Papillon

Locked Away by Vixen

Here is a oneshot I wrote for you guys! I hope you like it!

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  It was afternoon at Collège Françoise Dupont, just after lunch break. Marinette was walking into the school with her best friend, Alya, mooning over photos of her beloved Adrien in a fashion magazine. He was looking even more fabulous today, which she couldn't believe was possible.

  She looked up from the magazine just in time to avoid tripping over the stairs. The last time she had done that, things hadn't ended up so well; Tikki had fallen out of her purse and Chloe had taken her. She sighed, wishing she wasn't such a clumsy, stuttering mess, especially when it came to Adrien.

  "Someone's thinking about their crush." Alya grinned, nudging her friend in the side.

  "Of course. When am I ever not thinking about him?" Marinette sighed again as she caught sight of the model who was making his way into the school as well, his best friend Nino at his side. "If only I could talk to him normally like everyone else. Every time I see him, my tongue turns into pillow feathers."

  "Adrikins!" The calm air was cut to ribbons with the sound of a familiar squeal. Chloe tackled Adrien in a dangerous embrace, her perfectly glossed lips puckering up for a kiss.

  Adrien awkwardly pushed her face away at a safer distance, however her arms were still around his neck and she showed no sign of letting go for a while.

  Marinette couldn't help but feel relieved that Adrien showed no sign of having any feelings for the walking death trap. His life would be in serious danger if the spoiled girl managed to have him ensnared.

  As the two friends took their seats in the classroom, movement out of the corner of her eye caught Marinette's attention. Chloe was handing a Sabrina a fancy looking envelope that was heavy with perfume, and the girl placed it face down at Adrien's spot.

  "What's that?" Marinette whispered in suspicion.

  "Probably a love note," Alya replied. "It's Valentine's Day, after all."

  "What?!" Marinette shrieked.

  "Oh come on, girl, don't tell me you forgot!" Alya said, shaking her head.

  "Alya, you have to help me! I have to get something for Adrien, I don't want to mess up like I did the last time!"

  "And all the times before that..."

  "Please, Alya, help me think of something!" Marinette cried, pulling her pigtails in distress.

  "Alright girl, calm down." Alya put her arm around her friend's shoulders. "I know just the thing."

***

  "Are you sure it'll work?" Marinette asked.

  Alya smiled. "Of course, it will. All you have to do is write your names, attach it to the bridge, and throw the key away."

  Marinette looked down at the silver padlock in her hands. She sighed, took the permanent marker from Alya, wrote мαяιиєттє and α∂яιєи down in her best cursive and then walked away in direction of the bridge, feeling as if it were her heart in her hands instead of the padlock.

  The Pont des Arts was famous for all the padlocks that were attached to it bearing the names of couples. All one had to do was write or engrave their and their beloved's names on the padlock, attach it to the bridge, and drop the key in the river below to seal their love away for all eternity.

  Marinette had her eyes fixed on her padlock as she walked. She hoped this would work, even if it was only a love legend. And if Adrien liked her back --

  She suddenly bumped into someone. She looked up and nearly died: it was Adrien.

  "Oh, hey Marinette." He smiled. "You here for the padlocks too?"

  "Uh...y-yeah," Marinette said in a dazed state, noticing the gold padlock in his hands.

  "Well, it turns out they were banned for safety reasons. The weight of all those padlocks made the bridge dangerous."

  "Oh." Disappointment sounded clearly in her voice.

  "I know, it's a bummer. But who says we can't put them somewhere else?" He grabbed her hand. "Follow me."

  Marinette let him pull her after him, her mind in a frenzy. Adrien was holding her hand! What should she do? Kiss him? Slap him? Scream...in happiness, or in horror? Oh, where was Alya when she needed her?

  He led her to the Eiffel tower, which wasn't far from his house and the school. She was perplexed; how would they put the padlocks here? But he looked like he knew what he was doing, so she decided to trust him.

  She remembered later that the tower was accessible for those who wanted to climb the tower using the stairs inside it. He stopped at the foot of the tower, where he let go of her hand. The act filled Marinette with both disappointment and relief.

  "Got any string?" he asked.

  She blinked, snapping out of another daze and fishing in her pockets. She took out a single red string; she always carried bits and pieces of fabrics and such because of her love for fashion.

  "Only one," she answered, handing it to him.

  "It's okay. We can share."

  Marinette gave Adrien her padlock and watched as he passed the string through both of the handles so both padlocks hung from the scarlet thread. Then he tied the string to a part of the tower, making several secure knots so it wouldn't be that easy to remove it.

  "There." Adrien locked his padlock and took a step back. "Won't be permanent, but at least it'll last for a while. Want to lock yours?"

  Marinette blushed and nodded, stepping forward to do hers. He showed no sign that he had seen what was written on her padlock, but as she locked it, she could clearly see his. He had written his name clearly but the other name was in very small print; all she could make out was the letter L. She felt dismay at that, there was no L in her name. What if the L was for Lila? What if it was for Chloe?

  She didn't want to look like she was lingering, so she quickly stepped back to show that she was done.

  "Okay, now we just have to drop the keys in the river," Adrien said cheerfully.

  She nodded again, trying to push away the churning feeling of jealousy she was feeling in her stomach. She was grateful he had placed the padlocks where they weren't easily visible.

  They made their way back to the Pont des Arts, where they dropped their keys into the water, watching the silver and gold metal sink until they were no longer visible from the surface.

  "I hope this works. My lady never seems to notice me," Adrien chuckled a little sadly.

  "She will. I mean who wouldn't, when you're so hot, I mean gorgeous, I mean amazing -- " Marinette mentally clamped her hand over her mouth.

  "Thanks. You remind me of her, you two are really alike..." He tilted his head to the side as if he was thinking, then he blinked and blushed. "Well I hope your guy notices you too, because you are amazing." He smiled, putting his hand on her shoulder.

  She melted again at his touch. The feelings of jealousy dissipated as he said those words, his beautiful green eyes drowning him again and again...

  "Whoops...better go before my dad gets upset. See you later, Marinette!" He winked at her before running off.

  She watched him go with a giddy smile on her face. It was only after a few minutes that she realized she was waving, and that it looked strange because she was pretty much waving at nothing. She put her hand down and sighed, making her way to the bakery feeling as if she were the keys they had thrown away into the river, spinning around in circles to land side by side.