Summary: You're sick of being Peter's therapist Characters/Pairing: Peter x Fem!Reader Word Count: 420 Warnings: light angst, use of the word mum once A/N: why are all my old fics so short :((
"I cannot keep doing this for you." Your words started soft. The conversation was inevitable. The lost sleep, stolen from the spider itself, the trauma and consequences that followed were catching up to the both of you. Peter knew it was coming sooner or later.
"I can not keep taking care of you every night. You can't expect this from me." You placed your bag down on the kitchen counter, the contents beginning to fall out.
"I never expected it from you-" He tried to say. Your hands gripped the counter, knuckles white in pure anger.
"But you did! Every single night you came through my fire escape, bleeding out and sobbing, delirious! And single every night I would fix you up. Even when I was sick, or in pain or hurt, I always patched you up. It isn't fair that you expect this from me." Your words came out rushed, heart hammering against your chest. Rough hands touched your shoulders, trying to calm you down but you pushed them away. Your words were finally caught in your throat, a sob bubbling in your chest like an unruly potion in a cauldron.
"I am not your fucking therapist!" You yelled, "I am not your own personal nurse, or your mum!"
Peter stood dumbfounded at your words. There was no going back from this argument, and he knew it. Besides, you were right. He had expected you to help him. He believed that since you were his forever loving and caring partner that you were willing to risk your own mental health over his physical health. Yet, you couldn't. There was no universe where this would end well.
Attempting to reach out once again, Peter exhaled shakily and gently touched your shoulder. "Please..." He spoke, squeezing your joint through the fleece jacket, "I can fix this. I promise, I can fix all of this. Just give me another chance." The brunettes' words were beginning to sound panicked, yet you couldn't care anymore. He was the cause of your emotional turmoil for the past year. You were no longer willing to be the one to bear the consequences of his actions, especially when you were on the brink of your own emotional demise outside of your relationship with the man.
"No," you shook your head, "I'm done."
The corners of your lips turned up in a hateful and tight-lipped smile. Seeing his distraught expression made you feel powerful, your decision to leave now set in stone. Peter felt you slip through his fingers, watching with nothing but helplessness now as you walked towards the front door. Reaching for your keys, you turned back once more.
"Goodbye, Peter."
this isnt an ask, but i just wanted to let you know i love your work SO MUCH like tis just SFOSHERIGURSIUGBESRILBGSLERI
Omg pls this is so sweet!! Making me motivated to finish the 35 drafts I have fr!!! You're actually so sweet anon <33 kicking my feet and squealing!!!
Hey! Your fics in the Miraculous Ladybug tag are really cool, but very long when they show up repeatedly. Would you be willing to use a readmore in future posts? Thank you!
Yeah for sure!! I haven't been able to recently because my laptop is so buggy, but I'm getting around it it lol
Warnings: does fluff count??? Lots of fluff lol, slight mention of panic in Miguel's section, reader is mentioned to know Spanish
Tried keeping it as gender neutral as possible!
- The way you call him, mi vida. You already knew some (or were fluent) in Spanish. However, you didn't necessarily speak it often. There weren't much times where you needed to other than around family. So, when you first called him 'mi vida' he basically malfunctioned. His cheeks went pink and his jaw dropped, but he snapped back quickly after you called his name. It was so simple but he truly new you were the one.
- Where to start.. This man loves everything about you, from the way you look to the way your mind works. Personally, I think his favourite thing about you would be how you look when you're concentrating. Whether you poke your tongue out or bite your bottom lip, he's so entranced, watching you with the look of a lovesick puppy. He enjoys seeing you so passionate about something.
- He loves the way you hold his face when you're fixing a bloody nose or a cut above his eyebrow. Heck, he loves the feeling of your slightly calloused yet still soft hands against his sharp cheeks. The way you're so apologetic when he winces as you're cleaning a cut, but you scold him after just so he knows you're serious. It has his stomach doing happy little flips knowing you care so much about him with just this simple touch.
- He loves the minimal physical touches you offer. The gentle brush of fingers or a simple caress of his shoulder. It's comforting, but not overwhelming. He isn't huge on PDA, so you not being overly touchy is something he loves so dearly. It's something where touch says more than words. He knows that you understand when he's stressed or upset when you give his hand a squeeze, a gentle reminder to help him ground himself.
- He loves your hair. Whether it's short, long, or a mohawk. He loves how soft it looks, the gentle touch to it. His favourite thing is to touch it while cuddling. You could be wrapped up in his arms and he'd somehow be twirling your hair between his forefinger and thumb. It's more of a habit. You know how some baby's play with their hair to go to sleep?? That is exactly what Peter does, but with your hair.
I fear I have so many little ideas for teen! thanos and nam-gyu. like, i've got so much lore set up for them in my notes. they're just so cute :(( enjoy this little drabble of thanos coming back from a trip to the us!!!
"Why are you looking down like that?"
The taller boy chortled, holding back a childish grin that seemed to be forever plastered across his face. The warm, calloused hand at the nape of his neck, shoving the others head down finally released only to be met with a harsh slap. The purple haired boy whined, holding his pain afflicted hand as if the slap actually hurt.
"Dude- The fuck are you doing? Let go of me." Nam-gyu shoved the other off, finally letting his eyes fall upon his best friend. It had been months since the two had last seen each other. Six months and four days, but Nam-gyu wasn't keeping track, not at all. His dark eyes widened, suddenly aware of just how the other was towering over him, purple tufts of hair flickering in front of the others' eyes as Su-bong tilted his head. Su-bong had to have at least been a whole head taller than him now. What had they been feeding him...
"Fuck, man," Su-bong whined, shaking his hand as he finally straightened, "No need to hit me!" His complaints didn't cease until the other flicked him once again, square in his forehead. This certainly wasn't the warm welcome he was expecting. A playful pout fell across his face. "This is no way to greet your best friend," He pointed towards the other, making his chipped black nail polish rather obvious. In his eyes he hadn't grown much. Sure, his pant legs were shorter, but he figured they just shrunk in the wash. It seemed more reasonable that Nam-gyu might have shrunk.
I have recently started back in school, so my schedule will be a little wack!
At the moment, I'm working on four fics, you will find them in my master list with (coming soon) written next to them! This includes the next part of Unknowing and Unexpected.
I need to pass my Chem exam 🙏
Reblog and you’re guaranteed to be successful at whatever you do next!
Warnings: fluff, angst, playful banter, fem reader, mention of death, SPOILERS
Your first interaction with the one and only Spider-Woman was when she popped in at your workplace. You were serving at the register and she just so happened to waltz in and order a honey infused tea.
You memorized her by the first three times you spoke to her and she had memorized every single freckle on your face
It's one of those scenarios where you know each other, but she hasn't necessarily told you about this alter ego of hers. Hell, she was dating you- although the relationship was fairly new (like a couple weeks)
As those weeks turned into months you began to notice just how often this Spider-Woman was coming to your work
In fact, she knew exactly when you finished work and had offered to walk you home multiple times
"you sure about that? I'm sure someone's getting robbed somewhere." You'd tease her
"I'm sure." She'd reply and under the mask would be that sweet smile that often made you swoon
She'd take you home so often that you were getting used to the fast swinging and 'thwip' of her webs
That was until it got stuck to your clothes and it took you weeks to wash it out
"Next time it sticks to my shirt, you're washing it." You'd huff in playful annoyance, "My mum was so mad when she saw it, thinks I'm in a gang or something."
Gwen would laugh so hard, practically snorting
"Oh, really? A gang, huh? Must be pretty cool being apart of the spider gang." She'd bump your shoulder, still walking you home after every shift
You don't remember ever telling you when your shift ends, it just seems like she always knew
Evantually you started to wonder about how many times Gwen would run off and Spider-Woman would rush in a few minutes after
You payed no mind to it for so long, but now things were making too much sense
You never asked, it didn't feel right to ask
If you ever did ask Gwen I think she'd be frightened. After what happened with Peter she saw to never make friends (let alone getting a partner), so she'd shut you down.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
You bring up Peter
"You have no right to bring him into this! He has nothing to do with you and me or Spider-Woman!"
"You do, Gwen! I know now- You disappear and a few seconds later she comes running in! You're the only person who knows when my shifts end and she walks me home! It makes sense. Just humour me, please."
It ends in an argument, but you come back to apologize. You didn't necessarily mean to explode like that. She was right, you had no right to bring up Peter like you did. It wasn't fair
"You are right." She'd say, "But you have to understand that I have been hiding this from everyone.. I told Peter and you saw what happened." Her voice cracks and your hands meet hers
"I know.. I'm so sorry. It wasn't fair."
After forgiving and forgetting, you both still pretend to not know each other when meeting each other as Spider-Woman
However, that doesn't stop Gwen from sneaking in small kisses on the cheek when no one's looking
Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4
It's been at least a month since you began fighting beside Ladybug and Chat Noir. You'd learnt that a certain cat themed heroine had grown a strong distaste for you, more so a distaste for the attention you received from Ladybug. The red and black heroine had been rather intrigued on how you received such a miraculous, let alone a second bunny miraculous. With the power of Bunnyx being so strong, it was no surprise that Ladybug was paying more attention to yourself than to her own partner. Your miraculous, powered by a sweet kwami that went by the name of Cece, held the ability of healing. While it was only temporary, lasting up until Ladybug used her 'miraculous Ladybug' to fix the damage created during battle, it became useful rather quickly.
It didn't matter much whether the boy liked you or hated you. All you truly cared about in that moment was the freedom your miraculous blessed you with, a world where the pain of everyday life evaporated into nothing. With the use of your miraculous came wonderful side effects, a temporary relief to the chronic pain within your knee and sudden bursts of energy that battled the chronic fatigue you felt due to the mental exhaustion of your own pain. However, it wasn't until recently that you'd felt the more painful side affects. Each time you used the miraculous, your body ached afterwards, exhaustion plaguing you.
You sat on the edge of a building; a cool breeze surrounded you as your feet swung over the side of the tiled roof. When Ladybug had requested for you to cover the patrol with Chat Noir that night you accepted with a grateful smile. Any chance to escape from the exhaustion and constant pain was a good one, whether it meant simply patrolling or actually saving the citizens of Paris. The soft jingle of a bell brought a smile to your face, the corners of your lips turning up in a content way. "Funny running into you here." You joked softly, just loud enough for the feline heroine to hear as you angled your face towards the setting sun. Hues of orange and salmon illuminated off the pale blues and browns of your suit, as if you were the sky they belonged in.
You turned to face him, finally opening your eyes fast enough to catch the blonde boy leaning on his staff. While he had a slight smile on his face himself, there was still that look of envy within his eyes. He shrugged, not taking your words as a very friendly invitation. "Yeah, I guess so," He huffed through his nostrils, studying each movement you made as you stood up from your placement on the edge of the roof, "Ladybug's idea of patrolling with the new kid so you don't get into any trouble."
Your eyes widened, almost taking his words as insult before simply shaking your head. Soft brown ears flopped into your eyes before framing your face as you made eye contact with him. Chat avoided your gaze. "You don't have to do this, Chat Noir," you began with a hum, "Ladybug needs us to get along, you know that, but you don't want to try." Your words were full of sincerity and comfort, emphasising the reason you were gifted with the second bunny miraculous. You always had what seemed to be a never-ending amount of empathy and compassion to give, perhaps leftovers from the overwhelming amount you received from your parents and close friends.
He grumbled slightly at your words, understanding that you were right. He didn't want to try, he knew how this would end. Ladybug would forget him once again as she dealt with another new miraculous holder. Fiddling with his staff, he spoke up, "That's not true. I just-" He lied, grumbling again as he let out another frustrated huff. His hair fell in front of his eyes, another refusal to even look in your general direction.
You shrugged. "It's okay if you don't like me, I never said we have to be friends. All I am saying is that maybe you should take the chance you have to work with me tonight," You looked up at him, taking note of the few inches taller he was, "We might have better chemistry than you believe." Standing a few steps apart you held out your hand for him to take. "A truce." You offered. He squinted at your hand before looking back up at you, studying the playful glint to in your eyes. "Fine, a truce... but just for tonight." He agreed, looking down at his own hand, holding your somewhat smaller one. He had never noticed just how frail they seemed to be. The blonde retracted his hand quickly, placing it by his side as he avoided your gaze once again. Something about those gentle eyes had his skin prickling.
A small smirk flickered across your face as you watched the way his hand retracted back to his staff. You had expected it, much like anyone would with the way the young man avoided her like the plague. "Don't worry kitty, I don't bite." You teased in a playful manner, watching his eyes widen momentarily. You studied the stern look on his face, watching as his scowl slowly turned into that iconic feline grin of his. He leaned his hands on the top of his staff, his ears flopping with his head as he moved to rest it on top of his palms. "I can't promise the same." He stood up straight and began to walk backwards, letting his staff extend before using it as leverage to launch to the next rooftop.
You watched as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, never looking back once to see if you followed. Sighing, you shook your head. He was a naïve boy, troubled even. While you understood the reasoning for his distaste, you found it somewhat childish, not recognising the true story behind his longing to be needed by Ladybug. In fact, you had no idea on who this boy could be, whether he was bound to end up in your life outside of the masks or if he would remain a mystery for the rest of your life. Either way, you would take life as it came at you, counting each day as a blessing considering the detrimental damage your body was receiving from itself.
~~~
Two weeks had passed, and it was now just another Monday morning. You felt better than usual, your constant fatigue diminished from the restful sleep you obtained that night. With no recent akumas to deal with, you felt rather at peace with yourself and everyone else. To clarify, almost everyone else. Chat Noir was still on your radar of people to be aware of, even if he was a hero. While you knew his intentions were just to become the main figure in Ladybug's attention, it bugged you that he wouldn't let you prove yourself. Constantly dismissed as the 'new girl' with 'zero experience in crime fighting' had your opinion of the feline heroine slowly turning negative.
You found that your mind was often caught on Chat Noir as you continued to dress yourself for school, shaking them away each time they arrived. You slid the tan knee brace up your calf, letting it tightly embrace your right knee to hold it together just that little bit better. While your chronic fatigue had lessened with the help of Cece's magic, it was evident that the overexertion of the miraculous had your limbs feeling weaker after every de-transformation. Attempting not to worry your parents any more than they already were, and friends who were now across the other side of the world due to you moving, you kept your pain and weakness a complete secret. There would be signs, the way that your head was constantly resting against your desk, the clicking noises from each step you took and the actual use of pain management even when you were always so adamant that you could tough it out.
It wasn't long until you finally made it to College Francoise Dupont. Most students assumed you were a part of an exchange program, when in reality there was simply better healthcare and accessible opportunities for you in Paris. Although you missed your home country and the friends you used to have, you were beginning to find this school becoming more like a home. However, the front steps of the school would never feel that comforting. With each step you took, you heard and felt the rough click of your right knee. It was overwhelming enough that you didn't notice the soft hum of your name coming from behind you.
A warm palm brushed over your shoulder, causing you to flinch out of fright. The blonde boy held his hands up, stopping just behind you, watching as you turned to look down at him. "It's just me, don't worry." Adrien spoke gently, looking worried by your reaction. He'd always been rather worried for his friends, and considering you were his newest of the bunch you were his main concern.
You and Adrien had grown rather close since you started class with him. Bonding over your sheltered lives, although his was much more sheltered, it made you both feel less lonely than you usually would. He had even introduced you to a few of the other students in your class, such as the ones who made up the band 'Kitty Section'. You were still yet to see them play, but you were sure they would be wonderful.
A sigh slipped past your lips before they turned up in a small smile. "Sorry, I was lost in my head." You were completely honest, although the wavering tone in your voice left some underlying feeling of exhaustion seeping through. Your morning had been doing so well before it came to battling these stairs.
Adrien was an observant boy. He had watched you when you arrived most days, taking clear note of the way you struggled with those stairs. He extended his hand, offering his palm facing upward as a chance for you to gain that little bit of ease in leaning your weight on him. You were tentative and hesitant as you stared at his soft, yet strong palm. Help wasn't something you were used to, not without the words of, 'don't worry, this will get better'. While those words used to be a symbol of hope, they had slowly turned into the sour realisation that nothing was going to change for the better. At first you went to decline before glancing up at the soft expression on his face. Those emerald eyes stared up at you with nothing but concern and compassion. There was absolutely no pity behind them.
"Thank you," You flashed a gentle smile, placing your hand in his. You didn't accept help often, but when you did it was simply because you knew there was no point in suffering any longer. He pulled your arm across his shoulders, letting you bear your weight into him as you climbed to the stop of the steps together in silence. Your friendship was built off of the mutual respect you had for each other. The two of you were much more similar than you would ever choose to believe.
Adrien held you close to his side, not minding the intimacy of the quiet moment as he helped you up the stairs. He wasn't one to typically be this quiet, but he knew you well enough by now to understand that you weren't necessarily up to talking when your body felt like it was eating away at its own muscle tissue. "You really need to take better care of yourself," the way he hummed your name made your knees feel the slightest bit weaker although you would never properly admit it. You could easily remove the connection of him being a model, however you could never deny that the sweet upturn of his lips made your stomach flutter. You believed it was nothing, taking it as a reaction to how he was naturally attractive compared to the average seventeen-year-old. Shaking away those silly thoughts your mind went back to his words. Your brows furrowed and you paused in your spot, coming to a standstill. "Excuse me?" You turned to face him, "I take care of myself plenty. This school is hardly accessible. Despite all the money it hoards for sports and the arts, there are no means to add elevators or ramps. There isn't even a disabled bathroom!" You couldn't help the frustrated ramble, taking offense from his innocent words.
Immediately Adrien raised his hands in mock surrender, once again taking note of how his sheltered life had let him down once again. "I didn't mean it like that, I swear." He admitted, his emerald eyes revealing a sorry look as he brought his hands back to clutch the strap of his duffel bag. He cleared his throat under your stern gaze, "I just mean... You look tired. More than usual." His attempt at rescuing his words failed as he watched your frown deepen. He silently cursed, wanting to reach out for your hand as you began to walk away, shaking your head in frustration. Patience was a virtue, and sometimes you needed a reminder of it. However, that reminder didn't seem to be coming anytime soon as you forgot just how sheltered your friend had been up until the start of this year. With no friends and hardly any outside interactions unless it was with a private tutor or photographer, Adrien stood rather new to friendship. Yet, his willingness to learn was what set him apart from everyone else. He took note to attempt to discuss with his father the lack of accessibility within the school, hoping that maybe it would spark his attention. If he could gain the influence of his father on the principal, then he could relieve some of your everyday struggles.
It was a quick walk to the classroom. Once you were inside you made your way towards a desk at the front. It was originally assigned to Nino, but after the teachers were informed of the damage within your limbs, they insisted that you were seated at the front no matter how much you objected to the suggestion. Your eyes flickered up at the sound of the door opening and closing behind someone. Multiple footsteps could be heard as students began to pile into their seats, the most noticeable being the blonde boy making his way to sit beside you and the bluenette and her brunette best friend that sat directly behind you. You flashed the two girls a friendly smile, while you weren't close you still cherished the small friendship you shared.
You mumbled your good mornings to each other before finally turning your attention to Miss Bustier, one of the sweetest teachers you had ever had. There was never a moment where she wasn't willing to give her all for her students. Anyone could see just how much the woman loved her job and her students. Listening to the history lesson had your head aching. French wasn't your first language, and it took some time for you to process what people were saying. So, instead of paying attention, you gently nudged the blonde boy beside you. His brows lifted and he turned to face you with a look of slight shock. "Yes?" he hummed quietly, trying to avoid being caught whispering during class.
"Could I copy your notes later?" You asked, "Please." The tired look on your face was enough to convince him already. Not waiting for his answer, you simply rested your head against the cool wood of the desk. There was a note in your student file that stated you were to be left alone if you fell asleep. Your parents cared greatly for you, so there was no surprise that they were willing to advocate for your rest to become priority over your education.
Adrien nodded, taking a glance at his own paper to see nothing but small notes of the lesson and scribbles of who the new heroine could be. They weren't necessarily new anymore. It had been just over a month since their first public appearance with the miraculous duo, yet he still couldn't wrap his mind around it. He'd worked with plenty of other people who had access to a miraculous such as Rena Rouge and Carapace, but their positions were always temporary. However, Clementine wasn't temporary. Ladybug never gifted them their miraculous. He groaned at the thought and scribbled out his words, turning his focus back to the lesson.
What neither of them noticed was the two girls glaring at you. Their eyes pierced holes through your back as you rested. While the bluenette was simply jealous, wishing she could talk to Adrien in the same carefree way that you could, the blonde sitting across the room was fuming. In her mind, this was some act to steal her childhood friend from her. She sat their silently, scrolling through her phone to devise a plan of revenge upon you.
Word Count - 2865
Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3?
Morning light crept through the circular window that led to your empty balcony. Still struggling to get used to the drastic time difference, you covered your face with the duvet, sinking in the warmth that your bed offered. It wasn't until your alarm went off that you finally pried yourself from the comfortable mattress.
The heat of the morning sunlight kept your joints warm as you began to get ready, undressing from your pyjamas only to pull on some comfier but more respectable clothes. Your outfits usually consisted of some shorts and a baggy t-shirt, but on this day, you settled for some jeans and a sweater. You had recognised easily that Paris would most likely never be as warm as your home country, so the outfit was deemed wearable, while a comfy shirt was still placed inside of your bag as a backup. It rested in the front pocket of your school bag alongside your pain medication, which you were probably due to take soon, and the few other hygiene accessories that you wouldn't dare to leave the house without unless it was a true emergency.
"Hurry up or you will be late!" A stern, yet loving voice called. A smile that was beginning to turn down evident on your face as you finally made your way down the stairs. It took some energy, but you felt good.
Today would be good.
"Sorry, dad." You shrugged slightly, "I'm going to walk to walk to school today. I'll be extra careful, I promise." You smile and take an apple from the bowl resting on the kitchen bench, gently punching the older man's shoulder before walking towards the door, bag on your back. You noticed the way he frowned, going to speak but not saying anything. It wasn't unusual for him to be so quiet; you'd grown accustomed to it after quite some time of living with him. Your father was silenced by his own worry and concern for you. He waved as you stepped out of the front door, yet you never noticed it.
Taking your first steps out of the house, you couldn't help but breathe in the somewhat fresh air that the streets of Paris gifted you with. While it wasn't something you were used to, the scent of a sweet pastry was certainly something you enjoyed. Living close by to a two-story bakery was certainly going to burn a hole in your pocket, but who could deny themself a sweet little treat every once in a while?
Taking enough time to distract yourself with your thoughts, you finally made it to the street across from your school. It wasn't too often anymore where you found yourself not distracted by your own thoughts. Toady was no different than any other, until you heard a small commotion just in front of you. The traffic was bustling along. The sounds of honking and tires screeching pulling your attention to the situation. An old man was struggling to cross the road, overwhelmed by the amount of people honking at him despite how it could be seen as a reasonable reaction to any bystander. Without thinking your legs began to move, pulling you towards the situation with no hesitation. "Sir!" you called out, glancing across the road to make sure no cars were coming in your direction in the moment. When you had a free chance, you bolted towards the older man, placing your hand on his back and quickly pulling him out of the way of any oncoming traffic. Of course, that wasn't the end of it as you crouched down the slightest bit to reach his slouched height. He was shaking, although appreciative as he clasped your cold hands in his warm ones.
"Thank you so much, young one," The man spoke, bowing his head over and over again in gratitude. Gently taking your hands away from his and softly placing them on his shoulders, you shook your head. "No, don't thank me. I was doing what any humane person would, sir." Your words of pure genuine and empathetic smile seemed to strike a chord with the man.
"You are a wonderful being," He hummed, flashing a small smile before simply turning, "I hope one day we will meet again in less dire circumstances." You stood dumbfounded as the man began to walk away. How could he act so calm after seeming so overwhelmed by such a drastic scene. He could have been hit by a car and yet here he was walking away from you, the only thing left in his place being a black box with intricate gold carvings. You leant down and picked up the box, it was small, much like a box holding a piece of jewellery. You figured it might be important to the man, however before you could finally call out to him, he was gone. Once again he had left you staring after him dumbfounded. After examining the box in your hands, you decided to place it within the front pocket of your bag in hopes that you might see the man again just as he said.
With that interaction playing over in the back of your mind, you quickly walked up the steps of the school. Although you transferred to College Françoise Dupont due to the advertised accessibility and financial support that it provided students with disabilities alongside chronic illnesses, you were beginning to notice just how many stairs were truly in this place. You frowned.
No one necessarily paid much attention to you, even as you struggled to climb the multiple levels of stairs within the large foyer. After climbing up the front steps, you groaned at the thought of climbing up the second set of large stairs that led to the upper level of the school. While it wasn't as long, it was steep, and after your almost run in with oncoming traffic, you were already feeling rather exhausted. You figured it was just a horrid perk of your own chronic illness.
At the age of thirteen you faced symptoms of constant exhaustion, shakiness and burning pain within your joints. After an incident when moving houses, the pain began to focus more within your knees and lower back, a mishap from carrying a box that was too heavy for your young stature. There was no true name for what occurred to you, doctors were confused or chose not to believe you and many close people began to pity you. At first you enjoyed the attention, but now you were happy to simply be left alone.
Now at the ripe age of seventeen you could hardly pull yourself from bed without dousing yourself in icy-hot and Panadol. You always managed, trying your best to come across as a normal teenager, no matter how sore or exhausted you truly were. You began to think of it as your own little secret, wanting to hide it from your new classmates to lessen the pity you faced.
When you finally reached the top of the stairs, you sighed in relief. Both glad that it was finally over, and happy that you remembered your knee brace you closed your eyes momentarily, not expecting a certain bluenette to run straight into you on her way to class.
You landed on your butt, wincing quietly at the harsh landing. You peeled your eyes opened to see a girl who looked around your age, frantic as she crouched next to you.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so so so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going and—" her words were rushed and the flush on her face made you feel almost sorry for the girl. Gently pushing her outstretched palm away, you shook your head. "Don't sweat it. You're good." You smiled sweetly, taking a moment to collect your bag before getting back up on your feet.
The poor girl looked guilty, taking in your appearance to make sure she hadn't caused too much damage, which it was lucky that she didn't. You cringed slightly as you leaned on your left leg, swapping weight between your legs every so often to balance out the sharp sting in them. She seemed to notice, but didn't mention it.
"You're new here, right? I don't think I've ever seen you before. Do you have your timetable?" She asked, her eyes widening momentarily behind her blue bangs. "I completely forgot to introduce myself— I'm Marinette, what's your name?" Marinette asked, sheepishly pulling her hand back and rubbing her arm when she realized you weren't going to shake her hand.
You laughed and mentioned your name with that gentle smile of yours. Pulling out your phone, you logged into your electronic timetable. "I'm in P7?" You spoke, "Do you think you could show me around a bit?"
You swore her smile grew twice it's size as she linked her arm with yours. "That's my class actually! I'll take you there, I'm sure Alya wouldn't mind swapping seats if you'd like to sit next to me?" Her offer was sweet, but you already had an assigned seat. It was simply due to the amount of distinguishable akuma attacks. It was hard for you to run, so the teachers and your parents deemed it safer for you to sit in the front left of the classroom in case there was ever a need to escape.
"No, it's okay. I already know my seat." You smiled, using your linked arms as a way to steady yourself as you both walked towards your classroom. Unlike your hometown, they shared the same classroom for each of their respective classes, with the teachers moving to them instead of the students. It made things much easier for you and was also one of the high selling points for your enrolment.
You swore you saw Marinette's smile grow dim at your words before lighting back up as if nothing happened. She shrugged it off and led you to the classroom, often smiling at any friends she passed. It was clear to you that she was an outgoing and kid young woman, one that you would be grateful to call your friend if you could get to that point, but for now she would be your acquaintance and school guide.
You spoke the whole time you walked to class, learning that Marinette's parents were the owners of that bakery you could smell on the way to school and that she was an aspiring fashion designer. You also learnt that if her head wasn't stuck to her shoulders, she would have easily lost it by now.
"So, what about you? What's so good about Paris that you moved here?" The girl asked, her blue bell eyes looking at you with a curious spark. You simply shrugged in response and flashed a nonchalant smile. "My parents have better jobs here than in our home country, and this school gives me better opportunities." You explained, although it wasn't entirely true it was still close enough to the truth that you didn't feel bad about your little white lies.
Marinette nodded at your words and opened the door for you. The class was practically full already. It surprise you how many teenagers were actually eager to come to school. It certainly wasn't like this at home.
The teacher, who you'd met with much earlier when you were discussing going to the school with your parents, offered a sweet smile and gestured to your designated seat. You regretted walking in, multiple eyes staring you down. You were fresh meat after all.
Exhaling, you walked to your seat at the front, a blonde boy with emerald eyes sat just next to you. He seemed somewhat disappointed to see you, as if someone else had previously sat here. He shook his head and flashed a friendly smile.
"Hi."
You registered the word rather slowly, a little distracted by those mysterious eyes. He was hiding something. You didn't bother questioning and returned the smile. "Hi."
His cheeks flushed but he said nothing more as the lesson began, turning his attention to your history and English teacher. Your brows furrowed but you couldn't help the silly smile that forced it's way upon your face. Something about that boy made you feel warm, although you suspected that it was just the friendly introduction that caused it.
~~~
The end of the day came by faster than expected. You'd exchanged numbers with Marinette and her best friend Alya, you had also learnt that the boy sitting next to you was Adrien. It wasn't hard for you to decipher that Marinette had a rather hefty crush on the blonde boy, but you paid no mind to it. It wasn't like you to crush on anyone anyway, so there was nothing to truly worry about.
You walked down the front steps of the school with them, waving goodbye and smiling. "Call us later!" Marinette called out as she waved goodbye, almost running into a poll as she walked backwards. Embarrassed, she quickly turned around, head in her palms as Alya poked fun at her.
"Will do." You spoke, knowing neither would hear you as you laughed quietly to yourself. What an odd pair. You found them endearing, no matter how silly they were.
A soft voice called your name, causing your brows to furrow deeply. "Hi—" you turned around to see the blonde boy speaking to you, "Do you need a ride home?" He asked with a kind smile.
Your eyes widened momentarily and a smile graced your face. "Hi. That would be nice. Are you sure? I've heard your quiet the busy guy." You teased, winking at him playfully. He looked shocked before letting out a small laugh.
Adrien was still getting used to the idea of friends, considering his father was a control freak over where and who he hung out with. "Ha, ha. Very funny." He playfully rolled his eyes, "I'm sure I could clear my schedule for the next ten minutes. Come on." He gestured for you to follow him towards the black limousine that had pulled up at the front of the school.
You couldn't deny such an offer, following along behind him. He opened the door for you, flashing a charming grin that made your heart lurch into your throat. It was your turn to roll your eyes as you stepped into the vehicle, thanking the driver and his bodyguard for taking you home. They didn't speak, but you hoped your gratitude came through to them.
The drive was silent other than Adrien exchanging numbers with you, sheepishly claiming it was in case you ever needed a ride home again. You suspected it was something else, but you never pushed for an answer, politely smiling and putting his name in your phone as 'Adrien 💚'.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Adrien." You smiled as you stepped out of the car, reaching for your bag that was on the floor. He nodded in response and waved, "See you tomorrow."
Adrien sunk into his seat after you left, looking down at his phone with a small smile. Something about you just drew him in, he wasn't sure what it was, but it felt important.
~~~
When the boy arrived at his house, his father nowhere to be seen, he decided to go straight to his room. Although he quite literally lived in a lavish mansion, there wasn't actually much for Adrien to do. So, he pulled his bag off of his shoulders and placed it next to the bed, paying no attention to the feline kwami who was ever so desperately trying to search for cheese in his shallow pocket. Finally falling back into his pocket, once again ignoring the cry of anguish that his kwami let out, Adrien sighed.
"Plagg..." He started, "Nevermind."
Plagg looked confused before simply flying off in search of more cheese.
Adrien reached for his phone within his pocket, unlocking it with the simple press of his thumb and smiling as it opened to the contacts page. Your name stood at the very top under favourites. While your name was plain on his screen, the picture was one that he'd captured of you staring out the window, simple and perfect.
Plagg flew over once again. "Woah, I thought you were in love with Ladybug!" He exclaimed, staring into the blonde's phone to see your picture. Adrien locked his phone almost immediately, his eyes widened. "I am!" He stammered momentarily, "They're just a friend." He hummed, placing his phone screen down on the blanket.
Word count: 2749