It was getting late into the evening and Marinette was rearranging the pillows on her bed for the fifth time when Tikki spoke up.
"Marinette, what are you doing?" the kwami asked as the young girl took a step back away form the bed and admired her work.
"Today's the day Mr. Francois' step daughter is coming to stay with us."
"What does that have to do with the pillows?"
"Well, I want to make a good first impression." The girl smiled.
The kwami sat down on Marinette's shoulder.
"Why is she staying with your family, Marinette?"
"Well, Dad said that Mr. Francois is going on his honeymoon, but his new wife's child can't go with them. Plus she's new to France, it'll be good for her to stay with us instead of being by herself in a new country."
"That was very kind of your father."
"Mm hmm." The girl nodded in agreement.
"Marinette, she's here!" Sabine called from downstairs. The girl hid her kwami in her purse and ran down the steps. Outside was a yellow taxi cab. Marinette was practically vibrating with excitement to meet her new roommate. The door opened and a teenager stepped out. They had long purple dyed hair that was tossed up into a pony tail, a black choker necklace with a large green opal in the center, a flowing tank top, skinny jeans with chains hanging from the belt loops and knee high gothic boots.
Marinette stared at the child as they got their bags from the back of the taxi and paid the driver.
"Look on her shirt!" Tikki exclaimed. Dead center on the roommate's baggy tank top was a heart with a ladybug print.
"Hello, you must be Xaviere. Please come inside, Tom, Marinette help her with her bags." Sabine told her husband and daughter, as she shook Xavier's hand. Xavier looked a little confused to Marinette but maybe that was just the language barrier.
"No really, It is okay…. I am strong." Xavier gave the family an awkward smile. Xavier's Quebecois accent was heavy and the grammar wasn't quite all there.
The family looked at each other, then they looked at Xavier who was dragging the bags with great difficulty. Marinette smiled and helped them carry the bags up into her room.
"This. Is. Where. You. Will. Be. Sleeping." Marinette tried her best to slow down when she spoke. Xavier look at the room and the photographs of Adrien caught their eye. Xavier walked over to the pictures and pointed at them.
"You love?"
Marinette turned bright red and shook her head no.
"I mean like, he is really nice, and really handsome, and he always has something nice to say to everyone, even people he doesn't like, he's such a good-" Marinette stopped when she realized that she was talking a million miles a minute.
Xavier started to laugh and gave the girl a smirk that made Marinette think of Chat Noir for a moment.
"You really love!" Xavier said while flopping down on the bed. "You where sleep?"
Marinette processed the last comment trying to make sense of it, then attempted to explain.
"I. Am. Going. To. Sleep. In. the. Bed." She said while making hand gestures that described each word. Xavier looked at her confused.
"Me tired on floor?" Xavier asked. Marinette smiled and shook her head.
"Bed. Is. Big….we. share?" Xavier turned bright red as they asked the question.
"Yes." Marinette said while opening the floor panel that lead downstairs.
"I'll let you get changed." She said while exiting the room. As soon as the panel closed a little green kwami emerged from one of Xavier's bags.
"Why are you playing dumb, Xavier!" The green kwami scolded.
"Chill out Sal, It's not like I'm hurting anyone by pretending that I don't speak French." Xavier said while rummaging through their bags.
"You told them that you were a girl!" the kwami protested.
"Hey, that's on them, I never said that I was a woman." Xavier swatted at the kwami.
"But you did ask Marinette to sleep in the same bed as you! I won't allow you to do it, it's-" the kwami stopped his lecture when he heard a floor board creek.
"Don't worry Sal, I won't do anything. I promise." The boy smirked. The kwami rolled his eyes as he climbed back into one of the bags.
Xavier grabbed a pair of track pants and a 'Jagged Stone' band shirt and put them on. He stared at himself in the mirror and sulked.
"Damn, do I really look that much like a girl?" The floor panel opened.
"Good, you're dressed." Marinette had brought up some cookies from the bakery.
Xavier turned around and smiled.
"Mom and Dad told me to bring you some welcoming-"
"allergies. Chocolate. No" Xavier said as he retreated to the bed.
"Oh. Well I can go get you something else, if you want." Marinette said while trying to keep her spirits up.
"How about we play a game… Game. Gaaaame." The girl suggested, "I'll ask you some easy questions, okay."
((In English)): "Alright." The boy agreed.
"How old are you?" Marinette asked.
"16 and you?"
"15. What school do you go to?"
"Collège Françoise Dupont" he responded
"Me too. But aren't you too old?"
"Grades bad."
Marinette giggled at the abrupt answer.
"So, Where do you live?" the girl asked
Xavier folded his arms, looked around then shrugged.
"Here?" he replied.
"No I mean, where is your house?" Marinette tried to clarify.
"here." He replied. Marinette gave up on that question.
"What is your favorite animal?" She asked.
"Bugs." He replied very quickly.
"What is your favorite bug?" Marinette was happy that 'she' was starting to warm up to her.
"Dragonfly." He replied.
"They are very pretty." Marinette smiled, Xavier looked away as his face started to turn red.
"I am sleep." Xavier said while uncovering the bed and crawling under the blankets. He moved to that he was facing the wall.
"I guess it is getting late." Marinette said, a little disappointed that their conversation had ended. She walked over to the light switch, and Tikki popped out of her purse.
"I don't trust that girl. She seems off." Tikki whispered.
"She doesn't speak much French, and she is spending the night at a complete stranger's house. It'll be fine Tikki." Marinette turned off the light.
