AN: Welcome to our first Miraculous Ladybug fic! It certainly won't be our last. Keep on the look out for more in the future.
Credit where credit is due for the idea of a 'Dress Like a Hero' day - currently-lurking tumblr com/post/143087393727/nya-and-spots-flower-gif-miraculous-au-where
Marinette Dupain-Cheng was a girl with short blue-black hair. She often had a pink purse at her side, and a pencil in her hand, ready to jot down notes for new fashion design ideas. She also had a secret. Inside of her purse lay a little red creature she came to know as a kwami. This kwami, Tikki, could transform her into the akuma-fighting, villain-catching masked superhero known as Ladybug. She was able to jump really high, she was prety sure she had super-strength, and she was able to use a yo-yo, as well as two powers. Lucky Charm, which would give her something to help defeat the villain, and Miraculous Ladybug, which reverted the villain back to their civilian form and undid all the damage that they had caused. Marinette. oftentimes, found that she loved being her alter ego! Though for all the powers it came with, there was nothing that could fix this.
Marinette was trying to design a costume for her school's 'Dress Like a Hero' day. She was certain that it was a tribute in honor of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Chat Noir was her partner, and honestly, she couldn't have asked for a better partner. He was witty, and clever, and he didn't fight the same way she did, which was good. The two had become the 'darlings' of Paris, as most of the city was dying to know their real identities. Well, Marinette was dying to keep it a secret, even if it meant she didn't get to know who Chat Noir really was under the mask.
Speaking of Chat Noir... "Well hello there, Princess. Out on your balcony like a damsel?" The superhero had touched down softly on the roof of her family's building and was giving her that usual teasing smile. His staff was holstered on his belt at his side, and one of his ears was twitch as he looked down at her. Marinette smiled up at him, curling around her sketchbook a little more. Well there was an idea. She could go as her friend and partner, Chat Noir. Then, no one would catch on to her secret identity, but she'd still honor them. She already had ideas bursting. Maybe she could even scrape together a good enough staff- "Hello? Princess? You're zoning out on me, there."
A black hand was waving in front of her face and she blinked before looking back up to Chat. "Oh! Right, sorry, Chat Noir. What are you doing here?" It really didn't make sense why he was on her balcony when he should be patrolling Paris or, better yet, at home in his civilian form. It was still cold out, February closing out.
Chat chuckled as he sat down beside her and tilted his head, an ear flicking- She needed to find a way to do that. She wanted her costume as accurate and lifelike as possible. "I'm finishing up patrol. No akumas to be seen, here. Guess we're safe," he said. "Don't see too many people out on their balconies this late at night."
Marinette rose an eyebrow, tilting her sketchbook away from him. "How many other people have balconies? And why are you stopping to see me?" Had he figured out her secret? Was he here to tell her he knew exactly who she was and that she wasn't fit to be Ladybug? Was he here to take her Miraculous?
Chat gave her another smile, settling down further against her and leaning against the same wall she was. "Like I said, not too many people out late at this night. I guess I wanted to make sure you weren't going to go akuma on me," he teased her quietly. "I wouldn't be able to bear seeing your bright smile disappear."
With a huff, Marinette rolled her eyes and angled herself away from him. "You don't need to try to charm me, you know. It's not going to work." Marinette was already getting caught up in her work, sketching out the outfit she wanted while stealing glances at Chat for reference.
"I guess not." There was a quiet beeping that Marinette recognized as the Miraculous' warning system. Chat Noir sighed and stood, smiling at her before stepping back and bowing grandly, arm held out widely. "Until we meet again, Princess."
Marinette gave him an absent little wave, sticking her tongue out as she erased something before editing it. "Bye, Chat."
"Goodbye, Marinette." With that, she watched him disappear off into the night, jumping from rooftop to rooftop with his tail trailing behind him. Tail... Right! She almost forgot to add in the tail!
::
In the early morning, the day of the school's Dress Like a Hero day, Marinette was just checking the glue for the headband she'd decided to use for the ears. She poked it hesitantly before beaming. "It's dry! It's ready! Okay, Tikki, are you ready for this?"
She heard Tikki sleepily murmur from her pillow, "Of course, I am, Marinette... Of course I am..." Marinette put on the headband and twirled around toward Tikki, beaming before her face fell at seeing her kwami was fast asleep. Marinette sighed and turned back to the mirror. She swished the tail she'd created, smiling and looking herself over. Pointed black gloves, leather suit - two piece, instead of one - and boots. To top it all off, she had a black mask, and cat ears to pull the whole outfit together. Though she was sure she was missing something... Ah, right! Marinette hopped back over to her bed and grabbed up the ring she'd crafted out of plastic for the occasion. Perfect. She holstered her makeshift staff and carefully picked Tikki up, setting her down in a black purse and grabbing her things for school.
"Alright," Marinette said with a smile. "I just need to wait before heading to school. Maybe Papa has an early morning snack for me!"
When Marinette finally got to school a couple hours later, she met up with her recent best friend, Alya. "Hey, girl. Nice Chat Noir costume. I'm digging the ears and tail you got going on- You even have the ring!"
"How could I not have the ring," Marinette laughed, looking over Alya. "Okay. What are you, um... You're a red lion cat that grants wishes and can't when you run out of spots!"
"Ha, ha, you're so funny," Alya stuck her tongue out, drawing herself up to her full height. "I, good Marinette, am representing the heroes of Paris, today! They're such a strong team and they work so well together and it'd be horrible to not try to show that bond." A beat of silence, Alya smiling nervously. "I couldn't choose."
"You...couldn't choose." Marinette crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at her. "Alya," she sang. "You're not telling me something. Out with it."
"Is it my fault I can't choose between Paris' darlings?" Alya crossed her own arms, mirroring the expression before visibly wavering. "I wanted to show I support them and their relationship as well, maybe."
Marinette scoffed, rolling her eyes. "What relationship? Ladybug and Chat Noir have no relationship! If anything, Ladybug sees Chat as a brother, and even that is pushing it!"
"Me-ouch, Marinette. You're really 'bugging' out over the idea of them together, aren't you?" There...was a Ladybug smiling at her? With blond hair- Marinette knew that blond hair. She had far too many pictures of the boy attached to it, after all.
"Because it's not true," she huffed, stamping her foot. "And in case you didn't notice, I am Chat Noir, so leave the puns to me, Princess." She... She might've gotten a bit carried away, since Alya and Adrien both looked at her in shock. "Oh yeah, I'm bad. This kitty has claws." Alya looked a mix between disappointed and amused, Adrien only beaming and leaning closer.
"You make a very convincing Chat Noir, Marinette. The akumas should be afraid of running into you today." Ah, Adrien. Still so sweet no matter what.
"Well, I'm not hiding any secret identities or anything, so don't go getting ideas, or your luck is going to run out, Ladybug," she huffed, pushing on his nose to push him away. Adrien only laughed, batting Marinette's hand away playfully.
"A black cat did cross my path today, so I guess I'll have to be careful, won't I?"
"You better be," Marinette said, swiping at him just out of reach. He easily dodged and near danced away, an almost replica of Ladybug's movements when dodging an enemy attack.
"Feisty little kitten, aren't you?" With that, he was quickly running away with another laugh.
"Ugh, Adrien is such a brat." Even as she said it, Marinette was laughing, looking back at Alya and running a hand through her own hair. Alya was shaking her head, looking to be holding back giggles of her own.
"It's so nice that you guys are finally friends, now, instead of your whole 'guh? Doi! Uh...' routine."
"I did not sound like that," Marinette huffed, crossing her arms. "Come on. We should get to class. I'll bet you anything Chloe is dressed as Ladybug." Anti-bug was still a black spot in her memories.
"I'm not taking a bet I'll lose," Alya caught up to Marinette before bumping their hips together. "You know, you can't even tell you have a crush on the boy anymore."
"Me? Have a crush?" Marinette laughed loudly and nervously, a couple classmates looking over. "Alya! That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! Don't be silly!"
"Still Marinette," Alya patted Marinette on the back, almost as if she was trying to be sympathetic instead of laughing like she clearly wanted to. "Alright, now let's get you to class. Maybe we can see a Chat Noir vs Ladybug showdown between you and Chloe. Stomp her little bug butt into the ground."
"I don't even like Ladybug!" That...had more volume than she'd intended- Why was everyone staring at her? Maybe there was a way she could backtrack.
"Easy there, girl, we can't all be fashion designers. Just because spots look horrible doesn't mean you have to hate Ladybug's costume that much." Alya was a gift that Marinette didn't deserve some days. "Open question, how would you change Ladybug's costume?"
"Magical girl," Marinette said immediately with a nod. "Less spandex. More frills." She was very determined and she would try to ask Tikki about this, later. There was an odd noise from Adrien where he was already next to Nino.
"Frills?" Oh, it wasn't that bad an idea! Plus it would be so fun! "You'd rather have her running around Paris in frills and a magical girl skirt?"
"Yes, I would," she pouted. "It would be so much cuter." She already designed a couple different outfits, anyway, and even one or two for Chat Noir! Their costumes were all well and nice, she supposed, but spandex and leather for fighting around Paris at all hours of the day? Give her a break!
"I have no doubt," Adrien grinned, head tilting to the side a bit. It had his bangs falling across his eyes, and Marinette was so thankful she had gotten to the point where she saw Adrien her friends before Adrien her crush because that move was lethal on her. "How would you change Chat Noir's costume, then?"
"Oh, ah... This. And that..." Marinette tugged her sketchbook closer to chest to keep it away from all of them. She may have had a late night when designing one of the outfits, and she didn't want to show it off.
"I don't think I know of that style, mind explaining more about it?" Ugh, this boy was so sassy. Why had Marinette never realized that sooner? Although... It was a little fun. "I mean, I know that and this, but not this and that, you know?"
Just as Marinette was ready to strangle the boy, class was starting and she was sitting down in her seat. He got lucky. This time... Maybe it was the spots. Getting out her books, she glanced around the room. It seemed a lot of people had taken inspiration from Ladybug and Chat Noir, but no one had done a full Chat Noir costume like she had. It... It was a bit sad, really. Did no one really understand how important he was when it came to defending them all? Chat was the one that kept her... He was the one that made her Miraculous Ladybug. I'd it weren't for his cataclysm, then half the battles never would have been won or finished- Oh. It was a pun.
Everything about Chat Noir was a pun, actually. She wondered if it was the suit or kwami that influenced his behavior, like how she was so much more brave when she was Ladybug. That'd be an interesting superpower. Telling puns. It came so naturally to some people, like Adrien and Nino, but it was always so much harder for her to come up with them on the spot. Marinette sighed quietly as she sketched. Boys.
Most of her attention drifted throughout the lessons of the day, her gaze only snapping to the board when she heard her teacher mention Ladybug and Chat Noir. "In honor of our little 'Dress Like a Hero' day, I figured a small lesson in Parisian history wouldn't go amiss. I hardly beleive it's true, myself, but you all seem to enjoy any news of superheroes you can get your hands on." Marinette was quick to raise her hand, waving it a bit frantically. "Yes, Marinette?"
"Ma'am, doesn't this technically count as an invasion of privacy? Unless you got their permission, that is," she quickly amended, though she knew her teacher had never gained any such permission.
"I agree with Marinette, ma'am," Adrien raised his own hand, smiling weakly. "It seems a bit rude, doesn't it? To discuss their lives in a classroom setting without their say?"
"Touching as your concern is, you two, I'll be discussing facts of history. Not media stories that are rife around Paris, these days. For starters, while you all know of Ladybug and Chat Noir, there have been tales of others with simliar powers."
"You mean...other Miraculous? Like who?" Marinette couldn't help but be curious. Besides the incident with Volpina, she'd never learned anything about the other Miraculous holders.
"There were never names, in the tales, but the theme of animals is simliar. Stories of one who had 'the pelt of a fox to bring about tricks', and another with 'peacock feathers to heal the world's trauma'. Of course you all know of Hawkmoth, by now. He's assumed to have one of these 'Miraculous', although there are no records of butterflies turning people into villains before now."
Adrien raised his hand before Marinette could. "What about butterflies turning people into heroes," he asked seriously. Marinette blinked a bit at that. He took Ladybug and Chat Noir seriously?
"Here and there, but the accounts are much more rare. These tales span multiple histories, but there has never been any viable proof before today when Ladybug and Chat Noir appeared in our city. Along with Hawkmoth, I should mention."
"But ma'am, no one's seen Hawkmoth. Can that even really count," Marinette asked with a small pout, not glancing to Alya. She didn't need to see the skeptic look to know it was there.
"We've seen the destruction he brings, and loathe as I am to admit in anything supernatural, there could be nothing else but him being the holder of a Miraculous."
Well then. That was new.
::
The sounds of screams rang out through the school and Marinette just barely stopped herself from rushing out into the hall at the sound. Couldn't they go just one day without akuma attack to worry about? She supposed not, by the way the door was blown off its hinges. "Our family is not trash!" Garbage. Of course, that was Marinette's life now, wasn't it? Marinette, being the closest to the door, was the first to run out. She needed a safe place to change! Running down a hall that was already evacuated, she nodded. "Tikki, spots on!"
The transformation took over at once, Marinette feeling the powers of the Miraculous wrap around her and turn her into something amazing. "Alright, Tikki! Let's go take out the trash," Ladybug yelled, leaping out into the courtyard.
"Can it be? My Lady making a pun?" A familiar blur of black passed her by before Chat Noir was beating back the trash bomb that had been heading her way. "This really is an amazing day, isn't it!"
"Someone had to fill in the silence with noxious noise," Ladybug yelled back at him, rolling her eyes and grinning. "Alright, you get its attention and tell me if you can see where it's keeping the item."
"On it, Ladybug!" It was always interesting to watch Chat move when they were in battle. While Ladybug favored flips, running, and using her yo-yo to get around, Chat Noir either relied on his staff or his own running and jumping. His, however, looked like a cat high on catnip. Ladybug couldn't help but laugh as her partner went to all fours as a means of running. He did that sometimes, and each time, she found humor in it. Lassoing her yo-yo into the rafters, Ladybug pulled herself up to watch the akuma-tized person from down below. Something out of place. Something about family?
It became a bit clearer when Chat started goading them into attacking. "How dare you! How dare you mock my Papa for working so hard! He's still a hero, he's still a hero!" Ah...that was it, then, wasn't it? Students mocking someone's family for their job. "I'll prove it!" Ladybug narrowed her eyes, using her keen Ladybug senses. Because those were very real. There!
"Chat," she called out, waving at him. "On their chest! The badge!" Chat gave a wave of acknowledgment, trying to get in close before being swatted away and oh, that had to hurt.
"Bit hard to get to, my Lady!" The comment about their family being called 'trash' was probably why this akuma's powers were themed as such, and why there was a barrier of trash from all around the school forming a pseudo-monster, attacking whatever was closest.
"Hey, hey," Ladybug called out. "You're right, your Papa works hard, and his job is so important! Your papa is a hero!" Badge... Police man, or firefighter! The akuma paused, and it was just long enough for Chat Noir to slip past the trash and knock the teen out of the range of the monster and shield. The two went skidding across the floor, Chat trying to grab for the badge. Ladybug saw the teen started to get up and, in a panic, called out, "Lucky Charm!" What fell into her hand was a can of ladybug spotted soda.
"Oh great. A refreshing drink is just what we need right now," Chat yelped as the trash monster stomped down on his tail before attempting to kick him away. "That hurts, you know!"
"Gimme a minute here, Chat," she yelled back, looking around the room. With her lucky charm summoned, everything had faded to black and white, save for a few key items. Can of soda... Ladybug grinned and shook the can, hopping down in front of the teen before pointing the soda can at them and opening the tab.
The scream was one of frustration more than anything, the akuma victim covering their eyes as the trash monster batted Ladybug away before looking around as if unable to see where she was after that. It was far too easy for Chat Noir to slip by the monster and kicking the teen down, grabbing the badge with his claws and throwing it up in the air. "Cataclysm!" Ladybug watched as the badge rusted and fell away to nothing, the akuma flying out of it. Catching it in her yo-yo, she released it and waved.
"Bye bye, little butterfly," she hummed happily. Throwing up her lucky charm, she beamed. "Miraculous Ladybug!" Everything was restored to order, a confused teenager girl sitting on the floor and blinking as Chat Noir handed her the badge back before walking over to Ladybug and holding his fist out. Ladybug held her fist out a bit absently before smiling and kneeling down to the girl. "Hey. Your dad really is a hero. I think he's more of a hero than me and Chat."
Sniffing, the girl clutched the badge close, looking up at them with wide eyes. "Really?" It was Chat to hold a hand out, gently helping the girl to her feet.
"Really. I mean, we just help people calm down, your Papa captures all the real bad guys out there. He's way more of a hero than we'll ever be, and that's an absolute guarantee."
"Come on, I think they've gotten used to the attacks that this time school is still going to be in session," Ladybug said with a wide smile. She nudged the girl back to class. "Don't let what other people say get you down."
"I'll do my best, Ladybug!" The girl was beaming as she ran back off towards her own classroom, Chat Noir chuckling quietly as he brushed his hands with a wide grin.
"I think that's our job done, then."
"Yep." Ladybug tilted her head and frowned, standing on her tiptoes to run her hand through Chat's hair. His ears flicked at the motion and she blinked. "Huh."
"A-Ah- Ladybug?" Chat's cheeks were flushed from the battle, and he sounded a bit startled- Aw, the ears were pressing back against his head. Hadn't he said his tail hurt when it was stepped on? Ladybug immediately dropped down to closely examine the tail, blinking as it slipped out of her grip.
"What the..." It looked like a belt. Just like a belt. Yet it was swishing through the air and curling around Chat Noir's legs.
"I know I'm irresistible, my Lady, but that's a bit much, I think." And oh. Oh. Chat was blushing. Kwami really were magical if things like the ears and tail were felt by him.
"Right! Sorry, it's just... Miraculous Ladybug doesn't come with anything like it," she said with a grin, standing. "I was curious." Before anything else could be said, beeping was heard from their Miraculous'.
"That's our cue to part ways then, my Lady?" Chat Noir smirked, leaning forward with his arms tucked behind his back. "Unless you ever want to tell me who you are?" Ladybug pushed him away by pushing on his nose, rolling her eyes.
"We can't tell anyone who we are, Chat. Even each other." Although the other pouted, he didn't push it. That was one thing, Ladybug supposed. For as pushy and curious as this black cat was, he was careful about not overstepping any boundries with her.
"A stray cat can always dream, my Lady." With that, the teen was giving her a two-fingered salute before running on all fours and jumping up onto the second floor balcony. Ladybug ran in an opposite direction and looked around the hall, making sure it was empty before she was de-transforming.
"You okay, Tikki," she asked quietly. Tikki was resting in her hands, looking up at her before yawning widely.
"Just a bit tired, I'll be fine after a few cookies." The kwami stared up at Marinette a moment before giggling. "You went from Ladybug to Chat Noir."
Marinette looked down at herself before laughing. "I guess you're right. Come on, let's go to class. I have some cookies in my bag." Tucking Tikki out of sight, Marinette headed back towards her classroom, making sure everything was settled down before slipping in and sitting in her seat beside Alya.
"Usual day, then?" Alya grinned, nudging Marinette. Marinette blinked, staring at her for a moment.
"What do you mean, usual day?" Sighing dramatically, Alya shook her head.
"Akuam attack, class disrupted, people running, heroes show up to save the day, class back in session. Usual, normal day for us, isn't it?"
"Oh! Oh, yeah! Right. I- Right." Marinette gave a shake of her head and a sigh. "Sorry, I stayed up really late last night." Which wasn't a lie. She had been busy trying to get her Chat Noir costume done for today.
"I bet. Working on your costume?" Alya grinned, tugging at the ears on the headband. "Maybe Chat Noir will see you and swoon at how good you did on replicating his costume."
Marinette rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. He'll probably think I'm a creepy fangirl."
"Well, you did put a lot of detail into the outfit," Alya teased, inspecting one of the arms. "Where did you get this much leather, anyways?"
"I spent about all my allowance, and my allowance from the next two weeks at the fabric store," Marinette sighed as Adrien and a few others found their way back to their seats.
"It was kind of worth it, though." Yeah, it was. This was one of her best outfits yet, and she was proud of how much she had accomplished in such a short time. She was distracted from commenting, however, by Adrien turning to stare at her.
"You spent how much? How many weeks allowance?" Ah, supermodels. Never knew how expensive those outfits of theirs really was.
"Ah... About five weeks worth? Like Alya said, though. It was worth it." There was a conflicted expression on Adrien's face before he finally sighed as though in defeat.
"For what it's also worth, it turned out really amazing, Marinette. Miraculous powers couldn't have done it better."
Marinette stared at him for a moment before beaming. "You really think? I worked really hard on all the details- Here, check out the staff! Battle damage and everything- And the gloves! And the ring!" Adrien, bless his sweet soul, appreicated every single piece of the costume, going into depth with her on what it must have took to make it and questioning her extensively on the stitches she used. It was so much better than Alya just saying it was pretty, even if the girl did try her best to keep up when it came to Marinette's sewing obsession. Marinette smiled at him, tilting her head. "I didn't think you'd get all of this, you being a model, and all."
"I grew up with fashion, I'll have you know," Adrien tsked, smile on his face anyways as he examined the Chat Noir ring. "I may not have my father's talent when it comes to designing clothes, but I do know enough to keep up wiht the seamstresses when they're all yelling at us backstage."
"I guess I just thought you only knew about wearing clothes, not making them," Marinette said quietly, her face growing warm. Adrien's quiet laughter only made it worse, the boy smiling at Marinette sweetly.
"You pick up a thing or two when growing up on the backstages of fashion shows. Now, show me the tail again, I'm trying to figure out what you did to make the movement of it so natural."
"Oh, um... I dunno. It's nothing like Chat Noir's." Marinette held the tail out to Adrien a bit limply, looking over to Alya with wide eyes. Alya gave a thumbs up and an expression best described as 'keep it up'.
"I don't know, it looks exactly like this to me," Adrien laughed in delight, taking the tail and examining it closely. "You even got the buckle at the end, there."
"Only because of Alya's pictures. She took so many of them!"
"Someone has to document their rise to fame," Alya defended. "I will not rest until their story is told!"
"I think I'd be able to rest if you did," Marinette snorted with a roll of her eyes, swatting gently at her purse when she heard a quiet giggling. Alya huffed and puffed, Adrien only hiding a snort behind his hand.
"Relax, it's not like Alya's ever going to really find out who Ladybug and Chat Noir are," Nino waved off with a shake of his head. "I mean, they're hundreds of years old at the least. We wouldn't even know who they were if we unmasked them." Marinette frowned at that.
"If they're so old, then why do they look and sound and move like they're our age?" She was not hundreds of years old. Tikki may have been, but she didn't look a day over a hundred!
"Maybe they're immortal?" Nino shrugged. "I mean, look at all this crazy magical stuff they can do. Immortality isn't that big of a stretch! Plus there was that whole Ancient Egypt thing Alya liveblogged."
"Yeah, well... They don't look Egyptian," Marinette huffed.
Adrien nodded to Nino. "She has a point. Maybe it gets passed down."
"So, what? Ladybug and Chat Noir are from a family of former Ladybugs and Chat Noirs?" Alya paused, eyes narrowing. "It's a conspiracy." Oh, Alya. What on earth was Marinette going to do with her.
They would have continued their discussion, were it not for their teacher getting back to the classroom and looking ruffled. "Alright. Back to our reading books." Quite a bit of grumping followed, Marinette propping her book up just so to make it look like she was reading before sliding her sketchbook into her lap. She had so many ideas from all the costumes she had seen today, and, really. Maybe the Ladybug costume could be...tweaked. It would be a good project for her to at least think on.
...Maybe Chat Noir had some ideas for his own costume.