PART 6

Adrien's POV

"I can't! I won't!" I cried, ripping his hand off my face.

"Then say goodbye to your secret, kitty kitty." Nathanael smiled evilly, whipping out his phone.

"No one will believe you!" I shouted as he began pressing buttons on his phone. I hoped he didn't have proof. It was my last attempt to salvage my relationship with Marinette and my secret. I mean, how else could I?

"No?" He asked sarcastically. "Here."

Nathanael began playing a video of the recent attack on his phone, it ending with me jumping back into the alley as Chat and transforming into Adrien.

"Now, it would be such a shame if this video were to leak onto the world-wide web, wouldn't it?" He spoke slyly.

"Fine. You win." I spoke heavily, sighing with defeat.

"Perfect. And make sure you positively trample her heart, would you? Then she will have no choice but to run into my arms, seeking comfort and refuge from you."

"What?! Never!" I exclaimed, color draining from my face. I could never do that to Marinette, to my Lady, to her.

"Then the cat is out of the bag, huh Chaton?" Nathanael pulled his phone out again, smirking.

"Ugh. I'll do it, I'll do it. But if you break Marinette's heart, I will use cataclysm on you."

"Ooh, I'm so scared! The kitty has claws! Relax. I would never hurt her. You on the other hand…" Nathanael trailed off.

"You're a monster." I spat.

"Not to Marinette." He replied cunningly, strolling out of the alleyway.

I can't do this. I can't hurt Marinette. I can't. I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't! But I can't let her know I'm Chat Noir… She wouldn't like me anymore. She hates the real me. I can't let her find out. I can't believe I'm thinking this, but I've got to go through with Nathanael's plan.

I walked home, taking my sweet time. The rain started pouring, starting as a light drizzle and then quickly turning into a downpour. On my way, I walked by the bakery but was too ashamed to go inside. I can't face Marinette any time soon. And the same with Ladybug. I kept walking, the white tee I was wearing quickly became soaked. I knew I could turn into Chat Noir and get home much faster, but I didn't want to. I wanted him to just disappear for a while. I mean, look at all the trouble he's caused me. Because of my stupid powers, I have to dump Marinette. I don't know how I'm going to face her. I hate my life sometimes.

I stomped in a puddle, catching a glimpse of red in the reflection of the water and alerting me of my girlfriend's prescence. Great, just great.

Ladybug quickly swung down beside me, twirling her yoyo above us like a fan, blowing away the rain and keeping us from getting wet.

"Hey Adrien…" She spoke softly. "Need a lift?"

"No." I replied coldly. I heard her sigh behind me, but I tuned it out. The last thing I need is her getting more attached to me. The less she is, the less I break her heart.

"Adrien, is something wrong?" She asked quietly.

"Yes!" I exploded on her. "Of course there's something wrong!" She jumped slightly, fear gathering in her eyes. I could see it. I sighed, inhaling deeply.

"Just… Leave me alone. Can you do that?" She nodded, swinging away.

"I'm sorry…" I whispered quietly, tears welling in my eyes.

I couldn't hold it in anymore, I ducked into an alleyway and cried.

No one's POV:

Adrien sat on a little box in the alleyway, sobbing his eyes out.

"I don't want to hurt her… Stupid Nathanael! Stupid Ladybug! Stupid Plagg! Stupid Chat!" Adrien screeched, tears streaming down his face as he attacked the wall. "And dumb, dumb, dumb me…" Adrien mumbled into his bleeding hand, slumping to the ground. He laid there, unaware that Ladybug had followed him and was watching him from the roof above.

Ladybug's POV:

Poor Adrien. What must be going on in his head to make him do this?

"Adrien…" I called out, swinging down into the alleyway. "I know you don't want to talk, and I understand that. Just…" I paused, trying to find the right words as I approached. "Let me be here for you."

It was almost like comforting a scared animal. I wrapped my arms around him as he cried, sitting there as he mumbled nonsensical things and feebly attempted to get away from me. After a minute or so, he gavd up, melting into my arms.

"I… don't… wanna…" He sniffled, occasionally hiccuping. He was sucking in air and hyperventilating, not to mention his shirt was soaked, making it that much easier to notice his higly defined chest against me.

"Shh…." I cooed. "You don't have to talk. It's okay. I'm here for you." I gave him a little squeeze, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Th- thanks…" He replied, his teeth chattering. He stopped crying, wiping his face on the lower edge of his shirt.

"You're soaked." I commented.

"Ye-yeah. Iits no-nothing much." He said, attempting to smoothen his speech and stop his teeth from chattering. He didn't, and it clearly wasn't okay.

"Take off your wet shirt." I commanded, not thinking about my statement twice until Adrien turned a bright red, about the color of my Ladybug suit.

"Not like that!" I hastily replied. "I meant I could use my lucky charm to get you a dry shirt or something. Trust me, I had no intentions of…" I trailed off, watching Adrien peel off his shirt. It put me in an almost hypnotic trance, defined muscles placed across every part of him.

He chuckled, flexing and commenting, "Like what you see, M'La-" before quickly slapping a hand across his mouth.

"Um… M'Ladybug. Ms. Ladybug! Yeah…" He backtracked, slurring his words together. I shrugged it off, shouting my magic words and reccieving a hairdryer. I immediately plugged it into an outlet and turned it on high.

"Adrien, hold the shirt open." I barked. "I'm going to attempt to dry it." So we spent a good minute hanging out and joking as we dried his shirt and waited for the rain to cease.

"Can I try using the hairdryer?" Adrien asked curiously. "I've never tried, and I should probably learn."

I laughed, answering, "The shirt's all dry, and for the most part, so is your hair, so I don't know what we could use it on…"

"Well, what about your hair?" He commented.

"Wha- I- uh-" I replied. I never like having my hair down in front of others, especially Adrien.

"C'mon! It'll be fine!"

I sighed reluctantly, pulling the twin ribbons out of my hair. It fell just below my shoulders and draped not-so-daintily around my collarbone, considering that it was still wet. Adrien pointed the hairdryer straight at my bangs, head on, and blasted it, hitting me in the face with a blast of heat. I shrieked, jumping away.

"Let me show you." I grabbed the hairdryer from a very apologetic Adrien, demonstrating the proper ways to use it.

*le lazy author time skip to when they've finished*

We were just about wrapping up when Adrien was doing my bangs, finishing where we started. He was close to me, lifting up my bangs and drying them with the hairdryer. I was hoping he would assume that the redness on my face was from the heat, rather than the fact that he had yet to put his shirt back on. He got a little too close with the hairdryer, pressing the tip into my forehead and burning me.

"Owww!" I howled, jumping back.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Adrien apologized. "Here, let me see."

He pulled my bangs up to examine my forehead, kissing the little burn mark.

"There." He proclaimed. "All better."

He let go of my bangs, only for him to realize we were only inches apart. Unfortunately, I had already noticed and was blushing like mad.

"I-I… Wow." He stuttered. "Your eyes are incredible."

I stared into his deep, green eyes as he stared back into my blue ones, unaware that the gap between us was slowly closing. Not until his lips were on mine.

It was a quick kiss, both of us jumping at the touch, but it still happened.

My earrings beeped, giving me a valid reason to take off.

"See you, Adrien." I replied, slipping away. I glanced over my shoulder, looking back at his awestruck expression as I quietly exclaimed, "Sh*t."

Adrien's POV

I just can't help it, no matter what form she's in, I'm attracted to her. I can't do this. I can't break up with her, at least not face to face…

"And make sure you positively trample her heart, would you?" Nathanael's comment rang in my head like a broken record. "Trample her heart… Trample her heart…"

Then, it hit me. Dump by text. I quickly whipped out my phone and sent Marinette a message.

"I'm breaking up with you. XoXo, Adrien."

I sighed. No response. I don't blame her, she must hate me now. Why me? Why'd I have to be stupid Chat Noir?! If I wasn't, Nathanael couldn't have come between us. She would still be mine and I'd be hers. If she didn't hate me before for kissing Ladybug, she most certainly does now. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself for what I just did. I don't want to go back to school. I don't want to have to face her, Nathanael, Chloe, or the results of this mess. "I'm sorry…" I mumbled to myself. I'll never be able to say it enough, especially to Marinette.

"I'm sorry…" I said again, this time slightly louder. "I'm sorry!" I called again. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" My voice began getting louder and louder, rising as my bottled-up feelings became free. "I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I AM SO SOORRRYYY!" I cried, doubling over in a fit of tears. I sat there in the alleyway on my knees, my palms pressed into the ground as tears trickled down my face and nose, running off the tip of my nose into my jeans.

I laid there for a bit while Plagg sat in my jeans pocket in silence, knowing not to speak.

"Plagg... Claws out…" I sniffled quietly. I sat there, not moving as I transformed, before brushing myself off and jumping away, towards my destination. I didn't notice anything, I had too much on my mind. I ignored a screaming Alya when I took off from her balcony for one of my leaps, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, and only looked up from my feet when I hit a bird. (Yep, I hit a bird. It was a pigeon, though… I don't know if that makes it any better…) I kept going until I got there, perching on the roof.

…

Marinette's POV

Right as I landed on my balcony, I felt my phone vibrate. Tikki flew out of my earrings and went inside to get a cookie.

It was a text from Adrien.

"I'm breaking up with you. XoXo, Adrien."

I stood there blankly for a moment, staring at the text, unresponsive. Then, I heard a cry. It was the faintest whisper of a shout, but I heard it. Adrien's voice, calling out,

"I'm sorry."

That was it. My knees buckled and I dropped to the ground. He kissed Ladybug. He realized how much better she is than me. He realized how low of a standard I am. He realized he could do better. He can do better. I'm pathetic.

Tikki flew back out to see me laying on the ground, crying.

"Marinette! What's wrong?" She shrieked, dashing over to me.

"A-Adrien dumped me…" I mumbled.

Tikki sighed as she curled up by my face, wiping my tears away with her little paws.

"He wasn't worth it if he couldn't see the beauty in you." Tikki replied cheesily, causing me to cry even harder.

What beauty? I'm just some stupid little baker's daughter. I'm not beautiful, inside or out. I'm a cheater and a player, and Adrien knows. I kissed Chat Noir in and out of the Ladybug mask. It's pathetic. I don't deserve anyone. I don't mean anything in the grand scheme of things. I don't matter. Who cares about a little pedestrian? What's one human in the scheme of things? I'm simply me. I'm not Ladybug. That's because of Tikki. None of that is me. It truly is pathetic. Everyone tells me to be more like Ladybug, but I can't. I'm just me. Stupid little Marinette. I'm incapable of anything. And Adrien knows. I took my sharpest fingernail and dug it into my wrist, causing it to bleed.

I stared off into the distance at the silhouette of a cat on my neighbor's roof as the pain on my wrist seared and stung. I smiled, bemused at the unannounced staring contest the cat and I seemed to have. Tikki brought out a band aid and fixed my arm, but I remained frozen, staring at the cat as my mind began to process everything that had happened.

I immediately blinked in a mixture of fear and shock as the cat stood up and jumped away, the silhouette turning into one of a man. Chat Noir's, to be exact. Luckily, Tikki was hidden behind my arm. Unfortunately, I didn't know if he had seen Ladybug kiss Adrien, but I know he hadn't seen me detransform, I know that much. What did he think of me now? I don't know, but I don't really care either. Stupid little Marinette.