Much to Marinette and Adrien's delight, the harmony following Zombizou's attack on the city had lasted longer than they thought it would... which was about 3 days. Thankfully, the city had held out on any trouble happening until school ended that Thursday afternoon with a rouge hang glider that the driver lost control of in the sky near the Eiffel Tower. None of the normal response teams could help him, leaving Ladybug and Chat Noir to be the ones to save the man before he fell to the ground. Fortunately, all it took was a throw of Ladybug's yo-yo, a leap from Chat Noir to catch the object the civilian dropped and a little finesse to bring the civilian safely back down to their perch on the cinema roof.

"Pound it!" Ladybug and Chat Noir cheered when the previously endangered man touched down, celebrating with their post-battle ritual.

"You should take the elevator next time." Ladybug chided the civilian, walking over to help him to his feet.

"Yeah, I probably should have. In hindsight, my Delta plane express delivery wasn't the best idea." the hang gliding man mussed aloud, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck while Chat Noir walked over to hand him back the thing he dropped while in the air, a beautiful bouquet.

"Don't forget your bouquet!" Chat Noir reminded the civilian while giving him the bouquet, discreetly picking up one rose for Ladybug and turning his back to her to keep it hidden for a little longer while she dealt with the rescued man.

"Be careful on your way back!" Ladybug happily told the man while waving goodbye to them as they left the rooftop, leaving the heroes alone at last.

"For you, M'lady." Chat Noir declared as he kneeled to the ground, holding out the rose in his hand to the surprised Ladybug. However, the heroine in red quickly shook herself out of her shock and gently pushed the rose back towards her partner.

"Seriously, Chat Noir? You're about to transform back!" Ladybug observed as she pointed to the feline's ring, prompting him to look down and see that she was right... despite him not using his powers for the rescue.

"So what?" Chat Noir wondered aloud, brushing away Ladybug's concerns with a soft shake of his head.

"Well, if you transform back, then I'll know who you are. But while you could argue it would make us closer than before, it's a risk I can't afford to take even though I would love to be able to tell my best friend everything about me and vice versa. And another thing, it..." Ladybug rambled on, becoming so invested in making her point that she didn't notice Chat Noir falling into a daydream and most likely imagining a scenario where he successfully revealed his identity.

'We wouldn't keep secrets from each other anymore. We'll be united, more powerful and free. Then we'll defeat Hawkmoth once and for all!' Chat Noir thought to himself during Ladybug's talking, internally seeing himself transforming back to Adrien after rising to his feet and leaving ImaginationLadybug shocked before smiling at the discovery.

'And then we can both run away to an island! Far away from everything. We will live off nothing but fruits, and we will have a little pet hamster and we will name it-' "Chat Noir!" Ladybug's voice cut through the boy's fantasy sequence, finally noticing her partner wasn't paying attention to her just as he was about to go into a tangent about their future hamster. Fortunately, Chat Noir snapped out of his daydream to refocus on her again... only to quickly spot the melancholy look on Ladybug's face.

"Kitty, I'm sorry but I can't accept this rose from you. I told you already that I'm in love with someone else." the red heroine sadly apologised, followed her trudging over to the observation railing on the cinema roof and leaving a rapidly disappointed Chat Noir still kneeling where he was.

"I know, M'lady. But if he weren't here, would things be different between us?" Chat Noir asked as he finally rose to his feet, watching her lean the entirety of her upper body onto the railing and look out at the city beyond the rooftop.

"I don't know, Kitty. Perhaps it could be. But right now, I can't even begin to imagine him not being here." Ladybug admitted, looking out and seeing the many advertisements for said boy's recent and infamous perfume campaign all around them. "I'm sorry, Chat Noir." the spotted heroine breathed out, hanging her head in shame while Chat Noir did the same behind her.

"I really gotta get going. You better do the same before being missed in your civilian life." Ladybug announced as she pulled out her yo-yo, quickly throwing it out and using it to head back home. But as she did, she left a crushed Chat Noir running to the roof railing behind on the roof, missing him looking down at his feet in disappointment while a lone rose petal fell from the flower in his hands.

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(Time Skip)

After Ladybug's kind yet harsh rejection, Chat Noir despondently made his way back to Collège Françoise Dupont, hoping to get back in time for fencing class. He ended up being a little late, his green eyes weary and his movements heavy as he slipped through the skylight door and landed on the floor in a skilful crouch. But the feline's cat-like grace was subdued by his heavy heart despite finally arriving in the locker room and hearing the echo of distant students' chatter, the soft clinking of metal from nearby practices doing nothing to cheer him up.

With a heavy sigh and practised motions, Adrien Agreste shed his black catsuit and walked straight to his locker, changing into his fencing uniform while the weight of Ladybug's recent rejection still weighed heavily on him. In some small way, the tightness of Adrien's chest seemed to ease slightly as he pulled out his fencing helmet from his bag, his hands moving almost mechanically before he headed to the locker room exit.

"You sure take your time, Mr. Agreste." Mr D'Argencourt's voice remarked as he watched Adrien walk over to the remaining practice mat and the door swung open behind him, the fencing instructor missing Adrien's face drawn with sadness and frustration.

Reactivley, Adrien looked up at the man and forced a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, sheepishly nodding in acknowledgement and made his way to the mat where Kagami was waiting for him. As he approached, Kagami's focused demeanor was palpable as she adjusted her fencing helmet, her movements sharp and precise as she watched the gloomy boy put on his helmet and stand on the opposite side of the mat. But as soon as he was in front of her, Kagami pulled down her mask and stood at the ready while Adrien pulled his own down to keep his sadness hidden from his opponent.

"On guard!" Kagami announced, her tone clear and confident as she swung her sabre out away from her body. And after Adrien did the same, they lunged at each other and their bout began.

Now that they were sparring, Kagami hadn't spared her opponent any mercy and let her blade dance in their air with practised finesse, parrying Adrien's attacks with a fluidity that spoke of her countless hours of training. As time went on, Adrien's strikes grew slower and his usual sharpness was dulled by the cloud of his thoughts. Each clash of their blades seemed to emphasise the contrast between their spirits: Kagami's fiery focus and Adrien's diminishing resolve. Very soon, the combination of Kagami's superior skills and Adrien's distractedness had the blonde model being defeated constantly by the Japanese girl, her amused declarations of 'Predictable' ringing in the air around them.

Eventually, D'Argencourt announced that fencing class was over and Adrien was admittedly relieved after his numerous 'practice' defeats by Kagami's hand. Now free to leave, Adrien trudged back to the locker room, his movements listless now that his mood was worse than it was before. Even then, the green-eyed boy pulled out his bag from his locker and sat on a bench across from it while digging through it for his clothes with Plagg looking up at him with concern. But his searching had led him to find the rose he tried to give Ladybug earlier, its petals vibrant against the gloom he felt from behind his fencing mask.

"Okay, what's going on, Adrien? I usually enjoy defeating you, but it's no fun when you make it that easy." an approaching voice questioned the saddened Adrien, making the boy look up from the rose and see Kagami now standing in front of him, dressed in her usual attire while scanning his hunched form with curiosity and concern.

"Do you ever get the feeling that you're stuck, Kagami? That no matter what you do, it's the same old story repeatedly. That things will never ever change." Adrien sighed while taking off his helmet, running a hand through his tousled hair just as Kagami's eyes widened in surprise at his question.

"Well... that depends on the situation." Kagami said, stepping over to sit next to Adrien and placing her bag down on the end of the bench. "But is this why you're so distracted? A situation of repeated failures?" the dark-haired girl asked, placing a comforting hand on the model's shoulder as she tried to get some answers to help her first friend.

"You could say that..." Adrien trailed off, still looking at his feet in defeat. "What should I do?" the green-eyed boy questioned his fencing partner, his eyes darting to glance over at Kagami for some sort of all-knowing advice on his problem. With the challenge presented to her, Kagami took a deep breath, moving her hand from Adrien's shoulder and letting it rest in her lap before continuing.

"Adrien, there are many things I've learned over the years I honed my fencing skills. And the most important one I've discovered is that the biggest mistake a fencer can make isn't choosing the wrong technique. It's choosing the wrong target." Kagami revealed, keeping her gaze straight ahead at the lockers in front of her due to her not being used to comforting other humans. But she was trying her best and it's the intent that counts. "It might be time for you to change your targets." the Japanese girl suggested as she gently placed her hand on Adrien's chin, turning his gaze fully onto her and drawing a grateful smile from him. His gaze then turned to the rose resting in his lap, lightly twirling it with his fingers before turning and giving the flower to Kagami, leaving the girl surprised by the gesture.

"Thanks, Kagami. I think you're right." Adrien said, causing Kagami to look and see his face had brightened slightly at her words, leaving her feeling warm and fuzzy in accomplishment as she took the offered rose.

With the rose exchanged hands, Adrien quickly changed clothes and escorted Kagami out to her awaiting car, the two fencers' cheeks dusted with a healthy dose of color as they went. Upon reaching the school's front door, Kagami continued down the stairs while Adrien stayed at the top step in wait for his ride home. But when Kagami reached her family's car and opened the passenger door, she turned back and waved goodbye to Adrien, holding the gifted rose in her other hand as he returned the wave. The feeling only continued even as he watched Kagami hop into her car and the vehicle left the school, smiling to himself with renewed hope in his eyes.

"Well, well, Casanova. Got yourself a new contender?" Plagg's voice cut through the silence, dripping with playful mischief while poking his head out from Adrien's duffle bag and drawing the boy's attention onto him.

"No. No way. Ladybug's the only one I love." Adrien argued with a shake of his head. "But..." the blonde model trailed off, a small smile touching his lips as his eyes gazed towards his right in thought.

"Ladybug doesn't love you, so maybe it's time you changed your tune. Right?" Plagg proposed with a purring tone, making Adrien's smile falter a little.

"Why would it be different with Kagami? I must not have the right technique, that's all." Adrien inquired as he shifted his disappointed gaze to his feet, not quite seeing Plagg's point in the matter.

"I don't know a thing about human girls, but whenever I meet a beautiful Camembert, I introduce myself." Plagg began, his green eyes gleaming with his usual cheeky demeanor while coming out of Adrien's bag and hovering near his holder's head. "Hello, Camembert. I'm Plagg. So very nice to eat you." the black cat kwami exclaimed, mimicking a pounce and pretending to eat a piece of cheese and making Adrien chuckle softly at his little friend's antics.

"Thanks, but I'll get love advice from someone else." Adrien decided, appreciating Plagg's attempts to help before turning to see his family's limo pulling up to the curb.

"Suit yourself, kid. Just remember, sometimes perseverance beats the so-called 'right technique'." Plagg shrugged, his eyes twinkling with mischief while Adrien descended the school's front step and entered the limo.

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(Time Skip)

After entering the limo, Adrien tried to execute his plan to ask for a second opinion on his current problems on the way back to the mansion, starting with his bodyguard. However, he found he couldn't get the right words out and abandoned the endeavour to try again with someone different after arriving home. Said search for someone new had led Adrien to try asking his father, quickly finding Gabriel staring at a portrait of his wife when he peeks into his father's atelier. Unfortunately, this attempt to ask for advice was much more daunting for Adrien than asking his bodyguard, causing him not to say something again and leave.

But fortune seemed to be smiling down on the blonde as he later joined Nathalie for one of their training sessions, making sure that they'd be finished before dinner. On the other hand, Adrien was more distracted to pay attention to the self-defence lesson with Nathalie than he usually was.

Currently, both Adrien and Nathalie were dressed in their active wear. Adrien's was a simple white tank top sporting his usual colored stripes going diagonally to the bottom hem from his left shoulder, and black gym shorts with his father's brand logo. Nathalie's activewear, however, was much more surprising than Adrien had expected. Not only were her deep red tank top and black capris leggings form-fitting in the most flattering way to show off her toned physique, but Nathalie had also taken to wearing her hair in a high bun and exchanged her glasses for contacts. All in all, she had made it so nothing could keep her from providing Adrien with a challenge in honing his skills.

The two of them had decided to have their training sessions in the gardens of the mansion, placing the padded training mats on top of the soft grass as an extra precaution. Which proved to be the best choice when Adrien was just thrown to the ground by Nathelie's signature judo flip. However, the usually stoic assistant/bodyguard of Gabriel Agreste easily noticed the boy's behavior, having seen Adrien barely dodging even her more basic attacks. It was only when Nathalie knocked him to the floor for the tenth time that practice that she decided enough was enough, needing to know what was going on with Adrien.

"Adrien, is everything okay?" Nathalie asked the boy, her arm muscles flexing as she held out a hand to help Adrien back to his feet after the latest defeat.

"What do you mean? Everything's fine." Adrien nervously replied while grabbing her hand, quickly getting pulled back up to his bare feet.

"If everything were fine, then I wouldn't have bested you as many times this session as I have already." Nathalie stated, her hands resting on her hips as she stared him down with an unamused look.

"Well, I'd say it makes sense that you would have. You've got at least 20 years more training than me." Adrien cheekily remarked, followed by Nathalie's look turned into a deadpanned stare that had the boy letting out a nervous laugh when he saw it. "I'm not convincing you otherwise, am I?" the blonde model rhetorically questioned Nathalie, hoping that he had the slimmest chance of it being the case.

"You are not. Now sit down and we can talk about it." Nathalie replied as she pointed to a bench towards their left, proving to Adrien that he unfortunately wasn't that lucky. But despite the disappointment, Adrien joined Nathalie in walking over to the bench and sat down beside her, placing his palms on the stone bench top to rub his hands along it in an attempt to soothe his nerves. "So tell me... what's really going on, Adrien?" the assistant asked, concerned for the reason why Adrien was so distracted today.

"Well... there's this girl I like." Adrien began, looking away to keep his blush hidden while his hand rose from the bench to rub the back of his neck out of reflex. "We met at the start of the school year and she's absolutely amazing! She's brave, smart as a whip, kind, strong... and insanely beautiful on top of that." the green-eyed boy rambled on, his smile growing the more he thought about Ladybug.

"You have a crush on someone? Already?" Nathalie questioned her pupil, causing Adrien to look up at her and see her staring at him in surprise.

"Yeah... I do." Adrien admitted, his smile turning bashful as he let his hand drop away from his neck and rest on the bench again. "I know. I probably shouldn't be concerning myself with girl problems, but this sort of just.... Happened. I had no control over it." the blonde model reflected as he nervously looked over at Nathalie, awaiting the lecture he assumed was coming.

"Don't worry, I'm glad that you're experiencing normal teenage things. And having a crush on someone is one of the big ones." Nathalie replied, the smile appearing on her lips ebbing away Adrien's nerves when he saw it. "I'm truly happy for you, Adrien." she said to the boy, placing a supporting hand on his shoulder.

"Really?" Adrien asked his governess, receiving a silent nod from her in reply. "Thanks, Nathalie!" the green-eyed boy exclaimed, followed by him wrapping his arms around her torso and pulling her into a tight hug. The action left her surprised and hovering her arms around Adrien as she processed her new position, which happened rather quickly and was followed by wrapping her arms around Adrien in return.

"You're welcome, Adrien." Nathalie said, allowing herself to hug Adrien a little tighter than she normally would in these cases due to the nature of their conversation. "So... who is the lucky lady if you don't mind me asking?" she asked as they pulled apart, now even more eager to hear about Adrien's life outside his schedule.

"I'd... rather not say. It's not that I don't trust you, Nathalie. It's just that it's rather complicated." Adrien confessed, hoping to avoid trying to explain exactly how he could have met Ladybug to keep his hero identity a secret for longer and have some things close to the vest... even if it was Nathalie.

"Adrien, I'm not going to force you to tell me any more than you want. If you don't want to tell me, I respect your decision." Nathalie assured him, understanding his scepticism and willing to respect his decision. "But why is it so complicated, if you don't mind explaining?" the assistant asked her charge, hoping to at least get that curious itch scratched if he wasn't going to say this girl's name.

"Well, I've told her how I felt and she's rejected me. I've tried all that I can win her favor, but it hasn't worked." Adrien explained, moving his body to put most of his upper-body weight on top of his thighs, clasping his hands together while looking at the ground under his shoes. "I asked my fencing partner, Kagami, for advice and she said that I should probably 'change targets'." he added with a huff, making air quotes when saying the thing he was so twisted up about.

"And I'm assuming that 'changing targets' is moving on to someone else?" Nathalie questioned the boy.

"Hit the nail right on the head there, Nathalie. And in this case, I'm thinking of pursuing Kagami." Adrien admitted as he straightened up, leaning his back against the stone wall behind their bench with a small groan in his voice. "But the problem is that I'm worried that it'll end the same way with my crush and I don't want to mess up our friendship if it ends badly." the model went on, expressing his concerns about the idea.

"I just don't want to make a mess of things and thought you'd have advice on the subject." Adrien concluded, glancing down thoughtfully at his hands before looking back over at Nathalie with a somewhat pleading expression. "What about the first time you fell in love? How did you handle it?" the boy asked the older woman with him, leaving Nathalie speechlessly staring at him with widened eyes as she processed the question asked of her.

"Me?" Nathalie gawked, not expecting the nodding Adrien's inquiry before she collected her thoughts enough to think of a response. "Uh... well, I spent most of my youth hunting for rare artifacts and precious antiques, being an international treasure hunter and archeologist and all." the assistant regaled, her mind wandering to such a time in her youth that involved her and Gabriel holding torches inside of a cave whilst surrounded by snakes.

"You're an archeologist treasure hunter?" Adrien exclaimed as his eyes widened with astonishment, his voice tinged with excitement.

"Among other things as well, but yes, I used to be." Nathalie replied, a faint smile playing on her lips while gazing into the distance, her expression softening as memories from her past flickered across her mind.

"That's so cool! How come I'm only hearing about this now!?" Adrien lightly interrogated his governess, his enthusiasm palpable just as Nathalie's smile faltered slightly at the question.

"I don't usually advertise it now that I work with your family. It was a long time ago." Nathalie explained as she leaned back against the stone wall, looking thoughtful as she thought of the right words. "But while that part of my life was exciting, it unfortunately didn't leave much room for love. And when I finally did, it was... complicated to say the least." she added, her mind wandering to a memory of when she walked into a tent while on one of her past journeys and was surprised by the sight of a smitten Gabriel analysing a map with an equally smitten Emilie.

"Why was it complicated?" Adrien asked as he tilted his head, his curiosity piqued by Nathalie's words and pulling her out reminiscing.

"I'd... rather not say." Nathalie replied, a soft smirk appearing on her face as she copied Adrien's earlier move.

"Okay, fair enough. I totally walked into that one." Adrien chuckled, appreciating Nathalie's attempt to lighten the mood. "But still, do you have any advice on pursuing Kagami?" he asked, hoping that Nathalie would offer some quality advice.

"Oh... I don't think I'm the best person to advise you on matters of the heart. I'm sorry, Adrien. I wish I could help you more." Nathalie admitted, her eyes softening with empathy while disappointment shadowed Adrien's face as he stared at the ground, a sigh escaping his lips.

"It's okay. I understand." Adrien replied, prompting Nathalie, sensing his frustration, to place a comforting hand on his shoulder in the hopes of making him feel better. "But what am I going to do, now? I'm still at square one." Adrien asked as he lifted his gaze back to Nathlaie, now disheartened by the lack of an answer. But despite Adrien's disappointment, Nathalie's expression brightened as she suddenly came up with a thoughtful idea.

"Well, maybe one of your friends can help you. I'm sure they would have some good advice to give."

Nathalie suggested, quickly making Adrien perk up a little as he thought about it.

"Yeah..." Adrien began, his eyes gradually lighting up with realisation the more he thought about it. "Yeah, they totally would! Thanks, Nathalie! I can't believe I didn't think of that before!" the blonde boy exclaimed, so overcome with gratitude that he embraced Nathalie in a hug, catching her off guard for a moment before she smiled warmly and returned the gesture.

"Anytime, Adrien. Anytime." Nathalie replied, her voice gentle while a smile lingered on her face as she looked at the young man. "But you can ask them tomorrow. Right now, we have some training to finish." she reminded her charge as they pulled apart a few seconds later, her tone firm yet encouraging while gesturing towards the training mat they were using.

"Right, of course!" Adrien chirped as he rose from the bench with renewed energy, his spirits lifted now that his earlier disappointment was replaced with enthusiasm. "Hey, do you think you could teach me that sweep-kick move I heard you did during Simon-Says's attack? I've been dying to try it out!" he asked as he turned to face Nathalie again, making her chuckle as she rose from the bench as well.

"Perhaps. Let's see what you've got so far." Nathalie purred with a nod, leading the way back to the training mat now that their earlier conversation faded away to the back of their minds for the time being as they resumed their vigorous training session.

With a plan in mind, Adrien was much more focused on the session and soon found himself enjoying himself once again. And as the sun dipped lower in the sky and cast long shadows across the garden, the sounds of their practice filled the air and mingled with their laughter and occasional exclamations of triumph.

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(Time Skip)

Following training with Nathalie, Adrien went about the rest of his day until needing to go on solo patrol of the city, going to bed after saying 'hi' to his Troll protectors posted by his house on the way back. The next morning, he was determined to heed Nathalie's advice and get help from his friends on his current problem. With the bell ringing to signal the start of another school day while he climbed up the stairs, Adrien was soon greeted by the sight of students milling about in the bustling courtyard as he entered the school. But as Adrien listened to the others's chatter blend into a hum of youthful energy, his eyes scanned for the familiar faces of his classmates.

Amid his searching, he spotted Alya, Nino, Ivan and Mylène together with their respective partners, which unintentionally reminded him of his dilemma and had him decide not to ask them. However, just as he was about to do another sweep of the courtyard, a sudden collision from behind jolted him from his search. Immediately responding to the surprise crash, Adrien turned around and was presented with the sight of Marinette Dupain-Cheng kneeling on the floor and picking up her spilled school items, unaware of who she just run into.

"Marinette! Perfect timing!" Adrien cheered, smiling in relief at the familiar face as he knelt on the ground and helped her gather her things.

"Huh? You think so?" Marinette replied, her face flushed with embarrassment and curiosity as she retrieved the items that had fallen out of her backpack.

"Actually, what I meant was... I need some advice right now." Adrien said as he handed her the last book she lost, trying to find the right words while rising to his feet before helping Marinette up. "Can we talk?" he asked, bringing an awestruck look to Marinette's face at the question.

"Uh... absolutely." Marinette agreed in a lovestruck trance, not even aware of her word mix-up before following Adrien over to a nearby bench and taking a seat beside him. "So, what is it you wanted to talk about?" the designer asked, putting aside her simmering elation in favor of helping her crush with his problem as he took a deep breath to brace himself.

"Okay, well... I'm sorry, this is a bit awkward for me because it's about a girl." Adrien admitted, his gaze focused on the ground before turning towards the girl next to him.

"A girl?" Marinette questioned the boy, her interest piqued as her eyes widened in surprise.

"We see each other all the time because we study together. We've just been friends, you know. Until recently." Adrien went on, his words trailing off due to his palpable nervousness. However, he turned his head to hide his rosy cheeks and missed Marinette looking at him with excitement.

" 'Till recently?" Marinette chirped, her eyes sparkling with excitement as her heart raced at the prospect of Adrien finally admitting to liking her back.

"Yeah, and now I'm starting to see her differently. Has the same thing ever happened to you?" Adrien asked, his eyes meeting Marinette's with a mixture of hope and uncertainty in his gaze.

"Well... you could say that it has." Marinette confessed with a nod, her own experiences with the subject flashing through her mind. "So, what's this girl like?" the pigtailed girl asked, eager to confirm her hopes of Adrien's mutual affection for her.

"She's special. Very pretty. She's got dark silky hair, deep and mysterious eyes..." Adrien trailed off, his voice softening in admiration as he described Kagami. But he didn't realise that his words were rather generic, leading to Marinette assuming that he was truly talking about her.

"Do... do I know her?" Marinette inquired, her excitement rising as she processed the description. And as Adrien turned to face her, her heart raced as she waited to hear the magic words that would change her life forever.

"Yeah, it's Kagami." Adrien finally revealed, unaware that his words were ringing in Marinette's like a gong as her imagination conjured an image of Kagami laughing evilly at the victory. But as he turned to face her to get her advice, Adrien saw her earlier smile had faded away.

"Marinette?" the boy said with concern etched on his face, his worried questioning tone quickly bringing Marinette back to the present.

"What?! " Marinette stammered, her mind scrambling to recover from her unwelcome daydream and refocus on Adrien.

"I was just asking you what you thought I should do about Kagami." Adrien reminded her, his eyes hopefully searching Marinette's face for guidance as a pout of disapproval appeared across her features.

"The Ice Queen?" Marinette wondered aloud, the words slipping out before she could catch them and prompting her hand to fly to her mouth in horror.

"What?" Adrien asked, his confusion towards Marinette's words evident while she tried to come up with a way to save herself from embarrassment.

"The ice... rink!" Marinette recovered quickly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment before rolling with it. "Yeah, that's what I said. No better place to break the ice than the ice rink." the red-tipped-haired girl rambled on with panickily jerky limbs, making Adrien ponder this suggestion with a thoughtful expression crossing his face after she finished.

"The ice rink?" Adrien repeated, still mulling over the idea before finding himself liking it. "It's a good idea, but I think I'd be too shy to go there with her by myself." the green-eyed model said, looking down at the floor in disappointment. Marinette quickly notices Adrien's sudden shift in mood and her heart softens, feeling bad for her crush and not wanting him to be so sad.

"Well, uh, I could come along with you if you'd like." Marinette suggested, not even thinking of what she said until it passed through her lips and a newly smiling Adrien turned his attention back to her.

"You'd really do that?" Adrien questioned his friends, his eyes lighting up while a hopeful smile spread across his face.

"Anything for you, Adrien." Marinette chirped in reply, her tone warm and sincere.

"That's awesome!" Adrien cheered as he jumped up from the bench, his excitement palpable. "I can't wait to go to the ice rink together. Thanks, Marinette!" he exclaimed with a grateful wave, followed by him hurrying off to get to class. But as Adrien disappeared into the crowd of students, he missed seeing a conflicted Marinette still sitting on the bench.

"That's what friends are for." Marinette sighed as her crush left, turning her attention to Tikki hiding in her purse. "Tikki, please tell me what just happened didn't really happen at all." the designer begged, only for Tikki to merely shrug and offer a nervous smile in consolidation, prompting Marinette to bury her face in her hands with a groan.

What did she just do?

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Following her agreement to help Adrien with his date with Kagami, Marinette had to push down her frustration and self-disappointment for the rest of the school day. It was only after the last bell rang that she had a chance to call an emergency meeting with her gal pals, the group heading over to the Couffaine houseboat for privacy. After arriving, the vibrant sunlight of the late afternoon filtered through the curtains of the houseboat's living room, casting a warm glow over the small, cozy interior. However, the homey and slightly chaotic space did nothing to soothe Marinette, her face hidden in her hand as she sat on a chair in the middle of the living area surrounded by her friends after telling them what happened.

"This is gonna be your worst mess up in history. You have got to get yourself out of this right now." Alya lectured her best friend, arms crossed and expression stern as she paced back and forth on the floor in front of Marinette.

"Oh come on, now Alya. This isn't the worst mess up our dear Marinette's done." Lila chimed in, drawing everyone's attention to her as she lounged casually on the nearby couch with a grin. "Personally, I think it's very magnanimous of Marinette to help Adrien with something like this. It shows just how selfless she is!" the Italian girl added, which left Marinette a little sceptical of her choice of words.

"Uh, thanks, Lila. I appreciate the compliment." Marinette said in an unsure tone, managing a weak and tentative smile.

"My pleasure, Mari." Lila replied with a saccharine tone, followed by Alya turning to face the group again, her frustration evident.

"Look, I'm not saying that it wasn't a nice thing to do. But Marinette helping Adrien pursue dating someone else besides herself isn't going in the right direction if she wants him to fall for her. So we need to figure out how to get her out of this!" Alya declared, quickly followed by her turning to look around at the other members of their group. "Ideas, girls! Quick!"

"Tell him you'd already promised to hang with your GFs." Alix suggested with a shrug, casually leaning back on a nearby wall instead of a chair like some of the others.

Rose, sitting on a chair next to Marinette, suggested, "Maybe you got lost on the way over?"

"Maybe you're gonna go to a concert?" Juleka offered her idea, ruffling Rose's hair while perched on the edge of a table next to the pixie-haired girl.

Mylène, sitting in a chair on Marinette's right, added, "Or maybe you had to finish an essay on Periwinkle's Migration."

But after hearing all of their suggestions and many more following her friends' first ones, Marinette had enough.

"Actually, girls... I don't think I want to cancel." Marinette announced with a shake of her head, her expression firming up.

"Huh?" they all exclaimed in unison, the room falling silent as Marinette's friends looked at her in bewilderment. Taking that as her cue to keep going, Marinette took a deep breath and began her piece.

"Adrien really needs me, and if he wants my help, then why not?" Marinette rhetorically wondered, looking down at the floor while trying to keep her aching heart from overwhelming her completely before continuing.

"After all, it's not an issue, and I'm definitely not jealous because..." "Because you two love each other!" Rose declared with widened eyes, standing up from her chair as she defended the greatest pairing of romantic interests she'd ever seen outside of popular media.

"Because there's nothing between us." Marinette countered as she slightly lifted her gaze from the floor, her voice barely a whisper due to how much she wished otherwise.

"What do you mean, nothing between you?" Alya gawked, her confusion towards Marinette's claim palpable to the other inhabitants of the houseboat's living room.

"There's everything between you, actually." Mylène added, agreeing with Alya on the matter.

"Girls, come on. I always jumble my words around him. So how could I even manage going out on a date?" Marinette questioned the girls, her shoulders slumped as she pointed out her shortcomings with her crush. "I think we're actually just meant to be friends. Whenever I talk to him as a friend, I hardly stammer at all. That's a sign right there. Right?" she elaborated, leaving the others in silence as they exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond.

However, the quiet didn't last very long and the room soon buzzed with overlapping voices as the girls started talking at once, each trying to offer comfort or solutions. Said comfort, unfortunately, didn't have much effect on Marinette and she found herself in a figurative storm of indeterminable talking.

So amid the clamor, Marinette quietly slipped out of the room and made her way to the top deck, where she walked up to the bow of the boat and leaned over it melancholily. But while doing so, she didn't see Luka sitting on a lawn chair with his guitar just behind her, only hearing him strumming a soft, soothing melody. As the light breeze gently ruffled his hair, Luka looked up from his playing and quickly noticed that Marinette was sad and halted the serene ambience of his music. Upon hearing the music stopping, Marinette turned away from the bow and looked over at Luka just as he started playing a melancholic tune.

"Do you feel kinda like this?" Luka asked, his voice gentle as he strummed the rather sad melody and received a nod from Marinette, her eyes reflecting a mix of sadness and gratitude. "Personally, I think a girl like you deserves to feel more like this." the cyan-tipped-haired boy said with a smile, walking over to sit next to Marinette before shifting his playing, transitioning it to a more uplifting melody.

"And whoever made you feel this way is nothing but a..." Luka trailed off, letting the music speak for itself and filling the space with silly and chaotic notes. Upon hearing the musical representation of how her sort of rejector should be feeling, Marinette couldn't help but giggle, her spirits lifting with the gesture.

"Thanks, Luka," Marinette said, her voice warm and appreciative as she continued to listen to his music. As Luka's fingers danced over the strings and produced a cheerful, vibrant tune, Marinette found herself sitting next to him and swaying to the beat. It was always a treat to hear how Luka interpreted the world, which made her feel understood on a deeper emotional level than with just words.

And with that in mind, she took a deep breath after a few moments and decided to ask Luka..., "Say, are you free tomorrow?"

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(Time Skip)

Following Luka's acceptance of her offer, Marinette found herself enjoying the rest of her visit to the Couffaine houseboat with the guitar player. Meanwhile, Adrien used the time after fencing class to ask Kagami if she would like to go with him to the ice rink the next day, receiving a firm but warm 'yes' in reply. Now that Adrien had Kagami's attendance, he texted Marinette to let her know and reaffirmed hers as well. She immediately confirmed her attendance and asked if it would also be okay for Luka to come. At first, Marinette was worried that Adrien would say 'no' and leave her to be the third wheel for his date with Kagami, but she was relieved to be told that he was okay with it.

After that, Marinette went to explain her plan to the girls, once again getting mixed reactions until they concluded that it was a good idea. Once Marinette had her friends' support, she said goodbye to them and Luka before making her way home to get ready for the next day. When Jim and Toby called her that night, they were surprised by the turn of events but still supported her, Jim especially when he found out that Luka was helping Marinette out. In fact, he was even willing to put money on this double date being just the thing to get Marinette to move on from Adrien once and for all. Following that, Marinette went to bed, hoping to get enough sleep in before a possible night akuma attacked.

Thankfully, there weren't any akumas that night and both secret superheroes managed to get a full night's sleep before waking up and getting ready for a day at the ice rink. But while Marinette was hoping for a last-minute cancellation to happen, Adrien was buzzing with excitement as he packed up his duffle bag with what he needed. Granted, he didn't think he'd be moving on from Ladybug after only one date, but he needed to start somewhere, right?

With that in mind, the green-eyed model made his way down to the grand foyer of the Agreste mansion, still finding it as imposing as ever as he snuck down the grand staircase like his alter ego's namesake. As he did, his eyes darted toward the heavy oak door, so close to leaving the house and meeting up with his bodyguard as he raised a hand to the door to...

"Adrien, what are you doing?" an all too familiar voice echoed behind Adrien, making him freeze mid-step and turn to see his father standing at the base of the stairs, his gaze cold and unyielding. "You're supposed to be working on your fencing now. Mr D'Argencourt said he was very disappointed at your last session." Gabriel lectured his son, not liking the fact that Adrien seemed to be defying his orders.

The cold tone his father used had Adrien's heart skipping a beat, the boy was reminded of Gabriel's past tendencies and felt like an ant about to be stepped on by the older man. However, Adrien paused and clutched his duffle bag strap as he turned to face his father, pushing down his nervousness so that he could pull off what was to come next.

"Yes, Father. In fact, I'm heading out for a one-on-one lesson with my strongest partner: Kagami." Adrien smoothly replied, being as general in his explanation as possible so that he didn't tip Gabriel off on his little unregulated excursion.

After hearing Adrien's reasons for leaving, Gabriel glared critically at the boy for a moment, searching him for any tells saying otherwise. But after a few moments, he finally nodded in approval.

"Very well. Just make sure to be back before your usual curfew." Gabriel said before finally walking away towards his office, leaving Adrien to immediately rush out the front doors before he could suddenly come back and change his mind.

Once outside, Adrien was greeted by the sight of 'Gorilla' waiting next to the family's limo, smiling at the sight as he closed the door behind him. He then sped-walked down the stairs, earning a chuckle from Placide at the sight as he opened the passenger door for his charge.

"You sure seem excited to get going, huh, Adrien?" 'Gorilla' cheekily remarked in sign, making Adrien roll his eyes at the little jab.

Ever since finding out that Placide communicated with sign language, Adrien had made it a personal goal of his to at the very least understand his bodyguard. For the most part, it was going well. Although it had proved easier to learn the meaning behind the signs than learning how to do them, it suited Adrien and 'Gorilla' just fine since the burly man still had his hearing.

"More like I'm hoping to get going before Father finds out what my little excursion actually is. I just barely got away with my excuse of saying I was going for a one-on-one lesson." Adrien explained, rubbing the back of his neck out of nervous habit.

"Jokes on him, you never said what the lesson would be on." 'Gorilla' jested, his shoulders shaking in laughter as he imagined his boss's reaction to being tricked by his 14-year-old son... yet again. "But we better get going then. Can't keep the lucky lady and your friends waiting, now can we?" the bodyguard pointed out, calming down from his laughing to focus on the task at hand.

"My thoughts, exactly." Adrien agreed, quickly getting in the car and closing the door behind him.

With the boy inside, 'Gorilla' headed up to the driver's seat and started the car, soon steering it out the estate gates and out into the streets of Paris. As the car glided smoothly through the city streets, Adrien's expression shifted from worried to relieved as they grew further from his house, taking a deep breath and settling back into the seat with a sigh. But he chanced a glance at the cityscape blurring past the windows, his focus shifting from his father's watchful eye and onto his upcoming day at the ice rink.

Very soon, the car turned a corner and arrived on the road the rink was on, allowing Adrien to spot the others already there and waiting for him, Kagami's family car was already parked and waiting for when they were done. After quickly hopping out of his car once it parked ahead of Kagami's, Adrien joined his friends and date as they finally entered the rink, the cool air inside a welcomed treat as they got their skates. Upon receiving Marinette's suggestion and confirming Kagami's attendance, the Agreste heir booked out the rink to make sure that it was empty for them. Fortunately, the rink owner, Philipee, was all too eager to comply, despite how popular his rink was now that the city was warming up again.

Following retrieving their skates, the quartet of friends/love interests headed over to the surrounding bleachers, the ice rink's pristine and inviting surface glittering under the overhead lights. However, the group was filled with a mixture of excitement and nervous energy as they each carried their skates, entering the bleachers to get ready. As the group settled near the rink's edge to put on their skates, Adrien glanced at Kagami before then looking over Marinette slipping her feet into her skates and quickly scooting toward her.

"It was really cool of you to bring Luka, Marinette." Adrien cheerfully praised his friend, his voice carrying a note of gratitude for the less awkward outing and pulling Marinette's attention onto him.

"Of course. That's what friends are for." Marinette replied with a warm smile, trying to hide her conflicted emotions from Adrien before turning to go back to putting on her skates again.

"I don't know what to do about Kagami, though. Should I offer to hold her hand?" Adrien wondered as he took a hesitant step closer to Marinette, rubbing the back of his neck while his eyes flickered nervously towards Kagami fastening her skating gloves.

"You have to let her fall." Marinette replied with a smile, only for her eyes to widen in the realisation of her blunder when Adrien let out a confused 'Huh?' after hearing her response. "No, what I meant was that you cannot let her fall in any way. I mean, do whatever you can so that she doesn't fall." the designer quickly amended, standing up abruptly after frantically tying her skates and nearly losing her balance in the process.

"So yeah, grab ahold of her hand and take her onto the ice," Marinette suggested as she steadied herself, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "And then you can... AAAAH!" the pigtailed girl yelped as she suddenly stumbled again, her arms windmilling as she fell backwards. Reactivly, Adrien reached out to grab her flailing hand, hoping to catch her before she hit the ground. Thankfully, Luka; who had finished putting on his skates, was closer and caught the clumsy girl, gently helping her up to her feet.

"Try to be natural. Go with the flow and listen to the rhythm. Just follow my lead." Luka advised, his tone calm and reassuring as he led Marinette back to her seat and knelt on the ground in front of her to re-tied her laces.

Once the laces were done, Luka stood up and offered his hand to Marinette, who was speechless as she took it and let him take her onto the rink, leaving the witnessing Adrien behind. However, Adrien quickly shook himself out of his amazement at Luka's charm and shuffled towards Kagami his nerves evident as he came to stand in front of her. His nerves only grew when Kagami finally looked up from tying up her skates and back at him, crossing her right leg atop her left as she smiled coyly at him.

"Don't be scared. I won't tell anyone." Kagami playfully assured the model.

"About what?" Adrien asked, not understanding Kagami's remark.

"That you don't know how to tie your laces." Kagami chuckled, pointing at Adrien's feet and making him look down and see that she was right.

"Oh, no, I do know how." Adrien replied with a nervous chuckle, leaning down to finish his own skates. "Sorry, I'm a little nervous. This is kind of my first-ever date." he admitted as he rose to his full height, his cheeks getting dusted with pink while he bashfully rubbed the back of his neck.

Kagami's lips curled into a small, understanding smile. "Completly understandable."

"Now, c'mon." the fencer urged, grabbing his hand and leading him onto the ice with her.

While the two fencing teammates were just stepping onto the ice, Luka and Marinette had already begun skating together. During that time, the guitarist took the chance to show off just how good of a skater he was, his movement graceful as he spun around an amazed Marinette like a professional ice dancer. However, just as Luka did an arabesque in front of her while skating backwards, Marinette's gaze wandered and she noticed Adrien and Kagami skating together on the opposite side of the rink. In doing so, her concentration faltered and she almost lost her balance, stumbling towards the hard ice before Luka stopped his trick and quickly grabbed her forearms.

"You okay?" Luka asked as steadied her, concern evident as he held onto her and guided her steadily on the ice.

"Yeah... I'm okay." Marinette replied, her focus back onto Luka before he continued to skate with her, still holding her hands. "You're really good at skating. How come you never mentioned it before?" she asked as Luka spun them in a circle.

"While I enjoy skating, my life is already filled with music as it's always been." Luka explained as he led them through a few spins, "But something tells me..."

Luka suddenly pulls Marinette closer to his side, his arms going across her torso while keeping ahold of hers, "I might soon have a brand new song to write."

The feeling of Luka's soulful eyes gazing so lovingly at her made Marinette almost melt as she let him continue leading her in their skating. Very soon, she felt herself being whisked away by his effortless trials and tricks as they kept gliding across the ice.

However, while Marinette was finding herself enjoying the attention from Luka, she failed to see Kagami looking at them with a critical glance.

"Did you invite Marinette because you were scared of being alone with me?" Kagami asked Adrien, starting to think that there was another reason for the girl's presence other than what she asked.

"Of course not. It's just that I asked Marinette to help me." Adrien hurriedly explained, not looking to explain just how on the mark she was.

"Help you with what?" Kagami inquired, the two of them still skating the perimeter of the rink like their more graceful companions.

"Uh... to perfect my figure skating skills." Adrien replied, immediately using the first thing that came to mind in the hopes of easing what seemed to be Kagami's worries.

"But you don't need her for that." Kagami said before pulling away from Adrien and showing off her superb skating ability.

As he watched, Adrien was admittedly in awe and slightly intimidated when witnessing Kagami doing spinning arabesques, and a triple axle. He was even further impressed when she did a Lutz Jump to finish her display, soon skating back over to the blond model still circling the rink.

"Whoa... that was amazing!" Adrien breathed in reverence, not even noticing Kagami placing her hand in his again until she had already done so.

"Thank you. I always strive to be perfect." Kagami confessed, tucking a stray hair around her ear that flew out of place during her little show.

"Why are you fencing if you're so good at skating?! You were so great!" Adrien questioned the dark-haired girl, unsure why Kagami was so invested in fencing when she seemed talented in many other things too.

"I only practice the noble arts, such as archery and fencing. Ice skating is mainly just a hobby and for fun. Something I don't want to ruin with competitions." Kagami revealed, leaving Adrien momentarily stunned by her words before smiling.

"Fair enough. You have to keep the things in life that make you happy as close as possible. I know I would too." Adrien said, followed by him taking her by the hand and spinning her around himself. "You're very wise, Kagami." he commended Kagami as she settled back into their pace, admiring her resolve on the matter and making her smile as they continued skating.

Meanwhile, Marinette and Luka were having quite a time of their own as they continued to skate together, not even paying any mind to Adrien and Kagami on the opposite side of them. After showing off his own moves to Marinette, Luka had taken to teaching her how to do a few simple ones of her own, starting with an arabesque. It was a little tricky for her, but Marinette was able to do it after Luka's assistance, finding her confidence in doing the skill growing the longer she did it.

But after seeing Marinette enjoying herself, Luka decided to be a little bolder than before and smoothly led their transition from the arabesques. Following that, he spun Marinette to have her back facing him before pulling her in close to his chest, his heartbeat soothing against Marinette's anxiously beating one. And just when Marinette thought that he was done showing off, Luka suddenly placed his hands on her waist and lifted her, holding her above him as he started spinning too.

At first, Marinette was shocked to find herself up in the air, especially without the use of her powers and by the efforts of a very handsome boy no less. However, she quickly let herself fall into the moment, closing her eyes and lifting her arms out like a professional skater would in her position. Soon, Luka continued their dance by then lowering her into a dip, Marinette reactively placing her hands on his shoulders to make sure she didn't fall. After that, the cyan-tipped-haired boy lifted Marinette back to her feet and let herself continue to be led by Luka, now trusting him to not let her stumble and fall.

But as they were going back to simply skating the perimeter of the rink, Marinette chanced a look over at Kagami and Adrien. And her mood suddenly dropped when she saw Adrien laughing and smiling with Kagami, followed by him playfully spinning around her as they kept circling the rink. Despite trying to be Adrien's friend and support him in his endevor with his fencing partner, it hurt Marinette to see him enjoying himself with Kagami... more so than he ever seemed to with her.

So lost in this distraction, it caused her to drift out of Luka's hand as he began to lead them past another turn. Without Luka's guiding hand, Marinette soon crashed into the rink wall, resulting in a clumsy fall and a cry of pain when landing on the ice. Upon hearing Marinette's cries, both Luka and Adrien; who turned out to be less invested in his date with Kagami than previously thought to be, rushed over to her side.

"Are you okay?" Both Adrien and Luka asked out of concern, each holding out a hand for her to take and help her up to her feet.

But Marinette hesitated, unsure of which hand to take since... it felt like needing to choose between her crush or moving on to someone new. Unfortunately, that wasn't a choice Marinette was ready to make yet, ending up indecisively hovering her hand between the offered ones. After a few moments, Kagami grew impatient and skated up to her, appearing from between the two boys with an expression of mixed determination and frustration.

"Get up." Kagami harshly told Marinette, grabbing the girl's hand and pulling her up to her feet. But once Marinette stood again, the fencer took the opportunity to lean in close to her ear and whisper... "The only reason you can't stay on your feet is your hesitation."

Kagami pulled back from her ear, looking at a stunned Marinette. "I never hesitate."

Not giving Marinette a chance to protest, Kagami then turned to face Adrien, her composure brisk yet calm as she skated over to him and grabbed his hand.

"Shall we?" she asked the model, not waiting for an answer before she skated away with Adrien, leaving Marinette standing there frozen in shock.

At that moment, Marinette could feel her heart becoming a conflicting war within her chest, her earlier resolve to help Adrien now wavering. Yes, she had every intention to move on from her crush on Adrien and pursue... whatever she had towards Luka. But now... she didn't know what to think or feel about either boy and it hurt more than she ever imagined it would.

"Marinette? Are you okay?" Luka kindly questioned as he skated up to Marinette, his concern evident as he placed a hand on the conflicted girl's shoulder and suddenly snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I think I hurt myself." Marinette said softly, her voice tinged with sadness as her gaze drifted to her ice skate-clad feet. "It's probably best we call it a day." She meekly added before heading towards the rink's exit, hoping to get to the bathroom and leaving a worried Luka behind.

However, he could tell that she needed space and decided to give it to her, knowing it would be best for both of them in the long run. Unknown to them, though, Adrien had looked back at his friends after Kagami led him away, hoping to make sure Marinette was alright after her fall. Imagine his surprise and concern when he saw her leaving, looking like she just saw someone deface her sketchbook and then burn it in front of her. Needless to say, he didn't like seeing that look on her face, nor the feelings it made him feel too.

"Marinette doesn't look too good. Sorry, Kagami, I have to go." Adrien said as he made himself and Kagami stop skating, not waiting for a response before letting go of the fencer's hand and hurrying after Marinette, his expression a mix of guilt and worry.

As he did, the ring grew quieter as Luka and Kagami remained on the ice, their gazes following Adrien's retreating figure while the joy of the double date had given way to a sombre, introspective mood.