Author's Note:
Happens on Valentine's Day, but I felt that publishing it on or before Valentine's might not be the best idea. I'd prefer not to trigger anyone on what is a sensitive day for many. So, I opted to publish a few days after the fact to reduce the chances of adding to anyone's overwhelming emotions this past Thursday.
I do not own any of these characters.
"H-Happy Valentine's Day!" Nathalie stood there with a blush on her face and holding out a card for Gabriel.
Gabriel scowled at her and she looked away. "You know I can't accept that," he said coldly.
"Yes sir," she replied and a tear rolled down her cheek as she turned to leave.
Gabriel's miraculous lit up and hummed, causing him to smile brightly and muse to himself, "I can't accept the card, but I'll certainly accept this Valentine's Day gift."
He walked over to the painting of his wife and felt for the three buttons. Pushing them, he was lowered into the floor to the basement. A few steps later and he was lifted up again into his lair. Nooroo appeared, "You're not really going to add insult to injury by akumatizing her after you broke her heart... are you?"
"I most certainly am..." Gabriel started before being cut off.
"But sir, Nathalie knows you're Hawk Moth and if she's unsuccessful, she'll be humiliated. What if..."
"What if! What if nothing," Gabriel barked. "She knows better than to double cross me. Nooroo, Darkwings Rise!"
The window opened and butterflies began to flap about as Hawk Moth began his monolog. "Rejected on Valentine's Day by someone who refuses to return her affections. How sad." A butterfly flew into Hawk Moth's hand and he charged it with negative energy. "Fly away my little akuma and give this broken-hearted damsel the power to exact revenge on all those in love!"
The akuma flew out the window and returned into the mansion through the front door. Its target was sitting alone in the dining room with tears blanketing a picture of her and her beloved. Just as she began ripping the picture in two, the akuma flew into the picture and Nathalie's head rose up at the sound of Hawk Moth's voice in her head. "Ripper. I am Hawk Moth. I give you the power to trap lovers into a photograph and then rip them apart. All I ask in return is Ladybug's and Cat Noir's miraculouses."
"Yes, Hawk Moth," came Nathalie's reply as she stood up and was engulfed in black smoke.
Bob and Carol were sitting on a park bench near the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. "This one's yours, and this one's mine," Bob announced, holding out a croissant for Carol.
"W-What's that?" Carol pointed up and over Bob's shoulder.
"It's... It's an akuma!" he yelled just before the couple was struck by a beam emanating from the picture Ripper was holding.
Hearing the guy yell from inside her room, Marinette proceeded up to her balcony just in time to see Ripper pick up the photograph and rip it in two. Bob and Carol reappeared and scowled at each other. Marinette could just make out their bickering as she hopped back inside.
"Tikki, Spots On!" Ladybug bounded back up to her balcony and zipped across to the other roof.
Ripper looked up and over at the sound of the yoyo, spotting Ladybug. "Give me your miraculous or I'll rip you and Cat Noir apart!"
Ladybug dodged a beam from Ripper and opened her yoyo. "Come on, Cat Noir. Pick up!" She closed her yoyo as she heard Ripper's laugh getting closer. Ladybug looked around, thinking I've got to get her away from civilians. "Gotcha!" Ladybug called out and her yoyo wrapped around Ripper. She yanked hard causing Ripper to fly past her and spin around several times as the yoyo flung her across the river. "Catch me if you can!" Ladybug yelled out and then zipped away in the opposite direction.
Ripper was still trying to catch up as Ladybug landed on the roof of the arena. Perfect, she thought, no one here to get hurt. She saw Cat Noir finally arrive on the other side of the arena and they both jumped down, landing in the middle.
"What do you know so far, LB?"
"Only that she can trap people in photographs and then free them by ripping the picture apart. Except, they come out hating each other." Ladybug panted a little still trying to catch her breath. "She'll be here soon."
Cat Noir tackled Ladybug just in time for the beam to miss them. They rolled along the ground and Cat Noir ended up on top of Ladybug. "S-Sorry," he said nervously as he jumped up and helped Ladybug to her feet. "I don't think we should stand too close together for this one."
Ladybug nodded and they ran in opposite directions just in time to miss another shot of energy from Ripper. "Hold still!" Ripper called out to the duo. "I just want a picture of you together, that's all." Ripper began turning her picture side to side rapidly and shooting beams just in front of the parting teens, causing them both to stop and head the other direction.
Cat Noir saw Ladybug barreling his direction with beams on both their heels. He extended his baton and pole vaulted over her, far enough away to keep them from getting hit. "A little luck would be good right now," he pleaded as he flew over Ladybug's head.
"Cover me!" came the reply. Cat Noir turned and ran toward Ripper spinning his baton. Ripper turned and started firing at just Cat Noir with her beams bouncing off of his makeshift shield. "Lucky Charm!" Ladybug yelled, spinning her yoyo high in the air. A red and black spotted Swiss Army knife landed in her hand. "What am I going to do with this?"
Ripper and Cat Noir were now in hand-to-hand combat. "What... the..." Cat Noir began to say in shock as he noticed Ripper was holding a picture of Gabriel Agreste. Ripper took advantage of his shock and floored him with a kick to the chest, knocking him halfway across the arena.
"Cat Noir!" Ladybug yelled as she ran over to assist him. As soon as she got to him, the pair was enveloped by a black beam. They looked out in horror as they realized they were now in a photograph and all they could see is the blue sky. But, they were still aware and able to move around and talk.
"No!" Ripper heard over her shoulder and turned to see Alya holding her cell phone, recording the battle.
Ripper laughed as she picked up the photograph. "Any last words to your fans before I rip you apart and you hate each other?"
Ladybug quickly spotted Ripper's picture using her Ladybug Vision. "Do you thing, Cat Noir!" She whipped out the corkscrew on the knife holding it in her fist as Cat Noir called upon his Cataclysm, destroying the photograph they were trapped in. The duo appeared outside of the photograph, right next to Ripper. Ladybug grabbed her picture and punctured it with the corkscrew, setting the akuma free. "No more evil doing for you, little akuma." Ladybug caught the akuma and purified it. "Bye, bye little butterfly."
"Miraculous Ladybug!" she yelled as she threw the knife into the air. Ladybugs swarmed over Paris. Bob and Carol, who were still arguing, were covered by them and they leapt into each other arms. A black cloud shrouded Ripper momentarily, leaving Nathalie sitting on the ground and looking bewildered.
"Nathalie!" Cat Noir said in shock before he could stop himself. He leaned over and helped her up. "Are you okay?"
"I... I'm fine. Thank you." She smiled and blushed with embarrassment. She looked back at the fixed picture she still held in her hand and her heart broke all over again. How could he hurt me like that... and then use me?
Ladybug put her hand on Nathalie's shoulder. "Are you sure?"
Nathalie looked down and frowned. Fury began to build inside her. She looked back up at Ladybug and Cat Noir who still had concerned looks on their faces, worried she might get reakumatized. "I know who Hawk Moth is."
Alya had almost dropped her phone at that. "Stay here with her, Alya. Cat Noir and I have to recharge if we're going to fight Hawk Moth."
A minute later the duo returned to find Alya, as usual, interrogating Nathalie, whose normal reply was, "I don't remember."
"Gabriel Agreste," Nathalie announced as she pulled the picture of him close to her chest. The three teens' mouths dropped as did Alya's cell phone.
Alya picked it back up. "We need to hurry," Ladybug said as they took off for the Agreste Mansion. Cat Noir was unusually quiet on the way over.
"No!" Hawk Moth yelled. "I was so close this time. They were trapped and all she had to do was rip them apart. I'm going to rip her apart!" The window closed and Hawk Moth dropped his transformation.
He decided to stop at Emilie's coffin on the way back and had a small, one-sided conversation with her about how he just can't give up. The small conversation actually took about ten minutes.
As he returned from Emilie's coffin and gazed upon Emilie's picture, he felt something wrap around him. "That's enough, Hawk Moth," Ladybug said as she yanked him around with her yoyo. Gabriel spun around to see Nathalie, the Ladyblogger with phone in hand, Ladybug, and Cat Noir.
"How could you?" Cat Noir said just above a whisper? "How could you hurt all those people?" he said louder. "How could you hurt my friends?" he practically yelled. "Plagg, Claws In!"
Everyone was silent for what must've been at least two minutes looking at Adrien in shock. Even Alya didn't dare comment for the live stream audience. He was glaring at Gabriel. He was so furious he couldn't even speak, he just waved his hands around like a mad man. He finally grabbed Gabriel by the tie and was shocked again when it came off effortlessly, revealing his miraculous. He quickly grabbed the miraculous and flung it across the room to Ladybug.
Gabriel's face fell. He had been in such shock to learn that Adrien really was Cat Noir that he failed to act while he could and transform into Hawk Moth again for the fight. He hung his head. "It... It was for you mother," he whispered.
Adrien's face contorted. "What does my mother have to do with you wreaking havoc on all of Paris?"
"I can bring her back. I can make all of this have never happened. I just need yours and Ladybug's miraculous to make a wish, son."
"So, you really were after the wish," Ladybug replied. "I thought you might be, after the Robostus battle. But... there's a price to be paid. If you make it where Emilie never disappears, then someone else will disappear. The universe must stay in balance."
"She's not missing... She's... She's in the basement. She used a broken miraculous one too many times. I... I was going to wish she had never used it that last time. How... How could that hurt anyone else? It should only undo everything I've done since then."
"I don't know what the consequence would be for that," she admitted. "I just know there would be a consequence. Do you really want to take that chance? What... What if Adrien being hurt... or disappearing... was the consequence?"
Gabriel's eyes shot up and he looked between Adrien and Ladybug. "I... I could never live with myself," he finally admitted.
"I'm sorry... father," Adrien said breathily as he was still trying to calm himself down. "But, you need to let her go." He looked back at Nathalie and then to Gabriel. "I know someone who might still be willing to help you heal... besides me of course."
Gabriel looked up at Nathalie who was blushing. "If... if she can wait for me," he said, letting his eyes fall to the floor. "I-I don't know how long I'm going to be in prison, after all." Sirens were just barely audible in the distance and growing louder.
"I'm sorry father. But, all actions have consequences." Adrien turned and walked to Nathalie. "It's up to you if want to wait for him."
The police left with Gabriel and Nathalie turned to the teens. "The Peacock Miraculous is in the safe behind the portrait." She turned and left the mansion, for the last time.
Alya, Adrien, and Ladybug were staring at the portrait. Adrien pulled it open as he had done previously. "Plagg, if you don't mind." Plagg flew into the safe and opened it from the inside. Ladybug took the Peacock Miraculous and the book. Adrien took the picture of his mother.
"Surprise!" Adrien said weakly as he rubbed the back of his neck and glanced between Ladybug and Alya's cell phone. Ladybug cupped his cheek with her hand and mustered enough courage to give him a kiss. "M-My Lady!" Adrien's hand flew up to cover his mouth. He could still feel the pressure of her lips on his. Alya stifled her desire to make gushing noises. She was a LadyNoir shipper, but also an Adrienette shipper. So, she was torn between which ship to root for at that moment.
"Tikki, Spots Off," she whispered. A very nervous Marinette was now standing in front of Adrien as his mouth opened and closed several times with no words coming out. Alya dropped her phone again and retrieved it just in time to finish filming. "Is... Is it okay... that it's me?" she finally got the courage to ask.
"Okay? Much, much, much more than okay!" he exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground in an embrace. It was his turn, and he pressed his lips onto hers as they melted into each other. He never knew he could have such a wide range of emotions in such a short period of time.
Alya finally allowed herself to gush into her live stream. "My ships! Both my ships! They're... they're... they're the same ship!" Marinette and Adrien couldn't help but overhear and smile, breaking the kiss.
Marinette gazed deeply into Adrien's eyes as he sat her back on her feet, making sure she was stable enough to support her own weight before completely letting go. Marinette and Adrien turned to Alya, "That's more than enough, Alya," Adrien stated. "I think you have enough for your Pulitzer."
Alya smiled at the screen. "You heard it here first," she winked and then stopped the live stream. She turned back to Marinette and Adrien. "Girl, you got some explaining to do."
"I know... I will... I promise. But... Adrien and I need some privacy, please." Alya winked at Marinette and left the mansion to track down Nino to tell him EVERYTHING that had happened.
"I... uh... I guess we should return these to Master Fu," Adrien pondered out loud.
Marinette picked up the two miraculouses and the book. "Yes, we should. Please... come with me?" Adrien nodded and the teens walked out the mansion together.
"Come in," Master Fu said with a smile as the two teens entered his house. "Congratulations on defeating Hawk Moth."
"You know?" Marinette asked and cocked her head to the side, "But, how?"
"I was watching the live stream on the Ladyblog," Master Fu announced with a smirk. His eyes lit up at the sight of both of the lost miraculouses. Master Fu took the items from Marinette and announced, "Tikki, Plagg, come out and say your good byes."
Tikki flew up in front of Marinette and Plagg in front of Adrien. Both teenagers inhaled sharply and covered their quivering lips as tears began to stream down their eyes. They thought that perhaps... just perhaps... Master Fu would let them keep their miraculouses... for a little while at least. Everything was happening just... way too fast. They were already emotionally drained from learning Hawk Moth's identity and having him hauled away. All they could do was shake their heads violently side to side in disbelief that the rest of their worlds were being torn apart now.
"Don't cry, Marinette," Tikki said softly. "You have Adrien now."
"Buck up kid," Plagg said gruffly. "You finally got the girl of your dreams... both of them."
Master Fu retuned and held out his hands. It was easy to tell he hated this part of his job, but it was still part of his job.
"Good bye Plagg," Adrien whispered as he slipped off his ring and Plagg disappeared.
"Oh, Tikki. I'm so going to miss you," Marinette whispered between whimpers while trying to breathe. She took off her earrings and Tikki disappeared.
The teens handed over their miraculouses to Master Fu who placed them back into the Miracle Box and returned it to its hiding place.
Master Fu heard his door slam shut as the teens ran out, flying down the street with tears streaming out their eyes. They ran all the way back to Adrien's empty mansion so they could be alone and try to process everything that had happened that afternoon.
They ran right past Nadja Chamack who was covering Gabriel's arrest during a live on-the-scene report. "It looks like our two heroes have returned," she announced, prompting more television stations to send crews. Adrien and Marinette's classmates also arrived. The group steadily grew larger, waiting for the heroes to reemerge.
Adrien and Marinette were held up in Adrien's room for what felt like days. "Ugh..." Marinette protested, "It's only been three hours?" She got up from her comfortable position on the sofa under Adrien's arm and walked over to the window. "They're still there."
"Well, we're out of Kleenex... and personally, I don't think I have any tears left. I know we've hardly said two words since we ran out of Master Fu's, but... my throat is raw. Would you like a glass of water?"
"Please." Adrien left the room and returned a minute later with two glasses of water. "Thank you," Marinette said with a blush as she took the glass from his outstretched hand. "We need to talk about what we're going to say to everyone out there."
"Not really. I'm sure you'll know what to say when we finally do face them." Adrien hesitated for a few seconds. "I think we need to talk about us. The rest of the world can wait. I know you said you liked someone else. So, I just need to know..."
"It was you," Marinette interrupted. Adrien stumbled back a few steps and had to use his hands to find the sofa before his legs gave out and he ended up sitting on the floor. "It turns out... I was rejecting you, because I was waiting for you to notice me." Marinette sat down beside him and placed her hand on his cheek. "Please forgive me."
"And I..." Adrien blushed and covered his mouth for a bit. "I was so in love with you, that I couldn't let myself see you as anything more than a friend. I... I'm the one who needs to beg for forgiveness, not you."
"Okay... so we both need forgiveness, then. What a pair we turned out to be." Marinette shook her head and looked into Adrien's eyes. "I forgive you for thinking I was just a friend."
"I forgive you for rejecting me in hopes of me noticing you." Adrien leaned in and kissed Marinette. She returned the kiss and the two of them fell into a tight embrace. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I've noticed for a while now that you act nervous around me. If it's because you like me, then I'd like to take you out to the movies and for ice cream."
Marinette giggled. "Adrien Agreste, I would love to go out with you... provided you act the way you really want to act and not how you think other people think you should act."
Adrien smiled. "I guess it's a date then, Purrincess." Marinette hit him lightly on the chest and then leaned in and nuzzled his neck. "There's... uh... just one more question I have to ask." Marinette sat back up and looked deep into his eyes, holding her breath. "Will... Will you be my girlfriend?"
"YES!"
The teens were bombarded once they had collected themselves enough to venture out. Adrien felt bad for Marinette since she wasn't use to all the attention and cameras.
"It's okay," Marinette reassured him. "I expected this after I knowingly let Alya continue live streaming our reveal." She turned to the crowd, summoned her inner courage, and announced, "Hawk Moth is gone. So are Ladybug and Cat Noir. We've returned our miraculouses and they are safe. They are where they are supposed to be. Adrien and I would like some time to process everything that has happened today. We have a lot of adjusting to do to just be able to be normal teenagers again." Marinette spotted her parents in the crowd. "To our friends and family, please understand we could not tell you for your own safety. It's a reflection of how much we cared about you instead of a reflection of how much we thought you could be trusted. We need you now, more than ever. To the press, please give us some time, you'll get your interviews... eventually."
"Adrikins!" they heard and looked at each other. "Adrikins, why didn't you tell me you were Cat Noir? I would've been much nicer to him if I had known. And... Marinette... of all the people I thought could possibly have been my idol, you were at the bottom of the list. I-I'm sorry. You were nice to me with and without the mask and I... I only chose to see the Ladybug side of you as worthy of being my friend."
"It's okay, Chloe. You did good as Queen Bee. You really did help us out a lot." Marinette smiled at Chloe, hoping this would be the end of the bullying as Chloe tended to backslide even after becoming Queen Bee.
"We're just missing Rena Rouge and Carapace," Adrien announced.
"Uh... That'd be us," Alya announced as she pulled Nino closer. "But... Marinette already knew that."
Adrien turned to look at Marinette while Chloe face-palmed herself in the background. Of course it was them, he thought. Who else would it be if Marinette was Ladybug? "Okay," Adrien confessed, "they make sense. But, how on earth did you trust Chloe enough to be Queen Bee given your history with her?"
Chloe blushed and looked away at that remark. "I... I found the miraculous after my mom was defeated and we had to walk down the Eiffel Tower," she confessed.
"Yeah, that explains the first time you transformed and then got akumatized into Queen Wasp, but after that..." Adrien looked back to Marinette.
"After that..." Marinette began, "was when we threw the party because Chloe was leaving the school to go to New York with her mother and... I called her useless." Marinette looked away, ashamed of her actions. "You told me no one was useless and that you couldn't celebrate Chloe leaving because of the circumstances. I... I needed someone who wouldn't be impressed with the fact that the akuma victim was the mayor. Chloe was the best choice and even the guardian questioned my choice." Marinette turned and looked Chloe in the eyes to drive home the next point. "I told the guardian that being Ladybug made me a better Marinette and that being Queen Bee might make you a better Chloe."
Chloe ran over to her father and whispered in his ear. "Of course darling," he whispered back and then announced, "We're going to have a celebration for our five heroes. To give them time, we're going to do it on the anniversary of the first akuma attack, in six months."
Adrien mouthed a thank you to Chloe and then wrapped his arms around Marinette. The couple looked over at Alya and Nino who were swarmed with the press and being asked questions about their part in helping save Paris. Alya was loving it, and Nino was letting her do ALL the talking.
Marinette's parents walked up to the teens. Adrien let Marinette go and she jumped into a group hug with them. Tom motioned for Adrien, who happily joined in. After the embrace, Marinette smiled brightly and announced, "Mama, Papa, Adrien and I are dating."
Tom looked over to Adrien and put an arm around him. "Son... do you need anything? Even a place to stay?"
"Sir, I don't need a place to stay... But, I'd sure love one until I can get moved out of this oversized prison."
The four of them left the crowd and walked home. Marinette remembered what day it was and took Adrien's hand. Leaning into his arm and resting her head on his shoulder, she whispered, "Happy Valentine's Day."
"Happy Valentine's Day."