Where Does the Red String Go? -Miraculous Ladybug AU Soulmates

Chapter 5- A Distant Iceberg

Marinette's POV

Juleka and Luka are arguing behind me. Luka screams something out loud, but I can't hear what he says.

I look behind me worriedly as I see Luka clenching his hair with his hands. Everyone in the hallway is looking at them. I immediately run back to see what's wrong, looking at Juleka with a worried face. She shakes her head at me quietly and nods her chin towards the hallway. I nod and turn around, casting one last look at the siblings as I run to the cafeteria. They needed their space. And I needed to tell Alya.

My face crashes into someone as I'm running. It's a miracle my face isn't bruised yet. I fall to the floor again, cheeks red in embarrassment as I look at the person. It's Nino. "I'm so sorry," I say as he helps me up the floor.

"It's alright," he says, kind of sadly. Is he ok? I scan his body, my eyes finding his arm, and see cuts dotting his brown skin. "Did you get in an accident?" I ask, ignoring the gut feeling that suddenly arises. Nino puts his hand in his pockets, avoiding my eyes as he mumbles "Yes."

He walks past me, muttering something incoherent. My eyebrows furrowed together, Nino wasn't acting like himself. Was he okay?

I look at his figure in the hallway. I really hoped they were just injuries he attained accidently.

My eyes light up as I remember. Luka was my soulmate! I replay the memory of me telling him. I blush again and think about how much stuttering I did. Oh no! Did Luka hate my stuttering? How about my clumsiness, my body, my outfit? Should I wear dresses more often? Or maybe Luka likes girls who wear pants more. My brain starts spiraling. I feel a light tap on my shoulder and turn around. It's Alya.

"How did it go?" she said.

I tell her everything.

"What's next then? I found out that Luka's my soulmate and I told him. Now what?" I ask. Alya takes my hand in hers and her eyes light up. "You have to ask him out, girl! Or wait for him to ask you out because you become incoherent when you're nervous," she says. Ms Bustier walks into our classroom. The bell had rung when we were talking so we made our way back to class. Juleka and Luka was no where to be seen. I sigh. "I'm going to wait until he asks me. I'm not transforming into a stuttering mess again." I say. Alya nods as class starts.

After school

I have more pastries to deliver again. This time there is only one address for me to deliver. The Agreste Mansion.

When I reach the mansion the gates are already unlocked and the great brown double doors are opened. I pause at the entrance, unsure if I'm supposed to go in. The boxes of pastries wobble greatly as I attempt to deliver all of them in one trip. My foot slips and the boxes begin to fall, but I catch them in time and the boxes fall on top of each other only to continue wobbling. Reaching the brown doors, I drop all the boxes with a sigh of relief and begin to organize them to look somewhat appealing.

"Hi."

My head shoots up and I see the green-eyed boy standing at the doorway. Adrien.

"Oh hi! Adrien, right?" I ask. "Thank you for saving me the other day." he shrugs, brushing away the compliment.

"Sorry for disappearing shortly after. I'm really not supposed to talk with strangers in case they try to...um... harass me," he says. He sounds like he doesn't believe it.

"You're the son of Gabriel Agreste, right? The famous fashion designer?" I ask, suddenly looking at him with admiration. I wanted to become a fashion designer when I grew up, and Gabriel Agreste was one of the many icons I admired such as Audrey Bourgeois and Thomas Astruc.

Adrien looks at my face and sighs. "There's the face of admiration that everyone makes when they hear that my father is Gabriel Agreste," he says. "I'm not him. I'm nothing to be admired." his shoulders slump.

"Hey, just because your father's famous and you're not doesn't mean that you're not to be admired. You model right? That's something to be admired for." I say, not bearing Adrien's face of sadness.

"I don't want to be like him. I don't want to design dresses or model, I just want to be free of this prison," he says quietly. Suddenly he looks at me fearfully. "P-Please d-don't tell the press. My father's reputation would be ruined and he'll...I don't know what he would do to me." he says.

I touch his shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't tell," I say, comforting him. Somehow, even though we had barely met, I felt like I had known him forever. "Why don't you stand up to him?" I say.

"The thing is... Ever since my mother died all I've wanted was to be loved. But my father... he's like an iceberg drifting along the ocean. He's too far to reach and when you try to break him... the cold kills you first." He shivers.

"This mansion, it's like his beautiful prison. It has everything I've ever wanted... except freedom." He runs his hand through his hair, defeated. I desperately try to find a way to help him.

"Can you make a compromise with him? For example, if you do 3 photoshoots then you can have an hour of freedom?" I say. He shakes his head.

"I already have a bargain struck with him since I was small. If I find my soulmate, then I'll be free. But I can't go out anyway and the only people I meet are at photoshoots. My chances of finding a soulmate are near impossible. I might as well just accept my fate."

I look forlornly at the broken boy in front of me. A boy who wanted love but received ice instead. A boy whose mother was gone and whose father was distant. A boy who I understood more than anyone in the world.

"I'm sorry for boring you with my life. You probably have better things to do." Adrien sighs. "I'm sorry," he says again. Without warning I spring forward and hug him tightly, whispering into his shoulder words only both of us can hear.

"It will get better soon. Don't worry."

The spring birds chirp loudly as I get off my motorcycle. I had a couple more hours until I was required to be back home. I begin to walk in the direction of the Eiffel Tower, thinking about Adrien. I hope he's ok. I couldn't imagine growing up in such a household. Without looking, my head smashes into something hard and I collapse.

"NO. I AM NOT DOING THIS AGAIN TODAY!" I scream as I get up by myself. I look up at the thing I crashed into. It's a person. Not just any person, it's Luka.

He takes a deep breath.

"Marinette, will you be my girlfriend?"