Okay, so I'm new to writing for the ML fandom and I'm really nervous to post this, but you gotta start off somewhere, right? I also need to get caught up with the rest if the days of Adrienette April as well so be on the lookout for those! That is, if you like the story, please let me know your thoughts! I tried to keep this relatively in canon timeline as to where the characters are.

She's just a friend.

The first time he really thought about it was shortly after they met, she was trembling in the cold autumn rain and although they had not started off on the right foot he couldn't help but hand it to her.

That's how it started, with something as simple as an umbrella. Of course, Plagg was the instigator, as he often was, calling Marinette his girlfriend without a single effort to hide the slight snicker he held under his breath.

But she was his friend and just that, whether Plagg believed it, was none of his concern

It was exciting, and strange in a way, but as a whole it was a new experience, to actually make friends, to learn with them and just live a life outside his dustless home. After so long of being alone— Chloe excluded— Adrien felt as though he was beginning to find his place in the world , somewhere he actually belonged.

As time passed, there were others who tried to hint of the idea of them becoming something more. Yet, he never felt the same, always having to brush off whatever weird looks he'd receive. He never put much thought into the idea of developing their friendship into something more. He knew the truth that they didn't.

She was just a friend.

No matter how many times he had told him his friend never truly accepted his response. While he would get a sly sure… from Alya, she wasn't alone.

Even Nino would join in from time to time. It seemed that no matter how many times he told them they just didn't understand. Then again, how could they?

They grew up with normal families, in normal houses, if they wanted to get food, they would actually have to leave the house to get it. In their eyes 'just' being friends was something they always had, but to him, it was so much more. Especially having a friend like Marinette.

And her reactions were always priceless. Well, all but one.

It was always one of three things: Which, were her acting confused at the name as though she had never heard the word 'friend' before. Then again, she was shy.

The second was the best, she would freeze in place, face burning with the vibrancy of the deepest Ladybug.

But the third, it twisted his stomach to its core. That fake smile that could be spotted in the darkest night, he didn't know why but seeing someone like her wear it made his insides crawl.

It just didn't fit Marinette's face.

So, why was that one the one he saw most?

"Marinette? Oh, she's just a friend, really."

There it was again! But this time, it was somehow different. The tone in his voice carried more than it had before.

As Adrien smiled warmly at Kagami, reassuring her that he had always just cared deeply for his friends. He didn't have many, and it was something he would never take for granted. His Father, his Mother- their shadows loomed over him with every step he took outside his house. He knew how much it meant to be there for someone that's why he would always be there for his friends, no matter what.

Hence, why he ran out of the skating rink to follow her and making sure she was okay. And now he was having a very similar conversation with his former date that he had with his Kwami just moments prior.

I wish they would understand. She's my friend, no more, no less. That's what he wanted.

He felt awful seeing her run away like that, obviously distraught. Maybe she wasn't enjoying her date with Luka, or heck, maybe she just ate something that wasn't settling right with her stomach.

Whatever it was, he had to check; he couldn't just leave her like that.

And if people thought he had feelings for Marinette?

Well, that was on them.

She was just his friend.

This time the phrase didn't even reach his lips, it was in his mind out of instinct, like a mantra repeated as much as the US. Pledge of allegiance.

No one had even made the accusation this time to even warrant the thought, rather it was something muttering in the back of his mind, chanting the words like a metra.

As his gaze caught her looking out at the window he knew how hard it was for her just letting Lila get away with it all. But they both knew when thinking with a clear head that if they just waited it out Lila would end up biting her own tail rather than theirs after. She had always tried to be honest with her friends even in difficult cases. Maybe that's why this was so hard for her. Maybe that's why this time it felt more of a reminder than a statement She's just a friend, and he was happy with that. They've come a long way, and knowing that they could progress into full sentences made him hopeful that they could become even closer friends, because to him she was their every day Ladybug.

He smiled softly as the warm glow pierced through the window and highlighted the lighter strands of her dark hair. There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she sat there at her desk, something that he didn't think she fully noticed herself.

Even with having to let go on her pursuit of Lila, she still held onto her joyful eyes, even going so far as to see a tint of a smile as she leaned into her defeat. There it was, whether it was from him specifically or just knowing that she wasn't alone in her frustration, this is why he would never take this for granted.

Making his way up the stairs to take the seat next to her, he couldn't understand for the life of him why his brain had to keep reminding himself:

She was really a good friend.

Just off the tail of defeating Weredad the words echoed in his mind once more.

It finally made sense to him why she was so breathless around Chat,

She had a crush. On him. Or in this case, Chat

What even was his life anymore?

He felt bad for rejecting her, he truly did. She was amazing and anyone would have to be an idiot not to see that. But she wasn't the one for him, not while his Ladybug was still in the picture and nothing was gonna change that. Not even the strongest Akuma that Hawkmoth could conjure up.

As he laid in bed that night, his room was filled with a deafening silence. Up to this point, he never did understand why his classmate was so… starstruck around his superhero self. Now, it made perfect sense, and even with the small guilt that gnawed at his stomach, he couldn't help but feel oddly flattered.

It didn't matter if it was a celebrity crush, Marinette was nothing if not genuine with her feelings. Something truly rare in his life. Chole, his father, fangirls, even other female models. They saw him as a trophy, not a person.

But not Marinette. He knew that if they were ever to be a thing— if Ladybug never existed, of course, cause this was all hypothetical— that she would genuinely love all of him. The idea had never really crossed his mind, at least, not one that he had brought up from his subconscious.

A part of him admitted how nice that would be, how easy it would be, to accept her feelings, but his partner was someone he couldn't let go of. And at the end of the day, as long as he just had Marinette in his life, that was all that mattered. Because he treasured their friendship.

She really was a great friend to him. At least that's all she was.

Right?

Then it happened, the one time it truly, he finally understood. The words that had been repeated so many times by his own lips had begun to tear a hole in his stomach.

He'd just received the homework assignment from Natalie, hand-delivered by Marinette with a neat little note on top. Her handwriting was a thing of beauty, something he knew he had seen before. It couldn't get out of his mind how similar it was to his Ladybug's valentine's day card. The more he thought on it, the more his heart threatened to beat out his chest but with one swift stroke, his hopes were dashed in two.

He knew she felt something for Chat, yet, Luka was without a doubt in the picture as well. She definitely didn't seem to feel anything for Adrien. How would she have even seen the poem he wrote for his partner in the first place?

Maybe the whole confession on the balcony was one last chance of telling Chat how she felt before she decided to move on? Because the way she looked at Luka at the ice rink before she even confessed to… well… Chat... there was something there between her and the guitarist.

Even if she had a crush on his superhero self.

That note, it just couldn't be from her. She just didn't see Adrien in that light.

Afterall….Marinette was just a friend.

Okay, I had issues with the final part, not gonna lie, because, in Stormy Weather 2, Adrien obviously thinks Marinette has feelings for Luka-ie, the skating rink. However, weredad and SW2 take place in both season three, while Frozer takes place in season two. And before you say anything, I know it's not a 'structure timeline' or whatever the writers have it as, but the seasons at least are separate. So at this point, Adrien should already know about Mari's crush on Chat, so I kinda tried to show that his thought process was that during the whole ice rink deal she was trying to get over chat before she even confession, but on her balcony, it was a 'spur of the moment and last ditch effort' before she completely moved on?

Ya feel me?

Yeah, I hardly know where my mind is at the moment if I'm being honest. These two idiots just need to get together already and stop giving us a headache.

Anyway, please read and review! Love you all, night!