Evelyn sneered as she spotted Marinette in the hallway. She was so tired of hearing how perfect Marinette was. She didn't see what was so good about her. Marinette was clumsy and forgetful. She was always late to class in the morning. People begged her to be class president again, but she always told them she was too busy.

'Busy with what? She wasn't in a single afterschool sport or club!'

The only thing Marinette Dupain-Cheng did was get on her last nerve.

Evelyn hit the locker door next to her. It made her happy to see Marinette look so startled.

"You know, maybe you could find a boyfriend if only you were cute." she stated.

Marinette frowned and sighed.

'Why does it look like she's ignoring me?'

"Go ahead!" Evelyn declared, "Try and be cute for a second."

"How dare you!" Adrien roared, getting in between them, "Marinette is always cute, but I don't know how someone could date you with such a disgusting personality."

Adrien grabbed Marinette's hands and pulled her down the hall, away from everyone. Everyone they passed could see Marinette was bright red from Adrien's decleration.

Evelyn stormed away. She felt humiliated and defeated. She had a giant crush on Adrien Agreste and he brushed her off like she was nothing to him.

"What did she expect?"

"I can't believe she called his best friend ugly."

"Oh, please. Everyone knows those two are going to end up together."

"Yeah, when his brain works and he stops calling her 'just a friend'."

"Have you seen the way he looks at her?"

"Have you seen the way he touches her?"

Evelyn bit her lip and walked quicker down the hall. Of course, she knew that Marinette was cute! It's why she had said those things. She had heard the rumors of Marinette's crush on Adrien. It didn't matter if it was in the past, she just wanted her to know her place. Apparently, everyone thought her place was besides Adrien Agreste.

"Are you okay?" Adrien questioned, "Don't listen to those girls. You are amazing just the way you are. You are already cute."

Marinette blushed at his line of reasoning. She smiled back at him. She quickly hugged him and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Adrien." she spoke, looking away from him.

He blushed from the feel of her lips on his cheek. Her whole demeanor was cute.

'How could those people think Marinette wasn't cute?'

He suddenly realized that Marinette was frowning.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Ma-Maybe that girl was right." Mari declared.

"What?" the young Agreste shouted.

Marinette jumped back from the sound of Adrien shouting. She had never heard him shout. If anything, he seemed upset with what she had said.

"It's...It's just that.....everyone is dating and-" she began to explain.

"So what?" he growled.

Marinette frowned, "I want to."

"Huh?" he questioned.

"I want someone, too." Mari answered, looking away from Adrien, "I see everyone walking around and holding hands or hugging each other. I see people kissing and I wish I had someone feel that way about me. I want what Nino and Alya use to have."

Adrien stared at his friend. He never knew she felt that way, that she had felt left out.

"I-Is there someone you have in mind?" he asked with a gulp.

"I use to, but he doesn't like me. I gave up." Marinette answered with a shrug, "I haven't really found someone else who makes me feel like that. I tried with Luka, but-"

"It's not Luka?" Adrien interrupted.

"Huh? N-No." she answered.

Adrien looked at Marinette and gulped. It had been a couple years, but things were clearer than they use to be. He thought back to all the stammering a few years ago. He thought of all the pictures that had bene on her wall during the Jagged Stone during his interview at her house. He thought of how he never saw them on her walls anymore, not a single photo, unless someone else was in it with them. Adrien thought of how it would have been to hear people say he was Marinette Dupain-Cheng's boyfriend.

He could feel his cheeks heating up as he realized, he didn't mind at all. He knew his friend was cute. He heard people in the halls saying how lucky someone would be to date her.

Adrien leaned towards Marinette and quickly pressed his lips to hers. He screwed his eyes shut. He could feel her tense up. Adrien stayed still, waiting for her to push him away. After a second, he felt her lean in and kiss back. After a few more seconds, he pulled away and opened his eyes. He saw a tear rush down her cheek and jumped back.

"I'm so sorry." Adrien cried, "Did I hurt you?"

"That depends." Marinette whispered, looking down at the floor.

"Depends?" he asked.

"Why did you kiss me? Did you feel sorry for me?" she questioned, "Was it just because I admitted I wanted to be kissed?"

"No." Adrien answered.

Marinette looked up at him, awaiting an explanation. No couldn't be all there was too it, right?

'Why did he kiss me?'

Adrien gulped and was fighting the blush off of his cheeks, "I-I remembered how-how even cuter it was when you couldn't say a single sentence to me."

Marinette looked up at him, fast. He could see her cheeks were tinged red.

"Would you mind if I kissed you again?" he asked.

Mari shook her head.

"Would you mind if I held your hand in the halls and walked you to class?" he continued.

She shook her head again. Adrien took a step closer to her. Marinette tilted her head up.

"Would you mind if everyone in the school knew you were my girlfriend?" Adrien questioned with a smile.

Marinette squeaked in surprise, but shook her head. Adrien chuckled and took ahold of her hand, as the bell rang.

"We'll be late to class, Mari." he spoke.

"A-Adrien, are you s-sure you-" Marinette began to question.

The young Agreste smiled, "Yep. I want everyone to know how cute my girlfriend is."

Adrien and Marinette walked to class holding hands. He could hear the whispers and from the corner of his eye, he could see Marinette's face flushing red with every step they took.

Read it on AO3: Marichat/Adrienette: The Lonely Lunch Club – Alone in a Crowd

Summary: When Adrien notices Marinette sneaking off to eat lunch by herself, Chat Noir comes to check on her and get to the bottom of the situation.

Pairing: Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

So, there are a lot of ‘Marinette changes schools’ au’s and I love a whole bunch of them don't get me wrong. BUT the one thing I haven’t seen yet is Marinette changing schools not because of Lila or salt but simply because her parents are moving and they want her to attend a school close to home. So without further ado let me sell you on my little idea: 

Lila has been plotting weeks worth of plans and lies, she’s thought up some sob stories about being stalked, about near death experiences, about celebrities that are like her family. She has plans for Marinette all the ways she could make the girl look bad and all the ways she could force Adrien to see her. That all goes out the window one day when she gets to school and it's a sob fest. There is a clear air of dread and dismay, the blue skies she saw on the way to school replaced with heavy storm clouds. And when she gets to class it's worse. Marinette and Alya are hugging and crying, Adrien looks like he's been shot, Nino and Kim are demanding to know ‘why’ even Chloe looks upset, her blue eyes a little glassy. Lila quickly learns why, Marinette’s parents' business is doing GREAT so great in fact that they have decided to open a second location! The twist? They also decided to move INTO the new location and with it being on the other side of Paris and her parents fears for their daughters safety that means Marinette is moving to a new school!

AO3 link

“Because we’re friends, aren’t we?”

For the first time, Lila recognized Mssr. Agreste in Adrien’s features. He was suddenly – alarmingly – dangerous. Once the pleasant smile for his photographer slipped away, his voice and face were stone. He reached through all her defenses like they were made of smoke, grabbed her by the arm, and twisted it. She’d known Marinette had inexplicably weaseled her way into being Adrien's friend – but her claws were buried deeper than Lila could have imagined. She'd attached herself to him so securely that now he was now attached to her. It was enough for him to finally show his teeth.

For the first time, Lila understood how this boy was Hawk Moth’s son.

Lila glanced at the black car to her right. Nathalie nodded her acquiescence with an expression as blank as the tinted window that slid closed. What a pair they were. That pathetic secretary was as mushy as Marinette, simpering over their respective Agreste men like willing slaves. Weak.

Oh, he may be able to ruin her if he wanted. The problem with Adrien was that now he’d shown his hand. Adrien had more fire in him than Gabriel Agreste, just waiting to be unleashed. He was angry - she could use that.

Marinette was sure it wasn't there before.

'It' was the all the handsome model glory of one Adrien Agreste.

It started after Marinette had nearly gotten expelled from school, courtesy of Lila.

She definitely didn't notice it in the beginning, but as days passed, it became more noticeable.

Whenever Lila so much as looked in her direction, Adrien was there.

Sometimes, he would stare back so long until the Italian girl turned her head away.

Sometimes, when Lila was physically approaching her, Adrien would chat up Marinette in a sudden conversation or ask her questions she was sure he knew the answers to, since some of them were ridiculously easy. He would position himself in front of her or directly in Lila's path, fully blocking Marinette's view of the silently fuming nuisance.

Not that she minded, she would gladly do without seeing Lila's face every day in school.

Still, Adrien's new behavior didn't go unnoticed, even Alya and Nino grew suspicious.

When directly asked about this, Adrien denied any knowledge of his change in attitude, claiming he was the same as always and in a good mood.

Marinette had, at one point, at a point she told herself had been solely her imagination, that Adrien had acted in a manner she would only attribute to Chat Noir.

Lila had sneezed, apparently so strong that she had taken three steps back and had almost struck Marinette with her elbow.

And then, Adrien was there.

Practically leaping in front of Marinette.

Marinette was sure the last time she looked at him, he'd been engaged in a conversation with Nino, looking at said's phone until in the second Lila started to move, he wasn't there anymore.

He didn't seem to mind the elbow that had dug itself into his side, nor the Italian girl's profuse apologies, all Adrien was focused on was Marinette's startled expression, with a suspiciously calm smile. "Hey Marinette, I think I heard Alya calling you. She said something about wanting to show you pictures of Chat Noir and Ladybug."

Said blogger was awestruck herself, phone hanging limply from her hands, jaw slack and eyes unblinking.

It was Nino that broke the moment by placing a hand on Adrien's shoulder, after breaking from his own daze. "Hey dude, you okay? Lila accidentally hit you, that's gotta hurt."

Lips were stretched into a perfect model smile, green eyes deceptively calm. "I'm fine Nino." he looked at Marinette. "Marinette?"

The girl was completely caught off guard, nearly jumping at the question. "W-what? Oh! Y-Yes! Fine me am! I-I mean, I'm fine!"

A kind smile was her answer and a warm hand squeezing her shoulder affectionately, before Adrien left with a dumbstruck Nino following behind him.

Alya had immediately shot to her side, clinging onto her arm. "Girl! Did you see that?! What was that?! Marinette? Marinette?!"

Bonus Scene:

"Hey Lila, mind if I talked to you for a second?" the brunette turned her attention away from Kim, a large smile on her face.

"Yes of course Adrien!" completely disregarding Kim, to whom Adrien shot a quick apologetic smile at, she was led a little ways away from the others exiting class.

Once alone, Adrien turned to her. "What is it you wanted to talk about Adrien?" her sing song sweet voice carried a suspicious undertone, one Adrien was cautious of the day he realized her true nature.

The air suddenly turned still, as if time itself stopped and Lila was frozen as Adrien's normally kind green eyes turned to ice. "Remember our little deal, Lila?"

Not the question, but the tone of the boy's voice sent a shiver racing down her spine, a cold, terrifying feeling she hadn't often experienced. "...Yes, Adrien."

A small smile lit his face, but it wasn't kind. "Good. I really wish you wouldn't forget it. It seemed like you did today." at once, the smile vanished, replaced by piercing, furious emeralds gazing at her. "Wouldn't want our friendship to be broken, right?"

Shock crossed the pretty girl's features, frozen as Adrien rose an eyebrow questioningly and she quickly composed herself to stutter her answer. "Y-Yes, I won't forget again."

And then, the shadow vanished from his features, previously furious eyes now a kind lush green, a smile stretching his lips. The hand on her shoulder was warm but heavy, a small squeeze a final warning. "Good, thank you Lila. It's a good thing we are friends." with that, the model walked away, joining Nino at the bottom of the stairs to go home.

Lila clenched her fists, anger twisting her features until it was replaced by trepidation, Adrien's cold piercing stare rooting her to the spot, their deal echoing in her head.

Because we're friends, aren't we?

In Retrospect

(2712 words) by

SailorChibi

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom:

Miraculous Ladybug

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Characters: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Marinette Dupain-Cheng's Parents, Théo Barbot

Additional Tags: Protective Chat Noir, Protective Adrien Agreste, akuma copy cat, one-sided theo barbot/ladybug, Clothes Sharing, Domestic Fluff, i love when they're comfortable with each other, Subtle Threats, stalkers, adrien is familiar with stalkers, woe betide the man who stalks marinette, Established Relationship, post-identity reveal, platonic sharing a bed, no sense of personal boundaries, Nicknames

Summary: