A/N: I've been in a bit of an author's rut recently so I've decided to try writing about something new to really get those creative juices flowing again. I'm new to this fandom, so I might not have fully captured the character's likeness'.

Enjoy the story!

Hunger

Everything seemed normal when Marinette first woke up that morning. Her alarm blared obnoxiously as the morning sunlight somehow managed to bounce its way around her curtains, through her room and into her eyes. She groaned, rolling over so she was facing the wall and desperately tried to hit the snooze button without lifting her head.

"Marinette!" a high-pitched voice cried somewhere above her head.

Marinette groaned in response, finally hitting the snooze and shutting up the alarm. She then promptly tried to bury herself deeper under her covers instead of getting up.

"You have to wake up!" the voice admonished. "You'll be late for school if you don't wake up."

"Oh no, what a shame," Marinette murmured, burying her head into her soft pillows.

"Last chance, Marinette," the voice continued.

"Errgh," Marinette replied eloquently, swiping half-heartedly at the noise.

"Alright then," the voice sang smugly, before silence enveloped the room.

Marinette smiled to herself, eyes still closed, as she snuggled deeper into her warm bed. She had approximately ten seconds to enjoy it before an entire glass of water was upended over her face.

"Argh!" Marinette screamed, eyes wide open and spluttering as she sat bolt upright in her now cold and soaked bed. "What the- "

"I told you," the voice sang, and Marinette started at the large red bug-thing holding an empty glass of water over her.

Her first instinct was to panic, but fortunately she was awake enough to recall her new friend.

"Tikki!" Marinette yelled accusingly, wiping at her wet face "What was that for!?"

Tikki blinked innocently.

"But you told me to make sure you woke up in time for school today," Tikki said, slowly setting the cup down beside the bed. "That's why you put the cup there last night, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Marinette grumbled, rubbing her face sleepily as she climbed down the ladder from her bed. "Now I remember."

She groaned.

"I'm still not used to having someone else in my room, Tikki," she said, stretching idly. "But at least I can count on you to make sure I'm not late."

It had been just over a week since she had received her Miraculous, met Tikki and debuted as Ladybug, and things couldn't have been better. There had been three other akumas sent out by Hawkmoth since then and all three, she and Chat Noir had been able to take care of easily. The most recent of which had been last night. The city of Paris was beginning to trust in their resident superheroes and as a result, the two had becomes household names.

At that moment, her stomach grumbled loudly.

Rumble.

"You should hurry up!" Tikki's voice cut into her thoughts. "Your parents have already made breakfast and you've got a big day ahead of you."

Marinette hummed out an affirmative as she opened the trap door and went downstairs to have her morning shower. Tikki would wait for her in her purse. About fifteen minutes later she was dressed, clean and absolutely starving for her breakfast. Walking into the dining room, Marinette sat down at the kitchen counter where a surprisingly nice breakfast awaited her.

Her eyes sparkled as she eyed the plate of scrambled eggs, two freshly baked croissants and cereal laid out for her. Taking a moment to down her orange juice, Marinette devoured the food in front of her. As she was polishing off the last piece of scrambled egg from her plate, Marinette couldn't help but notice something odd.

Rumble.

She was still hungry. Ravenous in fact.

Marinette clutched at her stomach in confusion. It wasn't like she'd been eating oddly recently. She'd had a filling dinner at a reasonable hour.

'Oh well, not worth worrying about right now,' she thought as she stood up to get going. 'I'll just grab a couple of pastries from downstairs.'

Her parents were often very liberal with her taking day-old pastries from the bakery. After all they would otherwise throw them away the next day or donate them to some charity. Normally it wouldn't be more than a croissant or two to tide her over until lunch or to share with her best friend, Alya – the thought of having a best friend still made her feel a little giddy with happiness - but this time she felt like she could indulge herself a little more.

Rumble.

Looking around to make sure her parents weren't watching, Marinette stuffed several pastries into her schoolbag as well as a couple of cookies for Tikki.

Marinette soon finished packing her snacks into her bag, said goodbye to her parents and made her way outside. It was a beautiful new day in the most gorgeous city in the world and hungry or not, she was going to make the most of it.

Adrien looked down mournfully at his empty plate. It hadn't been a particularly small breakfast, yet he had demolished it with a frightening speed all the same. His father had never truly enforced a typical model diet on him, a fact Adrien was eternally grateful for, but he was beginning to wonder whether the meal actually had been smaller today and he simply hadn't noticed.

Rumble.

He looked down again at his plate, then glanced subtly to the side to peer at Natalie who was standing behind him and to the right. She was typing something out on her tablet. Maybe if he was quick he could get away with licking the crumbs off his plate. He normally wouldn't consider it, but today he was just hungry enough for any punishment for bad manners to be worth it.

Cautiously, he grabbed the plate with both hands. He dared another glance at Natalie. Still typing away. The coast was clear.

He lifted the plate.

"Here is your schedule for the day, Adrien."

Damn it.

Regretfully, he put the plate down and took the offending piece of paper presented to him. With a defeated look, he perused the schedule presented to him.

"Your morning is free so you can attend classes," Natalie explained as if he couldn't read. "There is a short photoshoot scheduled from one o'clock that will last two hours of which your school has already been informed. You also have your fencing lesson at five and your Chinese instructor has asked me to remind you that he wants those three sheets of homework done for his lesson tomorrow morning."

Great. More work he needed to do. He also had to sneak some more cheese out for Plagg. It was honestly horrifying how something so small could eat so much. Speaking of eating…

Rumble.

"Um, Natalie?" Adrien spoke up nervously. "Would it be possible for me to have something extra to eat for breakfast? I'm still quite hungry."

Natalie raised a perfectly threaded eyebrow.

"I'm sorry Adrien, but I cannot authorise you to eat any more than you've been given. Your father doesn't want you gaining any weight."

"I understand," Adrien sighed.

"Now get going, your chauffeur is waiting for you outside."

Adrien slumped his way out of the dining room, picked up his school bag and walked outside to his limo. The Gorilla - Adrien still didn't know his real name - courteously opened the door for him before driving him to school.

"Hey Plagg," Adrien whispered, discreetly opening his bag. "You in there?"

Inside his bag, his black kwami peered up at him with a look filled with annoyance.

"What? I was sleeping," Plagg said with a yawn. "We're not all freaks like you who get up early."

"I was just checking I hadn't left you behind," Adrien answered. "And I'd love to sleep in too, but Father wouldn't let me even if I didn't have school."

"Huh, sucks to be you," Plagg replied, before rolling over. "Now unless you're going to feed me, leave me alone. I'm trying to sleep."

Adrien shut the bag. It looked like he wasn't going to be able to distract himself from his gnawing hunger with conversation.

Rumble.

He winced.

"I wish someone would feed me," Adrien muttered, a hand on his stomach.

Marinette climbed the steps into the school just as she finished the third croissant she'd taken earlier. She was so busy debating to herself whether to have a fourth that she missed the figure waiting for her by the door.

"Mornin' girl!"

Marinette squealed.

"Alya! I didn't see you there!"

"Clearly," Alya replied, smiling like a shark at a buffet. "You'll never guess how popular the Ladyblog is getting! Although… you seem extra jumpy today. Done something you weren't supposed to?"

"W-what?! No!" Marinette shrank back as Alya advanced.

Would Alya think she was weird? What if she stopped being her friend because of it?

"Come on, you're a terrible liar and I'm a reporter."

Under Alya's even stare Marinette found her doubts give way to acceptance. Friends don't keep secrets from one another, right? (Except for one very important secret). If Alya finally thought Marinette was too weird to hang around with…

"O-ok," Marinette crumbled, gathering her courage and squatting down to open her backpack. "I was really hungry this morning so I may have taken a few more pastries from the bakery then I'm strictly allowed."

"That's it? I was hoping for something a little more… scandalous," Alya admitted, waggling her eyebrows down at her frowning friend.

"It's serious, Alya," Marinette said, taking another croissant from her bag and devouring it. "Maman and Papa will freak when they realise how much I took."

"Marinette, you're overreacting," Alya put her hand on her friend's shoulder and leaned forwards to look. "You can't have taken that many, holy-crap-that's-a lot!"

Her friend's backpack was jam-packed with all sorts of pastries to the point of overflowing. Alya squinted but was unable to see anything past the layers upon layers of bread. No schoolbooks, no sketchpads, no pencils, nothing besides even more bread.

Marinette looked anxiously between her friend and the bag.

"Is it bad? Tell me it's not that bad."

Alya gaped.

"'Not that bad'?" Alya repeated, eyes wide. "Have you got a small army you need feeding you haven't told me about? Jeez, can you even close the bag?"

Marinette looked at her bag with an intent, almost calculating gaze. Her eyes darted about before they lit up.

"If I eat three more pastries I can!" she replied brightly, quickly scarfing down another croissant.

Alya shook her head.

"I know you live in a bakery, but that much bread can't be good for you," she said sagely, folding her arms. "You should probably just throw it all away or even better, return it to the bakery."

Marinette looked up at Alya, her cheeks bulging with bread and crumbs around her mouth. She nudged the open bag towards her friend.

"I won't tell if you won't," Marinette bargained, mouth still full.

Alya evenly held her gaze.

Rumble.

"Deal," Alya said, bending down to help herself to the feast. "But we're gonna have a picnic with this stuff later."

Marinette nodded rapidly.

Neither of them noticed the limousine pull up just outside the school.

Adrien left his car and with a half-hearted wave to the driver, began to climb the school steps. Ordinarily he would just lurk about, try and avoid Chloe, and otherwise pass the time with his phone until Nino showed up. This time as he entered the school, a beautiful smell caught his attention. Turning around he saw Marinette and Alya eating pastries just by the doorway.

Rumble.

He winced. Why today of all days did they have to be eating such amazing-smelling food right by the door?

Adrien turned to walk away when he noticed the open bag beside them. The bag full of pastries. It was like all his senses became sharper. He could clearly see the contours and ridges of the pastries peeking out the top of the bag. He could smell the perfectly cooked golden-flakes that melt in your mouth, he heard the satisfying crunch of the shell give way to the softer tender dough beneath, he could practically taste the sweetness in the air as the two girls savoured their food.

Rumble.

This was torture.

I-it would be weird to just go up and ask for one, right? He wasn't sure. He had only been at this school for just over a week. He didn't know anyone that well besides Chloe and Nino. Marinette and Alya were practically strangers to him, it would be awkward if he just straight up asked for a pastry and he didn't want them to hate him. The only reason he was at this school was to make friends and so far, his friend count had only increased by one. He didn't need any enemies.

But on the other hand, he was really hungry.

Wracked by indecision, Adrien shifted from one foot to the other. He settled for sitting down on some nearby steps, sending occasional glances towards the two girls. There was still ten minutes until they had to be inside for class, he could last until then.

Rumble.

He got out his phone, opening some game app. Anything to distract him from his growling stomach. He tried to focus, but every breath in he took was like being struck in the face by the delicious aroma he was trying to ignore.

He bit down on his finger.

"Sup, dude?"

A hand clasped him hard on the back. Adrien started and immediately put down his phone.

"Hey, Nino!" Adrien smiled as his friend sat down beside him. "You're a little late today."

"And you're actually here!" Nino countered. "No photoshoots scheduled for this morning I see."

"Yeah, but I have one this afternoon," Adrien replied, his smile fading. "So, no lunch together today."

"Bummer, don't know how you survive without my incredible charm."

"Well it isn't easy," Adrien admitted, smirking at his friend. "But I think I'm finally adapting."

"Yeah, hey what's that smell?"

Nino looked over and soon caught sight of the girls.

"Woah! Marinette brought treats!" he said excitedly. "Come on dude, let's get some!"

Nino immediately stood up, walking over towards the girls. Adrien trailed meekly behind him.

"B-but wouldn't that be rude?" Adrien asked. "I mean I don't really know them."

"No sweat, Marinette and I go way back," Nino answered smoothly. "We've known each other since kindergarten! Besides, she's like the nicest person in the world; there's no way she won't give us one."

Adrien recalled the fury with which the girl had yelled at him and grimaced.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that."

Yet Nino approached the two fearlessly.

"Hey girls, couldn't help but notice that delightful smell," he said, smiling at the two. "Might two hungry paupers such as ourselves partake in this bounty?"

Alya smirked.

"I hardly think you and Agreste count as paupers. But it's not up to me, these pastries are from Marinette's parent's bakery," she declared looking over at her friend. "Isn't that right, Mari-Marinette?"

Marinette's eyes were wide with panic as they stared directly at Adrien.

"Would it be alright for us to have some?" Adrien addressed Marinette, feeling a little awkward "I can pay if that's the problem…"

"W-WHAT?!" Marinette shrieked, face red. "No-no-no! Totally have as many pastries as you want, they're on me! Well not literally on me, I mean you wouldn't eat them if they were on me, I-I-I mean-you're-on-me, I-mean-you're-great, I-mean, take-me, I-MEAN-TAKE-THEM!"

Marinette thrusted the bag towards the two startled boys.

"Err, thanks Marinette," Nino smiled, taking a couple.

Adrien then stepped forward, ignoring the little squeak Marinette made as he did so. Feeling incredibly bad, but not sure exactly why, Adrien grabbed a few pastries.

"Thanks, Marinette. You're the best," he said, before he and Nino walked away with a smile and a wave.

Face redder than Ladybug's suit, Marinette shyly waved back.

Alya looked between Adrien and Marinette, and then back again.

"Girl, you can stop waving now," she said with a smirk. "Adrien's gone. Hello? Earth to Marinette?"

Marinette sighed dreamily.

"He called me 'the best'."

Alya blinked.

"Wow, you have got it bad for Mr Model," she smiled, manually turning Marinette's head to look at her. "You can stop waving now."

Meekly, Marinette brought down her hand and tried to ignore the pointed look Alya was shooting her.

"So," Alya pushed, stretching the word out sinisterly. "How long have you been crushing on Adrien, then?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"HA!" Alya laughed. "You're really trying to deny it after that? You're head-over-heels for him!"

Marinette slumped down.

"I know," she muttered.

"What brought this on? Oh, was it the umbrella thing last week? Please tell me it was!" Alya jumped up and down excitedly.

"Y-yeah, that's where it began," Marinette admitted. "And it sucks!"

"Sucks?"

"Yeah, I just can't get rid of it! And every time I try and think that he's not that great, he does something nice and wonderful and my heart just explodes! And-and I can't stop thinking about him or things that remind me of him and just- it's like nothing else matters and it won't go away!"

Marinette punctuated her rant with a frustrated stamp of her foot that Alya privately thought was utterly adorable.

"Wait, is this your first crush?" Alya whispered excitedly, the biggest grin Marinette had ever seen on her face.

"Um, yeah," she shuffled her feet awkwardly. "I mean I've never felt like this before and it won't stop."

Alya meanwhile looked as if someone had just given her a basket of puppies.

"Oh, my dear sweet innocent Marinette, you don't just get rid of crushes," Alya explained, putting an arm around Marinette.

"Then how do you deal with them?" Marinette asked.

"You confront them!"

"What?! No that's a bad, bad idea!"

"Go ask him out."

"WHAT?! I-I can't do that!"

The ringing of the bell interrupted their conversation.

"We'll talk later," Alya promised. "Try not to stare during class, you'll scare poor sunshine-boy off!"

"Alya!"

Marinette made to run after her friend.

Rumble.

She clutched at her stomach.

Still?!

What was wrong with her today?

Marinette quickly grabbed another couple of pastries and began to eat as quickly as she could. She didn't want Miss Bustier to confiscate them or worse, be forced to give them away again. Nino may have been an old childhood friend, but she was really hungry.

Adrien had been an exception.

Marinette ran up the stairs, briefly licking the crumbs off her fingers and ready to begin another hopefully ordinary day at school.

"Excellent, Adrien," the director cooed like the model was a well-behaved pet, as the photographer continued taking picture after picture. "Turn a little more this way, yes-that's-perfect! Let us see your beautiful legs in those. Yes, yes, excellent!"

Adrien continued to pose with a smile on his face and did his best to ignore the cold. It was September, why was he modelling shorts? Oh right, it was sunny out today so it's not like anyone else would know this was done in the early autumn. He really didn't understand his Father's thought process and he definitely wasn't going to ask.

Rumble.

Adrien bit back a wince. Years of practice of standing still like a doll was the only thing that allowed him to prevent his discomfort from showing on his face. Even after having a hefty lunch with Nino earlier hadn't really dulled it. It was a good thing he'd gotten a few pastries from Marinette this morning, even if she had seemed reluctant, or he'd be feeling even worse.

Rumble.

Throughout all of morning classes he'd barely been able to focus. He'd literally started counting the minutes until the end when he could go to his photoshoot and maybe get something to eat. Unfortunately, this photoshoot was a small affair, so there was no catering available. There was nothing he could do but grit his teeth and bear the discomfort for the moment.

"Ok, that's a wrap, good work Adrien, as always!"

Salvation was at hand. Adrien could see Natalie at the back of the makeshift studio with his official lunch. What his Father didn't know about him getting lunch with Nino wouldn't hurt him.

He zeroed in on her, barely even stopping to give the director a courteous nod. Within seconds he was in front of her as she handed him his lunch. Natalie took out her tablet and began to speak as he opened his lunch container.

Adrien couldn't stop his face from falling. Inside was the tiniest, most pathetic kale salad that had ever existed on the planet. He was pretty sure even caterpillars wouldn't have considered it a filling lunch. Maybe his father really had ordered him to be put on a diet?

Of course, that didn't stop him from devouring it.

"Now, your Father has told me to inform you that an extra photoshoot has been called up for this evening. You're-," Natalie sighed, pushing her up her glasses. "Adrien, please mind your manners and eat properly, we are in a public place."

Adrien, with what was left of the salad dangling from his mouth, looked sheepish. He quickly sucked it up, ignoring Natalie's wince of disgust, and smiled meekly.

"Sorry Natalie," he apologised, before gathering his courage. "W-was that everything?"

To his surprise, Natalie's expression softened minutely.

"Are you feeling alright, Adrien? You look a little pale."

"I-I'm just hungry," Adrien admitted, a little sheepish. "I feel completely fine otherwise, but I've been really hungry all day today."

Natalie's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized his person. Adrien had to force his back to not straighten under her gaze and ignore the impulse to hide his ring behind his back.

"You don't seem completely fine. I'm scheduling a visit to your health specialist tomorrow morning," Natalie decided, typing at her tablet. "Whatever this problem is, we'll have it looked at immediately."

Adrien smiled.

"Thank you, Natalie," he said, grateful.

"I'll notify your father," she continued, not looking up from her tablet. "Your first photoshoot tomorrow was at eleven, so I'll schedule it for before then."

So instead of school then. Great. It seemed he was going to get even less opportunities to make more friends.

'This is for my health,' Adrien reasoned as Natalie briskly walked away. 'I can afford to miss it this one time. Nino would understand.'

This hunger didn't seem completely natural to him. If it wasn't for a complete lack of anyone else who seemed to be affected, he would have suspected an akuma. If it was just something as mundane as an odd illness though, then he could live with that.

Although with no akuma, he wouldn't see Ladybug.

Adrien was completely unaware of the dopey smile that crossed his face as he picked up his bag to head back to school.

The way the moonlight had reflected off her mesmerising eyes last night as they took out that akuma. That little smirk that sent shivers down his spine when she'd figured out the exact way to bring about the akuma's inevitable defeat. That kind, triumphant smile she shared with him -and only him- when they celebrated a job well done.

'Pound it.'

Fists bumping and that tiny little thrill through his spine at the fact that they were touching, before she pulled away and things returned to dull normality.

Adrien wasn't naïve or in denial about his feelings towards his partner. He had a massive filthy crush on his partner. Every little thing she said or did enraptured him and he'd spend hours later pouring over the tiniest detail he'd learnt about the person who was behind her mask.

Was this normal behaviour? Was he being creepy feeling like this? Adrien honestly had no idea. It wasn't like he could ask his father, and he certainly wasn't going to ask Natalie.

Nino, his only friend at school, would ask him who the girl was and Adrien would have no answer to that. That pretty much only left Plagg, and Adrien really didn't want to have that sort of talk with the gluttonous kwami.

Rumble.

Adrien bit back a groan as he slid into the backseat of the limousine.

"What's the matter?"

He blinked and looked down to see Plagg's curious face staring at him.

"Something's bothering you," Plagg stated confidently, rising to look him in the eye. "You know you should tell me if you're worried about something."

"I-I should?" he blinked in astonishment, as if the thought had never even occurred.

"What do you think I'm here for, genius?"

"Well, to give me superpowers?" Adrien admitted, giving a sheepish smile.

Plagg groaned.

"Look, I do have other uses than just 'giving you superpowers'," Plagg grumbled. "It could have just been the ring and an instruction pamphlet, but no – I'm here as well."

"And I thank God, every day," Adrien muttered.

"And the reason," Plagg continued like he had said nothing. "Is because in addition to 'giving you superpowers' is so that you have someone to talk to."

"Someone to talk to?"

"You humans are pretty delicate, so obviously having someone as amazing as me around to talk to can make you feel better."

Rumble.

Adrien winced, clutching at his stomach. It seemed to be getting worse.

"Yeah well, I don't think talking is going to solve this problem."

"Why not?"

"I'm just… ill," Adrien said. "I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow."

Plagg gave him a critical look-over.

"You're not ill," he said, and it was with such a matter-of-factness Adrien almost believed him. "Believe me, magical being here. I would know if my Chosen was ill."

"You actually can tell when I'm ill?"

"Yep!" Plagg puffed his tiny chest out proudly. "And I can help you fight off all but the worst kinds. Chat Noir can't afford to get sick."

"Woah, that's so cool," Adrien said sincerely. "That must be true for Ladybug as well. Wait, all 'but the worst'? Have I got something terminal?"

Panic gripped at his heart for a moment before Plagg chuckled.

"If you were dying, I'd know for certain," Plagg declared.

"Then what's wrong with me?" Adrien asked. "Why am I so hungry all the time?"

"Huh? Oh, that's starting already is it? I guess Hawkmoth has been running you guys ragged."

"Wait, you know what this is?!" Adrien almost yelled, quickly looking out to his driver to check he hadn't noticed. "You know why this is happening?"

"Of course, it's perfectly normal," Plagg said, before holding out his stubby paws expectantly. "However, I'll tell you more for some camembert."

Adrien groaned, rooting around in his bag for the small supply he always kept with him, (tightly wrapped of course). But his hands only came up with empty packaging.

"What?!" Plagg yelled, flying into the bag. "Where is it? Where's the rest? I know I didn't eat all of it!"

Adrien froze.

Plagg suddenly stopped his frantic searching and looked up at Adrien, who suddenly found the scenery out the window very interesting.

"Adrien."

He ignored the tiny god.

"Adrien."

He looked only to see two tiny green dots, inches from his own eyes.

"I-didn't-do-it!"

He immediately snapped his mouth shut. Sometimes he wished he was a better liar. Plagg just stared at him, green eyes blazing.

"Adrien," Plagg spoke in a tone much softer than he expected. "You hate camembert."

"I know."

Rumble.

Plagg sighed, floating down to land on Adrien's knee. He looked up at the boy, his tail swinging lazily behind him.

"You'll be fine, Adrien," he spoke. "It's just your body adapting to the Miraculous, there is nothing wrong with you."

"I'm adapting?"

What did that mean? Before Adrien could question Plagg any further, the car pulled up to the school and his chauffeur stood up to open his door.

"I'll explain when you get home," Plagg continued. "But I promise you, Adrien. You aren't ill and you will be fine."

Adrien smiled.

"Thank you, Plagg. That really means a lot."

"Well don't get used to it. You'd better feed me when we get back."

Marinette bit her bottom lip anxiously as she waited for her parents to finish dinner. Her own plate had been polished clean nearly eight minutes and forty seconds ago, not that she was counting. Marinette had had proper table manners drilled into her by her parents for as long as she could remember, but she was seriously considering breaking a majority of them right now and leaving just so she wouldn't have to listen anymore.

Every chew and swallow and gasp of delight attracted her attention like water to a dying man in a desert. Her eyes darted left and right, focusing on each morsel of food that went down her parents' mouths. She nervously wrung her fingers together under the table, trying to find something to occupy her trembling hands with.

What was wrong with her?

This was not normal. People don't just become this hungry out of nowhere!

Marinette did her best to ignore that angry, bitter feeling that welled within her at the sight of the amount of food that still lurked on her papa's plate. Her papa was a large man. A large man with a busy work schedule and a job that could be very physically demanding at times. She had never questioned him getting the lion's share of the family meals that they shared before – she'd never needed to, she'd been more than satisfied with what she had. But now though…

Her eyes remained irrevocably glued to each morsel before it vanished into his jaws.

Rumble.

"Maman?" she spoke up nervously. "May I please have some more?"

"No, Marinette," her mother responded sternly. "You're not having any more dinner."

Marinette bit her bottom lip to stop herself from arguing. Knowing her parents, it wouldn't work.

"Marinette," she immediately recognised her father's gentle scolding tone. "You've already had plenty to eat today. You took all the day-old pastries, remember?"

"Y-yes, papa," she replied, unable to deny it. "But it wasn't like I ate them by myself."

"True, but you should have asked us first," her mother chastised. "We normally give them to Mlle Cassin, and you know she needs them more than you do."

Guilt sank its claws into Marinette's chest. Mrs Cassin worked for a local charity who supplied homeless people with food. They usually contributed quite a bit of food every week day. Almost all of which she had taken, and devoured, this morning.

"S-sorry, Maman," Marinette said sincerely, trying to ignore the delicious smells wafting from her parent's plates.

It was like siren song. Dividing her focus and keeping her eyes glued to their plates.

"I-I wasn't thinking."

"That's quite alright," she replied. "But I think having you go to bed a little bit hungry tonight will make sure the lesson sticks."

"It was a very thoughtless thing you did," her father agreed. "Mlle Cassin was very upset. You will go apologise to her personally tomorrow, after school"

"Yes, papa."

A few minutes later and dinner was finished. Marinette could do nothing but salivate, eyes hopelessly locked on to the leftovers as her mother put the still half-full pot in the fridge. Sabine caught her daughter's desperate gaze and frowned.

"Go do your homework, Marinette."

Her tone broke no argument.

Rumble.

Feeling dejected, Marinette trudged up to her room and shut the trap door behind her. Maybe doing her homework would take her mind off things.

She sat down and pulled out her books on the Reformation. She needed to get started on this essay.

"Marinette?" Tikki's soft voice called.

Marinette looked up to see the Kwami sitting on top of her computer screen, blue eyes watching her with concern.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, Tikki," Marinette mumbled, trying to focus on reading her textbook. "Just hungry."

Tikki flew down leisurely to land on Marinette's shoulder.

"Are you upset about your punishment?" Tikki nuzzled the side of her chosen's head.

Marinette closed her eyes and leaned in, relaxing at the gentle sensation. It was a quiet moment. A brief but needed sanctuary against the constant whirlwind this day had been.

"A little," she admitted, a wistful smile on her face. "But I was in the wrong; I should have asked first."

"I'm very proud of you for admitting that, Marinette," Tikki said cheerfully. "You have a big heart."

"But an even bigger stomach apparently," Marinette muttered tiredly, drained from the day. "I'd never felt that hungry before, Tikki. I didn't even think, I just had to eat something. My stomach was hurting so much and I needed it. I'd- Tikki?"

Tikki had stopped nuzzling. Marinette opened her eyes to look down at the suddenly silent Kwami.

"Tikki?"

"Oh no."

Marinette started as Tikki flew straight in front of her face.

"W-what's wrong?"

"Marinette, this is not your fault," Tikki said firmly. "It's purely on me. I didn't realise it had started this early."

Marinette's head whirled. She hadn't seen Tikki this animated since she first trapped her in that glass.

"What has started this early?!"

Rumble.

She clutched at her stomach with a pained gasp. That one hurt really bad. Marinette focused on her breathing. In, out. In, out. In, out. The pain slowly faded to the throbbing ache that she'd had all day.

"I'm so sorry, Marinette. This is my fault."

Marinette didn't have the will or the energy to be angry. She just felt tired and fed up with the whole situation.

"Just-just please tell me what's happening," Marinette pleaded, sinking into her chair and clutching at her stomach.

"It's a side-effect of the Miraculous," Tikki explained, landing on the desk in front of her. "All the extra superhuman activity and abilities, the Lucky Charms and Miraculous Ladybugs, they all take energy. Energy that your body doesn't currently have, but needs."

Marinette blinked, drinking this in.

"So, I'm hungry because my body is trying to replenish the energy I use as Ladybug?"

"Yes," Tikki admitted. "The Miraculous gives you the powers, but your body needs to be able to use them. And to use them it needs energy. You've been transforming every other day and using Miraculous Ladybug to restore the damage each time."

That made sense. Since Stoneheart, Hawkmoth had been relentless. Would that mean he was suffering from this weird hunger thing too?"

"All that takes a large amount of energy. An amount you're not getting anywhere near enough with your current diet. The Miraculous can supply most of it, but your body is still going to need to give its fair share."

"So… how much is enough?" Marinette asked warily. "No matter how much I ate today, it was never enough. It still hurt…"

"With the current rate at which you're having to transform," Tikki mentally did the comparisons in her head. "You may have to eat up to six times as much as normal, maybe even more."

"S-six times?" Marinette gasped, sitting up. "That's way too much! How am I going to manage that?! There's no way I could sneak that past my parents! That's-that's like two whole family's worth of food! How would we even afford that?!"

"I don't know," Tikki answered. "But it won't be forever. Once your body has changed and adapted fully to the Miraculous then you'll only need to eat half of that at most."

"Oh, so only one family's worth of food, great. So much better!"

Marinette grabbed at her pigtails as she tried not to panic.

"It takes time," Tikki admitted. "Your body needs to adjust to the Miraculous. Once you've finished adjusting it shouldn't be so bad. Until then you'll need to fuel both your activity as Ladybug and the changes your body will go through."

Marinette gaped in horror.

"Ch-changes? Like in 'The Fly'?!"

Images flowed out of Marinette's head like a leaky faucet, each more bizarre than the last. Her head welded onto the torso of a giant ladybug. Antennae growing out of her head and people pointing and screaming. Adrien sitting down next to her only to look up and see a giant drooling ladybug head on her body and he could never love a freakish mutant ladybug girl and would go and marry Chloe instead and Marinette would be carted away by the government and never see anyone again-

"Err… Marinette?" Tikki asked carefully, looking at her chosen whose face was frozen in exaggerated horror at images only she could see.

"NO!" Marinette suddenly screamed, holding her head in her hands. "I don't want to become a giant mutant ladybug and terrorise the city at Chloe and Adrien's wedding! Tikki, there's a way to stop this right?!"

The ancient god blinked, that was a new reaction. Privately, she marvelled to herself how each human she chose managed to be so utterly unique and distinct from one another.

"You're not going to become an actual ladybug, giant or otherwise," Tikki lectured calmly, though also trying not to giggle. "Your superhuman abilities as Ladybug will bleed through into your normal state. The changes will mostly involve reactions, strength, stamina and agility – those sorts of things."

"Oh, ok then," she panted, calming down and letting go of her pigtails. "I can handle that."

In her panic, they'd become uneven so Marinette simply removed her hair ribbons and shook her hair out. She looked down at the red ribbons in her hand.

"Until your body adapts, you'll start to starve at an accelerated rate," Tikki continued. "So, it's important that you begin eating properly as soon as possible."

Marinette took a few moments to calm down. This wasn't too much of an obstacle. She was a goddamn superhero! She was Ladybug. This was just like any other situation that she'd encountered. A problem that could be broken down, attacked and defeated.

Marinette moved her books to the side and got out some paper and a calculator. She turned on her computer and began to type.

"What are you doing?" Tikki asked, flying up to the monitor and peering at what she'd typed. "Energy needed for active teenage girls?"

"I guess you could call it calorie counting," Marinette smirked. "Although I never thought I'd do it quite like this. I have my allowance, money from my past commissions, whatever food papa and maman will cook and finally some leftovers from the bakery. If I analyse everything, just like when I'm Ladybug, I'll figure out a way to feed myself without arousing anyone's suspicions! Hmm, maybe I can earn some extra money somehow, like babysitting…"

"Spoken like a true Ladybug," Tikki smiled to herself as Marinette began her work.

If there had been any doubt that she didn't deserve the Miraculous it would have been vanquished at this scene. Even if Marinette should fail, Master Fu would be more than happy to provide however much food she needed. She would rather not bring Marinette to him unless it was absolutely necessary, but if the alternative was her chosen starving, then the Great Guardian wouldn't mind.

A thought suddenly struck Marinette as she was writing.

"Is this happening to Chat Noir as well then?" Marinette questioned Tikki, who nodded.

"Yes. Although it won't be as bad for him since he doesn't have to restore everything afterwards," she stated. "Even if he transformed and used his abilities every night, but that seems unlikely."

"Yeah," Marinette smiled fondly as she got back to work. "I'll check in on him next time we see each other. But I doubt Chaton would be that eager to see me."

"I can't go out and look for Ladybug anymore?!" Adrien cried, clutching at his head in despair and spinning on his desk chair. "But what if she's out there and there's an akuma and I don't know about it because I'm sleeping!?"

"Look," Plagg growled, rubbing the bridge between his eyes with a paw. "The more you use your powers, the hungrier you'll get. Until you start eating enough you shouldn't transform just because you might see Ladybug - which I'll point out you haven't yet."

"But it would be so romantic," Adrien gushed, turning towards his computer screens where the Ladyblog was opened. "Just me and her in the moonlight, running across Paris, alone together."

"Oh boy," Plagg gagged. "Look, Hawkmoth wants the Miraculous. If the akuma doesn't draw you out what would even be the point of making one? Ladybug seems sensible, so she's probably at home."

"I guess you're right," Adrien admitted, sinking back into his chair. "So, it's all from the Miraculous then? Well at least I'm not dying, all I've got to do is eat more without avoiding suspicion."

It could be easily fixed. Adrien had plenty of money in his private account. He could horde months of food in his room. Anything else he could just raid from the manor's kitchen or order online. As long as it didn't affect his figure, which Plagg assured him it wouldn't, Natalie wouldn't rat him out to his father.

"Wait," Adrien suddenly realised. "What am I going to tell the doctor?"

"Eh, just ignore whatever he says," Plagg said, unconcerned. "My magic is better for your body then anything those idiots have thought up."

"That's a little harsh, Plagg. They're not idiots."

Plagg snorted.

"Yeah, sure. Just don't blame me when he drills a hole in your head."

"Why would a doctor do that?" Adrien asked, mystified.

"That's what I said; they're all nuts! My advice would be to not let him mutilate you, just pretend to take any pills he gives you and please, please just throw away the leeches - they're disgusting."

Leeches?

Suddenly a thought occurred to Adrien. It wasn't one that had ever occurred to him until this very moment. He looked down at his ring. It was bright silver, with no hint towards it's true purpose. It looked brand new, or as brand new as a ring could look.

"Plagg," he asked hesitantly. "How old are you exactly?"

"Older than you, that's for sure."

"No, but seriously."

"Older than this country – all countries in fact."

Adrien gaped.

"You're that old?!"

"Way, way older," Plagg grinned. "So, listen to your elders, kid. Doctors are smug idiots who have no clue what they're doing. Just ignore whatever they say."

How the hell was he supposed to tell Plagg about how far medicine had come in the last hundred years or so? About all the medical advances, what was currently possible and may become possible in the not-to-distant future.

Rumble.

Adrien winced as he clutched his stomach. A conversation for another time. It's not like the doctor would be able to magically tell he was losing energy much faster than he should, right?

Yeah, Adrien decided as he left his room to raid the kitchen, he was worrying about nothing. At least now that he knew what was wrong he shouldn't starve.

Unfortunately, Tikki had shot down her idea of eating nothing but junk food. It was startling how easy it would be to reach her target energy with just that. However, her diet had to still be somewhat balanced.

A few hours in, she had begun to think she was going to have to reveal herself to her parents to even have a chance. However, after looking at supermarket deals and the specific energy and nutrition contents of plenty of common foods, a plan began to form in her mind.

Not long after, she finally put down her pen.

It was possible.

Marinette looked on at her calculations and research with something akin to pride and horror. From what little she had at her disposal, it was possible to get the required amount of energy and nutrition she would need. She was going to have to buy her own food using the cheapest deals from the cheapest supermarkets, supplement any lacking energy with junk food, sneak behind her parents back and eat lunch at home every day so she could sneak in extra without anyone being suspicious as well as a huge amount of extra planning, but it was possible.

"I am going to be so sick of potatoes," Marinette muttered, shuffling her papers. "But sick is better than dead. If I cook them in the evenings then maman and papa won't find out and I'll have lunch for the next day ready."

Cold baked potatoes with various cold fillings for her secret extra lunch every day sounded like a prison sentence, but it would only be for so long. Once her body fully adapted, then she could stop. Tomorrow, after school she would go shopping and quickly become Ladybug to avoid her parents and hide the extra food in her room.

Marinette groaned and rubbed at her exhausted eyes. Darkness had fallen over Paris hours ago and a part of her dreaded looking at the time to see how little sleep she was getting tonight. Tikki had retired not long ago to the side of her bed, leaving Marinette sitting alone at her desk.

"Now to start on my actual homework," she murmured. "Not like I needed sleep anyway."

Rumble.

She doubled over and the chair slid out from under her. Marinette curled up on the floor as the hunger pains ravaged her body. After a few agonizing minutes, they subsided and Marinette stretched out tiredly on the floor. Dimly, she realised that there was little chance of her getting any sleep tonight.

Rumble.

There had to be something she could eat. Surely, her parents wouldn't mind if she ate the rest of dinner?

'They will,' Marinette thought to herself. 'That's papa's breakfast tomorrow.'

She could just eat a little. It's not like he would notice. Her papa worked with bread all day, he must sneak in a few snacks every now and then. A slightly smaller breakfast wouldn't hurt him.

She had already opened the trapdoor before she got a hold of herself.

'Maman and Papa are already disappointed in me. I don't want to make it worse,' Marinette realised, shutting the door with conviction.

The only thing that hurt worse than these hunger pains was when others were disappointed in her.

Marinette sat back down at her desk, opened her textbooks and did her best to ignore the biting hunger.

"It's only until tomorrow," she muttered to herself. "Only until tomorrow. I can last until then."

It was the next day and Adrien could barely hold in the urge the jump and cheer. The doctor had given him an examination and concluded that he needed to eat more. Natalie had run it through with his father and he was now going to be getting much larger meals! As long as it didn't affect his figure, he had been given the responsibility to eat as much as he wanted! Of course, at the slightest hint of him losing his figure, his father would have him eating kale salads for the rest of his life, but even so!

Adrien could have danced for joy, he felt so full. The photoshoot went extremely well; his good mood having become infectious to the rest of the crew. Smiles came as easy as breathing; his body assumed just the right expressive poses to best convey the designer's specific intent without thought. Everything went like a dream and before he knew it, school was finishing and he was about to head back home.

Then the absolute next best thing could have happened.

"AKUMA!"

Screams and panic as people ran indoors or as far away from the threat as possible. Even after a week of these attacks, no one was quite used to it yet. Akuma abilities ranged from terrifying to downright bizarre, yet Chat Noir and Ladybug had stopped every single one successfully.

Barely able to contain his glee at the thought of seeing his lady, Adrien followed the crowd and ducked into a nearby alley. Quickly checking there was no one about, he called Plagg.

"Claws Out!"

The rush of energy that filled his body seemed even greater than normal. He felt the costume form around him, his body gain supernatural strength and agility and his senses become sharper. In less than a second Chat Noir was where Adrien Agreste had previously stood.

With a grin and a little wiggle, he leapt three stories into the air and began pole vaulting towards the source of trouble. Only getting to see Ladybug every other day was beginning to make him even more keen to see her. Maybe he could convince her to hang out together or something? Maybe even catch a movie or a walk in a park or play video games or…

'Focus, Adrien!' he shook himself. 'Akuma first!'

He cleared the last building and caught sight of the akuma just in time to see a red blur slam into it. Chat Noir grinned, vaulting down to land next to Ladybug.

"Good afternoon, my lady," he swaggered, sending her his most alluring smirk. "Fancy seeing you here so close to the Pont des Arts. Perhaps we should make a love lock of our own?"

"You know that's not allowed anymore, Chaton," Ladybug admonished, sounding tired. "Although today's akuma doesn't seem happy about it."

Chat Noir blinked. Something seemed off about his partner today. Before he could say anything the akuma had recovered from the attack and stood up. It certainly had a padlock motif to it.

Black superhero spandex with a large padlock symbol in purple on his chest. Padlocks lined his suit, interlocking with one another across his shoulders as well as around his wrists and shins. He also wore a padlock-shaped helmet that covered his eyes; Chat could only see the whites of his eyes. On his back was a huge, sleek-looking black padlock.

Evidently someone had protested a little too passionately to the removal of the padlocks from the bridge.

"Our love is eternal!" the akuma cried. "I, Lock-Heart, will never be separated from my love again!"

"The akuma is in the padlock tied around his right wrist," Ladybug muttered, pointing.

She seemed exhausted. Chat filed that information away to ask her about later. If something was affecting her work, then that was excuse enough to ask her about it, right? He might even learn more about her!

Chat Noir followed her hand to see the padlock attached to several others around his wrist. Unlike the other padlocks that adorned his body, this one was old and his keen eyesight could pick out initials on it.

He smirked.

"Got it!"

Chat Noir leapt forwards towards the akuma, spinning his baton over his head and slamming it down. Lock-Heart immediately jumped to the side and unhooked the large padlock off his back and held it like a club.

Chat jumped, the padlock-club crushing the concreate where he'd been standing. He landed behind the villain and twirled, bringing his baton to bare as the akuma swivelled round to face him.

Their two weapons slammed together and Chat found himself sliding back.

"You can't defeat the power of love!" Lock-Heart cried out, pushing even harder.

"Hey, that's my line," Chat smirked as his partner in red took aim behind the akuma.

Ladybug's yoyo wrapped around Lock-Heart's right wrist and with a tug, pulled him off-balance. He staggered, eyes widening, guard opening as Chat wound up his shot.

"Batter up!" Chat yelled, swinging his baton into the trapped wrist. "Looks like you're all out of lock!"

The akuma screamed as the padlock chain was shattered and clattered to the ground. Chat grimaced, the padlock containing the akuma hadn't broken! He reached out for it, only for a kick from the villain to send him flying. He slammed into a nearby car hard enough to go right through the door.

"Chat!"

Snarling, Ladybug immediately pulled harder on her yoyo, pulling Lock-Heart away from where the akumatized item lay.

Grunting, Lock-Heart pulled back, but was unable to overpower her. It was stalemate for a few seconds before the akuma grinned. His weapon still in his right hand, he pointed it at Ladybug. The keyhole glowed blue briefly, before a blue light shot out and knocked her off her feet.

Lock-Heart laughed as the yoyo unwound itself and he dived for the item again. He snatched it up and held it in his hand with reverence.

"Our love is eternal, no-one can take it away, not even those superheroes," he declared, before a butterfly insignia appeared over his face.

Grab their Miraculous, and your lover will remain with you forever!

"Yes, Hawkmoth," he whispered, stalking over towards where Ladybug lay, groaning.

The blue bolt had hit her left leg and put it into some kind of stasis. She couldn't move it at all. Not that her other limbs were much better. Ladybug tried to get up, but her arms were trembling too much. The burst of energy that came with her transformation had faded, leaving a tired and starving girl.

Rumble.

'No, not now!' she screamed in her head as the villain stood above her.

He raised his weapon over his head.

"Bye-bye, Ladybug!"

"Cataclysm!"

Standing near the car, with his hand touching the ground and a snarl on his face, was Chat Noir.

The concrete between them and underneath Lock-Heart immediately became black and broke away. The akuma screamed in shock as he fell, barely able to snag a solid part of the ground whilst the rest crumbled away into nothing. Seeing her chance Ladybug simply reached out and snatched the padlock chain from his hand.

"Thank you," she quipped smugly, although silently relieved, before snapping the lock in two.

The butterfly appeared and only a few seconds later it had been purified. Ladybug only had an instant to grin before she saw the man who had been Lock-Heart, become enveloped in dark energy and return to normal.

And lose his grip.

Ladybug shot forwards into the hole, yoyo already let loose as her other hand grabbed onto the edge of the stable ground. The yoyo wrapped around the man's waist and he grunted with pain as he came to a sudden stop.

"Ladybug!" Chat Noir yelled, his concerned face appearing over the edge.

"I've got him!" Ladybug replied back, as the yoyo wheeled in the confused civilian. "That was too close."

'I should have realised he would fall in that position,' she thought angrily, as she held the civilian in her arms and hoisted him up. 'Damn, I really need to eat something; I can't even concentrate.'

"What's wrong?"

Ladybug blinked to see Chat Noir, a hand offered to her, looking at her with concern.

"Nothing, Chaton," she smiled, accepting the hand as he pulled her up. "I'm just not at my best right now; thanks for the save, that was close."

The two took a moment to survey the damages. There was a deep hole in the road that stretched from where Chat Noir had initially fallen to where Lock-Heart had been standing. It was deep, Ladybug could see that the concrete and everything in-between had completely rotted away to the sewers below.

"I didn't use Lucky Charm," Ladybug muttered. "I can't fix this."

"Hey, at least no one was hurt," Chat Noir said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "So just a little roadworks and some guy's car; it could have been much worse."

"You're right."

"More importantly, my lady," Chat Noir began, turning to face her. "Are you feeling alright? You seem pale and-"

"I know!" she said, feeling frustrated at how useless she was. "I just need to eat something."

"Eat something? Oh yeah, my kwami said it would be worse for you. If you need me to get you anything…"

Beep-Beep!

"Doesn't sound like you can today, Chaton," Ladybug replied, pointing to his ring. "I was just about to go grocery shopping as well. Don't worry, next time you see me, I'll be as fit as a fiddle!"

"If you're sure."

Ladybug sent her yoyo flying and swung away. Chat Noir watched with worry, contemplating following her, before the pain in his side made him reconsider. That akuma had one hell of a kick. The car he hit was totalled.

Ladybug had been out of it. They were lucky it was an easy one. No way a punk like this akuma would have gotten anywhere near her if she'd been at her best. Was it the hunger? He thought he'd heard a weird rumble sound earlier. Maybe he should bring some food next time. Except he didn't know when next time was going to be.

Chat Noir frowned. They should really meet up more regularly. Maybe patrol the city or something…

Yeah, that was a good enough excuse. Next akuma attack, he'd ask her.

After only two minutes of swinging, Ladybug was near enough a supermarket to return to normal. Ducking down behind a dumpster, she got ready.

"What was it again?" she muttered, trying to remember the phrase. "Oh yeah, Spots Off!"

In a small pink flash, Marinette stood in place of Ladybug.

"Well done on winning without using your powers," Tikki exclaimed, flying into Marinette's purse. "The drain would have only been worse if you had."

"But there was so much destruction!" Marinette argued, panting. "And the government's going to have to pay for it and it'll get in everyone's way, which means more taxes and people will blame me for being too weak to fix it!"

"I think you overreacting," Tikki said, silently taking in her chosen's appearance.

She was sweaty and pale, panting far harder than she should be as she leant against the dumpster for support. Her face wasn't quite gaunt, but Tikki could see how what little fat Marinette had in her face was already being eaten away at. Add in the forgetfulness and lethargy, it meant that she didn't have long before the girl would collapse.

Tikki felt her heart break for her chosen. Naively, she had thought when she helped choose Marinette, there would have been no problem with food. She lived above a bakery after all! But it seemed she underestimated how exactly a modern bakery functioned and how active Hawkmoth would be.

"But I could have fixed it!" Marinette continued. "Also… he didn't say anything, but I think Chat got really hurt by that kick. I could have healed that as well."

"You're a good person, Marinette," Tikki said, her expression softening. "But being Ladybug doesn't require constant self-sacrifice. Chat seems to be handling his hunger without trouble and a little bit of damage is fine. It can always be repaired. You however, can't be repaired."

Marinette fiddled idly with her hands and Tikki held her tongue. The bond between the two of them was only just beginning to form and she was only just getting to know Marinette. She could feel the basis of emotions that Marinette was feeling, but the intricacies were still out of her reach. Of course, thousands upon thousands of years of experience dealing with humans had its uses.

"Marinette, you deserve to be Ladybug," Tikki stated, inferring the real reason behind this sudden melancholy. "Just because you're having trouble with the hunger, doesn't change that."

"But Chat's fine…"

"We don't know Chat's situation. He might have access to lots of food that you don't. Not to mention, the sooner you start grocery shopping, the sooner you can eat a proper meal."

The girl visibly perked up at the thought of food.

"You're right, Tikki. Let's go!"

In the end, it had taken another transformation to get the food up into her room without her parents noticing anything. Everything was promptly stuffed in her wardrobe and should last there without difficulty. By the time she was done, it was dinner and Marinette promptly ran down as fast as she could.

Much later, once her parents went to bed, Marinette snuck downstairs and began her cooking. Baked potatoes weren't the tastiest meal, but they were oh-so cheap. This meant she could bake as many as she could right now and enjoy them cold for lunch tomorrow and hot for the rest of her dinner now.

It was torture, watching the oven as the potatoes baked, as the smell drifted lazily through the shop. Marinette, to her disgust, caught herself drooling twice before they even came out the oven.

With trembling hands, she divided the baked potatoes into what she would have for dinner today and for lunch tomorrow. She tucked away the ones for tomorrow into plastic containers and set them aside.

That left eight potatoes for now. With the massive bag of green-salad she had bought earlier (her parents wouldn't be suspicious of salad in the fridge), she could serve it with some (many) boiled eggs for protein and voila! She had something approximating a decent meal.

Marinette almost cried with happiness at the five heaving plates of food. Taking a moment to steady herself - she began.

She fell asleep with a smile that night.

A/N: Let me know in the reviews what you thought. What worked and what didn't? Any particular moments you enjoyed?

Or just write whatever you want. Either way I'd love to know what you all thought.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!