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

Chapter 16- I Just Do

Marinette's POV

His lips are inches from mine.

I feel his hot breath on my face as the silence stretches. One heartbeat. Two heartbeats. Three heartbeats. I can't seem to move my limbs, I'm stuck in the ocean of green in his eyes. He doesn't move either, his eyes also bearing on mine.

Four heartbeats. Five. How did I never notice that he had such long lashes? (Look, I know his lashes are non-existent in the TV show, but let's pretend this once.) He also has tiny minute freckles dotted on his cheeks. The small space between us grows increasingly heated. I feel my blush rising on the nape of my neck. Adrien closes his eyes, about to lean in-

"Marinette! Adrien's assistant is here!" I hear my mom's voice call out to me. We jerk out of our heated state and smile sheepishly at each other. Adrien touches the back of his neck and gives me a goofy smile. The tension in the room suddenly became awkward.

"Well...See you tomorrow Marinette," he says, a blush on his cheeks. "Yeah..." I mutter, my cheeks tomato-red now.

I watch him descend the steps down to the bakery, a wave of emotion crashing into me. I sink to the floor. What was happening? Did I like Adrien, or Luka? It didn't make sense. Luka was my soulmate. I was supposed to be 100% devoted to him because that's what soulmates were. Your other half. Your everything. As for the other red string...I didn't want to know who it belonged to. If Luka was my soulmate, then the other person was my worstmate. I didn't know what would happen if I ever met them.

But to the matter at hand...Why did I like both of them? My mind was stuck on the two boys, hyper fixating on Luka's toned body and Adrien's green eyes. My mind goes to Luka. I was dating him for god's sake! Why would I like a boy when I'm taken? Sure, Luka did technically cheat on me, but that was for a good reason! I was a pathetic nobody, and he was...a Greek God sculpted from the heavens.

Adrien was already forgotten. Luka, Luka, Luka. How would you like any other boy with a face like that? His dreamy eyes, blue hair, toned body...He was so handsome. He also played the guitar too! Truly, he was a God in mortal form.

I stare at the photos of Luka I have on my bulletin board. It used to be covered with pictures of me and my friends but... When I started dating Luka he said I had to remove them all. Right now the pictures were gathering dust at the bottom my closet. I sacrificed everything for him.

"Good morning Marinette!" I look up and see Adrien, his smile nearly making my day. I was up half the night overanalyzing what character I had to put on for him the next day. I decided for Tikki. All my characters I portrayed had a name. Today I was playing Tikki, a cheerful girl who was pleasant and kind. Not a burden at all. I stand up straight and put on a fake smile. "Good morning Adrien!" I say, wincing when I realize Tikki's voice was a few octaves lower.

Adrien looks at me strangely. "Are you okay Marinette? You sound weird." Dammit. I wasn't playing Tikki well enough. I smile again, more gentler this time. "Yep! I'm fine. Did you finish your part for the English Assignment?" I say, relieved when I finally got Tikki's voice right.

"Yep, I did..." Adrien still looks troubled by me. "Are you sure you're okay Marinette? It looks like your masking." (Masking is basically putting on a different personality or persona to fit in. Many neurodivergents do it, me included.) His words stop me. How could he tell? No one ever knew about the term 'masking' and no one could let alone identify in me. How did he know me so well after only a few brief meetings?

I look at him and quietly ask "How did you know?". Adrien's eyes bore mine, softening.

"I just do."