Not You: A Miraculous Ladybug Tale

I lie all the time

"I don't want to talk about it," Marinette said to Tiki.

She flung her shoes off and flopped on her bed. She was still drenched but felt too tired to change.

"Did you really have to say all that? Adrien was trying to be kind."

"I lie all the time, Tiki. To Mom, Dad, Alya, my teachers. Everyone. No one knows how I feel or what I think because I smile and tell them I'm fine. But I'm not fine. For once, I just wanted to tell Adrien what he did to me. How much pain it cost me."

"Well, you may just have caused another akumatization."

Marinette leaped from her bed, "Tiki, how could you say that?"

"Based on your record, you tend to create a supply for Ladybug's demand."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Tiki floated inches Marinette's face, wearing a stern expression. No matter how much Tiki scowled, it was impossible for her to look anything other than cute. 

"Listen to me. You were too hard on him, in my opinion. His feelings for you may have changed. You don't know what he was about to say to you before you cut him off."

"He doesn't love Marinette. He has had plenty of time to realize it before now. I'm just his good friend and refuse to hear him ever call me that again."

"Well, you at least need to go on patrol tonight just in case."

"I was already planning on it," Marinette thought of Cat Noir. She was excited to see him. Maybe they could go another "date" but this time with ice cream. Anything to take her mind of Adrien. She felt guilty for being so blunt, and she didn't want to hurt him. She also didn't want to hurt herself anymore by loving him. 

"Now, transform out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold," Tiki ordered. 

"Tiki, spots on!" 

During her transformation, she felt her weakness and loneliness melting away as she became perfection...as she became Ladybug. 

"I wasn't too harsh," Ladybug said to herself. "I wasn't just saying goodbye to Adrien."