"Rouge Platonique"
DISCLAIMER: "Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir" do not belong to me. They are owned by Thomas Astruc and Zag Heroes.
Chapter 2: "L 'effort" (The effort)
She didn't really have a plan, at first. But every principle, had eventually a plan. And the plan was to buy that little painting that Adrien had adored so much during the museum visit.
To be realistic, Marinette didn't have the € 100 that it cost. Hardly, if in a piggy bank, it reached about € 30, whose origin was an idea that she kept suspiciously: save more money, that would help her to buy some fabrics she had in mind, for certain future projects, to be made. The truth is that she proposed, as a first option, to sell more products from the bakery, monopolizing more customers, while collaborating with his parents. But she had not noticed that her intention meant getting extra money, which would hurt the family economy. It was preposterous to offer the products that her parents made and to keep her with some part of the profits. No. That plan had no foot, no head. She needed something more.
Valentine's was on Saturday. And they were already Wednesday. And then, it was when it occurred to her.
.
Alya read the small flyer and looked at her bewildered.
"A liquidation, as a kind of garage sale?"
The girl looked expectant.
"Yes, Alya, exactly. A garage sale." She repeated, as if to herself, and then hesitated. "From garage? Well, no; rather, a roof sale." She said, smiling, for the mentioned sale would be made in her room.
""What do you plan to sell?"
"Well... I have some designs that girls could be interested in..." She mentally enumerated" "Some accessories that I made some time ago; table games; comics; several video games that I have repeated..."
"Repeated?"
"The grandmother and father, bought the same, without knowing..." justified.
"Marinette, are you sure you do all this? It's too much money, friend!"
"It's not so much what I need to raise, Alya." She mimicked, keeping some books in her locker. "I know I will succeed, and this time, nothing can fail." She nodded, closing her locket.
"Wow... You're very determined. I love it!", the girl added, winking.
"As I said, everything 'll be fine. I must stay positive, Alya... I know it will be the best Valentine's gift for Adrien."
.
"By God, as if someone could want to go to Marinette's house, for a stupid garage sale." Chloe spat odiously, before a Sabrina who only managed to nod. "And besides, what kind of crap could she even have? I bet that just that: a lot of crap..." She said, crossing her arms.
""A garage sale? Great..." Juleka said, just in order to antagonize the blonde.
"It sounds interesting, Marinette, at your house, tomorrow?" Mylene asked enthusiastically.
"So is. I wait for you after school. There will be snacks and a snack!" She ad.
"Don't stop going! Marinette has a lot of amazing things to offer them." Alya assured, printing a note of mystery and double interest.
"There we 'll be, then, Marinette. Count on us." Rose commented, generating more joy in the protagonist of the event.
"You'll be welcome!"
"Do you also have some music?" Nino wanted to know.
"Ehm..." The girl tried to remember. "Of course! I have several albums, of those that were sold years ago..."
"Many years?"
"For many years, Nino..." She laughed amused.
"Interesting! Mmm, it sounds like something vintage... I will definitely be there."
""Will you have some comics, cartoons or similar, Marinette?"
"Well..." She said absentmindedly. "If "Where 's War' comic books count as comics..."
"Really?! That's great! Of course I'll be there. Count on me too", Max said.
Marinette smiled and locked her fist, making the gesture of victory.
"What's in Marinette's house?", Adrien questioned Nino. "Everyone seems excited..."
"Yes, dude! Marinette will make a garage sale at her house, tomorrow afternoon, when we leave school. She have great things, will you come, right?". He said, pleading.
"Sure, it sounds great..."
" Great, friend! Then, we can go eat something…"
"I heard something about some sandwiches…" added the model.
"And after the sandwiches, we can eat something else."
Adrien laughed.
"Well, perfect, Nino.
"Consider it a fact.
.
.
"Grrr!" Chloe screamed, annoyed. "Why, all of a sudden, everyone will go to the house of the silly Marinette?" She said, grimacing in disgust. "She didn't have the great things that I have!"
Sabrina hesitated before speaking. Chloe was very insistent.
"Well... It seems that the vast majority of the class will go... It's like... Did she really have great things?" She said, not sure, and doubting it, so that Chloe would not be enraged in incalculable proportions.
"How dare you?! Arrgh!" She growled. "Marinette can make an absurd meeting in her house, but you 'll see that no one will go... No, if I don't go." she said, with pride. "And she didn't even have the courage to invite me...", she added, touching her hair.
"But... In fact, she did invite you. Do you see?" Sabrina said, showing her the little pamphlet.
Chloe rolled her eyes and turned her face away, ignoring her on purpose.
"Only a fool could go to that stupid baker's house. We will go shopping, Sabrina!". She concluded.
And the redhead, would never oppose.
.
The long awaited day for Marinette had arrived. From early on, she was especially responsible for conditioning her room: cleaning it, ordering her belongings and things that might be occupying the space she would need to display her items of sale.
" Honey, is everything okay?", Sabine leaned out behind the doorframe. "There was a loud noise from below, did you hurt yourself?"
The girl emerged, from a pile of stacked boxes, smiling quietly.
"Yes, Mom, everything is fine. I dropped some boxes, that was all... But thanks for asking..."
"Oh... Do not get so tired, daughter... Are you sure you want to get rid of all those things?" she doubt.
"Yes, yes, Mom; there is no problem with that. These are some of my designs and video games repeated. Do not worry." she reassured her. "Everything will be fine."
"Okay, honey. I'm preparing juices and some sandwiches for your friends, as you asked me..."
"Excellent, mom!". Again, the whipping of several boxes was heard. "You're the best!", exclaimed the young woman, letting herself be seen completely, surprisingly hugging her mother.
The woman smiled happily.
.
"Marinette, everything was more than perfect!", Tikki said, fluttering very happy, over her carrier.
"Really, Tikki?"
"Of course! I would never lie to you."
"Thank you!" She smiled fondly. "It was because of your good advices."
"Was nothing..."
Marinette heard footsteps near her room.
"Tikki, hide!" She ordered, hurriedly.
"Wow, girl... You tried this time! Your room looks huge, this way." Alya opined, giving notice of his presence.
"I know, I had to run some furniture, to stack all these boxes, which will act as an exhibitor".
"Well thought". Winked.
" Do you like how I decorated this belt?" She asked, hesitant, pointing at the table.
A smirk formed on her friend's lips.
"What I ask the most, is if you really removed all the 'decoration' that you should remove from your room..." She explained, making quotes in the air, at the time she raised and lowered her eyebrows, again and again, and she smiled more mockingly.
Marinette opened her eyes wide and paled immediately.
"The Adrien's pictures, God!" She cried in horror, holding both hands to her head.
"Marinette, your friends have already arrived!" Tom said, from below. "They are Max, Alix, Nino and Adrien!"
"Oh God!" she shrieked more sharply than ever. "This can't be happening!"
"Quiet, we'll take them off..." Alya tried to calm her down.
" In a moment, dad!" She cried, with all the air in hee lungs.
"Let's go remove the photos...", the friend insisted.
" Impossible, they are too many!". The blue haired girl broke into nerves. "You must go and distract them!"
"What? To distract them? How?"
"I don't know, Alya! Improvise something, but do it NOW!" she said, practically pushing her away from her room.
" Well, well, I will!" Alya assumed, resigned.
Marinette closed the door of her room, in a thunderous and involuntary slamming.
"Tikki, help!" She pleaded, hysterical. "Adrien's photos are everywhere! You have to remove them!
"Marinette!" she yelled. "I knew we forgot something!"
"Quick, help me!" she begged again, while both ran through the room.
In the meantime…
"Hi guys! What's up, huh?"
"Hello, Alya..." they said. " And Marinette?"
"She is finishing arranging things. Only be a moment." she said, cutting off the entrance to the staircase that led to the room. "And tell me, did you know about Marinette's tarantula collection?"
Sabine frowned with surprise, but chose not to delimit anything. In that, Rose, Juleka and Nathaniel also arrived.
"Spiders?" Alix hesitated.
" Tarantulas? That's super cool…" commented a relaxed Juleka.
Alya laughed nervously.
" Of course, tarantulas; very hairy, horrible! She loves them!" she added, leaving of mouth, under the generalized fright.
Another big noise came from above, drawing the attention of all the guests and Sabine also, who only managed to smile circumstantially.
Then a door opened.
"Hello everyone, please, come up!", an agitated Marinette announced.
Her mother questioned her with her eyes and she smiled in a grimace of hysteria/tranquility, meaning -without saying-, that she was fine.
.
"Your room is beautiful, Marinette..."
"Thanks, Rose"
"And the tarantulas…?" Nino inquired, something frightened.
" Tarantulas...? What...?" Marinette said, not understanding.
"Oh, they haven't seen your video game collection yet!", Alya screamed, almost desperately, to distract them. And he achieve it.
" What is that about the tarantulas, Alya?" The girl whispered.
"Nothing. It doesn't matter, friend..."
"Oh God. Oh, God... Adrien is in my room!" Marinette whispered like a maniac, beginning to hyperventilate.
"Ya, calm down, sister..." she is just watching your fair 'vintage'.
"You're right. You're right." she said, breathing and taking it again.
"And when you stop hyperventilating," she added, looking at her out of the corner of her eye, "you should say something nice and look calm".
"Yes. Yes. Yes. You're right. Tranquility. Positivity". She said, taking a Zen pose.
"And remember, why are you doing all this... It's not like you're going to send him the gift by correspondence..."
"No, no".
"You will give it to him. You. Personally. All right? And you will not act like a madman... Yes?" she murmured.
"Yes. Yes." The girl replied, as if in a trance.
"All right. Let's continue" she said, walking away. "Well, now, stay calm, Nino. Marinette doesn't have a collection of tarantulas. It was a joke..." she laughed peacefully.
.
" These video games are really amazing, Marinette! They are no longer manufactured. How much do you want for them?" Max asked, very excited about it.
"Ehm... I don't know, I guess... Five euros?"
"Nothing else?" Adrien intervened. "Marinette, it's a very valuable collection..."
"Really?"
"Yes!" He laughed lightly. "Minimally, double."
"I 'll pay whatever it is". Max assured, making both laugh.
"Well... In that case... Twelve".
" It's a deal, miss!", the eyeglass boy said, taking the money out of his wallet.
"Thanks, Max". Marinette smiled, handing him the box.
Immediately, she took out a small notebook, where she settled the sale and seemed to be prepared to do some calculations, distracted.
Adrien noticed, seeing her in silence.
.
Later, Juleka and Rose chose a pair of embroidered synthetic leather bracelets; while Alix decided on a bag. Meanwhile, Nino bought several old records, for which he had previously shown interest. Adrien took a couple of comics, as did Nathaniel and Max. Mylene arrived a little late, but she bought some hair accessories and bracelets, just like the other girls did.
Everything seemed fine. Now they tasted the sandwiches that Marinette's mother offered them, in the living room, while they talked funny.
Meanwhile, Marinette went up to his room, apologizing for a moment.
Given the time, Adrien considered it necessary to warn Nathalie, that the bodyguard would pass through him, a little later than planned, as the boys had decided to watch a movie and order some pizzas.
" Permission... Marinette? He asked, entering, but no one answered.
He moved slowly, trying to see if the girl was there, although everything indicated that she was not. Finally, he saw the trapdoor that led to the terrace, by the light that came from it. By inertia, he passed it and found it.
Something familiar mingled in his mind. Marinette was leaning with her arms on the railing, in solitude, reflective.
In order not to frighten her, she stepped back a little and made a slight noise on purpose. The young woman turned with surprise, to look towards where he now, was visible.
"Marinette?
"Adrien..." she said, not knowing what to do.
"Everthing is good here…?
"Yes, yes, I... I just wanted... some fresh air..." she said, looking away.
She looked a little sad. Adrien went back to himself, that night...
"Oh sure. It seems like a beautiful night."
"It is..." she said, now, looking directly at him.
"Can I accompany you, Marinette...?" The boy inquired, politely.
"O-Of course, Adrien..." she smiled, and tried to make the signal to go to where she was.
"It's really a beautiful night..."
"Yes..." she agreed and sighed deeply.
"It's good that you did this garage sale, Marinette", said seeing her, and the girl turned around.
"Oh yeah...? And... W-Why do you say it, Adrien?"
"Well, because that's how we had a nice afternoon, all together and we could know more about your designs...
"Well, thank you, it was something that... it occurred to me to do..." She commented, scratching the back of her hair.
"They are excellent. You have a lot of creativity... I think I will never have that imaginative and creative facet..."
"Of course you do!" She said, abruptly and regretting it at once. "I-I mean, of course you're great...! That is, you can create things... I suppose. Oh...!" She scolded herself, in a whisper.
Adrien took that talk as kind and funny on his part.
"Thank you, but, I'd like to be able to say that at least I'm half creative, of what you are, though... that would be lying..." proposed, hesitantly. "Really, it continues like this". He smiled genuinely.
"Thank you..." she said, as always, nervous. "And... So, they're coming for you?" She wanted to know, without evidencing his sadness about it.
"Not really. I was looking for my bag, because there I left my phone. I told my father's assistant, Nathalie, to pick me up one hour later".
Happiness seemed to be present, again.
"Perfect! So you can have dinner with me!"
She thought aloud, and panicked after listened herself.
Adrien opened his eyes, more than he planned, surprised and confused.
" I mean, with my friends! With the boys!" she glimpsed, in a verbal tangle, embarrassment and frustration.
"Exact! "he smiled". That's why I said, that I liked coming to your house, Marinette. Your parents are very attentive... And besides..." He paused, before continuing to speak. "It will sound silly to you, but... I've never been to a garage sale..."
" Or rather, a 'room sale'…" the girl said, happy to have been spontaneous, fresh and safe, for once in her life.
He found he comment funny, which felt like being in the very glory.
"Yes, it was really fun. And I like to hang out with the class. I think we should do it more often". He reflected, leaning now on the railing.
"You're right"
The boy returned a smile and remained silent for a moment.
"You know? I could't avoid see that... You keep track of sales and... An account"
"Oh..." she lamented.
"There is nothing wrong in it. I was just curious..."
Marinette paled, almost mummified.
" Do you have any idea in mind that...?"
"An idea?" She asked, nervous.
"Of course, or something like something for which to save..."
Her eyes widened, her lips became a thin, straight line, in the whole of her state of staggering panic. Since when Adrien Agreste was so observant!
"Eh... Yes, ehm... I..." she laughed hysterically. "I have planned to make a gift. It's something personal. Special."
It broke out, and now, she wanted to die.
He seemed excited about it and smiled kindly, as he usually did.
"Oh, that sounds great, Marinette."
"Eh, yes... thanks?", she said, looking sideways, but rather hiding her horror.
" Are you okay with that...?" He asked quietly.
She thought a little.
"Well... Not exactly as I would like, because, well..." she laughed nervously, again. "Not yet..." she paused. "I still don't get what... I need... But I know I will". She smiled at the end, showing optimism.
"That's right…" he encouraged her, knowing that she didn't want to go deeper into the subject.
Marinette was too tender, he thought. For days, she was looking for the perfect gift for her parents, as Alya had said and now, she was organizing a sale to contribute to that special surprise that she was planning. And she still had the modesty of not even saying it!
Marinette had a beautiful family, Adrien concluded, after a few minutes of silence that didn't become uncomfortable (at least for him), as they enjoyed the night view of Paris.
"I'm sure everything will work out as planned, and... that gift will be perfect". He smiled, finally, resting his hand on the shoulder of a shocked Marinette.
"Thanks, Adrien..." she almost whispered, smiling at him in return.
"There is no reason, Marinette..."
.
It was almost nine o'clock at night, when the movie was ending and the boys stretched in the living room of the Dupain-Cheng, soon to leave. For Marinette, seeing Adrien leaving home, it was like a dream. Actually, all that day had been... Except for the fact, that it still did not reach the sum it needed and such a thought, it threatened to depress it again.
"Thank you very much, mom. Dad". She looked at them, eternally grateful. "Dinner was not in my plans..." she commented, somewhat embarrassed.
"It was nothing, honey". Sabine said. "From time to time, you can invite your friends, they are welcome".
"Thank you…"
"Good evening, Marinette. Have a nice rest". Tom said, placing a kiss on his forehead.
"Thank you. Good evening to both of you". She greeted, going to her room.
.
"Ahhh" She sighed tiredly, throwing herself into her chair. "It was a long day…"
"And you say it, Marinette". Tikki nodded, flying around him, until he was lying next to her.
"Yes, it's been a great day... The guys liked my designs; I spent a moment alone with Adrien, oh, my God!", she exclaimed happily, sitting up and bringing both hands to her cheeks. It was totally amazing! I think I'll keep the ticket he gave me forever", she added with a look of love, while making a proper turn of the ballet.
The kwami laughed amused.
"But the negative..." she began saying, "is that I still don't collect the hundred Euros that I need...", she lamented, collapsing again on the couch.
" Are you sure, Marinette?" Her friend objected. "How much do you already have?"
"Sixty-seven..." she said, almost unintelligible, because she was partially face down.
"Sure?" Tikki inquired, with much (and suspicious) conviction.
" Do you think I can't count?" she mocked.
"You could have been wrong..." She said, cocking her eyes.
Marinette sat down and rolled her eyes.
"Well well. I'll count again. But you'll see that I'm right". She protested.
Tikki laughed in secret, feigning seriousness.
"What?!" She screamed, completely incredulous. "It can't be!"
"What happen?"
" There are eighty seven; Twenty more than I had!"
" Did you count well?"
Marinette gave him a sidelong glance.
"I told it twice! Ayyyy! I can't believe it!?
" That's excellent, Marinette; You don't lack almost nothing!"
"Yeah!" she said with happiness. "But... How can it be?... The last thing I sold, was a comic book and..."
"That doesn't matter now!" Tikki opined. "Maybe you forgot to take note of something, but what matters, is that you almost have it..."
"Yes. You're right, Tikki". She smiled victoriously. "Although... I'm missing thirteen Euros... Oh, it would be so pathetic not being able to buy it, for only thirteen Euros!?, she screamed dramatically, covering her face.
"Quiet. You just have to go to Mr. Lacroix tomorrow, and you'll know". Don't be discouraged..."
"Thank you, Tikki..." she caressed her. "Sorry for the attacks of drama and laments..." she laughed.
"Was nothing. You must rest, there is school tomorrow."
"I know. Have a nice rest".
"Good evening, Marinette". The kwami greeted.
.
.
.
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TO BE CONTINUE…
Hello everyone! Thank you very much for reading my fic, for commenting, for marking as favorite and continuing. I'm glad you liked it, it's what I need to continue with a story. So... Don't be afraid to comment, you just will make me happy!
Again, sorry for the poor (?) translation. I really do my best, trust me. ❤🍀
The next one, it's one of my favorite chapters, it's the one I most enjoyed writing and I know you'll feel the same.
Have a great weekend.
Marhelga