Running from the Night (A Ladybug and Chat Noir Fanfic)

Chapter 2

Marinette sat on the hard wooden seat at the front of her class. Although she had been sitting in this spot for over a month now, she still felt exposed and uncomfortable. She looked to her left at the windows that lined the wall beside her. In its reflection, she could see Alya and Nino sitting close together, whispering about something that made Alya giggle. Marinette stared, wishing everything could go back to normal, but Alya still refused to talk to her. She sighed and pulled out her school books.

For once, she had actually been early to class. She hadn't slept that night. Instead, she had stayed awake playing video games, talking, and cuddling with her boyfriend. Rather than bothering to get any sleep after he left, she took an early start to the morning. Marinette was tired, but spending so much time with Chat Nair had finally inspired her to design again. She pulled out her sketchbook and began thumbing out her basic ideas. Starting with a sketch of Chat Noir himself, which she immediately shaded black, unnerved by the small reminder of Chat Blanc. Marinette continued to sketch out fashion ideas related to her boyfriend, but nothing seemed quite right yet.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the door swing open.

"Hey Marinette," Adrien said as he walked past the front of their shared desk and sat beside her. He put his school bag down on the desk and used it as a pillow to put his head on. It was not a very comfortable one as far as Marinette could tell.

"You o-okay Adrien?" She did her best not to stumble over her words, but as he sat down, he had grazed her arm with his hand. She focused on anything other than the contact in order to stay calm. She loved Chat Noir, but she still had a hard time shaking her pesky feelings for Adrien.

"Yeah, I just didn't get much sleep," Adrien said slowly. She noticed just how exhausted he looked.The bags under his eyes were poorly covered with makeup. She wished she could do something to help.

"Here," she whispered, holding the oversized hoodie she had worn on her way to school to shield from the recent cold weather. He looked at her for a minute, processing the information with a blank stare, before realizing why she was offering him a pink sweater. Adrien smiled and placed it, balled up, on top of his bag.

"You're the best, Mari," he said, stifling a yawn and letting his heavy eyelids close so he could sleep on his now much comfier pillow. Marinette blushed at the use of the nickname. She was glad he had closed his eyes so he couldn't see the pink creeping across her cheeks. She shook her head trying to dislodge the hold the blonde boy still had on her.

The teacher called the classes attention, making the chatter in the room die down. Adrien drearily sat up as Ms. Bustier went through role call, starting with him. He looked around, seeming to be getting his bearings as to where and when he was. He glanced down at Marinette's open sketch book. She self-consciously closed the book and gave him an awkward smile, trying to hide her embarrassment.

The hardest part about her life was all the secrecy. She hated the fact that she had to hide her first boyfriend from the world, from her parents. She already had a complicated double life as Ladybug, and now she didn't even have her best friend to share it with. So to Adrien, it would look like she was just a fangirl obsessed with Paris' hero. It didn't help that as far as her class knew she had been akumatized over said superhero recently. She sighed and prepared herself for class, her energy quickly draining away. This was going to be a long day.

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The final bell of the day released everyone from the school. Adrien packed his bag slower than the rest of the class. He felt like he barely had the energy to move. Nino moved down the steps towards him with Alya just behind him.

"Hey dude! We're going to Alya's to play some video games, want to join?" Nino asked, throwing his bag over his shoulder.

"Sorry Nino, I can't, I have to go straight home tonight," Adrien said, knowing it'd be best not to upset his father further. He glanced back at the desk, realizing Marinette's sweater was still there. He looked up about to give it back to her, but she was already out the door and disappearing down the stairs.

"Oh, she already left," Adrien muttered to himself, wondering if he should try to catch up to her.

"Good riddance," Alya said, sounding more like Chloe than herself. He turned, shocked at the malice threaded into her voice. She had her arms crossed and a sour look on her face. Adrien felt anger pulse through him. Alya had been so mean to Marinette lately. He felt a surge of protectiveness rush through him, he wasn't going to stand by and let her badmouth his girlfriend.

"I don't know what happened between you two but you should remember she was your friend once, she doesn't deserve the way you're treating her," Adrien snapped before pushing past her and jogging to catch up with Marinette.

He weaved his way through the students and broke free of the crowd once he was on the sidewalk in front of the school. He spotted the bluenette walking across the street almost at her family bakery. At the same time the black limo pulled up beside Adrien. Nathalie stepped out to pull the back door open for him. He cast a look at the bakery Marinette had disappeared into and down at the pink sweater in his arms. He would give it back to her next time he saw her, he decided, he didn't mind hanging on the soft fabric that smelled like fresh pastries and chocolate.