Author's Notes:

Thanks to everyone who voted! This story won by a narrow margin. "Follow Your Heart" generated enough interest in a continuation that I might return to it at a later date. "A Lazy Saturday Afternoon" remains forever complete.

MIRACULOUS LADYBUG: "HOW TO CRUSH YOUR CRUSH"

by Mythril Moth

Chapter One: How to Crush your Crush

Marinette was putting her books in her locker before leaving campus for lunch when Adrien walked up to her, an uncharacteristically nervous expression on his face. "Um, Marinette?" he asked quietly.

She looked up at him, her heart skipping a beat. "Y-yes, Adrien?"

Adrien cast his eyes to the side, his somewhat sheepish demeanor making Marinette's stomach flutter from how positively adorable he looked. "Umm...so...I was, uhh...kinda hoping to ask your advice on something," he said. "I, well...do you mind having lunch with me? I had the chef prepare a picnic lunch, the car should be waiting outside, I was thinking we could go find a quiet bench somewhere to eat and talk. You know, so we have time and privacy."

Marinette's breath caught in her throat. *Adrien is...asking me out?*

"I know this is coming out of nowhere," Adrien said, "but I really need a friend to listen to me who isn't Nino for once." He chuckled. "I don't think he'd have the best advice on this, and I really don't think Alya would be much better. I know we don't, you know, talk all that often, but you're one of the nicest people I know, and...well..."

Marinette's heart almost sank into her stomach. *Of COURSE he's not asking me out,* she told herself. She forced a smile onto her face. "Let me call Mama to tell her not to expect me, then we'll go," she said.

Adrien smiled. "Thanks."

Three minutes later, a nervous to the point of bursting Marinette sat beside Adrien in the back seat of an expensive car driven by Adrien's massive bodyguard. "So what did you want to talk about?" Marinette asked, fighting not to stammer, stutter, or otherwise make a fool of herself.

"Let's wait until we get there," Adrien said. "This is, well...something really private, you know? Something I don't want getting back to Nathalie or my father," he added, giving the rear view mirror a pointed look.

The driver grunted.

"Okay." *Wow. Adrien wants MY advice on something so important and so private he doesn't trust...* Marinette closed her eyes, fighting down a shudder of excitement. *He's just asking a friend for advice. Don't read too much into it.*

"I think this'll do," Adrien said to the driver. The car pulled over and stopped at the curb. They had stopped at one of the many parks that littered Paris; it was sparsely populated at the moment. Marinette got out of the car; Adrien followed suit and walked back to the boot, which popped open. He took out a large wicker basket and a small thermal cooler; seeing his hands full, Marinette helpfully closed the boot. They walked around to the driver's side; Adrien leaned into the window. "I'll call you when I'm ready to be picked up," he said.

The driver glowered at him.

"Look, we'll be fine," Adrien insisted somewhat irritably. "I seriously doubt anybody's going to come along and suddenly attack me or kidnap me in broad daylight in a public park. Even if they did, what's the point of all those karate lessons I've taken if I can't handle myself? Look, just go to that American place you like to sneak off to when you can get away with it and enjoy your own lunch break for a change. I'll be fine."

The driver snorted, shook his head, and started the engine. Adrien grinned and stepped back from the car, then turned to Marinette. "Well, let's find a bench," he said.

Marinette looked between him and the departing car. "What was all that about?"

Adrien rolled his eyes as he started walking into the park, Marinette right beside him. "Just one of the little joys of my life," he said. "Ah, this looks like a good spot." He led Marinette over to an artistic wrought-iron bench with a wooden seat that looked to have been freshly painted, which stood beneath a large shade tree. He sat down, placing the basket and the cooler on the ground; Marinette sat beside him, trying not to look too conspicuous about scooching as close as she could to him without invading his personal space uncomfortably. Adrien took no notice; he was busy removing two large linen cloths from the basket, one of which he handed to Marinette. As she spread it out in her lap, he took fancy paper plates and plastic utensils out of the basket, as well as expensive linen napkins. He then unearthed some sealed serving dishes. In short order, he served Marinette a very interesting-looking stuffed sandwich, several steamed carrots, and a dollop of ratatouille, then served himself the same meal. Putting the serving dishes back in the basket, he opened the cooler, inside which several small bottles of juice and soda floated in ice water. Marinette extracted a cola; Adrien opted for a bottle of grape juice.

Marinette examined the sandwich curiously. "Is this...is this cordon bleu chicken? On pretzel bread?"

Adrien chuckled. "Our chef's been feeling experimental lately," he said. "Let's eat first, then we can talk. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Marinette could hardly argue with that, so for a short while, they ate in relative silence. Everything was delicious; Marinette felt a pang of jealousy that Adrien had a skilled chef at home to cater to him. Then she remembered what else she knew about his home life, and she decided she'd rather have her loving mother and father than all the private chefs in France.

It was still one of the best lunches she'd ever had.

Once they were full, Adrien put everything back in the basket, then leaned back on the bench with a sigh. "Now," he said. "About...the reason I asked you here."

Marinette felt her heart flutter. "Y-yes?"

Adrien turned to look at her, letting out a heavy sigh. "Do you know what it's like to be completely head over heels in love with somebody and not be able to tell them?"

Marinette paled. "Ah..."

Adrien ran his hands through his hair. "There's this...this girl," he said before she could answer. "She's...she's amazing. She's perfect. I can't stop thinking about her." He leaned forward, clasping his hands in his lap. "I want to tell her how I feel, but I..."

Marinette's heart turned to ice. Her stomach seized up; she felt as though she was about to eject her gourmet lunch all over the park. "A...a girl? You have a crush on...a girl?"

"It's no crush," Adrien said, laughing softly, ruefully. "I've got it bad. I see her in my dreams every night, I...I think about her all the time, I write the stupidest little poems about her..."

*Oh god...* "I...I see. She must be...must be pretty amazing, huh?" Marinette choked out, feeling her eyes begin to sting as her throat closed up.

"Amazing doesn't even—" Adrien let out a dreamy sigh. "She's beautiful, confident, strong..." He trailed off as he looked at Marinette. "Marinette? Are you...are you alright?"

Marinette tried to answer, but her voice failed her. She nodded.

Adrien frowned. "You're...you're crying," he said. Concern filled his green eyes as he leaned in, producing a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbing at her eyes. "Did I—did I say—"

Marinette sniffled, pushing his hand away and wiping at her eyes with the back of one hand. "It's...it's nothing," she said.

"Hey," Adrien said gently, turning her to face him. "It isn't nothing. Something's bothering you. I don't like to see my friends upset. What's wrong?"

And between the concern in his eyes and the hollow, icy pit where her heart used to be, Marinette suddenly found the courage to say what she never could. "I've been...I've been in love with you for months now," she said.

Adrien's mouth opened in surprise.

Marinette sniffed loudly. "I've been t-trying to t-tell you for s-so long..." She bowed her head, letting tears spill onto her lap. "I j-just get so...around you, I-I c-can't..."

"Oh my god," Adrien whispered. "Marinette, I...I'm so sorry...I didn't know..." He grimaced. "Oh god, and I asked you here to get advice on my own crush..." He ran his hands through his hair. "Now I feel like the biggest jerk..."

Marinette wiped her eyes again, choking back a sob. "No," she said. "I...I n-never told you, I c-couldn't..." She slumped forward, her shoulders shuddering. "I tried. I tried so many times, and I...I k-kept..."

Adrien wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a gentle hug. "I'm sorry," he said. "If I'd known, I..." He bowed his head. "I don't know. I sure wouldn't have asked you to help me with my problem. I'm not...I don't do that to people."

Marinette sniffled and offered him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I know," she said. "That's...that's actually why I fell in..." She looked away. "You're just so nice, and so..."

They sat there for a long time, not speaking. Marinette tried to get control of herself with help from Adrien's handkerchief while he rubbed her back with one hand. While she sniffled, hiccuped, and blew her nose, Adrien studied her. The pit of his stomach felt cold and hard, as though his insides had turned to lead.

He had made one of the nicest, kindest girls he knew cry. And for what? There was absolutely no way he'd ask her for advice after this. It'd be twisting the knife, and that wasn't in his nature.

With a sigh, he reached for his phone, ready to call for his ride back to school, when Marinette suddenly spoke up.

"So who is she?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"The girl you like," Marinette said, looking up at him. Her voice was empty, rough, and raw; her normally sparkling bluebell eyes were clouded, red, puffy.

"N-no, I..."

"Come on, tell me," Marinette said, offering a wan smile. "I...maybe I can still help. Is she in our class?"

"You don't have to do this," Adrien said, an almost pleading note in his voice.

Marinette sighed. "No," she said. "I want...I want to help you if I can. It...it hurts, knowing you love some girl who isn't me, knowing I..." She swallowed a lump in her throat. "B-but...it's my own fault, s-so..." She looked down at her lap. "W-we're still friends, I..." She shook her head and looked at him again. "Come on, tell me."

Adrien scratched his cheek. "W-well, she's..." He ducked his head. "Actually, it's...it's really stupid. I'm stupid."

"Adrien," Marinette said, a slight bite of impatience in her voice. "I'm an emotional wreck here, the least you can do is let me help you."

Adrien winced. "Sorry," he said. "It's...it's this girl I work with," he began. "She's...she's strong, graceful. Always in control." He laughed softly. "Kind of has an attitude sometimes, but I like that about her. She...she has dark hair, she's a little on the short side, she has the most incredible bluebell eyes..." He looked over at Marinette, tilting her head up and brushing her hair back. "Kinda like yours," he said. He blinked. "Exactly like yours..."

Marinette blushed at his touch and turned slightly away. "She sounds beautiful," she said.

"She is," Adrien said distractedly, studying her anew. The gentle curve of her chin, the cute shape of her nose, the inviting pout of her lips, the delicate complexion of her skin. The softness and shine of her hair. The ribbons trailing from her twin pigtails.

Absently, he brushed a lock of hair away from her right ear, examining the small, round black earrings she wore. In his mind's eye, he filled them in with color and added spots. Swallowing, he stood up and walked around to sit on Marinette's other side. She watched him curiously, blinking. "Adrien?"

Wordlessly, Adrien opened the small purse Marinette carried, reaching inside and feeling around. She didn't protest, too confused by his actions. After a moment, his fingers found something smooth, round, and warm. Gently seizing it, he pulled out a reddish-pink Kwami, who blinked very confused eyes as she looked up at Adrien.

"Adrien, what are you—?" Marinette gasped, suddenly fully alert and aware of the situation.

A yawn filled the void of sound between them, and a tiny black head peeked out of Adrien's jacket. "Ah, there she is. I was wondering why I kept sensing you so close by all the time, Tikki."

Marinette stared at the black Kwami, eyes wide and jaw slack. She then looked up into Adrien's eyes.

Adrien gave her a smile that was equal parts wry, hopeful, and sheepish. "Well," he said, "this just got even more awkward..."

À SUIVRE...

Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Zagtoon, Method Animation, Toei Animation, and Thomas ASTRUC. This intellectual property is used without permission with no intent to profit from said use. The unique content contained on this page is the property of Mythril Moth, and redistribution of this content without express permission is strongly discouraged.