Falling From Grace ~ A Miraculous Ladybug fic

Chapter 8

Adrien

He shifted next to her, smiling at her giggling. They were laying on a random rooftop he had frequented, that had a great view of the city. Though, neither of them were looking at it. They were side by side on their backs, looking up at star-less sky.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you had planned for my confession to go up in smoke."

She turned to him as she spoke, and he figured that she was referring to the picnic basket he had waiting. No, he hadn't known it would go up in smoke.

"I hoped. Does that make me a bad person?"

She grinned, turning back towards the sky. He found it odd, that Marinette of all people had managed to get under his skin so quickly. They had been friends for years, but now it seemed like he was seeing her in a new light. Which didn't make sense to him at all. The only difference he had seen was that she was no longer as shy around him as she had been.

"No, I suppose not."

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He felt guilty, in a way, though he knew he shouldn't. Ladybug didn't love him. Not in that way. He had every right to move on, to be interested in someone else, someone that seemed to want him.

So why was he feeling like this?

He liked Marinette. He liked being with her, and talking to her. She seemed to hear him. Or was it just that she was paying attention to him? Did he like her because he felt affection starved? That couldn't be it, could it? He sighed, sitting up and pushing his hair away from his face. This was dumb. He was just overthinking everything. He should be able to tell how he really felt about her. He shouldn't be feeling guilty, when he wasn't with Ladybug.

"You okay?"

He felt Marinette gently touch his back, and he shook his head, more to himself than to her. He liked Marinette because she was Marinette. Not because she threw herself at him. Not because she threw herself at an acuma for him. Marinette was a good person, and he loved that about her. She was everything he wished he could be, as both Adrien and Chat. Brave, confident, selfless, and loyal. Why couldn't he be loyal?

"I was joking. Of course you're not a bad person. I would honestly have been hoping for the same, had the roles been reversed."

Oh Marinette, that has nothing to do with why I'm feeling like this.

"How did the confession go? You didn't give me any details."

He attempted to change the topic, and he glanced at her, almost flinching at the frown she wore.

"Okay. I'll tell you what happened. But only if afterwards you tell me what the matter is."

He nodded, at least it would give him time to think. She shifted so they were sitting face to face, and he watched her pick the leaves off of a strawberry.

"I picked out a sundress I liked because Ti- uh... a friend of mine said it made my eyes sparkle."

She giggled softly, and he couldn't help but smile. Her friend was right. It had matched her eyes perfectly.

"I fixed my hair, and put on a little makeup."

He hadn't even noticed the makeup. She dropped the strawberry, shrugging.

"I started to tell him everything. I even managed to get the words 'I love you' out without stuttering."

Surely that must have been a great feat. She stood, and he leaned back to watch her.

"And then I got interupted. Before I could even finish, he rushed off to his friend."

"Wow, what an asshole."