#crumbles

“fertil ashes”
Marinette realised she is in love with Chat Noir, and while there are good chances for her to seek a relationship with him as civilian self, due to their very close bond and romantic tension clear for the both of them, as Ladybug things worry her. She doesn’t try pursue a relationship under that side of the mask but between trying to fix her mistakes for leaving Chat out the loop (season 4 is not canon to this.) and fix their partnership (just as he did), she realises how much shattered it really is. On live. Internationally.
And it haunts her that one day her mistakes will catch up and ruin whatever she could have with him as Marinette.
She just doesn’t want to make him suffer anymore.
And not suffer herself.
Luckily, getting together with him and smooching will ease her worries✨
Alya doesn’t know Marinette’s identity, but she knows what feels like to have a friend in pain. Marinette didn’t reveal to her but it led to distancing from every friend aside Alya and Nino. And while she mostly recovered thanks to time and Chat, eventually Alya never managed to understand those events. She is there to take care of Marinette as much as she is allowed and wants to help Ladybug too.
Chat is just doing what he thinks Ladybug wants and what feels safe for his own mental sanity. He doesn’t crush on Ladybug anymore and with no real chances to get to know Ladybug’s most true and natural side (with the mask off he did with Marinette, who acts as a mix of her civilian and hero persona, and in fact he is concentrated on her) he doesn’t realise Ladybug’s feelings have changed nor he has chances to fall for her again.