The Argument



 "I'm so sick of this nonsense Chat! It's stupid! I'm in love with someone else and you just won't quit! Why can't you just accept it?!" Ladybug yelled at him, snapping the stem of the beautiful red rose in half. "I don't want to do this! You are making me hurt you over and over again because you refuse to listen to me, really listen to me!" she yelled.

 "

"Well, excuse me princess! But I can't help who I've fallen in love with, okay? If you want me to stop, then I will. But I can't give you up to someone that could hurt you! Who is this guy anyway?! Do they understand you like I do? Do they protect you like I do? Can you be sure they won't just play with your heart or dump you as soon as you ask them out? I don't want to see you crying for some playboy when I've loved you since the moment I met you!"



Ladybug stared at Chat. "Well, if you must know. . . it's Adrien Agreste. He would never hurt me. I trust him with my life! I trust him with. . . even if he only sees me as a friend, I would. . . I'd be willing to die for him." she said fiercely, which made Chat blink, falling off balance. He landed on his bottom, looking up at her. Then his eyes went cold. "Oh, I get it. You're in love with him because he's a rich model boy, right? Your famous, he's famous, it'll look good for you. . ." he said, getting to his feet when he felt a sharp smack to his cheek.

 "

Don't you EVER say that again! I love Adrien because he's kind, he's sweet and caring and I love him because of who he is, not because he has money! Or because he's a famous model! I love him! Do you think it would hurt me if I didn't love him?! But he only sees me as just a friend and I am too afraid to tell him I love him! Because. . . because without the mask of Ladybug . . . I'm not the same person. . . I'm a clumsy girl. . . I would barely register on his scale of datable people. I. . . I'm his friend, and he's my entire world. . ." she said, tears cascading down her eyes to caress her cheeks. 



 It hurt more than the slap. Just a friend. . . JUST A FRIEND?! That's what he said about Marinette. "Wait. . . Marinette?!" he asked, his green eyes wide. Her eyes snapped to his green ones. "What?! Oh. . . oh god. . . no. . . this can't be happening!" she said, staring at the hand print she had just left on his face. There could be no one else. . . no one else would guess her name. . . surely. It had to be Adrien. She had slapped Adrien. Things started to snap into place. The pain of not getting a fist bump because of Kagame. Kagame trying to weasel her way into his heart. . . Kagame telling her as Ladybug that she would betray her friendship for Adrien. . . breaking down with Luka. Kissing him when Dark Cupid hit him instead of her because he had blocked it. 

 "Marinette, look at me." he said, his eyes gentle as he approached her. 

"Plagg, claws in." he said, smiling at her. "It's funny, this entire time I've been in love with my best friend. But I've hurt you, either as a hero or as my civilian form. And I'm sorry. Please, let me make it up to you Marinette." he said, offering his hand to her. She took it, straightening herself out. "Adrien, I'm so sorry! Your face. . . I. . . your modeling career." she said guiltily. He simply laughed it off. 

"I deserved it. I hurt you and I'm sorry. I will make it up to you though, I promise." he said, kissing her forehead. "Why don't we do something tomorrow? Just me and you?"

 Marinette looked down. "What about Kagame? Aren't you two dating?" she asked. He shook his head. "Kagame and I aren't dating. She wants to I think. . . but I don't love her. Not like I do with you. You and I Mari. We're meant to be. I mean just look at our kwamis. Mine is destruction while yours is creation. Two sides of the same coin." he said when Plagg flew up to land on his shoulder. 

"Yep. Master Fu even said you two were perfect for each other. I was starting to wonder if you two would ever realize who each other are. Glad it's finally happened. My boy has been pining for you forever Ladybug."

 She chuckled. "It's nice to meet you again Plagg. I wish I had never been so insistent with that no reveal rule, it's only worsened what would have been a better relationship I guess." she said, meeting his eyes.

 "A- ah, the truth is, I've been in love with you since the day you gave me your umbrella. . . and i-if you really return my feelings. . . would you maybe. . ."

 Was she asking him out? Yes, he decided. "Then maybe you would like to be my girlfriend? As both Chat and Ladybug and as Adrien and Marinette?" he asked and she nodded furiously. "Y-Yes! I mean yeah! Sure, I'd love to!" she added and laughed nervously. Adrien looked thoughtful for a moment, giving Plagg his cheese from his pocket. "That's why you always smelled of Camenbert!" she exclaimed. "Yeah. . . it's a little embarrassing. . . but it's Plagg's favorite." he said. She smiled and pulled out a packet of mini macaroons from her pocket, giving one to Tikki, who came out of Marinette's purse. "Ooh, strawberry, my favorite!" she said happily, taking one. Then she took one with a deep purple out of her other pocket, packaged carefully with lace on it. "I - I wanted to give this to you but I didn't know how to really. . ." 

 Adrien beamed at her. "Marinette, thank you. That's so sweet of you." he said, taking the macaroon, then put it away in his pocket before using her falling hand to twirl her closer to him. "Now then princess, how should we stage this for the public?" he asked, leaving her breathless for a moment before she smiled up at him. "Well, we could set up Chat and Ladybug up as Chat asking Ladybug out and she says yes. We could do this in front of the cafe that the news reporters like to hang out. As for me and you. . . umm. . . I don't really know. . ."


 "Let me handle that beautiful." he said and winked at her, causing her face to turn a bright pink. Then he kissed her flushed cheek, making her turn even deeper pink to red. Surprising even herself, she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him, her blue eyes slipping closed. He was surprised at first, then closed his eyes, let out a muffled chuckle and kissed her back.

 ~-----------------~

 The next day, Marinette was heading out to the cafeteria to get lunch when Adrien came up. "Hey princess." he said and smiled at her. Ayla looked shocked at that. "See you at lunch." he said, walking by. Marinette smiled, watching him leave with her heart racing. "Something I should know girl?" Ayla asked, and Marinette giggled. "No, he's just started calling me that out of the blue, but it's a cute nickname, don't you think?" Marinette asked, smiling warmly. Her eyes were soft as she watched him leave. Ayla gave her a confused look and then she gasped. "I'm really hungry, let's hurry to lunch okay Mari?" she said excitedly and Marinette just laughed. "You're always hungry Ayla."

 Ayla simply pouted but smiled after. They got their food and sat down at the table with Nino and Adrien, who set his tray down then got up. She watched as he winked at Nino and Nino shrugged to Ayla, saying that he didn't know anything but the lie was evident on his face from the grin. Adrien walked over to Marinette, who could feel the thumping of her heart against her chest. "Hey Marinette?" he asked and she looked up at him. "Yes Adrien?" she asked as he held his hand out to her. "I've kind of liked you for a long time now. . . and I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me?" 

 It suddenly went quiet in the cafeteria as Marinette beamed, took his hand as she rose from her seat and threw her arms around his neck. "Yes! I - I mean yes, I'd love to be your girlfriend!" she said excitedly. Most of the people were clapping and it sounded like the whole cafeteria exploded with cheers. The brown haired girl stomping out of the cafeteria caught Marinette's attention. Lila. . . she was sure to start drama. But, she knew they could handle it, because they trusted each other completely. They always had. "I love you Adrien." she whispered, her eyes on his green orbs. Adrien's cheeks flushed pink. "Love you too Mari." he whispered back.