When a tiny god's ship starts sinking
At this point, even Tikki was convinced that she might be more excited for today than Marinette was. After over hearing a long and maybe somewhat pushy heart to heart with Alya the previous day and adding her own own cents after the girl left, her charge was FINALLY going to admit her feelings to Adrien Agreste. Done were the days of having to watch a lovesick Marinette break her own heart every time she backed down from a chance.
Tikki wasn't being one hundred percent selfless in the matter though. While she cared about Marinette and her overactive teenage emotions very deeply, developing an almost motherly instinct towards the youngest girl to hold her power in centuries, she was ready for said girl to spill the beans so she could finally get back her own Kitty.
Every time a new round of chosen was picked, her and Plagg would have to be separated as they mentored the new heroes who possibly wouldn't even ever meet outside the costumes. Those ones were always hard on Tikki, for without good reason, she might not even see another kwammi for years or even decades at a time. It was lonely, especially when she new her other-half was close, but couldn't say or do anything. It was selfish, but since she already knew that the Agreste boy was secretly Chat Noir, it was only going to be a matter if time until the reveal and she could have Plagg back.
And so, Tikki floated about Marinette's room that morning, excitedly humming to herself and tidying as she waited for her charge to wake up for the big day.
Eventually Marinette dragged herself out of bed and Tikki began helping her get ready. "Uuuuuggghhhh... Tiiiikkkkkiii... How are you so awake...? Its too early." The girl whinned as she tired started to brushing her teeth, missing the brush with the toothpaste entirely on her first go.
"Early? Marinette, you're meeting Adrien at the park at 11, remember?" Marinette blinked a couple times and then nodded slowly. "Yeah, I remember... Why are you asking?" As she looked into the mirror she saw Tikki was now holding up her alarm clock. After a few moments of trying to read the clock face backwards in the mirror she finally realized the time.
10:25 A.M.
Marinette did a spit take of her toothpaste and was sent into an adorable panic. The kwammi watched with amusement as the terminally late girl did everything in her power to make it out of the house while looking as "Adrien Attractingly" cute as she could manage.
By 10:47, Tikki was safely tucked away in Marinette's purse as the girl booked it across town.
———At the park———
Tikki could barely contain herself at how cute they were together. Awkward flirting, longing sideways glances, it was adorable! The day had consisted mostly of strolling through the park talking about nothing, checking out the museums new art exhibit on ancient fashions, and paying a visit to the not so subtle romantic ice cream man who immediately handed them each a pair of cones colored to the other. As the sun started to dip and the pair made their way back towards where the gorilla was waiting to pick Adrien up. Tikki took as much of a running start as she could in the handbag and slammed into Marinette's side. Her hit nearly tripped the poor girl, who was thankful caught by Adrien swiftly wrapping an arm around her. Marinette apologized before glancing down at her purse to see Tikki giving her a thumbs up of encouragement through the crack. It was now or never.
As they headed down the path through an area devoid of anyone but themselves, Marinette grabbed Adrien's hand and stopped in place. The boy spun around in surprise, seeing his friend's nervous glances off to the side, he moved back towards her. "Marinette? Are you alright?" He asked as he looked her over with genuine concern.
Marinette took a deep breath, "Yeah, I'm fine... I just, I need to tell you something, Adrien." Tikki watched as a flash of that Ladybug determination made its way across the girl's features and silently cheered as her wielder poured out her heart and soul to the boy of her dreams.
It was finally happening!
Suddenly it hit her that she may have celebrated too soon. Through the crack in the top of the bag, she watched as Adrien reached up and scratched the back of his neck, a nervous tick that Marinette usually found incredibly cute. But today it was accompanied by heartbreak. "I... I'm sorry, Marinette... That's really sweet of you to say, but... I really like someone else... Not that I don't like you! Just... I'm sorry." He said to her with a heavy heart and sadness in his eyes.
Tikki's eyes went wide and before she could even register what happened, she was jostled to the base of the bag as Marinette's knees gave out and she crumpled to the ground. After recovering, Tikki looked in disbelief as the idiot boy, who just rejected the self proclaimed love of his life without knowing it, started to turn away. She could tell he was upset too, clearly hating what he had just done. She knew he liked Ladybug, but Tikki had honestly never believed he'd actually outright reject Marinette. Continuing to pine after so much past rejection was ludicrous! That's why she's encouraged her young charge so much, so they would all get their happiness in the end. And that's why Marinette now tucked her knees to her chest and started to sniffle.
Now Tikki was furious. This stupid cat boy made her girl cry and she wasn't having any of it. She needed to do something NOW, because there was no way she was letting these two idiots break their own hearts for the sake of some stupid secret identities tonight. Her ship was sinking. In a moment that lacked all judgement and reason, as the kwammi watched Adrien walk away, she sprung into action.
"Oh no you don't, PRETTY BOY!! You're going to answer to me for this!" An enraged squeaky voice rang out between the two teenagers. Both swiveled their necks in shock to see the little red creature floating about halfway between them and approaching Adrien with a purpose.
"T-TIKKI?!" Marinette shrieked out in horror as her kwammi choose this moment to expose both of them and insult her crush at the same time. Adrien likewise stood in shock, his jaw having hit the floor the moment he registered who was currently yelling at him.
Tikki continued forward, her voice rising even higher in pitch and volume. "Really?! After all this girl has done for you, been there when you needed her most, put YOUR happiness miles ahead of her own, YOU REJECT HER?! WHAT KIND OF OBLIVIOUS IDIOT ARE YOU?!" It was then that she reach him, forcefully poking his forehead with each point made. "Did you know she's been working up the courage for this for almost a year? That she's been secretly planning you a birthday party for the last month since you never get to enjoy yours? That she knit you thAt DAMN SCARF YOU'RE WEARING RIGHT NOW AND NEVER EVEN TRIED TO TAKE CREDIT FOR IT! JUST SO YOU'D. BE. HAPPY?!"
The final poke was hard enough to make Adrien wince, as he noticed tears forming in the kwammi's eyes. "You say you love 'your lady' so much... But can't even see that you just broke her heart..!" Tikki barely got the last part out before choking out a tiny sob. "You stupid... Blind... Cat boy..."
Marinette gasped when she heard those last words, finally realizing what was happening.
As if on cue, seeing as the cat (and bug) were definitely out of the bag, Plagg zipped out of his wielders pocket and embraced his partner. "Sugarcube.." The cat kwammi whispered, starting to rub circles on her back softly.
"I-I'm s-sorry, Plagg! I-I blew it! I just couldn't take seeing them h-hurting!" She sobbed hard, barely getting the words out.
Plagg sighed, "I know... It hurt me too-" He paused suddenly, and after a moment of her Stinky-Sock remaining silent, Tikki raised her head to look at whatever had caught his attention.
Somehow, in her breakdown, the little god of creation had managed to miss how both Adrien and Marinette had suddenly run towards each other and were now locked in a tight embrace, collapsed to their knees in the snow a few feet from them. Adrien was now the one really crying, Marinette gently stroked his hair, as he buried his face into her shoulder. He was telling her how he'd fallen in love with her twice, and how he'd hated everything about having to choose. How he was so sorry he hurt her... Marinette on the other hand, was smiling through her own tears, doing her best to convince him that she could never hate her kitty for just loving her too much.
Eventually the pair talked it through and relaxed. They returned to their kwammis, smiles on their faces and fingers wrapped tightly together.
Tikki looked down, embarrassed at her earlier outburst, but before she could start to apologize, Marinette had reached out and pulled her close. Nuzzling her little friend, Marinette whispered, "Thank you, Tikki."
Adrien nodded and reached over to rub the bugs head like he often did with Plagg. "Yeah.. Thank you for stopping me from making the biggest mistake of my life." He gave an embarrassed smile as his now girlfriend, leaned up and kissed his cheek.
"It wasn't your fault, Kitty. We had no way of knowing.."
Tikki nodded, deciding to tease the poor boy with a mirrored kiss on his other cheek in forgiveness. "That doesn't make you any less oblivious though."
"Tell me about it!", chimed Plagg from Adrien's shoulder. "I live with his obliviousness daily!"
"HEY!"
Tikki was right to be excited for today.