This story doesn't follow the exact storyline of Miraculous, I started this before the latest seasons/teasers, so that's why Kagami and Luka aren't really parts of this story. And as for Lila, she might play a part but I haven't decided yet.

*Also, this is assuming that Tikki doesn't know Chat Noir's identity.*

The days had been dragging lately. Melting and mixing together to the point where the days of the week and the months and the year were all the same thing.

Marinette was always one for zoning out, but today she wasn't sure she had ever been zoned in. The clock read 1:45 p.m.

She was in a classroom, which one, she wasn't sure. Her pencil was tapping lightly against her notebook, she hadn't opened it the entire class. Everyone else was turning in their textbooks, so she begrudgingly pulled hers from her bag and peeked over to the person beside her to see the page number. 231.

Why were there so many pages in a text book?

Why were the explanations so long and drawn out? Half of the things she was skimming over could be explained in a sentence. Then again, she was the one not understanding anything going on around her.

She pretended to work for a few minutes, before staring out the window. She usually didn't mind where she sat in class, but today it was annoying her. Having a school in the city didn't really make for a quiet, window looking session.

But nevertheless it was slightly calming. Paris was beautiful, but it was also interesting.

Meaning, you never knew what you'd find if you just looked outside. She liked people watching. Something about seeing all of those people interact without the stress that they might be under a strangers gaze.

It was enough for her to focus on.

She looked back into the room, reading the writing on the board as the lecture continued.

Her eyes stopped on the date.

It had been a month since Hawkmoth had stopped sending daily akumas, and nearly 3 weeks since her unfortunate conversation with Adrien.

Everything since then, had made little to no sense.

Time felt like it was the only thing that was happening anymore. Like it was the only thing that was constantly going.

Everything else was entirely irrational.

Marinette glanced at her foot, hoping desperately to get her cast off soon. Or at least, to be put in a boot.

Ladybug could walk, Marinette could not. She figured her injury might've been much worse had she not been her hero persona.

The suit could protect her from any fall, as long as she actually landed it. Or at least, fell in a position that wasn't twisted.

But as much shock as the suit could absorb, it couldn't stop her from falling in such a way.

She still couldn't believe she had managed it.

The bell was ringing. How was the bell ringing? Was it already time to go? She didn't have a class next period, should she go to the library?

Marinette gathered her thoughts, and her things, and headed that way.

The library was quiet. It was good.

When she got there, her crutches clacked on the ground, echoing against the walls of the empty room. No one was there.

Perfect.

She let out a heavy sigh when she sat down.

"Hey Marinette..." Tikki whispered, cracking open the bag on the girls hip.

"Yeah?"

"I just...I just want you to know...I'm glad that we met."

Marinette stared down at her for a moment, before she grinned silently.

"Me too."

As if on cue, she could hear the soft patter of shoes against the tile floors. She leaned sideways, glancing around the bookshelves in front of her.

Oh great.

"Marinette!"

Adriens voice rang in the air.

He looked disheveled, his hair was strewn about and his chest was heaving slightly.

"Did you...run here?" She asked curiously, unable to keep herself from laughing.

"Oh I...I might've." He shrugged, grinning as his face tinted a soft pink.

"Um...okay..." She felt her face scrunch, shaking her head as she pulled her textbook from her bag.

She figured, she might as well try to figure out what she was supposed to have been doing earlier.

"Need any help?" Adrien questioned, taking the seat next to her.

"I mean...I don't even know what it is I need help with." She said, gesturing to the random page she had flipped to.

"I might be able to figure it out."

He leaned in, too close. His hair was falling into his eyes, a golden, terribly soft looking mop on his head. His eyes, she was sure, were just as captivating as they had been the day he'd given her his umbrella.

It was still sitting downstairs, by her front door.

Just in case.

He was just in front of her, if he'd just turn his head, she'd be making eye contact. She couldn't help but notice every little thing about him.

"Oh, I did this earlier today!" He smiled, looking towards her.

There he was, right in front of her. They were inches apart, and he wasn't pushing himself away. He was just staring at her, and she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"You..." She didn't know what it was she was trying to say.

Adrien cleared his throat, backing away from her.

"I Uh, I can let you see my notes if you'd like." He offered awkwardly.

"Of course." She nodded.

The rest of the interaction was silent, and Marinette never thought she'd be so eager to not talk to Adrien.

She couldn't read him, couldn't figure him out. It was like he had flipped a switch, and she couldn't figure out what the circuit was connected to.

Even when he told her goodbye, and when she flopped onto her couch, she couldn't stop thinking about it.

Stop thinking. That's all she wanted to do.

Her phone beeped.

Alya - I'm coming to see you, pick out your favorite movies.

Marinette smiled at her phone.

Okay, only if you bring popcorn.

"Hey you haven't hung out with Alya in a while!" Tikki smiled.

The kwami had a million things she wanted to say to her. She needed to talk to her about her dreams, and Hawkmoth. But anytime she would try, Marinette would break into panic, or go completely silent.

If Hawkmoth knew her identity, she could be in serious trouble. But there was nothing she could say about it.

Tikki did have one thing though. Plagg.

She'd seen him at school before, she knew Chat went there. She needed to talk to Plagg.

Unbeknownst to her, Chat Noir was already keeping a watchful eye on Marinette. Adrien had been not so subtly following her around.

He didn't get any details from Ladybug last time he'd seen her, but if what she said about Hawkmoth was true, there was no way that he was letting her out of his, or anyone's sight.

He had grabbed both Alya and Nino by the arm as he watched Marinette leave the school.

"Something isn't right with Marinette." He whispered.

"Alya and I were just talking about that." Nino nodded, glancing up just as Marinette's back was out of view.

A silent exchange was made between each of their eyes.

"I'll check on her." Alya spoke, placing a hand on Adriens shoulder.

"You know, I'm sure she'd appreciate it if you did the same."

Adrien watched as Alya and Nino waved goodbye, mumbling under his breath.

"Yeah I doubt that."

******

"What you're kidding." Marinette sputtered between laughs.

"I am not!" Alya shook her head, nearly gasping for air.

"I can't believe your first fictional crush wasn't even a human."

"Hey, at least it was a mammal." Alya defended.

The two of them had been laughing for the past 30 minutes, after watching through some old Disney classics.

Once they caught their breath, Alya stared at her friend and sighed.

"What?" Marinette was still smiling, not realizing the seriousness plastered on Alya's face.

"We're all worried about you, ya know."

Marinette's face fell.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I mean...I don't want you to think that you don't have people who care about you. Or that you don't deserve it." Alya reached out and gripped her best friend's hand.

Marinette's mouth hung just slightly open, unable to do anything but blink.

"I...we....Nino, Adrien and I, we've noticed things. You're not as excited anymore, you don't really talk much at all. I, I won't ask you what's going on, but I'm still here for you. And honestly Marinette, I don't think I've seen you pack a lunch in a while, and you seem so tired all the time."Alya said the last sentence carefully, because she knew that if that was something Marinette struggled with, she couldn't just go out and say it.

"Alya I'm fine really. I just, I've just been stressed is all." Marinette assured her.

She didn't look very assured.

"Look at your cast, those people care about you."

Marinette looked down at the growing amount of signatures.

Her teachers, classmates, even Manon, who'd grown to be much less annoying.

All of those people?

She looked at the curious mark from Adrien again.

"Even if they'd never tell you it, even if they tend to follow Chloe, they care about you."

"You used to be the only one who would stand up to her, to anyone, for everyone." Alya tilted her head to the side.

"What happened?"

"I guess I got tired of it." Marinette spoke honestly.

She did get tired of it. Some might think that Chloe got the best of her, but that wasn't the case.

Marinette had gotten the best of her.

She put too much responsibility onto her own shoulders, and then dropped it out of nowhere. Then she picked up more and more. She couldn't tell how heavy they had gotten. No wonder the people around her didn't know how to act anymore. They, as strange as it felt, had looked up to her.

Had she let them down?

"I..." Marinette sighed.

"You shouldn't be the only one who has to deal with her. I'm sorry I never noticed before. I guess I thought that, you would always be able to say something, I never thought that maybe you wouldn't want to anymore. I feel like, maybe we've all pressured you too much."

Why was she apologizing? This was Marinette's fault, wasn't it? Was it?

Why couldn't she figure it out?

"Alya it's really okay, I'm fine I promise. I think I just needed some girl time, I feel, great right now." She smiled.

Liar.

"Alright." Alya smiled back at her.

Marinette wasn't sure of much right now, but she was sure of one thing.

She didn't want anyone noticing anything else.