Author’s note: This is set in @buggachat’s bakery enemies au. If you’ve never heard of it before, check the bottom of this fic for a brief summary. (You’ll need it for context.)
Based off buggachat’s comment about Adrien’s wardrobe in her au: “He owns a lot of black. Something about… increasing the chances of being recognized in a crowd. By someone. Perhaps.”
–
It had been years, but Marinette’s grief still hit her at odd times. With the smell of hot coffee or the plinking of rain on a metal roof, she’d be fifteen again, overlooking the city with him on a misty Saturday morning. Or the shriek of children playing would jolt her dusty battle nerves back to life and she would suddenly miss the feel of him at her back. Or she would see someone with a smile that was just close enough to his that it made her heart hurt.
Today, it was a glimpse of blond hair.
The crowd was thick as she waited at the crosswalk next to the bakery. It was a fleeting glance through a sea of people. The exact right color. The same style, like he’d kept it the same all these years so she would recognize it. The perfect length to run her fingers through. Pushing on her tiptoes for a better view, Marinette could barely see his shoulders. Black cloth over the right build. The same hair. She could practically see where cat ears would have sat.
The light changed. Strangers brushed past her as she stood there, transfixed. Was it possible? In a city of two million, had she finally found the one she’d been searching for? Marinette blinked, and he disappeared in the stream of people.
Her voice came out in a whisper. “Wait.” And then a shout. “Wait!”
That was him. She’d found him! And she wasn’t going to let him get away again! She scrambled through the crowd, pushing past elbows and skirting around glares.
She reached for him when she saw him, stomach swooping, heart beating.
He turned. Green eyes, warm and trusting.
“Marinette?” he said.
She blinked.
Adrien. It was only Adrien. It hadn’t been- He wasn’t- Marinette’s heart collapsed back in on itself.
He put a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?” he asked in the same concerned tone her partner would have used.
Her former partner.
“I’m fine,” Marinette lied. She brushed her cheek, surprised to find it dry.
–
Author’s other note: This is based on buggachat’s bakery enemies au here on tumblr (which you seriously need to check out if you haven’t seen yet). For those who are unaware, here’s the gist: Adrien and Marinette never met. Ladynoir was kinda sorta canon-ish. They never traded identities, took Hawk Moth down, and in the final battle the kwamis all went into hibernation. Ladybug and Chat Noir never saw each other again. Fast forward a couple years. Marinette has just moved back to Paris to find out that her parents have hired someone to help out in the bakery: the son of Hawk Moth himself! And Marinette’s sure he must have been in on Hawk Moth’s plans.
Now, go check out the au! It’s one of my most favoritest things to ever come out of this or any other fandom.
OHH MY GOD 😭I LOVE THIS….. I literally can imagine this EXACT thing happening in my AU and I’m almost upset I didn’t think of it sooner. THANK YOU SO MUCH
