Miraculous: Tales of Adrienette and LadyNoir

Their Gleaming Eyes (Angsty Love Square)

You guys will adore this one - my beta reader said it's one of my best one shots yet.

Marinette's POV

I stared up at Adrien. I'd just confessed. He was staring back at me - his cheeks a shade of pink I hadn't seen since Simon Says was de-evilized. What was he thinking?
He grimaced and looked away from me. “Marinette… I can't accept your feelings. I'm in love with another girl. I'm sorry.”
Tikki flew up my chest inside my jacket and hugged me, immediately making me feel better. I smiled. “Adrien, it’s fine. I knew it wasn't likely to work out.”
He blinked, surprised at my positive reaction. “Um… OK.”
I lightly teased him, “Who’s the lucky lady?” I was dead serious, although he didn't realize it. Jealousy fed my curiosity - who was this woman who was so much better than I was?
A smile played on his , the look in his eyes going far away - the way mine did when I thought about HIM. His answer didn't surprise me. “Ladybug.”
I thought bitterly. Of course. He loves the perfect Ladybug - nothing more than a persona. He doesn't even KNOW her - he's not Chat Noir. And even if he was, which I doubt, it means even Chat doesn't love my true self - only the mask he sees.
I politely smiled, however, putting on a pretty face. “You guys would be a perfect couple - she really is amazing, isn't she?” The words felt odd in my mouth - I HATED complimenting myself.
Adrien stared at me.

Adrien’s POV

This… was not right. My Princess just confessed her love for me - the wrong me - and appears to be OK that I like another girl. She even appears to support me. I took a good, hard look at my friend.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She was beautiful - not just that. Sweet, kind, caring, the whole package - but my heart was taken. I loved my Lady fiercely, with all my heart.
Although sometimes my Princess crept into my mind too…
I cleared my head of that thought. I loved only my Lady. Besides, I had to be fair to Marinette. If she found out I loved Ladybug as well, she'd hate me. She deserved better… I couldn't play with her feelings like that. She deserved someone who loves her unreservedly and completely.
I couldn't bear stringing my Princess along.
She made to leave. “I have to go - my parents will need help in the bakery. See you later, Adrien!”
She smiled and waved goodbye. I finally realized what was wrong as Plagg flew out next to me. I said to him, “The gleam in her eyes - it's gone.”

Marinette's POV

As soon as I was out of Adrien’s sightline or range of hearing, I began to cry. Tikki flew out of my handbag. “Marinette, please don't cry. Adrien does love you - he just doesn't know it.”
Fat tears slipped out of my eyes. “Tikki, he can never know it's me. Besides - Ladybug is my best face - she's a persona I wear to fulfill my duty of saving Paris. I'm not her all the time - but I am Marinette all the time, therefore someone who loves me needs to care about Marinette - not just Ladybug.”
She tapped me on the nose. “Marinette, you don't NEED a boy to be loved - Alya loves you. Your parents love you.”  Tikki swooped in for a hug. “I love you. You can't be sad over some boy who doesn't see you for you.”
I smiled sadly. “Thanks, Tikki. I'm just going to transform and do patrol - it'll relieve some stress. Tikki, spots on!” I cried through my transformation.
Looking around the deserted side street I was on, I cried even harder. I was alone now.
Yo-yoing up onto a nearby building, I jumped into action. Making my way to the Eiffel Tower, our starting point, I ran towards Le Grand Paris - the first checkpoint on our patrol. Flipping and grappling and jumping through the air, I scan the area around me. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. My tears stream along behind me as I head to the second checkpoint - the Trocadero. Keeping my eyes watchful and open, I found nothing. The third checkpoint, the Ponts des Arts, was up next - I was halfway done. Going to the Trocadero had cheered me up - I'd stopped crying and instead really enjoying patrolling the city I defended alongside Chat Noir. The fourth checkpoint - the TV station - wasn't far. I ran across a few buildings, even coming across my very own bakery, and quickly made it there. The peaceful streets blurred below me as I reached the fifth checkpoint - the Louvre. Last checkpoint before heading back to round it off - school.
We'd made these places checkpoints because they seemed to be places akumas tended to be or attack. The school was the biggest hotspot - a majority of akumatized victims who were kids went to François-Dupont. Checking in on my school last, my patrol appeared to be safe. My form stopped.
I'd landed on the Eiffel Tower. I sat down, looking out at my city… not wanting to go home.
I felt Chat Noir’s presence land behind me, suddenly. I started crying… he just reminded me of rejection. He was another boy who loved Ladybug… and would never love Marinette. Today I wanted to cry. Today I didn't want to be strong.
I didn't care if I was Ladybug. I wanted to be sad - just for one day.
Chat placed his hand on my shoulder, sitting down besides me.
“My Lady? What's wrong?” He spoke up.
I couldn't tell him… it would be like shooting an arrow through his heart. “Nothing you should worry about, minou.”
He frowned. “Everything that hurts you I worry about. Something is really hurting you - you don't ever cry.”
I looked up through my tears. “Chat, I don't want to hurt you. You don't want to know.”
He persisted. “I promise, I'll be objective. Just tell me.”
I sighed. “Your funeral, minou. Remember that guy I mentioned when you confessed to me?”
Chat sucked in a breath and visibly stiffened. This was exactly what I didn't want. Chat’s arms were trembling. He said in a serene, predatory manner, “What did he do to my Bugaboo?”
I snorted. “Told you. Might as well finish - talking to you about this is making me feel a bit better. So, I confessed to him today as a civilian - and he rejected me.”
I glanced at Chat… his eyes held such pain. “Why?”, he choked out.
I smiled bitterly. “Because he was in love with Ladybug.” I heard a snicker. Then a chuckle. Then a full-blown laugh. I glared. “Why are you laughing?”
He reined himself in. “Oh, because that's so IRONIC. I'll tell you more when you feel better, but he DOES love you.”
I sighed. “No, minou. No, he doesn't. He just sees the mask - the only person who could possibly love both Ladybug and me is you, Chat - and you're most likely not him. I mean - you could be Adrien Agreste -”,

Chat Noir’s POV

I stared at her and all the pieces fell into place. Only ONE girl had confessed to me today - a girl who had bluebell eyes and two raven black pigtails. One who never was shown in the same place as Ladybug, and one who knew the names of all my classmates - like Ladybug did. An image of another girl overlaid itself on her face - that of Marinette’s. Perfect match.
I nearly stumbled back. She continued, not realizing I knew who she was now. “-but it's really unlikely. Anyway, Ladybug is WAY different than the girl inside - Ladybug is brave, smart, and can save the world… my civilian personality is more likely to wreck it by tripping all over it. Ladybug is just a personality I wear to fight crime - she's nothing like me. And Adrien - Adrien loves the public personality. He'd never care for the girl underneath the mask.”
I frowned. “Of course he would. I definitely do.”
She shook her head. “You don't even know who I am, minou.”
“...but I do, Princess.” She visibly flinched, hearing her nickname in my mouth. “How? When?” She asked.
I smiled sheepishly. “The moment you said you confessed to Adrien. Because - the truth is, my Lady,” I looked around, then softly said, “Plagg, claws in."
Letting the detransformation take over my body, I held her face in my hands and turned her to face me. “I love both sides of you."

Ladybug’s POV

I opened my eyes in shock. I saw - Adrien - smiling softly down at me. I froze. He hugged me, tight. “No one else could be a better fit for Ladybug, Princess.”
He pulled away and looked at me. “Princess, are you OK?”
I snapped out of it and pushed him away - harshly. I started crying again. “Why- why you?” My voice cracked in pain. “You're - you have to be mocking me.”
“Marinette, I -", I cut him off. “Don't you ‘Marinette’ me, you - you mangy alley cat.” I snarled. He looked taken aback. I continued, “You don't love me - you only love the persona. Look, Adrien,” I hissed. “I'm NOT Ladybug. I am Marinette Dupain-Cheng. You fell in love with someone who - is - not - real. Ladybug is a LIE - she's a pretty face I put on so I can save the world and keep Paris safe, happy, and protected. If you can't recognize the Marinette in Ladybug - you don't truly love me. You loved the mask - and now that's been shattered, and you're stuck loving a shell of someone - when the real deal is right in front of you and YOU DON'T CARE.”

Adrien’s POV

Why was she being so hostile to me? She just kept on attacking my love and none of it was true. She smiled bitterly. “You know - I was finally going to give in to Chat - I did love him. A little. Even when I had my stupid thing for Adrien.”
I retorted, hurt. “I - I did love you. In a similar way as you must have loved Chat. I didn't mean to hurt you, Princess, I just didn't think it was fair to you to have my heart split in two the way it was and pretend that I loved you completely. That would've been selfish and mean, so I tried to make a clean cut.”
She looked away. “Adrien, it'll be a few days until I can look at this with an ounce of objectivity - you need to leave me alone until then. As Chat and as Adrien - the exception being saving Paris. Don't seek me out. Don't talk to me. I will come to you.” My Lady disappeared into the night. Unbeknownst to me, my own eyes lost the gleam they'd had since meeting her as my shoulders slumped in defeat.
I'm still waiting for her. I'll always wait for her.

This may or may not get a part 2... if you want it, that is. For now, it's just the one part. There is more to come, so please buzz on!

- Queen Honey 🐝