When the First Love Ends [COMPLETED]

Chapter 7

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Our lips colliding, the seconds slowing, this distance shrinking down to nothing
And if I cried now, would you kiss the tears away?
Since there's nothing really left to say
Just hold me tight and never let me go

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The class stood and waited patiently in the station, wiping the snow off their shoulders. The air had turned colder and the rain morphed into light snow, reminding Marinette of the Festival of Lights. Heh. These days were so similar. Both Chat Noir and Adrien were leaving during beautiful snowy mornings. A sigh escaped her involuntarily.

Instead of love, she felt a heartfelt warmth bloom in her chest for the boy who had changed her life. She was okay with being just a friend as long as they continued to talk. The love that had resided before taught her so much about herself, her friends, and her life, but now it was time to let go. Like a bird setting up its flight, she took in a deep breath, feeling the cold air fill her lungs, and let it out so her love could freely live among the sky.

Everyone crowded around Adrien as the train entered audible distance. A flurry of hugs and waves surrounded him and the blonde tried his best to respond to everyone. Alya left Marinette's side and also went to hug Adrien goodbye. She watched as the ombré-haired girl turned around and gestured for Marinette to come over. Shyly shaking her head, she refused and stood in place, throwing her hands in her coat pockets. Marinette looked at her red muffler around Adrien's neck. He looked warm and comfortable in it. She smiled to herself and dug her face in her own pink scarf.

Adrien took notice of her and went up to the dark-haired girl, smiling brightly as he always did. "Mari, I just wanted to say thank you for yesterday. I don't think I'll meet anyone as quick-witted and as smart as you ever again. Your optimism is something I wish to have and..."

His voice trailed off in Marinette's head as he grabbed her hands. So warm and inviting. Had he always felt this comfortable? The curves of his palm fit snugly around her own and she felt herself flush. She couldn't be falling in love with him all over again. Not when she had just made peace with herself.

Something slid onto her wrist and she looked down. Adrien, under the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing, had a bracelet on his left hand. Black and red, a nameplate underneath...

Her bracelet to Chat Noir.

Wait a minute. How could he have this bracelet? There was only one in the world like it and Marinette had given it to Chat as a remembrance of their partnership. Her heart skipped a beat as she began to panic, thoughts swirling around in her head. She snuck a glance at his right hand. There, on his finger, was no silver ring. He had always worn that ring. When did he take it off?

Out of confusion, Marinette began to tear up thinking of her partner and Adrien stopped talking, eyes widening when he saw the drops roll down her face. "I'm sorry, Marinette. Please don't cry. Everything will be okay. I'm sure we can see each other again."

The train pulled in and came to a complete stop. Adrien sighed. "That's my cue to leave. I promise to keep in contact, okay?" He let go of her hands and turned to walk through the sliding doors, leaving Marinette in the snow.

No. Alya was right. It was going to be painful if she never had a chance to say it. It was going to hurt forever if she never knew what Adrien would have said. With a fear that he was going to leave forever, Marinette stretched out her hand and cried, "Wait...!"

The cold had frozen the rain from yesterday and ice was prominent in the station. Everyone took it seriously to look out for ice and go around it if possible. In the heat of the moment, Marinette didn't notice the thin veneer underneath her and slipped, falling slowly as time froze around her.

The next few moments went by too quickly for her to register what had happened. In the span of two seconds, she grabbed the red scarf in front of her and pulled Adrien in. He tried to catch her and held out his arms but as she fell into his grip, the necklace around her neck ripped off and her face wavered dangerously close to his and she closed her eyes.

The station turned quiet as she scrunched her eyes closed. What happened? Why was everything so silent? She opened her eyes slowly, realizing that her lips were interlocked with someone else's.

She kissed him.

It was a moment she had never expected. Marinette and Adrien, arms around each other, were in an embrace too intimate for her to have even imagined. Panicking, she separated herself from him and felt her neck. The kwagatama. It had come off when Adrien tried to catch her. Unable to make eye contact with him, she scoured the floor for the necklace.

Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned around. There he was again, like a nightmare that wouldn't leave her head. His hand was up and she looked in his palm. The small, red kwagatama that Tikki had given her now had a gem inside the center where empty space used to be. The crystal on the necklace Chat had given her had been added to her own. Unable to move, she simply stared at it wide-eyed.

The corners of Adrien's mouth lifted ever so slightly and he reached around her, tying the necklace back on. "I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again, let alone find out who you really were."

Huh? Was he talking to her? Where did this come from? As she tried to work out her confusion, Adrien stepped into the train and waved to Marinette, giving her the softest look she had ever seen. His voice lowered to a whisper and she had to look right at him to understand what he said. "I'm glad I was able to kiss you one last time, Ladybug."

The doors closed and the train began to move again. The snow at the edge of the platform kicked up and sprinkled over her as she stood in astonishment. He knew who Ladybug was.

The ring. The bracelet. The kiss. It all fell into place and she dropped onto her knees, crying her lungs out as she wrapped her arms around herself. Everyone ran up to her, attempting to comfort her by saying, "It's okay you didn't tell him how you felt," assuming that she was crying because of that.

It was deeper than that. Her partner, her love - the extent of her situation was now absolutely clear to her and she sobbed wildly into her friends' arms. She lost him and was never going to see him in person ever again and that was the most painful part of all.

She sniffled softly even as she went to bed and Tikki sat nearby, cradling the girl's head as she fell asleep.

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In the morning, Marinette awoke with a clear mind, rubbing the dried tears away. The clarity of the cold morning allowed her to accept that both superheroes had lost something yesterday and she got up to get ready for school. The red kwami asked if she was feeling well and Marinette nodded. "I'm okay."

As the dark-haired girl walked into class, Alya ran down the steps and wrapped her arms around her best friend. Marinette returned the embrace and relaxed in her hold. "I miss him too, girl," Alya said. "I miss him too."

As she walked up to her seat, Marinette looked at the seat where Adrien sat and softly smiled, recalling his own smile when the doors closed. She took a seat, peering into her bag and giving a small look to Tikki.

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Around this time next year, I wonder where we'll be?
Even if you don't remember me,
I hope you'll always be smiling and happy

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