Short fic, but damn a hard one to write. This only has 5 chapters, each at least 4 pages long, but it took like about a month to finish. But it's done! Or at least, I'm ready to deem it done.

Beware of sadness. And a bittersweet ending.

Adrien felt sick. He felt like he could throw up with how painfully his insides were twisting, with how much his chest hurt. He was choking on words, words he didn't want to reveal or utter, words he knew that were going to hurt and that… that was the last thing he wanted. But at the same time, he had to utter them.

He had to share the truth.

But just trying to bring them up was like bile on his tongue.

He, he didn't quite know what to do with himself, standing before her, watching her hunch up and shrink down, seeing the light leave her light blue eyes as an understanding washed over her at his silent struggle.

He wanted to laugh.

Of course she'd catch on.

He didn't even need to breath a word for her to understand.

Adrien felt cold.

He felt sick.

He wanted to crack a joke, make her smile, make her laugh but nothing came to mind.

And he knew nothing would help.

"Marinette," he uttered, his voice weak and strained, instinctively reaching for her, desiring to comfort her, to pull her into the tightest hug he could give and try and hide her from all the sadness coming for her.

Only she drew away from his reach, hunching up and curling in on herself.

He paused, hurt and upset and just… at a loss on what to do.

What his instincts were screaming him to do.

What logic harshly pointed out.

He couldn't comfort her like he wanted.

There was the glaring factor that he was the source of that sadness.

Would a hug from him help?

Would it even give her comfort or just cause more pain?

What can he do?

What should he do?

He didn't want this.

He didn't want to hurt her.

But he can't…

"I'm, I'm sorry. I…" Adrien trailed, moving his hand to rub the back of his neck, shuffling on his feet, at a loss on what to do, what to say. How can he make this better? What can he do? Anything? There had to be something.

He gave a start when she spoke, her voice so shaky and quivering. That tone... Adrien felt like he had just been stabbed.

"N-no. It's, i-it's o-ok…"

Adrien grimaced.

No.

No it wasn't.

She was hurting and he was the cause of it.

That, that should never happen.

It shouldn't be like this.

His whole form hunched up, watching her take a few shaky steps back, listening to her stutter and utter, "It, it was si-silly… I, thanks, I'm, I'm sor-sorry-"

"No, Marinette, wait, I, I'm sorr-"

She only shook her head at him, forcing a shaky smile, trying to reassure him, but looking ready to bolt. Looking ready to cry. His body moved on it's own, instincts screaming to pull her into a hug, hold her close and tightly, to reassure her, to make it better.

But Marinette drew away before he could touch her, looking down to the ground, sullen.

And Adrien didn't pursue, just so torn and unsure on how he can make this better. How to comfort her.

Should he give her space?

Should he hug her?

He did try to reassure, his steps following her, hands moving to reach once again, set to console her. "You, you are amazing Marinette, you are! But-"

"I need t-to go," she uttered, wrapping her hands around herself, turning and hurrying away. Leaving Adrien to stare after her, pained and lost on what to do. His hands dropped to his side, watching her go.

Should he follow?

Should he leave her alone?

He, he didn't know.

How, how does he make this better?

What can he do?

"Plagg, what, what do I do…?" he asked, shaken.

He felt the kwami shift against him, peeking out and peering after Marinette. Plagg advised in a calm low tone, "Leave her be."

"But she-"

"She's going to want alone time," Plagg declared, dropping down into the pocket.

Adrien drooped, unsure. If Plagg was sure… Adrien ran a hand over his face, then sliding it back to rub his neck, really, really unsure about this, his insides churning.

He still felt sick.

Marinette didn't come to school.

Alya wasn't there either.

When he looked to Nino, his eyes pained and worried, the boy only shook his head, whispering, "They're taking a break from school today."

Adrien slumped in his seat, laying on crossed arms and staring dully down at his desktop.

Nino leaned over, frowning as he eyed him. "You ok?" he asked.

"Probably better than Marinette," Adrien dully murmured.

He didn't get his heart crushed.

He didn't get hurt by a close friend.

Adrien closed his eyes, grimacing. He felt Nino slide a hand along his shoulders, reassuring. "Nette'll be ok. She just needs a little time. She's a tough girl."

Adrien nodded.

Nino gave his shoulders a squeeze. "It's not your fault. It just… happens. I know from personal experience."

No he didn't, Adrien wanted to huff out.

He didn't know this feeling of rejecting a good friend.

Didn't know the feeling of being rejected by a friend since technically Marinette never rejected him.

Thinking about it just made Adrien more stir crazy, more frustrated, more twitchy.

Instinct was pushing him to drop by, to do what he could to help her.

Logic said to stay away, that she needed time.

He was so torn up, he wanted to pace, wanted to pull at his hair, wanted…

He had to do something!

Adrien moved with the feeling, getting up and hurrying out of class, ignoring the surprised looks peering after him. He walked past Bustier, ignoring her call after him. He was too locked up in his own little world. He only snapped out of it when little claws pushed at his chest.

He looked down, seeing Plagg frown at him. "Calm down," the kwami bid, "you freaking out isn't going to help this."

"Freaking out?" Adrien snapped, "That's what you call this?"

"Fine, overreacting," Plagg corrected, zipping out and crossing his arms, staring down at the boy. He warned, "You're going to make this worse than it already is Kid."

"I hurt my friend Plagg!"

"So you'd rather live a lie of a one sided relationship?"

"No!" Adrien snapped.

"The damage's done," Plagg bid, looking away, his whiskers curling. "Stop thinking about, stop stressing about it. It'll pass soon enou-"

"How helpful," Adrien muttered, walking past the kwami.

Plagg peered after him, grimacing.

Times like these he wished Tikki were here. She was better at handling this emotional stuff. All his years and Plagg was still at a loss on what to do outside basic advice. Advice most his holders never wanted to hear when it was time to give it.

The kwami moved to pursue his holder, only to freeze when he heard the pound of feet of a late student.

Uh oh.

Plagg dove up towards the ceiling, out of sight and watching the late student rush past.

He drifted down, and hurried after Adrien.

Only to slow and tense when he couldn't find Adrien anywhere.

The boy was gone.

He didn't know where Adrien was.

And he was currently upset, with no kwami to guard against akumas.

Oh no.

With a nervous twitch of his whiskers, Plagg darted off, scrambling to find his chosen.

Where could he be?

In the gym was where Adrien be, using his saber outside his fencing gear, slashing at the air, moving a bit wildly like he was Chat and in a fight, facing some invisible opponent he had no name for. Just to move, just to get this frustration out, just to slash away at air, like that could beat away this situation.

It wasn't enough, Adrien knows, but it felt good.

It was an outlet.

And he needed an outlet right now.

Adrien stopped, breathing hard, his saber pointed outwards, tip pressing against the chest of the invisible opponent.

His mind flashed to Marientte, the hurt and sorrow in her blue eyes, her form shrinking down, looking so small and breakable and-

He gave the air a wild slash, frustrated.

Marinette should never look like that.

She was fierce.

She was strong.

She was kind.

She was amazing and should never look like that and he made her look like that and…

He drooped, the tip of his saber chirping as it hit the ground. Adrien swept his bangs aside, feeling tired and agitated.

It wasn't enough.

Adrien wasn't satisfied with this.

He wanted to do something.

Had to do something to make this right, to remove this heaviness from his shoulders, to see her smiling again, to see her strong and sure of herself, holding herself so high. There had to be something he could do…

"Nothing's sadder than seeing a princess hurt."

Adrien gave a start, eyes widening.

Then he slumped, his chest aching. "Nothing," he agreed.

"And to be the one to hurt her," the voice trailed, mournful and sad, the tone going out to Adrien, understanding and patient.

"I want to make it better," Adrien told the voice, tightening his grip on the foil's handle.

He had to make it better.

"I can give you the chance," the voice offered.

"I can make it better?" Adrien asked, hopeful.

"You can, if you do something in return for me."

Adrien paused, aware of a light, comfortable weight on his finger.

In the back of his mind, there was a whisper that he shouldn't, he knows the price, and he shouldn't accept or agree to this.

But Marientte's hurt expression flashed before his eyes again, the droop of her form, like a dying ember that was once a beautiful flame.

He became resolute.

He couldn't leave that flame so weak, so fragile.

He had to make it better.

Get his princess back on her feet.

"I accept."

"Go to her, Sir Night."