I Didn't Mean to Hurt You: A Miraculous Ladybug Reveal Story (Rewrite)

Always...Shy?

The next morning, Adrien made sure to arrive at school earlier than usual. Thankfully, Marinette hadn't arrived. Alya was standing in the corner typing on her phone. He walked up to her glancing around to see if Nino or anyone else for that matter was around.

"Hi, Alya!" He said, giving her a wave and a smile.

"Oh hey, Adrien! You're here early today." she smiled at him, the phone still in her hand.

"Yeah, I..uh...I wanted to talk to you about something. But it's kinda...private." He scratched the back of his neck. This was super uncomfortable, but he had to figure this thing out. It had kept him up half the night and he knew he wasn't going to be able to focus on class until he got some more information.

"Yeah? Sure, what's up?" Alya looked concerned as she slipped the phone back into her pocket, giving Adrien her full attention. He glanced around to make sure they were alone before continuing in a quiet voice.

"It's about Marinette." Alya's eyes grew wide, but he didn't let that stop him, "Why is she...always so...shy?"

"Um..." Alya's face was hard to read.

"It's just that she is always stuttering and never looks me in the eye when I talk to her. I mean, sometimes she's not but...I just...I don't know. It's kinda weird and I was just wondering if it was just me or..."

"Oh, it's just you." She answered, cutting him off. "For sure."

"What does that mean? Am I imagining it or something?"

"No. I mean, she's really only like that around you." Alya was staring straight into his eyes like she was waiting for him to notice something, but she didn't say anything else.

"But why?"

"Look, I can't answer that." Ayla was glancing about, but they were still alone, "Just think about that for a minute."

"Why can't you answer that? Does she really hate me?" Adrien's mind was spinning, recalling an earlier discussion with Nino. "Did I do something to upset her?"

"I just can't," Alya shook her head, "but no, she isn't mad or anything. And you definitely haven't upset her. Well...maybe a little." Her face looked pained. She wanted to tell him, he could see that. He tapped his chin and tried to think of why Marinette was only like that around him.

"Come on, Adrien," Alya was getting frustrated with his lack of an answer. "Think about it. Why would a girl be shy around you?"

"Can you give me a hint?" He begged.

"It's not because your mean but because you are so..." She leaned in, wanting him to fill in the blank.

"Um...nice?" He took a wild guess.

"YES!" she nearly screamed it at him. "You're really nice, sweet, charming...a hansom model...a girl just might..." The pieces started falling into place in Adrien's mind.

"Like me?" Certainly, he was way off base. Marinette had flat denied having feelings for him, but Alya's grin suggested that she might have been lying.

"Uh-hu...and Marinette is shy around you because....?"

"Uh...she likes..." Adrien froze as the answer became clear to him. Or course. How could he have been so blind! "She likes me. Really likes me."

"FINALLY! Man you are so freakin' dense! Even worse than Nino if might say. Just remember, I didn't tell you anything. You figured it out all on your own. Right?" Alua grabbed his shirt and pulled him in close, her other hand formed a fist mid-air. A threat.

"Right, yes. Of course Alya." He raised both his hands in self-defense. She relaxed and let go of him. "You would never betray your best friend's trust."

"Exactly. Even if it was in her best interest." She winked at him. Marinette was lucky to have a good friend like Alya by her side.

"Thanks, Alya. " He smiled politely and walked off to the locker room; his mind spinning from the realization.

Marinette liked him. Which meant that everything she had said to the Adrien 'statue', even if it was a dramatic over-the-top speech, had been true. His heart pounded and raced as the pieces started to fall into place. The bashfulness and awkwardness. The smiles and blushes. The sad look on her face in the car on the way home and he referenced Ladybug.

He opened his locker and started unpacking his bag, his headache getting worse. If Marinette really was Ladybug, which seemed more and more likely, that also meant that Ladybug liked him. Not, as Chat, but as Adrien.

Is Marinette Ladybug? he asked himself for about the thousandth time. He was hesitant to answer the question, but part of him felt he already had his answer. The other simply couldn't believe it. Could I really have overlooked her? All this time?

Adrien groaned and grabbed his notebook. So much for being able to focus in class.