Okok guys I was talking to ShadowOfDarkness2004 and she shared this theory with me that she'd heard before. So you know how Marinette and Adrien are dense little frickers that drive us all nuts? Of course you do. Well you know how when Adrien transforms into Chat Noir his eyes and hair changes (also in my opinion gets ripped man but i blame the tight suit for that) while Marinette looks literally the same but dressed differently? Adrien probably thinks that Ladybug's hair and eyes change as well due to the fact that his do, and she probably thinks his civilian self looks just like Chat Noir. SO YEAH
I mean obviously I get it the pigtails are a dead giveaway and come on their voices happen to be identical, y'all disappear whenever the superheroes show up, etc etc, but I just like the theory. (It makes me less angry at them)
Disclaimer: i don't own Mario Kart, or the Wii console (I mean I own one but I don't own the company rrjjsjdjwjajwjqiaikk)
-o-
"..."
"Plagg, say something."
"...Why in the depths of Hell would you think that Marinette likes your hero form? Has your arrogance finally got the best of you?" he finally queried. Adrien narrowed his eyes.
"You were literally in my bag during gym! You could hear everything," he replied, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.
Plagg rolled his eyes. "I sure could, but that proves nothing. She never said she liked you," he reasoned.
"I know how to take a hint!" the boy exclaimed, flopping backward onto his bed, confused at the entire situation and wanting to just sleep.
The black cat kwami grumbled incoherently, crossing his tiny stubby arms. "Humans and their lovely skill of jumping to conclusions…"
"I can hear you."
"Wasn't trying to hide anything," he retorted curtly. Finally, he offered some helpful advice. "Adrien, I think you're thinking about this way too hard. Listen to me—how about you talk to Marinette about this?"
The blonde quirked an eyebrow up questioningly. "She'd get incredibly suspicious if Adrien was suddenly curious about her and Chat Noir's non-existent relationship."
"Well, you could always ask someone else to do it," Plagg offered. Adrien was about to shoot down that idea, as well, with a claim about how it definitely wouldn't work—until he realized. It totally would work. "Like that friend of hers that's always sticking her nose into akuma attacks. What's her name, Ally? Abiga—"
Adrien cut him off with a loud gasp. "You're a genius, Plagg!" he sat up in the bed, a lopsided grin on his face.
The small creature yawned, speaking nonchalantly. "Thanks. Do I get some camembert for that?"
"After we make a visit, you can eat till your heart's content," he promised, hopping off his bed and subconsciously running his index finger over his knuckles to feel for the cold ring.
His kwami seemed a bit lost. "What? There's no patrol toni—" he looked at his chosen one as if he'd grown two heads. "Oh, no, Adrien. That's not funny."
"That's good, because I'm not joking," he smirked. Leaving no room for argument, he called, "Plagg, claws out!"
-o-
"Tikki, do you think I've gone crazy?"
The small red kwami snuggled up against Marinette's bare leg. "There's nothing wrong with standing up for someone you care about," she told the girl, reassuringly smiling up at her. It didn't seem to help too much.
"I know," she sighed, "but I totally went overboard. Besides, since when did I ever let Chat Noir overrule my judgement?"
"Marinette, I think you're blowing this way out of proportion," Tikki admitted, not wanting to say anything that would damper her mood again. "Watch—tomorrow, nobody will even remember the incident."
She lifted her head from her knees, glancing at her red friend with her wide blue eyes. Hope sparkled in them, as she finally wondered if perhaps she was making this into a bigger deal than it was. "Maybe you're right…"
The ladybug kwami gave her a genuine smile. "That's the spirit!" she exclaimed, spinning around once before gripping Marinette's pinky and attempting to drag her. "Now how about you take a nice, warm shower, and—"
BAM!
Marinette froze, while her kwami quickly rushed away somewhere unbeknownst to the girl, not that she was really paying attention, anyway. The noise startled her, especially since it sounded like it was coming from…her balcony?
"...Who's there?" the teenage girl called, getting ready to transform at any moment in case there was an akuma roaming around somewhere near. She made her way towards the glass doors to her balcony, making sure to keep her footsteps light as to not alert anything that might be awaiting her out there.
Knock knock!
She nearly jumped out of her skin at this noise. Someone was on her balcony. Her heart raced in fear. Attempting to calm her nerves, Marinette rushed to a corner and grabbed her tennis racket that she used occasionally to practice with Alya. A solid slam on the head with the rim of the racket would surely knock anyone out.
She held her breath, swiftly taking hold of the curtains and sliding them away to look through the glass. There, standing up against her glass, was the person she least expected to see right now.
Chat Noir.
Marinette gaped in disbelief as his eyes met hers. She dropped the racket, before sliding open a glass door, allowing him to take a step in and protect himself from the chilling breeze. "Chat?! What in the world are you doing here?" she exclaimed.
"Is there something wrong with wanting to visit my friend?" he asked. She wore unamused expression. Obviously, she didn't buy his rather lame reasoning. "Besides, I could ask you the same thing. You doing some late night tennis purr-actice?" he chuckled. Marinette frowned.
"No, but I was about to send your head flying," she deadpanned. Chat whistled.
"Violent, aren't we?"
The girl raised an eyebrow. She just wanted to sleep off today's events. Seeing the instigator of the entire situation—even if he technically didn't do anything—wasn't making anything better. "Listen, why are you here?"
"Uh, well, see," he started, raising a finger matter-a-factly, before dropping it. Come on Adrien, tell her that you've heard she's into you and don't feel the same! "I bet you can't beat me in Mario Kart." Smooth.
Marinette looked bewildered by this answer, and for good reason. Her akuma-fighting partner was dropping in through her civilian self's room to play...Mario Kart? Nonetheless, she smirked. Ever since she was a little girl, her dad and her would play video games together in the evenings after dinner. She could totally beat him."Is that a challenge?"
He wore a cheeky grin. "You bet."
-o-
And that's how the two teenagers found themselves playing Mario Kart until nearly midnight. They both sat, controllers in hand, spiritedly jamming buttons and maneuvering their arms.
"You hit me with your red shell!" Marinette exclaimed angrily, watching Baby Peach cry out in agony as she got smashed with the item. The stun sent her back into fourth place.
"I was aiming for Bowser!" Chat replied defensively, passing her and making it into third place.
She growled, steering furiously with the Wii Remote. "Bowser is all the way back in tenth place! You were not aiming for him!"
"Then what's that thing with a shell?!" he asked, panicking as he saw Baby Peach nearing his Morton character.
"That's Yoshi, you dimwit!" Marinette yelled in disbelief. "They look nothing alike!"
"Me-owch, princess," he feigned hurt as they both crossed the finish line. Marinette stood up, throwing her hands in the air triumphantly, a smug grin plastered on her face. She'd come in second place, while Chat in third, meaning she'd beat him.
"I told you I would win!" she boasted, bright blue eyes shining with life and excitement. Not wanting to ruin her moment of happiness, he playfully clapped for her and let out a few cheers.
Finally, she settled down from her high, taking a seat on the couch beside him again. "Remember this the next time you challenge me to something. Ah, but what was up with the whole princess nickname?" she inquired, remembering moments before winning that he said yet another cheesy cat pun and called her his princess.
He blinked a few times, looking as if he was unaware of even saying such a thing. "Oh. I don't know, I guess because your character was a princess, I just let that slip out…" he admitted, sheepishly. Marinette softly smiled.
"It kinda has a ring to it," she noted. Chat was about to respond, until a loud voice broke them out of their own little world.
"Marinette!" she heard her mother call from downstairs. The girl held her breath and shot her companion a panicked glance. "You have school tomorrow, maybe save the games for after school? You need some sleep," she requested. Not wanting her to come into her room and discover one of Paris's superheroes playing games with her, she responded quickly.
"Yes, maman! I'm going to bed now," she assured the woman. Marinette assumed she was satisfied with this answer, since she heard footsteps leaving and getting quieter. Only when she was positive her mother was back in her room did either of them speak. "That was a close one."
"It sure was," Chat agreed. "I think I should leave before I get you caught."
"Okay. Be careful on your way home," she replied, walking him back to the balcony and watching him go. The feline-like teen playfully saluted to her before hopping away into the dead of the night.
Chat Noir jumped from building top to building top, enjoying the cold air hitting his face as he did so. The boy was halfway through his trek, until he suddenly paused on a skyscraper and realized what he'd done wrong. He had only one task and completely let it slip his mind.
"Uh, Plagg," he said, more to himself than to the kwami, since he wasn't even sure the cat creature could hear him when he was in suit. "I forgot to turn Marinette down."