Seeing butterflies

Apologies

Marinette stumbled around her room as she pulled on her pants. She tried to pull her shirt over her head at the same time. "Crap crap crap crap Wha!" She fell over, landing on the ground in a tangled heap of clothes and limbs. Marinette groaned as she looked up at her giggling Kwami. 

"Slow down Marinette. I woke you up an hour earlier." Tikki smiled down at her. "This way you can be on time for once."

Marinette groaned in response. "But it's so early." She said as she untangled herself and pulled her clothes straight. 

"At least you won't be late?" Tikki tried to console her chosen. 

Marinette smiled. "Thanks Tikki. I know you're just looking out for me." She pet her giggling Kwami and opened her purse to let Tikki in. Marinette walked down the stairs musing quietly about the phone call she had with Chloe two days ago. She wondered if Chloe had done anything with her advise yet. Marinette was low key quite proud of her queen bee. Chloe had shown remorse for her actions that let up to her being Miracle queen. If she kept it up, maybe Marinette.. Or well. Ladybug could offer Chloe another miraculous. She'd have to consult the Kwami's about it. Seeing as most of her team had been revealed to the public, she would have to pick new people to be backup miraculous holders. 

Marinette greeted her mother as she walked into the living room. Sabine did a double take. "You're up early dear?" She smiled softly and gave Marinette a croissant for breakfast.

"Yeah.. I figured I would be on time for once?" Marinette smiled sheepishly.

"I'm proud of you, my dear." Her mother left to help her father in the kitchen.

After breakfast, Marinette grabbed her stuff and left for school. She was half an hour early for once. It felt quite good to not have to run up the stairs like a maniac. Marinette looked around to see if Alya had arrived yet. Her friendship with Alya was strained ever since she was expelled and unexpelled. However, she still wanted to keep her friendship with Alya. It wasn't a big deal that she was now hanging out with Lila as well... It wasn't!

Marinette spotted Chloe who was pacing in front of the steps. She looked nervous, it was an odd look on her. Marinette hadn't ever seen Chloe this way. Besides her very rare moments of vulnerability, Chloe was always self assured of herself. Marinette admired that about her. Especially before she became Ladybug. Chloe might have even been an inspiration for Ladybug's self confidence. Marinette shook herself out of her thoughts and went towards Chloe to ask her, what's up.

Chloe spotted her before she got very far. The nervous girl practically bounced towards her. "Dup.. I mean. Ma. Marinette. I... You're early." She huffed. Chloe tried her best to look her normal prissy self, clearly failing. 

"Yes my Kw... I mean. My alarm! Alarm went off?" Marinette stuttered through her explanation. 

"Ah.." Chloe fiddled with an envelope. She quickly thrust it at her. "For you. Please read it." Chloe fled away from her. She ran into the school as Marinette looked at the envelope. 

She settled on the stairs to read Chloe's apology letter. Once she finished she stared at it in disbelief. "Can you believe it Tikki? She took my advice.. I.. didn't actually think she would take this step to bettering herself." Marinette smiled softly. Tiki opened her mouth to reply, she got cut off by the first bell. "Oh. I better get going." She quickly got up and made her way inside. 

Marinette walked to class with her mind focussed on Chloe. The other girl had once had a crush on her. She wondered if that was still the case, or if Cloe had buried her feelings so deep she no longer felt anything for her at al. At any case. Marinette decided to give Chloe a chance. She decided to forgive the girl who bullied her for years. 

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Chloe felt like hiding her face behind her hands. She had hoped to be more dignified when she delivered the letter. Yesterday, she had already failed the simple task. She had chickened out at the last moment. After watching the bakery for half an hour she had returned home, vowing to give the letter that Monday at school. 

Chloe groaned as she slid into her spot. She noticed Lila was raving about one of her inane stories again. Chloe rolled her eyes at the liar and her sheep, at least the girl was good for a distraction. She observed Sabrina and Alya listening closely to the ravings of the serial liar. Chloe   looked away sadly as she thought about Sabrina. She would have to apologize to her best friend as well. It wouldn't be as easy to write as Marinette's letter had been. With Marinette she didn't have anything to loose. With Sabrina... Chloe would have to be careful not to offend the clever girl. 

She decided she might as well start on her first draft. Chloe opened her notebook to a clean page and picked up her pen.

"Hey."

Chloe shrieked and turned to the person who slipped into the chair next to her. "Dupain-ch.." She cut herself off as Marinette raised her eyebrow. "Sorry. Marinette.. Hi. did you.." Chloe looked down at the letter and spotted how it clearly had been opened. 

"Yes I did read your letter." Marinette smiled at her.

"What do you think?" Chloe asked nervously. She desperately hoped she hadn't offended the sweet class president. All her worries faded away at the sight of Marinette's beaming smile.

"You're forgiven. I am proud of you Chloe." 

Chloe spluttered softly, Marinette had no idea how much those words meant to her. "J- Just like that?" Chloe wanted to hit herself. Giving the letter at school had been a mistake. She could feel the piercing stares of her classmates on her back. Clearly they had strong emotions about her actions during Miracle queen. She would have preferred this conversation to happen in private. Chloe focussed back on Marinette when the girl placed a hand on her shoulder. 

"Forgiven yes, but. That doesn't mean I have forgotten. However, I'm willing to give friendship a try... if you are as well?"

Chloe stared at Marinette's dazzling smile and fell in love all over again. This girl... "Yes." She smiled happily.  

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Adrien smiled as his father waved his arms around erratically. The doctor's had given him some sort of medication that made Gabriel incredibly high. Adrien stifled his giggles as he had never seen his father so silly and emotional. He was happy he convinced Luka to come with him to visit his father before school. Suddenly, in the middle of his complaining, Gabriel burst out in tears.

"I'm sorry Adrien!" He cried.

Adrien blinked in surprise. "Father?"

"I'm sorry I have been so distant ever since your mother..." Gabriel hiccuped. "Ever since she fell into her coma. I'm sorry...." Gabriel hugged his son and cried.

Adrien froze as he processed the action. He patted his father's back without saying anything. He kind of hoped Gabriel would remember this later. Maybe he would start making time for him. "Father? I have to go to school now. I'll be back this afternoon, ok?" He awkwardly tried to console the crying man. His father nodded and waved goodbye as Adrien left.

Luka smiled and patted Adrien's shoulder as they left together. "That felt weird." Adrien muttered.

"Don't worry, the drugs will be out of his system soon enough. He will feel as embarrassed as you do right now." Luka chuckled softly.

Adrien grinned. "Yeah you're probably right." he hopped behind Luka on his bike as they left for Françoise Dupont.

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Uhhh Surprise? This was done? Somehow. Also yay I live! Updates are slow and irregular still. Sorry.