"Hi," Adrien says when he walks into class the next day. Everyone in the room waits for the girl he is waving at – Marinette – to turn her nose up at him as she had done the day before.

Marinette eyes widen as she stutters a squeaky, "H-Hello, hi, uh—"

Adrien's face falls a little but he continues to smile at Marinette as he slides gracefully into his seat and bumps his fist with Nino's. Marinette's eyes widen impossibly more, attempting to take in every little detail of the boy sitting in front of her. In her mind she colours every strand of his hair in a golden light, the silver shine of the ring he wears on his finger, the slight scuffing of his dull orange shoes; she commits it all to her memory. She wants to remember it all.

Alya waves a hand in front of her face. When Marinette can manage to drag her eyes away, Alya grins and gently nudges her with an elbow. "Girl, what changed?"

A silly smile takes control of Marinette's face and she can manage to say is, "He gave me his umbrella."

"All it took was an umbrella?"

Marinette jumps, clinging to Alya's arm. "I was so harsh, Alya! I misjudged him; he's nothing like Chloe. He's so kind, and lonely, and handsome—and there was a lightning strike, Alya! Lightning! I couldn't have resisted, even if I had wanted to."

"Ah," Alya says knowingly.

"Now I can't even form a full sentence when I try to talk to him, and I don't understand why! He's so amazing, and kind, and all I can manage to say to him is bleh."

Alya reaches an arm out and pats a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "I got you, girl. Before you know it, you'll be speaking to Adrien like a normal human being."

"Thank, Alya. You're the best."

The two girls sit in silence for a moment before Alya asks Marinette a little dreamily, "So what do you think of Ladybug and Chat Noir as a couple? They look like they were made for each other; don't you agree?"

"What?"

"You did what, dude?"

"I gave her my umbrella," Adrien says. "I thought we became friends, but did you see how she reacted when I said 'hi' to her just before?"

I haven't laughed so freely in so long. I haven't been free in so long.

And Marinette gave me freedom.

"Dude," Nino says with emphasis. "That wasn't the same reaction as yesterday. Maybe she does like you now, but she's just a little nervous because of who you are." Nino pauses for a long, thoughtful moment. "I don't know what it is but something has definitely changed."

Adrien takes a moment to consider Nino's words. Then he thinks back to Marinette discouraging reaction to his greeting. Maybe… maybe he and Marinette are not friends yet, but he feels that they are definitely on the path to being there, he just needs to work a little harder for them to get there.

Something has changed.

…Changed.

Changed.

God, he hoped so.

A/N: I've read from others who watched the episode that the lightning strike/thunder during the umbrella scene - in a long, roundabout way - translates into the phrase "love at first sight", and I really like that idea when :D (I normally hate love at first sight, but it wasn't quite like that with these two beautiful characters)

Also, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL ENDING TO A BEAUTIFUL EPISODE! :') I don't know if I'm gonna be able to survive the last few episodes of the season, let alone season two...