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"I... er... What I wanted to say, guys, is that I'm fine. But I'll have to take a break for a few days. Fu says that I need a rest"

"Well... We'll be waiting for you to come back"

Ladybug ended the call and closed her yo-yo. Cosmy may not be as close friend as Alya or Chat, but she still would miss her. Bluenette sighed. She knew it was wrong to feel that way, but she was a tiny bit happy, that Cosmy won't be around for a couple of days. She spent the whole previous night thinking about that strange feeling in her chest. Conclusions that she made, weren't satisfying her at all. It seemed that somehow, for a while before Chat went abroad, she started developing feelings toward him. And the whole month of not seeing him, only made them stronger. She didn't want to admit them, maybe because she was too stubborn, or she was just afraid of where they might lead, or perhaps she just couldn't let go of her feelings to Adrien. Either way, she was not ready to be honest with herself.

Another sigh. What should she do? Tell him? Nah, it's stupid, she's not even sure what is it yet. Try her chances with Adrien? She already knew he was in love with someone else. Ladybug remembered how painful it was for her to take it. Especially when she at first assumed it was Chloe. How stupid she was to thought that? Though her BFF hasn't stopped trying to set her up with him. Try to spend more time with Chat, to see where it will lead? Maybe.

The heroine wasn't even sure if she wanted to do anything about it. Another deep sigh escaped her mouth.

"Ladybug?"

Bluenette immediately turned to the speaker. She knew that voice. What was that girl doing here in that time of night?

"Alya?"

Two girls just stared at each other for few seconds, dumbfounded by the fact, that they met.

"Aren't you... supposed to be at home? It's pretty late..."

The bloger just shrugged, as she always did when it comes to something she weren't supposed to be doing. Ladybug smiled to herself at that.

"Wanna sit with me?"

The ombré haired girl starred wide-eyed at the heroine.

"Me? Are you kidding? Of course!"

Silently laughing, bluenette helped her best friend to climb on the rooftop.

"I can ask you the same question. Why are you out here in that time of night? Your patrols usually end a lot earlier"

Ladybug chuckled.

"You sure know a lot, don't you?" She turned her gaze back to the city. "Just thinking".

The comfortable silence felt over the two, as they watched rare lights shimmering in the night.

"I just... – Ladybug abruptly started speaking, – have you ever had a situation when you actually don't know what to do? And you don't have anyone to talk to, someone who'll understand?"

She was quite for a moment, before turning her gaze from the city to Alya.

"Sorry..."

"No, no! It's totally fine! I... You can tell me... it is if you want to, of course".

A small smile formed on super heroine's lips, even now Alya is the one helping her out.

"Well... it's just that I got a little bit tired of all that superhero's life... It's hard to combine being Ladybug and being my normal self at the same time... It's also hurts to keep it a secret, especially from my closest friends... Not that I don't like it, but sometimes it all is just too much..."

Unsurely Alya put her hand on bluenette's, slightly squeezing it. Another sad smile crossed Ladybug's expression. There they were, sitting in comfortable silence, watching the city. A blogger, who was so passionate about her hero, and a girl, who saved lives on daily basis, wishing she had someone to be her hero too.

***

"OMG, girl, you won't believe what happened yesterday!" Was the first thing that Alya said to Marinette at school.

"Let me guess, it has something to do with Ladybug?"

"Exactly! But you'll never, I repeat never, guess what exactly."

The bluenette only snorted to that statement, pretending to know nothing.

"So tell me, what exactly had happened?"

"Well, I couldn't have fallen asleep last night, so I decided to go for a walk"

'In like one or two am in the morning?!'

"Anyway, I was just planning on going home, when I saw her, Ladybug. And do you know what happened next?! She invited me to sit and talk to her, girl!!!"

At that, some students turned to look their way. Alya slightly flushed, but quickly regained her excitement, and continued on with her story, in more low voice now.

"And she actually talked to me! Like, you know, shared something she didn't even told her best friend! I mean, how legit is that?!"

'She DID told her BFF, since I'm Ladybug and you're my bestie' Marinette thought to herself, but before she could react to Alya's words, someone has interrupted their conversation.

"Oh please, who would believe your stupid story, anyway?"

'Chloe'

"I mean, even if you have that lame blog of yours, doesn't mean Ladybug even knows who you are. I'd prefer not to, besides—"

"That's enough, Chloe! No one cares what you think, so can you, please, shut up?!"

'Oh wow. Marinette has actually snapped there. Hope, I'll never get on her bad side' thought Adrien, as he entered classroom just when Chloe started pushing buttons on her. Speaking of the devil herself, she just 'humphed' in return and angrily stomped to her seat.

"Hi Alya, hi Mari!" He greeted as he walked to his seat as well "Do you know where Nino is?" said the blond model, pointing to the empty seat near him.

"Hi".

"Hi, Adrien, don't know, I was actually going to ask you the same thing".

"Oh, I see. Think, I'll call him at lunch".

They were going to say something else, but Ms. Bustier entered the class, with the bell, and started the lesson.

"Where have you been?"

"Uh oh, sorry, dude, Mari and Alya. I forgot to tell you I was going to be late. Anyhow, I have awesome news for ya all."

The three shared a glance and turned to the DJ with one rosed eyebrow.

"I was late, because I spent all morning standing in the queue for free tickets on this terrific new horror movie!!"

There was silence before friends started speaking, interrupting each other:

"I love you, Nino, and all, but seriously, did you miss the half day of school to—"

"Omg! Nino! It's so out of the hook, how many did you get?!" Alya screamed, jumping excitedly around her boyfriend.

"Four. For everyone of us to come, of course".

"Yay!"

"Are you sure, Mari? I know you don't like horror movies, so it's totally fine, if you don't want to come".

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure" said girl nodded, "Besides, you and Nino will have some time alone, won't you?" she sing-songed, smiling smugly.

"Shut it"

Marinette giggled in response. It was so cute that Alya and Nino still would be so flustered around each other sometimes, even though they have dated for a while now.

"And there's another thing—"

"I'll be sitting next to Adrien, so that you two lovebirds would have your time, yeah, I know".

Alya flushed a little again, but then looked suspiciously at her best friend.

"You sure seem pretty cool with the fact you'll be sitting next to Adrien. You're not hiding from me anything, hmm, missy?" She drifted closer smiling smugly.

"What?! No! Of course no! And 'bout that... Well... I just thought... I mean... I already know he's in love with someone, right? So... uh... I don't think it's fair to try to make a move on him, because I want him to be happy with—"

"Awww, you're so sweet!" ombré haired girl awed, hugging Marinette tightly.

"Yeah, I know" she playfully flipped her hair, as the two started laughing.

"But there's still a problem though. You gotta help me to get dressed for the cinema"

"It's a horror movie, Als".

"But it's still a date... Well, kinda... Oh, c'mon, you're still helping me to get ready".

"Fine, fine". Bluenette rolled her eyes, smiling, "Meet you at five?"

"Yeah, and make sure not to be late!" Alya screamed, running towards her house.

"I'm not always late!" Marinette shouted back, but her friend was out of reach so far, "Never mind".

At that small red creature popped out of her purse, calling for her holder:

"Marinette!"

Bluenette immediately turned her attention to her kwami.

"Shh, Tikki, there's lot of people out here. Someone might see you".

"Sorry. I wanted to say that you need to get home as well, you have only two hours till meeting Alya. And you still haven't done your homework!"

"Right. Thanks, Tikki".

She grabbed her school bag, and headed toward the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

***

"So, do I look good?" blue haired girl asked her friend, studying her reflection in the mirror.

"You look perfect, Mari" Alya rolled her eyes. Though, it was usual for her to always be nervous and unsure about everything.

"You sure?" she turned around looking suspiciously at the ombré haired girl.

"Yes, I'm sure", young journalist sighed, "Seriously, it's like the third dress you're trying. If you don't make your decision soon, we're gonna be late. Besides, I thought that you don't want to make a move on Adrien?.." she teased.

"I don't!.. I mean... sure I do want him to be happy, but... well, I still want to do my best for him?.." Marinette answered, though it sounded more like a question.

"Uh-huh, sure"

"Shut up" she smiled in return. Her gaze moving to the clock, "Oh no! We're gonna to be late!"

Alya rolled her eyes, sighing:

"Told ya so".

Marinette gave her best friend a dirty look and picked up her purse, with Tikki in it.

"Let's go?"

"Yeah, better hurry, my dad's already waiting"

***

"Hey, girls!" Nino waved at them, as they walked out of the car, both laughing at something from Alya's phone.

"Hey, Nino, looking good"

Ombré haired girl gave her boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek

"Yo, thanks, sweetie , but you look better" Dj returned the compliment, kissing her full at the mouth.

"They're cute, but they're so gross" sighed Marinette, talking rather to herself, then to anyone else.

"I know, right?"

She jumped a little in surprise, seeing no other than Adrien himself. Blonde rubbed the back of his neck nervously:

"Uh... Sorry for startling you again"

"No sweat, it's fine" she smiled at him, surprising mostly herself, by saying that without stuttering. Maybe she really has finally started to get over him.

"Hey, lovebirds, stop kissing already, we've got movie to watch!" She screamed at two teens, who immediately pulled out and blushed. Bluenette only let herself a small smile, when she heard Adrien chuckle at that.

"Ya, right. Let's go guys"

***

Later that night Marinette was finally home, flopping on the bed. She couldn't say she didn't enjoy the movie, but there were so many things that went wrong. At first, some little boy has been kicking her seat, till Adrien told him to stop ("Oh god, Mari, he's protecting you!" "Shut up, Alya!"). Then, some other teens, who has been sitting in the last row, she was pretty sure they were Kim, Alix and Max, since she heard that they got tickets too, were throwing popcorn at other people and some just happen to fall right into her hair. But that weren't even the worse part.

Just at the most epic and scary moment, the screen was blown up by an akuma, and she had to try and find an excuse to transform. And even that didn't go well: when she was ready to say the catchphrase, she was picked up by Chat ("Princess! Get out of here, it's way too dangerous for you!") and carried away to the rooftop of some building ("Be careful next time, please").

And when she finally got to the fight scene, Chat has been knocked out, so she of course tried to wake him ("Hey, bugaboo, what a—" "Don't even start"). His head was hurt, but he said it was okay, so she just hoped he will treat the wound after they defeat the villain.

And akuma was just some crazy fan of the horror movies, who didn't get the tickets ("If I don't get to see it, then no one will!"), like seriously, Hawkmoth, the best you came up with?

After that she had to make sure no one's hurt and quickly get back to her friends, till they would get suspicious.

And to the top of all that, Adrien has gotten hurt, and they had to take him to the hospital. ("I hope he'll be okay" "Didn't you say that you got over—"No! I said I won't try to make a move, shat up, Alya!")

So yeah, her evening was totally awful.

Marinette just hoped that Chat and Adrien are fine and that she will get enough sleep today, because all she could think of was her soft and comfortable bed, that was calling for her to come and to rest.

***

"But Mater Fu! I want to stay here for a little bit longer!"

"I know, I know. But he's probably waiting for you, don't you think?"

"He could wait a little longer." Red haired girl clasped her hands: "Please! It's just so confusing, I can't leave these two like that!"

Old man shook his head, smiling. He knew that she was just trying to help her friends, but she was forgetting that they shouldn't hurry them, so the two superheroes could find their way by themselves.

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