Today has been a bad day.

It had been one of those days. The type of day where you literally fall out bed, because you get tangled in the sheets and thank god you managed to drag down your pillow along the away to break your fall because you barely had enough sleep after that late night patrol to have decent reflexes this early on, you're already going to look atrocious but the last thing you need is a big red announcement to the world that you and the floor were one this morning. The type of day where you're rushing to get to school to not be even more late than you already are, and completely skip the croissant left for you not aware of the consequences that would affect the rest of your day. The type of day you stumble into class interrupting a presentation, receiving a very stern glare, snickers and an embarrassing memento of the exact moment your foot happened to get caught on the threshold, freaking Chloé. The type of day where you've humiliated yourself enough and just want to lie low and disappear, but can't, because remember when you skipped breakfast? Your stomach does, and it has no problem reminding you and the entire class, all lecture long. The type of day where the love of your life almost starts a conversation with you, you know he was gonna, he turned around and made eye contact with you, and it gets thwarted by the new girl you've been trying not thwart all week long. Seriously do you know how hard it has been to not just fling her lying little ass into the Seine, talk about self-control. The type of day where you're tired and hungry and battling not to fall asleep because you have to keep your eye on the girl who is leeching up to your oblivious crush and you'll be damned if she gets closer to him, but in your mission you somehow end up covered with paint because you were too distracted to notice the ladder with, you guessed it, paint situated at the top waiting for this exact moment to shine. But really who the hell leaves an open can of paint on the top of a ladder unattended?!

And here is where Marinette finds herself.

In the bathroom, hungry, tired, drenched in bright red paint trying very hard not to just scream in frustration. She should have just stayed home she thinks as she tries her best to tackle this red problem. The paint is everywhere! On her clothes, her shoes, her hair, her face! Oh man, boy is it on her face! Fortunately, it didn't make it into her eyes, nose or mouth, if in a different situation she would have laughed at the face that it made almost a mask on her face. But right now she's just panicking. Aside from the paint in her hair that's going to be a bitch to remove, and her clothes that are ruined, she's just properly and completely finished humiliating herself in front of Adrien, who not only witnessed this mess, but knows she was spying on him and Lila.

Marinette groans as she dries her face and stares at her reflection in the small mirror in the bathroom. Her face is a flush red, no longer from the paint, thankfully, but from the rubbing and scrubbing of it off her face with Tikki's ever so helpful guidance. "Marinette, it's latex paint, you don't have to scrub that hard you're going to hurt yourself!'' "I know its latex, Tikki, I'm trying to wash away my existence" She inspects what's left and knows she has to shower at least a couple of times to get that paint off her hair, and she can start to feel the paint seep through her top where the worst of the damage was done. Content with having the paint off her face, she carefully picks up her purse that had managed to come out of this ordeal unharmed and knows she must hurry to the nurse's office before the paint can seep through any further.

Marinette starts to let out a sigh when she exits the bathroom, relived that at least the hallways are clear so she'll be able to have her walk of shame in peace, when she catches perfection in the form of Adrien leaning on the wall muttering while rummaging through his bag and chokes mid sigh. Adrien quickly looks up from his bag and is by her side in a flash rubbing her back, which only makes matters worse because here she is practically dying in front of him and all she can think about is the sensation his fingers are sending up her spine, what is this, abort!

She finally swats his help away and braces herself against the wall so she can regain the ability to breathe, and she hopes he gets the message does not take it personally. After about a minute or so, when she's not dying, there is an uncomfortable silence. Marinette refuses to look up, and lets her eyes trace all the cracks on the side of the wall she's facing trying to think of anything to calm herself down before she looks into the eyes of her end. She knows she's still unbearably as red as the paint, no thanks to Mr. Model and she wants to go out with as much dignity as she can scrape up in her last moments.

Adrien, on the other hand, is staring at her, thoughts running through his head million miles a minute. Marinette seemed like she was having an off day, he knows, he has had his fair share of them. Her grand entrance to class, her apparent missed breakfast, her tuning in and out of class trying not to drop dead from exhaustion right there, he knows these all too well as repercussions from being Chat Noir. Usually on his crappy days, Marinette amazingly enough, usually is the only one to notice and goes out of her way to make him feel better. She's slipped him cookies and pastries from the morning batch when he's had the growling stomach, she's shared notes from classes he knows he's dozed out on, she's distracted her friends' attention so he could have a moment of peace, and she's also smiled so reassuringly at him. He's noticed all this and thinks it's time he should help her. This is why Adrien turns around to talk to Marinette after class is over, to let her know that he has her back and to pass a granola bar back. Or this is at least what he tries to do, before he is pulled away by an enthusiastic Lila leading him who knows where. Adrien tried to shake her off, her truly did but she's latched herself on him even tighter than Chloé does and with what happened a week ago with Volpina, he's not sure how to get her to stop without hurting her. Ladybug still hasn't truly recovered from Volpina, she's still tense and defensive and the last thing he wants to do is be the reason there's a round two.

His thoughts are halted when he hears a crash and sees a paint covered Marinette on the floor. His first instinct is to help her of course, but he's stopped by the grip Lila has in his arm, who's eyes have slightly narrowed at the sight of Marinette. Looking back up at Marinette who is picking herself up at lighting speed, he takes her in. She's covered in red paint, a red that reminds him of his lady. It's splattered over her hair, her clothes, and part of her face. He's relived to see that no paint made it in her eyes and she's able to move fine until her eyes find his on her. She stills for a second before making a mad run for the bathroom and Adrien can only think about how the red on her face brought out the blue of her eyes, so much like Ladybugs and how good her legs look while she's running back, her whole profile actually. It's familiar...

Adrien doesn't have much time to think about this for he hears Lila snicker next to him.

"I don't know how you do it Adrien." Lila laughed into the hand not clutching onto his arm. "How long did it take you to get used to your fans tripping over themselves for your attention, it's rather funny if you ask me." She finished while staring off into the direction Marinette had disappeared down with an unreadable expression on her face. "I think it would drive me insane. Let's hurry up and get to class, I want to sit next to you this period, is that ok?" She starts to tug on Adrien's arm, winking at him, trying to pull him to follow her to class. "Looks like she won't make it so your friend will be able to sit next to his girlfriend and we all win." She chuckles, and maybe it's the tone in how she said what she said, dismissing Marinette and her existence just so she could sit next to him, maybe it's just his conscious. All thoughts of trying appease Lila are pushed aside when he yanks his arm out of her grasp and starts to make his way down the hall towards Marinette.

""Do me a favor and let the professor know what happened" Adrien calls back loudly without giving Lila a second glance. "I'm going to make sure she is fine." Adrien pretends he doesn't hear her sputtering and what looks like the beginning of a fit. Truth be told, he's not to pressed about it. And if he has to take the blame for the return of Volpina, he gladly will, at least he helped his friend.

Which brings us back to the present awkward situation at hand.

Adrien clears his throat, hoping Marinette would just look at him. He had tried to help her, but she pushed him away. He's scared she heard Lila's snickers and hopes she doesn't think he laughed at her. He doesn't want her to think he's that jerk she initially pegged him for from the gum incident. Marinette slowly looks up and Adrien gets the full effect of those gorgeous blue eyes and again he's reminded of Ladybug. Marinette quickly snaps her head down again mumbling something under her breath he does not catch. Again Adrien clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck and decides to break the silence.

"You okay? I wanted to make sure you didn't hurt yourself too seriously with that fall." Noticing her attention still on the ground, he frowns and continues. "I noticed you've been a bit off today and um, I just wanted to offer, no. I just wanted to help in any way I could. I mean if you needed help. Or well someone to talk to I'm here. Aside from Alya, just know I'm here to help as well…if you wanted." Adrien trails off shaking his head. He's hopeless, he thinks, and really blames Plagg for teasing him just minutes ago while he was waiting for Marinette to come out. When he looks up, Marinette is staring at him again, a soft tinge of red in her face and he doesn't know if it's just what's left of the paint she washed off her face or maybe it's a blush he couldn't tell but all he knows and that he feels his face being to heat and it's not what he aimed for. He reaches for her bag and he sees the alarm that crosses her instantly, and he's hurt at the lack of trust she has with him.

"You're going to rub paint on your bag. I'll walk and hold it for you until we get to the nurse to find you a change of clothes." He explains and he's grateful she understands he's just trying to help. She's still silent and he's about to voice that they should get moving when Marinette starts to walk down the hall towards the nurse's office. He follows her with a frown, her small purse hanging off his shoulder and her backpack off his arm. He wants to know what's she's thinking because she's too quiet. He wants to assure her that he only wants to help her.

They stop in front of the office and Marinette knocks softly, waiting for permission to enter. She knocks again, after there is no response and a dreadful feeling is settling in her stomach. Of course on this day, where she gets paint all over herself like a fool, the nurse would be gone for the day before noon. She's about to knock again, but Adrien beats her to it with louder, assertive knocks. She's half torn between panicking and smashing her head into the door because Adrien has such a nice forearm and he's carrying her stuff and she's covered in paint an-

"So much for that. Do you have a chance of clothes? Like your gym clothes? I know you could wash up in the locker room showers.." He interrupts her thoughts and she thinks. Does she have an extra set of clothes…no. She had taken them home yesterday to wash, and had not packed them back in her bag before she rushed out of the house..

"I don't have my gym clothes" Marinette starts with a sigh. "I took them home yesterday to wash after gym and I forgot to pack them again."

Adrien is starting at Marinette and she looks like she's about to collapse and he can only stand there holding her bags. He knows this day has trumped all his shitty days, and he can't come up with a decent way of helping her. It's not like he could offer her his clothes…

Wait a minute.

"Marinette, you can use my clothes."

Hello,

First off, its been a while right! I'm extremely sorry! I'll be going through my fics and ill be seeing what i want to keep and maybe continue and what i will trash. As for this, this should have about 2/3 chapters. It will be completed. I just fell so in love with ML!