To Love Thy Enemy

I Like You...

"Listen Ladybug...I- I like you," Chat Noir whispered.

Ladybug appeared flustered, her face blushing bright red to match her costume. "I... like you too Chaton,"

Chat Noir sighed, she didn't get it. "No Ladybug, I like you as more than friends," his voice was patient, as though he was talking to a toddler who didn't quite understand.

Ladybug opened her mouth to respond but Chat cut her off, "But...but I don't think it can't go anywhere so I'm not asking you to like me back. I just needed to get that off my chest,"

Ladybug stood in a slack-jawed silence, as though she couldn't comprehend what he was saying.

"Chat, I...I,"

"It's okay m'lady, it's not like we'd be able to date, what with our secret identities and everything," Chat Noir said, resigned to this knowledge.

He knew it couldn't go anywhere.

But it still hurt.

"I've accepted it,"

Ladybug could feel tears pricking the back of her eyes at his declaration.

He loved her.

But he didn't think they could, should, be together.

He's moving on.

But that wasn't fair! She hadn't even known he shared her feelings and now he was moving on?

Because why? Because he didn't know who she was behind the mask.

As if knowing my identity would change anything, she thought.

Or then again...maybe it would.

Without the mask she wasn't the beloved superheroine Ladybug, she was just Marinette. And Chat Noir himself could hardly stand Marinette's company when she'd called him over to her balcony.

Maybe I should tell him I like him too...

"Chat I-"

"No milady really, I'm fine," Chat insisted, "truthfully, I don't think I could be with you if I didn't know who you were in civilian form, I want to know all sides of you, but I also know that it's important to you that our identities remain secret,"

He said the last part with hesitation, showing he understood while also being oblivious to Ladybug's inner turmoil.

"Oh kitty, I-" Ladybug started, but Chat Noir just smiled at her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead before leaping off with his baton, leaving the words on Ladybug's tongue to fly away in the wind.

"Love you too."

-

Marinette spent the rest of the week in a trance. It was all too confusing for her.

Chat Noir liked her.

But he didn't want to be with her without knowing her identity.

She liked Chat Noir.

But she didn't want to share her identity.

UGH

Sometimes she wished she had a normal life, without Ladybug or Chat Noir or even Hawkmoth. Then, maybe, she could be normal.

Normal school.

Normal responsibilities.

Normal love life.

But she knew that such things were impossible, as much as she wished they weren't.

Maybe if we defeat Hawkmoth, she mused, getting ready for school on Friday, but that goal seemed horribly unreachable.

Shoving a croissant in her mouth, Marinette waved goodbye to her parents and rushed out of the bakery, rushing up the steps just as the bell sounded.

The inside of the classroom was bustling with movement, students chatting and getting ready for the day before the teacher arrived.

Marinette walked past Adrien, who had also seemed somewhat less lively the past couple of weeks, with nothing more than a subtle glare.

"Girl, are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course, why wouldn't I be?" Marinette responded to Alya's question.

"You've just been...out of it this week, nothing happened right?" Her best friend said, concern for Marinette colouring her features.

"Nothing happened? What do you mean, when did nothing happen?" Marinette's voice dropped to a whisper as Miss Bustier entered the classroom to begin teaching.

"I don't know that's why I was asking you!" Alya seemed exasperated, "Over the weekend? Did anything upsetting happen?"

Marinette stilled, knowing the answer but also knowing she couldn't share it. She turned to the front, acting under the guise of the doted student to end the conversation.

Absent-mindedly tracing doodles in her notebook, Marinette stared at the back of Adrien's head.

A tiny part of her mind noted that his hair kind of looked like Chat Noirs, but since her mind was currently occupied with said cat, she was probably seeing things.

She should definitely tell Chat how she felt, there was still a slim chance that he would reconsider if he knew his feelings were requited.

But then again...he might not agree to it without knowing her identity.

But still! She had to at least try, she didn't want to lose any chance -- slim or not -- to be with Chat Noir, especially for something as minor as a communication issue.

With that plan solidified in her mind, and only the teeniest twinge of apprehension clouding her mind, Marinette tried to focus on the lesson.

And tried to ignore the selfish craving for an akuma attack that plagued her for the second time.

-

Adrien hardly noticed the week go by, let alone the lesson, plagued as he was by doubts on how he handled the Ladybug situation.

What if he made a mistake?

Maybe he shouldn't have told her. He didn't want it to be awkward between them.

But no. It wasn't like she had previously been unaware of his feelings, she just hadn't known the full extent of it.

It wasn't going to change anything.

Right?

Adrien furrowed his brow, forgetting about the class he was in for a moment as thoughts consumed all his attention.

"Adrien!" At Miss Bustier's shout, Adrien jolted to attention, blinking dumbly at the teacher and attempting to ignore the snickers from his classmates -- most prominently those coming from the seat behind him.

"Erm, sorry Miss," he mumbled, earning a disapproving sigh in response.

Adrien spent the rest of the lesson struggling to focus on taking notes and not slipping back into his head. He was mostly successful, to his relief.

Now just to get through this photoshoot and he'd have the whole weekend free.

Or so he thought.

"Hey dude, you wanna come watch Kitty sections band tomorrow night?" Nino asked, slinging an arm over his shoulder, "It'll be sick!"

"Uh, sure!" Adrien responded, "I'll be there."

As much as Adrien enjoyed his evenings spent in the houseboat, surrounded by all his closest friends, he had been looking forward to a nice quiet weekend of patrolling the city as his alter ego.

-

Okay so Luka will be in this fic but he won't be the amazing guy from the show, only because we need some ✨️romantic competition ✨️ but he won't be horrible either.

Also, it's been too long since we had some enemies angst so the next chapter will be full of it

Also I'm thinking of posting in Ao3 as well? Thoughts?