Hello, lovely readers! I decided to write a chaptered fic for ML Lovesquare Fluff Week this year. The day one prompt is "Concert".

Enjoy!

Come visit me on Tumblr! (I'm gryffindorcls over there.)

I own nothing but the plot.

"What's that bright light coming from the park?" Chat Noir asked, perching himself on the edge of the roof and observed the scene below, "I know there are street lights down there, but they're not usually that bright."

Ladybug moved next to him. "Well, I did see some workers setting up for a wedding earlier today."

"A wedding? How do you know?"

"My fam…uh," she cleared her throat, "I mean, my favorite bakery is catering the event this weekend."

"Oh."

"But the workers finished hours ago, and I don't see any people down there right now. I know that they put one of those temporary chain-link fences around the venue, but we should probably go check it out anyway. I doubt it's an Akuma, but maybe they accidentally left something running?"

"Sounds good, my lady. Lead the way."

The duo leaped off of the rooftop and landed gracefully inside the fenced-off area. Ladybug dove behind a bush and gestured for him to come. Chat quickly joined her behind the foliage and peered over the leaves. After a few minutes of observation, they both came to the conclusion that they were alone in the park.

"I think everything is safe, my lady," he declared, "We should get going. I know you're probably itching to get our patrol started."

"Wow." To his surprise, Ladybug ignored his statement, grabbed his hand, and pulled him into the decorated space. "They did an amazing job. It's so beautiful."

Everything within the boundaries of the fence was tastefully adorned with an explosion of pink and white. Chairs made of slatted wood-lined both sides of a shimmery aisle runner while large pots containing rose bushes in full bloom were scattered throughout the grounds.

A white gazebo that had been fashioned into an altar was the source of the park's illumination. Light poured through translucent white curtains that swayed gently in the breeze. A cascading garland of pink and white roses adorned the entranceway.

"It's like walking through a dream," Ladybug whispered, reaching out to touch the delicate petals on the make-shift archway.

Chat stood next to her under the flowered veil. "Do you like roses?"

She nodded. "Yeah, the pink ones are my favorite."

"I'll make sure to remember that."

"Thinking of getting me flowers?"

"Purr-haps."

Ladybug flicked his bell. "I thought this little kitty was smitten with someone else. At least that's what he told me that last time I checked."

He turned his head away. "Um...no. Things didn't exactly work out with her. We were...um...too alike."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Chaton."

"Thank you, my lady."

A dull ache resonated throughout his body. Every fiber of his being yearned to be with Ladybug. A lot had changed between them, but she was still his everything. Several months ago, he'd tried so hard to move on from his crush on her, but looking for love somewhere else only made him realize that he'd never stop being in love with her.

After Ladybug became the Guardian, Chat began to spend time with his partner after patrols. He knew that she needed his unwavering support, and he was more than willing to provide it.

At first, their conversations centered around plans to find and defeat Hawkmoth, but they eventually started talking to each other about their everyday lives. Without revealing their identities, they got to know each other on a more personal level.

Soon, Ladybug was no longer just the beautiful enigma who'd stolen his heart. He'd come to discover that beneath her serious exterior was an ordinary girl who led an extraordinary life. She had hopes and dreams like everyone else. She wasn't perfect, but she was real. Chat always knew that his lady was brave, creative, and intelligent, but he was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was also quirky, kind, and selfless. While he still didn't know her name, it was almost as if she was someone he knew in his civilian life.

It didn't take long for them to become each other's best friends. Once this happened, he knew things would never work out with Kagami. His heart would forever belong to his lady, and loving anyone other than his partner proved to be an impossible task.

So, with a heavy heart, he told Kagami that he was in love with another girl. Initially, she'd been upset, but they eventually came to a mutual understanding. In the end, he was happy that he and Kagami were able to remain friends.

Chat didn't tell Ladybug about the overwhelming love he still felt for her because he was afraid that she didn't want to know about it. His lady had mentioned going on a few dates with someone, but she said that she decided to stay friends with the mystery boy. He knew that she wasn't dating anyone at the moment, but he'd become terrified of rejection. His heart wasn't ready to hurt again.

Being in Ladybug's presence made him feel broken and whole at the same time. However, after seeing the wonderment in her expression tonight, he was on the verge of shattering into a million pieces. As he continued to watch her gush over the decorations, a surge of emotion pressed against the fissures in his soul.

When tears started to brim in the corners of his eyes, he turned his head away from his lady and did his best to focus on something else. His gaze eventually landed on a white baby grand piano in the middle of the gazebo.

He sniffled, hastily wiped the wetness from his cheeks, and took a seat on the bench. After lifting the lid, he gently ran his fingers across the keys. He took a deep breath and began to play.

At first, the notes came slowly. As he continued to play, his song started to evolve into a tune that reflected his deepest desires. It was the song that his soul sang every day. He closed his eyes and escaped into the music.

Her voice cut into his reverie and pulled him back to earth. "That's beautiful, Chaton."

"Thank you, my lady." His fingers still danced across the keys while he spoke.

"I've never heard that song before. Is it from something?"

"I wrote it. The melody took over every thought and wrote itself on my heart."

"It's incredible." She walked over and sat down next to him. "What inspired you to write it?"

Chat's fingers went still. "You were my inspiration."

He heard her breath hitch. "What?"

"I wrote it for you." He met her gaze.

"Please don't stop." Ladybug's voice was barely a whisper.

"Anything for you, my lady." Chat looked back down at the keys and started again from the beginning.

He once again lost himself in the melody. Every passing note screamed a hidden declaration of love. As if it was the last thing he'd ever do, he poured every ounce of himself into his playing. He couldn't find the courage to voice the "I love you" that pounded against his chest, so his song spoke for him instead. Tonight, the piano sang the song of his soul, and he really hoped that his lady was listening.

When the song ended, he became painfully aware of Ladybug's presence. Chat turned his head only to find his lady looking at her lap. Her bangs obscured her face, making it impossible for him to gauge her reaction.

"Thank you for playing that for me, Chat," she said softly, "I have to go home now, but I'll see you soon."

He reached out as she got up and walked away from the piano. "Wait! We didn't finish our patrol."

"It's a school night, and I have to finish some homework before tomorrow. Paris will be okay for tonight."

He felt his entire body droop. "You hated it."

Within seconds, her hands slipped into his own and she pulled him to his feet. "Oh, no, Chaton. That's not it at all. I loved it. I loved it with all my heart."

"Then why are you leaving?"

"The schoolwork thing isn't a lie. I really do need to finish my Physics homework; however, I have a feeling that it's going to take a little longer tonight because I suddenly have a lot on my mind."

"But what does…"

Before he could finish his question, Ladybug slipped away and stood in the gazebo's entranceway.

"I'll see you soon, kitty." She gave him a little wave and swung off into the night.

Chat felt the beginnings of a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. "Goodnight, my lady."

Marinette sighed and stared at the ceiling. She'd been in bed for six hours, and, to her utter despair, she was still awake. Nothing felt right. Nothing felt comfortable. Her usually soft bed had betrayed her.

With a huff, she sat up, fluffed her pillow, and flopped back down onto the bed. She then scooped up one of her throw pillows and screamed into it.

"What's wrong, Marinette?" Tikki mumbled groggily from her nest of blankets.

"Why is it always the blond ones?" She turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "Why couldn't I have just fallen for the cute one with the black and blue hair! It would have been so much easier!"

"Sorry. I'm not quite following you."

"Do you remember when Luka played me that song when I was trying to get over my crush on Adrien?"

"Yes."

"Well, when he played that song, it felt like the giant gaping hole in my chest had been refilled. It wasn't the same, but I felt whole again. It would have been easy to fall in love with him."

"Okay, but what does that have to do with blond boys?"

Marinette squeezed the throw pillow against her chest. "When Chat played me that song tonight, it made me feel more than just whole. I felt complete. Like I gained something that I didn't have before...something I didn't even know that I needed. Does that make sense?"

Tikki giggled. "That makes all the sense in the world!"

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to think for a moment, Marinette. How do you really feel about Chat Noir?"

"He's my best friend. My partner. We've never been closer, and I trust him with my life."

"No, really think. How do you feel about Chat?"

Marinette laid her head on her pillow, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She let her consciousness wander back to the park and the glowing lights of the gazebo. Chat's melody rang through her mind like the gentlest lullaby. It quieted her thoughts and soothed her soul.

Moments before falling asleep, everything suddenly made sense.

"I love him, Tikki," she whispered before drifting into a blissful slumber.

That night, Marinette dreamt of spots, flashes of black, and soaring over the rooftops of Paris. It was as if her mind was finally catching up to her heart.

She awoke the next morning with cheeks that were sore from smiling. It'd been so long since she'd felt this way. The heartbreak of walking away from Adrien had crushed her, but for the first time in months, she was walking on air.

Even though she'd only gotten two hours of sleep, she felt wonderful. Her brain was a little fuzzy, but she decided that it was okay. Marinette knew she would spend the whole day dreaming about the next time she would see Chat.

She hummed while she got ready, and she kept humming while she walked to school. When Marinette took her seat, she continued to hum. After taking out her textbook, she rested her head in her arms and stared wistfully into the distance. Her entire world was a blissful blur.

"Girl!" A foreign entity screamed. "ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?"

Marinette blinked twice and looked up. Alya stood before her with her arms crossed over her chest and a smug grin painted on her lips.

"Yeah, what's up?" Marinette did her best to focus on her best friend.

"Where is your head today? I've been calling your name for a full minute. You didn't even move when I poked you."

"I...uhh…" She sighed. "Sorry, Alya. I didn't get much sleep last night. I think my brain is still dreaming."

Alya laughed. "Girl, you are a mess!"

"I know."

"It's okay. I'll let you copy my notes if you fall asleep in class."

"Thank you so much! You are a lifesaver!"

"I know. But if I do this for you, then you'll have to tell me the real reason behind that lovesick grin on your face." Alya nudged her arm.

Marinette began to panic. "W-what do you mean? My face is perfectly normal, thank you very much!"

"Mmmmhmmm. Don't lie to me. I haven't seen an expression like that on you in months. Spill. Who's the guy? Did you finally say yes to Luka?"

"No."

Alya leaned in and dropped her voice to a whisper. "It's not Adrien, is it? I heard he's not dating Kagami anymore."

"NO!" Marinette shouted before clearing her throat and adjusting her volume, "No, it's...wait, when did he break up with Kagami?"

"A few weeks ago. Nino told me."

"Oh, wow, but um...no. It's not Adrien." A pang shot through her heart, and she quickly brushed away the sensation. "You don't know him."

Alya squinted. "You're lying."

"No, I'm not!"

"Fine, keep your secrets. But you will owe me a whole box of pastries when you finally start dating Adrien. I'm telling you, girl, you and he are meant to be! It's like the whole universe is working to get you two together."

"Alya, it's not like that. Adrien and I are just friends."

"Sure! Go ahead, and keep telling yourself that. Just know that I'd like a mix of eclairs and chocolate croissants."

"Hey, babe," Nino called from across the room, causing both girls to whip their heads towards the door, "What's up? You two look like you're having a pretty deep convo."

Alya looked back at her. "Marinette was just telling me about someone who caught her eye."

"I was not," she responded through gritted teeth.

Adrien walked into the room and took his seat. "Good morning! How is everyone today?"

"We're all doing great," Alya beamed, "Thanks for asking. How's your day going, sunshine?"

"I'm...um...okay." He took a deep breath. "I have a lot on my mind today."

Before Marinette could react to his statement, Miss Bustier sauntered into the room. "Good morning, class. Let's get started right away. Please open your books to page three-hundred and ninety-four."

Marinette's eyes may have stayed open during the lesson, but her consciousness was somewhere else. By the time class had ended, Chat's melody had once again surfaced in her mind. Even though she couldn't hear the notes with her ears, she allowed herself to become lost in her memory of them.

Eventually, she began to hum.

A gentle hand touched her forearm and snapped her back into reality. Within seconds, she became painfully aware of two shining green eyes looking into her own. Marinette could have sworn that there was admiration behind Adrien's softened gaze. It was the kind of look that she had only dreamed of seeing him cast in her direction.

She found it strange how the love she felt for Chat seamlessly transitioned into a resurgence of feelings for her former crush; nonetheless, she allowed herself to revel in his closeness. In doing so, she was transported to a place she never thought she'd have the chance to revisit. Yet, here was the boy of her dreams, looking at her like she was the center of his universe.

It felt familiar.

It felt safe.

It felt right.

"Adrien," she said breathlessly.

He swallowed before speaking. "Where did you hear that song?"

Marinette's heart pounded against her chest as she struggled to find an answer.