A Step at a Time

‘Hey, Ladybug. How do you know if someone likes you?’ Chat Noir asked quietly after patrol.

‘Well, that would depend on the person,’ Ladybug replied. ‘Some people might just say it to you, while others may take a more indirect approach.’

‘Like what?’ Chat Noir asked as he looked at the broad expanse of shimmering lights and smoggy night sky from their position on a flat roof in the middle of the city.

‘They could write a letter, draw a picture, give a gift. Why do you ask, Kitty, you think someone likes you?’ 

Chat Noir shrugged, ‘I’m not sure. She’s never said anything to me, or done anything. I don’t know what to do,’ he trailed off.

Ladybug turned to him, ‘so why do you think she likes you?’ Ladybug raised an eyebrow. ‘Not getting conceited are you?’ she asked with a grin.

‘What? No. it’s just something someone said,’ he muttered.

Ladybug looked at him for a long moment before shaking her head and saying, ‘I guess you can’t really do anything without proof. You’re just going to have to wait until she says something.’

‘Fantastic,’ Chat Noir grumbled.

Ladybug glanced at him from the corner of her eye. ‘Something tells me you’re not into this girl,’ she observed.

Chat Noir sighed. ‘It’s not like I don’t like her. As a friend. I just don’t feel that way about her. But, I don’t want to hurt her feelings, either,’ he finished weakly. Chat Noir’s ears drooped as Ladybug placed a consoling hand on his shoulder.

‘If you don’t feel that way, then you don’t feel that way. You shouldn’t have to apologise for the way you feel. If she does confess to you, the only decent thing you can do is be honest,’ she held up a hand as Chat Noir began to protest. 

‘Yes, her feelings will be hurt. She may even cry. But, it’s best to be honest. If you were to tell her you reciprocate her feelings to spare her the pain, you’ll just be hurting the both of you in the long run. If you turn her down too harshly, you could lose her as a friend.’

‘I could lose her friendship anyway, though, right?’

Ladybug smiled fondly at him, ‘if she’s any kind of decent, she’ll respect your feelings. Plus, I doubt she’ll throw away a friendship over some unrequited emotions. If she’s a friend of yours, she must be a better person than that,’ Ladybug finished.

Chat Noir gave Ladybug a warm and grateful smile. He appreciated her common sense and levelheadedness. As well as her insight into the workings of the female mind.

‘How was the rest of your week?’ she asked.

‘Uneventful,’ Chat Noir blurted a little too loudly. ‘Utterly, completely, and boringly uneventful. Yup,’ Chat Noir added in a quieter tone.

Ladybug raised an eyebrow at him.

As the week dragged on, Gabriel and Caline seemed to be increasingly happy together. Conversely, Adrien noted, Marinette seemed to be increasingly unhappy. She had always had trouble being around him, but now she wouldn’t even look at him. Adrien worried if it was finally Marinette’s turn to be akumatised.

Friday morning, Adrien entered the classroom to pure bedlam. Alya stood on Nino’s desk, shouting and pointing at Lila who sneered back and screeched unintelligibly while Nino cowered in Adrien’s seat. Chloe was yelling, just to be heard, while Sabrina encouraged her and shushed her in turns, to little effect. Rose sobbed in Juleka’s arms, begging the girls to calm down and talk rationally.

Ivan rested his chin on his desk, hands over his ears, grimacing. Kim was encouraging the girls, saying each had made a valid point and asking, ‘are you going to take that?’ after each reply. Alix kept yelling at Kim in an attempt to shut him up while Max, Nathaniel, and Mylene appeared to want to stay out of it.

‘You really are her best friend. Only you would support her pathetically doomed crush,’ Lila yelled.

‘You’re just bitter because Adrien rejected you,’ Alya retorted.

‘You’re both losers and Marinette doesn’t stand a chance with Adrien,’ Chloe added.

Lila straightened, hands on her hips. ‘Even the Tyrant agrees with me,’ she laughed. 

‘Of course Marinette can’t date Adrien. He’s way out of her league,’ Sabrina said with a firm nod.

‘Zip it, Igor,’ Alya snapped.

Lila laughed again. ‘Can’t take the truth, Cesaire?’ she taunted.

Alya swung back around to glare at Lila. ‘You can’t stand it, can you?’ she asked. ‘You hate the idea of anyone liking Adrien. You hate Marinette because of her crush on Adrien - ‘ Alya halted, face ashen.

‘I knew it,’ Lila crowed. ‘That hack really does like Adrien. Oh, my God, how pathetic.’

‘Alya,’ a timid voice behind Adrien said.

Adrien turned to see Marinette in the doorway, tears coursing down her face, looking at Alya. She looked hurt, betrayed and deeply humiliated. She turned and ran away, Alya running after her while Lila’s and Chloe’s mocking laughter echoed in the now silent room. 

‘What on Earth is going on in here?’ Caline demanded as she entered. ‘I could hear you from the street.’

Chloe and Lila babbled over the top of each other as Adrien slunk to his seat, feeling ill. Marinette and Alya didn’t come back.