Adrien Agreste has a secret. A secret nobody knows, not even his closest friends. He has never spoken of it, and would rather it remained a secret.

He had a crush on Marinette.

After rejection after rejection from Ladybug, he gave up on her. He broke his lifelong vow and gave up on the girl of his dreams. That's when he saw Marinette in a new light. He was sitting at his seat, heartbroken after realizing Ladybug could never love him, when his classmate saw his downcast expression and asked if he was okay.

Without stuttering.

The girl had put away her bashful ways (or hatred for him, as he would sometimes suspect) to help and comfort him. He didn't tell her why he was upset, but she didn't hesitate to envelope him in a hug, hoping to cheer him up. When lunchtime came she invited him to the bakery, stuffing him with pastries galore.

That was the beginning of their growing friendship. Soon, him and Marinette were almost best friends, second to only Nino and Alya.

Adrien was afraid of his feelings. He had already faced heartbreak, he didn't want to experience it again. How could someone as amazing as Marinette love him? Ladybug rejected him, wouldn't that mean Marinette would too?

So he started dating Kagami. She liked him, and he had… feelings for her. Slight, but existent. That's when Marinette started dating Luka. She looked happy, happier than he would've made her.

He broke things off with Kagami. She seemed upset at first, but they slowly rebuilt their friendship, piece by piece. Sometimes she had this knowing and saddening look in her eyes when she saw him with Marinette, but Adrien ignored it.

When he was eighteen, he went on tour with Kitty Section. They were a hit in all of France, and their fame grew. Luka and Marinette didn't think a long distance relationship could work while they were still young, so they decided to become friends. Just friends.

At first, Adrien had hope. Hope that she would finally return his feelings. They were crushed immediately, his mind telling him he would not let his heart break again.

"Dude," Nino told him one day. "I'm worried about you. You've seemed so depressed lately."

"Just a little lonely," Adrien admitted. Nino smiled knowingly.

"You know what, dude?" he said, patting him on the shoulder. "It's about time you should start dating around. Alya has this friend I'm sure I can set you up with."

"I guess that sounds fun," Adrien lied. He wasn't so sure. After a phone call to his girlfriend, Nino had set his best bud up on a blind date.

Adrien sat at a table at the restaurant, his leg shaking nervously. He was early, he knew, but he couldn't stand sitting at the mansion doing nothing. He held a single pink rose in his hand, which was partly for identification. A notification sounded off on his phone, and he looked down, happy to have a distraction.

Marinette: Blue or pink for a date?

Adrien's heart let out a twinge of pain. Of course she had a date. Who wouldn't want to ask her out when they had the chance? Or the courage.

Adrien: Why are you asking me? I'm a guy, if you haven't noticed.

Marinette: Alya won't answer her phone. Plus, Mr. Model Man, you have more fashion experience than she does.

Adrien: Wear your pink sundress with blue floral designs.

Marinette: Thanks!

Adrien: Any time! Except when Alya answers her phone. ;)

He shoved his phone in his pocket, not wanting to think about Marinette and her date. His cell phone vibrated, but he ignored it. For thirty seconds.

Marinette: Hair?

Adrien: Light curls.

He answered without hesitation. He had seen Marinette with curls once, while on a double date with Kagami and Luka. He was surprised Kagami or Luka weren't angry with him when he was sure to be gaping at her.

Marinette: Thanks again!

Adrien attempted to push his thoughts of Marinette and her date away, but it was impossible. Images of her cuddling with a tall, muscular man popped into his head. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to let his imagination get the best of him. It's not my place to be jealous.

"Hello?" he heard a timid voice say, sounding too much like Marinette. He cursed his brain for letting him imagine that, and turned around to meet his date.

And he was insane.

Surely, Marinette Dupain-Cheng could not be standing in front of him. His mind was playing cruel tricks on him, and he couldn't take it any longer. So he just stared. She was lovely with her raven hair in light curls and her light sundress.

"Adrien?" the girl asked. It's actually Marinette.

"Marinette?" They stared at each other for a second before he stood up and pulled out her chair. What are you doing to yourself, Agreste!

"So you're Nino's friend Alya was talking about," Marinette giggled. She giggled! Oh, how heaven has opened its windows and poured blessings upon me!

"And you're Alya's friend," he plays along, hoping he didn't sound too dreamy and sappy after she had brainwashed him with her angelic laugh. She giggled as she sat down, picking up her menu.

"I didn't catch your name, Mademoiselle…?" he asked, not ready to stop playing along.

"Dupain-Cheng," she answered him, giggling again. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"Enchanté," he greeted, reaching across the table to give her hand a kiss.

"And you are…?"

"Monsieur Agreste, former teen heartthrob of Paris before Louis Badeaux," he said in a sophisticated voice, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "But, seeing as I am in the company of a lovely little lady, you may have the honor of calling me Adrien."

"Oh, how gracious of you," she feigned a dreamy voice as she swooned. They both laughed as they picked up their menus, scanning the options.

They ate their meals while joking and laughing, enjoying their time together. Neither of them clarified whether the title of the meeting remained as "a date" or not.

As the waiter came with the check, Marinette quickly took it and paid.

"What was that for?" Adrien asked. "I'm the guy, I'm supposed to pay."

"How modern of you," Marinette teased. "I can pay for you if I want."

"But now I've lost my chivalrous reputation," Adrien complained, pouting at her. She only rolled her eyes at him with a soft smile playing on her lips.

Seeing as the bakery was only a twenty minute walk, Adrien accompanied Marinette home. Of course, he would've gone with her if the walk was a 20 hours away.

"Thanks," Marinette told him, out of the blue.

"For what?" Adrien asked. "You paid."

"Not for the food, for the fun," Marinette told him. "It's been a while since I've enjoyed myself. And it seems like forever since I've seen you."

"School has gotten in the way," he admitted, head hung in shame.

"I'm not blaming you," she assured him, gently linking their elbows together. "If anything it's my fault. I never knew becoming a designer took so much time and effort. I guess I should've, having you in my class. Your dad was always so busy."

Adrien didn't say anything. Instead, he examined their linked arms. A friendly, platonic gesture, which gave him both a fluttery feeling and grief. How could her touch bring two completely opposite emotions?

He grit his teeth, and pulled their arms apart. Blinking away tears. He couldn't look at Marinette, he looked straight ahead. If he did look, he would've seen a dejected Marinette.

They continued to walk in silence until they reached the bakery. Marinette opened the door slightly, hesitating as she left it open only a crack.

"D-did you want i-inside to come?" she stuttered nervously.

"Sure," Adrien said, sorrow laced in his voice that did not go unnoticed by his friend.

She led him upstairs to the kitchen, turning on the lights of the dark house.

"Weird, it's only nine," she mumbled to herself. "I wonder where they're at."

Adrien sat down at the island as Marinette set water on the stove to boil, pouring hot cocoa packets into mugs. She leaned on the counter as she watched the water bubble. Adrien nibbled on a pain un chocolat as he refused to meet her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Marinette asked after she finally glimpsed up from the boiling water to him, seeing his distraught expression.

"It's nothing," Adrien responded in a shaky voice. Marinette rushed to his side, pulling him into a hug. A muffled sob was heard as he buried his head into her shoulder. She tightened her embrace, keeping back her own tears as she felt his shoulders shake.

"I'm here," she whispered, stroking his hair. "What is it? You know you can tell me anything. I'll understand."

"N-no," he choked out. "You won't."

"Yes, I will," she insisted, loosening her grip as he pulled away from her.

"No," he said again. "You won't understand my pain of watching you with Luka. You won't understand how it felt to watch you look at him lovingly. You won't understand how it felt to know you could never feel the same for me. You won't understand how you've broken my heart. You won't understand how much I love you."

Marinette stared at him in shock, frozen. Her eyes were as wide as a deer caught in headlights, and she couldn't tear her gaze away. Adrien wiped his wet cheeks and stood to leave before she grabbed his arm.

"I do," she started, her voice barely a whisper. "I do understand. It's how I felt. Seeing you with Kagami was the worst pain I've ever experienced. I understand how I broke your heart. It was the same way you broke mine. I understand how much you love me… because it can't be half of how much I love you."

It was now Adrien's turn to stare at her unbelievingly. He put his hand over hers on his arm, if only to make sure she was really there. Both were afraid to make sudden moments, afraid it would shatter this reality. So they stood, cerulean eyes searching emerald, their breathing heavy and unstable.

Gradually, they leaned into each other. Inch by inch, step by step, before their lips met. Cautiously at first, but soon turned into more. Adrien held the small of her back as she lightly rested her arms around his shoulders. The years of hidden love and heartache were poured into this single, sweet kiss.

Pulling apart, they smiled softly at each other. A peace rested within each of them as they stood in each others' arms. Adrien looked down onto his lady's angelic face, capturing every detail and locking it away in his memory. Happiness washed over him.

This love he thought was unrequited was what had put the shattered pieces of his life back together.