The Rose

1 - Broken heart

„I don't understand!"

These were the first words that Marinette said after so unusual goodbye with Cat Noir on the balcony next to her own.

"What do you want to understand?" Tikki asked, flying around her head.

"Well... Everything..." Marinette sighed helplessly.

That day was very surprising to her - though not in the way she had expected. The day before she had been thinking about the next day with impatience and hope. After all, they decided to go to André for ice-cream. She hoped that Adrien would join them and maybe she would be able to eat the magic sweetheart ice-cream with him. Meanwhile, Adrien didn't show up, and she ... She spent the evening with Cat Noir. Cat Noir who was in love. In love with her. Actually, with Ladybug. So – still with her...

And she realised that she liked this sensible version of Cat Noir – that was the most surprising... Of course, she didn't like him the same way as she liked Adrien! Oh, definitely not! But... Well... She started thinking about him differently and maybe better understanding his feelings.

"You know..." Marinette began and suddenly stopped.

She wasn't ready to talk to Tikki about her feelings, especially those feelings that had burst in her heart after the Cat Noir's kiss. And yet it wasn't even a real kiss! It was a kiss on the cheek. A friendly kiss. So... Why she was blushing every time she thought about it?

"Marinette, it's no shame that you liked Cat Noir." Tikki said with an innocent smile.

"What?!" Marinette exclaimed. "How? No, no, no! Nothing of the kind! What do you mean? I don't like him at all! Why do you think I do?"

Tikki giggled.

"Oh, Marinette..." she sighed.

"What do you mean, Tikki?"

"Have you forgotten that I'm kwami? You can deny, but I know."

"What do you know?" Marinette stuttered out.

"I know what you don't want to admit." Tikki winked at the girl, then flew away to her bed.

"What's that?" Marinette tried to find out what exactly her kwami had in mind, but there was no answer. Kwami decided to pretend to be sleeping.

The girl sighed and went to the balcony. She had no idea what she should think about all of that. But... The balcony wasn't a good place to think about it. Today so many things happened here. And on the neighbouring rooftop... And she wasn't sure which "many things" were more important to her. Was it when Cat Noir had honestly confessed his feelings and she almost told him about her problems with Adrien? Or maybe when Cat Noir gave her the rose and... And kissed her on the cheek...

She blushed immediately. It was so unusual and unlike him. And so... nice... He respected her feelings and just withdrew...

She sighed and lowered her head. It was impossible to sort out the mess of her thoughts and emotions. That was too much. And really – she didn't understand anything at all... Resigned, she returned to her room.

She didn't notice Cat Noir standing on the neighbouring balcony. He froze in the middle of cleaning after the surprise for Ladybug. With an extinguished candle in his hands, he stared at the place where Marinette had stood a minute ago...

***

Adrien felt a bit like a stalker. For the last three days he had been sneaking out of the house as Cat Noir and spending time hidden on the balcony next to Marinette's house. And he watched her. She stood on her balcony for hours every day, staring at the stars with so unhappy face and furrowed eyebrows. Something was bothering her. He would like to help her, but he had no idea of how he could comfort her. He would like to repay for her cheering him up that evening when Ladybug hadn't shown up.

Did Marinette have a broken heart? She looked like she was unhappily in love. He remembered that she had said something about it that evening when they were talking on her balcony. He couldn't understand that there was so stupid boy who didn't see that Marinette was perfect for being someone's girlfriend. Of course, except him! His heart belonged to Ladybug.

He sighed and decided to go home. Watching Marinette from the neighbouring balcony led to nowhere. He had to find a way to comfort her.

"Can you tell me, why we have these night walks?" Plagg asked him, when after detransformation he finally could eat his favourite camembert.

"For nothing, Plagg." Adrien sighed. "Sometimes I need to take the air..."

"You found an interesting place for this airing..." Plagg muttered.

"How...?"

"How do I know? Adrien... I hide in your ring, but it doesn't mean that I disappear. I'm present. And aware..." he paused for a moment, then added: "of some things..."

"She told me that she was in love." Adrien went to the point. "When I told her that I was in love with Ladybug. And she comforted me. I wish I could do the same for her."

"Interesting..." Plagg murmured, trying not to blab out the most important and forbidden secret.

"If I ever find out who's that jerk who broke my friend's heart, I'll slug him." Adrien clenched his fists, and Plagg almost got choked with the cheese.

"I'd like to see it..." he said amused.

"What?" Adrien spotted. "You know who it is?"

"Me?" Plagg asked with an innocent face.

"You're kwami. You can feel emotions. You must know!"

"Ahhhh..." Plagg yawned theatrically. "I'm exhausted by these trips to people's balconies. I'm going to sleep."

"So 'I know, but I won't tell you', right?"

"Yep!" Plagg grinned and ostentatiously went to sleep, leaving Adrien with a million thoughts in his head and a mess in his heart.