Soooo

This will be maybe 5% like the real episode. I have 0 regrets.

Also that tomato, cheese and basil sandwich sounds so good you'll see what I mean.


Marinette felt it had been forever since the events of Valentine's Day when in reality it had been at most a week. Then again in just those days they had discovered Hawkmoth's identity, figured out there was an entire order devoted to the miraculous and they had now a second enemy in the shape of Lila Rossi. A classmate who, a week later just disappeared from school, saying she was on a sudden trip to Achu as part of her mother's work.

She didn't believe any of that but there was no point in trying to poke the bear.

None of that was as shocking as herself suddenly spending one Saturday afternoon in Chloé Bourgeois' home. Ok, discovering that Gabriel was Hawkmoth was number one, number two her realization of her crush on Adrien, but this was a tough third-place competitor.

It had started like any other Saturday morning. Waking up late, checking if she could get ahead on some project –she had been working on making your own jewellery lately- chat with friends and patrol/movie until evening.

She did not expect Adrien showing up at her door and inviting her to Chloé's place, with the excuse the blonde wanted to speak to her.

Willingly.

So yes, she would look at Adrien as if he had grown a second head.

"Please? I'm the messenger in this case,"

"Is this for a prank? Am I being watched?"

"I swear you aren't," he clapped his hands together as if he was praying to her "please?"

Ok, he did look adorable when doing that, a part of Marinette smiled to herself. And if he was going to be there well, it couldn't be a prank. Besides, she did remember her little snap at the Bourgeois girl on Valentine's Day as well as that after the talk.

If Chloé was really trying the turn a new leaf well, the least Marinette could do was listen to the girl.

Which led to her sitting in one of Chloés chaises, looking at the tray of tiny, perfectly cut sandwiches and glasses of juice that waited to be touched, with Chloé on the other chaise sitting there as if she had eaten a lemon.

"So…" Marinette broke the silence "Adrien said you wanted to talk to me?"

Adrien, the coward, was leaning against the door frame behind Chloé, observing the situation and giving Marinette a thumbs up, but refusing to move towards them. Oh, she would get back at him for this later.

"I wanted to, ugh, I…" Chloé tugged at her ponytail, the words clearly a struggle for the girl. Marinette could get a vague idea of what Chloé wanted to tell her, but she knew it would be best to let her go at her own pace.

"I'm…I'm sorry Dupain-Cheng."

Huh.

"There," Chloé slumped back on her seat "no, I, ugh this is so hard."

Marinette quirked an eyebrow, only to receive a stare from Adrien. Right, had to tone down the sass.

"I asked you here because I wanted to apologize for- " Chloé breathed out "pretty much the past four years."

"The longest four years of my life," Marinette thought but, this was a small progress.

"I am not going to bother with explaining why" Chloé added, "but I am sorry, for treating you so badly."

Marinette got the idea of why now, not that she was going to tell her that of course, since some of those hints came from her visit as Ladybug. Marinette had loving parents who looked after her while Chloé didn't, it was almost a textbook situation.

Still, Marinette exhaled the air she had been holding for a long time, for Chloé to actually say all of those without a snide remark or a scoff, it was huge.

She thought about it, real hard. Forgiving and forgetting were of course very different, and she weighed down all of those situations in her mind. Chloé had been insufferable, but Marinette was not going to demean the girl. And maybe they were not going to be close friends ever, like how she felt with Alya or Nino (Adrien was a whole different level now) but maybe had a more amicable approach.

"I can't forgive you right away Chloé" Marinette chose her words very carefully, "but that doesn't mean I will never forgive you," she eyed Adrien, who kept glancing at both of them "it will just, take some time and well, see that you really mean it."

She was surprised to see Chloé not snapping back or demanding for her apology to be accepted. Instead, she just nodded, as if taking her terms to heart. Ok, Marinette was now surprised, maybe this was a real change for the best.

"So, the second part" Adrien took that chance to step in to sit next to Chloé and snatch a finger sandwich, his action enough to break the spell and make Marinette grab one too, "you told me you wanted to be nicer to the class."

"You said it's best to be nice" Chloé grumbled, "so I am willing to try."

"Marinette, any suggestions?" he smiled at her.

"Oh? Uhm, well," she grabbed another sandwich, they were really good after all, "I do know some of our classmates are more than willing to give you a chance in whatever you try to do."

"I know, but ugh," Chloé frowned "I want something grand, something remarkable"

Marinette nibbled on the sandwich, did it have basil? That must be what made it so good in flavor, when an idea came to mind. Chloé was all about showing off alright, and while not the best way to show general niceness, in Chloé's standards it could work out.

"How about a party?" Marinette said, "you like throwing parties after all."

"I do have a thing for hosting the best parties" Chloé huffed "it's…a start."

Marinette didn't think she would be hosting it that same day, but then again, this was Chloé of all people, so it wasn't that much of a surprise to find herself hours later in the same hotel, this time fit for a party with students and classmates in it.

"Well color me impressed," Marinette had to say after a while, with Adrien smiling next to him with a tray of more finger sandwiches. Seriously, what was in those that were so good?

"Chloé actually talked with me before too" he smiled at her "about how her idol came and listened to her, a good push for her wanting to change."

"I see it but I still can't believe it" Marinette snatched a sandwich from him "but, I won't be so on edge with her, she…really is trying to be nice."

Adrien beamed. This was a huge thing after all. Sure, he had already been speaking with Chloé, who surprisingly enough to him, had agreed to not only apologize to Marinette and rest of her class (even if that would take little by little) but also the realization she had to speak with an expert, someone that could help her really be a better person.

In his opinion, that was a big step for Chloé to take, and he was a little jealous he couldn't get to do it himself, what with Nathalie monitoring his every move, not to mention the backlash he would get from his father if he were to find out.

But, Adrien thought while looking at Chloé greeting her classmates, with Sabrina practically on edge on tears next to her, that was something he could try to push on once they defeated Hawkmoth.

Master Fu had told them to be on guard but also to not let negative emotions overwhelm them either. And in a sense, it made a good point. They couldn't just allow that to be the center of their lives. Besides, Adrien smiled as Marinette was dragged to the dance floor by Alya, both girls laughing as they danced to the music.

"Adrikins, what are you doing?" he heard Chloé walk towards him, taking away the tray of almost empty sandwiches.

"I am admiring how well this is turning out to be," he smiled at her, but she had her arms crossed and looking at him unamused "what?"

"Uh," Chloé pointed at where Marinette was "shouldn't you two be dancing?"

Adrien's cheeks turned bright red.

"I, what- "

"Please, I'm not blind, you have a thing for her, don't you?"

Adrien looked at Marinette, then back at Chloé, his face feeling hot. Was he that obvious? He thought he had under control his awkwardness; then again, a lot had happened that made him forget about his crush for a few days.

"Wait," he shook his head "you…are ok with it?"

"Not really," Chloé looked at her nails "but it's something I have to be with if it is important to you."

"Chloé…"

"Don't get me wrong Adrien, if she ever hurt you I will not hesitate to get back at her full force" she tossed her hair to a side "just go dance, stop stealing the snacks."

Adrien chuckled as Chloé dragged Kim to the dance floor, the music suddenly slowing down to a soft piece, lots of people around him getting in couples. He took a glance towards where Marinette was, but she was no longer dancing as Nino had swooped in to get Alya to dance with him.

He could feel his palms getting sweaty, swiping them on the back of his jeans. It was just to dance, nothing out of the ordinary. They had danced before (DDR was totally dancing in his opinion) and they have been way closer in the physical sense too (except those times were them hugging or rolling out of danger while wearing super suits) so this shouldn't be so difficult, right?

"H-hey Marinette" he waved at her. He had just been talking with her a few songs ago! Why was he now nervous? "would you, ah…like to dance?"

He saw Marinette's face turning red, the flush on her cheeks adorable as she squeaked a yes. He took her hand and moved to another side of the dance floor, both falling into synchrony without a problem.

They didn't say anything as they danced, looking into each other's eyes without moving too far on the dance floor. Adrien was drowning in her eyes, the blue almost sparkling with the room lights, he could quote that Disney song and say they were 'shining, shimmering, splendid'. How long, he had to think as they twirled, how long had he not noticed how beautiful she was? How she was the one that he thought first in the day and last of the night? How long had Adrien let his feelings cultivate, now blossoming nonstop in his chest. He wanted to pull her close to him, he was her warrior, her protector. He couldn't tell the world that of course, but he wanted to tell the world he was hers.

How long had Adrien been in love with his partner?

Marinette offered him a small smile, only to see Alya and Nino dancing their way, somehow pulling them even close. She winked at her and left, Marinette's cheeks were now red from how close she was to Adrien, her hands practically wrapped around his neck.

This wasn't new to them, Marinette had had to do it before when Chat vaulted them up somewhere, but this wasn't a night in Paris during a patrol, this was a party between friends and classmates, where she could feel the beating of his heart so close to hers she could imagine them going at the same speed. Besides, this was Chat Noir, her partner, her best friend, the one she had at some point admitted to herself had fallen in love with!

And how could she ignore that feeling when they started to sway again, his head almost leaning on hers. Had he grown? He definitely was taller than her, but now it was so obvious her head was swimming. He could feel the broadness of his shoulders, result of training and jumping around; but his hands were delicate around her hips, even when he knew she could throw him to the other side of the room without breaking a sweat. Marinette had to hide her flushed cheeks in his shoulder.

They had been through so much together, a part of her didn't want that to change for the worst if she came up to him with her feelings.

Adrien had a lot on his back already, knowing his father was the one terrorizing Paris, the expectations and mask he had to wear in order to not raise suspicions, not to mention his role as saviour of Paris.

Did she want to burden him with more?

Fate, as would have it, would make both heroes wait on that answer as sudden screams from outside startled the guests, all-knowing what it would mean.

Marinette and Adrien pulled away from each other, their faces turning serious as they sneaked out to the emergency stairs to transform.

The victim this time was just someone they didn't even know, just an unknown civilian angry against a life situation. But it had ruined their dance and at the same time offered a breath from it. By the time they purified the akuma, the sky was dark, stars twinkling as the moon shone above them.

"I believe this is our cue to go home" Ladybug turned to Chat "but I had fun today."

"So did I" Chat twirled his baton, his eyes flickering from her to the direction of his house. He grabbed her hand and without much thought, left a small kiss on her middle knuckle, just like he had seen on different shows "have a safe night."

"Y-you too," Ladybug felt her cheeks heat up again as Chat jumped out and back to his home, leaving her to find her own way to her room, pink light illuminating it as she flopped on her bed, staring at the hand he had kissed.

Across town, Adrien sighed into his own pillow, his face burning from his boldness as he had bid her farewell.

The night was cool and calm for everyone, except for the two teenagers who were unable to sleep, a question lingering in their minds throughout the entire night.

What am I going to do?


No regrets, I wanted more insight on these two and their feelings.

On the Chloé side. I don't hate her, not my fav either but she's like 15. I remember some of my bullies when I was that age and oddly enough I am in good terms with one now, 15 years later, because it was my decision and he did apologize and changed for the better.

You are under no circumstance forced to forgive who hurts you, that's your power and yours alone. But if someone is really showing they want to be better, hey, who am I to say no?

Morality aside next episode will have Kagami!