Part 3

Ladybug perched uncomfortably on Adrien's windowsill for a second or two before tapping on the glass lightly.

Adrien came running to open the window, his face a mixture of delight and confusion. Ladybug swung into the room, pleased with Adrien's reaction. His mouth hung agape and he seemed to be on another planet, far far away. The corners of Ladybug's mouth quirked up into a smirk as she watched him snap back into reality.

"Uh, Ladybug, um hi, how you are? I mean how are you, why are you here? Wait, sorry it's not like I don't want you here, I'm thrilled actually, but uh... "
Adrien's ramblings trailed off and he internally facepalmed. Way to go, Agreste. Way to go.

He was surprised when Ladybug suppressed a giggle.

"I just came to see you "
She said simply.

Adrien's mind conjured up every possibility of why that was so. Why on earth would she come to see him? Did she know he was Chat Noir? And if she did, why had she come to see him? It was Valentine's day after all.

Ladybug was having a little mental dilemma of her own. The burst of confidence she got when she had transformed was starting to wear off. She knew that any second a sliver of doubt would wedge it's way into her mind and as soon as it did, she would chicken out. So before that happened, she broke the silence in Adrien's room that was becoming more awkward by the second.

"Well actually, the reason I came was, well, it's Valentines day and all so... "

She took a deep breath.
"I really like you... Adrien Agreste, will you be my Valentine? "

She smiled. Adrien noted, it was a shy and hopeful smile. An innocent smile. Nothing like the confident smirk she always wore with Chat Noir. The sassy glint in her eyes he was so used to was gone, in its place was a light pink dusting on her cheeks he had almost never seen before.

Sure, she looked even more adorable like this, and his ego definitely seemed pleased that he had this effect on her. But he was reminded, it wasn't the real him. Adrien Agreste was a fake. A sad, lonely boy. The perfect, obedient son. A flashback of what had taken place in his father's office played in his mind. He had just submitted and accepted what his father said. He barely tried to push the matter for fear of what would happen. He was a weak coward. Chat Noir would not take no for an answer. Chat Noir would be out saving Paris, not stuck modeling with a bodyguard following him around.

That was not who he really was. And he didn't want Ladybug to love him for someone he wasn't. Not Adrien. And there was not one hint of recognition in her eyes, she had no idea that he was Chat Noir.

And why would Ladybug like him as Adrien? She didn't know him! Was she just like those fangirls that just ogled him for his looks? No, he couldn't accept Ladybug. Not like this.

Ladybug watched Adrien carefully. She could see a whirlwind of emotions behind those innocent green eyes.
Adrien lowered his head slowly, and Ladybug felt a spike of panic in her chest.

"Ladybug I'm sorry, I just... can't"

It broke him to say the words, to watch the pain on his lady's face as it sunk in. A single tear rolled down her face.

"I understand" she said. Inside, her heart felt as if it had been torn, ripped. She instinctively put a hand on her chest, as if to try and hold it together.

She turned on her heel and was gone within seconds, not hearing Adrien's last whispered words.

"I want you to love the real me"

Adrien stood dumbstruck, frozen in time, not quite registering what had just occurred.

"Ladybug asked me to be her Valentine. And I turned her down. Cra-" Adrien stopped himself from cursing just in time. He regretted what he had said to Ladybug almost instantly.

His lady didn't deserve to go through the pain of a heart break. He wanted to kick himself, now he was the cause of her pain.

He had to fix this. No amount of reassurance from anyone would stop him regretting his words if he didn't go after her now.

"Plagg, Claws Out!"

In a matter of seconds, Chat Noir was racing after a tiny red figure in the distance.