and chugging some of it.

Alya's eyes widened, before she snickered.

"Thirsty?"

Marinette slowly pulled the bottle away from her mouth, raising an eyebrow at Alya.

"Uh... I guess we can share." Adrien offered, and she glanced at him before looking down at the bottle.

It was clear, with initials etched onto the glass. Her bottle didn't have writing on it.

"Oh... oh my god! Adrien I'm so sorry. I'll wash it out I promise."

She shot out of her seat, and he stood almost immediately, shaking his head.

"No, really. It's fine Marinette."

It totally wasn't fine. That was indirect kissing. His mouth had touched that bottle. She had gulped it down like she was dying of thirst. She was going to die, right here and now.

"Are you okay?"

Adrien reached over, pulling the bottle from her hand. She watched in fascinated horror as he uncapped it, taking a small sip.

"I'm not sick." He assured her, and she smiled, giving a small nod as she all but collapsed back into her seat.

Her lips touched the same place his had. It was fate. Destiny. Cupid was surely smiling down at her today.

"You're gonna start drooling. Stop." Alya hissed, stabbing her in her side with a spoon.

Marinette flinched, yanking away from her friend.

"Ow! Watch it!"

"Hey Mari? Do you have a partner for that project in history?"

He wanted to be her partner? Alya shook her head in Marinette's place, and he grinned.

"Great. I don't have one either so maybe we can partner up?"

She nodded for herself this time, and he opened his mouth to say something, when a loud booming sound was heard. Everyone shot up from the table, looking to where the sound had come from. A girl stood in the hall, and Marinette was horrified. This girl looked exactly like Lady Noir.