Author's note:

This is the literary equivalent of a doodle, I don't have any plans for it. I could reconsider if anyone wants me to but... meh.

This was actually born because I was researching Fashion Week for The True Agreste and one of the places was Milan. I kept hearing "Milan darling, Milan" over and over like a song lyric stuck in my head. So yeah. There is an Incredibles reference in here.

How the frack did I kinda-sorta make a MariChat? I like Ladrien much better, but I suppose all the good stuff happens in MariChat anyway... *sigh*

I own nothing.

Chat Noir and Ladybug stood in front of the small woman. She gestured to a picture of Adrien wearing her design on the wall,

"Supermodels! Hah!" she swung her arms, animatedly expressing her distaste. "Nothing super about them; spoiled, stupid little stick figures with poufy lips who think only of themselves! Fah!" Her grating voice and vaguely European accent changed from dismissive to power-hungry awe,

"I will now design for GODS!" Adrien could barely contain his laughter, oh the irony! This so-called 'spoiled stick figure' was one of the very same 'gods' that she was so excited to design for. Ladybug however was shaking with suppressed outrage.

"See here, the red-clad hero leaned down and poked the tiny giant of the fashion world in the chest, "I know that 'stupid stick figure' and happen to be good friends with him!" This was news to Adrien, so far as he knew he had only spoken to Ladybug a few times as Adrien. It was rather strange (and exhilarating) that she would consider them 'good friends' when he was out of costume.

"He is kind, selfless, and smart. If you want us to commission you, then you need to pull your head out of your ass right now!" Chat stared slack-jawed at Ladybug. She had no clue she felt so strongly about his civilian self. Edna seemed taken aback at the heroine's sudden outburst, but rallied quickly.

"I am the foremost fashion designer in my field, and I will not be spoken to this way darling. I do not need you, if you can find another designer who will be half as good as I, then you can go right ahead." Chat recovered enough to say,

"I know someone who would be excellent for the job, she is an intern at the Gabriel fashion company. Her name is Marinette Dupain-Chang. Unless I'm wrong, she would be eager for the task, and would make designs that would give even your considerable talent a run for its money." This time, it was Ladybugs turn to stare in shock. Chat missed it however, and addressed Ladybug without taking his eyes off the tiny fuming designer.

"Do you agree M'lady?" Ladybug shook herself and muttered a quick affirmation. They left Edna in her cavernous living room and escaped to the roof.

"Well, we burned that bridge. How do we even know that Marinette will do it? I'm so stupid!" Chat facepalmed.

"I know that she would be thrilled to take the job, I wonder why I didn't think of it sooner." Ladybug giggled nervously. Chat falsely assumed she felt guilty about telling the woman off. He patted her on the shoulder.

"It's okay, that lady probably needed a kick in the butt anyway." She had never even met him as Adrien. Sure, most models were like that, but maybe she should've actually met him before she insulted him. "If you'd like, I can talk to Marinette for you so you can cool off."

Marinette bristled with nervousness. How was she supposed to design formalwear for herself and Chat? She kicked herself for insulting Mme. Mode.

"Hey, go home and relax okay? I'll take care of it!" With that he took off in the direction of her house. Ladybug panicked for a second and then gathered her wits. She would drop herself off and transform behind the bakery. Nobody, including a curious cat, would see her behind the dumpster of the bakery.

*MLMLML*

Marinette slipped into her room. Mari didn't have to fake the alarmed squeak when she heard a knock on her balcony door. Her nerves were frayed from their meeting with Mme. Mode, and rushing home. She opened the trapdoor and found a super hero trying to be nonchalant.

"Chat? What are you doing here?" Marinette inwardly cringed at her terrible acting skills.

"Can I come in? I need to ask you something." Chat grinned, he relished the opurrtunity to give her the chance of a lifetime.

" Sure, kitty. Jump down. " Chat landed lightly on a pink comforter. With it, was a giant cat pillow.

"You sleeping with another cat? I thought I was the heartthrob of Paris!" Chat said, nudging Marinette playfully.

"Marinette? Come here a moment, I'm sure you'll like this!" Sabine called.

"Be right there Maman!" She yelled. " Alright kitty, no scratching up my furniture while I'm gone. I'll be right back." she said as she scurried down her stairs toward the trapdoor that marked the edge of her domain.

Sabine had apparently wanted to show the press release of the Gala held in Ladybug and Chat Noirs honor. Marinette tried to act suitably surprised about the announcement, and excited that she would get to see so much raw fashion talent at the ball. She would be excited except that she would have to make one of the fashion masterpieces. Ugh, she was going to die of exhaustion!

When Marinette returned, she found Chat Noir looking at one of the many pictures of Adrien that she had on her wall.

"So, do you like the Fashion, or the model?" the cat grinned playfully.

"Shut up Cat! What are you doing looking at my pictures?" She barely remembered to tack on the last in her embarrassed and fuming state.

"You didn't say I couldn't look around!" Chat's eyes gleamed with puckish glee. "It's the model eh? Very pretty." He picked at his claws in a gesture of feigned nonchalance. " Kinda bland though, he seems like a meringue: pretty on the outside, nothing but air within. What do you see in him anyway?" Chat said somewhat curiously.

"If you only came here to insult Adrian, then you can get out! I don't care if you're some hotshot hero!" Marinette had two people insult Adrien now. She was not very patient at the moment.

"Calm down, calm down, I was just teasing you. Besides, I came here for a commission." She looked at him blankly, switching gears. Yes, the designs, right. Chat explained,

"Ladybug and I would like you to design formal wear for us so that we may attend the party in our honor. If you'd like, I could ask them to invite you as well. I could pay you handsomely for it, and I know you will do a fantastic job!" Marinette tried to look grateful for the 'honor' that Chat was giving her. He didn't know that she had specifically not mentioned herself because she knew that she would stress forever over the designs and would probably pull an all-nighter or two just before the celebration.

"Oh my goodness! What anhonor!" She said in her best star-struck voice.

" If it's alright with you, I would like to oversee the creation of our attire." Chat asked sheepishly.

She wanted to kick him to the curb and just do it, but she looked into his big, round, kitty-cat eyes and she just couldn't make herself say no.

"Fine! On one condition," He perked up noticeably. "you can't tell anyone about my crush."

Chat smirked slyly,

"Cats honor!"

*MLMLML*

"So… why do you like about Mr. Prince Meringue?" A week later Chat tried to say it as gently as possible, so as not to ruffle any more feathers. It was his second night here watching her work, and while he enjoyed watching her, he really needed to get this niggle out of his mind.

"Do you want the real answer or the least embarrassing one?" Marinette said, her head was bent farther over her sewing machine than she really needed to. She was hiding a blush no doubt.

"Lets start with least embarrassing and work our way out from there." He said, hiding his curiosity.

"Well, the least embarrassing thing is that he is rich, and famous, and he has big gorgeous green eyes. Just the reasons why everyone else likes him, and my crush goes no further than that." Her eyes rolled and her lips curled with mild distaste.

"Okay, so what's the real reason?" Chat was starting to become embarrassed that he had asked, and felt awkward in light of her reply so far. He soldiered on, the saying about curiosity and cats flashing though his mind.

"Well, at first I hated him. I thought that he was a crony of the class bully. Then he apologized and explained what had happened. He talked about how he hadn't really had any friends and that he was trying his best. What really got me was the kindness in his eyes, and his utter willingness to be friends after I had jumped to the wrong conclusions. During those first few months of infatuation, it was mostly to do with his looks, and a little to do with his personality" Adrien felt a burning in his throat, like he wanted to cry. Why would he have such a strong reaction to her words?

"But then I started to become more comfortable around him, and now I have a million reasons. Its because of the way he laughs, and the way that hope and friendship lights up his face, and because he is so willing to help others, he is really smart, he is a team player, and he wants to be the best but doesn't begrudge anyone their higher skill." Mari sighed a little. Chat was overwhelmed, he didn't know what to say, but she continued.

"You know, as much as I like him… I wish I didn't" Chat was taken aback.

"Why?" he said incredulously.

"Because he doesn't need a girlfriend. He needs a friend. I feel like my feelings are getting in the way of that, and that's not fair to him. I wish I could just turn my emotions off so I could actually be there for him. Help him out with life y'know?" Chat was touched that Marinette felt so strongly about him, and that she wanted to keep his best interests at heart despite what she felt. A warmth spread through him.

"He's got it rough. He is expected to be perfect at everything. His dad wears him too thin and Adrien just does it all without complaint. I think that his dad isn't so great at showing his love for him, I don't know if there is anything nefarious going on or if Gabriel is just a busy man, but I know that Adrien isn't getting the love and support that he needs. I think that Nino is doing his best to be a brother to him, but Alya and I can't really be his sisters while I am stuttering like an idiot!" her head landed on the desk and she started to smack her head against it in frustration.

Wow, was he really that easy to read? Yikes, she suspected his father of abuse. Gabriel had been cross of course, and he wasn't a very attentive father, but wow.

He turned his attention back on the girl who was still trying to beat the romance out of herself.

"You should spend more time with him." Chat said.

"WHAT?" Marinette spun to look at him, aghast.

"Erm… yeah. You could invite him over for videogames or food or movies or something. Not as a date, but as a friend. If you got used to being around him in a non-romantic mindset, maybe your romantic feelings will go away?" Chat felt sad for some reason, like he wanted her to have a crush on him. He didn't know why he felt like this, he loved ladybug, and while Marinette was adorable and kind, she wasn't Ladybug.

"How would I do that? I can't even talk to him! I stutter!" Marinette looked terrified.

"Okay, so how about you practice with me?" Chat asked, a mischievous smile playing across his lips. He grabbed a picture of himself from the desk and put it up in front of his face like a mask. The irony of the situation was not lost on the cat.

"Hi Marinette! I am Adrien, gorgeous model and sweetheart of Paris! What can my 'big gorgeous green eyes' do for you today?" Chat said it in a falsetto and a comically cheery tone, making his pretend civilian-self sound like a drag-queen.

Marinette laughed. Chat never heard a more beautiful sound.