The video above is the song they dance to. This entire fanfiction spiraled from that one song, it was the inspiration and the reason I wrote this. I hope you love it as much as I do.
Marinette
She took his hand, and he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned against him, taking a deep breath. Soon she would forget what he smelled like. Would she fall in love with it again? What if she didn't fall in love with him at all?
"Please Mari."
He sounded desperate, the sound of it breaking her heart. He hadn't sounded like that in a long time. She looked up at him and he turned his face away from her, his voice sounding as broken as she felt.
"Please don't leave me."
He said it as if he knew about who she was, and what she was going to do. But he didn't, she knew he didn't. Adrien was asking Marinette not to leave. Not Ladybug. She flinched when she heard the lyrics playing, making this moment hurt so much more than it had to.
'So close together, and when I'm with you, so close to feeling alive.'
She buried her face in his chest, trying not to listen to him, or the song playing. It was pain. All of it. Him, Ladybug. This moment and this life. It was all so much pain. She was desperate for the pain to disappear, to be happy again.
"Marinette."
He required an answer, and she couldn't give him one. Not the one he wanted to hear. She didn't have a choice. She didn't. She could feel tears welling in her eyes, and she silently asked them to stop.
'So close to reaching that famous happy end almost believing this one's not pretend.'
But it was. Their relationship was drowning in lies. She could tell him. She could finally be truthful. With someone. With him. She could tell him everything, even what she was going to do. She could explain everything and make him understand. She could salvage what was broken, before she completely destroyed it.
"Adrien, I-"
Lightning flashed overhead, and the crowd around them scattered, running for the shelter of the school. Adrien didn't move, so neither did she. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, closing her eyes as it began to rain.
"I have to tell you something."
"Tell me."
She held her breath for the pain she knew her confession would bring. Would he hurt as much as she did? Would he turn away or would he hold on to her tighter?
"I'm La-"
An explosion interrupted her this time, from somewhere deep in the city. Not an acuma. Not now. He slowly pulled away from her, offering a gentle smile.
"I have to go."
"No. Don't."
"I have to."
He turned, starting to walk away, and the panic swelling inside her threatened to silence her. He couldn't defeat an acuma. Not alone. Not without her.
"She won't be there!"
She shouted, suddenly finding her voice. He stopped, slowly turning to look at her. He didn't look shocked. Or angry, he looked relieved. Why? He paced back to her, lifting her chin and kissing her gently. He ran a hand along her cheek as he pulled away, his eyes locked on hers.
"My lady, even if you don't go, someone has to."
He knew. He knew. He knew? For how long? She could feel the tears, they were hotter than the rain on her face.
"Adrien-"
"I'm sorry. I have to."
He kissed her forehead, pulling away again. He broke into a jog, and she couldn't breathe. He knew. He was going to fight an acuma, when he knew she didnt have her miraculous. Tiki. Tiki was at home. She had to get home. She ran inside, searching the crowd for Alya. She was dressed like Rena Rouge, and she pushed through the crowd until she found her. She was with Nino, her head bent over her phone.
"Alya!"
She glanced up as Marinette finally got to her, turning her phone around to face her.
"Have you seen this acuma? It's Night owl."
"What? What's a superhero from New York doing here in Paris?"
Someone near them asked, and Alya shook her head as Marinette inspected the screen. It was Nightowl all right. She was on a rampage, screaming about someone named William.
"Alya, I need your keys."
Alya narrowed her eyes, pulling her phone away from Marinette.
"You're leaving?"
She didn't have a lie, nor did she have the time for one.
"Alya please, I'll be right back. I need your car."
She lowered her voice, and Alya shook her head.
"I can't believe you. This is our prom. You're seriously flaking out on our only prom?"
Marinette flinched, shaking her head. It wasn't like that. She wasn't flaking. She just had a job to do and a certain cat needed her help.
"Alya please."
"No Marinette. This is prom."
"Prom is over, it's pouring outside and an acuma is destroying the city."
Alya scoffed, crossing her arms.
"Prom is not over. It just started. Why do you want to leave? Did you and Adrien have a fight? Because a boy is no reason to miss out on prom."
Marinette's patience was running thin, and she clenched her jaw to keep from voicing her frustration.
"We didn't fight. I left something at home and I need it. Please. Give me your car keys."
"I won't. Not unless you tell me what's going on. You look like you've been crying, Adrien is gone and now suddenly you want to leave too? You're lying to me. Again."
Alya looked hurt, and Marinette sighed, grabbing her wrist. It didn't really matter anymore did it? Adrien knew, why couldn't she? Alya was someone she could trust, she knew it. Besides, Alya would find out anyway when she became the new guardian, as well as Ladybug. She drug her into an empty classroom, closing the door behind her.
"I have a confession."
"Oh? This should be good."
She crossed her arms, staring at Marinette as if she expected lies to spill forth. But she didn't have any lies, not anymore.
"I'm Ladybug."
Alya made a face, her hands dropping to her sides.
"That's a new one."
"I left my earrings at home, and Chat Noir can't do this without me. Please, I need your car."
She insisted, and Alya's look of disbelief seemed to fade.
"You're being serious?"
"I promise. I can explain it all to you later, but right now I need your help."
Alya dug into a pocket on her dress, slowly producing her car keys.
"Marinette... if you're telling me the truth, I'm sorry. I didn't know, if I had I wouldn't have been so hard on you about not spending time together."
"It's okay. I have to go, but we'll talk later."
She grabbed the keys from her hand, quickly leaving the classroom. Oddly, she wasn't upset but she wasn't relieved either, like she had expected to be. She just felt empty. She jogged out to the car, holding her dress up to keep from accidentally stepping on the skirt. She pulled out of the school, heading straight for the bakery. Nothing made sense anymore. A hero from New York was trying to total Paris, Alya now knew who she was and Adrien... how long had he known? Had it been from the very beginning? Was that the reason he agreed to the arrangement? Was that why he fell in love with her? The fact that it was Marinette didn't matter, just that she was Ladybug? Did he love her because of Ladybug? She groaned, gripping the steering wheel tighter, desperately hoping she didn't start crying. Not now. None of that mattered now. What did matter, was getting Tiki back. Their goodbye hadn't been anything spectacular, though Marinette cried when she took off the earrings. Their goodbye had been silent acceptance, with watery eyes they hugged, and Marinette had taken off the earrings. It had been a mistake to take them off days before passing them to Alya. A mistake she was currently paying for.
"Marinette, what are you doing back here already?"
Her father asked, and she rushed up the stairs, her gaze locked on her trapdoor. He started to follow her, and she knew it was because he was worried something was wrong. He was right, but she couldn't let him know that.
"I just forgot something!"
She called over her shoulder, throwing the trapdoor open. She quickly shut it behind her, to encourage him not to follow. She pulled the Miraculous box from under her bed, opening the lid.
"Marinette, are you okay?"
He called through the door and she ignored him, grabbing the earrings and quickly putting them on. Her kwami appeared out of thin air, her face lighting up once her gaze landed on Marinette. Relief flooded through Marinette, she had thought she wouldn't see Tiki again.
"Marinette? I thought-"
"It's a long story Tiki. Summary, there's an acuma destroying Paris."
She whispered, making her way back downstairs. She jogged through the bakery, giving her father a quick wave as she disappeared through the door. He called out something, but she couldn't hear him over the thunder. She ran around to the alley next door, taking a small moment to catch her breath.
"Tiki, spots on!"