Hello, guys! Thank you so much for reading my story. This is by far, my most successful story and it makes me incredibly happy that it's this wonderful fandom. I loved each and every review that was posted (I hope you guys keep it up) and they helped get me through some writer blocks so that was wonderful. I have a couple more chapters in mind for this story (not including an epilogue) and and alternative version of this chapter and the upcoming chapters so watch out for them!
Athanasia xx
Perhaps it was because it was late and he was tired, that was why he got it wrong. Marinette was the last person he texted. He erased the number he punched in and waited, trying to recall what numbers Ladybug had said before entering them into his phone again.
It vibrated, 'This number is already saved under 'Princess'. Would you like to edit it?'
His eyebrow furrowed in a mixture of emotions before erasing and entering it again.
It vibrated, 'This number is already saved under 'Princess'. Would you like to edit it?'
He bit his lip, erased, and entered, pressing harder as if it would make a difference.
A vibration, 'This number is already saved under 'Princess'. Would you like to edi-'
WHY DID MARINETTE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER AS LADYBUG?
He groaned, holding his head between his hands in confusion. Maybe… Maybe… He remembered how similar they were, personality (when Marinette got comfortable around him, that is) and looks wise when it suddenly hit him.
MARINETTE AND LADYBUG ARE RELATED!
He grinned at the realization, to think Plagg had the nerve to call him dense. It completely made sense now that he gave it some thought. Marinette had the same hairstyle, the same cool nature (when she wanted/needed to be anyway), AND she sounded like his lady! He hugged his pillow tightly in an act of excitement. He could finally come into contact with hopefully Ladybug's civilian form. He used to always think about how Ladybug would look under her mask, what clothes she would wear casually and now he knew that Marinette was related to her, it almost painted a clear picture of what she could look like though he noticed that the picture he had painted mentally looked darn well near- well not really near but - exactly like Marinette. He smiled as his thoughts lulled him to sleep. He would just have to see for himself.
The world seemed to beam with happy glow as he woke up. Or maybe it was just him. He hurriedly got ready and managed to convince his driver that he had to talk to the teacher in order to get there early. He couldn't risk Marinette using the class bell as an excuse to rid him of the truth. The limo had barely pulled to a stop at the school gate before he got out of the car which almost made him trip if his reflexes weren't catlike.
He sat on the bench as he went over what he would say.
"Hey, Marinette. I just had this miraculous realization that you and Ladybug are related. Mind telling her to meet me?" No, that was a tiny bit creepy.
"Hey, Marinette! Can you call Ladybug here?" No then she would have too many questions.
"Hey, Marinette! So I was thinking since we're friends now, I could meet your whole family!" No. It sounded like he was her boyfriend or something.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and spun around, noticing Marinette with a shy smile, "G-Good morning, Adrien.. You're early."
She lowered the hand that tapped him and looked at him curiously, "What.. were you doing?"
"Huh?"
"You were walking around, making weird faces.." She demonstrated for him and he groaned. He acted out the conversation? Great.. They stood in silence, looking at their feet. He snapped his head up abruptly when he noticed her feet turning towards the entrance of the school. She was about to leave!
"M-Marinette!" He grabbed her wrist in a sense of urgency. She turned towards him, her face red.
"Y-Yes?"
What was he supposed to say? He didn't really think of anything..
"I-I.. Chat, I mean, I was planning on dropping by the bakery later today. Is that okay?"
"Of course..? We're open until 9 today. Do you have anything in mind so I can make sure it's in stock when you come in?"
"W-Well.. I was thinking I could try something of yours?" He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. At times like these, he wish he could be smooth when he was Adrien.
"S-Sure! Is there a certain thing you like?"
"I'm not sure.. Have you gotten anything with camembert?" If anyone could make it smell nice, he was sure Marinette could do it. While Plagg did eat a lot, some of them were still leftover by the time he was too full to even move and the last thing Adrien needed was for the smelly cheese to mold in his room. He needed to help him finish it. And fast.
"Yeah, there's something sweet and something savory. You can try them both later today." Marinette smiled at him and he felt his lips turn into a smile, "Sounds like a plan, Mari.." The girl broke into a blush at the nickname and he prepared himself for the stuttering that he had grown to love when he noticed Alya coming towards them, her reddish-brown hair flying back behind her as she went.
"Marinette! You won't believe what just happened!" The girl quickly dragged Marinette away from him, towards the school, with a quick "I'm sorry, Adrien!" behind her. Well there she goes..
He spotted Nino walking towards him with a pensive look on his face.
"Hey man-" Adrien raised his hand in greeting only to have his friend pass by him. He dropped his hand in confusion before chasing after the boy, "N-Nino? Nino!"
It took some effort, passing by his classmates, and helping to pick up stuff that he caused to drop, before he finally reached his friend. He grabbed at his shoulder, carefully not hurt him with his claws before he realized that he was Adrien at the moment.
"Nino, what's wrong?" Nino turned around in a fright, a blush gracing his cheek- wait what?
"N-Nino?"
The boy in question stared at him with an almost frightened look on his face, breathing heavily. What on earth happened? The shorter boy started jumping in face before he burst out in an ashamed shout, "IKISSEDHER. IKISSEDALYA."
And with everyone turning over to look at the two of them, the normally outgoing boy flushed a shade darker before burying his face into his hands, "OH. MON DIEU." Adrien quickly dragged his friend to the nearest empty classroom before holding his hands apart so the other boy could look at him in the eye, "You kissed Alya?"
He didn't even know why he asked, the blush seemed as if it was permanently there and the boy was looking everywhere but at him. His friend was able to move in on the person he liked faster than he was able to. Hell, Adrien was able to see her every day and he couldn't bring himself to invade her space and possibly making her hate him. Well. No more. He will definitely make sure she knows how he really feels about her now. He patted Nino on his shoulder and plastered a genuine smile on his face, probably his biggest as Adrien, "Congrats man. I'm happy for you. How did she react?"
"I mean she didn't react- She was kinda frozen in place b-but she didn't push me away so that must mean something, right?" The darker boy looked at Adrien with hopeful eyes. "Yeah, man! That's awesome- I mean not that she didn't respond but at least she didn't push you away! Plus she looked really excited about something when she pulled Mari- Marinette away earlier too."
Nino looked at him, his stiff shoulders finally relenting with a smile on his face. He grinned at his best friend, "You were about to call Marinette Mari. Do you have something you want to tell me?"
Adrien's face burned and he could feel Plagg snickering underneath his unbuttoned shirt, "I-It was just a slip from when Alya called her earlier!" He was lying horribly, Alya didn't use any nickname earlier but Nino didn't need to know that. He coughed, looking at his feet as he shuffled them around awkwardly, "I-I.. I.. ahem.. was thinking of tracking Ladybug down and confessing to her." while she was in her civilian form.
Nino looked slightly troubled as he congratulated his friend, "T-That's great, Adrien! Tell me how it goes."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing-" He rubbed the back of his neck, "-I just thought you liked Marinette."
Adrien looked at him in surprise, "You were being serious earlier?"
Coughing awkwardly, Nino looked away, "It's just you've been 'working' with her so often and you seem to like her."
Adrien choked on the air in his lungs, "I-I-I don't like her. I-I mean I do! As a friend! I've only thought of her as a friend, Nino! Gosh!" He paced from back and forth anxiously, "I-I mean so what? I like hanging out with her. She's a great girl. Marinette is a great girl. She's fun to hang out with- I-I mean she- she is so fun to hang out with. She's so smart and- and she laughs at my terrible jokes-" The ones that Ladybug rarely laugh at. "-and her laugh is so pretty like lik- No. No, Nino. That is not what I meant. I-It just sounds pretty! I-I don't have a crush on her.I don't- " I have a crush on Ladybug. "S-She- Marinette just makes time slow down for me. You know.. I just don't feel like the model Adrien Agreste when I'm with her. I feel.. I feel… I feel like Adrien Agreste."
Adrien glanced at Nino, stopping in his pacing, the latter looking upset, "N-Nino, I don't mean-" Nino laughed and waved his hand at the latter, "It's fine, man. I get it. She's just different."
Adrien glared at his friend, "She's not just different. She's-"
Nino laughs, "Do you really think I don't know how you feel about her? Adrien man, you are a whole other being when you're with her. You get out of your shell when you're with her. You aren't so formal and awkward when you're with her- You make jokes, you laugh like a hyena when she does- Which, dude is in no way attractive. It's amazing she still likes y-" He coughed into his hand nervously, "L-Look. The point is as much as of a star you are, you shine so much brighter when you're with Marinette. She makes you happy. If you don't like her then that's fine-" He raised in his hand in defeat, "But she's good for you man and that makes me, as your best friend, happy for you."
Adrien jumped forward, his arms flying around Nino's shoulders, hugging him tightly, "Thanks, Nino."
Adrien gave him one last squeeze before releasing Nino from the hug. He began leading his friend out of the classroom with an one armed hug, "But for the record, I don't have a crush on Marinette, okay?"
Nino smirked, using his hand to push the glasses that were falling down, "Not even a little one?"
Adrien glanced at his friend before averting his eyes quickly and mumbling, embarrassed, "Maybe a little."
Nino whooped loudly, throwing a punch in the shoulder, "Way to go, Adrien!"
