A/N: We've reached the end of part 1! Thank you all so much for the favs/follows/reviews! I really appreciate it!

Again, this chapter is short, like super-duper short, so for that I apologize, but hopefully you will enjoy it!

Chapter Nine: Friends

She was going to do it. Today, after weeks of avoiding Adrien, she was finally going to talk to him again.

She had to be the one to fix it, after all. She was the one who broke it in the first place. She lied, she forced him into this situation, and so she had to be the one to get them both out of it. Surely this was as uncomfortable for him as it was for her.

When she arrived at school that morning, she was surprised to find that it was a relatively nice day. The sun was out, not a single cloud in sight, and the sky was as vibrant as ever. And there, looking like he could outshine the sun was Adrien, standing under the shade that the trees provided. He looked like a god, as per usual, but she wasn't going to be distracted by him, not today. Today, she was not his distant admirer. She was his friend, and nothing else.

"Hey, Adrien," she said, noting the way he perked up when she called his name, "do you have a few minutes?"

He seemed rather shocked to see her approach him so willingly. She noticed his apprehension and couldn't help but feel a little bit hesitant herself.

"Um, sure, what is it?"

She shuffled a bit nervously, but otherwise kept her composure. She wouldn't lose her nerve, not now. "Listen… I… I know things haven't been great between us lately. And… what I'm trying to say is… I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I'm sorry for lying about how I felt, and I'm sorry for avoiding you."

She anxiously bit her bottom lip as she shyly looked up at him, awaiting a response. He was looking down at her and, just for a moment, she relished in the way the sun brightened his hair and warmed his face.

"It's okay," he said softly. "I understand why you did it. You thought it was easier than admitting the truth. And I… did sort of confront you about it out of the blue, but I… I just didn't want to lead you on."

She nodded. "Thank you for that. It was me who was running from how I felt. But… even if you don't feel that way, I missed having you as my friend."

"Me too," he admitted. "I missed you a lot."

"Then…" she stuck out her hand, "friends?"

He took her hand and, in a move that surprised them both, pulled her into his arms. "Friends."

Is this his way of helping me?

Just for that fleeting moment, she let herself indulge in his embrace, in the strength of his arms as they held her to him. This would probably be the first and last time Adrien Agreste ever held her in his arms, the first and last time she was ever this close to him.

"So," she asked when they separated, "w-who's the lucky lady, if you don't mind me asking?"

He blushed a bit, and Marinette couldn't help but find it cute. Downright adorable, really. "How do you know that there's someone else?"

Truthfully, she didn't know. There was a strange part of her that was sort of hoping that there was someone else, that way he had a reason for not liking her… in that way, at least, and it was a reason that she may be able to come to terms with one day. But apparently, she had guessed correctly. "Lucky guess?"

"…You'll laugh at me."

She shook her head vehemently. "No way! I won't, promise!"

"You sure?"

"Definitely. Tell me!" she urged. The thought still made her a bit uncomfortable, but now that they were friends again, she wanted to do all she could to support him. And what better way than to help him out with a crush?

"Ladybug," he said in a quiet voice, just barely above a whisper. "I'm in love with her."

A/N: ...I know, I'm evil for ending it there. But there will be more to come in part 2!

Hopefully you guys enjoyed this, I had a lot of fun writing it! Stay tuned for the sequel!